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!!!