Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

Memory is a fickle thing. We have had a wet and windy week, with temperatures in the teens but wind chill from the strong southerly taking 6° to 8° off the scale. It felt much more wintery than spring-like, but due to a day with little rain yesterday, and none today, it already seems a distant memory. We have had warm sunny spells in between the scudding clouds today. Again it feels like spring is on the way. Nicky didn't go to work on Monday and Tuesday. By the time she had walked down to the station on Monday morning, her heart was going ten to the dozen, and she didn't feel well enough to go to work. She went to the doctors on Tuesday and her blood pressure was OK, but she has not been sleeping well recently. This is primarily due to the stress at work with the transition to the "super-city" structure. Having got some sleep things have improved. Claire has been as busy as ever at Uny, and I have had some Mac work too. On Friday evening we went over to Paul and Jenn...

We have been in New Zealand for three years now, and we have had quite a busy week. On Monday while I was at my camera club evening, Claire was at a social do hosted by the head of the History department at Massey. On Tuesday we celebrated our three years in NZ anniversary by inviting Ryan round for diner, and having a very nice caramel cheesecake from The Cheesecake Shop and an excellent bottle of wine. Nicky had Life Group on Wednesday, and then Thursday evening was work for Claire and quilting for Nicky. This meant that Friday was our only "quiet" evening we had together at home. Claire cooked us chili and rice. Our day time activities have been pretty routine. Nicky has been busy at work as ever and Claire has been busy with lectures and assignments. I have had some Mac work too. We have been getting storm warnings for a couple of days. The edge of a big storm system has been approaching us, but the bulk of the impact has been on the South Island and the central and south...

It has been a fairly routine week this week. Nicky has been as busy as ever at work; staff changes have caused some rescheduling of the Thursday evening duties. Claire is back at Uny after her break, and I have had some Mac work which has been good. On Wednesday evening Claire and I went to the official opening of Ubertec's new shop. This is where Ryan works and where I used to work. The shop is now in the ground floor of the villa, with the service department upstairs. It is a large and pleasant space which enables them to have more product on display and it is easier for the customers to move around. I had a good look at the iPad for the first time. A very nice piece of kit. Nibbles were provided but Claire and I had not had diner so we bought pizza on the way home which we enjoyed. Claire and Ryan have found a place in New Lynn which does wood-fired pizza's which are reasonably priced and very tasty. On Saturday afternoon Nicky had a meeting with the prison outreach group wh...

Aside from the earth quake in Christchurch, which hasn't affected us, it has been a quiet week. Nicky has been busy at the library at usual, and I have had a little Mac work. Claire has been on the second week of her mid-term break. She is back at Uny tomorrow. Nicky was at a quilting day most of yesterday, came home for awhile in the afternoon and then went off to have her hair cut, call in to see the Moss-Mason's, and then collected Claire from work. Today has been Father's Day in NZ. Nicky and I went out for a drive this afternoon to have a look at a couple of the bays and beaches to the east of us in Hillsborough. It was good to get some air but they were no more exciting than Blockhouse Bay. Claire and Ryan arrived for tea, which Nicky prepared, so we have had some time together this evening. Weather has been mixed again; the sun is warm and welcome when it comes out. That's all for this week. Rick