January

Has come and gone like it was only 2 weeks long...
perhaps partly to do with the fact that I was only home for 12 days in January.
The first week of January, we farewelled Barry and Margaret, welcomed Narly and Rachel.
Packed the tent and kayak, (Both loaned from the neighbours, thanks heaps for that by the way)
and headed up to the Coromandel. Camped in a DOC camp site with friends Deb and Terry, and their kids. Cold shower and flush loo's, what more do you need.

Kids all had a ball on the beach every day, and enjoyed sleeping in the tent. Weather was a bit windy on one of the final days of the week, but not too bad, no drastic downpour of rain, or endless hours laying awake listening to rain on the tent.(yes Lucy did fall off, Ella managed to save herself and let go of her sister...)

I managed to catch one fish while away, (so not completely empty handed) but the 1.10hour paddle across the bay and back to set the crayfish pot was fruitless. Unless you count one big ugly black octopus and a starfish as a good catch??? maybe next time.Lucy the starfish

The girls managed well with the drive up and back, and we were fortunate to be able to drop Ella off with Barry and Margaret on the way back so she could spend a few days there.
Ang Lucy and I arrived home at 4pm on the 14th, and after a quick unpack, reshuffle, and finish packing my bike into a box, I was out the door again at 6pm to catch a flight to Auckland, and then a connection the following morning to Adelaide.
The next 10 days were spent mostly riding my bike... following the Tour Down Under.

managed to get 1000km in (good training miles!) and came home with good tan lines...Menglers hill, overlooking the Barossa valley.

Checker hill in the chain of ponds region. Adelaide hills. (bit like Bluff hill but not quite as long...)
The friendly Koala that was in the tree directly opposite Craigs house. Well inside the city boundary of Adelaide.

Ang managed to juggle the girls and work with the help of Margaret and Barry, and then allowed me back in the house when I got back! (but I guess I have some work cut out to recoop the brownie points!!!)
The last few days of January were spent catching up on work, and spending a bit of time with Lucy (who turned 2 while I was away.)
Tomorrow we are into Febuary, and that is going to be just as exciting, with Ella starting school towards the end of the month!

catching up again

seems I've been a bit slack over the Christmas new year period...
ok ok, a lot slack...
anyway, lets start with Christmas.
The cubby house progressed ok, and I got the roof on and walls/windows/door finished before the big day. then Lucy helped me with the deck over new years.

hammering takes such concentration...
the annual Christmas strawberry picking outing, (as always the girls ate more than they picked... but who is counting.)

Fun days in the sun at the farmers market.
Barry and Margaret visited for a week and the girls had a ball. The latest addition to our collection of push chairs, is on its 3rd generation! (and the favourite too!)
And as a result of a special request to Santa, George came to visit for a few days, all the way from Hong Kong...


Also during the last term Ella managed to swim full lengths of the Clive pool, thanks to Marlene. Lucy enjoyed time with friends at day care, and has more or less mastered the art of talking... Lucy is also refining her technique for getting her own way with her sister, by dissolving into tears at the slightest disagreement. Lucy's favourite word in December: Delicious!

that is about it for December, now on to Jan!