the noughties

Two households, both alike in dignity (if not cleanliness),
In fair Newcastle, where we lay our scene...

Well there endeth any similarities between Shakespear's epic and life between our Croydon Rd flat and the "Halibuts' House", although it did bear a distinct likeness to a soap opera at times. With Vonn and I going out with two of their inhabitants we spent a lot of our time picking our way across their pizza infused carpet...

The joys of facebook has seen a reuniting of these two households and various others associated with them both, on a virtual level at least and occassionally in real life too. For the lads most of the long hair has gone and they have obviously learned to feed themselves a bit better too (or found others willing to cook/can afford a better class of takeaway!), but you know what - us girls, we seem to look much the same ;) (Halibuts 0, Croydon Rd 4!)

The "Halibuts" were so named because of a 'band' they had called 'For Halibut Fans Only' and to be honest you really had to be a fan of the people in it to listen... you could describe it as 'tongue in cheek' but really one had to question how many and which cheeks at times.... they were the Spinal Tap/Monster Raving Loony Party entry in the annual Students Union Busking Competitions and took great pride in being booed off stage with glasses (plastic of course...) being hurled at them. Despite this, hidden (deeply) away amongst them, was some real musical talent.

In many ways it really doesn't feel like all those years have slipped by at all, especially reliving moments through photos shared online and the banter that goes on via facebook chat, but a recent song of Andy's made me realise just how much life has changed in the last decade, let alone since we graduated in the early 90's. He hasn't lost his cleverness with lyrics, and although it's called 'I got kicked in the noughties' I can assure you it is (unlike various FHFO tracks) suitable for family viewing =)

(for some reason I can't get it to embed the link in the text or whatever it's called so you might have to copy n paste!)

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=107236&songID=8466989

counting down....

Well for many people I know currently it is the season to be counting down the days by chocolate until Dec 25th (or 24th depending on your calendar!). For me I'm counting down to many things, but oddly enough Christmas doesn't really figure that much on the list, sure it'll happen around here but not due to me!

First count down... to the end of the week and the summer break starting!
Then to the various arrivals expected here over the next week including Audra from Edinburgh
To Boxing Day cricket at the farm along with good food/drink/company...
To the annual Quaker Summer Gathering
To my 40th (yes, fortieth...) birthday
Hopefully to Jane & Paddy coming to see me whilst they're over from the UK! (let me know won't you!)
To William & Elizabeth coming back from China
Hey ho, and to the start of term
And more excitedly to the start of my new job at my 'old' (as in 2008) kindergarten!

In between I'm also hoping to see a few other people on my/their travels but with no dates as yet confirmed....

And it doesn't stop there!!!! Usually being able to 'plan' a month in advance seems excessively organised but due to Annette and Douglas both heading this way from the UK I've even got holiday plans in my diary for February and April. What's more with switching to kindergarten come the new school year I'll have those wonderful inventions called school holidays - even more dates in my diary... well they would be if I'd got round to writing them in. Then there's our MM Regional Gathering at Aroha Island in March and I know I can got to Yearly Meeting in Dunedin without having to fly the whole way. I'll have plenty of time this year (July school hols) so there beckons a road/rail trip and of course a stop over in Wellington is a must really then isn't it?!

Now I just have to hope for enough relieving hours at work to help pay for it all...

On the not so exciting count down list are the end of year MM accounts, charities commision (or whatever it's called here!!! Must check....) report and tax return receipts to do. Oh the joys of being a treasurer.

Ah yes, and that ol' guilt tripper of a teacher registration portfolio needs put into some sort of order over the summer too. Hmmmmm... I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth!

One thing is for sure, I'm not going to be short of things to do.

Note to self - remember that going part time was (amongst other reasons) to help improve health/energy levels, do NOT over do things!!!

November

Apparently, according to Lucy, it is National blog posting month... I'm assuming this is in the UK. I, however, am not in the UK so have every excuse not to post daily for the duration of this month ;) November also happens to be Movember... sigh, roll on December!

November also happens to start with my Granny Dunford's birthday. As my cousin Robin reminded us via facebook she would've been 100 this year. It seems a little hard to get my head around the fact that various uncles and aunts are now as old as my earliest memories of Granny, in fact if I sat down and did my sums properly I'd probably figure out that Dad is too... but for his sake as well as mine I won't dwell on that thought too long!

