Autumn mists and fruitfulness!

Hi Everyone,

A rather poetic title, perhaps, but it will not be long before we change the clocks back for the winter and the weather has definitely changed for the worse - it has been a fair bit colder.  The sun has still been shining though, as you can see from the photo.  I have had a very busy time recently - went with Sarah and the boys and friends, Louise, Brent, Gillian, Eddie and Josh to Banks Peninsula where we stayed in a bach at Wainui, across the water from Akaroa.  Matt had to work that weekend!!  The boys tried their hand at fishing - no luck, while I mostly chatted.  Quite a surprise to you all, I know!

We returned home on my birthday and I received the best-ever present from the NZ Government - my residency.  Didn't stop smiling for at least 24 hours.  Now am getting my head around the tax system and new rules and regulations.  The passport now holds the new visa and I can go on holiday when I want - not when I am forced to.  Very happy!!!

I then had a lovely few days in Auckland with Margaret C, who was over from the UK visiting with Sarah, Simon, Jack and Millie.  More talking - it was great to see you all!  The weather wasn't too flash but also not so humid as the last time I was there.

It has been good to meet with Diane and Terry again - also here from the UK visiting family.

The family is well. Sarah and Matt's house has been sold and the new house is progressing well so moving in next month - so exciting for them.  Joe and Ben are getting into the swing of Soccer and Rugby seasons. Kate and Roy's house-remodelling is going to plan, floors done and windows being made - the kitchen will be the last bit on the agenda.  Scout camp for them all this weekend.  Annie and Malc still waiting for repairs to their house, as am I.  Olive did a wheelathon to help raise money for Kindy - she enjoyed it so much that she has done it again, although for free this time.  Elliot almost crawling and definitely wants to be walking.  Quick!  get the house toddler-proofed!!

I trust that you are all keeping well and that the Spring has well and truly sprung.  Time for you to get out in the garden and enjoy some warm sunshine.  Almost the equinox now so downhill for us to winter.  Do take care, everyone, and thanks for keeping in touch.

Love to you all, from Carol xxx

Sandcastles and kites!

Hi Everyone,

What a beautiful, albeit windy, day for the "Inaugural New Zealand Sandcastle Competition".  This should have been the second but the first, planned for last year, was cancelled by the earthquake!

Tomorrow it will be the families' turn as today's participants included teams from the USA who are pretty professional.  They complete the task with copious amounts of water - using buckets, garden sprays, watering cans and wheelbarrows.  Their buckets and spades are garden-sized.

                                     

The kites looked lovely against the blue sky and this is one of the most colourful.

Two of my favourite sandcastles were these seals and King Neptune.  It will be interesting to see who wins.
Neptune was built by one man on his own and you can see what a grand job he has made of it.

Well, that's it for today.  I MAY let you know the winning entry tomorrow but will leave you with a final photo of this giant dog, so it's 'goodbye from me and goodbye from him!!'

With love to all from Carol xxx

                                   

Christmas 2011

Hi Everyone; and very best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year.

I did intend to only send my good wishes but Mother Nature (curse her) intervened on Friday and gave us some very big remainders that she is still in charge.  Our fingers had been crossed that everything was settling down, but No!  The whole family was together except for Roy who was still at work.  We were at Joe and Ben's school pool having a picnic and swim (the grandchildren! - bit cold for us cowards).  A biggie struck and caused a mini tsunami in the pool.  Exciting!!!  Came home to another bigger one that threw me to the ground - OK it was more of a graceful settling onto the floor and no hurt sustained.  Bookcase over (AGAIN) and pantry contents on the floor.  Luckily not too much broke this time but vinegar, smoked garlic sauce and drinking chocolate powder makes a nice crust on the tiles.  Add to the mess rice and bird seed.  Still, the water, electricity and sewerage working so clean up possible (later).  I went to Sarah's and we had an impromptu barbecue with neighbours.  Lovely.

