2 weeks off work - isn't it time to go back now?

So having been unemployed for 2 weeks, I am now into un-chartered territory - what should I be doing with my time?

I know, a weekend in London with Maria and my University Football pals for starters. I had helped to organise an Oxford Old Boys match vs. a team from Westport, Connecticut and was rewarded with a great victory from a great bunch of footballing heroes plus a much treasured signed shirt (the other one with Ronaldo's autograph was also appreciated too!). A trip around the national portrait gallery and a visit to George's wine bar on Villiers Lane had been the cultural gloss on the visit.

On return to the northlands, I then had a wonderful night out in Bredbury and Romiley with some of my closest family.


A few games of pool in the Travellers Call with Dad, John and Chris started the ball rolling.
Then it was off to Romiley and a trip down memory lane to the Romiley Tandoori (re-branded Indigo?!) with cousins Sara, Ian and Stuart and then last orders in the Romiley Arms - only because the Stock Dove has been shut down!

Easter school holidays were upon us and Maria, Sarah and I headed to Blackpool to ride "The Big One" and another memory lane encounter with Jane, one of Maria's nurse-training pals for Manchester General Hospital.






We have now descended upon Friog in Mid-Wales, home of Jack and Evelyn, for a family Easter. The weather so far has been very kind and we have enjoyed a couple of fantastic walks around the local hills.






This place will definitely be missed when we are on the other side of the world - but we have so many great memories of the place. In particular the score of 29 that I posted on the Fairbourne 9-hole golf course yesterday morning. My best ever score and unlikely to be beaten!!

Skiing in Praz de Lys - 25th to 27th March

OK, so 3 months to go before we up-sticks and head off to the other side of the World - sounds like an ideal time for a skiing break in the Alps, then! Unfortunately, as the only breadwinner in the house, Maria stays at home with Sarah, whilst the male contingent of the Burns family head off to Praz de Lys in Haut Savoire for a few nights at Ant & Eve Roberts' fab appartment.

We have 2 and half days of great skiing around the village and in nearby Sommand. The weather is kind to us - dumping fresh snow as we arrive, a further covering during our second night and a wonderfully sunny afternoon in which to enjoy the powder.
Of course, being Alpine novices, we are caught out by the sunny conditions and end up with bright rosey complexions, ie sunburn!



Chris does a great job as chef des jours - with my only real task being to stack and empty the dishwasher plus make the morning cup of tea. (And of course, supply the stream of Euros to pay for everything!)


Altogether a great break. Many thanks to Ant & Eve for the use of their apartment. If it wasn't for the fact that we're going to be a long way away, I'd definitely be looking to return to this lovely part of Europe again.

Chris, however, is not so sure as he fears that there may be more to this Alpine life than he is currently comfortable with!

The end of an era - let the new one begin!

So that's life at Rolls-Royce over with!?! Thanks to my colleagues who joined me for a few drinks in the Dolphin Inn in Derby to celebrate the occassion of me leaving. Some very kind words from Ian Hill and fantastic gifts from you all - as I said on the night, exactly what I would have chosen and they will be treasured forever. A few of us carried on into the early hours in some of Derby's other fine establishments, culminating in a late night dance at Scream!

People keep asking me how I feel. I've not really had time to take it all in yet. Besides, I'm not sure whether I can rightfully declare myself unemployed until Monday. It's just an ordinary weekend at the moment.... Actually, we've headed over to the in-laws for the weekend - I'm practising living on the coast and walking along beautiful deserted beaches before breakfast!

Visa's have arrived

We actually received our residency visa's last weekend - so one of my little worries has now gone away. Each of our passports now contains 2 stickers inside - 1 is the right of entry as a resident and the other is a residency return permit - should we leave NZ for any reason within the next couple of years. Maria's started filling in her NZ Nursing Permit application form so that she can start to apply for jobs. I've started scanning the "Seek" NZ jobs web-site regularly to see what sort of jobs are coming up in Christchurch. Plenty of accountancy roles showing up! Priority at the moment though is to hone the winter sports skills so that we can take the Southern Alps by storm. The kids and I spent the start of last week's half-term at Glenshee - skiing and snowboarding - and Chris and I are booked in for 3 days in the French Alps the week after I finish at Rolls-Royce. That's only 3 weeks away now and heading my way fast! After 21 years there, it's going to be a bit of a shock when I don't have to get up and go in. Still, there'll be plenty of other things to occupy my time for the next few months at least!

Flights are booked - we must be going!

After a few weeks of deliberation, we have finally booked our flights to Christchurch. We're leaving the UK on Sunday 28th June - flying via Singapore - and are due to start our new life in New Zealand on 30th June.
Now that we have a leaving date set, it's down to some right-to-left planning and getting things organised - I hope we have left enough time to get it all sorted!!
I leave work - Rolls-Royce - on 20th March, so will have plenty of free time (I hope) to get things moving.
So that's it - we're on the move.