There was ice on the car this morning at 6am. The moon was still up, the sky was totally clear and there was no wind.
The helicopters were out and the wind machines were working too.
My tomatoes still do not have an air machine. Hope they survive!
I have a cucumber plant but I have not put it out yet. Maybe next weekend.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
28th October – a fire in Ballyhome
Phoned this evening and learned that there had been an early morning (1am) fire at my parents’ house on Saturday. One room has been badly damaged but everyone escaped safely. It could have been much worse....
.... not a good time to be so far from home.
.... not a good time to be so far from home.
28th October – 24th wedding anniversary
We went out for a lovely lunch at a restaurant in the Clearview Vineyard on the way to Cape Kidnappers. If any of you readers come to visit, we may take you there!!!!
26th October – Spring evening in Napier
I arrived home about 8pm to the sun setting over the western ranges with the full moon rising out of the Pacific to the east. The skylarks were still singing and the crickets were out. A warm evening! Much better weather than Wellington!
26th October - politicians in harmony
It was interesting to read about Northern Irelander politicians in harmony in the Assembly. I see they are thinking of freezing rates. They will have to freeze them for about 25 years to bring them down to New Zealander levels. Our rates for a 4 bedroom house with lots of space outside is less than $1,000… that is about 370 UK pounds at current rate. We have much less officialdom here. Our rates bill is itemised to price each service we are provided including bin emptying and a recycling service.
Talking of politicians in harmony, an NZ government minister punched an MP from the opposition outside the parliamentary chamber this week. He is probably going to lose his job in the Cabinet reshuffle next week.
They could learn something from the Assembly after all!!!!
Talking of politicians in harmony, an NZ government minister punched an MP from the opposition outside the parliamentary chamber this week. He is probably going to lose his job in the Cabinet reshuffle next week.
They could learn something from the Assembly after all!!!!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
25th October – California on fire
Looking at the news of California burning takes us back to our road trip down the coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles last November.
California was very dry even then.
California was very dry even then.
Wednesday 24th October - the Causeway story/saga
I am following the Causeway visitor centre story on the BBC website. I remember hearing the early morning news of the fire which burnt down the previous visitor centre. It would have been easy for Moyle Council to rebuild a similar building within a year … end of story…. NOT!
It is amazing that the saga continues and is now involving the reverent doctor and his son!
Why not build the new visitor centre in Bushmills – maybe on the McNaughton estate and transport people to the Causeway from there? This would provide an income for the locals and not spoil the coastline.
Another option is Portrush and then they could build a tramway to the Causeway. What about that? Three tourist attractions in one!
The story continues about an Irish giant and his son....
Will the final story be as believable as the one about Finn McCool?
It is amazing that the saga continues and is now involving the reverent doctor and his son!
Why not build the new visitor centre in Bushmills – maybe on the McNaughton estate and transport people to the Causeway from there? This would provide an income for the locals and not spoil the coastline.
Another option is Portrush and then they could build a tramway to the Causeway. What about that? Three tourist attractions in one!
The story continues about an Irish giant and his son....
Will the final story be as believable as the one about Finn McCool?
Monday 22nd October – Labour holiday
J went off golfing with three of his friends today. He got new (man-size) golf clubs for his birthday and is keen to try them out.
R and I went on a garden tour of the locality. Villages in Hawkes Bay have weekends with open gardens for charity at this time of year and it was the turn of Puketapu, 2 miles away from our home. Some of the gardens were spectacular and covered more space than our paddock. The owners must spend all their time gardening! The gardens were doubly surprising because Puketapu was right in the centre of the rain bomb which hit in mid-July, mentioned below. The gardeners had been very busy in the last 3 months!
I did not achieve as much as I wanted this weekend but it was more relaxing having the extra day!.
We still have lots of boxes to empty.
