Vince's Guitar - part 2

Vince’s guitar is for newbies. I got it for $56. That is cheap. I didn’t realized that it’s really “cheap” until I started reading the prints on the box.

huh, ano daw?

Vince's guitar

I got Vince a guitar yesterday. This is actually one on my holiday things-to-do but didn’t have the time to so. We really want him to do something else other than video/computer games during school breaks.

The plan is for me to learn guitar (maraming guitar 101 sa web) then pass it on to Vince. I hope it wouldn’t be too hard for me. Nung nasa grade school ako, pinag-aral ako ng nanay ko ng piano and a small string instrument. There was an attempt to learn guitar (which is very handy pag nangangaroling) but it was too big for my hand/fingers. Isang kanta lang ang natutunan ko – A Horse with No Name. Dalawang chords lang kasi yon :)

Vince guitar is a small one. 39” lang ang haba. Di sya mahihirapang hawakan yon. At higit sa lahat, mura lang yon. If we both enjoy it, then I’ll buy us the real one. Nakikitaan ko si Vince ng interest. Sana tuloy-tuloy yon.

Good luck to both of us Vince.

Open home

Despite the economy not looking promising this year, this should not stop us from dreaming and making plans.

Ilang linggo ko na ding sinusuyod ang Property Press and TradeMe for houses for sale. Di pa kami ready to buy at this point but I believe that we should start working towards that goal as early as now. Sabi nga ng isang kaibigan namin, mag-practice na kami ngayon pa lang. So when the time comes that we are ready, alam na namin yung gagawin. Mahirap yung ma-realise mo na may na miss kang point when you are already paying the mortgage.

After lunch, Henry, Shannen and myself went to an open home in Sunnynook. Dahil nga sa practice pa lang, yung malapit lang ang pinili namin (laging may nagbebenta dito sa Auckland). Nagdala ako ng notebook para kunyari serious kami. he he he.

When we got home, we told Vince about the house. Hindi masyadong keen si kulas kasi ang pangit daw ng pangalan ng street... COCKAYNE. We'll I think that's far better that Lake PUPUKE :)

Magtitingin ulit kami ng weekends. Hopefully, by the time we are ready to buy experts na kami.

Pasalubong ideas

Isa sa mga interesting topics sa Aklnzpinoys nung December ay ang pasalubong. Alam nyo na, maraming umuuwi sa Pinas para mag-Christmas don. May isang nagtanong kung ano ba ang magandang pasalubong sa mga kamag-anak at kaibigan. Iba kasi dito sa New Zealand. Maliit ang market kaya limited at mahal ang mga commodities (except for electronics). Mas maganda pa ang nabibili sa SM Megamall. So yun na lang wala sa Pinas ang bilhin.

Ito yung popular choices:

• tsokolate (Cadbury, Whitakker)
• cheese
• wine
• biscuits with chocolate like TimTam, Squiggles, etc.
• Manuka Honey
• Palm Corned Beef
• Fridge magnets (NZ souvenir)
• Rugby t-shirt (maganda sana kung All Blacks kaso mahal)
• Kauri clock
• smoked salmon
• lanolin face cream (pantanggal ng wrinkles)

Ate Chris' NZ nursing registration

Ang saya-saya ko ngayon. After 1 year of document preparation and 9 months of waiting, the Nursing Council of New Zealand has finally given the go signal for my sister Chris to enroll in a nursing bridging course (or what they call Competency Assessment Program). Once she has completed the course, pwede na syang mag-practice ng nursing dito (at sa OZ).

Now for my assignement, ihahanap ko si Ate Chris ng school. Dalawa ang prospects ko - Manukau Institute of Tech (MIT) and Unitec. Parehong Feb ang next intake nila. Sana makahabol pa.

Yipeeee!!!!... excited na akong makasama sila.

surf, sun and stroll @ Muriwai Beach

Before I went back to work on Monday (si Henry nakabakasyon pa this week), naghuling hirit pa kami ng pasyal nung Sunday. Pumunta kami sa Muriwai Beach sa West Auckland (35kms from home). This place is known for its colony of gannets, which is a large seabird.

Dahil nasa west coast, malakas ang alon sa Muriwai. Perfect for surfing but very dangerous for swimming, rock fishing, etc. So kami nag-tramping na lang and, of course, picture-picturan.

Maganda daw ang sunset doon. Kaya lang around 9pm pa yon, that's too late for us. Next time na lang. Sigurado namang babalik ulit kami.

More photos here.

www.jhsay.blogspot.com

Medyo sinipag ako nung isang araw so I was able to move the contents of my blog (Li'l Thoughts) to Multiply. Pwede palang dito ako mag-post then it will update the former. Ngayon ko lang yon na discover. he he he

Cape Reinga trip

Kahit na medyo kulang sa prep, natuloy din kami aming first NZ long drive. With 5 other families, we left Auckland on the dawn of 30th December for Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip of new New Zealand. We came back just before New Year. Yung mga kasama namin naiwan pa. Sila nag-stay sa camping site, kami nag-motel. Takot akong matulog sa tent. he he he

On our way up to the far north, we made some side trips to Whangarei Falls, Kawakawa, Hururu Fall, Waitangi Treaty Ground and Rarawa beach. The places we visited are awesome. Siguradong mauulit pa kami. Isa pa, madami pa kaming hindi napuntahang lugar like Bay of Islands and glow worm caves. I'm sure they are as exciting.

click here for more pictures.