Veggies!

The plot has been doing well after (6 months and 10 hours) preparation involving mustard seed, horse poo and extensive weeding I was told 'it's important to have good soil' and 'you have to get nitrogen in the soil' and I thought that was to turbo cars.
We have planted onion, leek, potato, spinach, lettuce, tomato, carrot and we have lettuce, climbing beans, cucumber and more lettuce germinating. Strange world gardening. Potatoes have flowered and bloomed, carrots haven't emerged and if I wanted to I could weed the plot 3 times a week. I can see how people get satisfaction when I realised how delighted I was to find I have a tomato growing that is about the size of a Smartie. The spinach has made two meals and I am looking forward to the potatoes that have bloomed above the soil.
N had her xmas do though last week and I had a tour of the hosts garden. It was very similar to mine although no weeds and everything seemed to be three times bigger - story of my life!

Merry Christmas!!!

M and B arrived mid December and we thought before xmas we would book some time away in Wanaka. The cottage did not disappoint with views of the clear blue lake and snow capped mountains. It was good to catch up with them both whilst we were there and enjoy a walk into town by the lake side and some nice food whilst watching the world go by.

Christmas day was forecast nice weather so we prepared ourselves for a bbq and went into one of the local parks. M and B were impressed with the facilities and had to keep reminding themselves that it was xmas day.
W thoroughly enjoyed the day and is now far more aware of xmas than he was last year. Sightings of Santa prompt a point and the word 'christmus'. Thanks for all of his lovely presents he got lots! and is playing with them all and reading his new books.

We are looking forward to next xmas when we will be four!

It's Christmas

School is out, the tree is up and we have sent all of our christmas cards last week. Apologies to anyone who receives them late or not at all for that matter! At around a quid a card for postage consider yourself lucky to get one.
W met santa this week (there's a pic on flickr). I don't think that he was too impressed, but he is far more aware of xmas this year than last. We're looking forward to xmas day and we'll post some pictures on here of the little fella.
N is pondering the new arrival. She was checking out her hospital card this week checked the computer to see how much 65kg was in pounds thinking that this was the weight of jnr! ha ha - initially horrified, but then relieved.

On a different note there was a story in the local press that I wanted to share http://tinyurl.com/yccwyw8

D&B down under

After a mammoth journey, stopping in Dubai to recharge batteries - D&B arrived on Friday 13th!. Excellent to see them in good health and after more than a year - fantastic in fact!!! They got a good nights sleep the first night and were not jet lagged on the second day, in fact they were full of enthusiasm covering lots of activities in the first day... so we gave them swine flu - this slowed them down! William was a big hit! Tekapo and the Big Tree at Peel Forest were great days out - and we all had lots of fun at the vineyard and down at the bay! Plus D & B discovered the South Island for themselves on a real roadtrip - checking out Christchurch, the Hamner hot spring (luuurvely!), Nelson, Kaikoura and the wineries - didn't spot any whales, but chatted to several seals! Its ACE having them here!

Row Row Row Row Row..........

W has a new favourite song; Row Row Row Your Boat. He only gets as far as Row Row Row Row, but has taken to getting in anything that resembles a boat and singing it for a while whilst rocking. (I think that he gets this from N)
I heard him this afternoon and looked out to see him singing in the washing basket and thought that I had to share it with you.
The bump has started to be more active this week with more kicking and growing! I'm thinking even bets for a ten pound baby.
Names for the baby have also been a topic of conversation for the passed few weeks to the extent that most suggestions are now followed by a sigh and are pretty inconsequential.

Mr Prime Minister

I managed to get a moment with the PM today on his visit to TGHS. He came to open the Admin block so we had a formal morning assembly with himself and his armed guards. He then joined us for morning tea where I managed to speak to him, but before I could ask him for a pay rise and about social reform he quizzed me on Manchester United and my intentions in NZ. An opportunity missed to influence la revolucion, but hey maybe next time?
I'm now also 2 degrees separated from Barack Obama - that's just how I roll.

Peel Forest

Went to Peel Forest today for a walk in the wilderness. It is a reserve just on the other side of Geraldine, about 35 minutes from here. We did the Fern Walk path through the forest which brought us out into a village called Blandswood. Here there were hidden houses and winding roads into the base of the mountain - it was a hidden gem.
W was shouting at lots of things that caught his interest. I gave him a fern to feel and found that he was still carrying it about 30 minutes later. Have a look at the video that shows our trek. Did we manage to get the fantail on film? and did N find sasquatch looking after the cub?

Peel Forest from Peter Potter on Vimeo.