Holidays are great till you come home to a mountain of work to catch up on.

That's where I've been this last week - I've been on holiday in Christchurch.

The week didn't start so great.  I slept really badly on Sunday night - I know what you're thinking nerves about the trip, but no that wasn't the case at all.  Instead I was stamp collecting - well actually stamp sorting!!!!!  I have no idea why, except that the week before I had spent some time sorting all Roy's mint stamps to work out what to sell and what to keep.  Why it took so long to come out into my dreams I have no idea - it was weird and annoying.

Monday finally dawned bright and sunny.  After some last minute packing and organising I was off.  Firstly I stopped to get petrol where low and behold when I went to pay my eftpos card was declined - twice!!  I couldn't understand it as I knew for sure that there was money in my account.  Thank goodness for Mastercard :-)  I then proceeded to the Post Office to post some letters and while there decided to try my card at my banks ATM machine.  Well you wouldn't believe it my jolly card got gobbled up by the machine -  now what???  I was about to fly to Christchurch on holiday with no money!!  So into the bank I went to see what the heck was going on.  While I patiently waited for a teller to come free it suddenly dawned on me what had happened.  The week before I had been into the bank to remove Roy's name from the bank accounts.  They had obviously done that and then the bank had cancelled his eftpos card which was the card that I had been using (he had had mine) - we got them mixed up when they sent out the new ones.  The teller was very helpful and in no time at all I was all sorted and the owner of a new eftpos card and on my way.  Boy I was pleased I had left a little bit earlier than planned.

I had an uneventful drive up to Palmy.  After a quick catch up with Aimee, Richard and Noah Richard took me to the airport.  It quickly became apparent that I do not fly very often because I was sure the baggage allowance was 25kg, I had even weighed my suitcase before leaving home and was chuffed to see it was just under that amount - but I discovered it's 23kg and the lady told me to take some items out and put them in my hand luggage or I'd have to pay the $50 overweight fee.  So there I was on my knees removing my Bible and some other books and stopping them into my hand luggage all the time thinking how silly it really was as the weight was still going to be on the plane.  When I reweighed my suitcase it was 22.5kg and good to go - phew.  I have also decided that I pack way too much stuff, so next time I plan to take less - yeah right!!!!!

It was a good flight down and Tim was there to meet me - he dropped me off at his place and went back to work and I spent what was left of the afternoon making myself at home, making some arrangements for the week and getting acquainted with Tim and Yvette's very cute wee puppy George.

I had an awesome and busy week in Christchurch.

On Tuesday I spent part of the day with a friend who even though she had a bad mirgain was determined to take me out for coffee - thanks Janice I'm glad you're now feeling much better. We'll have to do it again properly next time.  That night I was invited out to dinner with some other dear friends and I had a really lovely time.

On Wednesday I spent the day with my darling sister in law (widow of Roy's oldest brother Jim), it was pouring with rain when she came to pick me up, but it soon cleared and we were able together to face a first for her, which was a trip to the cemetery.  Due to the huge storm the night before there were a number of trees down in the cemetery so we had to walk in rather than drive which was very pleasant.  It was much easier than we had both thought it would be and although we did shed a few tears we also shared moments of happiness and laughter.  It was wonderful to spend the day with Helen and we did a lot of talking, encouraging and bonding.  I spent Wed night with Tim and Yvette and after dinner we played a game of Carcassonne - a board game that I haven't played since Roy passed away, it was a game we regularly played together on a Sunday afternoons after Church while we had lunch - I really miss those days.

On Thursday I meet up with a new friend who I have meet via a fabric page on Facebook.  We had never meet face to face before but we clicked straight away and we both felt like we'd known each other for years.  We had an awesome morning together chatting, drinking coffee and yes fabric shopping.  Thank you so much Anne for spending that time with me I had an wonderful time.  That night I again went out for dinner this time to my cousin and her hubby.  It was a lovely evening, again with lots of sharing, talking and a few tears.

Friday was a beautiful day and as I had no real plans I thought I'd take a walk and see if I could find the Op Shop that was near where Tim and Yvette lived.  Well I didn't - I'm not too good without a map and I kind of got a bit lost - well not really lost as I knew how to go back to where I started but not to where the Op Shop was.  With some help from Helen via cellphone I got back to the shopping centre I'd passed and there I asked for some directions and finally I got to where I wanted to be.  When I was done Helen came and picked me up and I spent the rest of the day with her.

Saturday and Sunday was spent with Tim and Yvette as they both work during the week.  On Sat we did some sight seeing, had lunch out and then took George for a walk on the beach.  Sunday we went to Church - I didn't enjoy the service all that much - not because it wasn't good because it was, but because the sermon was on Marriage and Singleness. Although it was very Biblical and Christ centred it was just too early for me to hear a sermon like that and I pretty much cried all the way through it.  Although I am 'coping' with my singleness it still sucks!!!!! I get on with life because I have to, but I hate being alone - significant other-less!!  It really, really sucks!!!!!

The rest of Sunday was pretty restful - I got my book finished and on Monday afternoon it was time to say goodbye and I headed back up north to Palmy where Aimee, Richard and Noah picked me up from the airport.  The drive home was fine and I made it home before dark but it was a little bit hard too as I knew there would be one waiting for me except the Jack - the dog.  He was very happy to see me :-)

I've just been a little bit more tearful since I got home and for the first time I feel a bit mad, not at God but just at life.  I guess that is the downside of a holiday it make you a bit unsettled.  I'll come right - nothing a bit of hard work won't fix.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to all those who made my trip to Christchurch so enjoyable and memorable.  Thanks for your love, support and encouragement.  Thanks too for sharing not only tears but also lots of joy and laughter.  I feel really blessed to call you family and friends.

So that was my week.  I told you it was going to be exciting and it was I had a blast.  Now I'm in catch-up mode with plenty to keep me busy this coming week not only Rawleigh/TradeMe wise but also with a number of custom orders that need sewing.

Time to go.  Catch you next week.

Oh ya - Go Team NZ!!

Love and blessings.
Jolanda