Narrowboat AREandARE

From the 2009 & 2010 tantalising tales, traumas and stunning photographs of Barry (photographer) and Sandra (writer) from New Zealand aboard NB 'Northern Pride', to the stories of their 2013 return journey, purchase of 'AREandARE', progress on sustaining their live aboard continuous cruiser lifestyle, and Barry's quest to gain residency and 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' in UK ...

Sunday 20 May 2012

What is this life, if, full of care ...

Apologies everyone, since we've returned from our break in UK our lives have been crazily busy and I haven't managed to make time to post a blog.  Barry's still working hard at 'ezimade' six days a week, and although he's dabbled in editing his photos from England he's not yet quite managed to post any - I'm sure he will one day ...


In the meantime, I was offered the opportunity of leading a local maternity project to coordinate locally the national 'Maternity Quality and Safety Programme'.  Having voluntarily relinquished my previous senior post and decided I didn't want to take on such a responsibility again I was a little taken aback as our plans for returning to UK in March 2013 certainly didn't include such a big challenge - but when opportunities come our way I've learnt that it's best not to turn them down.  Anyway, long story short, I started as Project Coordinator on 1 May - so now I have that job (on a contractual basis as it's the only way I can 'fit it in', I just have to get my head around being 'self employed'!), a twelve month locum contract at a small birthing unit over an hour 'up the coast', a casual pool contract as a midwife in the unit, my TENS unit hire business, occasional cover for local self employed midwives and continue with my 'Diploma in Holistic Life Coaching' with LCA Auckland.  It is certainly testing my ability to maintain a work/life balance!

I spent the last two weeks of April at Ngati Porou Hauora - Te Puia Springs Hospital, giving the midwife who usually works up there a break.  Although it's not busy, there needs to be a midwife available 24/7 for births and providing antenatal and postnatal care to women.  It's a very sparsely populated area so  it can take over an hour just to drive to see a woman - but it's the most incredible place to live, with lovely people and truly magical without all the pressures of 'normal' life, where you really do have time to smell the roses and 'stand and stare'.  I took the time to chill walking along the beach at Tokomaru Bay and enjoy the occasional coffee ...



... and driving was never a hardship - it's not like the stress of driving somewhere busy, at every turn there is a scene to take your breath away, and Mount Hikurangi was definitely one of the highlights - the first land to see the sun shine each day ...


"Hikurangi is the sacred mountain of Ngāti Porou, and was said to be the first piece of land to emerge when Māui fished up the North Island. According to tradition, Māui’s canoe, Nukutaimemeha, remains stranded on the mountain peak."  
(The encyclopaedia of New Zealand)

Returning to Gisborne on 30 April, I had to 'hit the ground running' in my new role for the past three weeks, and I'm very aware that it's going to be a challenge to get everything sorted with the house to get it ready to sell in just four months time - we're half way through upgrading the bathroom, but with Barry only having one day off a week it's taking a lot longer than we anticipated!  And of course he needs to start applying for his visa in the near future - it's going to be an interesting few months, but we have a dream and we WILL be returning to UK to live it ...