Saturday

We had a very cosy night last night once the fire was lit but the house was so, so cold this morning. Best thing for me to do is get into a hot shower as soon as I get up.

At least the sun was out today so the house warmed up quickly. After walking Totty in Rotary Park we went into Bayfair for coffee and to get some money before going to the equivalent of the Ideal Home Exhibition but a mini one at Bay Park Stadium. We watched a Ready, Steady, Cook style cook along done by some students from the local catering college which was good. We tried some very nice organic rump steak, wine, garlic bread, pizza, a Bailey's type liquor and some very good avocado oils. We bought some very good cheese and also some shammy clothes which are supposed to soak up liquids very quickly and seemed like a good deal. So all in all it was good. After that we went to the Classic Flyer's (an aircraft museum) cafe near the airport for lunch and were able to sit outside. It seems really crazy that we are so cold in the house yet we can sit out and have lunch!

We went off and bought more wood for the fire, we are going to have to have some delivered as buying it in small bags is going to work out quite expensive.

We had another nice walk with Totty down to the park this afternoon and she was able to get down onto the beach and chase the gulls - a favorite thing for her these days.

Ross, who works with Jon and is the boss' son-in-law, called round this afternoon with a huge bag of kiwifruit he had picked for us from Mark's orchard. I will need to give some to my neighbours as Jon and I will never manage them all. They are the golden kiwifruit and I find them a bit sweet but they are so good for you I will have to try and get used to them.

We have just lit the fire as it is cold again and, according to the news, we are having one of the coldest spells in NZ for many a year and there is so much snow on the ski slopes already and they are not due to open for another month and they are having lots of avalanches. The crossing from Wellington to Picton that we went on in February has been cancelled because of the weather so it must really be bad down there. Trust us to arrive in the coldest of years but we also enjoyed one of the warmest summers so we shouldn't complain. It would not be so bad if the houses were warmer but they are so cold. We are going to have to put a radiator in the room for Heather as her room is downstairs and never gets the sun so is really cold, poor girl does not know what is in store for her, just as well she is a student and not used to really warm houses (her boiler was broken for a lot of last winter so she should be used to it).

We have some nice steak and sweet potato for dinner tonight but I think I should have made a casserole!