The month before Christmas.

For some reason, everybody thinks that the world ends at Christmas and anything not done by said date may never get done. To some extent I can agree that it is a nice deadline and it is good to have things tidied up before taking a break. But what happens when things to be finished by christmas outweigh the allocation of time therefore. December sucks..!

I am to arrive at work on Monday and bring to some resolution, (before Christmas), 3 houses measuring a combined 2000m2 and 10mil ish. but, it is interesting and a little enjoyable mostly.

I love my job..!

So... a little colour and serenity helps of an evening.

I love that my washing machine makes a complete tangle of shirts every time that results in having to unwind each sleeve before trying to smooth and dry, (ironing still not that fun).

The gardening has been done..! (with a carving knife). Have also removed the second washing line that was rusting, sagging and always covered in cob webs and generally looking unpleasant.

Big thanks to Matt and Amy for the very cool lamp they bought me for Birthmas.

The new couch that arrived at 8.00am..!
I now have an extraordinary amount of cardboard and even MDF to file into a miniature recycling bin. but it is very cool, lamp looks good beside it.

So has been a good weekend with many coffees, good food and brilliant weather. thanks Amy and Matt for visiting.



And that is the update..

My Saturday

Has been a little while but not a lot exciting has been happening... Until 7.45 this mooring when my new seating arrived.

Last Saturday I partook in the 6hr McLeans island bike race with a team from our QS pod at work and was a lovely day, very hot and got a little burnt. heaps of fun, obviously placing and times aren't necessary, we're all about participation.

Purely an ergonomic choice this, allows a more correct posture at the err, computer thingy..

A morning refresher, the cake, (somewhat gone by this point) was a delightfully moist lemon syrup cake.

Further 'energising' refreshments in the new glassware

A bit dusty but now in the dishwasher.

It's been a lovely day here after the wind died away this morning and have managed several loads of washing, cleaning,  groceries and even a little work.

Oh, almost forgot, (not really) new sunnies, Not a brilliant photo.

Hope you all have a pleasant week wherever you may be, perhaps even if you've been flown away for a weekend by MUMMY..! some of us get sent a weekends work instead... am just saying.

The last few days, (weeks)

Indeed it has been a short time since I have updated my blog so time to scrape the barrel for a few interesting things in the region that may pr may not capture anybody's interest, but, that's my life.

Well, a few weeks ago I did a site visit to Akaroa and after finding a good coffee and chocolate croissant we found our way up into the hills where we're doing our first repair of the project, (and remains the only one in construction to date), a lovely house built on a hill with major structural damage to cantilevered decks and slab/block basement. I was slightly more impressed by the landscaping I guessed over time cost as much as the house, was awesome...!

Some schist for Mother.

Not too bad a view in the morning either.

Flowers of the week, they 'orange ones', (I do know they are mini Gerbera but am a guy so can get away with that and I even get to keep a little dignity after buying flowers)

They actually opened up more and were very cool for a couple of weeks.

Token new wallet, is very cool obviously.

The view from what should have been the top of a MTB ride on Saturday.

A couple of hills over and at the top of a new track I got a  view out to the South before riding down and then having to come half way back up another hill to find my way home down another track in Victoria park.
There is a veritable maze of tracks up in the port hills that are very cool and 'handy' but when this unfit, be careful not to be fooled into thinking that 'this really cool track, just up here' is going to be less than ANOTHER hours ride away up ANOTHER .$%&*, (jolly) hill. sufficed to say I arrived home three and a half hours later quite exhausted and ready for dinner after my light salad lunch.

And lets end on a rather typical and predictable note of a new jacket.. :)
This is the jacket I wasn't allowed to buy in Auckland as it had 'vulgar and ostentatious' labeling. apparently I liked it anyway.


Well thats all from me, I am going to take myself off to bed with a few sweets and a cup of tea. 
Had delightfully tasty bacon and banana pancakes for dinner after sudden craving mid supermarket shop so feeling good and full..! obviously living by myself I can't afford to waste food so this does leave rather a quandary when looking down the barrel of an entire pancake mix..!


Night night..!

Busy weeks

It has indeed been a busy few weeks, am looking forward to a weekend off this week with Tim and Joe coming down for the weekend so will be just great to chill out and go for coffee and cake.

