Love
Est xxx
*New 'Zilanders' pronounce chairs as 'cheers';)
PS. My, two blogs in one day, I am getting back into the groove!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
'Cheers'!*
Maybe I should paint my new chairs? Very inspired.
Love
Est xxx
*New 'Zilanders' pronounce chairs as 'cheers';)
PS. My, two blogs in one day, I am getting back into the groove!
Love
Est xxx
*New 'Zilanders' pronounce chairs as 'cheers';)
PS. My, two blogs in one day, I am getting back into the groove!
Bargains
Sorry for the long pause in my recent blogging, life has been good, and busy, and it is actually a little harder to blog when you are back in the school pick up drop off routine, back grocery shopping and bed making and blah blah blah, you know that stuff.
Anyway, exciting stuff, yes, I have been shopping for the new house already, you know me!! Thought you might like to see these little bargains I found on TradeMe.
A writing desk, just like the old days, with a drop down desk and little compartments inside for your paper and envelopes and 'social stationary' to send out for housewarming parties;). For the landing, where it will look beautiful, and of course, that is it's main job.
New (to us) bookcase for Naomi's bedroom, I have already lost one of the little pin things to keep the shelf on, it must be ratting around in the car somewhere, but I have three and a half weeks (26 days!) until we move in, to find it.
And four dining chairs for the kitchen dining area, I couldn't resist as they were so comfortable, so beautifully made and such an absolute bargain - I paid the same price for four as I have seen them selling for just one! Now I just have to find a table to go with them;)
Alex dispairs, he says 'Esther, please can you not buy anything else, until we move in, we don't know what we have and where everything will go and what we will need'.
Well, he might not know, but I do.
Now I am working on Alex for a bargain sofa bed, which I have seen on TradeMe recently, and of course we absolutely will need a sofa bed, for when everyone comes to stay!!
Wish me luck!
Love
Est xxx
Anyway, exciting stuff, yes, I have been shopping for the new house already, you know me!! Thought you might like to see these little bargains I found on TradeMe.
A writing desk, just like the old days, with a drop down desk and little compartments inside for your paper and envelopes and 'social stationary' to send out for housewarming parties;). For the landing, where it will look beautiful, and of course, that is it's main job.
New (to us) bookcase for Naomi's bedroom, I have already lost one of the little pin things to keep the shelf on, it must be ratting around in the car somewhere, but I have three and a half weeks (26 days!) until we move in, to find it.
And four dining chairs for the kitchen dining area, I couldn't resist as they were so comfortable, so beautifully made and such an absolute bargain - I paid the same price for four as I have seen them selling for just one! Now I just have to find a table to go with them;)
Alex dispairs, he says 'Esther, please can you not buy anything else, until we move in, we don't know what we have and where everything will go and what we will need'.
Well, he might not know, but I do.
Now I am working on Alex for a bargain sofa bed, which I have seen on TradeMe recently, and of course we absolutely will need a sofa bed, for when everyone comes to stay!!
Wish me luck!
Love
Est xxx
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The Ohoka Market experience
Yesterday, after being a little housebound for two days because of a huge dump of snow on Wednesday (we actually lost power for a few chilly hours on Wednesday, Benny said, as I was freezing to death, 'obviously, the most concerning thing about having no power, is no TV') the children were still away from school, the sun came out and I thought it was time for a nice walk in the crunchy new snow.
I checked their internet page and saw that the Ohoka market was open, a great place to get some bread, as had run out of bread and milk the day before and believe me, no milk or bread makes for very interesting breakfast creations!
I thought it would be about a 20 minute walk to the market - but, I was wrong. So wrong. But you know when you have gone so far, you can't turn back?
It took us a crazy 50 minutes to walk to the market, with Naomi complaining about 30 minutes of that time, and Benny stopping to smash the ice and hit the snow off the trees the rest of the time. None of us were equipped with Wellington or gum boots and our trainers and socks and feet were at minus 2. Benny said he wants to get some proper snow boots, 'you know' he said, 'the ones with tennis rackets on the bottom'.
