February: Meals, Miles, Books and Looks

I'm so glad that I set a goal at the start of the year to find some balance between activity and rest because by the time these end of the month recaps come around I'm feeling really good about the things I've achieved without freaking out at time moving too fast, which was an all to frequent feeling last year.

I was treated to a beautiful city morning on Friday I couldn't resist sharing.

// Auckland

Meals:

Most of our clubs and classes have started back this month and we've been trying to settle back into a meal routine when we're more restricted on time.  I've been reading lots of cook books this month to get ideas and inspiration for fast and slow cooking.

// February Meals

1) Tofu triangles in a red thai curry sauce with rice

2) Lentil and potato curry with rice

3) Baguette pizza with rocket

4) Sweet corn egg flower soup 

Miles: 47km

20 km less than last month oops!  I've had 2 really good 10k races this month but my confidence in training and running a half marathon is wavering somewhat.  I'm still working with my online running coach but our focus lately is on a very hilly 8k that's coming up next month.  Perhaps I should just focus on the race in front of me and worry about the half marathon later :) 

I've also been working with a personal trainer twice a week during February and I've been seeing some strength gains.  My trainer is away for the next month though so I'm on my own again, she's left me a program and I just need to be disciplined enough to do it!

Books:

I finished Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan and I really enjoyed it.  It's a science fiction detective noir style story.  There's sex and violence and action.  I heard it's being made into a TV show and I think it would make a good one - I'd watch it.

// Image from Goodreads

I've also been reading lots of cook books for slow cookers and for pressure cookers.  I made a lentil and potato curry in 10 minutes in the pressure cooker (5 minutes to cook, 5 minutes to depressurise).  This is perfect for when we come home after ice skating and want something ready quickly.  It also makes leftovers that can be frozen for other quick meals on the go.  I haven't tried slow cooked porridge yet but I love the idea of waking up to ready cooked breakfast.

// Cook books

Looks:

The first photo is from the Hawaiian themed night at my Lions Club and the second is from Kane's Citizenship Ceremony.  Both dresses are starting to get a little loose on me now.  I'm pleased to be losing a little weight, but also sad that my favourite clothes are getting baggy.  I can't wear two of my favourite work pants anymore for fear of them falling down.

// Looks

Of course these bright pink tights I bought this month are in no danger of falling down.  I've worn them 3 times now.  I'm definitely feeling a bit braver with the bright pants in public!

 

 



 

Kane's Citizenship Day

On Monday 15th February Kane became a New Zealand Citizen!

He applied for citizenship at the end of last year and was accepted, the last step is the citizenship ceremony where we would take an oath or affirmation and he just needed to wait for a letter informing him where and when it was.

Along with other important details, the letter contained some dress code instructions and encouraged the wearing of traditional dress from your country of origin - so for Kane that meant the kilt. Every man looks good in a kilt but, and perhaps I'm bias, Kane looks especially handsome!

A quick selfie and then we were out the door and on our way to the Fickling Convention Centre which is where our local ceremony was taking place.

// Quick photo before leaving the house

There was a little bit of a queue when we arrived and in front of us was one large family who were all going through the ceremony together - how special for them!

 

 

// Kane outside the Fickling Convention Centre entrance

// Signage

Once inside we were separated as Kane had an assigned seat and I had to sit in the area allocated to guests.  I'm already a citizen by birth, but my parents who had emigrated to NZ years before decided to return home shortly after my birth so until Kane and I moved here, I had never actually lived here.

// Kane in his seat waiting for the ceremony to begin

The ceremony began with welcomes in Maori and English, introductions of the ceremony officials, and blessings in Maori and English.

// Officials

This was followed by a cultural display of music and dance.  It was really lovely, inspiring and uplifting.

// Cultural performances

// Poi

After this the oaths and affirmations were recited en masse and then everyone went across the stage individually to receive their certificate and to greet the officials with a hongi and/or a handshake.

// Kane on stage receiving his certificate

// Kane and his official certificate

Once everyone had their certificates, we watched a video presentation that made everyone super proud to be New Zealanders.  One of the things mentioned in the video is that NZ gives permanent residents the same rights as citizens, so by making the choice to become a citizen you are showing your commitment to New Zealand.

Then we sang the National Anthem and before closing, the compere called all the countries of origin represented that day and the people stood up and gave a wave - it was so awesome!

Then we had some morning tea refreshments and finished up about 11 am.



// Morning tea in a room full of new New Zealanders

// Feeling patriotic

We took some photos in and around the convention centre and then headed out to Soljans wine estate for a celebratory lunch.

// Kane and his lunch

Lunch was delicious!  I've been to this winery a few times for wine tasting at the cellar door and have always fancied checking out their restaurant and today was the perfect time to try it.

We had 3 courses and they were all delicious I would certainly recommend it.  Of course the star of the show at a vineyard is the wine and we both went for the chardonnay which did not disappoint.

