Thanks. It started out as a quick update, turned into a ramble.
There are many more things I could mention.
There are about 40,000 more photos (What? It's pretty here! And my daughter and animals are super cute, IMHO)

We definitely had a bit of luck, but we also have worked hard to learn about NZ and to continue to learn. To integrate. To explore. To stay in contact with people. To retain the enthusiasm for new things. To focus on the positives. To change what we can.

Lovely photo's. Your wife looks suitably pleased with those leeks. Excellent photo of your daughter holding all those snails !

Looks like you are getting on with it and getting stuck in i.e. Cannon Ball Run etc

There's no 'one size fits all' solution for emigrating or for living. You're enjoying it here. So, bring on tomorrow.

She collects the snails, names them all and puts them in containers!

Aw bless her

I absolutely second this.

Fan bloody tastic!!!

And I third it!!

I like your tyre retaining wall, cool idea!

We didn't fancy spending $350 a metre to build a wooden one. The we remembered an episode of Grand Designs where they built a tyre house. This cost nothing except about 25 hours of hard labour! We're planting flowers and pumpkins inside the tyres to make it look nicer. NexNext on the list is a recycled greenhouse made from doors and windows!

Hello Rob

Really enjoyed reading your update! Love how you and your family are getting involved in the local community and really getting stuck into Kiwi life

We've become quite green fingered since moving here too! Now that we can afford a spacious section and can spend a good amount of time in the garden we are hooked! Dug out a second veggie patch the other week and now it's full of a whole manner of things! And there's still space to kick a ball around and have a barbie.

The guilt tripping thing is rough. My partners mum can be quite good at those! I asked her one day if she would rather us be unhappy in the UK or happy in NZ. She went quiet and hasn't laid it on so thick lately. I only said it really because I was on my third glass on Central Otago Pinot Noir and it kind of came out before I could even think (over Skype) I guess all a parent wants in life is for their kids to be happy, so perhaps my comment made her think. Anyhoo, I digress!

Feel free to post some more piccies (although maybe not 40,000 ) I'm a bit of a sucker for photos!

What a lovely update I especially loved the picture of Libby and the snails Congratulations on the fruits of all your hard work!

Some excitement this week

CUTE! Congratulations! Your daughter looks absolutely stoked

Had to stop the car to let a mum and her chicks cross the road the other day. They seem to have that power to make even the toughest of people crack a wee smile!

lovely post I often thought of you when I drove through Tawa to and from Porirua. Talking of your tires if you visit the little railway in the Coromandel the guy that built it made retaining walls out of wine/beer bottles he apparently every night took a bottle up the hill and laid more track there are 1000's along the route to the top!

We went there a long time ago, it's a fascinating place. They hadn't built anything at the top when we went. I think there's a cafe there now.

fab update! thanks for sharing