This is last nights sunset in Albert Town. Only 18 days until the sun sets on your current adventure in NZ's lovely South Island.

Drug induced Happiness.

DEAR SPOOK, I'm sorry to tell you to go away from googlechat, so that I can blog. You may perhaps think the blog is more important than you??? But I will come back in there and look for you soon as.
It dawned sunny and frosty. A proper Kiwi winters day. I nipped in to town for one wee chore, and then was coming home to tidy up the house so it was nice for the children coming home alone as I was going out to work before they got off the bus. I then thought that I had done too much running around and not enough socialising and that I should take the time to take Corrina a coffee and get a chat with her in the bike shop. She had a REP in and her electrics had just blown up, so coffee was not welcome at that point. So I called in to the coffee shop and had a coffee on the house, with Helen, which was very pleasant. They are going to Australia when they sell the house and she wants to talk 'cleaning' opportunities. I can talk the talk.
Then I met someone else on the street and had a blether and then met Anne who I hadn't seen since I got home. So we went for a coffee and she said that she had the distinct impression that I was hanging around the street looking for coffee opportunities. She may have been right. We had such a good catch up. It could be a while before our next one, but we are always ok with that.
I got home in time to get a call from Nicky who was walking along the canal and wondered if I was in for a coffee, and then a call from work who wondered if I could make it to work early - ideally 5 minutes ago. So a quick coffee with Nicky, who grated cheese for the children's cheesy beans tonight, and I picked up a pair of smelly socks and put them in the washing machine hoping that would look like a tidy house.
I got to work in an elevated mood due to excessive caffeine and no lunch. It was a lovely shift and I came home to very happy, independant children. Meg had taken on the task of tidying the house to the next level and was putting up Chistmas lights!!! In NOvember!! She is excited about Christmas this year as it didn't feel like Christmas last year with all that daylight. I am relenting on early decorations as I now see it as an opportunity to brighten up the darkest month of winter. As a celebrator of the Winter Solstice, rather than Christmas, I can see December disappearing in a happy state of anticipation. AS long as the children keep it as an exciting time of family get togethers and bright lights, rather than what they can get their hands on, I will have a better attitude than my usual Scrooge-like approach.
Until the caffeine wears off.

You've got bigger - we've got older.

DEAR SPOOK, are you being competitive? I send you photo's of our biggest mountain and that really steep bit Sara ran up, and you send me a photo of NZ's biggest mountain and a scree slope that I'm quite sure our Sara could run up before breakfast and still be smiling.......maybe.

So I sent you one of Castle Stalker on the way to Oban this morning, and the Isle of Mull ferry coming into harbour. Ye canny match that!

I suspect you probably also couldn't match what happened just after I took the Castle photo at 8.15am. I came round the very sharp corner at the bottom of the road to find a woman on the other side of the road fervently gesturing for me to stop. I did, and she ran accross and jumped in the car. I did comment on it not being a very safe place to hitch, just as a van came round and had to take evasive action to avoid me. But she just pointed forwards and I drove off. I asked where she was going and she pointed ahead, again. I tried once more and she wrote on a pad "this way". She was in her mid-thirties and was clutching a book to her chest. I thought she might be

• unable to speak
• unable to speak English
• or just not wanting to speak

The clue came from the book title 'The Essential Dali Lama' and the fact that she sat with her finger sitting lightly on her lip in a 'shsush' gesture. The finger sat on her lip, the way a hand would rest in a lap. She was delicately chewing gum and brought a nice minty smell to the vehicle. I drove in silence, and wondered if I would be able to persuade her to get out the car on Oban High Street or if I would have to explain to Dad and Mum that they would be driving home sitting in the back seat, and most likely in silence. I wondered if she might even still be there when I picked you up at the airport on the 19th December. It was difficult to know what to expect, with the lack of communication. I had the red light against me at Connel Bridge, (10miles down the road) at which point she gathered her bag, gave me a thumbs up sign and hopped out the car. She crossed to the other side of the road and stood gazing at the currents that rage under the bridge. I wondered who else would be treated to the silent treatment and how they would cope. It looked as if she was going to head back in the direction we had just come.

