Mike's Update

Hi Peach,
Its Christmas eve here and I have got grandma over to help with the vegetable pealing, laying the table, cleaning the glasses and now ironing. Well she said she wanted to work didn't she.

She was singing just now as I read a few lines from a book I did in school called "To Kill a Mockingbird". Am re-reading it now with many a chuckle. Grandma was given a brief coffee break to look at your blog, but as she had left here glasses at home Tommy had to read it to her and let her look at the photos. She liked the panoramas of Kaikoura.

Sarah is quite relieved that you have found some family to be with as she was having trouble imagining you thoroughly enjoying Xmas on your own with Amo, two germans and a pet crayfish.

Granma says she is missing you as she finds it very quiet here now. To encourage you to liven things up she has given you a bottle of vodka.

Opa has booked for New Zealand and Australia in the new year. I think he plans to go early Feb straight to Christchurch [8 hour stopover in Singapore] and then fly back and see Leisje Nelson in Adelaide on the way home. Two day stopover in Singapore.] Wil is going too, and they settled on economy class with Singapore Airlines, finally. Just pray the health holds out long enough.

Well, better get Mitzi home, the pavements are even more slippery and icey than yesterday. Dare not send her on the bus. I skidded about 20 metres on ice near the city dump this morning . Very scary. We not hoping for a "white Christmas" anymore, more like a good warm thaw.

Missing you. Have a great day with all your new friends... especially Carl the crayfish. [Oh yes, don't eat off the plates as you take them back to the kitchen Liesh, it doesn't look good]

Love Dad