Goat Poo for Pele

I'm pretty sure there was nothing more harmful than goat poo in this gun. I certainly don't think he hurt many bunnies.

Chill Winds

The rescue last night was effected (is that the right word?) by a Scot. Pete is a Paddler of many years and was good friends with Andy Jackson - a world re-knowned paddler based in Fort William who passed away a few years ago, long before his time, and who used to live opposite us. Andy's widow organised most of the bike events Meg and Finn did in Fort William. Pete will probably be going up to Fort William in July to visit.
Tony had permission to shoot on the land where they were, but had strayed onto the neighbours land when the truck tipped over. When the land-owner was drawn to the chaos ensuing on his land, he found Tony flanked by two Scots and as a Scot himself, managed to see the funny side. When Tony phoned Kated and said that they had 'hurt' the truck, she knew to expect the worse. I was a little more naive.
So when they went gathering wood tonight, with Finn and Max in tow again, they were suitably de-tuned. The rain came on and it was quite cold driving home minus the two windows that are no longer intact. I daresay the fact that the truck still runs at all, is a surprise.
The hunter-gatherers have tried to make amends by bringing home much wood to keep their families warm, and I think Spook will be spending some of his 4 days off chopping.

OH..MY...GOD!!

I thought they were supposed to be shooting rabbits - not running them over. There was one very happy bunny out there tonight.

Rabbit Stew for Tea

Just a couple of photos of the girls to prove that they really are on a working holiday and that Lisa has indeed faced her demons (made worse by Meg recommending she watch Black Sheep as it was filmed nearby and she SAID it was really funny - it was a gruesome, low budget movie about genetically modified sheep. Lisa is no longer scared of cows).

It has been a lovely day with lots of sunshine and warm temperatures, which have been missing for a while. This inspired the menfolk of our small community in Beech Street to go rabbit hunting. Unfortunately they got the truck stuck somewhere fairly inaccessible. Kate and I had enjoyed a glass or two of wine so were unable to assist, Billy's too far away and as I go to press, there is no news on their current predicament. I imagine Finn and Max will be gnawing on still warm rabbits and fashioning some kind of furry outfit to keep warm.

I personally had a very pleasant day - 40km bike ride with the nice fuel stop at the airport. Lot of action there as the RNZAF have lots of wee yellow planes and new recruits training. Sort of a baby Top Gun. I enjoyed coffee on the deck watching the action.

Spook finally starts the 4on/40ff on Sunday and now wonders what on earth he will do with 4 days off every week - with no shed! I will be able to give him some hints on frittering time away.

I am hoping to go to the Cromwell Races on Sunday and will have to go without him now . Wonder if I will need a fancy hat.

Flash! Aa-a, Cleaner of The Universe.

The girls have returned from their adventures in the south and will head north in a couple of days. Lisa was spared from the ordeal in the paddock, but she and Gemma had to earn their keep by helping to move 3200 sheep along this road.

Meg and I were at a meeting tonight about a literacy group of 2 sessions a week, run by a teacher who did her Masters in Dyslexia. The group will consist of 6 students in each class and will be conducted during school hours. Meg will have a lot of work to do, but we can now drop the private lessons at the end of this term. I asked if they could consider Finn for the sessions too.

Mary was recalled to a Builders Clean that we did before Christmas as they'd had to re-do a bathroom. The builder described it as the one 'where that young woman pressed her body up against the window and my digger man nearly drove into a wall'. I remember the lovely Julia simply walking onto the site and heads turning. There was no such 'pressing' going on. Such imagination! On the Builders Clean today, I found myself discussing with the builder which product I would use to polish up his oven hood. I had a preference for Jif, but he was worried it would be abrasive. 'No love, you can't go wrong with Jif'.

Sadly, I wondered if anyone would remember this job as the one 'where that Scottish wifie flashed her knowledge on cleaning fluids', and go hot under the collar.

