Kia ora

Christmas and New Year are finally over – for another 11 months anyway. Now the diet starts! We had so much happening before Christmas that we didn’t get around to sending many Christmas cards out. We thank all those who did send us cards though – thank you!

Jaz has begun to feel her age and has slowed down a little – whilst on our walks anyway. Once we’re back in the garden she bounds around like the muppy she is.

Both dogs have enjoyed having Ann at home all month but are not happy now as she has started back at school with three teacher call back days (the students start back on 2nd February).

We finally finished doing the berberis hedge. Peter has taken the last lot of berberis out from our side and we’ve planted around 200 grasses, palms and ferns. Give it just two years and it’ll be really bushy and full.

Peter has been working hard, with 4 late nights in the last two weeks, and one more to go in February. Peter has been trying out some of the recipes from his new cook book. Ann likes the onion and feta tart as well as the garlic croutons. Ann's been trying out some sorbet recipes. Our favourite is watermelon - it's delicious.

North Island is just recovering from the lashing tropical Cyclone Wilma gave it a few days ago. Most of the top half of the North Island had been declared drought areas a few weeks ago. Now much of it is sorting out the mess from huge amounts of rain - 184mm - and some flooding.

We had our annual bonsai committee meeting last Sunday. As there is no convention for us to organise the whole meeting took less than 2 hours!

Our veges are doing well. The carrots are huge - Ann pulled one up weighing almost half kilogram. Some of our fruit trees are doing well. The grapes are maturing well, the apples look great and so does the pomegranate. The 'official' pumpkin which we planted has two pumpkin growing on it. The wild one which magically grew in the compost heap has about a dozen on it! Next year we know where we're planting pumpkins - and it's not into a planter or tub.

Ann decided to have a photographic session - cute looking aren't they? How easy it is for photos to lie!!!

News from Home

Helen & Andy enjoyed Cairns - swimming on the Great Barrier Reef.....
	......and exploring the Daintree rainforest - no that's not a log in the river behind him. Now they're in Malaysia.