Jerry

We've got a little Kitty

We called him Jerry

He's very furry

And a little fiesty

When you call him

He'll come arunning

Into your arms to be cuddled

He likes to be huddled

But not quite bundled

He's fun to play with

He's fun to fondle

He likes to be tickled

Under his chin unless he is fickle

Then he'll bring out his paws

Out comes his claws

They can cut like mini saws

But our little Jerry

Its ever quite so merry

In our house he is cheery

He's our little dearie

-First Time Cat Owner, who would never have kept a kitty in her little country.

At Home in New Zealand

Hi ya!!!
It has been such a long while since I posted absolutely anything here.

I've been caught up in heaps of things like my new job and settling into our house and simply enjoying life. I've been happily giving in to my new 'hobby' of being a drama addict, watching all the China/Taiwan Wu Xia and anything with Ariel Lin Yi Chen in it. I'm not all bum though. Been busy planting spinach, bak choy and all sorts of herbs in my garden, been travelling around the country to Dunedin, Queenstown, Christchurch and Ohau, been making all my sedap kuih-muih that I never had time to do in Singapore and all sorts of other things.

I've discovered the gift of time and how absolutely wonderful it is. Not regretting I had to travel all the way here to discover that precious gift. Don't ask me what time I knock off work cos you'll be biting your knuckles and foaming at your mouth. All I can say is that I work when I have to and play when I want to. In Singapore it is, I work when I have to and play whenever I can!!! [ Needless to say I don't have to take my marking home and toil for hours on end marking scripts of exam papers and preparing for lectures during my weekends!!!]

The people here are brilliantly brilliant with the common goal of living life to the fullest and enjoying the sun when its out. I've met so many wonderful people in this town that I never imagined I would. That positive energy is so contagious, it just grows as long as you know how to nurture and treasure it. 

A picture speaks a thousand words. So I'll put a few pictures.

Front View of the House: Below is our internal double garage with a nice storage space for our chest freezer, firewood, bicycles and other barang barang. The windows at the top are our open concept living/dining/kitchen windows which face the Pacific Ocean and the harbour. See our little greenhouse to the bottom right, it has nice tomatoes and capsicums.

View from our house: We get lovely coastal and town views

Side View of the house: Our lovely vege plot.

Inside our house: Cosy Living, Dining and Kitchen all facing the sea. We get the best views of the sun rising out of the horizon. You can see the Penguin Colony from our place (but you can't see the Penguins!!! unless you have Clark Kent's Supervison)

Obviously these shots were taken when we just got the keys to the house. The house is now cleaned up, full of furniture, food, fabric, firewood and other fabulous stuff. I'll tidy up the house and take an updated one for you to see...... soon.....

Sowing the seedlings of love: Well, I didn't actually sow them from seed but I bought them in seedling form and nourished and nurtured them with good organic fertiliser and love. The front rows are bak choy and the rows behind are spinach and lettuce. Right at the back are pumpkins and to the far left back are the corn. Very front left are the carrot tops. Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have harvested the carrots and corn. Unfortunately, we will not be growing them again. Fortunately, we will be growing other things in their place.

Ohau: This isn't the Ohau Ski Field but a tramp near Ohau where the snow capped mountains survive the hot summer and melt the glaciers that run into waterfalls and streams. It was a rather easy climb up and the view is just spectacular!

Lake Ohau: Doesn't this give you a sense of peace, calmness and space? Oohmmmmmm

Well, that's all for now folks. Till then a gazillion hugs and  kisses to my three little Js, Sil, Bil, Cha, Issi, Chloe, YY, Cupcake, Bro, Azzie, MJ in Japan, Joyce and XY and whoever else reading my little bloggie.

Addictions and Outdoors

So, I haven't posted in a long while. Simply cos, I've been busy working and getting addicted to drama serials. Good heavens! Since watching Eagle Shooting Heroes 2008 with Hu Ge as Guo Jing and Ariel Lin Yi Chen as Huang Rong, I've been trying to watch as much as I can online. But with my shady understanding of cheem mandarin words, I need the English subs to prop me along the story line. I seriously haven't watched a lot of TV since I got hooked and missing the Australian Open (and watching Nadal play... I know he retired....) hasn't bothered me one bit. Though I would have loved to watch Justine Henin's backhand slice.... Sighs, anyways, here's to give you some idea.

Ariel's really a fantastic actress and has an even better personality to match. This is what staying in a small town with approx 15,000 people (and thousands of penguins) and hardly any exciting shops does to you I suppose. I have been listening to her songs and short clips from U tube. Perhaps I'll watch Eagle Shooting Heros for the third time?

Outdoors

New Zealand is famous for the outdoor adventure, tramping and camping and whatever else. I went abseiling just the other day and really enjoyed it! It took a lot of core strength and effort but its worth it! I went up to the Cape, this cliff overlooking the sea to water plants in a Conservation Effort.But the sun here, is really unlike the one in Singapore. The UV rays pierces your skin right through. Oh well, I have enough melanine to last me for a long while.  We went biking the other day to Kakanui, about 9km from here, with a couple. Had a cuppa at Seaview Cafe then stopped to collect mussels on the way home. I was too lazy to take out my camera to take a shot. But its all very beautiful and picturesque.