So what has been happening? Well me first. Last year changes occurred with our contract at work which meant IMAC had more flexibility with how we worked. Changes were made in some teams and a new role was created in education. I have been saying for years that this position was need and I guess it was obvious that I would get it. I have also been editing IMAC's immunisation newletter, ImmNuZ, for a year now and was formally given a day/week to do this (as opposed to doing this during my DIF role). When expressions of interest were requested I made it very clear I wanted 4 days/week and the education role and to work 4 days/week. (Did I mention I wanted to work just 4 days /week? :-))I got what I wanted except... the new roles kicked in on 1st February but I was asked to stay full-time a bit longer to help orientate the new DIF. It suited me to wait until 1 April so I have only been enjoying my new hours for a few weeks and, work has been unbelieveably busy. In fact the first week instead of 32 hours I worked closer to 60!! I am clawing back hours owed now but have another very busy 2 weeks coming up. I am really enjoying my new role as I am doing some of the aspects of my old role that I enjoyed and have dropped the stuff I did not like. The only problem is I am doing a full-time job on 3 days/week.
Harriette has settled into university/city life. The first few weeks were very traumatic, for her and me. She was hugely culture shocked. The change in life-styles was massive and she struggled initially with the environment (concrete vs paddocks, people vs peace and space etc), the food (intituional vs Tanner fayre, we eat very well in this house!) and having to talk to strangers and socialise. This is Alice's strength not Harriette's. She is so her fathers daughter!!! For me the maternal concerns at Harriette's sufferings were painful. I also was very aware that if anything happened to her (not for one moment I thought it would) no-one would notice for days (because she had not made friends). I therefore insisted on a daily 'I'm alive' text :-) She met up with a friend who had moved away from Matamata years earlier and Fe is a very socialible animal. Harriette fitted in with that crowd and of course once she started making friends everything got easier (for her and me!). After the first fortnight in halls we 3 went up to Auckland and took Harriette to the zoo and out for a meal, which I think she appreciated. It soon became clear that although in halls for a year, accomodation was going to be an ongoing problem after that. The rental market in Auckland is dire and a guy from the year above Harriette is still sleeping on someone's floor as he cannot find anywhere to rent. We decided to buy an apartment for her to rent and are in the process of doing this now. The place is perfect; Just off Queen Street, a few minutes walk from the hospital and uni, top (12th) floor, on a corner so views on 2 aspects. Her balcony looks out to the iconic Sky Tower and Auckland CBD. Very chic!!
There is a lovely Irish couple living there at the moment who say they are happy to stay on until Harriette needs the place in February. We will probably move them out a week beforehand and just give it a paint job before she moves in. She is very excited about it. Also means, if we put a sofabed in the lounge, we can take over her bedroom when we want to go up to Auckland for an evening and drive home next day.
Talking of driving....
We bought this last week!! It is a dream to drive and we both love it. We traded in the Mistral so at the moment need to buy another car as the girls are NOT driving the Audi!!!! Alice was just posing. She put this photo on her Facebook and convinced her friends that we had bought this for her!!!!
Last Thursday we went to see The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Civic Theatre, Auckland (just down the road from where Harriette lives). We met Harriette at an lovely Italian restaurant right next to her to-be City Rd apartment As we then walked to the theatre she did not get to ride in the Audi so, after the show, we took her for a drive. We dropped the top down and drove over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and up Queen Street. Posers or what!! The girls thought it incredibly cool. It was a fun evening. I sat in the restaurant thinking, yet again, how great life was as we ate and chatted. And I must say Da Vinci's was superb. Shame Harriette will be so broke she won't be able to enjoy living next dooor to it :-)
