Cambridge Autumn Festival

Well it is certainly turning into Autumn, the leaves are falling everywhere and with Cambridge being the town of trees, there are quite a lot leaves around.
The evening have turned chilly too (oh how I wished we had a log burner!!)but still when the sun shines it's still warm.
Today was the town's autumn festival and both kids were taking part.
Key playing cello in the Irish Ceilidh band that he's in at school on one corner of the town and Lou sang a solo (unaccompanied as well) on another, plus she sang in church this morning too. Gotto give these kids credit for getting up and having a go.
It was a lovely day and saw lots of friend and had a cuppa and a catch up with some others. Got some nice bits and bobs too (they had a wee market there).

Gosh time flies............

I can't believe that it was that long since I last blogged. It has been a busy busy time. But what have you missed?????

Well Lou had her birthday, Key had his head shaved for Canteen, we had a lovely Easter camping right on the South Pacific and the season has changed to Autumn (not as cold as the Autumn I am used to in the UK but it doesn't take long to acclimatise!!)
So here are piccies from the last month or so........
Lou's birthday
Lou had a good birthday, I can't believe she is 12!! To make me feel even older, she had an 80's party with mocktails.






Key's head shave for Canteen
Key had decided to get his head shave and raise some money for Canteen. Canteen is a charity for teens with cancer. He did it in the name of his Aunty Ruth - who died at 17 of cancer (two weeks after being my bridesmaid) 18 years ago. Funny enough the morning of the head shave her song came on the radio - it was her way of saying she approved!! After he did it he did look like a kid with cancer (as his eyebrows are really fair) and it gave me a a pain in the pit of my stomach but I also thanked God that he wasn't and it makes you think what's important. But anyway I am proud of him.
Before with a friend who was also involved

Half way there!!

The end result


Easter camping trip.

We had been here before 2 years ago but came back for the long weekend (we had the Tuesday too). We explored further than last time and founds some lovely places. We managed to fit in a cache or ten too!! All this and a live volcano on the horizon!!
Camp fires of an evening. The family next to us got the ukuleles out one night and had a sing song - was just the best!!


Lovely sunsets each evening - better then TV any night!!


Parked right on the beach (our tent is the one with the pink chair)


Paddy having a ball too!!


This is the most further eastern point (first to see the new day!). We climbed over 700 steps to get to the top and it did near kill me!! But was worth it - totally stunning.


Kids all tucked up for the night!!

Chilling. Good job we brought food though as the fish weren't biting for anyone at the camp. I was reading my uncles book he had sent to me.



This beautiful church right on the beach. We got lots of lovely shells from that beach, the kids called it the Paua pools and Lou said it was like finding treasure - natures treasure.


On our way to the waterfall, crossing the stream and oh yes I did fall in. But the kids and Stevie had a shower in the waterfall - yup it was freezin!!

Gaga for Lady Gaga

Lou's favourite singer is Lady Gaga, she wanted to go and see her when she was touring with the Pussy Cat Dolls, which we never got to. So when we heard that she was playing Auckland we got Lou and me a ticket to see her.
We had seen her raving reviews on the internet. She even phoned in a local radio station to say how excited she was to be playing in New Zealand and had made sure that we got to see the show everyone else did.
We all headed to Auckland (even Paddy) did a bit of geocaching on the way up there. Watching a guy catch a big snapper from the rocks!! Stevie was going mad he didn't put the rods in. Then had tea at some little chippy, the kids got these twist potatoes!!!
The show started with her support band who liked to swear a lot and me and Lou just laughed at them (wouldn't of been as pleased if Lou had been younger - although knowing Lady G....). She came on stage at 9.20 and last 2 hours and several costume changes later. She was very good, the show was brilliant, she reminded me of a young Madonna to be truthful. So we both enjoyed ourselves and had a good dance (love a concert where you can dance).

School's sports day

Lou has been made House Leader again this year. She loves this role and sports days are a major event for the Leader from organising the house to motivating them to do well (and make lots of noise!!).
The swimming sports day is held at the local (outdoor) swimming pools and it was a lovely day too (although I was unable to go as in work :-( ). Lou did well (she was up against some kids from swimming clubs, she did well as leader too (although St Nick's didn't do so well!).
Let this be the only time I see her holding a banner saying come on red!!!

Well it's 3 years ago ........................................

Since we left the shore of Blighty and started the new chapter of our lives in Aotearoa. If folks don't know we had never even visit here before we 'jumped in the deep end' by selling up, packing our stuff, hopping on a jumbo and breaking some hearts along the way.
When we landed we stayed with some kind (understatement if ever there was) friends while the house selling in the UK still went through (I would not live that last week for a winning lotto ticket - honest). I got a job here and that's why we set up in this particular part of the country.
It certainly hasn't been 'plain sailing' we have had ups and downs, but the kids have a great life living in the countyside (we came from a overpopulated city), the house we live in is bigger and better then we had in the UK (although paying a mortgage cripples you what ever part of the world you live in LOL), the climate is certainly better, the place is beautiful, we feel safer and we live and do things we could only dream of doing (or only on a 2 week holiday). Some times I have to pinch myself that we live here.
There are still things we miss about the UK (galaxy choc for starters!!) and of course there are lots of people we do still miss terribly, but thank goodness for technology, the web and a web cam.
Will we live here forever? Who knows! And by that I mean if someone had told me 15 years ago I would live here I've of betted a million pound that I wouldn't of - Me never!! so on that who knows what the future will bring. But we call this place home and I am more then happy that we CHOSE to live here.

This week we.....

Well it was a good friends birthday party. J is one of the nicest people you could meet, we met him as we have a shared love of Everton Football Club. J is from Blackpool but is a manic blue, one of his presents was the flag pole, another the Everton (YAY) flag his wife and kids bought him a personalised number plate "TOFEEZ". Here are some piccies from his birthday party



The birthday boy himself with Key both in their kits of course!!!



I went to a bead class with my good friend Ange. She does a bit of beading and we thought it would be fun to take a class or two. We saw this real pretty necklace and was told it was easier then it looked, you crocheted with the wire. Now I am a crocheter so thought I'd have a go and it look so pretty. Well I managed it but poor Ange - well lets just say she is going to wear the beads in the bag!!! But we did laugh all the way home. It could only happen to me or her. Anyway I am chuffed to say I made this and I just love it.



Then L had been asked to sing at Mass. She did really well as the others did too. It's lovely to hear her sing and I know that the people at church love it and they always come up and tell her at the end. We are so proud of her. Ka Pai Lou, love you lots xxx