Chook is always the only one with her shirt tucked in.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Bye bye rent-a-pet
The last owners friends caught some kittens in their rat traps and brought them round to join Earl. We named them Scruffball and Joe.
Bizarre moves from Chook at the end.
Bizarre moves from Chook at the end.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Mele Kalikimaka!
Aloha!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
Apparently there's a house down in our Hood which is covered in lights. You park outside it and tune in to the radio station stated on the sign outside. You can then hear the music in your car, and be in awe of the lights as they flash to the rhythm of the music. It's not the house in this video, but if we can find it (could take a very long time) then I'll take another video.
Our news is, I am enjoying my new job, which came round quicker than I expected so there was no looking for a job involved. It's holidays already though - hang on, I just got started!
Chook has been cruising (on her bike) round the Lab at Doc's work the last few days. Another Doc with family, took in his wee lamb and the two of them apparently cruised rather far today: down the dirt track, through the 2nd gate and into the Agriculture 'test' field. Then the four of them went for lunch at MacDonald's....... Chook has been raised with a pretty good diet right from the word go, infact I even ate the fruits and salad I didn't particularly like when I was expecting and feeding her. Having watched THAT chicken nugget documentary back in the day I was pretty disgusted when she informed me that this was her food of choice this afternoon. Not sure whats worse - playing in the test zone or ingesting processed, bleached chicken feet and beaks. Will my grandchildren be purple?
We're having a few ladies over for dinner on Christmas day. Just as well we remembered to buy chairs today, china's finest. That's right, not synonymous with my usual quality, but at the moment I don't want to see furniture we love because, A. It's $8k at least to ship to Europe and B. Humidity and furniture aren't a good match. Will we succumb to quality furniture shopping......likely, but not until Doc gets that bit of paper with an extension date on it. I know, I know, how Aberdonian of me! I'm actually closer to an Edinbur...........ger by birth, but given our time-served in the Granite City....
Aberdeen
Right Oh, time to go bake some gingerbread cookies, tis the season after all!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
Apparently there's a house down in our Hood which is covered in lights. You park outside it and tune in to the radio station stated on the sign outside. You can then hear the music in your car, and be in awe of the lights as they flash to the rhythm of the music. It's not the house in this video, but if we can find it (could take a very long time) then I'll take another video.
Our news is, I am enjoying my new job, which came round quicker than I expected so there was no looking for a job involved. It's holidays already though - hang on, I just got started!
Chook has been cruising (on her bike) round the Lab at Doc's work the last few days. Another Doc with family, took in his wee lamb and the two of them apparently cruised rather far today: down the dirt track, through the 2nd gate and into the Agriculture 'test' field. Then the four of them went for lunch at MacDonald's....... Chook has been raised with a pretty good diet right from the word go, infact I even ate the fruits and salad I didn't particularly like when I was expecting and feeding her. Having watched THAT chicken nugget documentary back in the day I was pretty disgusted when she informed me that this was her food of choice this afternoon. Not sure whats worse - playing in the test zone or ingesting processed, bleached chicken feet and beaks. Will my grandchildren be purple?
We're having a few ladies over for dinner on Christmas day. Just as well we remembered to buy chairs today, china's finest. That's right, not synonymous with my usual quality, but at the moment I don't want to see furniture we love because, A. It's $8k at least to ship to Europe and B. Humidity and furniture aren't a good match. Will we succumb to quality furniture shopping......likely, but not until Doc gets that bit of paper with an extension date on it. I know, I know, how Aberdonian of me! I'm actually closer to an Edinbur...........ger by birth, but given our time-served in the Granite City....
Aberdeen
Right Oh, time to go bake some gingerbread cookies, tis the season after all!
Friday, 16 December 2011
Photos
The videos I uploaded here originally were too big for one post, so there are now three seperate posts following.
The thing about not blogging often enough, is that I then have to go back and re-read what I've written the last time. So I had better start with some photos, as promised (although if you want the full set of picassa photos which we upload every 2 months, then just drop me an email to add you to the list).
Thanksgiving Chapel.
Feeding Scruffball and Joe and saying cheerio to Earl.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Last published
It's been a while. So I'll try do a brief update.
Between my marajuna smoking, scream at their child neighbours - who also burned the flag last week :-( and the continued finding of very scary centipedes we are leaving this rental a few weeks before we planned. Nice house, shame about the to-close-for-comfort hippies and bugs.