R has still to find her salt and pepper set
R and I went on a garden tour of the locality. Villages in Hawkes Bay have weekends with open gardens for charity at this time of year and it was the turn of Puketapu, 2 miles away from our home. Some of the gardens were spectacular and covered more space than our paddock. The owners must spend all their time gardening! The gardens were doubly surprising because Puketapu was right in the centre of the rain bomb which hit in mid-July, mentioned below. The gardeners had been very busy in the last 3 months!
I did not achieve as much as I wanted this weekend but it was more relaxing having the extra day!.
We still have lots of boxes to empty.
R has still to find her salt and pepper set
Saturday 20th October – a new painting
Aunt Jean presented us with a painting she had done from a photograph I had given her in July. The photograph appears on my blog for mid –June. (See below)
I had taken photographs of the snow covered Kaweka range in mid-June as they looked spectacular and so out of place in warm Hawkes Bay.
Little did I know then that we would have a similar view of the Kawekas from the garden of our new home!!!
So the painting is doubly special!!!!!!
I had taken photographs of the snow covered Kaweka range in mid-June as they looked spectacular and so out of place in warm Hawkes Bay.
Little did I know then that we would have a similar view of the Kawekas from the garden of our new home!!!
So the painting is doubly special!!!!!!
Saturday 20th October – J’s birthday
J is growing fast. He is now taller than R and I notice him growing between weekends. He is 14, becoming a young man and will be able to drive a car on the New Zealand roads in a year if the law does not change. Changes are going through NZ parliament at the minute to try and up the driving age to 16. I hope they succeed before this time next year. More young people would be alive if the driving age was 18 or 19 or 20….
Because it was a longer weekend J and I decided to drive to Cambridge on Saturday and pick up the last of our stuff at Uncle Jim and Aunt Jean’s. We left after watching France lose to Argentina again and arrived in Karapiro for lunch. Cousin Jamie arrived in mid-afternoon, the first time we had seen him since we arrived in NZ last November. Jamie had his girls, Rose and Helena with him. Their mother is in Cyprus with her sister who is very ill.
Because it was a longer weekend J and I decided to drive to Cambridge on Saturday and pick up the last of our stuff at Uncle Jim and Aunt Jean’s. We left after watching France lose to Argentina again and arrived in Karapiro for lunch. Cousin Jamie arrived in mid-afternoon, the first time we had seen him since we arrived in NZ last November. Jamie had his girls, Rose and Helena with him. Their mother is in Cyprus with her sister who is very ill.
Friday 19th October – Labour weekend.
I travelled home early today as it is Labour Weekend, with a Monday bank holiday. I got home in daylight in time to see the snow on the near hills. There had been a cool southerly blowing on Thursday night and it had snowed on the hills about 10 miles inland, the first time I had seen snow on them since July.
It was noisy on Friday night as the air was still and cold so the local orchards and vineyard managers had helicopters up to keep the air moving. If frost hits their fruit or grapes in spring it will impact their earnings for the year. Some orchards have wind machines and these are turned on too. So cold nights in Hawkes Bay can be noisy! This process can go on right through summer until the fruit is picked!
We will need to buy a fan for the tomatoes.
It was noisy on Friday night as the air was still and cold so the local orchards and vineyard managers had helicopters up to keep the air moving. If frost hits their fruit or grapes in spring it will impact their earnings for the year. Some orchards have wind machines and these are turned on too. So cold nights in Hawkes Bay can be noisy! This process can go on right through summer until the fruit is picked!
We will need to buy a fan for the tomatoes.
17th October - terrorism arrives in NZ
This week NZ police arrested about 20 people on the pretext that they were about to start an IRA-style terrorist campaign with guns and bombs.
Most of the arrests were in the north east of the North Island between Whakatane and Gisborne where a maori tribe wants to set up a separate state.
Terrorism in the north east of an island.... sounds familiar!
Most of the arrests were in the north east of the North Island between Whakatane and Gisborne where a maori tribe wants to set up a separate state.
Terrorism in the north east of an island.... sounds familiar!
