SOUTH ISLAND!!!

Christmas was fantastic. It was strange not being around family, but I was around A family. Drove 3 hours to the country to spend Christmas with a friend's family on their farm. It was very relaxing and it was great just being the guest with the only obligation of mine being to have a good time. The next morning I went hunting and snagged me a goat with taking only one shot. It was cool b/c it was my first time ever shooting at anything bigger than a goose.

The day after was fantastic as well. It's "boxing day,"which is comparable to our "black friday" in the states. I didn't get out to do any shopping, nor would I want to. It was Monica's birthday. Tomahou's lady (they both own Murphy's) and I was invited to her shin dig. Tomahou organized an "Amazing Race" which included 4 bars in Petone to which we had to complete a task to get the next clue. It was so much fun! It ended back at his place with BBQ, wine, and a couple kegs b/c we finished the first. And best of all I got paid for those two days b/c it was a public holiday. Crazy.

And NOW! My original plan to road trip the North Island changed at the last minute. Now I'm heading South to the North of the South Island. It's going to be great! I'll do some tramping, snorkling, swimming, perhaps canoeing. They also have a couple music festivals down there I may attend for NYE. So, I won't be around for about a week, totally enjoying myself on the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand. I'm already loaded with heaps of wine, beer, and Sparkling wine. Locked and loaded and ready to go. Oh yeah. My camera broke so it may be a while till I get the pics up from the trip. I'll have to go old school and have the disposable cam on hand. Cheers

Christmas Time with a Drunk Santa wearing Shorts

Well. Merry Christmas everyone! I know it's quite different between my two homes of New Zealand and Louisiana (AKA the "Laffy Taffy") First off, it's now summer in New Zealand. And from my spies still in the Laffy I've caught wind of a serious event which in involves freezing precipitation. WoW! This is unknownst to me in all my days of residing in the taffy. Incredible.

So over here, my plans for Christmas are modest. I'll slip my way into some huge family gathering and have all the BBQ I can imagine while I bask in the summer sun listening to the waves crash upon the beach! Yep! That's what I'll do! My spies who've been running surveillance will soon relay the best party for me to crash on Christmas Day. It'll be epic.

So yeah. My work is closed Christmas Day and Boxing day. Boxing Day is the day after Christmas and it's most similar to our Black Friday back in the states. Crazy shoppers and what not. I'll be saving my money for New Years to do it up big. As long as I'm around a fantastic beach for a couple days I'll be one happy pakeha. But they have this festival called Rythm and Vines which I may check out for NYE, but it's not certain. So I wish everyone back in Louisiana (and whoever else reads this thing) a Merry Christmas and I miss you all. Fa show. Fa show.

Thanksgiving

Ok Ok. I wish I had the time to write this sooner... During the month of November they have this charity thing going to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research. The event: Movember. Most of the guys and regulars at my work signed up for this. You grow a moustache and get people to sponsor you in order to raise money. So, I figured it gave me a license to have fun with it. Throughout the month I grew the handlebar moe, then about half way I figured I'd grow the mutton chops as well. Some of the pics below show the process to trimming it down all the way to a really nasty moe. It was pretty terrible. I did all the trimming on Nov. 29, then we had a auction at my work where people would bid to shave off your Moe. I got 20 bucks, and all the money went to charity. At my pub alone, we raised over $2000. Not bad. I always wondered how i'd look with the moe, and it's a good thing I've always and will stay far from it.

Auckland was great for thanksgiving. We ate heaps, and got to visit the Northshore. The weather was beautiful! Now I have to cut this short b/c the stinkiest guy ever just sat next to me in this internet cafe. Terrible! Would it be bad to just tell this stranger that he stunk to high heaven, or is it just not my place? Geebus he's rough

Auckland

Auckland city

Layla got banned from shaking the madey standing up. Right before this pic was taken she dropped the madey. Luckily Pip was there to save the day, and the towels was wrapped up tight!

Sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, zuchinni, peas, bread, cranberry sauce, pecan pies. Lots to eat

I'm so happy (and pretty tipsy) that it's over and ready to eat!