Not a great deal of interesting things captured but have certainly been enjoying good weather for a week or two with the mornings getting 'warm' and sun up by 6.30-7.00, (apparently).

Basically sums up my last week, has been very busy at work too with more and more customer meetings with costing disputes and scoping issues. Have also finally got a few jobs going into contract so with going to new office for a day or two a week I will start to have a bit more time on site and dealing with contractors, 430 houses priced to date.!

And back to a slightly more typical update... My new watch arrived a week or two ago now but am loving the choices in the mornings. Watch, wallet, sunglasses and a bag that all need to 'work', (it's ok, even I think it's a LITTLE sad..)

Spring cleaning

Just a quick one to show a lovely bunch of Tulips and Stock that now compliment a sparking apartment, if with a somewhat 'too clean' aroma about the place.

Mum's comment when I said I had just been for a walk to get some flowers was, "won't be as nice as the Tulips and Stock I just got". What fine taste you have Mother.

More snow days..!

Snow angel...!

Well it's been a few days.. (some..) since I bothered updating this and before I made comments on others asking why they haven't I had better make an effort.

It started snowing on Sunday night, ( was skeptical there for a bit when Sunday morning was the warmest and nicest morning for a long time) I had to look out the window constantly through the night to make sure we got enough snow to stay home on the Monday, but it pulled though and we got 2 days off for the snow..!

I've been at home today as well though with an awful lot of work to do from Auckland as well as keeping up with real work so has been a fun couple of days with not a lot of daylight being seen.

Yes I know I am wearing a bright jacket and am also aware I look like a very 'special person' in this one.. Is this how I always look..?

I went with Joel and Renita to Doug and Veronika's on Monday and we made an igloo, was interesting. but mostly just sustained periods of numb hands..

A building that was on the way to work and was disappearing over a few days.

The making of what turned out to be  a delicious wholesome stew..

The new bike, slightly dirty after a ride up the port hills.

Then clean after a ride in the slush and snow to get plans printer on Tuesday and hot coffee on Wednesday.

My life since Monday afternoon...

Am looking forward to the weekend and I think I will be going for a ride up the hills again and some fresh air and sunlight maybe.

The Icing on the Quake

Get it...? quake, sounds a bit like cake, with the icing and what not..? Just checking..

Have had a lovely weekend with Amy and Matt down, a bit nippy but enjoyable all the same.

We went for a little drive into the city again on the Saturday to have a look about, after several coffees, (one mammoth walk for the first one, sorry Matt, he almost stomped his feet..)

A few photos looking into the city centre, is strange driving to work these mornings and wondering what was on so many of the now empty sites.

So glad I could get up at 4.30am on Monday morning to let Amy out the gate, it seems she wasn't able to remember the pin no. at the time, strange...

A somewhat discouraged snow fight that no-one else was keen for. 

Token snowman, alright effort for the city dwellers I thought.

Matts attempt to melt a hole in it's head with blood, (herbal tea)

Don't know that everyone agreed but was a pretty awesome weekend all in all, glad for the visit and company.

Pay-day is so far away...!

Is a busy night tonight with the place needing a spring clean, washing everywhere and still a library/community centre upgrade for Mt Roskill to price...!

however I am lucky enough to have Desiree and Annette visiting for dinner tomorrow evening so I must needs clean up.

But while I do I thought I'd update on a few new and exciting things about the place, hence the title.

Have probably done the red thing now...

My new watch that turned up at work this morning Eight days from the UK..! awesome. and yes, everyone at work think it's very cool.

From the local fruit and veggie on the way home this evening, unfortunately cut the.. white one too short.

New German knives I bought in the weekend, hopefully these ones don't start going rusty and blunt,  30 year guarantee too.. good knives are very important.

Am still planning my bike ride to Sumner and around about to get a better look at the city but haven't quite found the time yet, has been interesting taking a few different ways to work and a glimpse at the city centre.. is like a war-zone in there so want to go have a descent bike in the hills.

Have been pricing the rebuild and repairs of the larger hill houses of late, there are some VERY amazing houses in there and am very upset to see enormous amounts of beautiful timber and brick work, granite and slate end up in heaps of indistinguishable rubble. I'm sure I could help demo if they want.