Well it has been a few weeks since I wrote a blog - not that life has slowed down, but it seems there is less opportunity to take pictures when you're gardening, chopping trees, cooking meals and doing decorating. We've had a great time - Aaron and Sharon's engagement party (another proud Mum moment) and a great family time when we had visitors staying the night and lots of people coming to visit. The party was a great success - lots of hoarse voices the next day and some very tired people from a rather late night.
Mike and Bex came over and we discovered after saying we would hide the key in our snail that someone had stolen our snail. It is quite heavy (so can't blame a bird or cat), quite big -well about 10 cm long and about 5 cm high (so can't blame the wind or the rain) and sat happily in our herb garden all the while we were away in the UK. Who'd steal our snail?? On the Sunday Marty took his chainsaw to the trees out the northern side - they hadn't been trimmed since we'd left and were blocking lots of sun from the conservatory (and lets face it conservatories need sun!!). Its rather a shock looking out to see more hills and a few more houses but its all good. The next weekend we cleared out the wood box in readiness for our little rabbit coming to live with us and filled another wheeli bin. Fleur came for lunch, Jim and Margot for Sunday tea and I did a bit of study for the exam. The highlight that week was to see the little native Tauhou (wax-eye or silvereye) destroy our tree - beautiful pink perfumed flowers in the middle of winter (can't remember the trees name). There were petals everywhere but the family had a wonderful time. So, here's some history about our little Tauhou "In New Zealand, the Silvereye was first recorded in 1832. It arrived in greater numbers in 1856, and it is assumed that a migrating flock was swept eastwards by a storm. However, it is also possible that they followed a ship across the Tasman as other birds sometimes do, or were accidentally transported aboard a ship. Since there is no evidence that it was artificially introduced into New Zealand, it is somewhat ambiguously classified as a native species there and is consequently protected. Its Māori name, Tauhou, means "stranger" or more literally, "new arrival". Silvereyes are omnivorous but have a particular fondness for fruit (and pink flowers!!). Some consider them a pest because they are so small, they simply ignore bird nets, popping in and out through the netting at will. They destroy a wide range of fruit species, including amongst others, apples, citrus, feijoas, figs, grapes, pears and persimmons".
And we went to see the Nutcracker which we really enjoyed. The review of the show wasn't brilliant but I guess we are a little less critical than hardened reviewers who have high expectations. Apparently, this show had a few less sinister bits in it (we didn't have a golliwog or a mouse with 7 heads). The skating was great and the costumes bright and happy. We ended up taking a woman back to James Cook Hotel - she asked about the safety of walking back at 10.00 ish at night and was a bit nervous because she had met so many homeless people while walking to the show - we were surprised at the comment and know it is quiet down that end of the city but didn't consider it unsafe.
And we also went to the Stadium to watch the Hurricanes win against the Chiefs in the last minute.