Anyway, very lucky - bookcases now fixed to the wall (thanks Malc) and although quakes continue and are a nuisance at night as they keep me awake, we have got off lightly.  The Student Army and the Farmy Army have been mobilised again to help to clear liquefaction in the area.  Nigel and Carole are visiting from Suffolk and Nigel was interviewed by Mark Murphy on Radio Suffolk after he emailed him about the quakes.  Fame at last!

We had a great Xmas - the sun shone and we ate in Annie and Malc's garden (15 round the table!)  Sarah's pavlova was a triumph - better than Nigella's!  We strolled to the beach and someone had brought their xmas tree, complete with decorations.  It was a bit blowy by then as you can see by the top of the tree.  Ash and Indie played Christmas Carols on the decorated piano that music students have placed near the beach where a building has been demolished - Gap Fillers - there are several around the city.  Fun!

It was Elliot's first xmas so here is a photo of him taken at the pool on Friday.  I have been trying to get a photo of all the grandchildren together, so maybe I will achieve that in 2012.

To finish - love and best wishes to all.

Carol xxx

There and back again ------ AGAIN!

Hi Everyone,

Just back from yet another enforced holiday (courtesy of Immigration - the holiday, not the cost of it!!)  This time in Melbourne, and just in case you haven't realised that Xmas will soon be upon us, the first photo is of the Santa mail box.  Oh no, I forgot to post MY letter!  Hopefully, this is the last time I will HAVE to leave the country as I have a case worker!  Yippee!  The residency application is going through the preliminary assessment so I am waiting for contact.  Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly (and quickly).

My other good news is that the Earthquake Commission have, at last, inspected my house for damage and it is mainly cosmetic.  New tiles, a complete re-decoration and doors and windows adjusted.  Now when this will be completed is anyone's guess.  My immediate neighbour is not so lucky as her house has to be demolished and re-built!

Melbourne was nice as I met a friend, Wynn, who I knew in England and we visited one of the parks where the following photo was taken.  It is of Captain Cook's (parent's) cottage - bet you didn't even know that it had been moved from England, did you?  It was brought over to Australia and reassembled, brick by brick, in 1934.  Apparently it came from Marton in Yorkshire, now a suburb of Middlesbrough.  That is the end of today's history lesson!

While I was in Melbourne I visited a wildlife sanctuary where the next photo was taken.  I love koalas - they look so cuddly!  These were very sweet - and awake!

You really have to be aware of the next animals!  Very dangerous!

There are many of these about and they are very noisy.  Melbourne has about 4 million inhabitants and hundreds of buses and trams trundling about.  I began to wonder what was wrong with me as whenever I stopped walking the ground shook - just like Christchurch!  When I was near the tram-lines I knew what it was but it took a while to realise that there was an underground railway as well!!  That explained the shaking ground.

So, I am very glad to be home again.  The family is well, apart from the persistent coughs that we all seem to have.  Baby Elliot is 6 months old today - how time flies.  He is delightful (and no, I am in no way biased!)  Much!  The other children are looking forward to the summer holidays - only 3 weeks left of school after the end of this one.  In case I do not get around to sending Xmas greetings in time, I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Lots of love, Carol xx

New Beginnings!

 Hi Everyone,

Just a very quick blog before I head off AGAIN to foreign climes - Melbourne this time.  Yet another enforced holiday!!!!  by courtesy of Immigration (not, of course, that they are paying for it)  Perish the thought!

I went by bus (first time since March!) to the newly opened part of the city centre.  Much of it is still fenced off with many buildings demolished or waiting for the wrecking ball.  It was quite emotional initially.  Cashel Mall was more or less destroyed in February and the first retail outlets have opened, housed in shipping containers.  They are so bright and cheerful, especially in the sunshine, that it was easy to feel more positive.

The city still has a long way to go but this is a start. They have begun bus trips around the red zone today - not sure I am ready for that.  There are so few reference points to recognise - just empty spaces.

