Wow! I can not believe the weather we have experienced since the official beginning of Spring on the first of September. Rob had to go back to the states for a business meeting with the parent company out of Milwaukee. Since his meeting was starting on a Monday, and since his mom's birthday was on a Wednesaday, and since he was missing our kids...I convinced him to leave a little earlier to surprise his mom, and spend time with our kids, before he went off to Milwaukee. It turned out that this plan worked really well.
I was of course, alone, during the time Rob was gone. He had taken the ferry, then the bus to the airport on the way out of NZ. He left the car in our car park, and told me before he left that he hoped that I would start driving while he was gone. Well...I have been quite comfortable here without driving, as, if I need to go anywhere I take a bus or a ferry, or a train. But, I knew that it would mean a lot to Rob if I could get over my fear of driving here...so I started by pulling out of the carpark. Then, I managed to do the 5 point turn to get out of the drive...and I prayed like crazy that I would not scrape the car in the narrow driveway. Whew! Got out of the driveway and drove out to my friend, Faith's house to take a walk about her neighborhood. It was surprisingly easy, as I kept my mantra to stay to the center of the street. Thank you, Riki, for helping me keep focused. The next day I ventured out to Takapuna...a town on the North Shore very close to Devonport. So, I was finally getting comfortable behind the wheel. Well...not really comfortable, but I knew I could do it! So, the day Rob returned to NZ, I got up at some ridculous hour and checked to see if his flight had an arrival time. His flight was due to arrive 1/2 hour earlier than I thought it would be in...4:45 am. I was awake, so I decided to drive the 45 minutes out to the airport to surprise him. Only problem was, he did not have his phone turned on, and his plan was to take the bus to the ferry & take the ferry back to Devonport. I litereally arrived at the airport at 5:17 am...pulled into the carpark, and got into the greeting area at 5:18am. Rob walked out the customs clearance door at exactly 5:19am. You should have seen his expression! He was so amazed...and shocked! I wanted to tell him that i took the bus all the way from Auckland so we could ride hom together...but I held up the keys. He was really happy to see me. However, he drove home.
It was a completely gorgeous morning when I picked Rob up at AKL (Auckland International Airport). Because he had been cooped up on a plane for so long, he really wanted to get a good walk in, and then completely crash into his pillow. So, we had a fabulous, gorgeous hike around Devonport. I went off to my class that I take every Monday, and Rob unpacked, and soon found his pillow. I actually came home from my class, and curled up, and completely went into a deep sleep for 3 hours. I guess the drive to the airport was a bit more than my system could really handle...and it was at an unbelievably, early time. It was so great to have Rob back here in NZ.
Since Rob has come home, the weather has been full on! I still can not believe the force of the rain when it comes down. One day, I was coming home from the class that I was teaching in Mt. Eden when the skies totally unloaded the most powerful rain storm. Luckily, I was close to a cafe when the water statred to beat down. My friend, Beth, came down to the cafe & we had a nice warm coffee as the rain just pounded outside. Finally, I was able to make my way to the ferry building before the rain got furious again. When the ferry landed in Devonport, it was heaving against the dock, which the New Zealander's call the jetty. Getting off the ferry was a bit of a serious balancing act. I really get affected by rolling, jolting sea motions, so it is really difficult for me to be thrust onto the dock like that. Thankfully, I managed to get to dry dock. And, thankfully, I was able to take my time leaving the ferry building, as the storm was still unleashing crazy amounts of water from the sky. My friend, Faith , spoke with me during this time, and she asked how I was dealing with the 'bucketing rain'? She even felt compelled to pick me up from the ferry building so I would not have to walk home. Eventually, the rain subsided, and I was able to make a mad dash home before the next furious wall of water came down.
And...for the whole month we have had one major whopping rain storm after another! Thunder & lightening is also part of the show. The other night the lightening was literally on our patio...flashing furiously at us through our window. Rob was BBQing on the back patio, and he came in the house to tell me that tonight might have been a bad night to pick to BBQ. He was supposed to put grill marks on the polenta...but it came back a little wet, and mushy. Thankfully, I could blot it off, and put it under the grill inside with the tomato/basil bruschetta. Dinner saved!
Las Saturday, Rob & i both went to the AA office in Takapuna and got our driver's licenses. Because we come from the USA, they do not even require a driving test! Yikes! I will say that everytime I get behind the wheel it feels a lot more comfortable. But...I will also tell you that the first circle I came upon...I went around and around and around...just because I could! So...if any of you are thinking about visiting...I could actually drive you around! :)
On Wednesday, when my friend Jenny came to the gym to exclaim that there was a Tsunami Warning, I thought...what next. Sure enough, the Civil Defense was out in force to keep people away from the beaches, as a Tsunami from the earthquake in Samoa was going to hit NZ at 11:12 am. There were heaps of people on the coast...looking for the big wave. The big wave never came to Auckland, but it certainly wreaked havoc in Samoa. It is astounding seeing news snips from that Tsunami zone. So sad.
So, thankfully, there was no Tsunami here. But, quite frankly, I have never experienced such severe weather in a 'springtime' ever!! Tomorrow, we are planning to tramp in the bush out on the West Coast. Also known as the 'Wet Coast'. I am really looking forward to one, whole day of sunshine!! This rain can just pack up and head off to California!
Wishing you all well! Sometime soon, I will be trying to translate some of the phrases that some of my friends I have here have humored me with. :)Heaps of hugs and love, ~Skye
Friday, October 2, 2009
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