Fishing with Tights and Spears

We only managed a 3 for tennis this morning instead of a 4. Gemma will have had nappies clogging up her brain and forgot. I have forgotten twice, so I wonder if a full terry towelling one got wedged between my ears years ago. Margaret, Zoe and I took turns at 2 people pelting the ball at one until Zoe had to go back to work. Then Margaret and I enjoyed a few games with me losing most, but all three of us felt that we produced stonger, better quality shots than the last time. I still managed to throw my racquet away, but not in temper.
I joined Mary for cleaning afterwards. We started with a coffee and muffin, so no complaints there.
The sun shone for a few hours today and it was very pleasant. Spook is coming home at an increasingly healthy hour, so went out on his road bike.
Finn is going on camp for 4 nights next week and spent the whole evening packing. He seems to be picking up some good habits from Meg as he doesn't go until Monday, but has gone through his list, labelled his clothes and written me a shopping list for everything he doesn't have. He and Max also whittled sticks to sharp points for spearing Flounders and have to take 'panty-hose' to make a net for catching cray-fish. They are not sure what panty-hose are, but stifled giggles anyway. He's to take a container of home-baking and wanted to pack that too. It would be a pretty mouldy batch of pancakes if they went in his bag tonight. I also have to make a large apple crumble so will have to practice before I inflict it on other peoples precious children. Will strip the apple tree in the garden. Glad it's not a green bean crumble as my beans have not enjoyed the change of scenery over here and have yeilded one bean each.

At Roddy and Robbi's house in Nelson

Finn Bond

Spook was still very tired today - too tired to go out on his bike, but has managed to find the energy to go out for a pint with Kevin from work. The day someone actually invites ME out for a drink, I'll know I've arrived!
But I do have some friends and am going into work late tomorrow so that I can squeeze in a game of tennis and practice some of the finer points we learnt on Monday night. Like how to keep a good grip of the raquet.
Meg tidied up the house tonight which was great. Finn has developed a bit of a bolshy attitude just now. Growth spurt, I think. But he still makes me laugh. He swung on his chair and fell off. He stood up really quick and looked cool, like he'd done it on purpose. Then he came through from his shower with a towel wrapped round his waist, walking with a swagger. As he walked away the towel fell off and he scrabbled to try and catch it whilst giving me a disdainful look.
He's gone to bed early to read a book!! We bought a book after school today and then he and Max had an iced chocolate drink in Kia, our facourite drinking hole. Meg wasn't with us as she was swimming off the pontoon not far away, with a friend. It wasn't a particularly sunny day, but that doesn't bother her at the moment. They met some divers who gave them a shot of their wee engine that you hold onto and it pulls you along. Kind of a James Bond sort of thing.

Wabit.

I thought I was feeling totally recovered from the race today until Mary performance tested me at work. Luckily she had been up a hill herself, which is unaccustomed excercise, so she failed the test too. We pulled the pin on it before 1pm and I came home and made lasagne, and vegie lasagne.
I was back at tennis after a 5 week break. I told my coach I had been on an intensive training programme in Dunblane with Andy Murray's mum. He's Australian and in general, I would say that the Southern Hemisphere people don't really do sardonic humour, but he understood the joke when he observed my back-hand lobby. Especially when the racquet flew out my hand and nearly sconned Margaret.
Margaret told me she was building a wall, when I first met her. Tonight I picked her up and saw her wall for the first time. Her husband proudly told me that she was the Centrefold in this months copy of The Shed. And a magnificent wall it is. The magazine will be winging it's way to you soon, Billy, don't worry!
On the way to tennis, I was driving down the road and indicated to make a left hand turn. There was a car approaching up the road also indicating. I went first. Margaret said I should have given way. By the grin on 2nd coach, Ryan's face, she was right. I apologised and he said it's fine, they don't do that in Oz iether. I asked if he had sat the test you have to sit after you've been driving here for a year. He said no, he was going to leave the country before he had to. He suggested I do that too!
Meg's eye test showed that she has one much weaker eye and excercises for 3 months should fix it. The Optician is in communication with the Private Educator lady, so there is no need to test for Irlen Syndrome until after the excercises, as this may work. No need for glasses iether.
Finn designed a fantastic game for computer while I was at tennis. Very artistic and well thought out. I was quite taken aback.
Spook lay on the sofa. He did not pass the performance test iether.

No Albatross, but a good chance of seeing a Chicken.

All well at home. Daughter returned safely and Finn absorbed by The Crone family next door. Phew.

No Albatross' or penguins for the girls it would seem as there is expected to be a 2m swell at sea for 2 days and no-one will be able to approach that way. Stacey keeping them right in their best moves to maximise their time before they come back to stay with us for a couple of days by Thursday. Lisa made the mistake of saying she was scared of cows. Stacey is from the hard school of knocks and reckons the cure is to glue bread to Lisa and strap her out in the paddock with her pet sheep, donkey, pig and chickens. I hope this process doesn't last too long so that Lisa will be able to enjoy the rest of her visit. Stacey has been wondering why her chickens don't lay, but the children say that everytime they look in the paddock the donkey, pig or sheep have their heads in the hen house, eating their food, and the chickens have headed for the trees.

