Earthquakes, wind and rain Vs the joy of using technology!

Firstly my apologies for the severe delay in uploading this blog. I began writing it over two weeks ago and it was full of spelling mistakes as I was sat in the car on the beach road (to get a free internet connection!) and Dolly, the Mazda was being buffeted around by the storms. It  is small consolation to be told that we never have storms like that, the same consolation as being told that the last earthquakes were 30 years ago! The upside to the rain is that we have incredible rainbows!
Unfortunately the beautiful pictures are slightly spoilt as Molly believes that she is a girl from the hood, rather than one who just happens to own a sensible jacket with a hood!




 On top of all that my freebie internet connection has been suffering from the influx of holidaymakers all trying to connect. I gave up again last week after the third failed attempt.




I have been in Gisborne this week. Apparently I experienced an earthquake whilst I was there. I can honestly say that I felt nothing- typical male, I hear you say!








It may not look far on the map, but this was a 4.5 hour drive, including an hour and a half through the Opotiki to Gisborne hinterland: a deep gorge, with no phone connection and no sign of any civilisation! That is when you realise that this is such a young country.

Anyway, Molly has started school at Mount Maunganui Primary.

Her concerns about having to go back to primary (as the school year here runs from January) were alleviated by her route to school being a walk along the beach, the lack of uniform and the swimming and surfing during sports lessons!

Unfortunately, line dancing seems to come with the package as well: bang goes the girl from the hood's street cred!

20th September saw my 38th birthday celebrations. O.K. maybe a little higher. I felt the magic may have disappeared from our marriage, when I was texted on the way home from work to pick up a cake and some candles for my self. But no, it takes very little to keep this old man happy....... as you can see!

I'm not going to risk any larger blog as I think it will be tempting fate, there will be a plague of locusts descending upon the mount. But if this does finally manage to upload, I will be back on very soon. Thanks for your patience!