I still miss my Granny even though it is over 18yrs since she died. Each time I sew anything I think of her. Each time I bake anything without a recipe I think of her. (Admittedly though it is usually muffins or drop scones/scotch pancakes/pikelets/whatever you call them rather than a Victoria Sponge cake which probably requires far less skill!). And on the rare occassions when I smell bacon being cooked in the morning I am instantly transported back to waking up at The Pitching with the brook tinkling away outside the bedroom window, the church bells ringing and Kath coming round calling out 'coooeee' as she reached the door...

Thanks Robin for sharing some photos I'd not seen before (or at least don't remember!) and triggering off a whole heap more memories. It's also nice to be reminded again just how special she was to my cousins too, I must do my bit and scan in the few photos I have of her to upload too. It's a lovely way to share our memories of her as well as the pictures.

Happy hundreth Granny.

residency

well at long last I have recieved confirmation that my application for residency has been approved! This doesn't mean I've actually got it yet, I'm still waiting for the letter, to send my passport off (along with yet more dosh) and get it back with the appropriate bit of paper stuck in it.

Now all I have to do is wait another 5 yrs and I can apply for Citizenship! What's the difference between being a permanent resident and a citizen? Well according to NZ Insider it is this...

Legal Permanent Residents of New Zealand (with valid Permanent Resident Visas/Permits) have the same rights and privileges as NZ citizens with the following notable exceptions:

a) They can not travel on a NZ passport (citizenship is required for a NZ passport).
b) They can not run for Parliament.
c) They can not represent NZ in international sports events (such as the Olympics).

As I've always intended to leave standing for Parliament to the likes of Mark and Alex, and Miss Stass long ago relagated me to the ranks of the no hoper 'jongos' when it came to P.E. that leaves the lure of a passport. Far from essential I admit but who knows what life will bring and why it might prove useful.

But in the meantime I can now look forward to being able to qualify for KiwiSaver (national pension scheme), being able to get a credit card with Kiwi Bank (as psis who I bank with here don't do one and I have had no desire to prop up the Australian banking community who control just about all the rest of the banks here), having a vote for the first time in 4yrs and hopefully an end to the suggestions of marrying a Kiwi to be able to stay here beyond my current visa! Oh and being able to officially be charged local rates at the Drs surgery rather than that being dependant upon the kindness of my GPs heart and his ability to sweet talk the practice manager...

does anyone recognise this song?

Back around Easter 1989 I was given a compilation tape (remember those?). The sound quality was a bit dodgy but having seen the state of the ghetto blaster it was recorded on it wasn't that bad really! And what's more the track listing was (and still is!) fantastic and led to me spending years collecting the various tracks on cd so I could recreate the well worn and much loved compilation in a more durable format.

However I remained completely stuck on one track. Partly because Gavin didn't know what it was called or who recorded it! He told me at the time he'd got it on a compliation from Jack Kelly and he called it 'The Leaving Song' which was apparently about as much info as Jack had provided.

Over the years I've played to to various people but to no avail. The vocal sound is a bit Nick Drake-ish, with acoustic guitar and a saxaphone solo. Google hasn't come up with anything when I've put the lyrics in (shame on you Pete!).

So, 20yrs on I'm back to picking people's memories and hoping someone recognises the lyrics - I'm afraid my limited grasp of technology doesn't enable me to somehow copy the crackly tape into a digital format to play on here...

‘The Leaving Song’

You pull (put?) a face as the train pulls away.
My heart’s running on
But my feet seem to stay.
Night’s closing in
I don’t want to sleep.
My heart’s running on
And my love’s running deep.

And there’s nothing to see
And I’m turning away.
But the train’s still in view
So I’m turning to stay.
Forcing a smile in that lonely place
I’m guessing because I left my cigarettes in your case.

Blood’s running thick
My blood’s running free
But no-one gives a damn because
There’s no-one to see.
I’m hurting inside
And I’m hurting the world.
My temper’s quick
I feel so sick
Because I’ve lost the pearl
My fingers curled around

It’s stupid because
I know my anger’s wrong.
It’s stupid because
I know you won’t be long.
But still I miss you
More than everything else.
I suppose more than anything
I am angry with myself.

(sax solo then repeat last two ‘verses’)