Happy Early Birthday Helen!

Right said fred!!! Nice diamonte earring!!!

As birthday girl helen had to wear a paper chain around her neck!!

Next week it is Helen our friends birthday. However, I am at a conference all next weekend and Helen starts working nights/shift work...so we we're struggling to get a time when we could get together. We are hopefully going to go out for a meal on the actual night..if Helen can stay awake after her night shift!!

Anyhow, we wanted to make it special as it's at times like this you really do miss friends and family, so yesterday we decorated the house and invitied them around for dinner. Had a great night, nice food and nice company.

Lots of beer...hence the photo's of Graham wearing one of my diamonte earrings!!!!

Ocean Spa-Napier

The whole spa was perspex around the outside so you could see the beach...

We visited a spa this weekend after a hectic week at work. The spa is on the main road leading into Napier and faces the beach and sea on one side and Bluff Hill the other side. We stayed a few hours, it was nice to relax, there we're two warm jacuzzi's that faced over the beach, one hot pool, 2 normal ( cold) and a 'serious lane' pool!!. There was also a sauna and steam room. It was nice to relax.

In the morning Graham had watched rugby...Saints against Leeds, and unfortunately Leeds won. We got to the spa and a lady was sat on her own and we asked if the beds next to her we're free...she said yes and started chatting to us...she was english...Graham said 'your from Leeds aren't you?'...and she was...he was like 'in the whole of NZ, after being beaten by Leeds, I end up sat next to one at the spa!!!'

We'll definately visit again.

Nanna...your parcel has arrived!!!

Nan....we don't know when you will next see the blog but this is evidence that your parcel finally arrived! Nan posted us a parcel in December and we got it yesterday! I think the reason why it took so long to get here is because Royal Mail had to re-pack it!!!!!!

Thanks Nan xxx

Spelling

Excuse spelling please...won't let me edit it and I am listening to Graham scream at SAINTS on the tv!!!!

Broccoli!!!!

Check out our broccoli!!!!

Friendly employers....

It's nice to feel appreciated...this week I received a large bunch of flowers from my boss and also a lovely letter thanking me for all my hard work over the last 2 months. So lovely to feel valued...kind of makes getting in after 9pm two nights on the bounce this week easier!!....ish!

Oak Avenue

Visited Oak Avenue this weekend...Just a long road lined with Oak tree's that we're planted in 1874...very serene!

England did it!!!!

Wow....great to be English in Napier this week as we beat New Zealand in the cricket....both Graham and I have been making the most of rubbing it in at every opportunity! Graham often gets stick at work re sport...so its nice to have something to shout about!!!!

We have hung a HUGE flag at the back of the house for all of Highway 2 to see !!!! I am surprised it hasn't been tagged!

Veggie Patch...

Ok...don't laugh..for those of you that know me, I am not known for my gardening skills..try as I might! Anyhow, we recently went for dinner at Helen and Jon's house and most of it was picked out of the garden..so I was inspired!

I have decided to grow them in pots ( well...buckets!!! I watch my pennies too much..this is the cheap version!) so they can come with me if we move! I am hoping that my venture is succesful....although I am slightly confused as to how I am going to know when the carrots are ready as they grow underground...ha ha!! I think I may have to re home some of them, as I think they will need more space soon..or maybe that is wishful thinking!

So....last weekend I planted carrots, celery, broccoli, silverbeet and lettuce...I have been so organised and watered them everyday etc....

THEN I came home from work on Tuesday and sat in the garden...and I suddenly had a thought...the water has nowhere to go!!! Ooooppppsss, so Graham drilled holes into the bottom of them all and we we're both splattered with soil and water!

Will keep you posted!

Proud to be English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevin Pieterson batting

At lunch time, everyone was allowed on the pitch (?) to look at the wickets!!!!! It was nice to see lots of kids/families playing cricket and ball games on the field.

Barmy Army

Entrance to McLean Park...we bought cans from the shop and they wouldn't let us take them in, I asked why and they said 'In case you get rowdy...you could use them as a weapon!'

Went to support England today in their battle against New Zealand. England didn't do too well initially, however Pieterson seemed to redeem the team somewhat...the game is still going ahead. We stayed most of the day, but the sun was just too hot. We we're putting sun cream on like it was going out of fashion...and trying to keep covered up, but it was uncomfortable so we left about 4.30pm. It was great to be surrounded by so many English people, in a wierd way it felt like we we're closer to home! So, we laid out Grahams huge England flag and got set up for the day. The Kiwi's surprised me today...very rude and really trying to wind up the english, eg '***k off and go home!'.....but the English just ignored them and let them get on with it. There was one group of particular prats that we're sat right behind us...and actually started tapping an english lad on the head shouting at the top of his voice 'let's have some banter...why don't you just ***s off home' and he just said, 'no thanks mate'....so 1 to the English and a disappointing 0 to the kiwi's.

