February 24, 2007
February 7, 2007
Up From the Grave She Arose
No, I’m not dead! Hooray!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Festivous Auckland Anniversary Weekend, Jolly Waitangi Day, roll on President’s Day, and various other holidays. What a blur. I have had a busy and happy (for the most part) holiday season. I have been painfully absent from the blogging scene, but hopefully that will improve steadily.
Christmas was wonderful. I got many great presents including a watch, cell phone and 4 days in Sydney which Sean and I just returned from on Tuesday (well, early Wednesday morning). Then My parents came to visit. What a present that was! Aside from all the presents they brought for me and others, the most amazing gift was being able to spend time with them and feel familial love and understanding around me. We spent a lot of time in Tairua but also made our way down tot he middle ofthe north island to take my dad on a fly fishing excursion that Sean planned. It was great to see my dad having a great time. He never gets to go fishing and I’m glad we were able to surprise him. I was really sad to see them go, but I know I’ll see them again rather soon. Can you believe I’ve been away for 6 months already? I’m scheduled to come back in just 3 short months. Many of you have been praying for me and for Sean. I truly appreciate all the prayers that have been directed for our benefit. This time has been wonderful and extremely trying at times. Let’s hear it for growing up! While I still feel three feet tall in most situations, I have learned to stand on my own two feet a lot more than I used to be able to. My mental state is probably still touch-and-go, but I’m trying to just take one thing at a time. It’s really all that I can handle and can be extremely humbling and stressful. Enough! On to the stuff you want to hear about.
Sydney was wonderful. It was so delicious to get away and spend some time having fun and not thinking about the future too much. The first day we walked and walked. Saw The Rocks and the Opera House in the morning, then we took the train (subway/tube-esque) to about the middle of the city and then walked to a Saturday market. We didn’t know exactly where it was, and on the way we passed through a very gay end of town. I think that it was the highest concentration of gay males that I have ever thad the opportunity to be around. Anyway, we finally made it to the market and it was really neato. Independent-y fashion but not too pretentious and some cool products being sold. We bought a lamp that you assemble yourself from sheets of like frosted plastic that you wrap into cylinders and stack to form a striped pattern. (looks cooler than it sounds) I also bought a couple of frosted glass rings made from thin segments of old wine bottle necks (a spanish glass color and a traditional dark-green).
Day two saw us at The Rocks (think artisan mixed with useless) and Paddy’s (think kitschy and cheap) Markets and then Bondi Beach in the afternoon. Once we made our way to Bondi (slightly confusing/aggrivating and warm) it was beautiful. The water was refreshing and it was nice to lay out on the sand and relax. I also managed to get to the Target at Bondi Junction which, let me tell you, has nothing on the US’s Target. I was sorely disappointed.
Day Three: Sean’s 25th birthday! We shopped in the middle of the city and Sean lied and told me he had bought me a giant Bulgari ring. I didn’t actually believe him. We then went out to dinner for his Birthday at King Street Wharf in Darling Harbour. It wasn’t the fanciest or most expensive meal but it was the best one we ate while we were there. Great atmosphere once we got out of the sun, great food, and great company! (Insert - On day one or two we also went across the ferry in the evening to Luna Park and I had my first ferris wheel ride - I completely freaked out at the beginning, but settled down enought to enjoy myself for the rest of the ride) After dinner we changed into more comfortable clothes (we had dressed up slightly) and got some gelato from a place we had discovered on day one. We then walked around the botanical gardens and watched many, many bats winging between the trees.
Day four we took the ferry to Manly Beach after checking out of the hotel and spent the day walking around and laying on the beach. The afternoon was all transport and airport. We got back to the house by shuttle at around 2am. SIGH*
And now it’s back to the real world. Sean’s house is in escrow. Somone offered way more than he thought he’d get which is epic. We’re house hunting for him now. Job hunting, house hunting, trying to get another work permit so I can come back. Stress. But, the great thing is, I love that man.
