We arrived back to New Zealand safe and sound and it was good to be in our own bed again. It’s funny how we have adapted to living here and call it home.
It took us two and half hours to get home from the airport because of the traffic. It’s usually only a one hour drive. So we were quite tired and went to bed.
This week was one of catching up on our emails at work and home, and filling out reports. We have met with Richard (our director) several times to make a plan of action for all of our islands. He is so amazing at problem solving and with his help we have come up with some good ideas on moving the work forward.
Saturday May 23
The Nally’s invited us to go with them to Whangarei. We just love them. Lon and Paul give each other such a hard time. They are always chit chatting and trying to get the best of each other. Kaye is really cute too. She’s is very bright and she is on the Relief Society committee to write the visiting teaching message for next year. They are leaving in two weeks because they are finished with their mission and we will miss them.
It’s a two hour drive to Whangarei but on our way there we stopped at a place called Matakana just outside of Warkworth. It’s a cute little town and every weekend they have a farmers market. At the market they have all sorts of foods to try. They had bread cut up with several oils and different dips to try with them. They had homemade jams, jellies, chutney, juices and all sorts of great things to taste.
They recycle and you can't see the last one very good but it says "can't be bothered"
One booth was making Belgium waffles with bacon, cream and maple syrup. It was quite cool outside so I went to the booth to get some hot chocolate. It reminded me of the movie “Chocolate” where she had chocolate everywhere. All sorts of chocolate dip things. Her hot chocolate was thick and way too chocolaty for me. I took one drink and gave it to Paul. He loved it.
We walked around there for an hour or so looking at all the things they had for sale. They had so many different things, clothing, antiques, food and jewelry so Kay and I went for the jewelry. It was such a quaint little town
One booth was making Belgium waffles with bacon, cream and maple syrup. It was quite cool outside so I went to the booth to get some hot chocolate. It reminded me of the movie “Chocolate” where she had chocolate everywhere. All sorts of chocolate dip things. Her hot chocolate was thick and way too chocolaty for me. I took one drink and gave it to Paul. He loved it.
We walked around there for an hour or so looking at all the things they had for sale. They had so many different things, clothing, antiques, food and jewelry so Kay and I went for the jewelry. It was such a quaint little town
Then in Whangarei we went to a clock factory that had so many beautiful things made out of wood. The wood was found in swamps and is very old but has such beautiful grain in it. They made tables, clocks and furniture with this wood that was very elegant.
We then had lunch on the wharf of this cute town. There were all kinds of boats and the most beautiful sail boats. It was like walking into Disneyland and yet it was a real town. Lots of little shops, walk ways and just a fun place to see.
We then had lunch on the wharf of this cute town. There were all kinds of boats and the most beautiful sail boats. It was like walking into Disneyland and yet it was a real town. Lots of little shops, walk ways and just a fun place to see.
We then went to the Whangarei waterfalls that were ten minutes from the wharf. It’s amazing to see so many different things so close to each other. At the bottom of the falls there were picnic tables and chairs and we thought that it would be so fun to just have a picnic there on another day.
It was a fun day with the Nally’s
Monday 25th
We are training a new couple from Australia who are going to the Marshall Islands on a mission. They are not called public affair missionaries but we have solicited their help on the islands because we have had no luck with contacting anyone there. I think they will be the second couple called to the Marshall Islands and will have so many responsibilities that I hope they can do it all. They are certainly an answer to prayers for us. We may need to go up there later this summer because they are forming a stake up there in June and once a stake if formed they usually call a Public Affairs committee and we would need to train them. In order for us to get there you have to go via Hawaii and then down to the Marshals. Won’t that be tough, May we would get to visit Shayla’s parents.
Saturday May 30, 2009
Our weekend didn’t turn out how we had planned because of the weather. We have a three day holiday because it’s the Queen’s birthday, I didn’t even know that the queen and I shared our birthdays. It was suppose to snow on the higher elevations so traveling down south was discouraged. So we went north to a city called Dargaville. We had thought we were going to a place that the Nally’s had gone to but we had mixed up the name.
