1 month in...

... and as Mr Timberlake would cheerily sing whilst munching on a Big Mac... "We're looovin' it"!

The weeks have flown over so fast and it still feels a bit like we are on our jollies, not a bad feeling at all. Reality will set in a bit more this week as Fran has his medical and then starts his new job, the professional Jeremy Kyle watcher is in for a bit of a shock I think! I will happily take his crown and carry on with our Jezza obsession, as guess what, its on every day here too!

Looks like I'll be a lady of leisure for a little while whilst I job-hunt, so not used to it but have a feeling I could easily get used to it!
Living with the folks at the mo which is great, forgot how liberating it is to not have to worry about mortgage, bills, DIY etc... and my lovely mum helps out with our washing and cooks lovely home-made dinners - and dad tells me off for leaving the lights on or not using a place mat under my plate - its like being a teenager again!
As fabulous as this is though, we are both also really excited to get our own gaff and get settled into NZ life properly... it will seem more like we live here when we both have jobs and our own little shack.

Tony has settled into the kiwi life-style marvellously, we hardly see him for the entire day, he pops in for a little scran now and again and then its back to stalking ducks, pukekos and wild rabbits - can't be a bad life eh! He hasn't managed to catch anything yet which I'm very grateful for, think that may be due to the undoubtedly annoying bell we've hung from his collar.

Anyway, will try to update this blog on a more regular basis now... not sure if anyone even bothers to read it but I like writing it anyway... think its the Adrian Mole type therapy :) Feel free to leave a comment to let me know I'm not waffling on to myself!

Mucho love to all our gorgeous family and friends who have stayed in touch and set up Skype especially. Had a few video chats with people and its amazing... despite the time difference meaning that one of us has just gotten up and looks like they've been dragged through a hedge backwards (usually me).
Our Skype ID is frankie.chezza.mccormick - let's get more of you involved!

Take care x

And now the time is near... and so we face, the final curtain...!

9 days until the big departure and the nerves and excitement are at a high! The removers are in today to take all our worldly possessions, stick them in a metal container and send them 12,000 miles on a boat... Anxious? Us? Nnnnn... Yes!

The rest of our week is booked up with family and friend catch ups, shopping and packing... with the week ending with our leaving party on Friday. Really looking forward to catching up with everyone but also tinged with sadness that it will be the last time for a few years :(

On a lighter note, the cat deffo knows something up, he is eyeing up the boxes suspiciously and giving us the 'oh pffft are we moving again' look. Little does the poor fella know this move will be slightly bigger than the previous ones and rather than a 10 min trip in his cat box to the new house, he will have a weeks holiday in a Shropshire cattery followed by a 30 hour plane ride to New Zealand.
To lessen the blow there'll be a nice new fluffy doughnut bed, some juicy prawns and a massive jungle garden ready to welcome him, oh along with a big, chubby, narky, ginger cat called Uncle Charlie.

Relief that the car is sold and most other things we wanted to sell, last few bits to give away and charity shop this week then we just have the cases to pack.

Have a few items to get for the folks as per their shopping list - my mums stuff is the usual of clothes, my dads the usual of undies and Rennie tabs - some things you just can't let go of eh!

The last countdown in on! :~)

Less than 7 weeks to go!

So we have passed the 7 week mark and the weeks seem to flying past. Which is good because we are really excited for our travels and the start of our new life in Aotearoa (Maori name for the North Island, translates to 'Land of the long white cloud'); but also sad because it means we only have a few weeks left with our beautiful family and friends.

The 'Monica' tick-list is going well, over half of it is completed and 'ticked off' now! We will work on the remaining ones over the next 4 weeks then hopefully just shop, catch up with people, pack and chill for the remaining couple of weeks!

Tony's flight is booked for the week after ours, my bezzie Jo and I are dropping him off at the lovely cattery in Shropshire a couple of days before mine and Fran's flight. Bless him, he hates the 10 min car ride to the vets never mind a 2 hour drive to Shropshire followed by a 24 hour flight to NZ! Lots of prawns at the other end should make up for it, oh and a wonderful life hunting in his new garden jungle!
And for those wondering why Franny isn't accompanying Tony and I on the stressful journey... he's very busy that day... drinking beer and watching the England game! You men are such simple creatures.

We have booked our hotels for LA & Vegas, a lovely boutique hotel in LA called the Custom Hotel and the fabulous Luxor (Egyptian themed) Hotel in Vegas. Looking around for car hire to make the journey from LA to Vegas (4 - 5 hour drive) but its definitely going to be a convertible, got to haven't you?! I may even make Franny wear a head scarf and large sunnies... Thelma and Louise eat your heart out.

And our plan for arriving in NZ as new improved slender versions of ourselves? FAILED. We are both struggling to eat healthily, mainly I think because we feel we need to eat as much of our fave foods as poss as it will be a long time before we can sample them again!
Well I plan on an intensive diet and exercise regime starting from Monday, 6 weeks to become Cindy Crawford (will need to visit a stretching machine too) - easy peasy.

That's enough for this post I think, I would just like to end it by saying a big thank you to all those who have helped with our move, both practically and emotionally, you have been a great support (you know who you are) :-)

Hei konei ra (see you later)

Lists, lists & more lists!

Jeeeeez, I thought we pretty much had it sussed and didn't have much to sort now for the big move... BIG mistake! I sat down today and wrote a list of all the things we needed to get, needed to do and needed to book, 3 A4 sides worth, sheesh.

Obtaining original certs, work refs, finalising bills/direct debits, booking removal company, shipping the cat, sorting insurance, inland revenue P-thingy forms, booking hotels in the U.S, car hire, extra luggage allowance, selling stuff on ebay, customs paperwork, sending passports for visas, sorting leaving party (still waiting for brother and best friends to step in and take this responsibility, any takers?) to name a few - I'm knackered just thinking of it all!

It then dawned on me we have just 13 weeks in which to tick everything off from my 'Monica' stylee list, I best get my behind in gear. I have my super-organised tidy mum and super-efficient army dad to thank for my really rather fabulous organisational skills so I'm not going to stress too much.
Franny on the other hand is as laid-back as they come and actually laughed out loud and looked at me with a 'ah bless' look when I produced said list.
I will attempt to delegate some tasks out to my practically horizontal husband but patience and organisation have never been Franny's strong points... he's more blessed in the motivation, comical and common sense department, oh and his maths isn't too shabby either.

So I think between us we will make a pretty darn good team in organising and packing our lives into cardboard boxes and suitcases and flying them 12,000 miles to the other side of the world... wish us luck, we will need it :)

WELCOME!

Welcome to our blog, as time passes it will be updated with anecdotes relating to the move, our travels in NZ and settling down in our new lives. Please feel free to post comments!
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Thanks y'all :-)