Progress

We're making progress--it doesn't quite seem like home, but it doesn't not seem like it, either. We are still in someone else's house, but we can see where we're going...as Manford said, the building inspector raved about the house, built in the 60's, when they used solid materials, and it was "top drawer" then...once we get the kitchen redone, it will be top drawer again...we went to a kitchen designer store today, and saw all the fancy drawers we can get, and countertops ("bench") in all colors and textures possible. And all sorts of weird and practical sink options. The typical sink here is stainless steel, with one decent sized sink, and then a tiny one with a disposal in it, and built-in drainer areas on one or two sides...I'd kind of like a double sink, and it seems that that is quite possible, or a full and a half-sink, or any configuration, made of stainless steel, or graphite, or whatever...don't tell Emily, but you can get the "bench" in purple if you really want it. We haven't even looked at floors yet...

The yard is one of the big advantages of this house--it is good sized--about a quarter acre--in an area where many of the "sections" (lots) have been subdivided so that one house we looked at was on a section that was 200 square meters--that's a little over 200 square feet. For the land. Ours has a large grapefruit tree, and lots of other bushes and trees, some even flowering now--camelias, and we'll have to learn all of what else. It needs some attention and pruning, but provides nice privacy and should be even richer as we get into spring and summer. The builder cautioned us that when you buy plants here, and it says "grows to one meter," that means in the first year. Plants like it here.

Our weekend trip to Mount Maunganui was quite nice--it's a pretty 1 3/4 hour drive through rolling hills to the coast (the far coast), then out to a kind of penninsula punctuated by "the mount," which is a hill you can climb up or walk around. We got about halfway around on Sunday morning, then Emily had to go to the bathroom...We arrived Saturday noonish and had lunch at the Stars and Stripes Cafe--and American Restaurant. Exotic. Joseph wanted a cheeseburger, so we ordered one, but the guy convinced us that the Kiwi Burger was on sale, and a better deal, and the same thing, except with an egg on it. We ordered it without the egg, not knowing that it also had beets...I ordered a chicken salad sandwich. It was an interesting double-decker affair, with sliced chicken on the first layer, and salad (lettuce and tomato) on the second...We went to the beach in the afternoon, and found lots of shells; it is winter, and so a bit chilly, but Emily got her feet wet, and on up...then we went to the hot salt water pools, across from our hotel. They were three swimming pools--one warm, one hot,and one for kids (I didn't check how hot that was). Very relaxing, though popular. Apparently this is a VERY popular spot in the summer, and the long beach looked very inviting. There was just one lonely surfer when we were there, but two hang gliders taking off from the top of the Mount and landing on the beach.

Then, back to Hamilton, and work, and house and car...here is a picture of Manford by the house, with his new car; he is driving with impunity, and Emily likes to stick her head out of the sun roof. I am hoping this is while they are waiting for Joseph, whose school gets out 20 minutes after hers. I had my second class, and they all stayed awake, and we refilled all of Manford's prescriptions for $12. And so another week, and our first month, comes to a close...tomorrow we are having a party to celebrate the house, and the month; we will have pizza from Hell and magic bananas (Emily read a recipe in a book for chocolate-dipped frozen bananas). Sunday is Manford's birthday, and we will go to a dog show and have dinner with some friends from work.

We hope you are all well and happy, and staying cool!
Carrie