We're Still Here!

Firstly I need to apologise for the lack of blog over the last two and a half weeks.  This was due to a number of factors.  For nearly a whole week of this time I only had intermittent internet connection (for still unknown reasons).  When I rang my service provider they essentially ran me through a set of possible issues, all of which I had already discounted before calling them.  The technical helpdesk at the (unnamed for fear of libel action) service provider was also unable to help. Their closing comment was, "Well it's not a fault at our end so we can't help you."  I eventually remedied the problem and restored internet access through a mixture of magic and inspiration from my family I.T. helpdesk - you know who you are.

The second reason for the absence of waffling loquaciousness (it that a tautology?) on my part is work.  I have now completed three weeks at the regional council as an Environmental Protection Officer.  Most of that time has been spent trying to get my body adjusted to a regular eating and sleeping pattern, and getting my brain adjusted to training, learning and application of this to a new job.  I have enjoyed it immensely so far.  It is a friendly place to work and the team I am on has been very patient with me.  This week I had my first three days on call and have been doing site visits by myself.  It's a little scary but I am relishing the challenge.

With so much of the days being taken up with work (and so much of the evenings taken up shouting at the computer and trying to coerce it into behaving) There has not been a great deal of time for much else.  The Wellington winter has started to creep in and it has rained almost every day for the last week with the temperatures steadily falling.  New Zealand, for the most part, has not embraced the space-age concept of central heating.  Therefore, we have had to invest in a number of electric heaters which we are trying to hold off switching on until it really gets cold.  In amongst the rain, and the cold, we did manage a day trip out to a place called Makara Beach on the coast to the north-east of Wellington.  We did a beautiful walk along cliff tops then back along the foreshore (and we only got rained on once for about ten minutes).

I have managed to get out sailing on Wellington Harbour for a couple of hours the last two Sunday afternoons.  I even persuaded the better half to come along on one trip (she didn't get wet so I count it a successful adventure).  I'm now searching for a place on a yacht crew for the winter racing series.  I have also been getting down to the local climbing centre a bit more and am slowly building back up the finger strength and making a few friend to climb with.  The other half (even as I write this) is looking for horses to ride.  She has had offers from quite a few horse owners and hopefully will be able to find something to suit her.

Last Saturday night we were invited along to a "Murder Mystery" dinner at my team leaders house.  There were sixteen guests in all and the whole evening was based around 1940's Casablanca.  Everyone had been given characters and had to dress in appropriate 1940's style clothing (no I don't have any photographs). With food and wine helping us along we got into the spirit of it.  By the end of the evening, with all the clues, alibis and evidence presented, we all had to name our suspects.  We all got it wrong (it wasn't the gardener in the library with frozen haggis) but it was good fun anyway.

I can't think of any other news or items of note (this is the issue with not blogging regularly).  I will do my best not to leave so long between updates next time.  I will leave you with a photograph of one of the many animals which have decided, in the worsening weather, to crawl into our house.  This one (a 70mm long Tree Weta) made its way into the laundry basket and had to be forcibly evicted.