Still here...

9 January 2107

We are still in Waikari, still doing our NZ thing, but we have both been working full time and a string of rainy weather has put a damper on my posting (and our little porch--the roof has two distinct leaks). Oh yeah, I also burned through our data allowance, so we were without Internet for a short time. I was getting way too wrapped up in Mad Men (in season 6 Betty gets fat!), so it needed to happen. I vow to dole out my MM episodes in smaller doses.

The sun made an appearance last Sunday, so we were able to try out our key to the Hawarden (pronounced harden) swim club. There were some kids playing and the water was 24 degrees, but we got some laps in. I went back this morning before R took the car to work. Monday we did some tramping on Mt Thomas, near Rangiora, about an hour from home. No photos because we haven't figured out our new camera. It doesn't always charge when we think it should be charging. So we had a camera, but it had no power. The track was very lush, with several stream crossings and small waterfalls. It was steep and steep downhill is killing me lately, so we went by time rather than distance and got in 3 hours of good footwork.

Our plan was to use our snorkel gear at Waikuku Beach to cool off after the tramp, but when we got to the beach the surf was way too high for me to swim and sand was blowing everywhere. So we went home for dinner instead.