Yinzer in the Shire

It's official, we have a home! Er, well, we will have one come next Wednesday. Alice, the woman in charge of helping new arrivals find a home, found us the perfect place on her first try. Our new flat is so close to work that Seth can easily walk home for lunch if he'd like. If you head in the opposite direction from the Record Pres, you will quickly reach the library, cinema, and grocery store. The flat is the biggest either of us have ever had, it has two bedrooms, an office, a bathroom, complete with shower, tub, sink, and washer, and a toilet room, complete with a toilet and sink. What really sweetens the deal though is the patio and the garden. Not only will we have green space, there is both a lemon and apple tree on premises. If this isn't paradise, I don't know what is. Some interesting items of note: Unlike in the States where you pay a security deposit which your landlord is then free to spend and dispute once you vacate the pre...

Every Pittsburgher knows that the temperature outside is not actually the temperature you get. The weather may say it is 70°, but what they really mean is it's 70°, but it feels like 90° once you account for the humidity. Wellington has a similar problem. Today when we began our morning the printout helpfully slipped under our apartment door announced that the high for the day was 20° C, as soon as we stepped outside we realized that was not the case. As mentioned before, Windy Wellington really lives up to it's name, but today was the windiest by far. As we headed across the street towards the Sunday market we had to fight against the breeze. Later in the day I actually had to stop back in the hotel to pin my hat to my hair so it wouldn't fly away! I've already lost one hat this week, I don't need for another to go missing. Yes, it is so windy here, trees grow sideways. I always loved the Sunday Market in East Liberty, but the ...

Today was very much a day of exploring. Somehow we managed to avoid jet lag altogether and woke up at 6:30 am full of energy. It is Saturday in the summer here in New Zealand so there is lots to do and explore. First up was a walk around Oriental Bay, a popular area for swimming, sports, and fishing. Also, birds. Then we headed over to Civic Square, where the local PrideFest was occurring. I was shocked at how absolutely tame the whole event was. There was nary a nipple in site! Then it was over to iSite, a visitors information center. We picked up some literature (swimming with dolphins!!!!) and headed on to our next destination, Te Papa. Te Papa is the local museum of art and history, with many of it's exhibits focusing on culture. It is a beautiful, modern, six-story building with exhibits both inside and out. It is also, for the most part, free. Some traveling exhibits do require an entrance fee, but there is so much else to explore that it hardly mat...

Wednesday morning we packed up what was left of our worldly belongings and hopped on a plane bound for Wellington. Well really it was a plane bound for Chicago, then a plane bound for LA, then Auckland, and finally, Wellington. But Wellington was always the end goal. Flying internationally wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be, but some parts of the journey were quite a bit bumpier than others. First of all, let me say that PIT and AKL are amazing, wonderful airports. They both have wide walkways and seating areas, friendly staff, and clean, modern restrooms. Even the security staff is kind, one of them called me “love”! (Bet you can't guess which airport that occurred in.) O'Hare wasn't too bad either, though the walkways were crowded as were the terminals. The bathrooms had a weird feature where you would wave your hand across the toilet and it would provide you with a new plastic seat cover. United, as an airline, was absolutely d...

I'm not the kind of girl who has ever believed in New Years resolutions and yet here at the end of 2013 I realize I made quite a few unexpected and exciting changes to my life this past year. I began the year by saying goodbye to people in my life who were not healthy for me and did not have my best interests at heart.  It was heartbreaking and I didn't always have a say in the matter, but it was completely and totally worth it. Through saying goodbye, I also learned who my true friends are and was able to focus more of my time on those who are important to me.   Following over from 2012, I continued the practice of stepping outside of my comfort zone.  I explored things that interested me, even when it meant going alone.  From renaissance festivals to geek expos to Maker Boot Camp, I did it all and had a blast. More importantly, I didn't have to do it all alone for 2013 was the year I finally found my match.  Well, I had found him quite a bit earl...