I realise it’s a few days early, but there’s no way I’ll have time after today!

Our First Few Weeks In Aotearoa

We arrived safely on 30th November and spent a few days with friends in Tauranga. On Saturday, 3rd December, we flew to Gisborne and have been catching up with family and friends since then.

We’ve met our gorgeous new grandson, Ludo Cave Teutenberg, who is absolutely delightful. Sharp as a tack, despite his rocky road from birth at 26 weeks and four days on 10th January 2022. Barry is understandably besotted. I’m completely in love, too as you can see below.

Disappointingly the weather has been rather mixed – though far warmer than the freezing temperatures you’ve experienced in the UK recently. Sadly, the high percentage of blue skies and sunshine seems to be lacking—likely a product of global warming. But I’m REALLY hoping it’s not and that the glorious days will show themselves soon. Fortunately, there have been breaks in the cloud and rain, and the festive period looks like it’ll turn out fine. Great for the many families who camp ‘up the coast’ over the school holidays here.

We’re thoroughly enjoying lovely long, light days, and our Summer Solstice was yesterday. Which also happened to be our 13th wedding anniversary. The ‘official’ one happened on Wainui Beach on 22nd December 2009.

Where To From Gisborne?

Currently, we’re house and cat-sitting until the end of January, not far from Gisborne Hospital. We’ll be hanging out in Gisborne until 18th February, when we’ve got a few exciting adventures planned. We’ll tell you more about those nearer the time.

For now, we wish everyone a fabulous festive season. Enjoy the Christmas lights in the UK – we have a spattering of them here, but as it’s not dark until after 9 pm, we rarely see them. We’ll miss my elder daughter and her family in Cheshire immensely – thank goodness for wifi and Facetime!

It’s a very different Christmas in the southern hemisphere. We’ll have pancakes, bacon, bananas and maple syrup for a late breakfast. However – I bought a turkey today and will make pigs in blankets, too, as my younger daughter Kimberley is winging her way here as I type – staying with us for a few weeks. It’s been touch and go as to whether she’d get to us for various reasons, but she’s now in the air.

Wonderful. That’s what it’s all about. Family and friends. We feel extraordinarily blessed.