and so it goes.....

well what have we been up to? as previously stated we went and saw MAMMA MIA on the opening night here in New Zealand and suffice to say LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED IT! I even clapped at the end (and trust me once you have seen the movie you will understand!) That is a definite pre-order from Amazon (along with Sex and the City - Amazon and me are bestest friends I am sure you understand!) Was just so thrilled with the movie as I had never seen the stage show (I know shock horror! but was SUCH a fan of ABBA was worried that it wouldn't work HA NOW WHO IS THE IDIOT! oh well you live and you learn) and Meryl Streep is I swear to god a LIVING LEGEND!

Also spent the weekend at the most amazing acting workshop - it is run by the woman in New Zealand who is the main casting director for most (apart from Peter Jackson's) of the large movies filmed here and works with Disney, Warner, MGM etc etc - it was on American Accents and natural screen portayals. Now I have done ALOT of classes and I have to say was the best I had ever taken - you had to have done some screen work so there were alot of familiar faces but because everyone was of a similar level it was just really pleasant - and talk about a great bunch of people - we have all put our names down for the advanced class and hopefully we will all be able to do it together!

Also, Ian's contract work has gone crazy - he is working long hours but thoroughly enjoying it. He spends most of his time driving around judges, members of parliament and that level of folks. Some weird hours and some strange phone calls late at night changing booking times but it is SO good to see him working again, and he has also just had a whole range of photos taken as he has signed up with a modelling agency and hopefully will grab some extra work (and extra $$$) that way - speaking of that I had a HUGE audition yesterday - can't say anymore than that as is completely confidential campaign but will wait to hear about that - and wait and wait and wait no doubt LOL - but "That's Showbiz"

YAY

What a great couple of weeks, been SO RELAXED but SO COLD. Temperatures here have gone insane with the average in the mornings when I am driving to work being around 3-4 degrees! Yikes! With ice on the car, frost on the grass - crazy. But anyway, more of what we have been up to.

Last weekend we had the MOST idyllic time with our best male friend John at his bach (holiday home in NZ talk) in Orua Bay, Manukau Heads, which is about an hour and a quarter out of Auckland. Bliss! Nothing to do but eat, drink (we did ALOT of that - the joys of John being the Retail Manager for one of New Zealand's best known wine brands Coopers Creek) sleep, read, play cards and generally R-E-L-A-X. Check out the pics for an idea!

Also last night (Wed 9th July) we met up with great friends Rob and Jen who are off to the big bag land of Australia to live. We agreed to all meet at Blakenberge Beer Cafe, which is situated in Takapuna and is a traditional Belgium Pub, with Belgium Ales, Food and surrounds. What a great place! The beer was divine - for those of you that know me you know I like to drink - but have NEVER been a beer fancier - but thought what the heck when in Rome - so anyway as I know nothing about beer and do like sweet things, so spoke to the bar lady and after much discussion I ordered a raspberry based beer - a Timmermans Framboise - gosh it WAS beautiful but at - eek! $12.50 a glass I won't be hurrying to buy that again.

And tonight (Thursday) we are off to the opening day of Mamma Mia at the movies - can't wait. Ian is STILL unemployed (has had the odd bit of contracting work - nothing definate) he is getting a bit down so hopefully a bit of ABBA and the Greek Islands will work the trick.

I was a HUGE ABBA fan in the 70's but for some reason the show of Mamma Mia never appealed. I hope tonight I am proved wrong. As everyone knows now a days going to the movies is NOT a cheap date and I usually wait for the DVD to come out and just purchase it - works out much cheaper normally but am hoping that this will be just the thing for a cold winters eve in Auckland.