So I took heed to the advice of the Terminix man and found a Hawaiian style house (on stilts). In fact its the highest raise I've seen yet. Photos will follow when we move in. Doc and Chook have yet to see said house, but having received a just-go-for-it email from Doc, that was all I needed.
This house is unfurnished, and having shipped no furniture, I had to go pick more (and antique/second hand is not an option here - beasties I'm not going to mention risk) and that took time to research. John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Archibalds provided everything I had bought in the past. No such joy here obviously. Couches which resemble Argos finds (OK, call me a snob if you like, but I'm not sure how else to describe this) start at $1200.00. That was a shock. Veneer and black shiny, fake granite, fake marble are commonplace in furniture shops. I grimaced. I mean imagine having to part with cash for something people wouldn't pay a tenner for in the UK. Anyway I hunted down two OK couches.
Beds. A whole new world. Buying Bedding, a whole new word. Shams and skirts rather than pillowcases and valances. Beds require boxes, which resemble a second mattress, and bed frames are really low, hence the box. Twill be nice to have them and get all set up in the new house. I think it will be more like home, given that we are furnishing it.
Kitchenware I shipped, so that's all the important boxes ticked. Table and chairs is next on the agenda, which is a little difficult given that we want to continue to host friends. A few nice friends have already given and offered us things, including a short-term table which is just so lovely. We are really touched at how our new friends have been looking out for us here.
Car wise, it went in for a Service and we had to buy a new wheel as one of the rims had been entirely cracked and had been a danger to drive. We shipped a new one from the mainland, but it was quite disturbing - the dealership we bought it from told us they had put new tyres on it and the Service garage said the rim had been on the front and swapped to the back at a later date. Won;t be going back to that dealer ever then. Car then overheated, in and out of garage, told us a new engine may be required, overheated again, then stopped, before i realised it was an electrical fault, it wasn't actually overheating at all. So that feels much safer now, but we have been looking for a new car. We do like this one, but we'll get a new one if we can find a suitable one. Yes I did say find a suitable one, as we have to wait for them. Eg the Big Ford garage only ships one brand new car per week.
Chook had her first report and parents night. Almost all A's and S+'s which at her school means Super and is the equivalent of an A. The worst mark is a B = :-) Mom. Yes Mom, no longer Mama, now Mom. And she likes to hear herself speaking American (Hawaiian as she calls it) so she says Mom just as often as she can. Makes us giggle.
Next week we have two sets of day visitors. On Tuesday a have the Jacks from Peterhead for the day, when their cruise ship docks, and we also have Doc's parents neighbours on another day, who are touring the Islands by plane, day is yet to be decided.
My work permit came through, I'm now just waiting on a Magic number that will allow me to apply for a wee job, which is quite exciting.
I had my friend Jackie who I met at work years ago and her daughter over for ten days in October, so we were doing lots of adventuring, hence the lack of October blogging. My next post will be the details and photos of our escapades.
:-)
Between my marajuna smoking, scream at their child neighbours - who also burned the flag last week :-( and the continued finding of very scary centipedes we are leaving this rental a few weeks before we planned. Nice house, shame about the to-close-for-comfort hippies and bugs.
So I took heed to the advice of the Terminix man and found a Hawaiian style house (on stilts). In fact its the highest raise I've seen yet. Photos will follow when we move in. Doc and Chook have yet to see said house, but having received a just-go-for-it email from Doc, that was all I needed.
This house is unfurnished, and having shipped no furniture, I had to go pick more (and antique/second hand is not an option here - beasties I'm not going to mention risk) and that took time to research. John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Archibalds provided everything I had bought in the past. No such joy here obviously. Couches which resemble Argos finds (OK, call me a snob if you like, but I'm not sure how else to describe this) start at $1200.00. That was a shock. Veneer and black shiny, fake granite, fake marble are commonplace in furniture shops. I grimaced. I mean imagine having to part with cash for something people wouldn't pay a tenner for in the UK. Anyway I hunted down two OK couches.
Beds. A whole new world. Buying Bedding, a whole new word. Shams and skirts rather than pillowcases and valances. Beds require boxes, which resemble a second mattress, and bed frames are really low, hence the box. Twill be nice to have them and get all set up in the new house. I think it will be more like home, given that we are furnishing it.
Kitchenware I shipped, so that's all the important boxes ticked. Table and chairs is next on the agenda, which is a little difficult given that we want to continue to host friends. A few nice friends have already given and offered us things, including a short-term table which is just so lovely. We are really touched at how our new friends have been looking out for us here.
Car wise, it went in for a Service and we had to buy a new wheel as one of the rims had been entirely cracked and had been a danger to drive. We shipped a new one from the mainland, but it was quite disturbing - the dealership we bought it from told us they had put new tyres on it and the Service garage said the rim had been on the front and swapped to the back at a later date. Won;t be going back to that dealer ever then. Car then overheated, in and out of garage, told us a new engine may be required, overheated again, then stopped, before i realised it was an electrical fault, it wasn't actually overheating at all. So that feels much safer now, but we have been looking for a new car. We do like this one, but we'll get a new one if we can find a suitable one. Yes I did say find a suitable one, as we have to wait for them. Eg the Big Ford garage only ships one brand new car per week.
Chook had her first report and parents night. Almost all A's and S+'s which at her school means Super and is the equivalent of an A. The worst mark is a B = :-) Mom. Yes Mom, no longer Mama, now Mom. And she likes to hear herself speaking American (Hawaiian as she calls it) so she says Mom just as often as she can. Makes us giggle.
Next week we have two sets of day visitors. On Tuesday a have the Jacks from Peterhead for the day, when their cruise ship docks, and we also have Doc's parents neighbours on another day, who are touring the Islands by plane, day is yet to be decided.
My work permit came through, I'm now just waiting on a Magic number that will allow me to apply for a wee job, which is quite exciting.
I had my friend Jackie who I met at work years ago and her daughter over for ten days in October, so we were doing lots of adventuring, hence the lack of October blogging. My next post will be the details and photos of our escapades.
:-)
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Jerry Springer
My neighbours could be on Jerry Springer.
Screaming little one, screaming adults, a number of people, drive bys, dogs, stinky marijuana. They are quiet at night though!
So hopefully theres a post to say we are/haved moved next month.
Not to worry our readers, we are fine, but between them and the centipedes we'd rather move earlier than planned.
Screaming little one, screaming adults, a number of people, drive bys, dogs, stinky marijuana. They are quiet at night though!
So hopefully theres a post to say we are/haved moved next month.
Not to worry our readers, we are fine, but between them and the centipedes we'd rather move earlier than planned.
Birthday and Exam
Aloha!
Where have I have I been this time? Preparing for my exam. Both the mock and the actual Speaking exams went well. The assessor said i did 'very well' so I was really chuffed. Still to submit the final reading and writing exam on Tuesday, then it's just a case of waiting for the results. The next level starts in February, which i'm pretty sure i'm going to go ahead and try to do, i know it's going to be very challenging.
The main event was Chooks Birthday! She had a great day. It wasn't so great for me, as the waterslide was 3 hours late, and i had paid upfront. When the lady eventually returned my calls asking where it was, she shouted at me, which was pretty upsetting........ She must have been having a stressful day or something, but thats certainly far from the good customer service I expected to find in the States. Hawaii is of course slightly different, but i have to admit, customer service hasn't been great anywhere, some places good, but no better, and some places pretty surprising, like asking someone to help with a second trolley out of Walmart - it was a long wait, and i was passed to three different people, all fobbing it off to the next. It's not that bad, but it just surprised me.
So Barbie surfing was no where to be found, but a bikini Barbie and a something else Paddle Board made for a good replacement, and making the waves was fun!
Ice-cream and Jello together was new for the Hawaiian mums 'Ice-cream and jello together, really?' asked one of the mums 'is this a British thing?' Canny imagine a party without ice-cream and jelly but there you go, it was a new thing here.
Someone brought a nice tray of noodles and I made a big pot of chilli, with rice and nachos for the adults, and sandwiches, crisps, lots of sweets te he
Barbies still a Paddle Board Learner!
Slip and Slide
Guess who, hurt a bit the next day, but you know me, couldn't resist trying.
Drinking tea with the last folks standing.
About 4 or 5pm (party started at 10).
Faith had also had her new BFF sleep over the night before, surprised she lastest this long!
Where have I have I been this time? Preparing for my exam. Both the mock and the actual Speaking exams went well. The assessor said i did 'very well' so I was really chuffed. Still to submit the final reading and writing exam on Tuesday, then it's just a case of waiting for the results. The next level starts in February, which i'm pretty sure i'm going to go ahead and try to do, i know it's going to be very challenging.
