The run up to Spring!

Yes, that would be Spring with a capitol 'S'. I simply know that we are in the last few weeks of this epically rainy winter and that warm morning temperatures are just around the corner. Daytime temperatures are usually very lovely, around 15 to 19 degrees. It's just that the mornings can still be quite brisk with lows around 5 to 7 degrees and our pile of wood is dwindling quickly. We tend to grin and bear the evenings more these days to save our wood resources.

Last weekend was a complete wash out, quite literally. MORE record amount of rain falling around us causing landslides/slips. We barely left the house though we sucked it up enough to go to our first regional rugby game - our team is known as The Bay of Plenty Steamers. It was pouring outside but fortunately the stands are covered so we only got wet walking into our seats. Then we sat down and watching large muscly men (don't know if the guys necessarily noticed the muscle bit) heave a ball around and tackle each other in an absolute mud bowl. The rain was literally sheeting down. It was a 2:35 start time but they had to turn on the field lights cuz it was so grim. On the plus side (more plus than seeing well muscled men with wet tshirts on) rugby is a timed sport so we only had to sit thru 2 40 minutes halves. Connor and Don actually watched the game but Aidan and I played silly games and just made the time pass. I must say, if you took a Kiwi into any North American sporting event, they would insist that what we watch is not sports so much as entertainment. The rugby match we watched had a score board that only had the score, no time or possession indicators, the loud speakers were used only to let you know when there was less than 5 minutes in the half and to occasionally rally the crowd by screaming 'Go The Bay' (oh yes, it is 'The Bay', not Bay or even Steamers, but The Bay'), there were no mascots running around, no games, no cheerleaders. If there was an injury or a penalty to sort out then the PA system played a song but there was certainly no announcement about the nature of the penalty etc etc. So consequently Aidan and I were often in the dark about what was going on. Oh well the tickets were free!

Today has dawned bright and relatively lovely though. Bit of a cold breeze but it sure does the trick for drying the laundry. Got 2 loads out and dried already. The break in the weather also allowed us to get outside to do some long put off gardening, but given the typical weekend weather conditions around here there's not much we could do about it! Got Don out to mow the grass. Yes the grass does still grow in the winter, just more slowly. Don't think Don had cut it in about 8 wks so there were some pretty out of control tufts out there. And I finally got the chance to weed the flower beds. We inherited the loveliest flower beds and every season is a surprise in terms of what pops it's head out. I must say it's rather challenging to weed when you aren't sure if what's coming up is wanted or not. I have yanked out a few specimens only to see the same plant, more mature, flowering in another part of the flower bed. Our winter garden has even come to fruition. The carrots have grown and the lettuce has been eaten. Even the silver beet is on the go finally.

Last night Don and I were initiated into the Kiwi tradition of the dress up bar crawl. Neighbour Jacqui turned 40 this winter so her husband arranged for a bus to come to their house and ferry us around to 4 different pubs/bars. Jacqui had decided to make it a themed party and we were to come dressed as our partner's fantasy. Lots and lots of fun had by all. Funnily enough there were 2 men there dressed as pirates/Capt Jack Sparrow/Johnny Depp. Hopefully you can all figure out what Don and I were. Our gift to Jacqui was supplying the cake for the party. Jacqui is an amazingly talented lady and she designed a funky invite and wrote a poem for it. So I had the picture on the invite scanned and made into the cake. Looks awesome eh? Possibly a little too awesome as Jacqui decreed that no one was allowed to cut/eat the cake, it was too beautiful. I believe she is finally succumbing to the inevitable this afternoon at afternoon tea. I am actually living in a place where they say 'come over for afternoon tea'. So civilized.

So I hope I have contributed some smiles to your days all you devoted readers! Oh, one other big excitement, we have our first official booking for real live visitors from home. My mom and day will be arriving in NZ on November 19th and will stay through to the end of January. If you are coming all this way might as well stay for awhile!! The boys are very stoked and we will be thrilled to have loved ones so close for a time.

TTFN V