16th October - first Christmas trees
I saw Christmas trees this evening in a shop window on Lambdon Quay ( Wellington's main shopping street ). 16th October is a bit early for Christmas, but the weather in Wellington is entirely appropriate for seeing Christmas trees... cold, wet and windy.
16th October - Water Quality
Our water is pumped from a bore in the paddock. It passes through a filter system before going to the taps in the house but we think it is not being cleaned properly. Tea and coffee tastes wrong.
Our first renovation project this week has been to get an engineer to replace the filter system with one more suited to the house size. He also installed a purification system under the kitchen sink to provide clean drinking water.
Now tea and coffee are better
Our first renovation project this week has been to get an engineer to replace the filter system with one more suited to the house size. He also installed a purification system under the kitchen sink to provide clean drinking water.
Now tea and coffee are better
Eden Park
The discussion on where the Rugby World Cup 2011 final will be played has been going on since we arrived in NZ last November. Outsiders would have assumed that this would have been sorted before New Zealand was awarded the opportunity to hold the RWC in 2011. Apparently not. And the rugby bigwigs expect Auckland Council and the Government to stump up for the improvements required to their main ground at Eden Park in Auckland.
They need to sort out soon what they will do as 2011 is not that far away… and Wembley took ages to finish!
They need to sort out soon what they will do as 2011 is not that far away… and Wembley took ages to finish!
15th October - elections voting & results
Voting for the local councils finished this weekend. Voting is by post and lasts for a 3 week period. We did not know we could have registered to vote until we received voter registration forms last Friday. I thought we would have had to have citizenship to vote here. Funnily we also received our registration forms for overseas voting in Northern Ireland on Friday… so we will have votes in the elections of 2 countries on opposite sides of the world!
Voter turnout is about 40%... so poor interest in local elections. Voters get to choose councillors, mayors and district health board (DHB) representatives. The mayor sits for the term of the council and cannot be removed by the councillors.
There are 21 DHB’s in New Zealand – that averages one for each 200,000 people. Each DHB looks after all health care and is funded centrally by the Ministry of Health. Because of the sparse population outside of the main centres some DHB’s cover huge geographic areas. There are arguments here just like in Northern Ireland about hospitals closing, lack of doctors,nurses & specialists and the waste on administration. I expect the number of DHB’s will be reduced in the near future.
The new mayor of Auckland has said immediately that he is not going to spend council money on the extension of Eden Park for the Rugby World Cup in 4 years opening up the possibility of the final being played in Wellington or Christchurch. Mayors have more power here!
Voter turnout is about 40%... so poor interest in local elections. Voters get to choose councillors, mayors and district health board (DHB) representatives. The mayor sits for the term of the council and cannot be removed by the councillors.
There are 21 DHB’s in New Zealand – that averages one for each 200,000 people. Each DHB looks after all health care and is funded centrally by the Ministry of Health. Because of the sparse population outside of the main centres some DHB’s cover huge geographic areas. There are arguments here just like in Northern Ireland about hospitals closing, lack of doctors,nurses & specialists and the waste on administration. I expect the number of DHB’s will be reduced in the near future.
The new mayor of Auckland has said immediately that he is not going to spend council money on the extension of Eden Park for the Rugby World Cup in 4 years opening up the possibility of the final being played in Wellington or Christchurch. Mayors have more power here!
13th October – second cut of grass
The grass is growing rapidly in our paddock. The shock of the first cut last week was not enough to slow it down. J and I took about 3 hours to tidy it up…much easier. We are looking forward to the dry season after Christmas when growth slows down!
I planted some tomatoes and R planted some corn in the vegetable patch. The tomatoes are just planted out in the garden and hopefully it is warm enough at night for them to survive.
As I dug the vegetable patch, I found small peach trees growing from seed so we possibly have at least one peach tree alongside the vegetables. We also have lemons and limes growing alongside the vegetable patch. There is another citrus tree which may be oranges.
