Here are the meringues waiting for me to take them across town to the hospital for Jamie's farewell lunch. The afghan biscuits (cookies!) went with him this morning along with a cheese/spinach dip and crackers. 

As previously noted, I feel as though I only ever write about food or the weather! Today's picture is of a successful loaf of bread I made overnight in the breadmaker! I am very excited about it as I have only had about a 1 out of 3 success rate so far - they generally taste good but don't look so hot! But this one scored well on everything so I thought a photo was required...  

.... speaking of unhealthy food.... I have just made some afghan biscuits and they looked so nice on the tray I had to take a photo! I made them for Jamie to take into work seeing as this is his last week. Since I decided to make them, a request has come for meringues! So I guess that will be next on todays baking agenda.... 

Healthy salad?

I recently read in a magazine about salads from takeaway (fast-food) places. The mag was called "Women's Health and Fitness" that Jamie had brought home from work (a guy he works with gets 10 copies delivered to his home - he thinks the publisher must think he is a gym or a doctor's office rather than a private house!). It was quite fascinating:- a McDonalds Crispy Chicken California Cobb Salad wtih Ranch Dressing has .... wait for it.... 670 calories and 53g of fat! It is better to get a Big Mac (almost 2 of them) at 300 calories and 30g of fat than to eat it! Even worse is the Taco Bell Taco Salad that is 850 calories and 52g of fat! They suggested it is better to eat 3 Taco Supremes @ 210 calories each than to eat the Taco Bell Taco Salad (or else ditch the dressing which is 370 calories and 21g of fat and leave out the croutons which are 100 calories). Most fascinating.....

Today's visit to the Post Office - VF

Today I went off to the Post Office, armed with several packages, a couple with Jamie's god-chldren's birthday presents in them, some wedding pics for his Mom and 'The Package'.... more information for the Dept of Homeland Security that I am hoping will be sufficient information to assist them in correcting their typing error on my green card (and hopefully in less than the 'current processing time of between 200 and 365 days as I had to send them the card back and now I dont have one which is all a little bit scary....)

I might have mentioned before that it seems that I can NEVER have a trip to the post office without being told that I have done something incorrectly. Eg "No that's not the correct form, this package weighs 4 pounds and one quarter of an ounce and so you need the white form for packages over 4 pounds, not the green form for packages under 4 pounds" (thankfully Craig and Cheryl gave us some kitchen scales a few weeks ago for our wedding that converts from metrics that I am used to into pounds so I wont make that mistake again).

Today was no exception. There was "this one really should be in an padded envelope padded that has bubble wrap inside the envelope in case it rips open" - these were wedding photos for Jamie's Mom, to which I replied "It is packaged in a cardboard package inside the envelope and if it is damaged we will get more printed but I will try and remember for next time" and immediately following this with the Dep of Homeland Security parcel "Oh, no, registered mail CANNOT be in a padded envelope. You will have to go home and put it in a cardboard box". So off I went, carefully removed the special Dept HS label, wrapped the book of information in bubble wrap so that it wouldnt roll around, and put it in a cardboard box which I taped up well. On return to the post office I was then told "oh, no; you can't use clear packaging tape, you have to use brown tape". Huh????? Did I hear correctly???? Why the heck to you sell clear packaging tape???? I wanted to yell out loud. But because I had the nice lady (as opposed to Bob the difficult man last week or one of the other two really arrogant ones), I restrained. She commenced to cut open the box to which I politely suggested I might do it at the counter over the other side so that she could serve other people (as per usual there were about 15 people in a long line with only her and Bob serving them). Plus, I didnt want her to see the jumbo-sized bubble wrap in case there really was a huge issue with bubble wrap - after all I'm sure that it is the same as what is in the padded envelopes - who knows why they are an issue and I really didnt want to have to find out and then go and puchase a million sheets of tissue paper instead. So she handed me a large pair of scissors, some 1950's looking brown tape and The Sponge. The Sponge was one of those things you see in cartoons of archaic offices, a small glass bowl with a wet (read: slimy) red sponge sitting in it that you put the dry tape on to make it wet and thus sticky. The sponge was dry on top but slimy-wet when I turned it over (complete with dead spider - YES I am not making this up, there was a dead spider on top of the icky sponge!). So I taped around the outside of the box yet again and then returned it to her. She gave me copies of all my completed forms and a computerised registered mail number. 'Can I track this on-line?' I asked expectantly? (I know with UPS and FEdEx you can so I assumed that the US Postal Service was no exception). "No dear, you should get this postcard you completed back in the mail in a couple of weeks. If it doesn't come, you can come in and we can track it on-line for you, but you should wait at least a couple of weeks." Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Last week I got Bob who told me that I must NOT write the address to whom the parcel was going to on both sides of the envelope. When I told him that I was told last month that I MUST write it on both sides, and that now I was quite confused as there do not seem to be any rules.; he told me that I must have heard wrong because no-one would say that. But indeed they had - why on earth would I go to the trouble of doing it otherwise????? So Mother, you have a parcel coming to you with a huge black X through your name/address on one side....

