Summer Holidays

Its officially the Summer Holidays! That means we've been spending many hours by the pool after long hot, humid days. We have fallen into some crook weather as the fallout of a cyclone that hit Fiji last week brings clouds and rain for the Holidays.
The kids have also been a bit crook with an ear infection and a new tooth, but we are trying to make the best of it. All our activities are over until mid-Summer (late Jan/Feb), so it was a long week, but I am mostly done with work for a few weeks. Grandparents, friends, and family are going to be in and around the house as we are hosting xmas this year.
The Holiday season is in full swing down here, but it is much more laid back than in the States which suits me just fine.
I just finished a work out program I've been doing for a few months and will spend the next week conditioning for the hikes I start next weekend. We fly down to Queenstown next Saturday morning and start hiking Sunday. We won't be back in Auckland again until the 5th, after 90km, 5 days and three nightsof hiking and back-country camping.
The absolute highlight of the week (month) is that my application for a work visa was accepted and my contract here has been extend to 1 August 2013!! We are planning on having be home a few weeks before that, but will have some flexibility in finding my replacement. I am still going to Hawaii in February with a quick stop over in Colorado before resuming my contract in March.

Often I feel a general sense of bewilderment in my life and the path its on, but when some many amazing things just fall into place with such serendipity, its easy to know I am at least heading in the right direction.

A Sundress in December

Random: This a house I drive by every
week - that is seriously a giant monkey head!

  Last weekend was incredibly busy going out with friends, lounging in bed, and doing this insane 20.6km hike (accidentally). I would rather not admit to any more stupidity in explaining the accidentally part other than it was an absolutely beautiful day and I was a bit deprived of nutrition, sleep, and plasma -as I switch from whole blood donations to plasma on Friday.
  A slightly painful, but quick week of recovery lead me to anther fabulous weekend of with family friends over for dinner Friday night followed by a glorious day of drinking beer at the Belgium beer cafe Ponsonby unto which we finished our beer passport! After sun bathing in the court yard of the cafe, we meandered down the P Road's market day back to my house for more sun bathing and a refreshing dip in the pool. A little babysitting last night lead us to be much better prepared for tackling the Te Henga Walkway hike again today.

  The weather was a bit off; windy with rain turning us around, but we still a had close to perfect 13km hike preceding more lounging and trip planning. With only a few weeks until Christmas, sunny, summer weather, and our big hikes down on the South Island, my work out routines and general life function is thankfully going up without much difficulty.

  Tuesday I am going to trivia with the girls, donating plasma again on Friday, Christmas in the Park (concert) Saturday, more pool bathing and another go at Te Henga should round out another life filled week. Its hasn't been an easy couple of months and I am focusing on what I can do, want to do, and what best fulfills a healthy, quality of life in order to combat the natural difficulties in life. So here's to another week of sundresses!