Gosh, so much has happened since my last post. Where to start?

Well, with work I guess. I have been offered a permanent contract at Countdown, to carry out relays (reorganising categories and cutting in new lines) for the four stores in the Hawkes Bay region. I suggested to the regional manager that there was a role for someone to do this, and that I'd like to do it, and he agreed! So, that means I can stay in Hawkes Bay. Yippee!!!! The money still isn't very good, but I can survive. I will keep looking for other work, but it definitely takes the pressure off for now.

The huger news is that my brother Peter has secured a big role in the upcoming movies of The Hobbit. He is to play Gloin, a Scottish dwarf. We are all hugely proud of him and delighted that he has landed such a prestigious role. It means three years work for him, and will change his life. Isn't that the best news ever?

I've also been training to be an online shopper - picking and packing orders for customers who place them through the website. It is a really fun job, if a bit stressful at times. Been helping out when they are shorthanded.

So, I think I will stop this blog now. I really struggled to find a job, and the job I got I sort-of designed for myself! Still shows me that there is a very tight job market here in the Bay.

Thanks for reading.

The last three days, the rain was unstoppable

Yes, another great Petty lyric. True for Hawke's Bay, it has just been cold and wet here since Monday. Back to winter.

News not great on the job front. Last week I got rejections for three fulltime jobs I'd applied for. The first was the one I really wanted, in the production kitchen at Telegraph Hill olivery. They seemed interested but have gone for someone with chefing experience. The second was receptionist at the hospice here, and the third was to be a travel agent. That hurt - they sent me the standard rejection email for the travel agent job, and then had the gall to readvertise the job the next day. Ouch!

In the meantime I have a job interview in Wellington on 8 November. Looks like a move is on the horizon for me, there just seem to be more opportunities in Wellington. If it comes to pass I will view it as a short-term thing - and plan to live here again within 3 years or so.

I have been learning to be an online shopper at Countdown in Napier. I am finding it quite challenging - there's a lot to remember, and the pressure is really on to get orders picked and packed by their pickup time. Day 3 today and I got a bit stressed - just hate it when I forget things, and have to ask dumb questions. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. It is keeping me fully employed for the next two weeks, anyway.

Spent the weekend in Levin. Lucky for me my dear friends from school days, Lucie-Jane and Jane, were also there on Saturday and we had a lovely couple of hours together. There's something so nice about seeing friends you've known that long (32 years), good therapy for me.

Saturday night Niamh and Mum and I went to the theatre sports evening at the Levin Performing Arts Society. What a hoot. MCd by two actors Darlene Mohekey and Sally Tohill, in character as Tash and Nay, two bogun chicks from Levin. The teams were all amateur actor-types so they were familiar with being on stage. A good night out. Highlight for me was Tash and Nay demonstrating their synching prowess with a crack at Bohemian Rhapsody. Outstanding air-guitar and air-keyboarding.

ps. the pasta was a huge hit and the cake was good too. If you haven't eaten fresh handmade pasta, you really haven't lived. It is so soft and delicious. 5 eggs and 500g of pasta flour made more than enough for 9 adults. Fun to make and delicious to eat. It does take up a whole afternoon to roll it out with the pasta machine, however. Put some Verdi on the cd player and drink Montepulciano, and you've got it sussed.

You tell me

The title of this post is a Tom Petty song, You Tell Me, from Damn the Torpedoes. It is one of my alltime favourites, and I don't have it on cd!!! My lovely big brother found and gave me a dvd of a film about the making of Damn the Torpedoes and I rediscovered how much I love that song.

Anyways, today is a gorgeous spring day in Havelock North. Sophie is up here working and we met at the Lions book fair in Napier this morning.

I cleaned up - this is a list of what I got at the fair. FOR $5!!!!!!

