[dbonnett]

Hey Moorf,

I was going to send this as a PM, but your Inbox is full :p

----------------------

I love all of the wonderful information that you provide through the forum and was hoping you could help me with a few location-specific questions..

As we proceed towards our move, we are starting to consider CC along with Welly. I would like to look out your way (Darfield, Kirwee, Sheffield) for a house, but I wasn't sure about Internet access (I am in IT and will need high speed). What kind of connection do you have?

Also, I've seen your posts saying that it isn't a bad commute into CC (I think I remember you saying 45 minutes to Cathedral, is that right?) - do you do most of your grocery and other shopping there, or are there options closer by?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[Moorf]

Hiya - have now cleared out some of my inbox:mad:

Re your questions:

Firstly, internet availability - we're in the township of Waddington/Sheffield which is 12km further west than Darfield and we have broadband here.

There's not much we don't get here, considering our remoteness, the only thing we don't have is main sewers and we're all on septic tanks, but that's no problem, we were in the UK too, and they're easy to maintain etc.

From our place it takes hubby 45 mins to get to his office, in Riccarton. To the cathedral takes another 5-10 mins. From Darfield it would take about 10 mins less and from Kirwee about 15 mins less. Compare that with hubby's drive into Riccarton from Sumner which was about 25 mins/half hour, and his drive in from North New Brighton which took 45 mins to Riccarton!! And they are "chch suburbs" - also he has no traffic for half an hour of his commute and speed limit of 100kph compared with 50kph in town. And then there's the views.... ;)

Re shopping I shop at a variety of places:-

- the Darfield butchers is great, the most amazing fresh chicken
- there's a 4-Square supermarket (small local store) in Darfield and you can get your daily bread and veggies there or from local farms who sell at the gate
- for the major weekly / fortnightly shop I go to either Rolleston New World (25 mins from Darfield), or Rangiora New World (40 mins from Waddington) or Countdown/New World in Riccarton (45 mins from Waddington).

The Darfield High School also has a fab reputation if you have kids.

Hope that helps!

Moorf

[dbonnett]

Moorf,
Thank you, thank you!
Most communities that far out from the main town here would be on dial up (or smoke signals ;)), so that is good news.

I grew up with well and septic, so that is nothing new to me. My wife was raised just inside the DC Beltway, so the whole concept of living w/o "city" water/sewer may be eye-opening for her. :D

We are vegetarians (except for the 5 y/o, who eats whatever catches her fancy) so the idea of getting produce from the farms sounds awesome. I will have to check out the primary schools out that way.

The earliest we are likely to be moving is next September, so we are just starting to look into towns and districts. I have seen several attractive houses on Open2View out in your neck of the woods, so we are definitely interested...

[Aydon]

Fro shopping, if you are working in chch, then you can stop at New World on Main North Road/Papanui Road on the way back. We live in Ohoka/Mandeville and find it easy to stop there and do the weekly shop on a thursday after work. (I say "we" I mean Mrs A. ;) )

[Moorf]

True, I usually give Woz a small list - note "small" - there's no way I'd let him do the major shop, I'd be living off toasted cheese sandwiches, ginger nuts and black coffee for weeks! :D

[dbonnett]

My wonderful partner does all of the shopping in our house and my daughter caught on quickly:Daddy, you don't like to shop?
No, honey, I don't like crowds, so Mom does that.
Oh.... But you go shopping for beer!
Busted (again) by the little one..

[MB]

True, I usually give Woz a small list - note "small" - there's no way I'd let him do the major shop, I'd be living off toasted cheese sandwiches, ginger nuts and black coffee for weeks! :D

Helen, I'm sorry to be a toughie on this one but:
if you're going to balk at Woz's providing you with this healthful, balanced diet, what hope is there for perpetuating the grand history of wholesome food? For one thing, he is doing just as the nutritionists recommend by giving you a contrast of colors (yellow, brown and black to name but three).
I don't know. The man tries his utmost, slaving over a hot... er... biccie tin, and for what?





;)

[Moorf]

True, true - he tries, bless! But he could call you know... I mean, I only ever seem to get the choice of red or white? ;)

[Kim39]

My wonderful partner does all of the shopping in our house and my daughter caught on quickly:Daddy, you don't like to shop?


No, honey, I don't like crowds, so Mom does that.


Oh.... But you go shopping for beer!


Busted (again) by the little one..


from the mouths of babes eh!!:yes

Kim