Back to Welly and back to School

Hi folks, yep the holidays are almost over - booo!

And Katie starts soon too - fingers crossed with the old visa thing but should have a start date of 4th of May. For those of you who don't know, Katie has a job as Regional Tennis Development Manager and will be rejoining the workforce soon.

I am actually sitting in my office and it's Saturday - I am not doing a whole lot of work though if I am being honest but I did want to upload some more photos to flickr and also add some to the blog.

We will be getting a landline really soon for our house and we will also be all set up to use Skype regularly too so things as they say can only get better!

Here are a couple of highlights from the last month - more photos as I say are on flickr. (www.flickr.com/katieandsteph88)

What a month!

Hi everyone,

I started writing a blog entry last week and never got round to posting it because we have been so blinking busy!!! Sorry the blog has been sparse - this will be fixed once we get internet access in our new hoose. (and photos will be added)

Paul arrived last month and we (as Katie mentioned in her previous post) walked Tongariro which was fantastic - we did a million and one different things when Paul was over - went to comedy clubs, out for dinner, went to whanganui for lunch - moved house, just the usual kind of stuff that everyone does in a typical week. It was brilliant.

Then on the day Paul left, Sam and Emma arrived - just in time to run Paul to the airport! Then we had a great time with Sam and Emma (who are on their 12 month honeymoon for those who don't know) we did barbecues, beers, day trips, a cycle home from my work that nearly killed Sam. (It is seriously uphill) T'was great to see the pair of them and who knows where or when we will catch up next! Somewhere exciting no doubt.

Then - on Sunday just there, Katie and I flew to Christchurch to meet my Mum and Aunt Chirstine and we have been driving all over the South island seeing the sites:

We've been to Willowbank to see Kiwis, we've been on the Christchurch tram, we've went to Akaroa for Lunch. We then went to Hamner Springs for a wee shot in the hot pools and the ladies all got massages.

Then we drove for miles back round towards christchurch then over Arthurs Pass which was stunning and that took us to Greymouth (we'll just pretend the speeding ticket for Steph never happened by the way). We then drove to Westport then onto Nelson and the drive was again, fantastic. We are in Nelson at this very moment and we thought we would have a quiet day today - then we changed our mind and headed off to Abel tasman national Park for a boat trip round the beaches to see the seals and some of the sites. Brilliant - and we are off out for dinner just now then heading on a bit of a winery tour tomorrow - it's non-stop action all the way.

Staying in Blenheim tomorrow night before we head to Wellington on the interislander ferry for a well earned three day rest in our house before Mum and Christine head off to Singapore. (they've already conquered Hong Kong and Sydney)

When the dust settles, we catch our breath and we get on the internet again I will write more but here are a couple of other bullet points of note:

* Katie got a job! Working as Development manaager for Tennis! (mmore news to follow)
* Our great friends Lorna and Iain are now in NZ too - they are in Auckland and Iain has started his job already - a trip to Auckland is definitely in the offing!

Anyway, best be off - will write more soon,

Phew!

SB