Heres to a great new year!

Happy New Year everyone!

Had an entertaining evening at friends’ house. Watched fireworks in the sky at midnight whilst listening to people shouting felicitations and blowing horns through the trees.

Called Kev the next day to wish him a Happy New Year in the UK! We’ll deffo be together for next year’s. Seemed rather strange - him just getting the new year and me eating lunch on New Year's Day both at the same time!

I’ve got brown toes! Wearing sandals (jandals/thongs in kiwi speak) since I’ve got here have led to this phenomenon. Thought they were dirty at first, but no, after several minutes of intense scrubbing – just tanned!

I’ve been up to lots and lots – carrying on with life in Auckland in my own sweet way.

The weather is fab (been switting backets!) and I’m really enjoying swumming in the sea – the water is so refreshing now that the heat is on. I’ve swum at Eastern Beach (very pretty and popular), Bucklands Beach (watched the little fishies swimming right on the shore and the red car ferries transporting holiday-makers and day trippers to Waiheke Island) and also at a tiny little bay down the cliff in the Howick area.

To get to it, steps are provided – but for the last 7 feet or so there is a chain in the rock and you use it to climb down – glad I was wearing my boogie shorts for that bit, would have felt rather on show and unladylike climbing down in just a cossie!

I’ve also been to Red Beach (near Whangaparoa – don’t forget folks – Wh = F). It’s a surf beach and I spent a couple of very happy hours with my new friend the boogey board splashing around in the waves. Great fun!

Son has been out on a boat for the day – he really enjoyed it. He caught 2 fush with his fushing rod and one metal chair whilst pulling up the anchor – no wonder it was hard work pulling up that anchor! Many thanks to those that took him out.

Whilst son was fushing, I went for a walk with another new friend around the Shelley Beach area. Beautiful views (as to be expected now) of the inlet, Southfork type houses in the distance, mangrove swampy bits and a sea shimmering in the sun.

We encountered a variety of trees and shrubs, a parrot with an orange/red coloured head, a golden coloured beetle, a picturesque bach, mud that makes hilarious popping noises as the sun tries unsuccessfully to dry it up and lots of mud coloured crabs scampering around disappearing into a variety of holes.

We also came across a herd of rather large bullocks across our path and beat a hasty retreat, finding an alternative route. After several minutes of walking whilst surreptitiously glancing behind us, we reached the safety of a stile. Whew. Just before we returned to the car, we walked down the drive of a house in order to buy fresh avocados (4 for $2). They are ripening in the kitchen as I type! Yum.

Insects have been rather interesting over the past week or so. I have come across click beetles. These fun insects are about ¾ in long and torpedo shaped. If they land on their backs, they try to ‘right’ themselves by jumping in the air and turning over, making a very audible ‘click’ sound as they do. I was happily sweeping the kitchen out at the time when I came across one. Well, it jumped in the air and I nearly jumped a mile too.

Eventually, I felt braver and poked it a few times with my brush. I began to rather enjoy this neat trick it does. Several fun filled clicks and jumps later I called son to inspect it. After a couple of demonstration pokes with not a lot happening we came to the conclusion that it was dead. Ooops! Son returned to guitar playing unimpressed without seeing this very entertaining tricky clicky beetle.

I have also been watching jumping spiders. Walked into the kitchen one morning to find one sunbathing on my dishcloth – catching the rays via the window I expect. It wasn’t very big and I went to flick it away – but it jumped about 4 ins into the air before I got to it! Chased it for a while and eventually chucked it unceremoniously out of the window.

Apparently (studious internet research here), these spiders don’t build webs to catch their food – they stalk their prey! They have 2 quite big eyes up front with vision similar to our own. The site stated that they can understand the pictures on the television and can see in colour too – quite unlike most spiders that are virtually blind. Not sure how they carried out this research though! Have decided I quite like these little hunters!

I have a big ugly spider in the garage on the windowsill. After inspection and tentative pokes with a piece of cardboard from a respectful distance, have decided to leave it well alone!

Have tried a variety of NZ Cadburys chocolate bars such as:
Black Forest (milk chocolate with lumps of cherry flavoured jelly and biscuity bits)
Marble (praline)
Dairy Milk (you all know this one)
Thoroughly enjoyed by myself and son. We’re quite impressed so far although further extensive research of other ‘types’ is rather imperative methinks.

Bargain of the week for me was a tumble dryer for $15 (about 6 quid) off Trademe! A good friend told me about this and found one for me on the site. I put in a bid and, although the asking price wasn’t reached, the owner asked if I would like to buy it for $15 and I did! Good friend went with me to pick it up. I installed my new toy in the garage and it works fabulously! Cheers for that!

Another friend has given me the name for a possible washing business outlet – ‘Sue’s Posh Wosh’!!!!

The ads on talk radio are still rather entertaining:

Apparently, you can move house with a certain company and they will sing their radio jingle whilst doing so and also whilst putting your furniture together! Might be funny at first, but could lead to serious injuries and maiming after a while I should think…..

Also you can get a beanie made from merino and possum fur – this will then keep your noodle toastie.

Spent some time listening to above talk radio and its entertaining ads whilst carrying out airport runs on Wednesday.

I picked up a friend's son and his girlfriend at 16:00 hours. I stood resplendent complete with an A4 piece of paper bearing his name. Didn't really need it though as he looks just like his mum and sounds like his dad!

Said 'welcome to NZ" and dropped them off in the city (took an interesting route to get there, but they were non the wiser!).

Picked up friends later on in the evening. Unfortunately it was dark and I managed to get lost.... (well, there's a surprise!) I remember passing signs for Papatoetoe, Mangere and various other names. After bouts of mild panic, I saw the airport sign again and finally got there. Apparently, my pickups managed to pass the time by admiring the stars and the moon and by telling a passing bus driver that 'yes, we're fine, someone's collecting us'.... Sorry!

Still - I got there in the end - a bit embarrassed but we got home safe and sound!

Jobs for next week include:
Visiting my walking friend who is house sitting in Tauranga (house is on the beach and sounds lovely). Also comes with kayaks! Dying to have a go at this on the sea. Should be a laugh if nothing else! Apparently it's 2 hours away - ish. Wonder if I'll get lost or have any detours?

Getting car WOFfed. Sounds painful doesn’t it?!

Tara !

X Sue