It also happens to be the last Bank Holiday for quite a long time so this weekend we are heading off into the Wairarapa to stay with one of my work colleagues in Martinborough http://www.martinborough.com/
Martinborough is wine country so hopefully we will get to sample a few...or 10.
There is a severe weather warning for Sunday with snow predicted at low levels, so the trip back over the Rimutaka Hills could be interesting. Watch this space - no doubt we will have photos after the weekend if there is anything interesting to report! http://www.virtualoceania.net/newzealand/photos/mountains/rimutakas/nz0259.shtml
I must apologise for the temporary breakdown in communications on the blog...it's winter here now, well and truly, with high winds, grey skies, cold wet very heavy noisy rain (tin roofs) so there isn't lot to talk about. We are managing to stay warm in the house having finally worked out how to work the heat pump. A combination of heat pump and ceiling fan works very well and the new oil heater that we purchased a few weeks ago from Bunnings (you think 'The Depot' is big!) has done the trick of keeping the chill away downstairs.
The last 2 weekends have actually been rather exciting. We had visitors! 2 weekends ago, Di came and visited from Auckland. Some of you reading this will know Di from Hampshire Scouting - well, she is now Di Morris, married to Bob and they live about an hour south of Auckland airport where Bob works. Di wanted to visit the Monet exhibition that was taking place at Te Papa so came to stay. Unfortunately even Monet isn't worth a 4 hour queue on a Saturday afternoon so that plan was scuppered. Instead we ate, drank and took Max swimming - not in that order of course! It was lovely to have a friend to stay in the house at last...and to have someone new to cook for...
Last weekend we had new UK arrivals over for Saturday night dinner. Paul and Karen are good friends of Kate's best friend Michelle (hope you are keeping up) who we have met in passing at parties in the past. Paul works for IBM in Wellington and has been here for just over a month and Karen and Storm (the dog) arrived here last weekend. They are living in Upper Hutt so popped over for a good chat about how lovely it is to be in New Zealand - even if it is winter.
Our other exciting news is that Mum & Dad Calvert have confirmed the dates of their first visit and they will be here in the height of summer to celebrate Christmas with us. Much discussion is already taking place in planning the 5 weeks they will be with us, including possible RV hire on South Island for a week. Mum & Dad Knight are also in the midst of planning their trip (Premium Economy don't you know!) and we should have their dates soon too! Exciting!
It does however mean that there is a New Year vacancy, so if any of you fancy escaping the UK winter and heading south to enjoy a New Zealand summer and a New Year BBQ - let us know. We can meet you at Wellington airport on the 28th December quite easily as we'll be dropping my folks off! Book early to avoid disappointment...
Max continues to make us gasp at his use of the English language. Every day new words are used and we are now having longer and longer sentences. He is particularly animated when chatting on Skype to his cousin Chloe. He wakes up and starts talking and only stops when he is asleep - totally unlike his mother who is as quiet as a mouse, as she can no longer get a word in edgewise. Now there's a turn up for the books!
It's still all work for me. I'm very busy but loving every minute of it. My role continues to change on a daily basis and I have basically been told to continue ferreting around finding new business here and there. I think I am currently thought of as a Strategic Technical Account Manager but we'll have to see what next week brings.
Kate is still job hunting. She has several irons in the fire and we are hopeful that something will turn up soon. It's the end of the financial year here next month and that is certainly impacting peoples desire to hire new people. We're both quite confident that over the next 2-3 weeks Kate will have 3 interviews and one of them will come off. In the meantime, Kate has registered with a private Nursing provider; Geneva Health and will be doing work as it comes off on an ad hoc basis - including a few night shifts which will allow for some XBox time! Marvellous. The other clear advantage is that there is once again a nurses uniform hanging up in the house (that one was for you Tim!) In the meantime Kate is getting involved with the local ladies in planning events for the playgroup and has even been recruited onto the committee. More XBox time!
I'll leave you for now with some photos of Max and will update once the weekend is over. Love to you all and we hope to hear from you soon. Don't forget that you can skype us. Just look for kiwicalverts.
Max wearing Grandma Knight's knitted hat and fingerless gloves
Max in his Grandma Calvert Thomas the Tank Engine outfit
Grandad has a hat just like this!
Snack time outside Te Papa
Max's first kebab at 'Abrakebabra' on Manners Street, Wellington
Mountain biker
Extreme mountain biker
Eating the plane shaped scones Max has just made with Mum
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