can't see the keyboard

Posted on Sun 24 December 2006 at 06:51

Well, it is Christmas Eve and I can’t let the occasion pass without making some comment to all our lovely friends and family.  This will be our first Christmas here and yes of course we miss you.  I was having a conversation with a Welsh girl called Tracy at work.  I said that although I am not homesick, sad, lonely or depressed, I find my emotions are maybe closer to the surface than usual since moving here.  So things that would have passed without any emotion previously now have my eyes brimming with tears or bring a tightness to my throat.  Although she has been here a year, she knew what I meant.  And this is one of those moments.  I’m not crying but I feel choked as I write this.  We just want you to know that we hold you dear in our hearts (SHIT, I AM CRYING NOW) and although we are thousand of miles away, you are rarely far from our thoughts.  Thank you for the cards and presents.  Again, I am really sorry that I didn’t get the last posting date for the UK right, so I gave up with quite a few.  We relish the life we have created in New Zealand and wish you all the same joy that we have found here.  If we could just move you all closer then life would be perfect.  If you could let us know what you have been up to, that would be great – you know what we have been doing but you are a bit reticent about keeping us up to date. 

This is added after a half hour break as I couldn’t see the keyboard – all the letters blurred together.  I was sat smiling through my tears trying to type, imagining you lot reading this and thinking  ‘silly sod’.  

Remember I said we had been to the Mount not so long ago?  Well, Steve is peeling down the right side of his face.  And his right ankle….and his…yup, you get the picture.  Melissa is also peeling heavily which is quite surprising as she kept telling me her redness was only from the salt water, definitely not sunburn...hey, what would I know, I’m only her mother!!

Melissa continues to enjoy her riding lessons once a week and I am hoping that all 3 of us will go on a 2 hour trek in the week I have off in early January.

The rental house we are in now looks out on a gully, but from quite a distance back.  It is a pleasant view, the sky is clear and the trees are whipping about in the wind as I type.  It is not a bad view at all considering we live in the city.  Our new house is on the same gully I think but a bit further up  (it’s flattened out here) and the view is far better there.  And we own some of the gully, that’s brilliant, I can’t wait to explore it and slide right down the side on my arse!! The estate agent had some pictures on the web but I bet he’s taken them off now or I could have shown you.  I know, better than that, how about you come and look for yourselves?   Best start planning your holidays now….God, I have just realised I am like the holiday ads –but  they usually start on Boxing Day though eh??  To be honest, I am more excited about the house than about Xmas this year. 

Message from Steve:

I’d just like to say Happy Christmas to everyone as well.  Looking forward to the New Year – new job, new house, etc.  I’ve got to say it’s just weird having sunburn at Christmas time!  Hope you all have a great Xmas and New Year, I’m now off to pick up our Xmas dinner. See ya!  Steve.

Message from Melissa: