autumn!

Hi Folks,

Another month gone and now, officially, we are in Autumn. Of course I am still waiting for the sun to come back out as it has been missing a bit in February. We have had some rain and that meant I could take a rest on watering the veggies. They have done well, especially the tomatoes, potatoes and spinach. I have already started putting in some winter veg too.

For all of you living in the UK, my commiserations on a cold and snowy winter. I trust that as you get towards Spring the weather will improve. You deserve it!

It has been a busy time in February with birthdays for me, Roy and Ash (who has reached double figures). We had a lovely family barbecue at Katherine and Roy's with our special visitors - Margaret and Bob. The group photo should be somewhere on the blog. You may note that I am not in it but that was because I could not remember how the timer worked on my camera. Well, I don't get to use it much! The timer, not the camera!

I flew up to Wellington (tiring work that!!) to meet Bob and Margaret - who are here visiting their daughter Sarah and son-in-law Simon. They live in Auckland. We spent a few days in W. sightseeing and catching up on the news. We visited the Te Papa museum, went to an island nature reserve, had a tour round the parliament building (1 of the photos) and walked through part of another nature reserve where we saw the Kaka (another photo). They are quite big - about 45 cm and beautifully coloured. At the parliament building I really would have liked to sit in the Speaker's chair and shout "Order, Order" but it wasn't allowed. All the children were still on their summer holidays, that is, in their constituencies so there was no squabbling in the chamber!!

We travelled back to Christchurch on the ferry to Picton and the train from there to Christchurch. The crossing was very calm and the Marlborough Sounds looked lovely in the sunshine (last photo). The train journey was good too. The train travels next to the coast for part of the journey and near Kaikoura we saw seals on the rocks. The train has an open observation car so that you can get your head blown off in the wind while you take your photos!

Margaret and Bob stayed with me for about 10 days and we went to Hanmer Springs - for the hot pools, Akaroa - where we saw dolphins, seals and penguins on a boat trip, Willowbank nature reserve - where we got to see a kiwi and Margaret was Kea'd, and Lyttelton - to see if any of it was familiar to Bob, who was last in NZ in the early 70s. (It wasn't!). The kea is another of NZ's native parrots, rather more numerous than the Kaka and destructive to rubber trim on cars if it gets the chance. We all enjoyed the Chinese Lantern Festival which marked the Chinese New Year and, unlike last year when Sarah, the boys and I got rather wet, the weather was sunny and there were lots of people there. The food was good too. All this and family barbecues and baby-sitting duties meant that the time flew past and it was time for them to head for Auckland again. I trust that you both had a good trip up to A. and that you took loads of photos, that you enjoy the rest of your stay in NZ and that you will come again soon. Thanks for your company and the chance to CHAT!!!!

That is about it for this posting, I hope that you are all keeping well. Keep sending the emails, they are really appreciated. Much love Carol xx