It was Olive's 4th birthday this week and she has her party tomorrow.  November 5th today so I may just take a stroll to the beach this evening to see the fireworks.  It won't be properly dark until 9pm.  Sarah and Matts' house building has begun and they hope to be in some time in February!  This week is our equivalent of the Suffolk Show and I am going on Thursday with school.  Hope it is fine.

More news when I get back from Australia.  Until then, take car.
With love Carol xxx

Gone West (and back again)

Hi Everyone,

Hope that you are all well and have enjoyed some sunshine this summer. Two dumps of snow down to sea-level in 3 weeks was a bit much, I felt. A view not shared by the younger members of the family, surprisingly! One of the olive trees fell down in the last "arctic event" so I have been busy cutting it up. A fair bit of garden re-organisation this year, I guess.

A fair few sore throats around within the family but I have survived so far. It is meant to be Spring and another cold snap is due. As long as the sky is blue I can survive (and the heating of course). We change the clocks in a couple of weeks so it will feel like summer is coming. Sorry folks - that means the opposite for you all over there.

Rain forest, Nile River.

World Cup fever abounds (Rugby for those not into the sport.) No games here in Christchurch, obviously, but there is a Fanzone for those who want it. Now who am I supporting??? The All Blacks! Sorry England, but I do support you when you are not playing the ABs. And Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Pancake Rocks Punakaiki

I have just been on a little jaunt over to the West Coast. Considering that they have so much rain we were lucky and the worst of the precipitation was overnight. It wasn't exactly sunny until the day we were coming home!!!

"Dorothy"

Twenty two on the coach so not crowded and many of the other passengers I had met before. We had a train ride into the rain forest, saw the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki and, having donned hi-vis jackets and a hard hat went into a coal mine. Quite an experience - a Hewer earned 3d a ton in the 1880s! The shovel was heavy without the coal on it and it had to be lifted up quite high to fill the tub. Add to that the dark and the wet - what a life!

"The Miner!!"

I will leave you with a few photos. Until next time, take care.

Much love Carol xxx

"let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

lemons

Hi Everyone,

What a surprise to wake up on Monday morning and see this lot of whiteness outside the bedroom window (and very other blessed window too!) Living so close to the sea it is unusual to have this much snow settling and the newscasters tell us that it the most for 19 years and the coldest day since about 1918. A bit like your last winter. The city centre looked almost pretty with the piles of rubble decked out in white. The 'best' headline was probably that it was "the icing on the quake!!!" You have to feel sorry for those families that have cold houses due to cracks and holes. I'm lucky - the house is warm and weather-tight.

oranges

I hope that you are all keeping well and enjoying some nice summer weather. My photos are all of the frosty kind to cool you down if it gets unbearably hot. Oranges and lemons still survive (we hope) but it will be interesting to see what does succumb this winter. Today (Friday) the snow is mostly gone - the kids would be very disappointed to see me punching the air in pleasure. Spoilsport Nana!

playhouse

Joe, Ben and Olive had a great time on the beach making snowmen instead of sandcastles. I will see if Sarah can put some photos on her blog soon. I hear that the dogs enjoyed it immensely too. It is the holidays at present so they could all enjoy themselves. Back to school on Monday. All the grandchildren are well. Ash had a triumph with the first public performance of his band. India has a gymnastics competition over the weekend. Joe is looking forward to his birthday and has been to a paint-balling party today. Ben is doing brilliantly at school and has been reading so well. Olive came for a sleepover and we had fun and, last but not least, Elliot is piling on the pounds like nobody's business.
olive tree

That has caught you up on all ours news I think. The aftershocks continue - it must be about 8000 by now and the first anniversary of the original quake approaches (Sept 4th). I don't feel most of them but now and again there is a sizable jolt that shakes me up. I must say that I felt very proud when I heard that all the Olympic venues were completed. Can't say that I thought it would happen when London was chosen. I guessed it would be like Athens and Beijing for the last 2 Olympics and India for the Commonwealth games. All rushing to finish in time for the opening. Well done England!

Well Folks, that is it until the next time. Take care, with love Carol xx