Then there is the issue of where to put our address - apparently top left is most correct, but bottom left is ok (obviously not all that ok as I had a card and photos I sent to Rochelle returned to me once and I assumed that was why, since then I have used the top left rule) and on the back is supposedly ok too but I have been told by one of the nastier post office ladies I should not put it on the back. (So NZ places like the Tax Dept and the bank and anything I send for work are probably really confused as I put my NZ PO Box label on the back and a US street address on the front. Reason being that as if they were returned I would far rather they are returned to my NZ PO Box for Christine to collect and let me know than entrust them to the US postal service to return to me!)

A couple of weeks before Christmas when I not only had the green label vs white label issue with a parcel, I had been told regarding another one taht I must not write the value as $120=00; it must be written as $120:00 (and thus the green label was corrected for me). On this same small label was written the contents of Jacqueline's Christmas present "Women's Clothing". I paid a not insignificant sum of money to ensure that it would be delivered in time for Christmas. I was pretty annoyed that the parcel was delivered back to our door 3 days before Christmas with a sticker saying "Insufficient Description of Contents". Jamie came with me to the post office as he had seen me so frustrated over the preceeding 3 months after every visit there and could see that I was yet again on the verge of tears and possibly about to refuse to cross their threshold ever again. We waiting in line to get the same $120:00 ie 'dot-dot' not 'dash-dash' woman. When we got there and asked about how much more specific we needed to be she said "we need to know what type of clothing it is - is it a blouse or a sweater or a skirt or what?" (There was no point in having a discussion about the fact that presents are usually surprises) I pointed out that she had corrected the way I wrote the value as well as entering in the weight and it was mere millimetres away from said description "Oh, I guess I didnt read it. There's no way it will be there for Christmas now".

Unfortunately it seems that there are no rules. It seems to depend entirely on who is serving (they even seem to have the authority to contradict their web-site information, but there is no way I was going to go there with the person in question at the time!).

Watch this space to see if the registered mail 'recieved postcard' gets returned or if I have to go and get the post office people to check on-line for me as to it's status. In the meantime, we will hope and pray that it gets there and that the person it is addressed to does indeed exisit (other times letters from the immigration people come signed with names such as RG769 or CR263) but this time there was an actual name on the letter that came. We also hope that they have the English comprehension of at least an 8 year old as the information I sent was laid out with rather simplistic explainations as to why they should realise my surname is Finch (as previously notified to them) and certified copies of several official documents as well as one of our many official wedding certificates that we ended up with. I restrained myself from letting them know that besides completing everything "more than correctly" for the US Consultate in Auckland who cannot see that there could possibly be a problem but can do nothing about what is going on; I have had no less than 15 phone calls to their 'service center' ranging from being on hold for between 12 and 52 minutes, (including being hung up on approx 6 times), had my fingerprints done three times, have given them 4 photos as well as having another one taken, sent them all information requested both on-line as well as via post, sent 10 e-mails to them with not one reply, stood in three different lines in two different buildings at the very scary downtown Detroit office, filed on-line as directed to.... all with no success. So having sent everything that was been requested and even more, we cannot think of anything more that needs doing besides praying for this to be all over and done with swiftly and easily.

