Then there was the multi-class yacht race where Gill in her single handed Laser narrowly pipped the Paper Tiger catamaran to win this year’s annual Art Deco Chase outright. Then Mayor Yule of Hastings awarded us citizenship certificates and gave us a Kowhai tree symbolising our roots as new Kiwi’s – this seems to be thriving in a three legged potjie.
We walked the Manuwatu Gorge along the railway line through the tunnels to Fielding. Gill went and found a less cantankerous companion to walk the Ruahine Mountains and find the Sunrise Hut. The flat cycle ways around Hawkes Bay continued to be developed and we spent many hours trying to find our way back along all the new tracks.
Another new Kiwi arrived on the scene being tiny grand-daughter Adara Danae Elizabeth who found herself surrounded by three brothers rapidly fattening into cyber-day versions of Bro1, Bro2 and Bro3. A round of mid-year birthdays was upon us before we escaped the winter rain for a sunny week in the Cook Islands - a 4 hour flight from Auckland that gets you there the day before you left. This brought to mind my favourite scientific theory that the rings of Saturn must comprise lost airline luggage.
Rarotonga and the azure waters of
Auitutaki are both unbelievably beautiful and have yet to be spoiled by the rampant
concrete construction that accompanies development and which ruins the world’s
prettiest areas. Gill happily snorkelled along with thousands of brightly
coloured parrotfish inside the coral reefs.
Upon coming face to face with the bared teeth of a two metre Moray eel there
was a rapid clamber back onto the kayak.
This episode taught us that the ankle biters of a Moray eel look a lot like
leaves.
Back home we had the ravages of
six years of wear and tear on Gill’s RAV re-sprayed to match her nail varnish.
Following on Mike’s repainting of the inside of the house done during February,
we finally got around to installing a forced air heat recovery and ventilation
system and replacing all our windows with double glazing. After six years of towelling the condensation
off inside windows we should at long last be sorted for next winter.
Then Mike’s ex-stockbroker boss
Bill Dalton was elected Mayor of Napier – there has long been a link to Bill’s
blog from our blog.
Spring came around again and brought with it some
gloriously warm summery nights with all the perfumes of the blossoming fruit
trees. There is nothing quite like a
drive on our winding deserted roads in an open top cabriolet under the stars. Even without the pre-dinner bottle of
sauvignon blanc it is quite intoxicating.
News from the USA is that David
got his green card which enabled him to move jobs from Washington to
Philadelphia and where he is now only three hours from Natalie in New
Haven. His sister, her family and his ageing
parents continue to live a blessed life in a beautiful part of the world. We
trust your Christmas and New Year will be similarly happy and prosperous.
