Oh my Goodness

Oh my goodness, it is such a long time since I have been here. The black dog has been following me all year and finally caught up with me. My happy left. So I have had time off work, given up training, had no interest in writing. But now my medication has been doubled and has finally kicked in and I have my happy back.
Next week I will go back to the gym and get into it again.

I did do some travelling during this time. I took two of my grandchildren and we went on a road trip to the North Island. We were so lucky with the weather. It was just lovely all the way up. beautiful views through the Arthur's Pass area and down the Shenandoah Valley. A perfect crossing on the ferry. We left Wellington in blue skies and sunshine. By the time we got to Mamaku that night the ferries were no longer sailing, the Desert Road was closed because of snow and accidents. Obviously mayhem followed in our wake. to say nothing of the mayhem in the car with children fighting. Why can't sisters get on?
The rain caught us in Rotorua so we went to the Polynesian Pools for a swim and got caught in a hail storm. Fortunately there is cover so we were able to luxuriate in the warm water and watch the children scooping up balls of hail. Then it snowed and we nearly got stuck in Mamaku but luckily we managed to get to Minginui Forest to stay with my eldest son. And it rained! All day! Like a waterfall! The following day dawned bright and clear so it was off to Waikite Valley hot pools where we stayed most of the day. Glorious.
The Desert Road was still closed when we left but it had reopened by the time we got to Taupo. It is really magical driving the road with the snow piled up either side and the volcanoes glowing with their fresh white blanket.
Fine days in Wellington saw us go to the zoo. The girls were actually more excited by the Capital Food market where we went for dinner each night. They couldn't quite understand why the young man was in his sleeping bag on the footpath and why he was so quick to eat my left over food.
Another beautiful crossing.
We had a reasonable day to travel south and stopped at Hanmer Springs. Much fun was to be had on the water slide and the superbowl.  am so glad we went. As we got closer to Christchurch it began to rain steadily.
We stayed with son number 2 and it rained heavily all night. Next morning we went to visit my neice and drove through quite a lot of water. When we returned we drove through quite a lot more water. My poor little car was nearly drowned when a truck passed by. We had only just got back when the road closed.
So there we were. Stuck in Prebbleton for the foreseeable future. we finally managed to get home the day before work started again.

Tara was obsessed with bras.

Two little posers at the Wellington Zoo.

Ruapehu looking fabulous.

The Minginui waterfall.

Fun and games on the Edwin Fox at Picton.

Bit of a scrubber here.

A perfect day in Picton. And there is our boat coming in.