• English Marie Claire magazine (far superior to the Aussie one) March 2008 with Rachel Weisz on the cover
• 3 copies of North & South magazine, for Mum cos she likes the articles
• 'The long view' by Elizabeth Jane Howard
• 3 books of piano music, for Mum who now has her piano again
• a little cookbook from the American Culinary Arts Institute (of Julia Child fame) titled '230 sandwiches', also for Mum who loves a sandwich
• 'Winter puddings', Cordon Bleu, 1971
• 'Jane Eyre', Charlotte Bronte, a lovely hardback edition, because Sophie and I watched "Definitely, Maybe" last week
• 'Katherine', Anya Seton about Katherine Swynford and the Duke of Lancaster in the 1300s
• 'Fast desserts', Mary Berry
• 'The kiwi surf club cook book', undated but from pre decimal currency time judging by the ads
• 'The ABC of millinery' by Madame Eva Ritcher, 1954. Divine
• 'The ballad of the sad cafe', Carson McCullers, 1963, a cool Penguin edition.
• 'Cordon Bleu - Constance Spry Entertaining', 1985. Complete with floral arrangement ideas for the table. Totes over the top.
• 'Entertaining with Kerr', Graham Kerr, 1963
• 'The Forsyte Saga', John Galsworthy,.
• New Zealand Country Women's Institutes Cookery book, 1964
• 4 editions of Vogue Knitting from 1966 and 1967 to add to my collection
• A Patons and Baldwins knitting book from the 1930s for 'ladies dressing jackets, gowns and underwear'

What a bonanza.

Last week I worked about 4 shifts, including an allnighter to help the store changeover to the new GST rate. Have applied for 5 or 6 fulltime jobs in the last week, including helping with the Census next year, and also one helping with the digital tv rollout (both based here).

An unexpected delight was that my neice Sophie came to stay for a couple of days and we had fun girl hangout times.

This afternoon I am making a lemon and orange syrup cake. Its a recipe I haven't tried before and it is for my harshest critic - Chris Owen. Also am taking my pasta machine over to theirs so Sharon can try her hand at homemade pasta.

Aileen and I are now doing 3 craft fairs in November and December, the Paekakariki School fair, the Knack Christmas fair and now the Fruit Bowl Craft Jam fair in Hastings in December. The pressure is on and I am trying to fill every spare moment with knitting rabbits and teddies. I really don't have time to go to work, actually.

One door closes

Two more teddies made - can't stop!

Yesterday I went to see the people I'd been talking to about housekeeping their luxury villas. There was something in my gut that had been telling me this wasn't the job for me, don't really know why. We had a good discussion about hours and availability and all decided that it wasn't going to work out. They can't commit more than 3 mornings a week for me, and I need another job to earn enough to survive, which might make me unavailable when they needed me last minute. They were both lovely, though, and well-connected and mentioned two other jobs that they know of that might suit me. One in particular they are going to forward my cv for. So, who knows what will come of that. She is also going to get me up there for an afternoon to help her load up photos onto websites.

And today when i got home from working at Countdown I got a call from the woman who runs online shopping at Countdown in Napier. She is going to give me a week's training at the beginning of October, with a view to working as an online shopper there.

Most of last week I spent helping get the replacement price tickets in place for the change in GST from 1 October. One of the dullest jobs I've ever done! Find the product, put the new ticket in behind the existing ticket, find the next product. Dullsville.

Went to Pink Night with the gang on Friday night. Yet again it was a blast, with everyone dressed in pink and chugging back the rose. Yet again we got virtually nothing to eat, and it was carnage for a few of us. Its such a fun night out, and being a cocktail party is all over by 8.30. Needless to say getting up for work at 6.30 the next morning was a struggle.

Happy birthday to two of my dearest friends - Sarah Spring and Chris Lamb.

And great news - Tulip has booked her flights to NZ, arriving Boxing Day for 3 weeks. Yay!!!

Bunnies and rabbits

Our first craft fair stall went pretty well yesterday. I sold $90 worth of stuff (one hat and four animals) and Aileen sold several hats and socks. Good feedback from people who looked at the stuff, and Aileen said there weren't any other stalls selling stuff like ours. So we are encouraged and will continue on to the Paekakariki Fair in November, and two Christmas fairs.