We finally made it to the market at 11.30am, (it was open until 12) and I was so pleased to see the stallholders, I think they were pleased to see us too, these crazy new loyal customers who had trudged for nearly an hour to buy a loaf of bread.
Benny said, 'Mum, I think everyone drives in Ohoka'. Yes Benny, I think will we drive from now on too.
This is what it the market looks like in the summer, photographs courtesy of the Ohoka Farmers Market website.
But yesterday it was good too, there was artisan bread, dips and olives, vegetables and fruit, fresh fish, a German bakery, soups, hot porridge with mouthwatering toppings, coffees and hot chocolates, pies, sausages, crafts and even some antiques.
Here's our little hoard that we foraged and carried back home.
And a lovely lady on a button stall, which I didn't even buy anything from, gave me a handmade button bag to carry all our goodies home in! The yellow buttons are a half of a heart which continues on the other side in purple, cool eh?
And when I say that I carried it all home, don't feel sorry for us. Our new friend and neighbour Kathie (who we had spent a lot of our 'housebound' Thursday with, at her house;) found us after the market and insisted she give us a lift home in her lovely warm car, it took five minutes and we were saved from very certain frostbite, thank you so much!
This country living - it's all good fun!
Love
Est xxx
I checked their internet page and saw that the Ohoka market was open, a great place to get some bread, as had run out of bread and milk the day before and believe me, no milk or bread makes for very interesting breakfast creations!
I thought it would be about a 20 minute walk to the market - but, I was wrong. So wrong. But you know when you have gone so far, you can't turn back?
It took us a crazy 50 minutes to walk to the market, with Naomi complaining about 30 minutes of that time, and Benny stopping to smash the ice and hit the snow off the trees the rest of the time. None of us were equipped with Wellington or gum boots and our trainers and socks and feet were at minus 2. Benny said he wants to get some proper snow boots, 'you know' he said, 'the ones with tennis rackets on the bottom'.
We finally made it to the market at 11.30am, (it was open until 12) and I was so pleased to see the stallholders, I think they were pleased to see us too, these crazy new loyal customers who had trudged for nearly an hour to buy a loaf of bread.
Benny said, 'Mum, I think everyone drives in Ohoka'. Yes Benny, I think will we drive from now on too.
This is what it the market looks like in the summer, photographs courtesy of the Ohoka Farmers Market website.
But yesterday it was good too, there was artisan bread, dips and olives, vegetables and fruit, fresh fish, a German bakery, soups, hot porridge with mouthwatering toppings, coffees and hot chocolates, pies, sausages, crafts and even some antiques.
Here's our little hoard that we foraged and carried back home.
And a lovely lady on a button stall, which I didn't even buy anything from, gave me a handmade button bag to carry all our goodies home in! The yellow buttons are a half of a heart which continues on the other side in purple, cool eh?
And when I say that I carried it all home, don't feel sorry for us. Our new friend and neighbour Kathie (who we had spent a lot of our 'housebound' Thursday with, at her house;) found us after the market and insisted she give us a lift home in her lovely warm car, it took five minutes and we were saved from very certain frostbite, thank you so much!
This country living - it's all good fun!
Love
Est xxx
Thursday, June 7, 2012
'THE' House
Here finally, are the pictures of our new 'dreaming' house (I told Naomi that it was my dream house and she called it the dreaming house - I said to her, Naomi, DO NOT say that in front of the estate agent!).
After deciding not to buy a house for at least a year after our return to Christchurch, I found this house online in the first week back. I decided it must be fate. I called the estate agent and he said that the vendors weren't quite ready to have people in to look at it yet, my first response to that was 'but how can I put in an offer, if I can't see it???' - playing my cards close to my chest as usual!!
