Up early this morning, and after a quick call to Cathy at Harvey Rentals off to Paraparaumu Beach to sort out the cottage rental. We got it all sorted in a couple of hours, mainly because we had brought most of the stuff we’d need for references etc.

Hurrah! We’re now sorted to take over the keys on Wed 25 Nov!! A six month contract with a rolling monthly rental after that. Not too bad a cost either – $260 a week. Considering where it is, how close it is to the sea and where we wanted to be, it’s brill!

Cathy very kindly let me use their phone to sort out the power connections and telephone/broadband stuff for the cottage. We then started to look in earnest for furniture and stuff. She also mentioned rentals place for a fridge/freezer and washing machine. Just as well! The white goods over here are quite expensive compared to the UK!!I gave MrRentals a ring and he promised a ring back with a cost for a 6 month rental at 12 month rental discounts – nice man…………

We’d popped in to the Sally Army “”Family Shop”” over the weekend to have a look at a settee, but it had been sold. As it turned out, there was a better one inside the shop, so we paid up front for it and arranged for a delivery on Thursday. At least we’ll have somewhere to sit! Setting up a house on a budget is the theme for today – at least until I get a job and we get some regular money coming in!

Quick trips to the Warehouse, Briscoes and Stationery Warehouse to start buying what we need to set up the cottage. Then back down to Wellington to do the same – found a Poundstretcher lookalike, called the $2 Shop which proved to be a goldmine for cheap stuff to set us up for a couple of months.