Our One Year Anniversary

Well it’s hard to believe that we’ve now been here for a year. So much has happened in that year but we’ve no regrets about the move.

We bought a house in January and so far that’s been great. Yes, it would be better if it had double glazing, but we knew that unless we were going to go for a new build, we would probably have to do without that luxury. Hubby’s work is going well and the boys are happy at school and kindy.

We always knew that the hardest part of moving here would be leaving family behind, but we thought we’d get to see them all again relatively regularly. Very sadly, though, my father died suddenly in May and, although he’d been in poorish health for a few months, it was still a very big shock when his time came. I found out at 7 am in the morning and was on a flight by midday the same day – the wonders of the Internet. It was a very sad trip back to the UK for me but there was no way I wasn’t going to be there for his funeral. The only time I’ve felt unsettled about living in NZ was when I got back here again but that was inevitably going to be difficult and a week or so back in the daily routine sorted that out.

We’ve had one sibling and family out to stay for a few weeks and various other people passing through from the UK, including some folks that we met on this Forum – again, isn’t the Internet great! Both Mums have booked flights out for different parts of the summer and other friends are taking advantage of our setting to see more of the world.

Very much looking forward to spring and summer, although the rain these days doesn’t bother me that much – I am Irish, after all ;)

So, as I said, no regrets about our move out here – we’ve made lots of new friends and have settled as if we’d lived here all our lives. I don't post much on the Forum - someone has usually beaten me to it by the time I get round to it - but I do keep up with things :)

Thanks for the update. :)

Sorry to hear about your father - to be honest, I don't think that news comes as any less of a blow wherever you are, but it's good that you managed to get back for the ceremony. ((()))

Sounds pretty good all round- except for the death of your father, of course! If it is of any consolation, my dad died very suddenly while we were living around 65km away and I hadn't seen him for almost four weeks due to holidays. It is just very sad, in any case.

Pleased to hear you are enjoying NZ and so sorry to hear about your dad. We have been here now coming up to 15 months and we feel the distance some days but no regrets :)

Great to read so positive post :)

Lovely to hear you have settled in well, so sorry to hear about your father.