Were Does the Time Go?

I never really understood my mother when she used to tell me that time just flies by...and,every year it goes faster and faster! Almost two months have passed and it seems like I wrote my last post just yesterday. In mid May, Rob & I traveled home to the US to attend Ross' graduation from CSU Chico, as well as attend a special ash spreading ceremony on the SF Bay to wish Papa a final goodbye. We also managed to celebrate my 50th Birthday with many of you at a fun gathering at the Sonoma Plaza Park. It was a real whirlwind trip. Next time we come home...I would enjoy a bit slower pace!

It was so great to see our kids, as we both miss them heaps! It was also great to see all our family & friends...Farmer's Market in Sonoma, staying with Mickey, staying with Emmy & Chris in Sacramento, traveling to Chico, staying in Glen Ellen with Mary, Greg & girls, sailing on the Bay, seeing my family. Links to pictures will follow this post.

Now we are back in NZ, and it is very much winter here. As I write this, the wind is whipping,wildly, and the rain is pounding down! Rob & I took our Sunday morning walk in shorts and rain slickers...shorts, because no matter what you wear...you are going to get wet, and rain jacket...to keep the upper body warm. When we got to Cheltenham Beach, the wind was blowing the rain straight in our faces! No wussing out here! We were out with all the other crazy people getting in their daily exercise. If you can believe it...there were even people crazy enough to be sailing! I guess that would tell you what kind of a sailor I am...not a wet weather sailor! It really does not matter what kind of weather is here...the Kiwi's just do it! Nothing seems to stop them from their run/walk/cycle.

When we arrived home, there were flowers, balloons and a banner wishing me a Happy Birthday! A very special welcome home, indeed! The weather was picture postcard clear, but very COLD! Coming from warm, sunny California was a bit of a contrast. Rob took me to have lunch at the Sky Tower so we had an amazing view all the way out to Little Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula. I was also treated to lunch by my gym buddies here in NZ. They took me to a very flash place on the harbour, and we had heaps of fun for the whole afternoon.

It seems that my Birthday just kept on being celebrated, as our friends, Joan & Mark rented a Bach (sounds like batch, and is a vacation home) on the Coromandel Peninsula. It is roughly a three hour drive from our house in Devonport. Rob & I were treated to the master bedroom, that had a view overlooking Pauanui. The Bach was in Tairua. All weekend we explored the Coromandel Peninsula...went to Hot Water Beach, and a very neat Art Gallery there. We also hiked to a place called Cathedral Cove. It seemed like everytime we were in the car, torrents of rain came down, and everytime we were walking, the storm broke, making it possible for us to enjoy the day without getting drenched. Rob got some amazing shots of our time in the Coromandel.

On June 15th, we had our first non-family visitor from the States. Drew Pickering, who was working the harvest @ St. Clair Winery in Blenheim, was passing through Auckland for a few days. Actually, he had stayed here twice before, but Rob & I had both been back in the states when he passed through previously. Drew had been in NZ since February, and had quite an impressive itinerary of where he had traveled. He put on an amazing slide show of his visit the night before he left to go back home to Sonoma. We really enjoyed having Drew as a guest.

Actually...to be more accurate about visitors...Mike & Mary Szykowny were are first non-family visitors. I failed to acknowledge that fact as they actually stayed in a very fancy hotel in Devonport, and not in our little apartment. We had heaps of fun while they were here, and they had heaps of fun on their own little jaunt down south to Rotorua, Lake Terawera, and the Waitomo Caves. Mary did say..."don't ever stay in the Waitomo Hotel"...Sorry to M&M for that gaff in my memory!

Rob & I have been in training for a trek that we are booked on in December. We are going to do the Milford Trek, out of Queensland, with my friend Lisa, and our friends Joan & Mark. There is one day that is fairly long...20km. So, every weekend, we hike on both days. When my knee was so weak, I could only ride a bike at the gym, but now I am getting stronger, and able to keep up with Rob. Well...almost keep up. He is still faster, but I am getting better!

Last Sunday, it was particularly clear out...windy, and cold, but clear. We drove to Gulf Harbour and took a ferry ride out to a bird sanctuary called Tiritiri Matangi. It is a special island where the Department of Conservation is bringing back habitats for rare and endangered plants and animal species. Because it is an open sanctuary, you can hike around and enjoy the amazing sights and scenes. Many volunteers work to help maintain the Island. The DOC has has massive planting campaigns where even school children have volunteered, planting native species of bush, so the bird life would thrive. It was another amazing experience here in NZ.

This past weekend was foggy, wet, and miserable weather. Last night we had such loud thunder & lightening it felt like our house was going to shake apart! When they say there is a heavy storm coming...they really mean it! Rob & I are settling in here...hunkering down for the rest of the winter...it is sure strange having Winter in the Summer months, and Summer in the Winter months! I hope you are all enjoying your nice, warm, days!

PS...the links below are my picasa web albums from the various activities we have done over the past few months. Just click on the link, and it should bring up the particular album. :)Some of you may have seen Papa's Last Sail, and Ross' Graduation.

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/TiritiriMatangi?authkey=Gv1sRgCOvkwOTlu5XswAE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/Coromandel?authkey=Gv1sRgCIC6_Y-TkY2yiQE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/SkyeSSonoma50thParty?authkey=Gv1sRgCJKA4tn92dDDWw&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/PapaSLastSail?authkey=Gv1sRgCKy1657ktsHigwE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/WelcomeHomeBirthdayLunchWithTheGymGirls?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/miller.skye/RossGraduationFromCSUChico?authkey=Gv1sRgCI2tltv0qemn-AE&feat=directlink