Hello - Update for May & June

Hello, Tracey here, I know my mum is about to look on the blog today at Aunty Pauline's so thought I would drop a few comments and photo's on the blog to keep you updated.

Well a Kiwi winter has arrived, May was the coldest in CHCH for 10 years apparently, still not as cold as the UK in the day I think, it's just the house is crap, being cold and non-insulated, any heat created just vaporises within a few hours and it can get depressing when we are so used to heating and well insulated houses in the UK. It's like being back in the 70's when you used to wake up as a kid with ice on the inside of your bedroom window. Kiwi mentality is to put up with it!

I am now in week three of the business of being a Personal Trainer at one of the better gym's in town. Hard work - made £12 in first week! Different to RN, like a counsellor and Dr rolled into one, having people who you have to train who suck all life force out of you, but after 3 weeks I now have a whopping 7 clients signed up to me who are great and want to achieve their goals of losing weight and toning up (80% of gym members want this). So the business is in early days yet, but hopefully it will pick up over the next few weeks.

Si is busy, no different to the UK Army, one minute he may be off to OZ, then East Timor or even Auckland supporting deployments, next week away on Exercise either to Auckland or Queenstown - I'm quite jealous when I heard that he may have been going to OZ.

So we are sat here on Saturday evening, and Si is now gutted as the TV is not showing the England/Jamaica game! But we have just spoke to the faily mum and John, enjoy the new sofa, Nicola and Rich enjoy the Cricket, and Marie have fun at the picnic. We miss you loads.

So here are some phots with description. The mountains with Si and I were taken about two weeks ago. We decided one Sunday to hit he car and take about an hours drive West towards a place called Arthur’s Pass to where Si had recently seen a ‘quick’ walk up a hill. So being typical Pom’s just dressed casually with our matching ‘his n hers’ puffa jackets we decided to take a quick bimble. Walk that Si thought should take about 20 minutes took 1 hour 20 minutes – different terrain, slate, snow, grass, some crap and wind! I, Tracey was having a severe sense of humour failure climbing the hill. Simon was using reverse psychological tricks on me to get me up the hill, saying things like “imagine how you will feel when we get to top” – sounds like me when I’m trying to push my clients! But the views were spectacular, first dump of snow on the mountains which should be good prep for when the ski season starts in about a weeks time.

Second pic’s which look quite dark are from the roadside about five minutes from where we live, these are the Southern Alps where the ski fields are.

Next set of pics are of the kittens! Take care all, Linda stop sending me pics of Kier as they make me cry!

Big hugs to all.

Tracey & Simon x x x