We have seen the light(s)

Day started well as Les & Donald watched the sun rise (we still have jet lag so up at 5!) Then we drove through some forest and saw loads of wild horses with their foals.









Drove along 90 mile beach for a bit and eventually arrived at the top of NZ at Cape Reinga where the Tasmin Sea meets the Pacific Ocean.








(I had a go at straightening it but Donald said stop fussing.) We worked out we were 2679 nautical miles from home as the crow flies. Except he doesn't due to ash....

In the next wee while we passed through mountains, rainforest with 2,000 year old Kauri trees, hick towns, healthy herds of herefords and eventually got to a chip shop. Hurrah!

As we crossed Auckland Harbour Bridge on the way home we clocked 1,200 Km on this trip and it was Donald's first sighting of the Auckland Sky Tower at night It was a good day out and tomorrow the boys are going to see V8 racing in town.

Somewhere over the rainbow..

So as the song says there are blue skies over the rainbow - we have just been up there and it is true! There have also been silver linings to the clouds which took us home for Mum's funeral. It was good to see Andrew and to meet Georgina for th first time. It was also great to see sisters down from Orkney although we didn't get home this time. It was great to meet up with loads of Weccers and especially Martin & Joyce Campbell. Les's Brother and his family gave us a lovely holiday and we brought Donald back with us. The last term begins on Monday when it will be 76 more sleeps til we return!

Les's Mum

Sorry that we have been quiet this term but the last assignment has gone in and the last book read. Phewee as they say in Stromness. On the last day of the term we had the news that Les's mum had passed away, after a short time in hospital with a chest infection. We knew she was failing but I had spoken to her on Mothers day and she was very chirpy. Both the boys has visited her in the nursing home and she was greatly entertained by Donald's long hair. Andrew was also able to get to see her in hospital the day before she died. We got the last two seats on the plane out of Auckland the next day and arrived in Bridge of Allen on Sunday. The funeral is on Thursday and we look forward to seeing everybody there. We fly back out on Sunday and have been able to get seats on the same plane as Donald so we can ensure he clears immigration. He has had his hair cut in honour of the funeral.

Up, up and away....

***************What a great morning- up and out by 6.30 and by 7.15 it was daylight. We were going to watch Balloons over Waikato which launches over Hamilton. We awere all treated to free breakfast (well the first 2,000 to show up.) While we were munching cereal and muffins the balloons were getting cold inflated and by the time we were finished they switched to hot air for take off. This event happens just before Easter each year and was a very friendly morning out. If you wanted a trip it was $290 but we had to get back for college starting at 8.50 am so we watched the last one take off before we headed back. It was magic to watch the fleet drift over the fields.

Sunday hats

Don't know if you wore a hat to Church today but my Sunday School class all did as we had a game of pass the parcel with hats of 10 nations. The Paddy Irish hat is on the other side of the camera. We were looking at all the nations God loves but (thankfully) we couldn't find a Hey Jimmy hat in the $2 shop. Also when the Koreans see a camera they don't say cheese they say "Kim Chee" which explains the solemn looks!

Auckland Boatshow

The Boatshow came to Auckland and Les was very kindly taken by a good friend Robert who 'shouted him in' as the kiwi's say. They were also able to watch a leg of the Americas Cup taking place. We may be far from the sea and missing all things nautical but a quick look at the prices reassured Les that there are more important things in life - such as - well Jazz to name one. Thankfully there was a live Jazz band next the beer tent so a great afternoon was enjoyed while Fiona did the laundry, the cleaning and got his dinner in the oven. (This is some crazy upside down world...)

Corny but true!

Les has lost almost a stone (or 6 kilometres haha)
he is looking dapper and the snoring is quieter so it's all good as the Kiwis say. His secret diet is corn. Cornflakes for breakfast and a corn cob for lunch plus ordinary dinner at night. Needless to say he doesn't have butter like I do but he is allowed salt. Imagine his delight when a local farmer drove up with a lorry load of corn to give us one afternoon. He was so well recieved by Karen the catering manager that he arrives most afternoons now and Les often has two cobs in a day - and do you know what? The more he eats the more he loses.

Of course he has additional things to eat at this time of year like the watermelons that are on every roadside cart - and NZ lamb on every roadside field.