Theo gets into the Festive Spirit

There's nothing like a cherry red (or is that cheery red) suit with pictures of Rudolph on it to hearald the start of the festive season. Those eyes are looking like they'll be brown now, so don't you make my brown eyes blue!

A lovely spin bowlers grip demonstrated here. Must be a left hander like his father.

Looking bonny at 9lb 6oz

Ho, ho ho, Merry Christmas!

Hey look Dad, we've got matching noses!

Simon's on the early morning shift - its a great time to have a good photo session

Ok Gran that's enough. I have to get back to sleep now.

A Feast of Photos

Bonding time with Dad
This is the very attentive face you get when you put Jackie on the other side of the computer. Now I think that is close to a smile - a genuine smile. Its a happy little face!



He was so well behaved for the whole 30mins of the photo session!

A few little cooing noises at this stage.

Glazed expression - but then Jackie is expressing milk in the next chair.

Happy to focus on Dad as well.

What's that loud noise coming out of the computer? Oh Just Gran laughing at something.

Cutest baby on the block!

There's my mum peeking over the computer - I'll give her a smile

OK, That's enough Gran

Bumper Bouncing Baby Blog

Some very thoughtful poses by Theo, now 3 weeks and starting to do all sorts of new things each time we skype him.

Of course most of these new things involve sleeping, but he is definitely trying out a few new positions!

Wait for it.... A smile. Ok so I know it is just a reflex smile, but good to know he is practising in his sleep. My trigger fast finger on the "Take Picture" button of Skype.

A certain air of authority in these next shots don't you think?

And here is a classic to wheel out on his 21st birthday!!

Now, I'm sure you can all see the huge progress he has made since these next two photos were taken. All fingers and Thumbs here.

And only half a smile ...or is that wind

Ok, that's all for now. I have nearly a 100 photos in my skpye gallery, so I hope you enjoyed these few. PS I've sorted out my technical glitches now.

Tracking Mum

Having just had a good feed, Theo's only thought is to watch Mum's every move... Good to see the eye movement going on after all those days of the closed eyes.

Technologically challenged

Its taken me some while to get my Theo back on screen, due to PDD and Jpegs, but here he is looking wonderful - and making such good progress!!

Good or Bad???????

Today I went to speak at the consents process for the vineyard. And I have ended up very confused. I was supposed to speak later, but then had to speak earlier - and I thought it went quite well. Then the man from the group opposing the subdivision came up to me and said that I spoke so well, and he thinks "we've" got them now with all that water that doesn't run away. Which was the exact opposite from what I did say. I thought. Who knows???? And then when I arrived home I noticed that I had a good 2 inches of petticoat showing beneath my frock. Sigh. I thought I was impeccabley turned out.

An Avalanche of baby photos

Hi Little Ted you're looking great for 2 days old

Can she do it?

Well I guess you are all wondering how the big get fit for tramping is going. And I am happy to report 15th October, 15days=15hours walked (about 75km). Oh, and the other little matter 800g lost - waaah, you'd think it would be lots more. I'm starting to try out the instant meals that I will take - Food made fast is oh so important when you get to the hut. Then I will have to sample the chocolate bars as they are a necessity....
My sessions of physio have totalling altered my walking style. It has had some unexpected benefits. I can look around without loosing my balance - in fact my balance is better all round. When we had our first aid course test, I could kneel for all 3 resusitations  -when I looked aroung all the other teachers where up on their haunches, and couldn't kneel for as long as me!!!!!!!

On Track

Yes, its time for me to get fit again as it is only about 2 months until we do the Routeburn, a track of about 35km in Fiordland. It lies between the valley which you travel up to do the Milford (off the end of Te Anau) and Lake Wakatipu where Queenstown is. It passes over the Harris Saddle  which is subalpine, and bound to have at least some snow in December (1255m high) We pass over the Ailsa mountains and then through a valley of the Humboldt Range. It is not a track to be taken lightly, despite its short length.
So I went to the doctor and asked him to sort out my hip problems - I thought it was another bursar in my hip, but the doctor - who is a keen tramper and has done the Routeburn - wasn't quite in agreement. A long set of sessions with the Physio, Moira, whom I've played golf with from time to time,  followed, starting off with a miracle cure, then a massive set back. I do understand what has been going on now and I must be patient as this problem was probably a couple of decades in the making.
Basically its my balance which is not helped by my bowed toe. So to achieve my balance I am swaying from side to side. I can't do a long stride without unbalancing myself, so my stride length is very short. As long as I recognise this and train in short steps I will be OK. To make up for lost time, and not to put my fellow trampers in danger I began on the first of October a schedule of 7 hours walking a week.
At present of course this involves an hour a day, but during the holidays I will probably do longer walks on some days, so will not have to do so much on other days.
I know the necessity of doing this - my life may depend on it.
Who knows - I might even lose some weight.