For a report on Spooks version of the race, look at http://www.nofussevents.co.uk/ as soon as he can make the system work. He's written it but is struggling to get it posted. Look under Spooks Blog and persevere if it's not there just now as it will be there soon as. And he says I was 2nd in my category because we discovered that the girl who came first, didn't do the last 5k, but forgot to tell anyone.

Everything Hurts

That has to be the hardest bike race I've ever done! I signed up for the 40k rather than the 35k, because what's a wee 5k extra? It was a huge push up a hill that went on and on and required good physical strength to get it up the incline. I had run out of physical strenght and was on strength of spirit. The mist swirled around us and I would have sworn I was in Scotland - maybe Mull or something like that. (Rob and Stacey don't actually live in ayrshire/Galloway, but somewhere that looks like it. About 50minutes north of Invercargill in the deep south). When we finally got to the top, the wind was driving into our faces with large splodges of icy rain that felt like hailstones. I had to get off the hill and tried to go as fast as possible, but the faster I went the colder my hands. It was exhausting, painful and the track covered in cow poo so everyone finished the race a sort of greeny-brow colour and very smelly. I took 4hrs and 18mins and Spook took 3hrs and 4mins. I got 3rd lady vet out of 7, 3 of whom didn't finish - I admire them for their good sense!! Gemma and Lisa had a great race, decked in home-made tartan skirts and toory bunnets, which helped them to strike up conversations all the way round the course. The new recipient of the prize to Fort William is a young and very tall man whose hands were still shaking from the excitement 30mins after he won.
We're enjoying a night of hospitality at Rob and Staceys, but I feel a little nervous at being 3hrs away from the children, so we will head off first thing tomorow morning and leave the girls here for the next leg of their Kiwi experience. Stacey will take them to Invercargill tomorrow where they will stay with a couple who do tours of Stewart Island - penguins and albatrosses and things. We will see them later in the week on their way north.

Back in The Ol' Country

From what I can see so far, a cyclone is wet. Apparently it will get a little blustery. Just like Scotland.
We have got the furthest South we've ever been, with the landscape gradually becoming greener and more fertile until we got to Ayrshire/Galloway. This is where Rob and Stacey live. Rob's Great Grandfather came over from Fenwick in Ayrshire 130 years ago, so he really got a home from home. Robs grandfather built the house. It's lovely to be staying in something a bit closer to the pioneering days than what we see in Wanaka. It's got an Old World feel about it. Cheers to No Fuss for putting us in the company of such great people and for adding Gemma and Lisa into the picture too. Quite a unique set-up. I wonder who will win tomorrows prize-draw at the end of this years Moonshine Race. There will be someone else added to the No Fuss family. Hard to imagine that they could ever match up to the first two years' winners.
There's 6 of us getting up tomorrow to do the race and Kate our neighbour will be there too. Don't think anyone is particularly looking forward to it in this weather. Tony has been left in charge of the children which includes our Finn and Meg has farmed herself out to a freind and has a pary tomorrow night.

Pine Flavoured Pints

Meg came home and told me that, having had a closer look, Finn does appear to have friends after all.

The 12 degrees weather forecast has now become a cyclone. I have been googling cyclone to see what that means. I have discovered that whatever it is, it goes round in an anti-clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise down our way. So it's a bit like wot goes down the sink. The rest remains to be seen.

Spook went gathering wood with Tony tonight. Kate went with Tony last night and got home after 10pm, exhausted. Spook got home at 8.15pm, having sunk a few beers in the Albert Town Tavern. They did have a trailer load of wood, but Kate felt cheated. Now they have declared Thursdays to be wood gathering night. And if you buy 8 wee cups of beer, you automatically get entered into the prize draw. There were no winners tonight and the roll-over to next week is $3500, so they are feeling lucky. Tony says we should take the Scottish girls next week, get some work out of them and throw their luck into the Tavern arena. The good news on the wood front is that the government cut down pine trees, which they hate as they're not native and if you get a license, you can go and chop them up and take them home. I was about to spend $250 on a load of wood, so I'll have to weigh up the beer costs and lost husband time against the dollars.

