[Carol]

Just out of interest - if you live in the Wellington area and would be interested in a get together can you add your name to this thread.

Carol and Kenny Johnston + 3 sproglets
Tawa

Would be happy to meet but would prefer February.
How about Waitangi Weekend?

[pleccy2000]

Why the hell not.....

[Moorf]

How's it going pleccy... feeling any better?

[Carol]

Hi pleccy - how are you doing????

[sarahw]

Hey Pleccy - thought you were going back to Blighty at Xmas - have you decided to give it a bit longer? :P

Hi Carol, Ian & I would love to come along to the gathering (sorry we haven't arrived yet - what weekend is Waitangi Weekend?) :? I know we don't have any plans in Feb. We may also have some friends of ours out who are over for interviews during Feb with their baby son - lets hope the furniture arrives in time! :laugh

Thanks!

[Diny]

here's a long shot Carol. If by some amazing fluke we're there by February you can count us in. You're only a couple of hours away from us. Let's face it ..... we need to work out where we've met before ?????

Pleccy .......... February? I thought you were leaving in December???? Is this good news????? Good on you mate - whichever hemisphere you end up in.

Diny

[heimatseeker]

February looks good so far - add us to the list (Sibylle & Brian). :nice1

[pleccy2000]

Sorry i didn't see it was feb.

We won't be able to make it.

[Jodie]

Yep - count Daz and I in!

Does anyone fancy meeting up before then too - Feb is a long way off yet..... (Plus Carol's nominated me to arrange a pre-xmas get together!! :nice1 )

Jod
x

[Carol]

sounds good to me Jodie....
:nice1 :nice1 :nice1

you go !

[A & M]

Hi Carol

If Andy gets the job he's applied for at Heretaunga college (do you know anything about it?) then we will be in Wellington and would love to join in, thanks,

Mandy

[gratto]

Count me in also, I'll be in the City on January 3rd

[gratto]

hey all, I'm now in welly. PM me if you wanna chat or hang out.

[sarahw]

We're here now too :nice1

Gratto will PM you in a couple of days once the jetlag has worn off a bit!

Sarah & Ian

[pleccy2000]

Hey, now that we are back in Welly can we play too?

[Carol]

I'm just back from a 4 week holdiay in the UK so............will start thinking about orgainsing something once the jet lag has worn off.

To be completely honest - I feel very strange.
It's 3pm but feels like 11pm.


Need to start thinking about a central venue.......will think on....
Carol :nice1

[pleccy2000]

Carold - how did you find going back to England? Do you miss it or glad to be back?

[Carol]

Dont ask me just yet Adam......


it's not what you want to hear.



I've taken a vow not to talk about it for a month!
:?

[pleccy2000]

Oh no Carol!

Was it sad to leave and feel odd when you got back to Tawa?

If you dont want to talk I totally understand.

I am toying myself with returning to the UK.

[Carol]

I remember you saying that Adam........actually I was sure you said you were going in January? Have you had a change of heart?

um.......no it didnt feel strange to come back to Tawa........but it very much felt like "the place where I live" as opposed to "home"

You have to remember this has been a particularly emotional trip. We landed on Christmas morning at 5amand met up with people we havent seen for 8 years! They drove out specially to meet us and took us back to their place for breakfast and presents.
It was just fantastic - they were so kind.

No flights north on Christmas day so we had to drive. THe roads were so quiet it was quite eerie.
A covering of snow made it all magical.
We stopped off at Barsnsley for a rest at the home of a penfriend of mine who I used to write to when I was 13. We have never met but "found" each other on the internet again and have resumed writing.
She is lovely!
We got "home" and surprised everyone by Carol Singing at the front door (in the dark by now) who thought we were coming on the 30th.

THis was just the first day!
And the whole month continued very much like that.

I'm still reliving it that's all...............but I know in my heart it's not "real life". I actually was looking forward to my routine again.

My dilemma is ......where I really want my "routine" to be!
And that is what I'm not talking about for a while.......

C

[jo b]

Oh no Carol!

Was it sad to leave and feel odd when you got back to Tawa?

If you dont want to talk I totally understand.

I am toying myself with returning to the UK.

Adam,

Sorry for jumping in but please give it time. Just say to your self its a sabatical from the Uk and give yourself a year.

If you keep thinking about the Uk it will be harder. I know its easy for me to say but I can sense you are tearing yourself in bits over this.

Just think of it as a years long holiday. You have you whole life ahead of you so don't rush into anything rash at the end of the day it's gonna cost a fortune.

Take care

Jo

[Carol]

that is really great advice Jo.

Time is certainly something I value more as I get older. Probably because of the awareness of how quickly it passes.

If I have learnt one thing from my recent holiday back in Blighty it is live each and every day as if it was your last.
Make the most of every opportunity offered to you and find ways of enjoying event the most tedious periods of time.

(I am a full time mum, wife, primary school teacher household accountant and nutritionist and gardener - believe me - 26 hours on planes doing absolutely nowt was VERY enjoyable).

Another thing I have come to realise with time is - every single place you live wil have pros and cons.
Even in blissful New Zealand - there are cons.

If you focus on those and not the pros - it will make you miserable and unhappy.
If you have come half way around the world to live - with children in tow (if you have them) and all your worldly goods then - you can do ANYTHING you want to do.

Even go back if you want to.


But........
While you are here.............enjoy all the bits you like.

Carol

[jo b]

:clap :clap :clap

Well said Carol