3 Months, at least. Since my last update.
Much has been filling our lives so I will focus on the interesting bits rather than posting a novel.
Desiree's sister Popsy came to visit, arriving early June and traveled back to Johannesburg on the 23rd July. A great time had by all and my prediction of improved weather arriving with her departure was spot on. A slight wobble at the airport, on her departure, with the airline insisting that a limit of 22kg checked luggage would be enforced and that a charge of $60 per kg would apply. Steep and considering her baggage tipped the scales at 48kg, it was a quick repack before checking in, again. The weather did not treat her too badly, though we had a few southerly polar blasts during her visit and a decent sprinkling of snow on the ranges. Did not stop Des and her Sis popping out for breakfast in the slippers though!
Soon after Popsy arrived we received news that my sister and family were on their way to NZ. They arrived in Auckland and after a few days in the “big smoke” and an interview later, boarded the train for Wellington. She now has a two year work permit and is styling hair in Waikanae, a few kilometers north of our home. Trevor, her hubby, is job hunting and his work permit is about to be issued. The kids are school bound and they appear to be settling in.
Meant the house was jammed for about a month, with 5 adults, 3 teenagers and 2 tots. For someone who values his space and privacy, I had to take a few deep breaths during this time and on occasion simply just disappear!
Oh, my cousin Michelle and her two children visited from Auckland during this time as well. They had arranged to visit during the last week of the school holidays and had booked and paid there airfares well before we knew our home would be littered with bodies. I was ready to put her up in the local motel, but she made arrangements with family friends and spent only her last night with us. We shipped Sherrie to her friend to overnight to create sleeping space.
Work has been rewarding of late and I am proud to have been instrumental in Starfish winning significant business at Telecom - outsourcing the Quality Assurance work I do on a fixed fee, fixed term basis. This is the first annuity business the company have signed and is strategic in nature. I hope this will ensure I am in a position to move on and take on a new challenge at the end of this year. I suspect I will be linked to this contract for at least the medium term, though in a contract management role from next year. Hold thumbs!
Sherrie's hard work is paying off. She was invited to a significant arts and design workshop in Wanganui about 2 months ago and is this weekend attending (by invitation) a two day workshop at Victoria University Design School (Wellington) this weekend. She also has her senior’s Ball this Saturday, so a busy weekend. She participated in a music and dance production with Kapiti College who “competed” in the annual Stage Challenge series. A couple of awards, an enjoyable evening! In between all this, she has found time to provide services to some of Home Comfort's clients (the company Des works for). She was helping a ninety year old lady recovering from a broken arm on weekends though her main focus was helping a family with 5 children aged between 4 and 14. She was tasked with keeping them occupied and stimulated. So helped with homework, took walks, played games, painted and drew and colored, took them swimming etc She is SO on her way and I believe she will be flying the coop in 18 months time flat in Wellington and attend Victoria University. Better start preparing Des! lol
The train arrives at Wellington, so my first update on my new laptop (been without one for most of this year – hence the lack of communication) done!
In the next Issue:Meghan, Des and Travis