The main event was Chooks Birthday! She had a great day. It wasn't so great for me, as the waterslide was 3 hours late, and i had paid upfront. When the lady eventually returned my calls asking where it was, she shouted at me, which was pretty upsetting........ She must have been having a stressful day or something, but thats certainly far from the good customer service I expected to find in the States. Hawaii is of course slightly different, but i have to admit, customer service hasn't been great anywhere, some places good, but no better, and some places pretty surprising, like asking someone to help with a second trolley out of Walmart - it was a long wait, and i was passed to three different people, all fobbing it off to the next. It's not that bad, but it just surprised me.
So Barbie surfing was no where to be found, but a bikini Barbie and a something else Paddle Board made for a good replacement, and making the waves was fun!
Ice-cream and Jello together was new for the Hawaiian mums 'Ice-cream and jello together, really?' asked one of the mums 'is this a British thing?' Canny imagine a party without ice-cream and jelly but there you go, it was a new thing here.
Someone brought a nice tray of noodles and I made a big pot of chilli, with rice and nachos for the adults, and sandwiches, crisps, lots of sweets te he
About 4 or 5pm (party started at 10).
Faith had also had her new BFF sleep over the night before, surprised she lastest this long!
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Oh this long already?
Didn't think it was this long since my last post. Its that 'Time fly's' saying then.
Chooks birthday 35ft waterslide is organised for her birthday party. Yes that will take up the entire 'yard' and hopefully the trees won't interfere with it. An attempt will also be made at a Barbie surfing birthday cake. It could go wrong, yes, but hey i'll give it a bash!
So you don't know the ER story then....
Labour day was fun, we went to our friends house at the sea, i had a go on the paddle board and managed (didn't feel it at the time, but i could tell my chest muscles had had a work out for the following four days!). Paddle Boards look like Surf Boards, with a paddle. I fell off a few times to start, but given that i was ok (i'm thinking about my pelvis wonkieness) i decided to join Doc, Kahu (Hawaiian for Pastor), and a bunch of 6-12 year olds who were jumping off the rock cliff into the ocean, the wave current is quite strong, but it does push you back up to a ledge to get out again. So after watching everyone else jump in, having great fun, i stood on the edge building courage for at least 5 minutes, waited for a wave to go out then jumped with a shreil scream of course!
My final words 'My mind is telling me not to jump'
Jumps straight, Splash!
Doc ' I can't believe you jumped'
Kahu 'I wouldn't have let my wife jump'
Kids 'It took you a while Aunty' (Everyone is your Aunt or Uncle at Church or School)
Andrew 'Oh that doesn't look good' referring to the blood pouring out the front of each Croc as i walk back to shore.
Giggled my way through the Nurse and Doctor questions in the ER, my way of dealing with the embarassment.
ER Doc 'Well i would stitch it if there was a bit there to stich, but that's fish food now'.
Doc 'I knew you would be the first to end up in Hospital'.
Anyway, i'm ok, i've just had three gross looking divets out of each foot, and have had bandaged feet since Labour Day. And of course, in true me style, an alergic reaction to the Tetanus shot in the form of a large swollen red lump.
But Hey! How far have i come since being stuck in bed hardly able to walk - right around the world and into the sea. It wasn't that long ago i was getting winched out of the Hydrotherapy pool.......Obviously I don't seem to have gotten any smarter, or have I? - German exams are on 15th and 20th September.
Better get back to studying then...with my feet up!
Chooks birthday 35ft waterslide is organised for her birthday party. Yes that will take up the entire 'yard' and hopefully the trees won't interfere with it. An attempt will also be made at a Barbie surfing birthday cake. It could go wrong, yes, but hey i'll give it a bash!
So you don't know the ER story then....
Labour day was fun, we went to our friends house at the sea, i had a go on the paddle board and managed (didn't feel it at the time, but i could tell my chest muscles had had a work out for the following four days!). Paddle Boards look like Surf Boards, with a paddle. I fell off a few times to start, but given that i was ok (i'm thinking about my pelvis wonkieness) i decided to join Doc, Kahu (Hawaiian for Pastor), and a bunch of 6-12 year olds who were jumping off the rock cliff into the ocean, the wave current is quite strong, but it does push you back up to a ledge to get out again. So after watching everyone else jump in, having great fun, i stood on the edge building courage for at least 5 minutes, waited for a wave to go out then jumped with a shreil scream of course!
My final words 'My mind is telling me not to jump'
Jumps straight, Splash!