I went to meet Rose on Friday who is looking for someone to clean and housekeep for their two holiday villas and home. Should be about 10 hours a week, rising to maybe 20 in the summer. I am going to say yes if she'll have me. Plus the lady I did a turnover for on the vineyard in August has also been in touch and wants me to do her turnovers from December - said yes to that too.

Have started a new bear - this one is grey and will have a lavender dress. Also am bidding on Trademe for a pattern book that I know I used to have years ago (what happened to it?) and that has lots of other teddies etc along the lines of the ones I am making. I want to experiment with colours - how would a pale yellow bunny look?

I know, I know, two weeks since my last post.

Since then I have :

• been to Wellington for the weekend to attend the opening night of 'Shipwrecked' at Circa, directed by my brother. It was delightful, go and see it if you are in Wellington.
• also in Wellington I went to see my niece Sophie shine in 'Katydid' at Bats Theatre. A beautiful play, an astounding performance by Sophie, completely gripping and deeply moving.
• watched Niamh play soccer in the pouring rain at Khandallah.
• have been working heaps, in fact today is my 7th straight day of work, at Countdown in Napier and Hastings.
• had Mum to stay for a few days, and consequently was very well looked after.
  
• felt very sad and missed my Dad heaps on Father's Day.
• made two more rabbits for the stall on Saturday
• had three nibbles about housekeeping work, which has improved my mood immensely.
• fallen in love again with Ryan Reynolds, this time in Foolproof.
  

And of course, for non-NZ readers, we have been shaken up by the huge earthquake in Canterbury last Saturday morning. Very nervy times for us all, and you gotta feel sorry for them all down there. Stories are coming through via friends and Facebook of houses wrecked, lifted off foundations, unliveable. I bought batteries for my radio..... Check out this very cool streaming graphic done by a guy at University of Canterbury, that tracks all the aftershocks.

I'm not alone

Today the Hastings and Havelock North Mail - one of our 3 free local weeklies - has a front page feature on being jobless in the Bay. An excellent series of articles, if somewhat depressing. There were a couple of personal stories to make it real (and hopefully scare up some job offers for them). The striking piece of news was that although the national average unemployment rate is 6.8%, here in Hawkes Bay we have 8.5% unemployment. And I guess that's just registered unemployed, let alone people like me who are also chasing jobs but aren't registered for the dole.

Sigh.

Dear Deb

This morning I had a long chat with my lovely friend Deb, who called from Watford. Among other things, we discussed blogging. I was trying to 'encourage' her into starting a blog because so many of her newsy tidbits would make delightful reading. Deb's blog (which would naturally be called "Dear Deirdre") would essentially be a way for me to keep up to date with what their household is up to, her crafting, Dave's building projects etc. Both Deb and Tulip (my sister in Enfield) have told me they just like reading my blog so they can see what I've been up to. So, despite me having wild fantasies of this being groundbreaking literature, it is really just a series of postcards. So be it.

As I 'statused' on my Facebook page, this weekend I had a long overdue phone catchup with my friend Karen. We worked and flatted together in a pub in the West End in 1990 - twenty years ago, people! Our contact since then has been sporadic, but we just pick right up where we left off. She and I have both lost our fathers in the last 12 months, and also our marriages ended around the same time a few years ago. Lots to share and have in common. It was fantastic to talk to her.

This week I worked Tuesday and Wednesday at the Countdown in Hastings. Plus I got paid on Wednesday for last week's work. Yippee! Today, Thursday, is an at home day. Did the Peak on Monday, and walked to work and back Tues and Wed PLUS did a pump class with Michelle Wed night. Surely all this activity should reduce my muffin? Tonight I am going to a school fundraiser evening all about fashion, hair and makeup - probably have a few wines and undo all my good work.

I am working Friday and Saturday at CD, plus I have an interview on Friday for a parttime job in Napier housekeeping 3 holiday cottages and a house.

A few weeks ago I applied (out of desperation) for a weekend job working the information desk at Napier Public Library. For those who don't know, I am a qualified librarian with about 15 years experience. This week I got my rejection letter. I didn't even get an interview! I find this quite amusing. I didn't really want to do the job, but even so - are there really over 100 people (according to the letter) that are better qualified than me for this job?