It was 29 degrees in Hastings & Napier today…. Nearly too hot to be gardening!!!!
I planted some tomatoes and R planted some corn in the vegetable patch. The tomatoes are just planted out in the garden and hopefully it is warm enough at night for them to survive.
As I dug the vegetable patch, I found small peach trees growing from seed so we possibly have at least one peach tree alongside the vegetables. We also have lemons and limes growing alongside the vegetable patch. There is another citrus tree which may be oranges.
It was 29 degrees in Hastings & Napier today…. Nearly too hot to be gardening!!!!
7th – 12th October - Rugby World Cup despair
When NZ lost the match to France in Cardiff the entire populace went into national mourning. They had been let to expect that the RWC would be coming back with their team on 21st October! A good week not to be a New Zealander!!!!! On the 7th there was blanket coverage in the news…. usually the first 15 minutes devoted to the loss. Each conversation has to involve talk about the loss. They certainly have things out of perspective here!
J had his leg pulled way back in February by some of his teachers about Ireland having no chance in the RWC especially as they could meet NZ in the Cardiff match. He certainly enjoyed going in on Monday and mentioning the match to those teachers!!!!!
At the start of 2007, NZers expected to be winning the Americas Cup and the Rugby World Cup. Now they have neither.
J had his leg pulled way back in February by some of his teachers about Ireland having no chance in the RWC especially as they could meet NZ in the Cardiff match. He certainly enjoyed going in on Monday and mentioning the match to those teachers!!!!!
At the start of 2007, NZers expected to be winning the Americas Cup and the Rugby World Cup. Now they have neither.
Saturday 6th October – new lawn-mower
We bought a new ride-on mower last weekend. It was delivered on Monday and J had been impatiently waiting all week for me to return from Wellington to try it out. We spent the most of Saturday in our paddock taming the grass. Hopefully in future we will spend less time mowing!!!! J certainly enjoyed the experience… it is his first ‘car’. I could not have done the work on my own. It needs the two of us to manage the property!!!
The paddock is about 2.5 acres in size. It is bordered on one side by 200 small Christmas trees which the previous owners (POs) planted as a cash crop. I think J will have to manage the selling of these in his early school summer holidays in the two weeks before Christmas!
We also have 24 pine trees in the paddock. They were planted by the POs to harvest the pine-nuts to sell to health food shops. Before they ripen we will need to research how to deal with pine-nuts!!!!! …. something to Google!!!!
We also have fruit trees on the house side of the paddock… they may be apples or pears or peaches. They are in bloom at the moment but no leaves out yet. I expect we will have to wait until fruit appears before we know what we have!
So in the middle we have about 2 acres of grass… J is keen to keep sheep or goats or calves or alpacas or pigs but they all require time and management… I would prefer to plant the area in fruit trees instead but somewhere along the way we will have to compromise. One of his friends is a boy from Birmingham, England. That family are keeping sheep in their paddock so there is a lot of pressure to replicate that situation!
The paddock is about 2.5 acres in size. It is bordered on one side by 200 small Christmas trees which the previous owners (POs) planted as a cash crop. I think J will have to manage the selling of these in his early school summer holidays in the two weeks before Christmas!
We also have 24 pine trees in the paddock. They were planted by the POs to harvest the pine-nuts to sell to health food shops. Before they ripen we will need to research how to deal with pine-nuts!!!!! …. something to Google!!!!
We also have fruit trees on the house side of the paddock… they may be apples or pears or peaches. They are in bloom at the moment but no leaves out yet. I expect we will have to wait until fruit appears before we know what we have!
So in the middle we have about 2 acres of grass… J is keen to keep sheep or goats or calves or alpacas or pigs but they all require time and management… I would prefer to plant the area in fruit trees instead but somewhere along the way we will have to compromise. One of his friends is a boy from Birmingham, England. That family are keeping sheep in their paddock so there is a lot of pressure to replicate that situation!