I had a lovely drive down through Argyll with Mum and Dad. It is so pretty and was nice to see the places that Sara, Julie and I had cycled through on our cycle holiday, May 2008.

I dropped M&D at home and turned to drive straight back up the road to be home for the children. It was a bit wild crossing Rannoch Moor, but I wasn't really sure what it was doing. The gritter lorries had been out and there was a moon around, but a head wind was blowing what looked like snow into my windscreen which wasn't really getting wet, but smeary. I think it was very fine rain which was highlighted by the headlights, and the grit was smearing the window. There were quite a few fine Stags grazing by the roadside, reminding me to take it slowly, as they have a tendancy to want to join you in the front seat of the car too, via the windscreen, and although not budding Buddhists, they are not very chatty iether.

I forgot to tell you yesterday that you can buy 10 donuts for $2.60. Compare that with one pain au chocolat in Wanaka at $2.29 and no wonder we can be poor and fat in this country. Yum yum.

Paul Henry, the breakfast TV presenter in NZ, has made it to my favourite sunday paper, by calling Susan Boyle 'retarted'. He is making no apology. Hmmmm. He wouldn't last long in this country. Methinks he is not doing NZ any favours.

3 weeks and you are home, honey.

Sharing the sunshine with you.

DEAR SPOOK, thought I would take you on a wee tour of sunny Fort William. I had a lovely day at work and was out and about quite a lot, so took a few snaps on the way. In the pictures of Ben Nevis, it was that brown bit at the front that Sara had scaled yesterday morning. It would have been a great day to be up on the snowy bit. The 2nd photo may inadvertantly have your old Poo Works in it.

I'm glad you had such a good time at the bbq last night. I will be very sad when you wont be able to visit our friends anymore.

Your son had a fun day out at Murrayfield. It is gi-normous, he tells me. It was pretty unfortunate that Scotland lost in the end. He liked seeing Edinburgh Castle lit up, on the way home and the bus was good fun.

I'm not sure what kind of day Meg has had, but will catch up with her tomorrow night. Uncle Jamie took her out for dinner and bowling, so think she will be fine.

It was amazing to wake up to a dry day and people were quite cheery. A bit of a celebration.

xxx

Hot Winds v's Cool Rain. Hmmm.

DEAR SPOOK, thanks for the photo's. That is the Remarkables in the first one and you must be over in Athurs Point direction. The Matukituki River, west of Wanaka,and I have no idea where Devil's Creek in the last one is. I just know they are all a little sunnier than outside our window just now.

But I had a good day. I called in on Sara who had already run up a hill in the pouring rain, and insisted to herself that she take the time to look around before running back down. It was a howling gale and it was more like climbing a ladder than a hill, but she was cheery as. We had a great blether. Then I did a few chores and came home and read the paper. I see they are putting Wild Boars onto an estate near Loch Ness to clean up the habitat so they can plant more of the Old Caledonian Pine Forest. I could imagine all the local Kiwi's sneaking around their with big knives. They are penned into a big area I think.

Meg has gone to Auntie Al's for the weekend, and Finn and I are enjoying a wee bit of together time before I will be working all day and he will be away on his tour of Edinburgh tomorrow. Go Scotland!!!

Sorry the hot winds are so trying for you all over there. I'm sure you do need a wee bit of rain. I wish we could share some of ours with you.

xxx

Hot winds? Poor you!

DEAR SPOOK, so it was too windy to cycle over the hill and you took Meg's best pal and her wee brother to the hot spa pools instead. Those hot winds will be breaking up relationships. I think they are the South Westerlies, aren't they?
It has been lovely to be home with the children. All cosy in the house and I cooked a proper meal. Not that the children didn't complain at being faced with a proper meal. It was potato dauphinose with smoked mackerel through it. You would have loved it and even the children liked it better than they thought they would.
Robert called in for your address as he and Corine are leaving for your side of the world on Sunday. I am really excited that they will be in Wanaka around the 8th December.
There was much rain today again, but it seems to have stopped for the moment. You need to send me some sunny pictures for the blog.
Happy Thanksgiving, by the way. Sorry you will miss the Bert Munro weekend of motorbike racing in Invercargill.
xxx

Recycled Endorphins.

