Sorry Eddie Murphy

We know you all have been anxiously awaiting the pics of our new house. We were all ready to move in, thought it was something we'd like, but something just didn't feel right. Sorry Eddie Murphy... no more "Oww! Hot Tub!" for us (Thanks Nick). So now we're back to house-hunting, which is good because the market is picking up again after the holiday. We've seen a few today and have several more to see in the next few days, in between stops at the local pubs in each neighborhood. Jake and I are feeling good about our options.

We went and saw several places today and have lots more in the next couple of days, in between the cultural (pub) stops along the way to fill out tenancy applications. I have to admit it's pretty awesome to sit in the sun and enjoy a drink when most (of you) folks are at work. :)

And for all of Jake's fans out there... not to worry. He received such an overwhelming response from his last posting that I'm sure he'll be back.

Here's a quick overview of what else has been going on and other tidbits we've learned:

-- We bought a bed -- due to be delivered in two weeks. Hopefully we'll have some place to put it by then.

-- Folks in NZ have somewhat different driving habits, other than the obvious "wrong-side" one. When they see a pedestrian or car coming, they tend to roll right up on them and slam on the brakes at the last minute, instead of the considerate slow-down. As Jake and I walked from one bed store to another yesterday, a big delivery truck sped into a slanted parking spot a couple feet from us, and I seriously thought I was getting run over. Scared the crapola out of me.

-- Otherwise, the driving is going well. I tried it for the first time today, and we're still alive!

-- Folks here don't seem to get cold. Everyone is wearing tanks and shorts, and girls are wearing sun dresses. And it's been in the 60s/70s and windy. Maybe I'm just a big wimp.

-- New words we've learned: "boot" is a trunk; "excess" is a deductible; "rubbish" is trash; no one rents, they only "let"; folks pay rent weekly or "fortnightly"; and "sweet as" is the same as saying awesome. And that doesn't even include any of the Maori words, such as kia ora (hello).

We went on a mini-hike in between house visits today, and check out the view. What gorgeous weather! The big round structure you see there is Westpac Stadium, where the Wellington Pheonix soccer team plays.