Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

It has rained this week. Apparently, news of the deaths of the students and a staff member on a school outing has reached the UK. A key factor in this tragedy seems to have been that the height and flow of the river rose dramatically in just a few minutes. Some areas experienced a months' rainfall in a few hours. We all got wet at some point in the early part of the week, but survived. My new trousers worked very well. They will be put to a further test this week when they get exposed to the rain after being washed - will they work as well as before? I marvel at times at the scientific studies I undertake to expand the knowledge of men - first the handle orientation on the jug when microwaving porridge; now the water fastness of Kathmando trousers. Where will it end? This principle of empirical scientific testing has been taken up by Claire who is currently investigating taste quality and consistency of New Zealand Naturals ice cream at two different mall outlets. Anybody with a re...

Last Sunday morning we put our clocks back an our, marking the end of daylight saving, and possibly the official beginning of autumn. This now puts us just 11 hours ahead of the UK - the closest we ever get. The most obvious changes were going to work in daylight again, and the evenings darkening sooner. Walking to the station last Monday morning was light and pleasant and warm - I had removed my jumper by the time I got to the platform, even though it was only just after 7am! We have a temporary station at the moment while our new underground one is being constructed. This is a two year project which includes "dualing the line". There is a stretch of line where we are for 3 or 4kms which is only single track. With the projected increase in population in New Lynn and consequent rise in passenger numbers, this section of single track has become a major bottleneck. The view from the temporary platform, for the first time last Monday seen in daylight, offers a new perspective. T...

The weather forecasters have been telling us all week what a wonderful summer have had, and how it is going to be over any day now...... We are still getting into the low 20's but the nights are cooler, and now that we have put the clocks back it is getting dark earlier. It has been a tiring and stressful week. It started for me with a full day's modelling at Hungry Creek. This was very good, but it is the first time I have done two 3-hour sessions back-to-back. When I got home I was really tiered. Work at Ubertec has been busy, as ever, and on Thursday it was my fathers funeral. Even though we are hours ahead of the UK, it still preoccupied me during the day. Then on Saturday I did some more MacOnSite work, and bought hiking trousers in preparation for a wet winter. Nicky has been at work for some of every day this week, working 43 hours in total in four or five different libraries. Claire has had her usual week of museum, collecting Shani from school, cookery course and Whitc...

After the final relaxing day of the long weekend with Easter Monday, it was back to the normal routine. Nicky had a goodly amount of work on this week, only being at home on Friday. Claire has done her usual hours at Whitcoulls with the addition of Sunday evening stock taking, and I have been at Ubertec. The new edition of the Auckland Yellow Pages has hit to door steps this week, complete with my MacOnSite advertisement. It hasn't lead to any business as yet, but we have had three enquiries. My sister has been very busy keeping us informed and doing the arrangements for my fathers funeral. It is going to be on Thursday the 3rd at 11.15. I have decided not to return to the UK to attend and my sister, bless her, has been very understanding. On Saturday I crunched Lilly, our car, while reversing in a car park. I misjudged the location of one of those steel posts that they put in the ground low enough to prevent them being seen our of the back window - and drove into it. The damage ap...

The Easter weekend has been a very welcome break for all of us, though tainted with the news of my fathers death (see previous entry). We get very little chance to do things together these days due to our work schedules, so we decided that we should have a family on day on Good Friday. The weather has been gorgeous all weekend apart from today - it is a bit cloudy but still in the low 20's, and now the sun is coming out as I write! On Good Friday we didn't have an early start what with having a lie-in and then Nicky needed me to massage her back as she has pulled something painful. So, by lunchtime we were armed with picnic and ready for our first family attempt at One Tree Hill. This is situated in Cornwall Park, about 25 mins drive due East of us. We parked, and then had a lovely couple of hours strolling up the hill, having our picnic and a snooze, and then coming down the hill via the "alternative" route which happened to pass the ice cream kiosk. Testing of said ...

Late on Thursday (21st) evening UK time my father died. He had been taken into hospital on Monday with an infection which turned out to be septicaemia. After about 48 hours he stopped responding to the antibiotics and started going down hill. By Thursday night he was very weak and slipped away. My sister and her family are being brilliant at keeping us informed. It hasn't really hits us yet. Rick

This morning I roused myself at 6.15, made tea for Nicky and porridge for me, and ambled off to the railway station to catch the first train of the day into town, at 7.41. The vast majority of people who got on the train, at New Lynn and all the other stops, were also heading for the Round the Bays Fun Run. This is an annual charity event, this year with around 47,000 participants paying $15 each. There seemed to be far more walkers than runners in my view, and quite a few people who were a bit of both. The 8.4km route takes the coast road out of town to the Mission Bay area. This presents some great views across the Wiatemata Harbour, and easy walking along the road with only one minor incline. Most walkers were in groups from companies or other organisations, or in family or friends groups, so there was great atmosphere. Towards the end of the route those who had already finishing were setting up barbecues on the beach, and the residents on the route were providing verbal support and...