Susie Quattro

Megans friend called by at 8am so they could walk to school together. This town is so transient, that Kate (the friend) leaves town on Sunday to live in Dunieden for a year. She's going to be back in the holidays though. Meg is sleeping over on Friday as its the last (first!) opportunity.
I went and got my hair cut at AliBaba's. Sandy cut it. She's from Wales but sounds as if she's from Somerset. Her colleague, Jane is from London and says that Finn is in her daughters class. They were great for a blether, and say to call round for a chat any time. I was hoping for a haircut that would impress the girl in the Job Agency on my next visit - but it's more Susie Quattro than teenager, and she probably wouldn't be able to appreciate the likeness anyway.
I picked up a copy of The Messenger - a free magazine that comes out every Wednesday and tells you everything that's going on. An invaluable list of where to meet up for a leisure cycle, a run, social tennis, where to get your free tomato seedlings, and what crimes have been committed in Wanaka this week. They are expecting a quiet spell, now that the ski tourists have left town! Unfortunately, some 'out of towners' have written some anti-Wanaka wording on the back of the toilets at the skatepark. (Bet they were the ones that had a problem with the ginger hair..... bloody 'out of towners').
I also bought a copy of the Otago Times. Pretty shocked that a local councillor had a bit of a bash on her holidays. She and her companions boat sunk and they spent a few hours in shark infested waters off Fiji. She's fine now, though!  That' good news.
I'm coping much better with news from home, as I realise it is no easier for those there, than it is for me. With the speed of e-mails and Skype, I am just as up to date as everyone else. A wee message came up on the computer when I plugged in last night. I clicked a button and my sister Rona started talking to me, then I could see her, and the next thing my kids shot out of bed on hearing her voice and Finn was baring his butt to the webcam (because he couldn't think of anything to say.)  It was all so normal!!!!  The wonders of Skype.
When I lived in China -21 years ago- I had to lodge a request at the Telecommunication Office,  for a call home and wait in a queue. Then I had 5 minutes to talk. I was desparatley home sick and the moment I heard Mum's voice, I started to cry, which I managed to keep up for 5 minutes. The call ended without my speaking any coherent words, but I felt fantastic afterwards. 'Nothing like a good greet', I told myself as I left the building. Mum was less reassured by the call.