Kia ora

March has been very busy for us with visitors, bonsai, visitors and more visitors!

Two of Peter's friends from his diving days 25 years ago came for a visit. Peter drove up to Auckland airport to pick Duncan & Lyn up. We showed them round Hamilton City, Hamilton Gardens, Cambridge, Tirau and Hobbiton before they set off to South Island for a two week coach tour.

Ann had a quiet birthday - Peter gave her a book and paid for her bonsai workshop sessions with Tony Bebb. We went for a meal at Cafe Centrale with Duncan and Lyn. Duncan mentioned to the owner it was Ann's birthday so her dessert had a candle in it and he got the whole restaurant to sing Happy Birthday to her, with him singing in Italian. Ann now says that Peter needs to learn to speak Italian.

Honey has managed to keep finding new ways of getting out and after Peter repaired the fence for the umpteenth time Ann ordered a containment system for the garden. Honey wears an electronic collar and there's now a wire down one side of the garden and when Honey gets close she hears a warning tone coming from her collar, if she gets too close she gets a small buzz. It only took a couple of 'buzzes' and now Honey stays well away from the hedge and hasn't escaped in almost two weeks - yay!

Last year the bonsai club booked a weekend of workshops with Tony Bebb from Australia. As he was staying with us for a couple of nights Peter booked a full day working on his trees with Tony. A great day with both of them getting a little sunburnt whilst working for 6 hours on a single tree - a Californian triple trunk redwood. Tony finished the day off doing some carving on one of Ann's trees in the evening.

Tony with Peter's large Redwood group before they started work.	This tree will be stunning once the foliage pads have filled out and it's been transplanted into a bonsai pot (when we find one large enough that is).
Tony checking where to start cutting on Peter's large juniper.

Ann had her one year orthopaedic post op check up and her 'bionic' hip is great. After the surgeon looked at the x-ray of her right hip he agreed to fix that one too so she's now back on the waiting list - this time it's only a four month waiting time - which means a new hip around July time (hopefully).

Ann with her two 'helpers' on the computer whilst she Skyped her dad.
	Honey helping Ann put her socks on.
We're running out of door wedges as Honey seems to have taken a fancy to them.

News from Home

Lisa had her baby - a beautiful girl named Rhiannon.	Paige and her new baby sister.
	Ann's dad had a good holiday in the Lake District with Carol, David and some friends.
Ann and Dave have adopted their own gorgeous puppy called Leo.