Moving in, Camping out, Meeting the locals

On Sunday, Rick and Kris picked us up at the hotel and helped us move our stuff to the new house. Since our belongings don't arrive on the ship for another few weeks, we are basically camping out in this empty house. Rick and Bev provided a mattress & sheets, a card table & 2 folding chairs, and some dishes to get us started. They've been a godsend.

Next, the 3 men went shopping for a car, and I stayed behind to nest. I have to trust them to make a good choice, and not come home with some hot little sportscar convertible. While they're gone, I set up house as much as I could and then took the bus to the grocery store. What an experience!


There's a bus stop at the end of our road, but I was standing on the wrong side of the street when it drove by. (I keep forgetting what side they drive on) I hailed the bus, and the bus driver graciously stopped for me anyway. He asked me if I'm going to "limo." Huh? "Limo." Finally I understood: he was saying "Lynn Mall." Yes! That's where I was going. Well, he started chatting and by the end of the ride we were best friends. His name is Roy. He lives right around the corner from us. It's a good neighbourhood, he says. The next passengers got on, a young woman and her baby. They proceded to tell me all about Dora, another regular bus rider who is quite a character, apparently. I told them about how we just moved here, and that I would be teaching at Te Atatu Intermediate, and that the 3 men were out buying a car today. Everyone was quite amused to hear that I trusted them to select a car without me. Once we arrived at the mall, Roy pointed out the grocery store, where to pick up the bus to come back home, and what time it would come. People sure are friendly! I've noticed it especially when I am by myself. I must look lonely and lost. (I usually am)

When I got back, I saw the car Curt bought: blue Honda Rafaga, like an Accord. It seemed like a good choice. (Whew!) We promptly hopped in the car and did some shopping. Since our electrical appliances from the States wouldn't work on NZ voltage, we didn't ship them; we planned on purchasing new appliances once we arrived. So that evening we bought a toaster, a warp-speed electric tea kettle, a fan, and a radio alarm clock. Yesterday, we'd picked out a fridge, TV, microwave, and washer & dryer, which will all arrive tomorrow. It felt a little less like camping out once we had a few of those things. But we'll be sleeping on a mattress on the floor for 4 more weeks. And I'm old!

Originally, we hoped the container full of all our furniture and belongings would be on a ship that would arrive here Jan 16 ...but that ship was full so it went on the next ship which would arrive Jan 30 ... then we got a call that said it wouldn't be here until Feb 6! My job starts Feb 2 and I'll still be wearing the same 4 sundresses over and over. And none of my teaching files will be here, or my vast classroom library collection! Brother. I was hoping we'd be pretty settled by the time I started working.