First log fire of the year

Today started OK but while we were out walking Totty it started to rain and has rained on and off for most of the day and it has been quite cold.

We went out to Fraser Cove for coffee and then bought a clothes maiden, so I don't need to use the tumble dryer I also saw a nice brown skirt (I didn't bring any of my winter skirts with me from England!) so I bought that, too.

When we got back it was really quite cold in the house and so we - Jon - lit the fire. I was a bit nervous to begin with, living in a wooden house and a big fire in the grate but once it got going it burned quite nicely and made the room very cosy. The forecast is for warmer weather tomorrow so hopefully we won't need to lite it again for a few weeks but it is nice to know it is there if we need it.

Dinner last night...... was a really good evening. Apologies were given for having taken so long to get together but everyone was very nice. There was Jon's boss, Mark and his wife Val, their daughter Sandra and her husband Ross who both work for Genera. Barry who is a sort of accountant for the company and his wife Sally. I got on well with all of them (Sally gave me lots of tips on Kiwi cooking) and we had a really good giggle. The meal wasn't the best we have had over here but it was fine. Lots of restaurants do a "bring-your-own wine" here and Mark came with two bottles of red, one of white and one of white fizzy. Jon was driving and could only have one glass but most of the wine was drunk! Jon is definitely out of practice since coming to NZ.

It never ceases to amaze me how much Kiwis travel all the people we were with last night have been to England at least once and most of them three times, they have all travelled around Europe. Africa, parts of Asia and also South America. They see nothing unusual in this and think it is the norm. Most people in the UK travel in Europe and that is it. They think we are so lucky that we can get to so many places without having to spend a whole day on a plane and I suppose they are right but I had never thought of it like that.

We have got a lovely roast dinner tonight, a nice bottle of wine and a log fire to sit in front of what more could you ask?