My crafting is giving me such enjoyment, and talking to other crafters (Aileen and Deb) has spurred me on even more. Check out these little guys. They are soon to be joined by a red teddy. These bunnies were knitted in cotton, but my preference is pure wool - just makes them snugglier. At the moment I am trying to use up some of the yarn stash I have, before I go crazy and purchase more. We have our first craft stall on September 11 in Wellington. My pewter earrings are slowly selling on Trademe, whatever I have left will go on the craft stall.

Making a big pot of pumpkin soup today. The supermarket was selling pieces of pumpkin last weekend for 8c a kg so it would have been rude not to. Probably means my pot of soup has cost a total of 30 cents to make. Crazy.

ps, Deb, just click on the Create Blog button on the top right of the screen.

I had no intention of leaving it a week before I posted again, but time just got away on me.

Worked 4 shifts last week - feels good to be working again. The first 2 nights were long shifts - Monday night was around the clock from 7pm to 7am! It is ages since I worked an allnighter, but I managed ok - felt a bit jetlagged when I woke up on Tuesday afternoon though. I was there to keep the refrigeration guys company while they worked, as they couldn't be left in the store on their own after the other staff went home. All went ok, even though the head guy was a bit of a dickhead. There was plenty for me to do while they did their maintenance of the fridges and freezers so time passed fairly quickly. We had 3 very cold nights, though, and it was 0 degrees when I drove home at 5am on Wednesday morning.

Then the store got me to work a shift on Friday helping out in the chiller section. This just involves tidying it up, and then filling stock. Man, that supermarket is busy on a Friday - packed out all day. Also, I am going to work for them for 3 weeks in September helping to change over all the price tickets in readiness for the increase in GST from 1 October. Every price ticket in the store has to be reprinted with the new price, then we go round and put them behind the existing tickets. Then on the night before we go round and take out the old ones. And to think this has to happen in EVERY Countdown around the country. So, I smile and think of the money.

There's also a possibility of some work at Farmers department store coming up - they are relocating in September and my friend knows the manager so I went and had a chat with him about it last week. If that comes together it would probably happen at the same time as the GST work, but will have to cross that bridge if and when it happens.

Just had my lovely sisters-in-law to stay for the weekend. As usual we had a brilliant time. It rained most of the weekend but we managed a long walk yesterday on the pathway from just outside Havelock towards Clive. Then we made pizzas and played kalookie with Tori and Sharon last night. Good fun.

This week I am working 3 shifts at the supermarket. Not going to make my fortune this week but it is so good to have some money coming in!! Plus I am selling a few pairs of earrings on Trademe.

Watched Bright Star yesterday again with the girls. What an exquisite film! Jane Campion is a genius. The costumes are to die for, and she has created such beautiful interiors - simple and bare rooms but the colour and light are divine. One of my top 10 movies.

A dull, overcast Saturday.

Another week has passed without earning anything. However, I will be working 3 shifts next week at Countdown Hastings, helping them with a maintenance project for their freezers and chillers.

Also they are keen for me to do more hours over the next few weeks on a casual basis, helping out here and there in the grocery part of the store and also with their preparation for the switch to higher GST on 1 October. The GST changeover means every single price ticket in the store needs to be replaced, on the last day of September. That's quite a big job, just the sort of thing I love doing.

I've almost come to the end of my list of holiday cottages to contact. Overall a positive response, but I need some of that to turn into ACTUAL WORK. Hopefully that will start to happen from October, and hopefully I will get enough casual work at Countdown between now and then to pay my rent and bills.

Tomorrow my family are all going to a memorial service at the Arohanui Hospice in Palmerston North. They hold these every 6 months or so for the families of people who died at the hospice. It will be good to focus on Dad together, and hopefully to see some of the lovely staff that helped us over those weeks in March and April.

Go the All Blacks. Tonight I want to watch them secure the TriNations and retain the Bledisloe Cup. Dad would really enjoy seeing that.