September / October – weather
Most days in Hawkes Bay range in temperatures from 20 to 30degrees. Very fine spring weather! The apple trees are now coming into bloom and the grape vines into leaf. There are organised coach tours of the orchards in springtime to see the apple blossom… much like the tours of County Armagh apple country but with good weather!
Unfortunately the grass in our paddock is growing rapidly and we need a lawnmower soon!!!!!!
Unfortunately the grass in our paddock is growing rapidly and we need a lawnmower soon!!!!!!
30th September – Ireland and Rugby World Cup
Ireland are out of the Rugby World Cup. They did not really look like a team that believed they could win. Argentina really wants to prove a point to the Southern hemisphere teams. Ireland have missed their best chance in many years to impress. Next time in New Zealand will be much more difficult! I think Ireland always expected to be playing New Zealand in Cardiff and the team though that they did not have any hope of advancing beyond that so just gave up.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
16th September - Uncle Robert 50 years
Uncle Robert and Aunt Margaret are celebrating 50 years of their family in New Zealand.
They arrived in September 1957.
We had been hoping to go up to Thames for the party but it was too far (a 10 hour round trip) considering how exhausted we were with organising the house.
They arrived in September 1957.
We had been hoping to go up to Thames for the party but it was too far (a 10 hour round trip) considering how exhausted we were with organising the house.
14th, 15th September - emptying boxes
Returned home on Friday evening and spent all of Saturday organising boxes….
Only opened a few… trying to find necessities.
It will take months to find and organise everything again….
Next time we travel/move it will be with much less!!!!!
Only opened a few… trying to find necessities.
It will take months to find and organise everything again….
Next time we travel/move it will be with much less!!!!!
7th September - new HOME
R picked up the new house keys from the solicitor on Friday morning. She moved some boxes from the Apartment during the day.
I took an early flight home from Wellington in the afternoon and helped move some boxes but we stayed a final night in the apartment as our beds were being delivered on Saturday morning.
J & I went over early to take delivery of the beds but they had already been delivered and were stacked up at the front of the house!
Over the remainder of Saturday, we moved the rest of the boxes. We had arrived in New Zealand and Napier with 2 suitcases each but we had accumulated much more since then.
First night sleeping in new home was Saturday night. We woke to huge volume of sound from the birdsong in the surrounding trees and shrubs. Some of the shrubs obviously suit nectar feeders as we have several varieties of nectar feeding birds including tuis!
Monday was spent organising the rooms before delivery of all our furniture, clothes and other stuff on Tuesday.
The delivery truck arrived about 8.45am and they were unloaded by 3pm!!! Much faster than the loading process in Parkgate!!!!!
Our garage is full of at least 60 white boxes all vaguely labelled. The process of unpacking is very daunting at this stage! When you travel this far and exist on the contents of 2 suitcases plus some extras for just under a year, it is a big change to be faced with the responsibility for the remainder of your possessions again!
Most stuff was undamaged… my golf clubs were lost during the cleaning process in Auckland and never found. Some of the furniture was dented but it was mostly ok. Two of my woodworking machines were damaged and I will have to get replacement bits from the manufacturer in Switzerland. Some of the kitchenware, like the coffee-maker seem to be bleached by heat/light. Possibly the container was cooked as it crossed the equator. Maybe it was on top of the boat!! !
All in all not too bad for travelling so far and being in storage in Auckland for 9 months.
Unfortunately I had to return to work on Wednesday 12th. Very frustrating when there is so much to unpack!
I took an early flight home from Wellington in the afternoon and helped move some boxes but we stayed a final night in the apartment as our beds were being delivered on Saturday morning.
J & I went over early to take delivery of the beds but they had already been delivered and were stacked up at the front of the house!
Over the remainder of Saturday, we moved the rest of the boxes. We had arrived in New Zealand and Napier with 2 suitcases each but we had accumulated much more since then.
First night sleeping in new home was Saturday night. We woke to huge volume of sound from the birdsong in the surrounding trees and shrubs. Some of the shrubs obviously suit nectar feeders as we have several varieties of nectar feeding birds including tuis!
