another year

It's 6 months and 1 day since I last wrote here. So a few changes!

Time for an update on happenings... It's the 4th anniversary of arriving in NZ.

This is the start of year 5 and hopefully better things.

I am now working in Auckland... commuting here Monday to Friday... just finishing my 10th week here... initial contract finishes on 31st March but I would like it to continue.

J completes his last year 12 exams on Friday. Prize-day is on Friday 10th December. J will be getting the prize for Geography in his year. He has been made a prefect a term early. Next year is his final year. On Saturday 11th Dec., J is heading to Northern Ireland for a month. His choice to spend Christmas in the cold!

R is finishing teaching on 10th December and will be on summer holiday until late January.

Hawke's Bay has had much rain over winter and we have plentiful grass on the section. Probably too much for 5 young steers but that is good in Hawke's Bay!

All the vegetation on our property has grown well. The larger trees are becoming problems and I need to spend time over Christmas pruning a few of them.

Key point. My grape vine is producing lots of fruit so looking forward to a harvest in February/March.

We have a new cat. Photos will be posted in due course. The cat was desperately needed because of a mouse invasion over winter. Floods in the valleys drove them uphill to our house. He enjoyed catching them and bringing them live into the house to play!

There's lots more news but that's all for now.


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