Excellent weekend, very lazy, which was great for a change.. Mind you, last weekend was kinda lazy too… Hmmm, best not be habit forming. Anyway, headed over to Little Akaloa (no, not Akaroa) for a ‘bach bash’ party. It a Birthday celebration for Tim – a friend of Daves that I did Harwoods Hole with back in April.. and Penny.

Great fun. There were all sorts of games played, loadsa performing arts, juggling, diabolo, poi and fire poi..

Firstly though there was the spud gun…

This was simply incredible. The plastic tube is just that, unscrews at one end, you shove a potato down the barrel, unscrew the bottom, spray in 4 ish short bursts of deodorant, and then press the ignition. It fires the potato about 200m. Literally. On just a few squirts of deodorant.. incredible really.

This is a pic of Penny doing poi. Poi – basically a streamer on the end of a rope, it’s quite beautiful.

They also did it at night – these ones have a wick doused with kerosene. I just love it.. though I think I’m going to practice with non-flammable ones first!

Lots of games at night – Irish Dancing (Strip the Willow). Brings me back to old secondary school dances. Sock wrestling was also done (opponents take one sock off, idea is to get the other one off.. quite tricky) and twister (and other forms of leg wrestling!). Indeed, quite a fun night really. Flo’s tent was put to use, forgot my carry-mat which was silly!

Then on Sunday – went for a wee walk and run (well, I ran about 2km trying to keep up with Mhairi, which was totally pointless really seeing as she’s far too fit! still.. good to be pushed) so she ran on and I had quite a nice walk around a couple of the bays, pics to come sometime if they turn out ok) Though I did buy a car. $1000, a hyundai Excel… haven’t actually had it delivered yet, but getting there…

Finally, the lads went out kayaking and got 24 dozen mussels.. which we cooked for dinner back in ChCh… so incredibly easy to cook – butter & garlic & onion (shallots) for base – get it really hot – chuck in the mussels and fry for 15 mins until they open, dunk in cream – and bingo. Quite delicious.

Good times on Friday – we had an ‘oscars’ theme night with work. Everyone won an award..

It was kinda fair.. mine was won for being the most likely to take a day off. Which is kinda true. Not for calling in ‘sick’ I might add.. no no, I’ve just taken quite a few unpaid days in order to get away on weekend trips. Well, that and kite-surfing I guess ;) Really is a hard life.

We then had copious amounts (well I was restrained) of nibbles and alcohol, and then watched Wimbeldon which was fairly nauseatingly chick-fliccy I must admit.

Fun night on Wednesday.. it was a BBQ for Florians departure to Europe for the next four or five months.

It’s been great living here with him, he’s a very easy person to live with, even if he does do terrible things to Seamus

Still.. the tables will be turned I am sure!. Reckon we must have had one of the hottest days of the year to date, it was really warm. This place is going to be so great for parties in the summer.. can’t wait.

Then today, well worked for a bit – so many projects on the hop it’s getting.. well.. interesting and a tiny tiny bit stressful. Which is why I took off today, and will also take off tomorrow at 2:30pm to head to Kite Surfing lessons (damn it’s a hard life) I’ll make the time up though..

So yes, will miss Flo – he’s a great guy, best thing he ever said to me was when I was living with Jim over in Hoon Hay and I knew this place was coming free and that Flo was moving in – and he goes “Well, where do you want to live?”. Bit of a no-brainer really. This house, the friends that live here, and work – have all combined to make me extend my visa.. whether it’ll be enough to make me stay remains to be seen!

Beware.. philosophical patrick! The number of keys you have is pretty much proportional to how much you’ve settled into a place (let x = how much you’ve settled in, and y = .. ;) ehem, so yeah, I’ve been thinking over the last wee while whether I want to stay here or not. And I just can’t decide. There are many things I love about this place, really love. The South Island is beautiful. I’ve been here a year and yet I don’t really think I’ve touched the place. I can afford a car! I could even buy a house. I can go climbing and kayaking all over the place in the summer, and in the winter boarding and mountaineering (though haven’t got much of that going admittedly).

Work is going well, I could prob move into a more managemanty role if I want to try it out (am tempted), good bunch of friends, amazing house to live in (even if it is freezing in the winter).

So why leave? Good question, and that’s what I’ve been asking myself. Sure I miss friends in Dublin (though seriously guys.. just visit and you’ll never want to leave – well the climbers / outdoorsy people out there anyway! just need a few more to reach critical mass!) and family.. but I’m not sure if I want to live in Dublin, well kinda, but it’s just a little expensive methinks. Europe though I do miss a little, would be great to jet off to Sardinia / France / Spain / Italy with ease .. but if I’m not going to live in Dublin, then it’s still a real trip to head home and see family, in which case NZ is just a longer commute (and a bit more expensive – especially if Peak Oil is real..

So yes, can’t really decide, and quite enjoying not deciding. I have until July before my visa is going to expire, so I can go for residency before then if I want to.. might head traveling but get the returning residency before I leave.. quite tempting.

Well, a huge thank you to Declan who sent over a leprechaun. Which has taken up residence at last. First it showed the frog who was boss..

Which is only right and proper, as that frog certainly had a high opinion of itself! :) And after terrorising it a little more

They (Seamus and The Frog) settled down to a nice relaxing national tipple.

Seamus also sings an lovely song…

“When Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure ’tis like a morning spring,

In the lilt of Irish laughter,

You can hear the aaaanngels sing”

so thanks again Dec, owe you one big time buddy!