Vacu-us Vacuuming

Whilst carrying out todays vacuuming duties ( a new build), I outlined the novel I'm going to write. It started as a short story, but there was quite a lot of carpet, so it became a novel, then a movie and I was just working out who might play the lead role, when the bag was full and a horrendous alarm pierced the air and I nearly wet myself. I told Mary the plan and she asked if she could write the magazine article about how awful I was to work with. I said she could choose whether to be with me on the red carpet or speaking to my lawyer. There IS something to be said for menial tasks and how they can free up the mind.
Meg came home and told me that Finn had spent the whole athletics day alone. (Max is not allowed to go to school, play x-box, or think....until Monday). Add this to his teacher telling me last night at a meeting that he had been really lively and funny the first week at school and is now very quiet, I have spent the evening in a state of anxiety. I gently quizzed Finn at bedtime and he tells me of a happy and contented life, and then Meg came in and quizzed him on how he must be really sad because he has no friends!! Finn couldn't think what she was talking about. Meg is quite good in a crisis, but short of a real one, may strum one up. At least, I hope that's it. Will stay tuned anyway.
Rob and Stacy (last years No Fuss Kiwi winners) called by for a drink tonight. It was great to see them and we laughed a lot. They met the Scottish girls and have invited them to stay with them on Friday before the race they have come over to do, and Stacy demanded to know if the people charged with their care after the race, were hospitable enough. We'll all be doing the race and the promised maximum temperature of 12 degrees is only pleasing the Northerm Hemisphere contingent.

Mt Roy

Notice my own grammer difficulties. I was not endlessly vacuuming the pool, but the carpets everywhere else, or there would have been nothing left to entice us!!!!

Terrific walk up Mt Roy. 2.5hrs to ascend and 2hrs to descend. Feel fine, but forgot a hat and managed a hot scalp. Shannon was great company and has invited me to do yoga with her. She teaches it and Meg and Michaela are joining her class on Thursday. I am unable to touch my toes and am like a cart horse next to her thoroughbred appearance. Don't suppose it would do me any harm!

Poor wee Max fell off his bike at the dirt jumps today and has a thick lip and concussion. The doctor says she has at least one a day from there and is pretty fed up with the place. She had an Irish man who broke both his arms on his first day here.

The children went to school in Australian colours today and paid some money for the pleasure. There is huge empathy here, for the fires, and Finn's teacher has lost a sister. The local primary school has been burnt down and all the money from todays dress code, goes towards a new school.

The Scottish Girls went to the Cinema Paradiso to see Australia, the movie tonight and disgraced themselves by coming out howling. The Scottish owner had to give them a hug to comfort them. The girls are from Carrbridge and he was in the ski school there 20years ago. He knows a good friend of the one of them. They think they should go to another movie and try to come out in a more dignified manner.

Mega Opportunity

Of course I went to Meg's meeting! I phoned Margaret to let her know I wouldn't be there again and was heartened to hear that they have missed me and are hoping I'll make a game with them on Friday.
Meg's meeting was a revelation. There was an initial meeting at the school where they acknowledged they hadn't known of Meg's dyslexia and were all interested. They admired the steps she has put in place so far and will simply make themselves available and approachable to find out what her needs will be and keep the door open for me to meet with them. A good start. The private tuition assessment highlighted very quickly, the areas Meg would need to work on, but the lady noticed a deterioration in Meg's eyes over the time she was being assessed. After quite a lot of questions, she sent us away with a leaflet and website to test Meg for Irlen syndrome. She suspects Meg has that on top of her dyslexia, which further complicates it, but can be overcome and ultimately healed by the wearing of glasses with the right colour of lenses. She gave us a list of things to do and will give Meg a proper assessment for this next week. I was shocked at how far Meg is behind in her English grammer and relieved that we have this back-up, which will liase with her own teacher and give her a fighting chance. Worth missing a tennis lesson for.
I was back cleaning the big house with the 7 bathrooms all day today and the lap pool was looking very enticing after endless vacuuming. Was quite shocked to find the garage stocked with a huge 4 wheel drive Porcshe and a convertable Ferrari. These are just holiday cars for a house that is visited for short visits about 5 times a year.
No cleaning tomorrow, so going to go up Mt Roy with my American acquaintance (we haven't quite had time to become friends yet, but we'll know by the time we get up and down the mountain). She is See-am's mum and lives in the very lovely Wanaka Lake House.

