What's On The Horizon.

                                                   

When I made the decision to move to Auckland, one of the factors was being closer to my Mum and caring for her and eventually maybe we could encourage her to live with us in the big smoke. Being with this wonderful woman everyday would just bring me such joy. 

When I visited with her for a week recently, down in the Mighty Waikato, I realized that Mum wasn't going anywhere...she loved her life where she was, she had a great support network and great friends and the biggest thing of all she was happy. I tentatively asked her would she be interested in moving and the answer was a flat out NO. And as I thought more about it I realized that it would just so selfish to ask her to move somewhere I now know she would be unhappy.  By the time my visit was over and I was on the bus back to the City of Sails, I knew that my journey was about to take off down another path.

During the course of my making the decision to move North, I didn't want to move to Mums small community...I thought that there was no job opportunities...no social life...it was in the middle of nowhere and I certainly wouldn't make any friends there...that's the reason Auckland was the choice of where I would go - based on employment goals and the excitement of exploring this great big city, rather than the small town where my Mamma lived. I would just commute there as regularly as I could until we convinced her to live with us in Auckland so we could look after her.
Now how wrong was I when I realized that that small little community that my Mamma was so happy in was EXACLY my speed. Why uproot her when she was happy and I could be happy there too. Everything was achievable...job...social life...friends...great community system, also a fantastic library, beautiful views and peace and quiet. I had support and connections there without even knowing. I realized that the fast pace of life is not for me and I enjoy the quieter side of life...I like my own company and doing things that I enjoy doing...reading, puzzles, scrapbooking, walking, try to maintain a small vegetable garden (I have very limited experience with this activity), some flowers in a pot, crafts, watching movies and TV series, baking and cooking, living intentionally and reducing my carbon footprint AND I like doing these things in my own time. The life my Auckland babes live is hectic and at times so chaotic you can't hear yourself think let alone keep up - they are a young family with 3 kiddies so they are always on the go. So as much as I have enjoyed this experience in Auckland - the pace and the noise is not my scene on a day to day basis - I am making plans to join my Mamma in her small community within 18 months or if I can pull it together faster, sooner. I need to get some $$ behind me and start setting myself up to move again. So thankfully I have just had a job offer this week that will set those wheels in motion and with the nature of the work, will help get me the 'material' items I need together.
I have enjoyed being in the City of Sails and the adventures I've had so far. There are still a few goals here I wouldn't mind achieving, places that I would like to see and there's still time to make lots more memories and at the end of the day, my Auckland babes will only be a 2.5hrs car ride away. It definitely isn't the end of being in the City Of Sails, but I'm am looking at a different path then the one that I originally planned for next year.

Week 22 in 2019...A huge but quick update.

Here is a monthly overview of 38 weeks since the last time I posted...

November 2018...This month saw the early arrival of Grandson No2 and Grandkid No3...Dawson Cooper Lewis...This wee monkey had us on our toes through the last part of my daughters pregnancy, to which Grandson No:2  added an early arrival time. 2 weeks early! 6 hrs after the early in the morning 'I'm in labour' phone call, packed, sort work out, tickets and flight changes, I was in Auckland ready for the arrival of Grandbaby No:3 and look after the 2 other grandbabies...Grandbaby No:3 decided to wait another 24hrs and get himself induced before he made his safe arrival.

December 2018...A Shania Twain concert was a last minute decision I made and I had a ball!! After saying goodbye to a humble home that had been our haven for a short 10 months, our cosy lil family unit was on the move with the son heading back to his one true love...Dairy Farming...this move was a great one for him and his partner in a lot of aspects. It definitely is extraordinary how life sorts out one lil crinkles in ones journey.
This Christmas was on my own as such, with the 'kids' spending Christmas together in Auckland. I did however spend the day with my bestie and her fam bam and topped it off with a visit the nephews for a hangi for supper. All in all it was a great day. One for the memory banks.

January 2019...This is the BIG month for Miss Vicky. On the 1st of the month we moved rurally and the son started his new job. My bestie, her kids and I went camping up in the King Country for a couple of days. Had such an amazing time with my bestie, a lady that has always had my back and never made me doubt our friendship for a second of it. These memories I will treasure for always...Back home and finished my packing up and ready to move forward on my journey to Auckland...so on the 30th...with having finished up at 'The G.C.'  and saying goodbye to a lot of wonderful peeps and whanau...me and 2 of my 3 fur-babies, hitched a ride on a plane and said goodbye to the South...Auckland here we come.

February 2019...Settling and enjoying being with the grandbabies and exploring a bit of Auckland. Started the job-search journey...interesting times. Tripped down to Wellington to catch up with a good friend and see the Terracotta Warriors in Te Papa Museum. Such a BRILLIANT expedition. Awesome times in Wellington...we decided to take the Hop On and Off Bus (Sight seeing tour) and it was one of the best tours I have been on- in fact, its the only tour of a city that I've been on and I will be using this service if its available in any city I travel to.

March 2019

This month was my daughters 26th birthday and we celebrated with a wee night venture into the BIG city...hit up a few a bars and dance clubs till 3am (which for this old girl is WAAAAAAAYY past her bedtime) lots of walking and dancing involved. Scored a job interview with a call centre -  I was keen to try something new.

April 2019 So after 3 weeks of becoming familiar with the public transport, early morning starts and late finishes ...I tried, but that particular line of work is not for me...nothing to do with the company or the public transport system, call centre work is just not my jam...so job seeking it is again. Thank the good lord for our 90 day contracts. Also my daughters partner family came out from England and what a fantastic time we had while they were here...the house was full to the brim...noise and good food...adventures and fun being had but it was all over way to soon. Maybe one day I'll get to take them up on the invite to come visit.

May 2019 I shot away for a week, to visit my Mum in the Mighty Waikato and boy did I need that break. Refuel, replenish and just relax. I didn't realize just how much I missed quietness. How much I miss being around my Mum. When my daughter and I first started talking about me moving to Auckland, it also was part of our plan to encourage my Mum to come live with us...I found out whilst visiting that this is not an option, she is happy where she is and has a great support network and friends and social commitments. I realized that it would be silly to try and change things on her now...so that leaves ME, with some big decisions to make. For now, Auckland is where its at and I will be making the most of it until such time as the plans change...This month also brings another job interview and BOOM just like that, I have another job. This time it is within my skill-set, it is a job that I can do with my eyes closed and there is no pressure.  I am sure I will achieve greatness whilst employed with this company.