Hello all of you
We are now officially settled in here and so I think a wee hello is due.
Life is shaping up now into our new' 'normality' and it is working out pretty well.
We live in a nice wee house which feels a bit like a caravan - all very thin and temporary - but perfectly functional and there is a trampoline in the garden. How did we survive without one before? Boys are on it for hours a day! We are in one of the least exciting streets in NZ with the Masonic retirement houses opposite - clearly a great match and lots of potential mates there - I don't think! We reduced the average age and increased the noise by a lot when we arrived. It is a 5 min walk to school during which we meet lots of other nice people so they are not far away!
Whitianga is a nice wee place - very holiday-ish - in thee most stunning location. There is an awesome beach in town, with another 100 beaches within a few miles of varying degrees of gorgeousness. And large mountains provide the backdrop to most views. We have yet to conquer any of them.
The coastline wriggles around all over the place with caves, cliffs, trees, and miles of sand. Hot water beach is just down the road which is heaven... dig a big hole and then wade into the 64 degree water which is blooming hot - we had to add a bit of cold for it to be perfect. We all loved it, but particularly wee Alfie and me. Also Cathedral Cove which is a massive cave tunnel thing on the beach. The sort of place on the adverts.
The boys have settled into school very well. Dougal has lots of mates - not many of whom he can remember or pronounce their names (one he is not sure if it is Dan, Dean or Dane cos of his accent). Of couse none like the wonders of mates at home.
Hamish takes longer to get sorted but he is doing away.... and we sorted him out an art teacher today which he is excited about (a retired art teacher here).
Rory and Alfie love the kindy as it is called - you can hammer real nails into real wood and there aint anything more exciting than that. And we went to a parent and child thing today which has awesome toys in it and we had a ball.
Dave is getting on great at his work which seems really relaxed and they are giving him lots of time to get used to the system. Already had an evacuation by helicopter and chopped a few bits off people (they call it dermatology I think). We are off out to dinner with his colleagues tomorrow. And most shockingly he has been out running every day.... yes every day.... since we got here. That is unheard of. He might even be getting fit.
And me... I went on a wonderful yoga course at the weekend and feel like a new woman. Learned about ayurveda and did lots of yoga, lots of walking and had time to think. What a treat. Feel like I have already shed lots of grumpiness and over-busyness that I was carrying around. I really feel that this time in NZ is going to be very important at giving us a bit of time to re-focus and get back to being positive and cheerful... something I think was lacking a bit in the last wee whiley.
And I cannot finish without letting you know about the weather in our British way. Well we do certainly see it all here. Mostly we have had lovely sunny days but some days are freezing when some wild Antarctic winds blow through (have to chose your beach carefully). We have had hideous rain though too - which reached a peek when our friends Geoff and Ruth were visiting - great! It will get warmer now though I am told because it is Labour weekend this weekend and outdoor things start after that... swimming in the outdoor pool, surfing etc. So I will be writing to complain if it does not!
We do miss you all and it is great to know you are all still there. Our bunting (care of the tribe girls) flies vigorously around in the wind and keeps me thinking of you.
Great to have seen Geoff and Ruth here and Doug and Lisa and Billy and BEcky in Oz. Our buddies are not that far away!
Keep in touch dear friends (and family too of course).
love Dave, Emma, and all those boys x
