All coming together.....

Well, I have to say, today is really the first truly, overarchingly, relaxing day i've had since I arrived here. Yesterday I spent 5 (yes five) hours at a car dealer and have come away with my first ever new car (gulp, gasp, NEW, I feel like a grown-up....I also feel like i'm going to be paying for it for the rest of my life...), and today the morning started with confirmation I will now be living in a basement studio (aka Grodnick) belonging to friends Les and Alison. It's a shoebox, but one with at least a separate kitchen to cook in, is bright and airy, and is in a great QUIET part of the city (no traffic noise, V. close to UH too), so that has made me very happy and much more relaxed about being here. I move in on the 20th.

So in 6 days, I have:-

- Gone kayaking on New Years day
- Started a new job.......my first 'real' job
- Set up my new office
- Unpacked 1/3 of the boxes I shipped out here
- Investigated and signed up to use the histology lab, TEM and SEM facilties
- Unpacked all my samples
- Got a car (a new car.......gulp)
- Named the car "Beach Belle" (to those who remember my Isuzu 'Belle Star' you will know why)
- Put a roof rack on the car
- Found a place to live

Not bad for 6 days if you ask me. It might well be time right now to head to the beach. That is if I can pluck up the energy and peel myself off the couch.....










The Beach Belle. A 2008 Mazda 3. Showing off her new roof racks in the last photo. Still in disbelief I actually ended up with a new car.....but I have to say, I LOVE it.......