More random pictures (seeing as we just downloaded from some other photocards on the weekend).... Mother and Dad have a lift (elevator) in their new house. Quite handy for transporting shopping and furniture when you need to move it upstairs or downstairs. In this case, the parents decided that they would accompany the chairs on their upward journey.... I dont think that they were expecting to be captured by a random photographer, much less put out there 'en blog'!!! 

This is 'Milo' an alpaca who lives at 'Sheepworld' near Auckland (see previous posting). He has a white alpaca friend called 'Snowdrop'. I thought he looked like something out of a Dr Seuss book! - VF 

Another view at the end of Balmoral Beach, Sydney. Only in Australia would you see gum (eucalyptus) trees at the beach!! 

Here is a postcard-like photo that Jamie took of the Bathers Pavillion at Balmoral Beach when we were there in January. We had read a write-up about it in 'delicious' magazine and had a very nice lunch there along with satisfying my need to 'see the sea'. 

Here is the last of some pancakes we made last week. There is a restaurant up the road that Jamie likes to go to called 'The Original Pancake House' and they actually sell their pancake mix so we made some and it was just as good (if not better!) than theirs and the best benefit was that we did not need to get dressed for breakfast! 

Another cold(er) snap - VF

Over the last few days the temperature has been struggling to get into the double-digits (celsius) and being above zero, this had all but completely melted the snow. There were only a couple of patches on the lawn and the rest of the place had degraded into horrid brown yukkiness. The lawn men even came on Tuesday to do whatever it is they do for the first 'Spring treatment' which they assured me would result in a nice lawn for Summer as well as preventing some evil grass-parasite thing, so I thought that Spring must be coming. I have been out ferreting around in the squelchy ground under the trees with my boots on looking for any sign of greeness that might indicate surviving bulbs (see "Bad Squirrels" posting on 30th November 2004 ), but alas not. But maybe the bulbs know what is going on because about an hour ago it started snowing! Huge big clumps of it the size of cotton wool balls!!! Jamie phoned from work to see whether I was home or if I had gone out to the shopping mall as I had planned to do because he had the 4-wheel drive. But I was home as I had decided to gather together the package of more information required for the immigration people (for those that aren't currently aware of my ongoing plight in this regard.... don't even ask..... it's all too much to go into and upsets me too much: just pray for a good and swift outcome - that would be much appreciated). So once again, there is a beautiful scene outside the window as the white snow makes a carpet and covers the trees and the car and everything else in sight.

Chicago visit last month

Some more photos from our trip to Chicago (noted in picture posting of 21 Feb) are on ofoto - click here
Chicago is about 5 hours drive from here and is also on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Here is a picture from the Goat Island Marine Reserve near Leigh where we spent some time when we were in NZ earlier this month. Jamie took several photos and 'photo-stitched' them together. Hopefully you can double-click on it and see it more clearly. 

Here is the new cabinet we had made to tone in with the New Zealand Rimu wood one (see pictures from Dec 21st 2004). I got a bit excited seeing it is almost Spring and there are lots of flowers in the shops and bought some miniature daffodils in a pot yesterday (that was before last night's snow.... guess the flowers are grown in glasshouses/ greenhouses).  

Snowing again!

As you would have seen from the photos from Monday and Wednesday of outside the house, the snow is going away and we can see the grass poking through. Also it has been sunny and much warmer than before we went to New Zealand (although the weather reports say it is just above 0 deg C, in the mid-30's F). But this morning we woke up to a new covering of snow on the ground and as I type this, it is gently falling. It really is quite beautiful (have I said that somewhere before on this blog????). There is about the same amount as in the picture from Dec 12th and only 'flurries' forecast for today before the supposed 'warm' temperatures of 40-45F (that's 4-7 deg C! - I'm not so sure that that is WARM!) this afternoon.

Is it a ute or is it a bulldozer? I have been wanting to get a photo of one of these all winter but when I see them they usually have someone driving them and I dont like to start snapping photos of them from out my car window! But you see these everywhere in Winter - even going to the shops or parked in the carpark at church! I havent seen any attached to cars yet though - only on the front of utes. I think we will stick with the snowblower for our driveway!!!! 

