Life Update
29 Jul 2006

Moving can be a difficult time, whether it is from one house to another, another town, another state, or in our case even further. The first couple of months were eye-opening. "I'm REALLY HERE!" and even now it's still just sinking in. I am so relieved that our hard work and sacrifice has brought us to a place that we already love. I don't know if it's the weather (cold), the food, the environment or the release of nerves but I've lost at least 25 lbs since we arrived 4 months ago. My clothes have been falling off of me! I had to get them altered.

Greg and I celebrated our engagement anniversary yesterday. It took me back to what we were doing last year at this time. I was organizing my photo exhibit and getting ready to move. I came home from grocery shopping and couldn't find Greg to help me unload the car. When I finished filling the fridge I found him upstairs on the balcony armed with his laptop and a bottle of wine with two glasses watching the sunset. We sat and watched the most beautiful sunset, I picked up my camera and took a few shots of Greg. He was so happy and relaxed. When the mosquitoes caught our scent we retreated inside. That's when he asked me to marry him. I have never found someone that suits me so well. He's my best friend and I can't wait to spend everyday of the rest of my life with him. Today I'm celebrating that.

Greg has been humoring me and my yarn/knitting obsession. My obsession has recently expanded into other crafts such as sewing and embroidery. Although I currently have a healthy yarn stash I am embarrassed to say that I've got my eye on other gorgeous yarns here and abroad. I think it's time for a mail order. In order to get this obsession under control I have decided to take up yet another hobby... spinning. No, this doesn't include a bicycle. It does include a spinning wheel and several kilos of fibers. I have enrolled in a spinning class starting this coming Thursday.

While Greg and I were in Canada we took a American Sign Language class. Greg is a language nut, so I thought he would love it, however I never imagined that I would like it as much as I do. While we only took the class for 6 weeks, I grasped enough of the language to know that I wanted to learn much more. Just one month after taking the class I met another SXSW attendee and we discovered that we both new signing, although she was much more advanced. Since then I have made another friendship through signing. While attending a knitting group I met a woman who speaks NZ sign and I've enrolled for courses in NZ sign. Many of the signs are borrowed from American sign, or other sign languages, but every country's signing is different. A few weekends ago I helped a Japanese Deaf signer get his skis and rental agreement at the ski lift we were at. I spent much of the time saying "Sorry" because it was one of the few words I could remember. lol.

The four letter word: I've been thinking about what I WANT to do. Although I work keeping our home, I am looking forward to what other forms of work I might like to do. I don't want to speculate too much but I think my work future may include being my own boss.

The wedding plans are coming along nicely. I have recently booked our photographer who is talented, helpful and very friendly Tony Stewart: http://www.photoshots.co.nz/ The other candidate had beautiful photography but did not interview very well as she looked like a cat in a bathtub and couldn't wait to leave. I've interviewed a few officials to marry us (here they are called "Celebrant"), one of which told me that our ideas weren't good and that we should do it her way even though she said she could do whatever we wanted. btw, she's not getting the job. I'm thinking about how many things I want to do myself, i.e. Cake, Make-up, Hair, Music, Flowers, Clothing. It's a big job. Where is the balance between what I can do sanely and what I can't and shouldn't? Knowing me: I can't do the hair. Everything else is do-able. maybe. =D It will all come together... I've picked out the dress so it can't be bad. Now if we can just pick a venue.... I need a car.