Got back yesterday. I wish you could have frequent driving-to-Auckland-and-back miles because I'd have a shitload of free stuff by now.

Finished the Teddy Bear I was making and gave it to one of my sisters. Was gladly received, which is good. Obviously.

What else? Ummmm, not alot really. I did almost zero shopping, which was a positive thing. I did buy a pen and a small plastic make-up bag thing for my handbag from Japanese, the best store in existence. I also went to Bramtons, which is an English goods store at Pakuranga mall. They sell stuff from England, mostly food but also a few cleaning products and such. While browsing the store I found a Lion Bar which I didn't think you could get here. It's a chocolate bar thing, quite nice, actually. Oh and I got a Ben Shaw's Cream Soda. Yum.

I've been nominated for two of the Golden Honeybear Awards at The Quilting Bee. One for 'Best Patch' and one for 'Best Quilt'. I would like to win one, but I wont be terribly disappointed if I don't as all the other nominees are just as deserving. I'm just stoked I even got nominated at all!

While browsing the nominees for the 'Best Website' award I was amazed at how brilliant some people are with their designs and writing. I was a bit envious, to be honest. I really wish my site was as nice looking and dynamic. I know it very well could be if I put more time and effort into practicing and learning more things. The thing I can't do much about is being an engaging writer. I'm just not...

I'm going to go and make a page which lists all the websites I currently have open and all the ones pending.

Hello! Anybody there?

Maybe not - it's been awhile since I updated. This place is dusty and I can see a few tumble weeds, too...

I got back from my holiday in Auckland on Monday. It was crappy having to leave but at the same time I was ready to get back to my own bed and house.
It's alot colder here in Gisborne, unfortunetely!

While I was away I mostly just hung out with my eldest sister, her husband and my little 18-month-old nephew, Romeo. He's got mouth ulcers at the moment, poor bubba :(
He calls me "Sssth" because he doesn't seem to want to add the "a" and "m" to the end, hehe. It's the kind of cute that kills!
They aren't moving overseas until next year now, so that's pleasing.

We (we being my mum, Tanya, Romeo and myself) went to Auckland Zoo, which was nice. I am conflicted about zoos, as I don't like the idea of animals being forced to be in enclosures that are often alot smaller than their roaming areas in the wild, and then they have all these humans come and look at them, taking pictures and being noisey, among other things. It's basically entertainment, and I don't believe animals should be used as such.
Auckland Zoo is quite good with their enclosures, and I feel as though they are adequate, but of course the ideal would be to have them as big as they would be in the wild.
Their conservation and educational resources are quite good though. Every opportunity they get they try to educate people about the animals, their environment, the environment in general and what people can do to help any endangered species or habitats.

I was enamoured with the orangutans, as usual. One of the females had a baby, so I nearly died when I got to watch them together. Actually, I nearly cried... They're the most stunning animals on Earth, in my opinion.

Anyway, as for the site, I have a 5 Things submission to add. I still have things left to do, but whether or not I'll get around to that any time soon is debatable.

At the moment I'm making a teddy bear, and everything in my mind seems to be about teddy bears! Haha. I shall take a picture of her when I'm finished.

xx

P.S, the title of this entry is a song name. It's by a band called The Electric Confectionaires, and they're from Auckland. Really awesome upcoming band, so check out their MySpace, http://myspace.com/theelectricconfectionaires

I have been editing pages on here most of the day. It feels good to be getting them done and "cleaning" them up.

I really should go to bed because I can barely stay awake anymore.

It looks as though Mum and I will be moving back to Auckland while Dad stays here for his job and works on the house to get ready to sell. He will follow us soon enough.
Mum and I will come back and forth to help him with the house and stuff.

I don't know how I feel about moving back there so soon. I just wasn't expecting it right now. I mean, I don't even know when we are going, but Dad is seemingly laid-back about it all and doesn't seem in a rush, so that's good. Gives Mum and I time to sort ourselves out and what-have-you.

I packed two boxes tonight. I have alot more to box up, the stuff I don't need, because Dad is driving a small truck to Auckland with our unneeded junk this coming Monday.

I was watching some home clutter organising, Super Woman on the Living Channel this afternoon and I think we need her.

Listening to some TMV and now I shall go to bed and hopefully fall asleep and not get woken by Teh Evil Kitteh And Her More Evil Clawz.

P.S, go listen to my Radio Blog ("radio" on navigation bar) and listen to the song 'Frances The Mute' by The Mars Volta.
I fucking love this song. It makes the whole world perfect for 14 minutes and 36 seconds (yes, it really is that long and you better listen to the whole thing or I'll cut you).

P.P.S, Pirates Of The Caribbean 3 opens tomorrow and I need to go and see it! Captain Jack and I are resuming our affair of the loins.

This morning I did my usual volunteering at the SPCA. I cleaned the hospital wing again; I think it's my favourite part to do because there is more room in there to move around while you clean out the cages (unlike the other areas where you basically need to be a contortionist to do anthing). I also like that it's away from everyone else — I like to do my job in peace, I guess.

Next week is my last week volunteering there because my life is becoming complicated and I don't feel I can make the commitment to it anymore.

There was a gorgeous little ginger kitten there today. He had a handsome face with hazel eyes; they matched his fur. He hissed alot though, at just about everything. Stroppy but cute!

You always end up falling in love with some of them. They're all cute but sometimes there's an animal there that you seem to connect with and are drawn to. It might not be the cutest one there, or the most friendly, but something about them captures your heart and you wish you could give them a home.

I have been very good. I have not come home with any new additions to our menagerie, but there have been times where I would have loved to have brought one home.
I remember at the end of last year, before going away for Christmas, crying over four little fluffy, black kittens because I liked them so much. I was so sad that I couldn't give at last one a nice home. It's too hard with having two dogs who think cats are on the menu and trying to juggle them with the cat I already have. Plus we travel to Auckland so much and I already take my cat with me so having another one would just make things far too complicated than I'm willing to let them get at this point.

There is a rabbit at the SPCA that, if it's not claimed by it's owners, will be coming home with me. Our rabbit passed away a year ago and my mum really misses having one, so we've been on the waiting list for any bunnies that come in.
He's very cute, fairly big in size, a bit fluffy and he's got floppy ears. I think he looks like a Billy.

I don't tend to name animals after cartoons or food (or verbs for that matter). They get dignified "human names" when I name them. Although, once I did name a bird after my favourite Backstreet Boy's nickname...I was eleven, so... Yeah.

On a more personal note, there is some family business that needs sorting. It's not really business in a negative sense, it's just that it involves a possible move back to Auckland and so forth. I feel a bit up-in-the-air because I don't know what's happening and I dislike situations like that. I would rather know exactly what's going on so I can get my head around it and figure out what I'm going to do.

I don't have anything tying me here in Gisborne. I have some friends but I don't feel like I have made any who I have connected really well with. I have always been guarded and I find it hard to let people in, even if I really want to. I am the only one to blame for not having made friendships here I feel like I can fall back on. Ones that are everlasting and so strong I will dread leaving. I love the people I do have here, but I feel like it's only gone so far and we don't have that extra element to make our relationships stronger.
I'm used to being the outcast and it doesn't bother me for the most part, but it would be nice to find some people who I really connect with and who "get me", or at least have more in common with me. I guess we all just want to fit in somewhere and I have yet to find my "somewhere".

I am thankful I don't have a someone tying me here, but on the flipside I sort of wish I did. It's an odd feeling. As I mentioned previously, I do like someone here, but the opportunity to do something about it has not arisen and I get the impression he is perhaps not interested in me.

I really ought to go to bed earlier.