Hot and sticky!

Hi all - tis as the title says really - hot and sticky (ie humid). Very humid at the mo actually cos it rained yesterday - just in time for mum and aunty's arrival! Today is a bit better - cloudy, but no rain and the sun keeps trying to peep through! Got loads of washing out, so hopefully t'will be okay.

Now that I've bored you to death, I'll waffle a bit.

All my plastic pegs keep breaking - those out on the washing line - this is due to the strong NZ sun beating down on them. I've now got used to pressing a peg to hang out me clothes, only to have it disintigrate with a loud snap and minor explosion in between my fingers!

I have a triffid in my garden - discovered it the other day - it's a huge dandelion plant! I didn't think it was possible for them to grow that tall, but it's taller than me and I'm five foot sixish!

Here you go:I am very proud!

Should have stood next to it - would have been a better way for you to see how tall it is!

Mary - don't be too upset - I know it's a weed, but this is down by my compost area - so didn't know it was growing and now I don't want to cut it down due to seeing how tall it will end up. I am conducting a scientific experiment!

Also - what do you think of this photo?



Isn't it cool? Guess what 'wrote' it?

Fireworks!

Kev and a friend were setting them off in our garden on New Year's Eve and this is the message we got!

Oooh Kev has just come into the room to see what I'm up to - so we have taken a piccie of our pride and joy with him stood next to it - remember - he is about 6ft 1.

Aaaah!

I wonder how tall it will get to?!

Now then - I persuaded son to go to Piha boogie boarding with me this Sunday and we had a GREAT time.

The Piha Rescue camera guys were there filming for next year (Piha Rescue is a TV programme over here - all about the life guards rescuing and helping those that get into danger).

You can see the camera on the guy's shoulder and that's his little car buggy thingy there too. That's Lion Rock there on the left - looks like a huge lion staring dreamily out to sea!

This is his abandoned tripod after he ran across the beach to film some rescued people!

Whilst I was putting on my sun cream and protective clothing, I saw the boat go out twice to rescue people - the first was someone swimming miles away from the flags (you're meant to stay between them where it's safer) - he/she was stuck in a rip and the second was a surfer - also in the rip and wearing only a bikini! She was lucky she still had it on in those waves!

We were in the water about two hours and had a whale of a time - I caught one fantastic wave that took me at top speed from just near the surfers right onto the shore (into about 10cm of water!) I scratched my knee! I was going so fast, I couldn't stop! Just kept steering to avoid people and eventually found myself looking into the eyes of a 3 year old holding his grandma's hand! Lol. After a quick smile, I elegantly got up, turned round and battled against the waves once more in order to catch another ride! It was FAB!

Needless to say, the next day I was really aching around the shoulders area and I now have a lovely cold sore on my lower lip due to catching the sun there! Lovely look!

This is a beach I went to near Devonport with a friend. We chatted the afternoon away very happily whilst the kids played in the water. That's Rangitoto in the distance - it's an island which also happens to be a dormant volcano!

This is Eastern Beach where we spent New Year's Day afternoon. Lovely, sparkly day it was too. We picnicked and ate ice-creams!

And here's lovely Omana Beach with Waiheke Island in the distance. We had another lovely picnicky day there too!

Well - as you can see - the weather is very much in summer mode and we are making the most of it. Tis very cheap entertainment too - just a picnic, a car and off you go!

This is what Kev thinks of it all:

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

X SUE