A recent outing to a friend's 40th!!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Birdlings Flat near Christchurch
This is where we go to collect stones for polishing and to watch some pretty huge waves!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Update April 28th 2008
Thought it might be time to write another update from the Owens Family diary. The last few months have passed by incredibly fast!
It is now Autumn and the leaves are starting to fall. It has been a beautiful Summer with a lot of sunshine. Christmas was not quite what we are used to but very enjoyable all the same. I think we all enjoyed the novelty of body boarding on Christmas day after a BBQ breakfast!
We are still in our rental house at the moment and will probably carry on renting for the time being. Things are against us with the exchange rate and housing market at the moment. It has its benefits as weekends do not need to be spent on DIY jobs!
Wayne has finally, after a 10 month break, started work. It is a very similar customer support role to the one he had in the UK. He is working for a software company called Wellnomics. So far he is enjoying being back in the work place. It has also got him back into indoor football and squash!!! The down side is that Wayne is now excused from the housework and shopping!! I had really got quite used to that too!! He will be away occasionally with trips to the States, first one planned for mid May.
The kids have continued to settle well. The 1st school term has now finished. Beth was away at school camp recently and, although she suffered from a few sand fly bites and sleepless nights on a lumpy bunk bed, had a good time. She has started Korean dancing at school and will be doing ‘hiphop’ after the school holidays. We have also borrowed a couple of hockey sticks so she can have a hit around as hockey is on the agenda for PE next term. That bought back memories for me of freezing cold PE sessions at school on the wing! Gareth has continued in his love for cricket and has got together with a group of lads in his class to start in a local indoor cricket league next month. He also continues his love of all things PS3! Our first parents evening at his school went pretty well and it was good to meet some of his teachers.
We continue to try to get out and about at the weekends. We get out on our mountain bikes a fair bit and have some weekend trips planned. Both Wayne and Gareth have been in Tennis competitions recently. Wayne was playing for the wooden spoon in the tennis club mens doubles competition and Gareth getting a silver medal with his team of lads in the Junior interclub competition.
I am having a change of work starting tomorrow. I am going self employed and working at a couple of the Private Hospitals on the wards. It will mean I can be more part time and also be more flexible with my work during the holidays. I have been doing some painting recently which I am really enjoying. Always planned to try to find a bit more time for the creative stuff.
Last weekend saw Wayne and I dressed up as vikings at a friends 40th birthday party. Good fun although there was a lot of clashing of horns and axes in the back garden!! We also had a lovely brunch at our friend Clare's on Sunday morning-very civilised!
The next few weekends see us a little busier. A family weekend in 2 weeks for Wayne's 50th when we will be going to Hanmer Springs for the weekend to relax and do a spot of mountain biking weather permitting. Hanmer is an Alpine resort so there may even be a bit of snow on the tops! Beth and I will be horse riding and Wayne and Gareth are going of road on some karts. We are trying to make the most of the outdoor opportunities living here brings!
Anyway all our best to our family and friends and we will try and keep you posted on our progress and news.
Anne XX
It is now Autumn and the leaves are starting to fall. It has been a beautiful Summer with a lot of sunshine. Christmas was not quite what we are used to but very enjoyable all the same. I think we all enjoyed the novelty of body boarding on Christmas day after a BBQ breakfast!
We are still in our rental house at the moment and will probably carry on renting for the time being. Things are against us with the exchange rate and housing market at the moment. It has its benefits as weekends do not need to be spent on DIY jobs!
Wayne has finally, after a 10 month break, started work. It is a very similar customer support role to the one he had in the UK. He is working for a software company called Wellnomics. So far he is enjoying being back in the work place. It has also got him back into indoor football and squash!!! The down side is that Wayne is now excused from the housework and shopping!! I had really got quite used to that too!! He will be away occasionally with trips to the States, first one planned for mid May.
The kids have continued to settle well. The 1st school term has now finished. Beth was away at school camp recently and, although she suffered from a few sand fly bites and sleepless nights on a lumpy bunk bed, had a good time. She has started Korean dancing at school and will be doing ‘hiphop’ after the school holidays. We have also borrowed a couple of hockey sticks so she can have a hit around as hockey is on the agenda for PE next term. That bought back memories for me of freezing cold PE sessions at school on the wing! Gareth has continued in his love for cricket and has got together with a group of lads in his class to start in a local indoor cricket league next month. He also continues his love of all things PS3! Our first parents evening at his school went pretty well and it was good to meet some of his teachers.
We continue to try to get out and about at the weekends. We get out on our mountain bikes a fair bit and have some weekend trips planned. Both Wayne and Gareth have been in Tennis competitions recently. Wayne was playing for the wooden spoon in the tennis club mens doubles competition and Gareth getting a silver medal with his team of lads in the Junior interclub competition.
I am having a change of work starting tomorrow. I am going self employed and working at a couple of the Private Hospitals on the wards. It will mean I can be more part time and also be more flexible with my work during the holidays. I have been doing some painting recently which I am really enjoying. Always planned to try to find a bit more time for the creative stuff.
Last weekend saw Wayne and I dressed up as vikings at a friends 40th birthday party. Good fun although there was a lot of clashing of horns and axes in the back garden!! We also had a lovely brunch at our friend Clare's on Sunday morning-very civilised!
The next few weekends see us a little busier. A family weekend in 2 weeks for Wayne's 50th when we will be going to Hanmer Springs for the weekend to relax and do a spot of mountain biking weather permitting. Hanmer is an Alpine resort so there may even be a bit of snow on the tops! Beth and I will be horse riding and Wayne and Gareth are going of road on some karts. We are trying to make the most of the outdoor opportunities living here brings!
Anyway all our best to our family and friends and we will try and keep you posted on our progress and news.
Anne XX
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