Doc ' I can't believe you jumped'
Kahu 'I wouldn't have let my wife jump'
Kids 'It took you a while Aunty' (Everyone is your Aunt or Uncle at Church or School)
Andrew 'Oh that doesn't look good' referring to the blood pouring out the front of each Croc as i walk back to shore.
Giggled my way through the Nurse and Doctor questions in the ER, my way of dealing with the embarassment.
ER Doc 'Well i would stitch it if there was a bit there to stich, but that's fish food now'.
Doc 'I knew you would be the first to end up in Hospital'.
Anyway, i'm ok, i've just had three gross looking divets out of each foot, and have had bandaged feet since Labour Day. And of course, in true me style, an alergic reaction to the Tetanus shot in the form of a large swollen red lump.
But Hey! How far have i come since being stuck in bed hardly able to walk - right around the world and into the sea. It wasn't that long ago i was getting winched out of the Hydrotherapy pool.......Obviously I don't seem to have gotten any smarter, or have I? - German exams are on 15th and 20th September.
Better get back to studying then...with my feet up!
Monday, 22 August 2011
Hot hot hot!
Firstly, that is the first hot curry sauce we've found! Mahi Mahi fish curry, we quite like fish curry (Curry is even in Chooks top 3 favourite foods list), but i've not attempted home made curry... I could make a list of excuses but i'll save you that.
We drove back up to the volcano (It's America, just drive up, if it was in the UK, you'd stop at the bottom, pay for parking and trek for miles following the yellow or red trail) and parked at the Caldera. Really cool place to be, and sunset was much better than through the day.
We drove back up to the volcano (It's America, just drive up, if it was in the UK, you'd stop at the bottom, pay for parking and trek for miles following the yellow or red trail) and parked at the Caldera. Really cool place to be, and sunset was much better than through the day.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Hula!
Chook started Hula lessons last week, and Mommy took a sneaky film. She will be able to do a full dance by the end of the six week beginners course, and then she can join the Hala'u.....not sure i spelled that correctly, but she is also learning some Hawaiian. So today, Mommy Bop has made the Pa'u skirt, (there's no grass involved!) using a borrowed sewing machine :-)
Friday, 5 August 2011
School's in!
I feel bad for my last post, it was a fair rant lol, however no more rocks have been thrown!
I have just celebrated a two day birthday. Two days because we had places to go the real day so we had it the day before....and then the real day...
So we went to the beach, and hoped there were no Tiger Sharks, some were spotted there the week before. Didn't bother us though, och they'd probably think Doc and I were too chunky to bite through.
We had an organic burger for lunch and I had ono for dinner at a 50's themed restaurant, wearing my 50's style tea-dress. A Happy Birthday serenade from the entertainment and the owners, accompanied by a lit ice cream followed the main.
On my actual Birthday I woke up to a fabulous surprise. Doc had told me he hadn't been paid yet, so i wouldn't know he'd got me something. Next to me on the bed was a card and a little black and gold box containing Gold plumeria and diamond earrings. Delighted!
Chook started school, and every morning is as exciting as the first, really - She has been up, dressed, room tidy, bed made and standing next to me smiling, with an 'aren't I the cutest' smile by 6.30 each morning. Doc has been chuckling at this each morning, that or my response - I hope I smile back, but actually I don't know. One of the German words I've learned this week is Morgenmuffel. Ich bin ein Morgenmuffel!
I have just celebrated a two day birthday. Two days because we had places to go the real day so we had it the day before....and then the real day...
So we went to the beach, and hoped there were no Tiger Sharks, some were spotted there the week before. Didn't bother us though, och they'd probably think Doc and I were too chunky to bite through.
We had an organic burger for lunch and I had ono for dinner at a 50's themed restaurant, wearing my 50's style tea-dress. A Happy Birthday serenade from the entertainment and the owners, accompanied by a lit ice cream followed the main.
On my actual Birthday I woke up to a fabulous surprise. Doc had told me he hadn't been paid yet, so i wouldn't know he'd got me something. Next to me on the bed was a card and a little black and gold box containing Gold plumeria and diamond earrings. Delighted!
Chook started school, and every morning is as exciting as the first, really - She has been up, dressed, room tidy, bed made and standing next to me smiling, with an 'aren't I the cutest' smile by 6.30 each morning. Doc has been chuckling at this each morning, that or my response - I hope I smile back, but actually I don't know. One of the German words I've learned this week is Morgenmuffel. Ich bin ein Morgenmuffel!
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