DEAR SPOOK, I can only hope you survived the ride over the Crown Range to Queenstown today. If the weather is as lovely as you tell me it will be a sweaty climb, and I'm hoping you don't have a blow out of a tyre going down the horrendously steep zig-zags.
I got today's endorphins from chasing yogurt pots and various other recylcables round the yard in gale force winds. A gust had blown the bin over. Think Rocky chasing a chicken around, but with a little less muscle.
I'm much more able to notice all the positives now. Even coming home from work yesterday, in the dark and rain. 7 people cycling home from their work. I wonder how much the 'cycle to work' scheme has got more people on their bikes, in the foulest of weather. I think the weather is better being faced up to than avoided (she said from the comfort of the nice car.)
I was 1st in Lidl's this morning at 9am. The peace and quiet compared to Morrisons was magnifcent. There is a bit of an allergic reaction to busy places at the moment. I met Maggie and John there. Maggie is so enthusiastic about the Cycle Cross event on the croft. She is all set to get baking done for afters and reckons it will be very popular. A January, dark mid week evening. It is great that some people just don't let the weather get them down.
And it has been very comforting at work to be back amongst my warm, supportive and encouraging colleagues. It is lovely to see that people still have the energy and enthusiasm to try and make a difference.
And I had a nice coffee with my sister this morning.
Our children seem to be happily settled in their temporary abode and I can't wait to be back home with them tomorrow night.
You better not be damaged from that big ride!!!
xxx

MAMA......................

DEAR SPOOK, well, that lovely dry spell didn't last long. It rained all day today. Literally. It was lovely to come home to a cosy house and Meg looking much better. We had the favorite cheesy pasta with peas in front of Friends and caught up on each others day. It was heartening as we all seemed to be nearly well. Finn got ready for rugby and was completely undeterred by the unrelenting rain. Who could be enthusiastic about going out at 7pm on a dark winters night to slide around in the mud and freeze your butt off? Finn. We dropped him and Grieg off and went to help Frazer out for a couple of hours for his meeting. 2 minutes later Frazer returned with all the rugby players as even Scots don't seem to want to play in water and mud that is up to your knees. Well, the coaches didn't. Finn did.

I was sorry I couldn't chat on the phone for so long this morning as I was planning to get some painkillers into Meg and pack her off to school as soon as. Too late and a tearful Meg was not up for it. But just in the nick of time she has picked up as I am on a sleepover tomorrow night and need them to stay at The Camerons. She will probably not be up for PE yet, so I'll give her a note. I am feeling 70% better, but know I am not there yet because Drew keeps asking me to sing Liza Zavaroni's MAMA!!!!! HE'S MAKING EYES AT ME! at the top of my voice, as I did walking down the street a few weeks ago. I don't have the lungs for it yet, but when I do..........

xxx

Your Homeland.

DEAR SPOOK, so this is how things is looking 'up the croft' today. It was the first time in 2 weeks (since walking along the canal) that I had found the time and energy to go for a wee walk. There is your shed, your house with you summer 'office' and playground (Leanachan Forest) in the distance, the British Alcan Factory, Banavie Hill behind the house and a fine view of Fort William, nestling romantically by the lochside - distance helps the romance. It was warm and dry (not underfoot!!!)

Meg and I had a nice day together as she was feeling better in the middle of the day. She has her antibiotics but was in bed with a sore back by the time I got home from work tonight. It was better going to work having seen her all day, than last week when I went out before either child came in. It was also a much nicer shift as I felt reasonable well. Last week people kept asking me if I was pleased to be back and I really couldn't say yes as I hung like a sick chicken. It was nice to be back tonight. And tomorrow is a proper 9 to 5 day shift so happy days with that.

Finn and I had to catch up tonight as he had been away all weekend. He hadn't really meant to. Sometimes life happens to Finn and he needs to be more assertive to control it. Like he was when he bagged the last seat on the bus to the rugby match next week!