Apart from the minority kiwi prats..the day was great....While we we're sat there a guy behind us got a text from home and someone put, 'you've been on telly.'..this text described what we we're all wearing, so if any of you stayed up late to watch the cricket ( which I very much doubt) you may have seen us!!!!

GOOD LUCK ENGLAND

Westshore Reserve

Every morning on our way to work we pass this large lake with Black Swans...so we decided to go and have a look this weekend. Turns out there is a reserve, so we had an hours walk around, the swans and scenery we're gorgeous. This road backs onto our house.

Waaaaaa Hooooooo...Guess whose caught a fish!!!!!!

We have been in New Zealand 4 months now...Graham has persevered all this time, the first time he went fishing he caught a stingray and then nothing since. Well, last night, he checked the tide times and went fishing this morning at high tide...5.00AM. He walked to a ship wreck at the bottom of the road and came home with a fish for dinner!!!!...and an eel for bait!!

Yippee!!

Mum...it's arrived!! Photographic evidence!

Loved the 'Gone to the beach....' mug!!

So nice to see familiar packaging! Graham loves his Jelly Beans off you Rio and Iced Gems off you mum...this picture is before Graham got home from work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parcel from home arrived this week, so lovely and quite emotional. I found myself reading the magazines mum had stuffed the package with!!!!ha ha....I'm not kidding! Thanks mum and Gav xxxx

PS- Rio...Graham was so chuffed that you put in some Jelly Beans for him!!!! Thanks hunny bunch xx

Waipatiki Bush Reserve

Stream leading to the beach........................

Views from the top of the reserve........

Mud steps leading to the top of the reserve...

Bird watching....

As we drove into the village, there was a gorgeous stream along the side of the road. We parked up and started the bush reserve walk, it was very lush. Huge palm tree's towered above us and half of the walk was dark as the bush was so dense. The birds we're fantastic, they are so tame over here, we had a fantail follow us around the whole walk! There we're also some HUGE New Zealand pigeons...the worlds biggest pigeons! We started off on the normal track, but then we saw some steps carved out of the mud...we ended up on top of a cliff and the views we're stunning..down to the beach.

Waipatiki Beach

On the beach...you can maybe just make out a group of people, with large umbrella's...this was a couple getting married!

Whenever Graham and I are sat eating we always end up with some form of animal near us.....I am slowly getting used to being married to Dr.Doolittle!

Today we drove 40 minutes north to Waipatiki Village. The drive there was beautiful, we we're surrounded by goats, sheep, cows and birds! From the time we left our house, to the time we arrived we saw two cars! This rural village is nestled at the bottom of windy roads and sits on the coast. There are only a few houses, a stream, a bush reserve walk and a stunning beach. We've decided to post them in seperate sections as each part was gorgeous.

The beach was tiny...a small cove and just perfect. The weather forecast had said it was going to be cloudy and maybe rain, but the sun shone. We sat and had our lunch on the beach, watching surfers and there was even a couple getting married!

Best beach we have visited so far!

Splash Planet-Hastings

All the slides and pools...

" Quick there is a 5 year old girl coming up behind us!!!"...the jeep was just not moving with the two of them in it! Grahams face is still determined though!!!!

Splash Planet is a large water park in Hastings and is open throughout the summer. It only has 3 weeks of the season left, so like the big kids that we are we went to give it a go. We met Helen and Jon there and we're probably the only party of 4 adults!!! There we're lots of slides, both indoors and outdoors. There we're also motorised rubber rings bumper cars, go karts, zip wires, tanks, a huge adventure playground pirate ship and a large crazy golf course...so we gave it all a go!!

Fourth Wedding Anniversary

Sophie decorated us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi all, Thanks to those that remembered our special day!! Can't quite believe we got married 4 years ago...it seems like a lifetime ago that we we're in the Cliffs Hotel in Blackpool with our friends and family. Feels a bit strange this year as it didn't feel like our anniversary until this evening...so we will be asleep for most of it! I suppose that is going to be another sacrifice we are going to have to make to be here....our special days aren't going to feel special until the evening!!!!!

We are going out for a meal at the weekend to celebrate!