Chinese Garden, Dunedin

Dunedins Chinese garden has finally opened. The only one in NZ, they have been building the garden for a couple of years, beside the old bus station on the one way. Here are some photos from our first trip through. We really enjoyed the garden despite the fact it was bitterly cold, especially with the breeze from the harbour. Here are a selection of the numerous pics I took...

Gates of welcome with one of its two lions and garden entrance back right.

Closer pic of the gates with a cold looking Craig
Getting a bit to close and personal with one of the lions.....
View from one of the many gazebos across the lake

I really loved all the different roof lines

Tower block, apparently there is a conference room upstairs you can book as a function room.

'Climbing mountain half pavilion' peaking out from behind the rocks

Another view of the tip of 'Climbing mountain half pavilion' from behind one of the waterfalls

Different view across the lake

Loved the use of shapes.....

And the small details
Heaps of cool rocks around including this one......

and this one, which is my favourite

Craig in the gazebo off the main entrance hall

Me in the same gazebo
Some of the awsome detailing in the many cellings.

So pretty, cant wait to see it all again in spring!

Front Yard DIY

Here is the proof that we have been doing some DIY!

We recently finished our front garden that for the past year has been a mud pile. It used to be grass, but due to Craig often forgetting to mow it and that fact that it was blah we decided to rip everything out and built a fence. We then had a few technical issues with the fence and a few weeks ago ripped the new fence out as well and then built a new one. Now with the addition of a few native NZ plants, wood chip and stones it is a garden reformed!


Looking from the back path

Looking at the new, pretty plants towards the driveway

Looking from the street - don't worry, a new letter box is still to come!

New Leaf

Yes I know, we are totally shocking at writing our blog. I personally blame Craig, but anyways, we have now turned the page and are onto a new leaf of keeping up to date with our blog. There is a plan (however I won't divulge it here just in case it doesn't work!) which should see a much more regular entry from both of us.

Here goes!

Snapshots of Japan

Our Exchange Group
School Life and activities we took part in

Taiko Drumming

Host family and friends, sights and odds and ends

Starting to look pretty....

New photos from our bathroom and laundry - had the plumber in recently and things are now all attached and ready to go.





All(!) we have to do now is finish the walls and get the floor laid.

Yay!

Man at work

Laundry with new hot water cylinder and tub. We are really praying that the washing machine is going to fit between them.... Craig reckons no probs, me however......

New Shower fittings - all very silver and shiny

My fav part, the new vanity. Pushed really hard for it and reckon it was worth all the money!

Now all we have to do is find the time to do the rest of the work.........

I want a Bathroom!

While I was away in Japan, Craig ripped out our bathroom. This was to plan, so it was ok. What didn't quite go to plan was the fact the the plumber couldn't come when arranged and had to come a week late! So we now have an open space and NO BATHROOM.

So here are some photos to show you what I came home to after travelling for 22hrs from Japan to home........ (Japan photos will follow soon.....)

Here is my bathroom

My toilet

Looking from the bathroom, through the toilet, into the laundry

Here is the boy hard at work....

and again, putting gib up on the walls of the toilet

Bathroom with batts and one wall. The bath is just sitting there to look pretty.....

and finally the bathroom ceiling...

Of course, everything that used to be in the bathroom, toilet and laundry has to go somewhere - so here is my spare room!

We are now poor poor poor!

Well its been a good long time since our last update. This is partially due to my large facebook addiction, but also as we have well and truly been in the hurly burly of every day life.

Things are going so quickly now, its hard to believe we are nearly half way through the school term. School is school, however my trip to Japan is now feeling real. We had the reciprocal visit the other week and every time they gave a speech in English I cringed with the knowledge it will soon be me in Japanese!

We just this afternoon got our mortgage refinanced - brilliant news as we now have some money to do our DIY with. Very scary as well as we just added a large chunk of money onto our mortgage, as well as a large increase in the interest rate we now have to pay......also 30 year term is such a long time!

However, more money means action!
Action means photos!

Lets hope we will soon be the owners of a very fly home...... ha!