Made twelve cold calls this morning. Every single person I spoke to was positive and I've left my number and cv with most of them. Am enjoying the discussions I am having with people about their businesses.

I am going to drop my cv off to the Village Info people today - they asked if I have a business card - maybe I need to get one.

My meeting with the luxury lodge people this morning went well, and although it is likely there will be some work come out of it, there's no guarantee of course. Their hourly rate wasn't flash either.

I have investigated my tax status and think I'll have to declare myself self-employed. Need to read up a bit more on what is required and what records I'll need to keep.

Cold and damp here today, a complete contrast to yesterday which was over 20 degrees and felt like a summer's day. Jogged most of the way down the Peak yesterday afternoon, and feel sore today as a result.

A friend is coming over for dinner tonight - menu is chorizo risotto, cauliflower and ginger cabbage, with choc brownies for dessert. Winter fodder.

Motivation, where are you?

Monday. Back in Hawke's Bay, glorious sunshine. Good to be home.

Bit of a setback. I have discovered that there is already an ironing business operating here in Havelock North. I phoned up on the fake pretense of enquiring for a 'friend' to see how much she charges. About $20-25 for a basket, which was what I was going to charge, but she has free pickup. Now I feel really guilty about putting a card up on the supermarket noticeboard in case she sees it. Hm. Might just sneakily do a letterbox drop round here - she lives the other side of Havelock. Will mull it overnight.

I have listed some of my earrings on Trademe today.
Hopefully this will generate some cash and interest and allow me to order some more charms from the States and continue making more.
The pairs I currently have are largely identical, like these ones here




But I am really interested in doing more complementary pairs like the fork and spoon and brush and comb ones that I already have made.




Some of the ideas I have had are Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty, a palm tree and deckchair, a bee and a flower.
I've also set up a store on Etsy to sell the earrings, and hopefully other craft items, so tell all your friends.

I have an interview tomorrow morning to hopefully join a team that housekeeps a number of luxury holiday cottages.

But the motivation was not there this morning, despite the beautiful spring sunshine. I will get out now and march up the Peak, that should make me feel better. I heard an interview with the mayor of Hastings yesterday about the council's programme to make the city more friendly for walkers and cyclists. It will be fantastic once they put a proper footpath on the road between Havelock and Hastings.

The sun shines on Havelock North this morning, it's a frosty but beautiful winter day.

Yesterday I earned some cash! I met with the people who run a small local vineyard and did the changeover for their cottage on the vineyard that they rent out for guests. This is likely to turn into a regular gig for me, and I'm pretty happy about that. It needs to be joined by several others, though. I looked at my finances this morning and the reality is hitting home - I need to get more cash coming in, and need to continue to live frugally. I fear that my visit to the beauty spa last week might be the last for a while!

Over the weekend I've been reading Peta Mathias' book on men. How funny she is! Wish I could write like Peta. There's lots to be learnt, read it if you get a chance. That includes any men reading this!

This week I will be staying with my mother, and will be without broadband access so this will be my last post for a week. Stay tuned for updates on my ironing business.

End of week one

Well, I have had a lovely week, my first in my new unemployed state. A delicious mix of social engagements, housework, crafting, gardenwork, walking and wallowing in the joy of being at home. Gratified by the positive response to my cold calling, and probably overly optimistic about what this response will bring me, I have tailed off my jobseeking efforts in the last couple of days. I'm spending next week with Mum so will be getting back on the phone and working through my call list when I get back to the Bay on 2 August.

Discussed my ironing business with Michelle and Sharon over a couple of wines in Diva last night. They had some great suggestions about marketing and pricing strategies. Am feeling excited about getting that off the ground.

But what I really am loving doing at the moment is crocheting. I am making little cotton sunhats for babies to sell at a Christmas craft fair. When I have finished the current one will post a pic.

Dull damp Saturday here. Hoping that South Africa smash the Wallabies in Brisbane tonight.

Day 4 - I really have to come up with some snappier titles

Today I slackened off a bit. My excuses :

• it was raining. Biblical rain
• I slept in
• my neighbour came in for coffee and then I had a lunch date in Napier
• I had serious amounts of crocheting to catch up on.