It was a beautiful drive and when we got there we went through the coolest museum. It had so many antiques. Old household things such as a wooden wash tub that had a handle, and as you turned it a paddle would turn back and forth to wash the clothes. They had old wedding dresses and tons of old musical instruments. They also had a room of old hospital equipment with surgical tools. Paul made me tell him what each of the instruments was used for. Funny thing is that most of them we still use today.
We are training a new couple from Australia who are going to the Marshall Islands on a mission. They are not called public affair missionaries but we have solicited their help on the islands because we have had no luck with contacting anyone there. I think they will be the second couple called to the Marshall Islands and will have so many responsibilities that I hope they can do it all. They are certainly an answer to prayers for us. We may need to go up there later this summer because they are forming a stake up there in June and once a stake if formed they usually call a Public Affairs committee and we would need to train them. In order for us to get there you have to go via Hawaii and then down to the Marshals. Won’t that be tough, May we would get to visit Shayla’s parents.
Saturday May 30, 2009
Our weekend didn’t turn out how we had planned because of the weather. We have a three day holiday because it’s the Queen’s birthday, I didn’t even know that the queen and I shared our birthdays. It was suppose to snow on the higher elevations so traveling down south was discouraged. So we went north to a city called Dargaville. We had thought we were going to a place that the Nally’s had gone to but we had mixed up the name.
It was a beautiful drive and when we got there we went through the coolest museum. It had so many antiques. Old household things such as a wooden wash tub that had a handle, and as you turned it a paddle would turn back and forth to wash the clothes. They had old wedding dresses and tons of old musical instruments. They also had a room of old hospital equipment with surgical tools. Paul made me tell him what each of the instruments was used for. Funny thing is that most of them we still use today.
They had a gum washer that was so cool. A gum washer separates resin or amber from the dirt. Amber is used all over the world in jewelry and other things. It is very beautiful. The washer had been found all torn apart in a warehouse. Some family saw it and had it completely restored. This was right down Paul’s alley since he likes to restore things. The Museum guy fired it up for us and explained how it worked. The men would dig up dirt, throw it into a barrel and the machine would wash it and then the dirt would come out one place the water another and then the gum or resin could be removed.
I thought as we looked at all their beautiful specimens that it reminded me of Jurassic Park and how they found the mosquito’s DNA in the amber. There were lizards and all sorts of bugs in the hardened resin.
They had a great cane collection and Paul wanted all of them
This was right down my alley of sewing machines.
This is the valley of Dagaville which is close to the west coast
It was a great museum. Not sure it was worth the five hour drive but it was still fun.
My 62nd Birthday started out by going to the Nally’s ward, they were speaking and it was their sort of farewell. They did a marvelous job and Paul said that his attention deficit didn’t kick in a single time and that he heard the whole talk, amazing.
My 62nd Birthday started out by going to the Nally’s ward, they were speaking and it was their sort of farewell. They did a marvelous job and Paul said that his attention deficit didn’t kick in a single time and that he heard the whole talk, amazing.
For my Sunday birthday dinner, Paul made a sort of roast (more like steaks) with potatoes and carrots cooked underneath along with the usual corn and hot rolls and dark gravy. We had invited the Nally’s to dinner because they are leaving next week. They said that they hadn’t had such a great meal in over two years. I made a cherry pie and Sister Nally said that she hadn’t made a pie since she had been here because she never knew that you could make a pie crust with oil. She was so happy to know that little bit of information.
Monday June 1st
This Auckland from the ferry.
We took the ferry over to Waiheke with the Nally’s today since it’s the Queen’s birthday the office was closed. Waiheke is just a 45 minute boat ride and was a cute little island. We took a bus tour and then ended up having a great lunch sitting on the balcony overlooking the ocean. The sailboats are so beautiful in the dark blue water and there was
not a cloud in the sky but it was cold. Last night it got down to 4 C which is around 36 F, it was cold but I had my two pair of thermal underwear on under my jeans and I was fine. 
This island is so beautiful and the water was amazing.
1 comment:
Man you guys are having way to much fun. Everything about that place seems dreamy.
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