Parental Duty

No sign of the castle beign checked today, but Gemma assures me that it is indestructable (it's building conservation that she did). they'll check tomorrow.
Sams kilt was well accepted at the wedding and he enjoyed the swing of it when dancing whatever it is that the Kiwi's dance. Unfortunately the photo of him wearing it with attitude is stuck in the camera and wont come out.
We went for a 17km cycle with the kids today and they approached it with gusto and no complaints -we're not actually used to that. It was warm and windy and they discovered the rule that the wind blows in your face whatever direction you cycle in.......even when we did a circuit.
The children have gone to a barbecue over at the neighbours friends house, so all is quiet in this house.
I've realised that I've made an appointment for Megs private lesson assessment at the same time my tennis group play. Am wondering if it would be immoral to get Spook to attend the meeting. Or should I send him to my tennis group? A shame because I've missed 3 weeks and it's really good fun. No, no, no. Mummy first, tennis second. And I only took up tennis so I could play with Finn, who is not remotely interested in it now. And you all think I'm bad to even THINK about it!!

Happy Valentine

Great drive over The Crown Range to Queenstown, surrounded by golden hills. Gemma and Lisa looking pretty fresh from their trip accross the world. They went down to Bremner Bay with the children and spent a long time down there building a clay castle. Will be going back tomorrow to check how well the clay has dried out and if it is of a suitable kind for making a pizza oven. Gemma has studied such things in building preservation course at Uni and Spook has read about making an oven out of clay in his 'Shed' magazine.
Sam came over from next door to show us his casual outfit for going to his girlfriends, mother's, wedding do. Spook had lent him his kilt, but we didn't know if he would have the confidence to wear it. He arrived, sporting a black shirt, DC skateboarder shoes and bare, brown legs. He looked great and only worry is that he may steal the show from the bride.
Spook and I left the children watching a movie and Tony, unwittingly, child-minding next door. We took a valentine stroll down to town. A beautiful balmy night and a quiet town - just the way I like it, but probably not good for the economy on a Saturday night.

Gorra Bloggar rmph!

Spent the evening with Kate and Tony in a spontaeous sort of way - Tony employed Finn and Max to move bricks for him, I offered Kate a glass of wine and somehow they skipped their dinner and we spent half the night in their house and the other half in ours. So now I've to blogrhhiccup;.
Ok, focus. put off cycling until after I'd cleaned our many bathrooms and hung out two washes. Then had a terrific 40km ride around the plains above Wanaka, with a coffee and date scone stop at the airport, 8kms before the finish. Spook joined me for the coffee. I watched people clamber into the skydiving plane and head off to certain death. No idea why they do it.
Loved the cycle past fields of corn and big landscapes and hardly any people. Like my feet in the peddles, if not on the ground. Near as.....
Have made many plans with Kate and Tony for sailing trips, scuba diving, boys trips, big game fishing, and if we manage to get out our beds tomorrow, and I make the airport in time to pick the Scottish girls off the plane on the No Fuss prize, I'll be doing well........................feeling a bit squiffy, to put it lightly.

Rotten Summer?

It rained all night, gently, and was still drizzly this morning - very Scottish. Mary complained that there had been no summer. Hmmm, looked ok to me!

The girls headed off to school in the rain. The boys decided it was too wet to cycle - could they please have a lift and they wouldn't tell the girls? We didn't realise until we drove off, that the girls were round the corner, going through similar negotiations with Kate. All children got a lift, and two cars provided!! It''ll be a long winter when it comes.

There was only so much cleaning to be done this week, so I worked extra today and have tomorrow off. Should really get out on the road bike that Spook went to so much bother to get for me. Have said I will do the Moonshine Race on the 21st February and am kidding myself that I can keep on turning up without any pracitising. Cant remember how far it is, but 10km would probably be too far at the moment. So am making my committment to tomorrows excercise here, in public!!

Photo catch Up

Been a bit short of photos recently so thought I'd introduce our second hand dog, Buzz. He doesn't realise this isn't his seat any longer. And the baywatch kids were in Nelson in the far north of the South Island.