The good news is that I got a call from a local vineyard about looking after their cottage and I am going to meet them on Sunday and do a changeover to see how it goes. Cool huh?

The rain stopped mid afternoon and I walked down to the Tukituki River and back. A beautiful, damp, winter afternoon. Now it is beer o'clock. Back into it tomorrow I promise.

Oh, I realise that bloggers are meant to link to other blogs. I started looking round and found this one about being laid off and looking for a job, which is quite funny in an American smart-alecky way. Plus the blogger loves Anthropologie which is the best chick's shop in the world.

And you'll all be pleased as I am to know that Mike Campbell is getting better.

Day 3

Yesterday morning as I was on the phone I looked out the window and there were three tuis feeding on the camellia flowers in the garden. I thought about rushing for the camera but instead chose to just gaze at their beautiful and stylish feathers - greeny bluey bronzy gorgeousness. We are so lucky to have so many tui around us. When I was a child to hear or even see a tui was a rare treat.

Pleased to report that I made my requisite six cold calls again, and had really good responses. A couple of definite leads that will hopefully turn into some work. Two more people have kept my details so they can call me if they need backup, and one other may use me for house-minding. One of the local vineyards is looking for housekeeping backup, took my cv and I hope to visit them on Friday.

Day 2 - Feel the fear

Thanks to everyone who sent me encouraging emails and comments yesterday. I guess I should discuss what sort of work I am looking for. My Plan A is to get work housekeeping for holiday cottages around Havelock North. For those who don't know, I was a housekeeper for a year in the UK, and looked after the holiday cottage and the bed and breakfast rooms that my employers ran from their farm.

Other parts of my portfolio that I want to develop are my pewter earrings sideline, and I am seriously considering setting up a little ironing business. I think there will be some demand for that around here - working on my flyer for a letter box drop in a week or two.

So, back to Plan A. From my list of holiday cottages in the area I made six cold calls this morning. It is a scary thing for me to do, but each person I spoke to was helpful and nice and I got a few leads and tip to follow up on. What I am finding is that people who have one property tend to look after it themselves, but even those people have been encouraging and a few have taken my details for a backup during busy times. It will be more lucrative for me to target businesses that have two or more cottages. My target is 6 more calls tomorrow.

The exercise regime is in full swing. I got up the Peak yesterday afternoon but was appalled at how unfit I felt doing it. The payoff was being able to gaze at the pink sunset on the way down. Today was a long flat walk out along Middle Rd. It was a gorgeous day today, the garden cleanup got started - just too nice to be inside.

Day 1 - stop talking about it and do it.

This is a blog about me looking for work in Hawke's Bay. I moved here two years ago and fell into a job that took me away from the Bay almost every week. It was a great way to rediscover the lower North Island after living outside NZ for 6 years, but it was hard to put roots down here and think that I truly lived in the Bay.

I listened to myself telling people that there was no work for me in Hawke's Bay. Thinks : if there aren't any jobs being advertised maybe I have to dig deeper/network/cold call/be more flexible in what work and hours I will do. Scary stuff. But maybe it is necessary to ensure I can continue to live in this gorgeous place.

So, afterthe first half of 2010 made major changes to our family, I made another one - quit my job without having a job to go to. Today, Monday, is D-Day ie, DO IT day (ie, stop talking about it and get out there and do it).

My dear friend Mary suggested I keep a blog of my journey. Mary is extremely wise and talented and one should always do what she suggests.

The title of my blog is a line from a Tom Petty song (naturellement).

Today I have transferred from my old permanent contract with my previous employers, to a shiny new casual contract. This is a safety net - hopefully they will give me enough hours to pay my rent, while I am working on my plan to become a portfolio person.

And I've already been given a reason to be cheerful. My second begging phone call resulted in a referral to someone who might be able to send some work my way, plus an invitation to send my cv to the person I was talking to (who happens to work at a very posh establishment that I would love to work for).

I've never blogged before so if I am doing it all wrong, please let me know!!!