Dear all,

Sorry that this update’s a little bit overdue – seems a while since we last posted but its been a busy few weeks. We’ve had all sorts going on from illnesses to rowing competitions to skiing.

First up is Alan overdoing it a little and coming down with flu. Real life flu aswell – not just man flu. Of course I was on hand to mop the fevered brow and generally run around satisfying his every whim (I felt honour bound to really). Obviously that got tedious after about 5 minutes so thankfully he was back at work within the week. Which was lucky as we’d cleaned the video shop out of James Bond movies and I’d run out of soup.

Unfortunately the end of that week saw Alan and his rowing team on the water for a mini regatta in preparation for the full race a couple of weeks later. Alan wasn’t really well enough but it was good job he went along as their standby was already being used in place of another member of the team. (He’d top-trumped Alan by seeing his flu and raising him pneumonia. Poor chap). They were doing very well when Alan’s oar broke – foiled by a technical hitch!

Meanwhile I’ve been out walking around the coast locally and a bit further away in Eastbourne. Rashly decided to do the walk listed as “challenging” and nearly conked out half way up. Great views through the forest and across the bay though…

Not quite mastered the timer so had to do the arms-outstretched-and-taking-photo manoeuvre.

Can’t really see what’s behind me but it seems that my Farrah Fawcett style flick is coming on a treat.

We also went skiing a couple of weekends ago – same mountain (Ruapehu) but different ski field. This time the trip was organised by Alan’s work so we go to stay in a chalet rather than in the van, which was a treat, let me tell you! Especially as we got the room with the flat screen TV on the wall - and Sky! All the better to watch the cricket with (cue Alan waking me up to watch the replay of Andrew Strauss’ marvellous catch…) which makes a change from listening to it on the radio at 4am! Unfortunately we were too shattered after a day’s skiing to stay up. No good at this après ski lark. In bed for 10pm and out like a light!

We really enjoyed the skiing – after a slightly dodgy start by me. I’d got a group lesson booked for the Saturday morning so we decided to fill the time beforehand by going down the easiest ski run. After all, I’d been skiing only a couple of weeks before - admittedly on only the baby slopes but what could possibly go wrong? Fast forward half an hour to me sitting on the slopes in abject terror fighting back the tears. (They don’t call me the adrenaline junkie for nothing). Alan managed to coax me down though (must have taken about an hour!) and I persevered with my lesson, which I did enjoy.

After that I’d had enough skiing for one day and went up on the ski lift with Alan to look at the views

...which became somewhat lost after a while!

Then I came down on the lift, following Alan’s progress down the mountain

On Sunday I decided that the only thing to do would be to have another lesson or I would never don a pair of skis again (which in fairness would probably be a blessed relief to all other ski slope users). Lesson was pretty good, after which I attempted the run which had caused so many problems the day before – this time I managed it several times without tears even though I did need a summit meeting with Alan to discuss tactics every time we approached a steep bit!

Last weekend we stayed in Wellington as Alan had the final rowing race on the harbour on Saturday. This is pre-race...

and mid-competition..

And this is the team shot (some attempts at manly expressions on the back row apparently...)

They did really well – getting into the final and coming 4th but I was a little disappointed for them as they were good enough to come higher. Alan’s story is that the weather which had started out lovely and calm and sunny turned against them, getting really choppy. Boat started taking on water and they were doomed! We really enjoyed the day but I think Alan is glad to see the back of the 6.30am starts!

We also had a fairly social weekend – went on Saturday night for dinner (along with the rest of Alan’s section) to the house of one of Alan’s work colleagues then to another colleague’s house for Sunday lunch. Very sociable for us!

Fairly busy times coming up too – first morning at the wildlife sanctuary tomorrow and then off out tomorrow night with friend Claire from the Embassy to take a look at the new boutique cinema in Island Bay – its all go in the Bay, you know!

Will keep you posted!
Christie and Alan
x