Bartering Beech Street

Was reminded that working for Mary is worth more than the $15 an hour, as we both have 13yr old daughters in the same school. We got a few things into perspective over the making of beds and scouring of toilets. Also get inside stories of life here, that I could miss as an 'ex-pat'.
Meg as usual addressed her school worries head on and I have a meeting set up to discuss her dyslexia support on Monday; she had me phone and book her in for extra tution for English at a centre round the corner, and has organised the 15yr old Sam next door to tutor her in maths, as he's top of his year in that subject. Tony has looked out the kayaks for Spook and I when we get a day off together and Spook is going to fit the chain and sprockets on Tony's motor bike. Spook is happily fettling his mountain bike sans le midge and Finn and Max are holed up in his bedroom. They spent the last 2 days swimming in the bay after school, so this is allowed. After getting his lecture on reliability, he borrowed my watch so that he would be home on time. Then he got a lecture on reliability re: not dipping my watch in clay and sand. He said he thought it was waterproof. It is! No-one said it was sand-proof. It will never be a stopwatch, alarm or timer ever again. Unless Spook can fettle it too.
A good nights sleep did MOST of us some good.

Moany Mo.

Bit groggy today. It's odd to have travelled across the world to arrive in a place that is so familiar now. Although still not TOO familiar, as I've only slept here 3 nights. The children went off to school without too much directing from me, and Spook came back for a coffee mid-morning. I was attending my still green tomatoes when 2 more Downhillers arrived. Ben Cathro and Gary Forrest. Ben I recognized by his height, having only seen him before in very shiny lycra and a full-face helmet. They were picking up some unimportant papers (Ben's passport!) and stayed for a cup of tea.
When I went out to do some shopping, I thought the hills looked different and realized they have changed colour. They are yellow ochre now, rather than green. Last nights rain, must have been about the first since I l eft, 3 weeks ago.
Mary e-mailed looking for some cleaning support, so will be back onto that tomorrow. Will open a jet boat account, accordingly.
Tried to do some housework and cook a tasty meal to remind them how much they've missed me, but ended up falling out with Meg over homework, giving Finn a lecture on letting people know where he is and reliability, and showing Spook where the diary was with the information that I had asked him for (and really needed) when I was in Scotland, and that he couldn't find anywhere. It was on the mantlepiece of our small home. Now they wish I was still suspended in the skies.
A good nights sleep will help us all.

Home! Sweet as.....!

Bond Boy was a bit late, right enough, so I found myself sleeping at another airport on a bench, with my mouth hanging open and a slaiver dripping off my chin. I'm sure I looked like I had no home to go to, but thankfully wasn't moved on. I got in at 3.15pm and my saviour arrived at 6.50pm. He still looked good enought to eat and he did an 8hr round trip to get me home.
The children were in bed but waiting. Kate had fed and kept an eye on them, so it was great they hadn't had to make the journey. A few drops of rain when we got back and a warm evening of 16 degrees and moonlit mountains. Lovely. On the occasions I slept in the car on the way here, I kept dreaming we were coming into land. It was a relief to see that we were already on land, though it's hard to believe that satistically, I was safer up there.
It's been a bit of an epic, but it sure is good to be back.

Not Again!

I managed to not notice I was cooming back to Sydney.  So here I am again.  Seems a long time ago.
My Bankok Bhat of 400 bucks bought me 20mins internet, a bottle of water, 4 tiny dim sum, a coffee and a small bar of fruit and nut.  I had hoped it might run to something a little more exotic, but it WAS only 8 pounds, after all.
I'd forgotten that international airports don't really reflect much of the culture of the country, so not much going on in Bankok.  I slept on a bench for 4hrs as the sickness tablets were working well, so had there been any kind of protest, I missed it.
Spook planning to drive a 10hr round trip to get me home, so that I don't have to stay in Christchurch tonight.  I am so ready to see them.  It's a heroic effort.  Daniel Craig probably couldn't do any better.
Not long until the flight turn around, so will go and find my next gate.

Bankok

Have just arrived and have about 7 hrs before departure. I had thought it was 5! Bummer! Never mind, at least I have a few bhat to spend. Took a travel sickness tablet and managed to doze most of the last flight. Have given up on the homeopathic ones. These might be the answer.
Going to go and have a look around now. This level of the airport is very dull and un-Thai, so hoping the interesting bit is upstairs. Just thought I'd blog while I saw this internet cafe. This is a big place, so might not find it again.
Yawn.................................

Little Steps in the right Direction

Since the delay in Glasgow, I have only had wee pieces of paper with changed times on them. Every person I went to in the airport sent me to another person until I ended up at the ticket desk. She looked at my bits of paper and said there were only seats left in Business Class. Excellent, said I.
How will you be paying, said she!!
I thought it was a gift, said I
Oh no, you HAVE to pay!
WHAT?? But I've already paid.
Oh, didn't realise this was a ticket!
Bleedin Eck. Least they could do is give me an upgrade - I know there are empty seats up there!
Only an hour till I get on the plane and start moving towards The Munro's of the Southern Hemisphere. Put those frozen pizzas away - I'm coming home.