Will edit soon with pictures added, but I never know when I'll get internet on my laptop so I'm posting the words now.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Festivous Auckland Anniversary Weekend, Jolly Waitangi Day, roll on President’s Day, and various other holidays. What a blur. I have had a busy and happy (for the most part) holiday season. I have been painfully absent from the blogging scene, but hopefully that will improve steadily.
Christmas was wonderful. I got many great presents including a watch, cell phone and 4 days in Sydney which Sean and I just returned from on Tuesday (well, early Wednesday morning). Then My parents came to visit. What a present that was! Aside from all the presents they brought for me and others, the most amazing gift was being able to spend time with them and feel familial love and understanding around me. We spent a lot of time in Tairua but also made our way down tot he middle ofthe north island to take my dad on a fly fishing excursion that Sean planned. It was great to see my dad having a great time. He never gets to go fishing and I’m glad we were able to surprise him. I was really sad to see them go, but I know I’ll see them again rather soon. Can you believe I’ve been away for 6 months already? I’m scheduled to come back in just 3 short months. Many of you have been praying for me and for Sean. I truly appreciate all the prayers that have been directed for our benefit. This time has been wonderful and extremely trying at times. Let’s hear it for growing up! While I still feel three feet tall in most situations, I have learned to stand on my own two feet a lot more than I used to be able to. My mental state is probably still touch-and-go, but I’m trying to just take one thing at a time. It’s really all that I can handle and can be extremely humbling and stressful. Enough! On to the stuff you want to hear about.
Sydney was wonderful. It was so delicious to get away and spend some time having fun and not thinking about the future too much. The first day we walked and walked. Saw The Rocks and the Opera House in the morning, then we took the train (subway/tube-esque) to about the middle of the city and then walked to a Saturday market. We didn’t know exactly where it was, and on the way we passed through a very gay end of town. I think that it was the highest concentration of gay males that I have ever thad the opportunity to be around. Anyway, we finally made it to the market and it was really neato. Independent-y fashion but not too pretentious and some cool products being sold. We bought a lamp that you assemble yourself from sheets of like frosted plastic that you wrap into cylinders and stack to form a striped pattern. (looks cooler than it sounds) I also bought a couple of frosted glass rings made from thin segments of old wine bottle necks (a spanish glass color and a traditional dark-green).
Day two saw us at The Rocks (think artisan mixed with useless) and Paddy’s (think kitschy and cheap) Markets and then Bondi Beach in the afternoon. Once we made our way to Bondi (slightly confusing/aggrivating and warm) it was beautiful. The water was refreshing and it was nice to lay out on the sand and relax. I also managed to get to the Target at Bondi Junction which, let me tell you, has nothing on the US’s Target. I was sorely disappointed.
Day Three: Sean’s 25th birthday! We shopped in the middle of the city and Sean lied and told me he had bought me a giant Bulgari ring. I didn’t actually believe him. We then went out to dinner for his Birthday at King Street Wharf in Darling Harbour. It wasn’t the fanciest or most expensive meal but it was the best one we ate while we were there. Great atmosphere once we got out of the sun, great food, and great company! (Insert - On day one or two we also went across the ferry in the evening to Luna Park and I had my first ferris wheel ride - I completely freaked out at the beginning, but settled down enought to enjoy myself for the rest of the ride) After dinner we changed into more comfortable clothes (we had dressed up slightly) and got some gelato from a place we had discovered on day one. We then walked around the botanical gardens and watched many, many bats winging between the trees.
Day four we took the ferry to Manly Beach after checking out of the hotel and spent the day walking around and laying on the beach. The afternoon was all transport and airport. We got back to the house by shuttle at around 2am. SIGH*
And now it’s back to the real world. Sean’s house is in escrow. Somone offered way more than he thought he’d get which is epic. We’re house hunting for him now. Job hunting, house hunting, trying to get another work permit so I can come back. Stress. But, the great thing is, I love that man.
Will edit soon with pictures added, but I never know when I'll get internet on my laptop so I'm posting the words now.
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