December 2013

We do hope that all our friends are well and enjoying life!

As Betty has created a bunch of collages - this letter will be mostly pictures. And those of you who are looking at it on-line can click any picture for a larger one......

We are continuing to travel while we still can and are enjoying it, once I turn 80 - insurance becomes harder and more expensive.

In March this year we went to New Zealand for another reunion (the third) to celebrate 3 families travels to NZ in the early 1850s. My sister Anna also travelled there from Canberra complete with guide dog! The reunion was split in two this time - two days near Hamilton in the North Island and another two days in the Nelson area in the South.

Then we did some touring in both Islands and met up with more friends and relations. Note in the Christchurch picture - the temporary shops made out of shipping containers near the centre of the city which is still being rocked by hundreds of aftershocks from the major earthquakes.

We returned to Oz on a totally indulgent cruise ship for a whole 13 days. Starting from Auckland we called in for a day at Tauranga on the Bay of plenty, then Wellington, followed by Christchurch (actually Akaroa the flooded volcano) and then Dunedin . We had relatives and friends in every port! We had a magical day (no rain :-) cruising 3 of the sounds.
After a stormy Tasman sea crossing we spent a day in Melbourne and then disembarked after another day in Sydney.

In August we went North to thaw out a little from the Canberra winter - Darwin Katherine and the Kakadu National park. Following that a week in South East Queensland catching up with family and friends.

The other big event of the year was that eldest daughter Hilary's 3rd daughter Emma got married in early November. The venue was the Tidbinbilla Canberra Deep Space Communications Centre where I worked for 15 plus years.

In between we have been keeping busy with lots of family celebrations, fixing computers, jobs around the house and garden etc. But occasionally making local excursions.

All our extended family are well (must be good genes :-) and wish you all a very happy Christmas and a great 2014!