When I finally walked across the threshold a week later, I knew that this was our house. I was so excited I was having palpitations, I could not calm down, I was so worried that someone else might get it, and it was such a huge commitment and a deviation to our plans that I was also terrified that WE might get it! Two days later, when Alex and the children saw it, we were all in love. Alex said afterwards that the thing he liked best about the house was the double rainhead shower in the ensuite bathroom, I had to break it to him gently that that shower was in another house we saw, not the one that we put an offer in on!!!
We finally went unconditional about a week and a half ago, it is all signed and sealed and I think I am still in shock. It has taken me ages to put the pictures on the blog because it has taken me ages to actually believe it will be ours and we will get to live in it, every day!
View from the back garden. There is lots of gardening to do! I may even have to start watching 'Country Calendar' on at 7.30pm on a Saturday night (yes, that's exciting NZ tv for you;).
Living room with lovely open fire, opening out to a courtyard, with double doors to the family room.
Kitchen , looking out to the back garden where there is a built in sun umbrella (and you can have a tablecloth on the outdoor table as there is no pole sticking through), very cool.
And the staircase I have always dreamed of, great for sliding down, but don't tell Benny.
The house is only 15 years old, which is very new for us, but I love it because it has been built in a traditional style with the high ceilings and skirting boards and the beautiful staircase, but it also has the added luxury of double glazing and an internal access garage, which is pretty useful for the freezing Canterbury winters.
It is only a 30 minute commute for Alex to work and the local school is right next door, literally through the fence, if Alex and I were handy people, we could even put a gate in!
There are also a couple of paddocks in front of the house, my friend Fanny who is from Peru, recommended her country's native animal, the Alpaca. They come in all different styles and colours and characters.
And Aaron suggested flamingos, which, to be fair, I am also giving serious consideration to;)
So happy! Will sit at home and knit alpaca (and flamingo) jumpers and send you all one in the mail!
Love
Est xxx
After deciding not to buy a house for at least a year after our return to Christchurch, I found this house online in the first week back. I decided it must be fate. I called the estate agent and he said that the vendors weren't quite ready to have people in to look at it yet, my first response to that was 'but how can I put in an offer, if I can't see it???' - playing my cards close to my chest as usual!!
When I finally walked across the threshold a week later, I knew that this was our house. I was so excited I was having palpitations, I could not calm down, I was so worried that someone else might get it, and it was such a huge commitment and a deviation to our plans that I was also terrified that WE might get it! Two days later, when Alex and the children saw it, we were all in love. Alex said afterwards that the thing he liked best about the house was the double rainhead shower in the ensuite bathroom, I had to break it to him gently that that shower was in another house we saw, not the one that we put an offer in on!!!
We finally went unconditional about a week and a half ago, it is all signed and sealed and I think I am still in shock. It has taken me ages to put the pictures on the blog because it has taken me ages to actually believe it will be ours and we will get to live in it, every day!
View from the back garden. There is lots of gardening to do! I may even have to start watching 'Country Calendar' on at 7.30pm on a Saturday night (yes, that's exciting NZ tv for you;).
Living room with lovely open fire, opening out to a courtyard, with double doors to the family room.
Kitchen , looking out to the back garden where there is a built in sun umbrella (and you can have a tablecloth on the outdoor table as there is no pole sticking through), very cool.
And the staircase I have always dreamed of, great for sliding down, but don't tell Benny.
The house is only 15 years old, which is very new for us, but I love it because it has been built in a traditional style with the high ceilings and skirting boards and the beautiful staircase, but it also has the added luxury of double glazing and an internal access garage, which is pretty useful for the freezing Canterbury winters.
It is only a 30 minute commute for Alex to work and the local school is right next door, literally through the fence, if Alex and I were handy people, we could even put a gate in!
There are also a couple of paddocks in front of the house, my friend Fanny who is from Peru, recommended her country's native animal, the Alpaca. They come in all different styles and colours and characters.
And Aaron suggested flamingos, which, to be fair, I am also giving serious consideration to;)
So happy! Will sit at home and knit alpaca (and flamingo) jumpers and send you all one in the mail!