I am hoping Meg will make school tomorrow and can just come home and chill out afterwards. We don't need to do all the Tuesday night run around, but we do need to help the single father down the road who has to go out to a meeting.

I felt very grateful at the doctors surgery this morning, not to be as sick as one woman who had swine flu written all over her. I was never as poorly as her, and thanked my lucky stars.

xxx

It disnae look like that ower here.

DEAR SPOOK, a late blog tonight, because I had downloaded your photo's onto Finn's laptop this morning, but when it came to blogging tonight, his computer had been taken up with other important duties and was not available to me. So I had to start again on Meg's. I love the dramatic Tors, the way they stick up from smooth ground. The Pacific beach looks wonderful, but much calmer than the west coast beaches, and yes, I can see from the sign posts that you were a very long way from us when you were at Bluff.

It was not quite so bright as that here today as another day past in rain and darkness. It was dry and reasonably bright at the start but closed in by midday. The club runners who went and ran the 11 mile race to the dam and back will at least have got their quota of Vit D and endorphins. I got my endorphins running from the shop to the car to avoid getting soaked.

Meg and I are still a bit flat, but she cleared out under the stairs to get the art table set up again. She does become tired when she exerts any effort. I know the feeling.

Finn, however, is looking fit and squeeky clean. I don't think I have ever seen him so clean. All those showers suit him.

We had the Coupland gentlemen to dinner this evening as their wife and mum has gone to Edinburgh for the week. I fed them a mixture of junk food and mashed tatties and it was fine. It will be the Sunday Roast for you my darling, when you come home to roost.

xxx

Less coughing and Less leaking.

DEAR SPOOK, your accomodation in Middlemarch might be bigger than your regular accomodation? And I can see it does seem to be a 'one horse town.' That horse looks a little lonely. I'm glad the pizza and chocolate gateau was so good though.

And so was my breakfast brought to me in bed by our beautiful daughter before she went to Inverness this morning. (note the all important anti-biotic and I would like to thank the Scot, Mr Fleming for discovering penicillin all those years ago, as I am definatley picking up already.)

I think Meg may have been trying to convince me that she was well enough to go away for the day. In reality, she came home sore and very tired, but having loved the film. I think she may need the antibiotics too as she has started coughing now.

Finn stayed at Kier's last night and they all came here after rugby training for the afternoon. They were high as kites after the training and had lot's to discuss. After lunch, some down time, and some bouncing on the trampoline, then settled down to watch Horrid Henry. Connor phoned and they all went back to the club for a muck around. They managed to raise a group of 7 and stayed out in the rain until after dark. Then they made it to Griegs house where they had the 2nd shower and change of the day and settled down to watch the fantastic Scotland/Australia game. I assume they enjoyed it as even Meg got into it, having come in well past the half way mark. I hope next weeks game at Murrayfield is as exciting as that. Will our Kiwi friends have got up at 6am this morning to support us? Unfortunately, tomorrows game has been cancelled for the boys, so they are very disappointed.

I didn't mention the leak in the back lobby as I felt your father had enough to do with everyones vehicles, but when he came in the back door this morning there was no denying it. I had already explored under the sink and found no drips and had just been mopping it up regularly and thinking it would last for 4 more weeks. But the last 4 days had seen it neglected and nearing swimming pool proportions. Of course your Dad thought I was silly to have not told him and with a bit of make do and mend, had fixed the leak which was coming from the washing machine. We do feel well cared for!

xxx

ooooooooooooh, that looks good.

DEAR SPOOK, I love these photo's. If that's not a good example of the wide open spaces of the South Island, I don't know what is. I think you deserved your Ice Cold. It certainly looks ice cold, but one expects a bit of sand, or a camel to be in sight, not a modern car and.....is that a mobility scooter I can see to the right????

It's good to know that you still want to come home, because we still want you to come home. Meg reckoned it didn't get light all day today, in her sick bay. I went to Oban as part of my working day and we went through major downpours and saw flooding in fields but nothing like the horrors they are suffering in Cockermouth in the Lake District. Real misery down there.