More comings and goings and trucks etc - VF

It has been a busy week at the Berkley estate, and it is only Wednesday!!! The week feels just like the first 3 months of me living here felt was with men and trucks coming and going frequently. On Monday the towing company with a huge flat-bed truck came to take the Lexus away as it would not start. The truck was so high I could look the driver in the eye through the kitchen window! It filled the whole driveway (see photo below). Thankfully it was not the starter motor or the alternator, just an extremely dead battery that had not responded to Jamie’s several hours of charging with jumper leads (nor to their overnight charge). Whilst it was at the Lexus dealers we also got the 60,000 mile things done on it so it was a rather expensive couple of days.

Yesterday the troublesome furnace started making very scary noises. I phoned the same people that had come to fix it following Jamie’s recent episode involving several fire-engines at 3am assuming that it was related to what they had done and would be under their 30-day warranty and they said it should be ok overnight (it was) and they would come at 9am today. So this morning they came and said that the bearings were almost completely gone (I’m sure that Jamie asked them the other week what else was likely to go and they didn’t come up with anything else that should be replaced, but anyway….). The noise it was making was similar to the guy’s machinery that he used to winch the car up on top of the truck to tow it away except louder! After some calls to the husband and the mother-in-law it was determined that it was not worth spending several more hundred dollars to fix the 60-year old behemoth and that we should get a new one…. (see pictures below for action in progress. So once again, the door is off it’s hinges, there is a jackhammer making a hole in the external brick wall, there is much stomping of heavy boots, constant interruptions of ‘excuse me Mrs Finch can I use the bathroom’, radio sounds coming up through the floorboards and this time, large volumes of soot on the basement floor and up the stairs (previously this has been diesel, sawdust and dirt respectively). Meanwhile, the ‘Closet Factory’ carpenters were finishing the new sideboard/pantry in the dining room…. This process of building had started on day 1 back after our honeymoon so it has been a long time in coming.

Yes again, trucks and 'junk' beside our house.... this has been a very familiar sight over the past few months! But it is all good!!! Main difference to before is new screen/glass side door put up just before Christmas. 

The innards of the ancient furnace... on it's way to wherever old funaces go...  

Little car going to the doctor on a large truck 

Visiting the homeland (with links to sites and photos) - VF

I had a very nice time in Auckland - firstly some time with Mother, Dad and the other surprises for Mother's birthday - Rebecca and Jeremy. Rather than re-writing about that, I will link here to Rebecca's blog for Chips on the Beach and More Relaxing which also includes a photo link.

The following week I spent doing some work and then attended my friend Nic's wedding. She looked wonderful with her Grace Kelly-hairdo and an incredible pink veil (she is very into fashion and both her parents are designers). We had had a fun Saturday night the week before where she had invited about 15 friends to the Hilton as a pre-wedding get-together. Her bridesmaid and I stayed the night with her which was fun. The reception was at Beesonline out in the country beyond West Auckland which served the most delicious food and it was nice to be able to have the option of sparkling grape juice to drink instead of just chanpagne or orange juice

Jamie arrived 12 days after my arrival (our first time apart since we got married!) he had had a drama at home in the meantime involving a 3am awakening to a smoke-filled house (more to come on that....) and we had a wonderful week doing practically nothing, walking along the beach , shopping, visiting cafes and then had a fabulous day visiting the HoneyCentre Cafe 'Sheepworld' and then the Goat Island Marine Reserve at Leigh. (click in the link and scroll down for pictures of the beach). At Sheepworld it reminded me of growing up at West Melton as they had black sheep, goats, baby ducks, chooks, a pond where you could use nets to catch things, gunea pigs, and various other animals (including a brown alpaca called Milo!). They also had a various shows that we saw as Jamie had not experienced the NZ farming scene. It was just like being transported back to Uncle John & Aunty Jan's farm with sheep shearing, sheep dog mustering and feeding baby lambs with bottles! Click here for online photos at Ofoto.com of our cool day out!

The night before we left, Aunty Shirley had arranged for a family dinner at her house. The photos are on Ofoto - Click here

(Note that with the Ofoto links you may have to create a log-in to view the photos, but they are not the type of site that harrasses you with future e-mails, you can opt out of receiving them)