Sunday, December 29, 2013

From rocks to caves to sands!

Mangaokewa gorge

Mangapohue natural bridge



Piripiri caves


Marokopa falls

Limestone bluff, on the road to Marokopa

Marokopa beach (and sea creature)


Kawhia

This scene may be repeated... mobile unit

Looking for hot sands

Low tide hot springs, Te puia, Kawhia

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Noel magique - Magical Xmas

Mum did everything mum can. She tidied the house, baked for hours, placed carefully one by one cristals and balls on the window sill, lights. Dressed a magnificent and colourful table. Made a real Xmas log (=buche)
We got lucky enough to talk to several loved ones during the night and stayed up until midnight!!!!
Five minutes earlier Mano prepare the little santa tea, with carefully selected sweets and biscuits.
After talking to Jean we went to watch a little bits of asdf to make up for the last quarter of an hour.

Wishing you all a merry Christmas! Lots of love from us.







Sunday, December 15, 2013

It's beginning to look like...

A Tuatara

 The kind of terrible thing that happen after a museum visit

 The terrible twos...
Yay!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Mon gateau!

Beautiful day, spent with lots of love and attention from mini M and MY MUMMY.
Gniark gniark gniark


Friday, December 6, 2013

Friday eve

The sun finally came out. Mum did some gardening today too!
Went to get the flashy colours. Big day tomorrow. Tackling kitchen and side walls.
Clearwater Cove 2012 (Remplacant Bonnannay 2011).
Me regarde pas comme ca Rachel, c'est pas notre faute si on l'a pas trouve...

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Three days later ...

 Day one = prep work
 Test pots
Day three: SuperFranz did all this ALONE!!!!!
I feel like a slave worker bossman.
She is amazing.
And talking about jetlag, I got to bed before her...
I feel young and totally efficient...

Pink Martini - Je ne veux pas travailler


... pas sur que je vous la rende.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

! Herman stays at home

Unbelievable. Just got given a Herman the German.
Alive.
And I need to keep it so for ten days.
Curious?

here's the explanation...

Maman dans 6360 minutes...

a tout ceux qui ont lu "au lit dans 10 minutes"...



Saturday, November 16, 2013

Dry run

Okay, conference in three days.
No my talk isn't ready.
Yes I still haven't touched the comments on the report from last month.
No the new vinyl isn't in, Monday am told
Yes half my kitchen furniture (fridge included) are lined before the fireplace on the carpet for the seventh day.
Yes unplugged/replugged the washing machine about three time this week.
Nope, haven't booked any holiday yet.
Yep  spent the day trying to work out my costume as a 1920s girl.

Absolute yay, found a cigarette holder.

Priorities.


Indochine - Bob Morane


Friday, November 8, 2013

Sous les roses blanches et rouges

Mina et Zia nous ont quitte cette semaine, d'une mort naturelle, elles avainet toute les deux plus de deux ans.
Nous sommes sur que la ou elles sont, elles trouvent quand meme moyen de grignoter des crepes et des hamacs.
Bises de nous.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Stewart Island

Taken from Bluff Hill, the southermost town on the South Island. Sundown on Stewart Island. Tuatara country. Back from a week in the south. Met awesome people, even a Frenchman, chased very classified pair of crocs, and for the first time, developped a contract on something I made up myself. Back in Taupo sun was shining, so I let the laptop off, turned Mambo Number 5 up (thinking Rach, this has got to be on this year summer CD), read the awesome book that my awesome sis sent me from Jasper Fforde, and tried out reciepe that another sister sent (yum mint-goat cheese on zucchini) and Mum's room is all ready. Prayer flags clapping in the wind. Trying to make "creme catalane", a recipe that my dad used to love, sent by sis number three. Played "Bidochon d'or" in the shop. So it's like all'them in here today.
Raspberries are coming up, The bees were taking in pollen while I was reading on the deck. Roses in blossom. A bird or two jumping around. My Trini lizard climbing every wall they can. Molla telling me about coffee roasting in Addid Adeba.
I am real lucky to know the people I know.
Right now, life's good.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Far south

Landed in Invercargill ronud 19h00 last night. Jumped the car to get to Bluff and glimpse the last ray of sun on Stewart Island. Breath taking view point that is.
My pics are all blurry cos got the setting wrong (need cable to upload, will do over week end). Three days working at Environment Southland.
Yay!


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Monday, October 28, 2013