Oban still managed to look appealing as we came over the hill and saw the Ferry Port and the small isles sitting just outside the harbour. There is always the excitement of possible travel when you see the Ferry heading out to the Western Isles.

I felt a bit better today but still went to the doctor who diagnosed an infected lung and gave me antibiotics. That gives me hope that by Sunday night it will be less infected and the coughing will ease. I saw Finn's bus leaving the school as I pulled into the doctors. I saw Frazer driving off down the road with Finn as I pulled into our house on the way home from the doctors. So I can't really tell you much about him. Meg is better and enjoyed Children in Need. As you say, a stark reminder that we are well into November. She is desperate that she will be well enough to go and see New Moon, the next Vampire movie, tomorrow. I am going to suck anti-botics and sleep.

xxx

Finn's Pride and Joy.

DEAR SPOOK, This is what the best paper plane looks like, but it is too fast to catch in flight. This is what stud marks on your sons leg looks like.

The snow got a real fright and has shot up to the very summits again. Una said it was 13 degrees when she came to work this morning. It was warm and very wet. It stayed wet all day, but I don't think it stayed warm because I came home and jumped into bed with Meg with my Jacket still on and her electric blanket and once I warmed up and stopped coughing I fell asleep. Meg was not impressed!

As a reminder of how hardy people are around here, Gregor phoned to ask if they could use Cross on The Croft as the first round of a Wednesday night, once a month race. Keep the 19th of January free.......I'm sure I've got a shift that night.

Finn is still the fittest of us all but anarchy has ensued in the house. I bought 2 pan au chocolat and one almond croissant for pudding and found one pan au chocolat shredded by cat-like markings. As the house falls back into it's usual disrepair, the cats are roaming the surfaces, feedng on whatever they find. Meg and I may be next on the menu, at this rate.

It was hard to see what was bonnie about Lochaber today, but I think the runners and cyclists who press on regardless, will help to lift the spirit. If I can get myself back on track. I think I will plan my first race to be the Aonach Mhor hill race on the first of the year. That should do it.

Laura called round last night, so that was a ray of sunshine.

xxx

Finn's Blog.

DEAR SPOOK, it was good to speak to you this morning and this evening. It is good that you have 4 weeks til you come home, which will give us time to get well. Meg probably does have flu now though made it to school today. Not sure if she'll make it tomorrow, but I have to get to work.
Finn is covered in bruises and will provide photographic evidence for you tomorrow. I will need to buy Arnica and put it in his breakfast. He had a French test which he forgot to revise for, but there wasn't much time with all the rugby. He has a good attitude towards French and can see a point to it. Possibly for future rugby games against France. He also made the worlds best paper airoplane which he will also supply a photo of tomorrow.
There is fresh snow at Nevis Range, nearly at the cafe, but not enough for skiing yet.
Finn would have loved the cycle in Orc country. He aleady spotted some good places on the road to Dunedin, outside Alex, that would be the perfect place for a paintball battle. (he is dictating this blog). How is the school looking? Have you seen Thomas? Sam? John? Is the weather good? Caught any big fish lately? I miss you lot's Dad!!!
xxx

