New Zealand, believe it or not, isn’t exactly known for it’s Mexican food. I know, I know – hard to believe! Tortilla chips here taste a bit differently, and for the most part, we’ve seen only 1 – 2 brands of salsa on the store shelves. There are smaller specialty stores, but gone are the… Read More Homemade Salsa in New Zealand
Thank you so much to all of you who left sweet comments and sent me well wishes after yesterday’s post. It made me feel so much better! I felt like Eeyore – all glum and depressing and bringing everyone down! I am feeling much better. Chris and I made a decision (I’ll tell you about… Read More Thank You
I miss Target And while we’re at it, I miss Walmart, Meijer, Sam’s Club, and Costco I miss being able to buy a new-release paperback book off the shelf for less than $40.00 {thank goodness for my Kindle!} I miss Trader Joe’s and Penzeys Spices I miss my SUV I miss cheap gasoline I miss… Read More A mild, utterly unserious, and completely non-contagious case of homesickness blues
Hello, my lovely readers, and welcome to July’s book review. To read more about my book review approach, giveaways, and previous book selections, click here. This month, I’ve selected the novel “Broken”, by Travis Thrasher… {ISBN 0446505552, FaithWords Publishing, May 2010, 288 pages} Broken tells the story of Laila, a young woman who left Small… Read More “Broken: A Novel” – July Book Review
I had my first online grocery shopping experience this weekend, and I’m hooked! It was so cool to shop in my pajamas while watching “Friends” on Friday night. That’s right – I just admitted that I was watching re-runs in my PJs on a Friday night. In my defense, it was rainy, I was tired,… Read More Menu Monday
I’ve got my work schedule for the next few weeks, and the great news is that I have a couple of days off during Chris’ university’s mid-semester break. Soooooo… I decided to plan a mini-vacation! It’s time we did a bit more exploring in our new country, don’t you think? I do! So, where are… Read More Mini Vacation to Waiheke Island
This trailer is hilarious.
Since I started work this week, the menu is a lot of easy, quick-prep meals. Anything that can be made in advance is good! Chris is so funny – when I told him that I was going back to work on Monday {this was last week}, he was excited… at first. Then a few hours… Read More Menu Monday
I’ve decided that for however long we’re in New Zealand – whether that is 5 years or 50 years – we are staying put. No more moving, no more packing, no more unpacking – this is it. The thing about moving to another country is that you can’t just unpack and throw away the boxes. … Read More Moving Day Carnage
My mom sent me this video, and it cracks me up! The speaker is a Southern woman, and (1) I love the way she talks {reminds me of Steel Magnolias} and (2) I can so relate to what she says. It’s really cute, especially if you’re married to, engaged to, or dating a left-brained kind… Read More Left Brain
Things are more expensive over here. I think I told you about finding a cute North Face raincoat, only to discover that it cost $450. I remember the saleswoman starting to say, “It costs four…” and I thought, “Oh sheesh – she’s going to say it costs $400+” and Chris was thinking, “Wow –… Read More It’s the Shipping that Kills Ya
I subscribe to a free NZ shopping site {somewhat similar to One King’s Lane or Gilt Groupe in the US}. Every now and again they have great deals. I’m not an impulse buyer, and one thing I like about this group is that it’s not the typical 24 HOURS ONLY! kind of sale. Many last… Read More Envirosax!
Shortly after moving to New Zealand, Chris discovered a new favorite: the Tim Tam. Chris told me they were yummy and fellow bloggers assured me that I had to try them, but I wasn’t sure. I took one look, turned up my nose, and said, “Ugh! Looks like a bunch of over-processed, chemical-laden, highly preserved… Read More The Tale of the Tim Tam
For the most recent, updated version of this post, please click here. Hello, my lovely readers! This post is geared towards internationally qualified nurses looking to work in New Zealand. It’s very detailed and therefore very boring. I recommend clicking “Mark As Read” right away unless you’re either (1) interested in becoming a nurse in… Read More So You Wanna be a Nurse in New Zealand
A word of caution: this dessert could lead to declarations of love and/or spontaneous marriage proposals. Use wisely! I decided to make Chocolate Death for a church get-together. Once a month our church has an open discussion on Sunday nights. It’s jokingly referred to as “stump the pastor”, because it’s a time when anyone can… Read More Chocolate Death
Three views from our windows… Mid-morning sunshine that warms up the living room (L – R: Vero Centre, Lumley Centre, and the park) A view of the park across the road Our “view” of the Sky Tower – tallest structure in NZ & the Southern Hemisphere Okay, so that last “view” isn’t all that great,… Read More Sunny Saturday Photos
Update: My NZ RN registration that I mailed back in March has been processed and should be on its way to me at this very moment. One thing down, one more to go! Well, I’m having to eat my words about Twitter. You might recall that I used to have an account, then deactivated it. … Read More Twitterpated
