After a very exciting time sailing to Fiji, around and back to NZ last year we needed to get our heads down and bums up and do some work to earn our keep. Tony was fortunate that he was able to keep his work going while he was away and has built it back up since we returned.
Over the last year, his work has taken him to Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Then in September we both headed off to England and Europe for four weeks, some for work and some for play. We had a great, but extremely tiring time, meeting up with Dorothy (my sister) for three days in London. We had a lot of talking to do in such a short time, but did manage to get a bit of sight seeing in too. This time we bought a Eurail pass and traveled by train from London (On the Eurostar) to Brussels, then to Amsterdam, Paris, Prague, and to Berlin. We enjoyed the trips on the train as we got to see a lot of the countryside. We went on an overnight train from Paris to Prague, which was a new and interesting experience for us. Then after Berlin, we flew to Vienna for a few days recreation and on to Dubai. That was a whole new ball game for us, having never been to a desert country before. All in all we had a really great time.
I have given up nursing after doing it for nearly 40 years. I now spend my time doing the clerical work for the business, running our home affairs, doing maintenance on the boat and being a grandmother.
We had a lovely time with the family over last Christmas. Spent some time in Wellington with Rowena, Naomi and Al and our granddaughter, Isabella. We also visited my father and stepmother, June. They are only just coping at home with lots of outside help. Dad has given up using the computer now, which is a real shame but finds it too hard to go in to the spare room to use it. I thought about buying him a laptop but he would have trouble with the small keys etc and anyway his eyesight is pretty bad now. June is becoming very forgetful and muddled in her thinking.
We are really enjoying our four grandchildren. Caleb (3) and Ethan (22mths) are real trouble as they are so close in age that they, together, get in to so much mischief but they are a lot of fun. They are in Auckland. Rowena’s daughter, Isabella (2 ½) and Naomi and Al’s son, Nathaniel (4 months) are in Wellington, but we do get to see them every month or so. Fortunately there are now reasonably priced airfares to Wellington and so when I go there I get to stay for 2-3 days and really get to know them well.
This Christmas our friends have lent us their house again for a few days and so we will be having a traditional Christmas dinner with the family. It will be great because our kids and their kids will all be there. Also we have invited Tony’s sisters and their partners and they will bring Tony’s Mum, who has just turned 88years. She is well but VERY forgetful now but she still loves coming out and having a good time.
We are still living on the boat, but had a break earlier this year when we did a two-month stint of house sitting on the North Shore. After ten years of living on the boat, it is time for a change and we are actively looking for a house to buy and live in. We love the boat but now that we have the grandchildren it is becoming harder to have them visit and stay. Also we are yearning for a bit more space to stretch out and I want a wee veggie and herb patch. There is not a lot on the market at the moment but we hope it won’t be too long before we find the home that we both love and can afford.
I can’t think of any more news but will consult with the boss before sending this off. Well, the boss checked it out, made a couple of small changes and has left me to it.
Merry Christmas to you all.
1 comment:
Nice to catch up with the news, update long overdue. Haven't even thought of Christmas yet. Take care.
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