Love
Est xxx
Friday, June 1, 2012
It's Friday again, my, that was a quick week
And it's a long weekend too, woohoo! Thanks Liz for the Monday off;)
Hope you all have a great one!
Love
Est xxx
Hope you all have a great one!
Love
Est xxx
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The New Christchurch
A 'Container Mall', I think, the first of it's kind in the world, was opened at Christmastime in a part of the central city which has been reopened. In keeping with good old Kiwi ingenuity there are 27 shops and cafes, all inside custom designed shipping containers! With flowers down the street and buskers providing the music, it has a great vibe and it makes you excited about the future, about what the city will be like when it is rebuilt - innovative, green, community driven and safe.
Toi Toi, at the end there, great gift shop, love it!
The city skyline, dominated, not by skyscrapers, but by cranes.
Johnson's the grocer was somewhat of a Christchurch institution. The proprietor, Colin Johnson, who must be getting on a bit now, worked wearing his traditional 'olde worlde' white grocer's apron, in his shop in town, which was tantalizingly filled to the ceiling with shelves of interesting tins and jars of sweets and goodies. He is where you go to get a taste of England, a biscuit Boost, a Double Decker or a packet of 10p Polos for $2.00;)
It is wonderful to see him and his store alive and kicking again in the Mall. There is room in the new store to display a watercolour of the much loved and remembered original shop which was special to so many.
And, of course, I did my bit for the Christchurch Economy, I know they have been suffering since I left, I got a few little things, including, from Toi Toi,my very own little laser cut Cathedral:)
Love
Est xxx
Toi Toi, at the end there, great gift shop, love it!
The city skyline, dominated, not by skyscrapers, but by cranes.
Johnson's the grocer was somewhat of a Christchurch institution. The proprietor, Colin Johnson, who must be getting on a bit now, worked wearing his traditional 'olde worlde' white grocer's apron, in his shop in town, which was tantalizingly filled to the ceiling with shelves of interesting tins and jars of sweets and goodies. He is where you go to get a taste of England, a biscuit Boost, a Double Decker or a packet of 10p Polos for $2.00;)
It is wonderful to see him and his store alive and kicking again in the Mall. There is room in the new store to display a watercolour of the much loved and remembered original shop which was special to so many.
And, of course, I did my bit for the Christchurch Economy, I know they have been suffering since I left, I got a few little things, including, from Toi Toi,my very own little laser cut Cathedral:)
Love
Est xxx
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Christchurch
We have been back in Christchurch for four and a half weeks but I haven't told you anything about it yet! Our lives have been busy since we got back, we have jumped back into everything so quickly, school, socialising, commuting, (buying a house!) and lots more commuting, my feet have been moving quicker than my brain (no comments please!) and I can hardly keep up.
The other day, I went for an explore in town, to see what has changed. In some ways lots has changed - I read in a newspaper article that an astonishing 771 buildings in town have been taken down up to now and there are 178 left still to be demolished - but there is still so much to do, and a long way to go before Christchurch has a city centre again.
Here's one that I stood and watched for a while, along with some other passersby. The building next door is on the list to come down too.
And this is as much as the city of Christchurch can see of their beloved Christchurch Cathedral, which people are still lobbying to protect.
Many of the old churches are in this state now. Both of churches in our parish are closed, and masses are taking place in the church hall.
Of course, we have friends who are still waiting for repairs, still awaiting the fate of their homes - demolition or rebuild - which is agonizing for them, they are in a state of limbo, unable to move on, and plan for their future. One friend's home has been deemed unsafe by a structural engineer, but they are still living in it, still waiting for updates - they are now resigned and have given up complaining.
The clock tower stopped at 12.51pm on 22nd February 2011.