Monday was spent organising the rooms before delivery of all our furniture, clothes and other stuff on Tuesday.
The delivery truck arrived about 8.45am and they were unloaded by 3pm!!! Much faster than the loading process in Parkgate!!!!!
Our garage is full of at least 60 white boxes all vaguely labelled. The process of unpacking is very daunting at this stage! When you travel this far and exist on the contents of 2 suitcases plus some extras for just under a year, it is a big change to be faced with the responsibility for the remainder of your possessions again!
Most stuff was undamaged… my golf clubs were lost during the cleaning process in Auckland and never found. Some of the furniture was dented but it was mostly ok. Two of my woodworking machines were damaged and I will have to get replacement bits from the manufacturer in Switzerland. Some of the kitchenware, like the coffee-maker seem to be bleached by heat/light. Possibly the container was cooked as it crossed the equator. Maybe it was on top of the boat!! !
All in all not too bad for travelling so far and being in storage in Auckland for 9 months.
Unfortunately I had to return to work on Wednesday 12th. Very frustrating when there is so much to unpack!
10,11 August - cousin John in Napier
I flew up from Wellington on last flight on Friday evening. I did not realise that my cousin, John, was on same flight seated at back of the plane. He had seen me but was not sure I was his cousin.
Anyway he phoned us on Saturday morning to say that he was in Napier with wife Jo and their 2 younger daughters for a regional gymnastics event over the weekend. The girls had driven down from Auckland.
We met up with them for a meal in Napier on the Saturday evening…. Another family reunion!
Hopefully we will recognise each other next time we share a flight!
Anyway he phoned us on Saturday morning to say that he was in Napier with wife Jo and their 2 younger daughters for a regional gymnastics event over the weekend. The girls had driven down from Auckland.
We met up with them for a meal in Napier on the Saturday evening…. Another family reunion!
Hopefully we will recognise each other next time we share a flight!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
August - early springtime in Hawkes Bay
Spring comes early in Hawkes Bay.
For us it is strange to see daffodils and cherry blossom in August. This part of New Zealand has a very early spring. Wellington is definitely much colder and probably about 6 weeks behind Hawkes Bay.
In Hawkes Bay, most deciduous trees are not yet in leaf but the weeping willows are showing a hint of green.
The pink almond blossom is lovely too. The first time I have ever seen it. We have 2 almond trees at our new house and they are just covered in pink.
For us it is strange to see daffodils and cherry blossom in August. This part of New Zealand has a very early spring. Wellington is definitely much colder and probably about 6 weeks behind Hawkes Bay.
In Hawkes Bay, most deciduous trees are not yet in leaf but the weeping willows are showing a hint of green.
The pink almond blossom is lovely too. The first time I have ever seen it. We have 2 almond trees at our new house and they are just covered in pink.
August and a house agreed for purchase
We finally agree with vendor on a purchase price for a lifestyle property on northern side of Napier. It is less than 10 minutes from Napier and J's school. The school bus stop is 5 minutes from the house.
The property is 1.5 hectares or 3.5 acres. It sits atop a hill and has about 1 acre planted in trees and shrubs. The remainder is grass which J wants to use to keep sheep! The present owner keeps the grass cut short and it has a parkland feel. It is a lot of lawnmowing though!
We have 3 weeks to get all our surveys done and finalise contract.
Possession date is 7th September.
The property is 1.5 hectares or 3.5 acres. It sits atop a hill and has about 1 acre planted in trees and shrubs. The remainder is grass which J wants to use to keep sheep! The present owner keeps the grass cut short and it has a parkland feel. It is a lot of lawnmowing though!
We have 3 weeks to get all our surveys done and finalise contract.
Possession date is 7th September.
Winter weather - July
Hawkes Bay was hit by a rain bomb on 17th July. Some areas has 4-5 inches of rain in a couple of hours. It caused extensive flooding out near Puketapu where we are looking at a possible house to buy.