// Soljans Chardonnay

After a lovely and very filling lunch we headed home to get changed, rest up and then head out to the Air New Zealand exhibit at the museum.  Kane loves all things flight related and this seemed like an on topic thing to do.

// Old flight adverts

There was a mock cabin from the 60's which may well have been like the plane my parents flew out on.



// Me in an 1960's cabin

I recognised the wall design instantly as my parents had quite a few of these swizzle sticks in our kitchen when I was a kid.  I wonder if they still have any?..


// Swizzle stick design

To finish the day off celebrating being New Zealanders we got some fish and chips for dinner and opened the bottle of champagne we bought at Soljans.  A very good day.




Nothing to Wear

The nights are fair drawing in :)
It has started to be a bit chilly in the mornings when I wake up and it’s a bit dark too, but the clocks change at the end of the week and I have to try and figure out what time it is in the UK, has the clocks changed there already?
Despite the chilliness in the mornings, the afternoons are bright and warm and similar to a normal Scottish summer’s day, with that little hint of coolness in the air and it’s an easy 20 degC when I’m heading home at 5pm. This confuses me, and I usually end up over dressed for work in boots and jumpers and scarves. Even Kane, who has only worn shorts for the past 5 months, has taken to wearing jeans on the odd evening.
Selecting the appropriate clothing does require a re-education. Even though the mornings are cool to begin with, it gets warmer and it’s still not yet jacket weather. It does rain though and my goodness it rains! I’ve never seen so much rain all at once! Last Saturday I was out and about quite early in the CBD, I elected to wear my uniform of converse trainers, jeans, t-shirt and a jumper because it was raining and looked cold. My jeans got totally soaked at the cuffs and was drawing the water up while the jumper was causing me to over heat! I saw a good few people wearing vests, shorts and boots carrying umbrellas and this is now making sense to me!
I’ve fallen in with a decent crowd and I might ask them for some advice on how to dress myself but it’s likely they’ll tell me to wear my Star Trek TNG uniform or something!
One of the main reasons for moving to New Zealand was to do more, to get out of the rut and do some living and I can honestly say that I have done more in the last few months here than I had in the last few years in Edinburgh. Even with the scary earthquakes in the South Island and the tsunami warnings closer to home, I’m glad I live here.

I’ve dyed and gone to heaven

I got home from work on Friday and my Dad wasn't around. His cars away getting fixed so I figured he had blagged a ride from someone and was down at the bowling club. I decided that it was a good opportunity to dye my hair. I'd bought a brown/black colour and considering last week I was blonde, this was going to look very different!

I managed to cover the bathroom in black dye and just when I thought I mopped up the last of more appeared. It was on the floor, the toilet, the cabinets, the bath panel, my tub of Vaseline, everywhere! I used the Vaseline to cover my forehead and ears so they wouldn't get dye on them and those were probably the only places not to have dye!

I had to go into the kitchen to check the time and then I went to the sitting room window to see if my Dad was back yet. I swear I did not drip at all – I don't know how spots of black dye got on the floor! My route was clearly visible for all to see though.

Then came the rinsing and by god was there a lot of colour coming out of my hair! It took ages standing over the bath rinsing. That's when I noticed some of the dye on the floor, so I was quickly trying to wash the floor as well as my hair and then I knocked down the tray that has all the toothbrushes and mouthwash and everything and that all slid into the bath. It was chaos.

So I rinsed until the water looked clear as per instructions and got ready to pick up my hubby. I still hadn't heard from my Dad. Got hubby and visited my Sis, told her I hadn't seen Dad and we assumed he was in the bowling club. When I got back in the house I was getting worried about him and then my Sis called to say my Mum had been trying to get in touch with me and that my Dad was in Blackpool on the girls weekend with my Mum! Mystery solved. Hubby and I had the place to ourselves for the weekend – heaven!

(Although once my Mum see's the black dye mark on the bath panel and the bits of brunt on spill-over I've just remembered about from the cherry pie I made I'm going to be sent straight to hell.

It's damn fine cherry pie though.)

My Handbag

My new handbag has been the talk of the office day. I've made a short video of it:

Hairdo

I got my hair cut and coloured at Medusa last night. It cost a small fortune, but Ryan did a great job. I was in the hair dressers for about 3 hours and was almost falling asleep by the end.
At least I had lovely hair for pub quiz night. I was chatting to my hairdresser about the pub quiz and he told me that oology is the study of eggs – I was really hoping that would come up but it didn't. Instead we had a weird question about the collective noun for a group of sea cucumbers – I can tell you that the answer is not a salad as we suggested but in fact a pickle!
After a few dodgy rounds we picked up momentum and finished in a respectable second place (or first losers).
I was so tired by the time I got home, I made a bee-line for bed and nearly slept in this morning. That is to say, I tried to sleep in this morning but my DH wouldn't let me.
I'm doing some knitting at lunch time so I might get those fingerless mitts to match my scarf done by the end of the weekend.