Tricky Dicky

We've had a new visitors system put in at work.  It's all electronic and takes your photo, then prints out a visitors sticker for the visitor to wear while they are on the premises. 
Once the visitor has signed in an email is automatically sent to the email address of whoever they are here to visit.  Very flash for us.
Yesterday I got this email.

Visitor: Richie Mc Caw
From:
Has arrived and is waiting at reception - 10/04/2013 3:36:00 p.m.

I sprinted down to reception - knowing full well that Richard Hampton (my work bestie) would be standing there, almost doubled over, laughing at his own joke.  I was right.

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

The title has absolutely nothing to do with anything I have been doing lately except I feel like the Quick Brown Fox AND the Lazy Dog at the moment.  How does that work?  Well, it doesn't really.  My mind is quick and foxlike but my body is generally the lazy dog.  I need to get in sync!
I realise I have been very, very slack with updating.  Thanks for all your emails and requests for an update (thanks Mum).  Now.... let me think...... cast my mind back....

Intimo has been going well.  I've had 1-2 parties a week lately and last month had an open home after 3 parties fell over.  I employed Averil for the day to help with greeting guests, making teas and coffees, and generally helping out.  I sent out over 170 invites to all past customers and opened up my home for 4 hours for ladies to pop in for a cuppa and a look at the new boutique releases.  About 20 ladies made it along and sales were $2689.00 + $390 in cash sales from ex-boutique items no longer available.  A brilliant day.  Averil got the hostess credits and was able to choose $377 worth of product for her precious time.  I think she was happy with that.  It was really worthwhile and I plan to do it again in December.
March turned out to be my best personal volume month to date with just under $7000 in sales for the month.  Result!

Quinn is doing so well and growing big.... and strong.  His little legs are SO strong.  He always has lots of smiles and chatter for his adoring Aunties, which we love.  Scott and Claire took Quinn on his first plane trip up to Nana & Grandad's in Warkworth for Easter.  Mum said he was all smiles and such a happy little fella.  And was really good on the flights to and from also - which was worrying Claire slightly (understandably).  There's been a lot of talk on Stuff Nation where readers can 'have their say' about children's behaviour in public and on aeroplanes.  Some people are so unsympathetic towards babies making any sort of noise on plane journeys.  I, for one, am VERY sympathetic.  I remember how much my ears used to hurt during flights and feel sorry for the parents who do the best they can in the cramped spaces they have.
I digress.  Quinn got introduced to all the Aunties and Uncles up North and they all had a great time.

Averil and I set off on Good Friday for a roadie to Queenstown to stay with the Southern Barts.  Such fun!  Catkin was a wonderful hostess (as always) and Gavin was a great host.  Only 5 weeks to go until the newest Southern Bart arrives. Exciting!!  Any guesses on sex/weight/date of delivery? 

Aunty Apes and Aunty D has lots of fun playing, reading, and generally spending time with the mini Southern Barts.  They are GORGEOUS!  Lots of huggles, which I love. 
Easter Bunny left an Easter Egg hunt in the garden and right down the driveway to the letterbox.  That was fun!  It was really lovely to be able to spend two full days with them before driving back to Christchurch on Easter Monday.

Cousin Alex has started salmon fishing over the past few months and invited me around for a fresh salmon dinner with him and his flatmates a wee while ago.  It was delicious!  Cooked to perfection.  A really great night with good company and fantastic food.

I had my Bi-Annual Templeton housesitting stint for 10 days in February which was nice and relaxing.  We had the World-Famous-In-Templeton Rent-A-Crowd Pub Crawl which, as always, was a blast.  All girls this time - so more like a fun Hens night!  Really glad it was on a Friday night so I had two days to recover.  Actually, everyone suprisingly seemed to be feeling fine the next day.

Daylight savings ended this morning which means Winter is fast approaching.  Some of us have been up for hours.  Averil & Eru picked me up at 6.45am this morning to go to a live taping of What Now? - a children's show which has been going for 32 years.  They have a segment called Target Your Teacher and Averil was invited to go on it.  Once strapped to a massive wheel she was asked 5 questions - two of which she got right which meant her students got foamed and three she got wrong which got her spun on the wheel and foamed.  Eru and I weren't actually allowed in the audience - children only - so we sat in the green room and got free breakfast and cups of tea.  A great start to a Sunday morning.

Twenty Thirteen

Welcome to the new year!  Already over half way through the first month and there have been highs and lows. 