We drove out to see the area and view the water levels at their highest. Fortunately out potential house was still accessible... so good sign for future. It did have a huge new lake just below it though, so plenty of space for ducks and other waterfowl!
The wet weather had killed lots of lambs and sheep. The new born lambs had not survived the cold and the hillsides were spotted with white dots of the dead. Probably hundreds of lambs and sheep died as a result of the 'rain bomb'.
Some farmers are in despair after suffering the long drought to have been hit with this tragedy within a month of the drought ending.
We drove out to see the area and view the water levels at their highest. Fortunately out potential house was still accessible... so good sign for future. It did have a huge new lake just below it though, so plenty of space for ducks and other waterfowl!
The wet weather had killed lots of lambs and sheep. The new born lambs had not survived the cold and the hillsides were spotted with white dots of the dead. Probably hundreds of lambs and sheep died as a result of the 'rain bomb'.
Some farmers are in despair after suffering the long drought to have been hit with this tragedy within a month of the drought ending.
23rd July - new job
Flew down to Wellington from Napier to start new job.
I am taking over from contractor who is leaving on Friday. So busy week making sure I get as much information from him.
I am taking over from contractor who is leaving on Friday. So busy week making sure I get as much information from him.
20th July - NZ basketball
J & I went along on Friday evening to local sports arena in Taradale to see NZ play Venezuela at basketball. First time we had seen a basketball match.
J enjoyed the evening and wants to take it up at school next year.
NZ won by about 15 points.
J enjoyed the evening and wants to take it up at school next year.
NZ won by about 15 points.
12-14th July NZ Schools Orienteering in Christchurch
I travelled with J's school as a parent supervisor to Christchurch for the NZ schools orienteering champs. We flew from Palmerston North to Christchurch on Thurs morning.
Arrived in Christchurch on lovely sunny afternoon. Bit cold for 12th July and did not see any parades!
We stayed in lodge in holiday village.
On Friday was inividuals competition. J came a close second in his event. Not bad for first year in event, coming second in New Zealand!
Saturday was the team event. The team of 3 run different routes and the shorted time for full team is winner. J's team won that event and J's school was top boys school in New Zealand.
Cousin Kate and second cousin Lucy came along to meet us at the event on Saturday. A family reunion!
Arrived in Christchurch on lovely sunny afternoon. Bit cold for 12th July and did not see any parades!
We stayed in lodge in holiday village.
On Friday was inividuals competition. J came a close second in his event. Not bad for first year in event, coming second in New Zealand!
Saturday was the team event. The team of 3 run different routes and the shorted time for full team is winner. J's team won that event and J's school was top boys school in New Zealand.
Cousin Kate and second cousin Lucy came along to meet us at the event on Saturday. A family reunion!
10,11 July - Mt Ruapehu in winter
We drove over from Napier to Mt Ruapehu. on morning of 10th.
J wanted to see the ski fields on the mountain and possibly try skiing. Unfortunately when we got there the ski fields were closed. There was a southerly gale blowing. We drove up the mountain as far as we could but when we got out of the car could hardly stand up in the strong wind. First snow we had been close to in a long time! Better luck next time.
We stayed overnight in Ohakune ('carrot town' because home of NZ carrots) and drove back to Napier through Taupo on 11th.
J wanted to see the ski fields on the mountain and possibly try skiing. Unfortunately when we got there the ski fields were closed. There was a southerly gale blowing. We drove up the mountain as far as we could but when we got out of the car could hardly stand up in the strong wind. First snow we had been close to in a long time! Better luck next time.
We stayed overnight in Ohakune ('carrot town' because home of NZ carrots) and drove back to Napier through Taupo on 11th.
a job offer - 3rd July
I had a telephone interview today by a government department in Wellington. It lasted 40 minutes. They phoned me back 2 hours later and offered me a job....
WOW!!!
WOW!!!
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