Rail trail report from Spook

Yo MoMo,wel I survived both days-quite an adventure ,both days entirley different!! I drove to Poolburn Dam with Chris and we set off thru real orc country!!! The weather was blustery but dry,with the wind swirling all over the place.I think Chris was quite taken aback by the speed of my downhilling!! Even although we had a map the navigation was quite tricky as only some of the tracks had signs.After 2 hours Chris turned back and I carried on up.I had every kind of weather -rain,hail sleet,sun and of course bloody wind.I eventually made Middlemarch 3 and a half hours later.I went to the pub ,had a couple of beers and booked into the Bunkhouse.They had given me a wee cabin which was magic $30 for the night including sheets,duvet,towel and coffee making gear -Awesome. I went to the cafe/bar and had I think the best pizza I have ever had!! I did not sleep that well and was up and ready to go at 0745, back to cafe for breakfast,then off at 0845.It was a magic morning not a breath of wind so I was flying 30kph.I worked out I would be in Alex 1600 easy. Then disaster after only 12 km,I had a blowout on my rear tyre which trashed the tube and ripped the sidewall of the tyre!!! I had 2 options,jog back to the bikeshop in Middlemarch and buy a new tyre or makeshift repair and ride carefully to Ranfurly 50 miles away to the bikeshop there.Of course being a Munro I chose the later, stuck the split tyre with tape which I had taped the split in my rucksac with and swapped tyres so the damaged one was on the front and carried on knowing every KM got me nearer but also further away from the bikeshop!. I got to Ranfurly which was uphill all the way with the headwind increasing all the time.I had a coffee and mega lump of carrot cake then went to the bikeshop.The shop was so poor and the stuff so cheap and nasty I nearly went to the hardwaer shop and just get more tape for the split which somehow was no worse than it was 50 miles further back!! I eventually found a useably tyre in the back of the shop got it on and got going I suppose it took me over an hour to get going which was fine. By now the wind was getting strong and it was a long haul out of Ranfurly to Mount Ida station which is the highest point on the track.Now DH all the way to Alex!! I arrived in Alex after 6hours and 40 minuites of riding from Middlemarch!!! Some of the people I met were doing it over 5 days and thought I was Maaade!!!! At long last I got my well earned "Ice Cold In Alex!!!!" I had time for a bar meal before Chris arrived to take me home. Today (wed) is a very lazy rest day,I have laid out in the sun,done a washing and started fettling my poor Santa Cruz!!! I think I will go to Oakridge this afternoon!!!

Bloggered.

DEAR SPOOK, I didn't blog last night!!!! I think that is the first time in over a year. I got home about 6.30pm, but was really tired. Lit the fire for the children coming home from running and rugby and couried in. Meg was first home and had really enjoyed the running club. She was at the front of her group so is being moved to the faster group next week. Unfortunately, she's got a sore ankle now. I went to get Finn at 8.30pm and found him sitting forlornly, covered in mud, waiting for me. He had gotten very chesty towards the end of the game and had had to sit it out. He is battered and bruised and it was a job and a half getting him out of his boots and clothes for his shower. He was never very bruised in NZ but says he is a big tackler now. He woke up this morning and said he couldn't wait for the next rugby session!
I couldn't wait to get to bed and was there before the children. I was going to blog from there but Finn's laptop has got stuck on a Hotspot site and is off the wireless. It was beyond me to do anything about it so I just fell asleep. I'll make up for the loss of a blog by blogging a bit of your letter to me about the railtrail.

xxx

Bhlrrrghup.

DEAR SPOOK, a pleasant enough day, weatherwise, but the flu bug is not quite lifting. I worked tonight but felt way more tired than I should have when I got home. The children were great and sorted themselves out with the meal I had left to reheat. also left cream donut for afterwards, so that cheered them up. Finn went to extra High School rugby training after school and really enjoyed it. ONly 5 there, but learning lot's of new techniques and ideas. Frazer gave him a run home. Meg was in bed when I got back and nursing a sore head, so don;t know if I will be able to go to Mum and Dad's tomorrow. Will review things in the morning. I could seek support and go to M&D's on Saturday, so not too bad. Have had to cancel maths lesson and arrange lift for Athletics as I forgot what a runaround Tuesday is. Have lessened my commitments for later in the week, as it is not going to work as a single mother. I take my hat off to these people who do the single parenting full time.
HOpe the Rail Trail is not getting the better of you. I miss you not being near a computer. Glad that Chris is looking after you out there in the wilds.
xxx

Wishful Thinking.