We had a big aftershock on Friday, a magnitude 5.2, which is pretty hefty, and on the website it said it was the 30th biggest quake since the beginning. Alex was in the office in town on the third floor. It was pretty big for him, he called me straight away, but I was outside and amazingly hadn't felt it. In fact, I have only felt two shakes since we got back (yesterday morning, good 6.30am alarm clock) which is very lucky for me. Those two did put me on edge for the rest of the day, but keeping myself busy helps, and trying to be logical about them, that is helping me to be brave. The good thing is that I am not thinking about them all the time now, like I was last year - I'm now down to down to a much more manageable sixteen times a day;)
But, the people are different now. It is not the same as when we left. People are definitely more positive, a period of grief and loss and anger has passed and has been replaced by acceptance. People are more optimistic, more focussed on the future and on 'other' things, not just the earthquakes. Last year it felt like that was all we talked about, it consumed us all, and with shakes on a regular basis, the earth seemed determined for us to keep remembering. But now, with aftershocks on a few-weekly basis, rather than few-daily basis, people are able to move on, are able to exhale and breathe normally again.
The strength of people is incredible. The Christchurch heart is beating and the spirit is strong, people are getting on with their lives - cafes and businesses are popping up in different places, innovation and flexiblility is everywhere and the community is looking after one another - in that way, Christchurch is a great place to live.
The city is beautiful in the Autumntime, we have to remember that nature is kind to us as well as not. The trees in Hagley Park are a joy, and strolling around them on a crisp Christchurch morning reminds me of why I enjoy this city so much.
Stay strong Christchurch, it is nice to be back:)
Love
Est xxx
The other day, I went for an explore in town, to see what has changed. In some ways lots has changed - I read in a newspaper article that an astonishing 771 buildings in town have been taken down up to now and there are 178 left still to be demolished - but there is still so much to do, and a long way to go before Christchurch has a city centre again.
Here's one that I stood and watched for a while, along with some other passersby. The building next door is on the list to come down too.
And this is as much as the city of Christchurch can see of their beloved Christchurch Cathedral, which people are still lobbying to protect.
Many of the old churches are in this state now. Both of churches in our parish are closed, and masses are taking place in the church hall.
Of course, we have friends who are still waiting for repairs, still awaiting the fate of their homes - demolition or rebuild - which is agonizing for them, they are in a state of limbo, unable to move on, and plan for their future. One friend's home has been deemed unsafe by a structural engineer, but they are still living in it, still waiting for updates - they are now resigned and have given up complaining.
The clock tower stopped at 12.51pm on 22nd February 2011.
We had a big aftershock on Friday, a magnitude 5.2, which is pretty hefty, and on the website it said it was the 30th biggest quake since the beginning. Alex was in the office in town on the third floor. It was pretty big for him, he called me straight away, but I was outside and amazingly hadn't felt it. In fact, I have only felt two shakes since we got back (yesterday morning, good 6.30am alarm clock) which is very lucky for me. Those two did put me on edge for the rest of the day, but keeping myself busy helps, and trying to be logical about them, that is helping me to be brave. The good thing is that I am not thinking about them all the time now, like I was last year - I'm now down to down to a much more manageable sixteen times a day;)
But, the people are different now. It is not the same as when we left. People are definitely more positive, a period of grief and loss and anger has passed and has been replaced by acceptance. People are more optimistic, more focussed on the future and on 'other' things, not just the earthquakes. Last year it felt like that was all we talked about, it consumed us all, and with shakes on a regular basis, the earth seemed determined for us to keep remembering. But now, with aftershocks on a few-weekly basis, rather than few-daily basis, people are able to move on, are able to exhale and breathe normally again.
The strength of people is incredible. The Christchurch heart is beating and the spirit is strong, people are getting on with their lives - cafes and businesses are popping up in different places, innovation and flexiblility is everywhere and the community is looking after one another - in that way, Christchurch is a great place to live.
The city is beautiful in the Autumntime, we have to remember that nature is kind to us as well as not. The trees in Hagley Park are a joy, and strolling around them on a crisp Christchurch morning reminds me of why I enjoy this city so much.
Stay strong Christchurch, it is nice to be back:)
Love
Est xxx
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