The worst low being that a guy from our despatch department at work collapsed yesteday at work.  Our first aid officers did CPR on him until the ambulance arrived and he was taken to hospital -  not breathing.  He spent the night in Trauma and suffered a few heart attacks which the hospital staff could not help with much except to make him as comfortable as possible.  He was moved to ICU and was on life support today while waiting for all of his family to arrive to say their good byes before the life support machine was switched off.  Sadly Terry passed away tonight.  A very big shock as he was only 55.

RIP Terry Anderson.

The high being that I went to Melbourne for the Intimo January conference. It was a very quick trip - flew over on Thursday morning and back on Friday night - but it was brilliant!  The key note speakers were very inspirational.  I have come home with goals and plans for the year ahead.  My first goal is to make it to July conference on the Gold Coast, Australia.  It's no small task as I have to make just over $38,000 in sales before the last day of June to qualify.  But I am putting little steps in place now and have broken it down into months (which isn't quite so overwhelming) so will at least give it a good go.  Fingers crossed that everyone wants new bras for the new year!

Merry Christmas From Sunny Queenstown

In Other News.....

After finally adding photos and publishing my last post, I already need to update again on all the other stuff that's been going on 'round these here parts.
Now, let me think..... ah yes, so I had a crochet lesson with our friend Lynnie a wee while ago.  I'm not very gifted in woolcraft so Lynnie had her work cut out for her (I've never really got that saying - if your work is already cut out, wouldn't that make it easier?  Apparently not).  I managed to make a baby's hat.  There are a few 'bubbles' and a 'vent hole' in the top but other than that it's perfect!  Lucky old Claire and Scott were gifted it.  I bet they are so pleased.  Ha ha. Not surprisingly, I haven't seen Quinn wear it yet. Crocheting is a lot harder than it looks.

My Intimo business has been ticking along nicely.  For the past few months I've been doing quite a few parties out in Springfield/Darfield/Sheffield area which have been very successful.  My first party out there was my personal best with just over $2000 in sales!  Result!  There are a lovely group of ladies out there - very welcoming and friendly.  And really nice community feeling.  I have another one out there next month. which will be about my 8th. 

I also qualified for the Intimo Melbourne conference during November which I am quite proud of.  $32,500 in sales since 1st January gets me a trip to the 1 day conference in Melbourne.  They are really good fun and informative apparently so I'm looking forward to it.  I also receive a box of 50, yes, 50! ex-boutique items to use as hostess incentives and gifts which I am REALLY looking forward to opening. 

I was lucky enough to receive free tickets to the Rugby in August.  It was Canterbury vs Auckland (I think!).  Averil came with me as my + one and we had a great time.  We also got a meal and drinks before the game.  The actual game was a bit boring, and there was no Richie to swoon over, but Averil won a signed jersey so we were pretty happy about that.  Something a bit different for a week night.

At the end of August Averil and Eru had their housewarming.  It was a great evening with some of their neighbours there too.  AND a new addition to the family was 8 week old Hippo - a Boxer/Lab cross puppy.  Sooooo cute and sooooo little.  I didn't even notice him for the first 10 minutes as he was fast asleep on his bed.  Plum tuckered out from all the excitement!! 

 

Claire snuck in a birthday too.  The day before a group of about 12 of us went out to the Raspberry Cafe for lunch before going daffodil picking at Hadstock Gardens in Leeston.  Fill your own bucket for $10 - bargain!!  Averil and I shared a bucket and got HEAPS of daffodils.  I took a bunch to work the next day to brighten up the office.  It's funny how people smile and liven up when they see flowers.

In September we threw a baby shower for Claire.  Mum, Kathryn, Catkin, and the girls made the trip to Chch for the weekend to join in the celebrations.  It was a great afternoon - we managed to sit outside under the gazebo and have a high-tea with cups and saucers and everything.  It was a nice way to spend the afternoon.  I hosted the Southern Bart ladies and LOVED it.  Waking up at 6am on a Saturday wasn't so bad having little people there to entertain. (or did they entertain me?)

Our Tall Poppies Intimo team had a stand at the Women's Expo this year in October.  Two full days - so we had a 2 hour slot each day to tend the stand.  One of our consultants from Rotorua came down and I hosted her.  I had met her a couple of times before and we got on like a house on fire!  Lots of laughs and wine drinking (when we weren't working) it was much fun!