Me AFTER eating the feast. This picture is taken like 10 minutes after the next

Toasting to the Thanksgiving Feast!

Tellin her like it is

As you can see - Straight Breakin Pip Off. Fa Show

The Naked Chef. Fa Show

The end is in sight!

Mini Pecan Pies

Roomates

Bottom of Wellington. The Red Rocks walk

Just tryng a Walker Texas Ranger face

Looking out for the Perps

Triathlon!

Well this morning was the Hutt City Triathlon! To be honest I was hoping for more. More energy out of myself. More Sunshine. More sleep the night before. More training in the week leading up to the race. But that's cool. I was sick a lot during the month of October and didn't really get the chance to train. I had heaps of energy last night and couldn't get to sleep. The weather wasn't the worst but it was a little chilly and very cloudy.
I was late for the race by about 10 minutes so I didn't get a "chip" to record my time. When I actually began the race I had to go back to the starting line to get a map b/c the guys to show you where to go already left their stations. That was funny. I did borrow a real good bike from someone so the biking wasn't all that bad. I know I def passed up about 50 people along the way. But now I'm exhausted and it's a great Sunday ahead of me. The forecast is looking very drunk. After a boosy lunch I have my work staff party at 6. It's gonna be a long one and I may need a cat nap somewhere in between.

But on a good note I am stoked I finished this thing with minimal training even though it's a small race. First triathlon under my belt and i'm looking forward to doing it again.

Blah

So not much has changed on this side of the world. Since my room mate has done a runner with all his businesses money, he left us high and dry as well which includes an outstanding balance with the electric company. So now between the 2 other current flat mates I have, we have to split $575 of unpaid bills. Apparently the money the we gave him to pay the power bill didn't go it so that sucks for us.

Luckily, yesterday I had a meeting with a recruiting agency in Wellington. While this may not seem like luck, what I found in my pants pocket was. It was the first time I wore these pants since being here in New Zealand, and I found $120 american dollars in my back pocket. Wow! It converted to about $184 NZ. So that should pay a nice chunk of that which I owe for the power bill.

Today is the biggest lotto in New Zealand history, or something like that. It's a cool $30 mil, and there HAS to be a winner b/c laws state they can't give away more than 30 mil dollars. So, while I haven't ever bought a lotto ticket, I figure "what the heck." If there's ever a time to buy it why not now? Wish me luck! I'd even take a mil if it came down to that. What the hay.

The weather has been pretty nice. Increasing sunshine has been making it pretty nice. I joined the same gym I did a month ago on another promo to help train with my triathlon I have coming up. I haven't been doing too well with the training though. I need to pick it up!

Really I've just been working alot at the pub. 6 days a week and not much time to do anything else if you factor in exercise and training. So it's been a bit dull the last couple weeks. Hope everything is good back in the LA La. Cheers

The Wairarapa

These are some pictures to the Wairarapa from this past weekend. It was a wonderful weekend filled with lots of laughs, and plenty more wine and sunshine.

Check out this gold bike. That was Layla's she borrowed for the trip. It was crazy to ride, even sober!


Alecia was a trooper. She was very sick but demanded she walk up with us and wouldn't be one to lay back.
James posing at the trig

The Wairarapa.

YMCA
More poses.
The Wairarapa.

I'm posing to show that Layla and I are number one with tent pitching. We beat James and Alecia as you can so clearly see.
This is me posing with my "wine tasting attire." It was awesome.
This is the only winery we were able to make on Saturday due to logistics problems. It was real nice b/c the couple let us go for a walk on their grounds, which is really rare. It was a great walk.

This winery had lots of art all around. It was beautiful.
This is the first winery we frequented on Sunday. Notice the large karaft of water. We're still recovering from the day before. James had a hard time of it.


Just another one of the wineries.

We're playing a game of bowling. The girls kicked our butts.

This is me acting real posh.

I may or may not be very drunk at this point. This was the last winery of the weekend.

When we returned to the camp site James had to go on a trek to find his tent.

This is at the end of the trip. On our way back to Wellington. Why do I look so much worse in the picture before?!