Roll on summer

We went up to pick up the caravan from Hamilton a few weeks ago where it had been fixed, and we took it back to Ohiwa where the weather was just gorgeous.


I was just resting in the caravan - not sleeping as I let out an involuntary gasp as this swooshing sound heralded the arrival of a paraglider. She landed just infront of us and packed her hangglider up, and waited for her ride!

 There was the obligatory walk around the headland

 and Duncan tried a bit of a paddle - his verdict - too cold for swimming yet.Meanwhile I contemplated trying out the flying fox - which I had thought might be a bigger affair than this, but didn't want to break Todd's good work before even a summer had passed.

One of the neighbours bought us three very juicy, smoked kahawai fillets, so Duncan didn't bother fishing. After 2 fine days we had rain that night, which confirmed the caravan had been fixed, so we headed home, happy campers. Looking forward to the next holiday there. Might snatch a few days over Labour weekend.

Frankenstein Friends

Well here is Anne post op! Her stitches are like a headband from ear to ear in a thick black thread, and her forehead is pulled slightly upward and so she looks a little surprised. Just a little like Herman Munster! But at least she is is good spirits even though she sometimes get the sequence of some things wrong. For this reason she is also finding cooking a meal a bit of  a trial as well. But she tells me she is improving everyday, and has just recently recieved the paperwork telling her that she will be going to Waikato for an op...several days after she came back.
But the truly amazing thing is that I took this photo on my cell photo, emailed it to myself, coverted from PDD to Jpeg and put it in the new format of the Blog. So if you have trouble seeing it - that will be why. Now I am waiting to see what cost that has incurred before I go too mad.

X marks the spot (Mature audiences only)

I have been struggling with my walking after slipping down a bank a couple of months ago when trying to organise a cross country/treasure hunt for school. I found it very painful to lie on my side and as a consequence had very poor sleeps. With the continuation of the months long cold, lying on my back was resulting in very annoying snoring. It often woke me up as well as Duncan. I went to the Dr and said I thought I had a bursa like I had in my other hip when I slid down a bank in Rarotonga about 10years ago. But the doctor wasn't so keen to go with my self diagnosis and sent me to the physio. She reckoned it was refered pain. "I think its your back" she pronounced. " No its not" I retorted, and then she moved her fingers up my spine saying "I'm not pressing hard" while I screamed my head off. She subsequently manipulated me and taped me. Yes, you are now looking at a picture of my backside.

My walking girls could hardly believe the difference as I strode up Hospital Hill and straddled the chain at the top. And once down the other side I broke into a little jog for good measure. Truly a miracle!! I am having to give up golf for a few weeks just until we get my hips rotating evenly around my spine. Let the practice for our next tramp begin!!

GOLF IN FIJI

Golf course at Denarau

The radio network that we deal with and spend megabucks with - the Radio Network - send one of us to a warmer climate every year. This year it was my turn and we went to Denarau in Fiji where there is a golf course which has quite a reputation as being somewhat of a challenge. There are water hazards on 15 of the 18 holes along with heaps of bunkers. We played it twice -1st day poorly and 2nd day better. On the third day we travelled down to Natadola Bay to play one of the most challenging courses in the world. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera, but you can find it on the internet. Set amoungst a large jungle are 18 emaculate and picturesque golf holes. Should your ball not be hit in the intended direction your ball will be lost in the jungle.

Outside the clubhouse in Denerau

Saturday night was dress-up night with a 1970s theme.

This was my outfit. Other photos may appear from other sources and some

of them are best ignored!

Note the poised back swing

THIS WAS A PRACTISE SWING!

The weather was warm and sunny, but the wind blew at Natadola so many golf balls headed into the jungle.

Most members of our group did not play golf. They lay around the pool in the magnificent hotel that we stayed in, or went on other excursions. About 90 people from various parts of the country went - 17 from Gisborne.