I managed to get 12 leads for bookings so it was well worth it.  Gillian made a sale and got a good idea of how to do her Rotorua stall for next year. 

Richie McCaw's autobiography, 'The Open Side', came out in October and he had book signings all over Christchurch.  This was my chance!  So, with Averil as my wingman, we went to The Warehouse, Blenheim Road, at 11.15am to let him meet me.  Unfortunately so did about 2000 other people. 

Now, my plan was to meet him, tell him my name, and get a photo with him.  THEN I was going to unleash the Tap & Turn on him (ask him to kiss me on the cheek and then turn at the last minute so he actually gets my lips - an oldie, but a goodie!) but as it turned out he was signing only.  No photos. No personalised messages in the book.  Just signing.  That foiled plan A so we had to quickly move to plan B which in my mind went like this:

RM - Hi. How are you? 

DB - Good thank you Richie.  My name is Danielle.  It's lovely to meet you.

But in reality went a little something like this:

RM - Hi.  How are you?

DB - Good thanks.... (giggle giggle giggle)

The end

BUT we then went with plan B2. Seeing as we had followed the car carrying the Mighty McCaw into the car park on our arrival, we knew which one was his SO I popped one of my Intimo business cards under the window wiper so he can call me. 

..... and a little girl waits....

Also in October Claire, Scott and I got invited to an Intimo colleague's engagement party.  Averil and Eru were also invited but were away for the weekend.  Claire very kindly offered to be our sober driver (being that she is off the booze while growing a baby - very handy!).  When we arrived and read the poster on the door we realised that it wasn't an engagement party as we had been told but a WEDDING party!  Maria and Sachin had secretly got married at her Dad's house during the day.  I was blown away.  What a great surprise!  I was absolutely honoured to have been invited and SO pleased I had taken a present.  Phew!  It was a great night.  I think I was in shock for most of the night.  Good shock.  They have been together for about 12 years and only got engaged about 3 months ago but are off to live in Goa where Sachin is from, next year so wanted to get married before they went.  Unfortunately none of Sachin's family could make it over for the wedding but I am SURE there will be some celebrations when they get to Goa.

Mum and Dad came down for a weekend in November to meet their new Grandson when he was just 10 days old.  Dad seemed quite impressed with how quiet Quinn was. It was only a quick trip but so lovely to see them again.

Averil also turned another year older on 27th November so we had a little pre birthday dinner for her on the Saturday while Mum and Dad were down, and then another one on her actual birthday.  Hopefully she felt spoilt and loved.  xx

First Equal Equal Best Wedding Of The Year!

Yes, I know, Kathryn and Moo's wedding was well over a month ago.  And yes, I know I should have updated a LOT sooner.  But, can I just say, it was a fantastic day!
Kathryn looked absolutely gorgeous and Moos scrubbed up pretty well too. 
The morning was raining which is never good for a brides nerves on her outdoor wedding day.  But someone must have been watching over us as the rain stopped for the ceremony and after drink/nibbles, and then started again once we were on on our way to the reception. 
The reception was FUN!  They had hired a photo booth which was the most fun I'd had in AGES (clearly I need to get out more).  The DJ was awesome.  Everyone looked to be having a brilliant time AND I caught the bouquet!!  That's right, I'm next!! (Unless Annabelle beats me up the alter - which is actually looking quite likely).  Dear Uncle Bryan came up to me afterwards and said he wanted to be the first to congratulate me. Ha ha.  Bless.
The whole night was a blast.  Thanks Kitten and Moos for having such a great excuse for us all to get together again and throwing a fantastic party!  xx

I'll let the photos tell the beautiful story.....

Welcome To The World, Wee Man

I'm so very, very proud and happy to announce that Claire and Scott became parents to Quinn Lethaby yesterday and 5.50pm.  Quinn weighed in at 6lb9oz and is absolutely gorgeous!
Claire did an amazing job and Scott looks as pleased as punch.

Averil and I, being the doting Aunties, went up to the hospital after work to sit and wait and could hear the effort Claire was making.  It sounded like a LOT of hard work.  We were silently cheering her on and then gave out a big 'Whoop whoop' when we heard the baby cry.  Such an exciting time for us.  Such an exhausting time for the parents!

We were delighted and honoured to get to meet Quinn when he was less than an hour old.  He is perfect!  So small, and so beautiful.  He slept the whole time while cuddling with his Aunties.

So proud of you Claire - you are a star!!
xx