Douglas Bond

Daniel*##..I mean Dougie, picked me up in an Audi TT, wee white sports car, which, if you half shut your eyes, could have been an Astin Martin. And obviously there's no point in half shutting your eyes at Dougie as he's much better looking than Mr Craig and condsiderably younger at 23.
This all suited me very well as we made haste along the boulevards of Dubai to his 34th floor apartment. I flattened myself to the windows and peered cautiously over, (or vaguely in the direction of) the balcony. That's pretty high up there on the 34th floor. His appartment block has a concierge and looks like a posher hotel than the one I'm staying in. And it has a swimming pool. He took me out for dinner, through the cleanest, safest Souk I ever saw. Dubai has tried to recreate the Souks of Marrakesh, but with no smells, no noise and no danger. That aint a Souk like wot Spook and I encountered in Morrocco. And I probably wont even get food poisoning.
Dougie was a tonic to his old Aunties abandonment by the flight schedule, and it was nice to see that, whilst enjoying the life he's leading at the moment, he has no illusions about it.
I am safely deposited back in the hotel, having seen the biggest building in the world, heard about the biggest mosque, the biggest carpet and passed the only 7 * hotel in the world. That's how they do it out here.
I'm ready to start the next leg of my journey, but unfortunately it's not quite ready for me. It's still more than 5 hours til my flight. I wonder what services there are for women in Bankok. Manicures? Pedicures? Jetlagicures? I had no money for Dubai and £8's worth of Bankok money. Bet you can buy a lot for your money with that.

Pre-Sightseeing Blog

It was 5.30am, Dubai time when I arrived at the hotel and around 01.30am British time. That's not too bad, even though I'd been at Glasgow airport at 11.20am. But not conducive to a fresh look. I had breakfast before going to bed and managed a horizontal 5 hours. No phone service for my mobile and no dirhams for internet, was putting me in a bit of a black hole. I had to go to bed without blogging! But I was allowed a free, 3 minute call, so managed to get Spook in. Was frightened that it would be spent on an answering machine.
Thankfully got an internet card on mastercard and feel back in touch with the world. It's amazing how we count on that now. Not that long ago, it would just be a big blank spot, where I knew I was fine, but no-one else did. I'm not sure if this makes us less anxious now, or more. Less, I think. Will have some lunch now and my lovely nephew is meeting me around 4.30pm. I would never have been able to contact him without instant e-mail facility, so that just answered my question. There is an exotic feel to the wrap around heat outside, and the warm wind. Will escape the hotel confines, when my young escort arrives.

Oh Bloggy Blog Spotty Blog!!

A 3 hour delay, due to a medical emergency divertion to Turkey on the incoming flight from Dubai, has created a 2 day delay at the other end. I will not get Home until Tuesday afternoon instead of Sunday night, due to my lift having left Christchurch on Sunday. I'm hoping Spook can find ways of making this a bonus for the children. Two more nights freedom from my cooking, perhaps.
I'm planning to turn it in to a bonus as I have 24hrs in Dubai at Emirates expense and have sent a request through the internet airwaves for my nephew, Dougie, to join me for dinner at my hotel. This makes me feel satisfyingly jet-setting. Daniel Craig would be a huge bonus, but I'm forced to be a realist now, at my age. Sadly, on the two occasions I have whipped out my laptop in a worldly fashion, I have had to shimmy up to proper world travellers and ask how the hell you get it online. This is not Dubai!!
I have already been at the airport for 3hrs and have another 2 hours before take-off. I suppose I'd be too tired for Daniel on arrival anyway, and my eyeliner will have spread to half way down my cheeks...not the best look on a Bond Girl.

Last Night of Winter

I returned the car to my sister tonight and walked back up. The country road was lit by left-over snow and moonshine and it was a lovely, crisp walk. It seemed much shorter than when I was a child, under curfew and late - again. It was also a long walk home from a rendezvous with a boyfriend, beasties and bogies hiding in the shadows.
My devoted family have decided that it is silly to come all the way to get me on Sunday, when the neighbour is passing by on his way home from a wedding. So I am being entrusted to Tony and Kate, and Spook and the children will look after Michaela and the dog. It is still very hot over there. Spook tells me that the circus was ok, though Meg thought it was mean to make the elephant walk backwards. Spook says "As if that was it's ONLY problem!"
Feeling a bit weird going back to such a different world, as I have been so embroiled in this one. Cant think why people choose to leave for ever. If Meg or Finn choose a Kiwi Bride or Groom, they will have to bring them over here.
Have packed the carry mats and bike gear that Spook requested and that leaves room for 3 pairs of knickers. Will need to make sure I don't end up paying £100 excess on a £10 carry mat!
I will start the blog home tomorrow - will be looking for wholistic internet access at every opportunity. It wont be long til I have no idea of British time, but I have kept my watch on NZ time while I have been here, so that I might re-enter the zone with confidence.
Dubai and Bankok, here I come..............

