Happy 1st Day of Winter

    When we moved into this rental home we signed a year lease. And thank god we did because 6 months after we moved in, the owner decided he wanted to sell the house. So we got to deal with open homes, photographers coming in and taking pictures, and just the hassle of always keeping the house clean. Open homes in NZ are quite typical of the kiwi lifestyle. They last for either half an hour, or an hour. In and out, which makes it easier for the the person showing the home, as well as the agent. Our rental home sold quite quickly, but because of our year lease we could not be kicked out. Our lease ends the beginning of July so I began our search for our new home 4 weeks ago. Now let me just say that NZ is amazing. Most of the country is covered by lush green rolling hills, deserted black sand beaches, and beautiful wildlife. The cities offer an awesome array of culture, and entertainment. BUT, the rental homes in this country  leave much to be desired. Many of the rental homes reflect the relaxed, laid-back society that kiwi's are known for. Most of them are very outdated and need much TLC. For example the one I looked at yesterday had a very, very outdated kitchen. Picture something from the Brady Bunch era, and you can imagine this kitchen. Bright yellow walls, dull yellow Formica counter tops, a stove from the 70's  and no dishwasher. The house was however, very tidy and warm. Another house had the worst looking furniture I have ever seen, and hardly any of the windows closed properly. And the third house would of basically been glorified camping. Yes, we Americans have the reputation to expect the biggest and the best. So I have learned to lower my standards and expectations and I find that I am much happier. The homes here are small, and  they waste no space. There are not these silly living rooms, and dining rooms that we Americans feel the need to have, but never use. There is typically a kitchen with an eating area, a great room and then however many bedrooms. And the codes here allow people to build whatever they choose. So many of the homes reflect the personalities of those that built it. No two homes are the same so the community breathes life and character and personality just as a result of the variety of homes.
    I know I have mentioned this before but I have to mention it again only because it was 3 degrees C (36 degrees F) this morning, heat in NZ is optional, and many feel they do not need it!! The locals have been living with the dull wet cold for generations. So they do not whine about it as much as us folks from the Northern hemisphere. Insulation and central heat have not hit it big here like back in the states.  My hairdresser, who was born and raised here helped me to understand this philosophy. Heat is almost considered a luxury, the low temperatures here never reach a point where it becomes dangerous and lives could be lost. So basically (according to the locals) heat is not a need because it is not a life or death situation. Most homes, even new homes forgo central heat and opt for a wood burning stove . The only new home that I have been in that has central heat belongs to our friends from England, and their builder tried to talk them out of central heat but they stood their ground. They have the warmest house in the village, and we love going to visit!! The school has no heat, but each classroom has a wood burning stove. So those of us that did not ask what kind of heat the rental home had before renting are learning a hard, cold lesson. As much as we love this view, and boy do we love the view, I am willing to trade it for some warmth. We are moving one street back, to a cute little rental home that has a heat pump, which will make the kids and I happy and it also has an outdoor shower, which puts a big smile on my husbands face.
 

Owen and Skyler eating breakfast this morning. Our house warms up quite nicely once the sun hits it, but it usually takes 4-5 hours. Most women will run their errands in the morning just to get out of the house and come back once it has warmed up. 

Owen and his best buddy after their Rugby game.

Owen- player of the day in Rugby. This picture makes me smile with his missing front tooth and scruffy hair. I bet I could find a picture of Brad back in the Aspen days in his rugby uniform with scruffy hair, and a missing front tooth. Like father, like son......lord help me :)  

Skyler plays on an all boys football team. The girls here tend to play netball. And she is not afraid to mix it up, every time she goes out she gives it her all. I love to watch her out run the boys, and smile while doing it. She scored a goal and had two assist last game, and received player of the day. 

netball

This is Netball. A strange kiwi game that the girls play. Of course it is only strange to us because we don't know the game, but kiwi's are passionate about the game and love it. I will not try and attempt to explain the game as we have only watched 3, and still don't know what's going on. All I know is Lindsey wanted to try and learn the game so she could play with her friends. Most of the girls her age play. And I couldn't be prouder of her a result. We go and cheer her and her friends on every Saturday.

This is Skyler ogling over her surfer idol Paige Hareb. The competitors were great with the younger kids. They patiently signed autographs for them as they waited  at the waters edge. 

My sweet friends who helped me celebrate my 40th. 

And yes today was the first day of winter here in NZ. Not sure why it is on the first and not the 21st. Brad and I both went out for a short surf. The air temp was 16 C, as well as the water temp. We are looking forward skiing this winter, went to a great ski swap last night and got the kids outfitted for the season. Cheers- happy summer to our friends and family back home.