DEAR SPOOK, I didn't need to go to Oban today as there was a minibus to take the whole team. Finn always loved the one to one in the car, but was happy to go on the bus which left me time to slap the white paint about the house. They played 3 games in a tournament and won overall by one point. Grieg scored the winning try. Everyone seemed pretty pleased with their day, and Finn was unaffected by his ill-health. There is a home game next week.
Frazer has fed us Sunday dinner for the last 2 weeks so it was my turn. I had some vegetables in a sauce in the fridge which had been waiting to turn into a lasagne for a few days, so Frazer had to put up with that. Drew was so taken aback he forgot to make us all say Grace. We started without Meg as she was late home from Maisie's. When she finally appeared she announced that she had had dinner out!!! So all we non-vegies chomped our way through the 'interesting' lasagne in her honour and she didn't have to.
The children are opitimistically ploughing through the Argos catalogue, marking the things they would like for Christmas. There is such an enslought in the media and the shops that I think we would have to travel a long distance to avoid it all.
First day back at work tomorrow and I start just as they come off the school bus. It is only until about 9pm so we will see how they fare. I am hoping to get an appointment at the school to re-look at Meg's subjects.
2nd race of the Winter League today and I didn't even think of going. My running career is at it's lowest point for years, so you will have your work cut out to encourage me into a pair of training shoes.
xxx

We've got wee bits of snow on the hills here too, you know!

DEAR SPOOK, ok,ok, so there are some pretty views from the Snow Park (or is it the Snow Farm?). And yes, I'm sure that is Mt Aspiring in the background there. But there are some lovely views here on a good day. It just wasn't a good day today. Thon kind of dreary mid-November kind of day you get. I painted some bits of the house white and then went on a wee social trail. The photo on Laurences computer, taken on a winters day in Ballachulish is more than worthy of the blog and if I can get him to send it, I will post it here. I thought it was New Zealand when I glanced at it and it was amazing to see somewhere so familiar look so dramatic.

I was making pizza to take round to Sara and Kevins because Kevin hadn't made his own base before and wanted to see how easy it was. I started the dough to rise in a warm basin and warm towel, and placed it carefully behind the drivers seat in the car. Then I placed the basket with all the other ingredients and wine on the back seat. As I was driving down the road in the dark, rainy night, I met Nicky walking home and slammed the breaks on to turn and give her a lift. Of course the contents of the basket shot off the seat onto the floor and clattered on to the basin of dough. Iether my dough was super elastic, or the pizza gods were on my side, as everything was scattered around the basin and nothing actually in it.

I will be feeding you copious amounts of pizza and anything else I can lay my hands on, now that you have sent me that picture of you in only your wee stubby shorts. Are you still trying to woo me back to NZ? I have resisted putting the picture on the blog, because I don't think people are ready for that kind of picture. You look a bit scary!!!!

Finn has got a game of rugby in Oban tomorrow, so I wont be able to paint many bits of the house white, much to my frustration. I don't think he is fit for rugby but he can't bare not to be there.

I love white paint.

xxx

Desert Island or Snow Park?

DEAR SPOOK, you sent us this mystery picture to test if we knew where it was. You said that only Meg had been here before, so that was iether Dingle Burn Station (except that you have been there before) or Snow Park. I know that she hasn't been to Afghanistan, so it cant be there. We are going to go for Snow Park. Who is wooing who here? I am supposed to be wooing you home, not you wooing us back to Wanaka.

Well, not to worry, your son and I had a lovely morning listening to Desert Island Discs while I painted the living room. I thought Radio 4 was very enjoyable, but when it came to an article about an exhibition of knitted sculptures, he voted with his feet and went off for a shower. If only he had heard the wonderful story told by the elderly lady of how she had knitted swimming trunks in non-shrinkable wool for her husband, only to find him waving franctically from the water as they had gone huge and he couldn't get out without help to keep them on. she was giggling when she told the story but she said wistfully, in her strong Yorkshire accent "so much love had gone into knitting them trunks".

Finn got lonely by the end of the day and that is the biggest sign of his return to health. It was a lovely dry day and I happened to be down at the canal basin at dusk. The Loch was very calm and blue and the lights of Fort William looked like the Riviera.

Your mum and dad came down with a big bag of kindlers and more eggs. Granny, I will stop fussing now and come up and say hello properly tomorrow, instead of all this subliminal stuff. Your Dad has done lots of wheeling and dealing on our behalf for car parts. We are very lucky.

xxx