Last Snows of Summer.

Wee flakes, big snow - that's what Spook always says. And sure enough, the wee flakes have made a bigger snow than yesterdays big flakes. I was thinking of going for a late walk in the dark, as I love the silence of the snow at night. Might do it yet, as an interesting contrast to the life they are leading in NZ. Straight home from school and down to the wharf to spend all evening jumping in. Meg went to the circus. she couldn't wait to see the elephant but was slightly perturbed by the big protest outside the tent, to save the poor elephant.
Spook has a house full, with the teenagers and the children. I imagine the neighbouring children are in the house too.
Spook and the children are coming to get me home on Sunday. I was supposed to stay the night in Christchurch and take the first plane to Queenstown in the morning, but they want their Mummy home.......well, Spook says he needs me to get back and start working. Our neighbour has a shed full of boys toys, and Spook is feeling left out. He thinks a jet boat would enhance his life. I'm just not sure if cleaning toilets will fund the lifestyle he is now looking for since we moved out from our lovely, shady and quiet neighbourhood. He was contented amongst our retired neighbours. Something has back-fired on me here.

All Quiet on the Southern Hemisphere

A very grey day in Helensburgh today, but a lovely clear sky and strong, low sunshine appeared late afternoon. This made the task of collecting the dung that had fallen from the farm muck spreader, in big blobs on our road, a lot less unpleasant. I stopped Dougie from the farm and asked him to drive more carefully so that my Mum didn't get all fired up about her rose's. Tomorrow I will recieve instruction on where it is to be spread. (on a new rose). I planted more wee jewels in the garden, but got into trouble from the man who lives in the house (Dad) because I went in for a cup of tea and forgot to sweep up the spare earth. I'm thinking that learning to water ski and sky dive might not be so bad after all!!! It seems to have gone quiet over there now that they are all back to work and school. 'Bout time too.
Truly, I will miss my wee tasks around the place. And I've always liked that fine, country smell.

S'no Fun

Snow not too bad here, so glad I'm not a child. I would have felt cheated, to see all that white stuff down south. It is also a comfort to Meg and Finn that it is not snowbally stuff, as despite lots of fun in the sun, and Thursdays school day to be spent down by the shore playing games, and having inter-house tug-of-war competitions, they were crestfallen to hear that they were missing snow. They will get their winter in good time!
Our Intrepid Downhillers have returned with a 3rd in tow, so there are now 3 young men from Fort William installed in our house. By the time I get back, they will be more familiar with my new home than I am. I hope they like it.
Spook certainly seems to be enjoying the neighbours, having been dragged around the lake on the back of Tony's boat, after work yesterday. He'd had to go and find the children down there, where Kate had taken the left-over BBQ food from the night before and they all had tea on the shore. The children had been tossed around on the 'doughnut' or 'biscuit' and lots of fun was had.

Usurped!

Had a lovely lunch with David and Alexa today. We went to The Lodge on the Loch which sits on the edge of Loch Lomond. Spectacular setting.
Meg and her pal Micky were getting up this morning to walk Max and Finn to school - it sounds supportive, but I wonder how much pleasure they got from waving them off, knowing they didn't have to go in? If I want to greet finn when he comes in from school, I will have to get up at 2.30am in order to do so. I suppose i dont really need to do that when he's got Meg.
Spook went for a cycle in the Sticky Woods the other day and by the time he got back, Meg had invited the neighbours round for a BBQ. So he had to rustle something up to eat, which wasnt how he'd planned his evening. However, they had a great night and now they all know each other much better thanks to Meg. I cant help wondering where I will fit into all this when I get back. it's a long time since I organised myself to get the neighbours round. And I just shout bye, bye to finn - not walk him all the way to school. I wanted them to all be fine without me, but they might at least have fallen apart for slightly longer than the 20mins that Meg assured me is the length of time she cried for.