Settling into Devonport life

Well we have been here for 2 months now and we are getting quite busy! Malcolms work with Prendos has ramped up a gear from the level in Tauranga and Shona is volunteering at the north Shore Hospice shop in Takapuna and as a member of the Wednesday crew aboard the Ted Ashby, a replica 'Scow' ship run by the NZ Maritime Museum. The Scows were once very numerous and used as cargo boats for the huge Kauri logs brought down to Auckland from the far north of the country.
maritimemuseum

 This was man over board drill! (the dummy in yellow not the newest member of the crew I'm glad to say!)

1st of December was 1st day of Summer and Christmas is really heating up here! (it just doesn't feel right to me in the summer!)
We have also had two Christmas parties so far - the Prendos one was held in the zoo! and father Christmas even found his way there amongst all the animals! Unfortunately it poured with rain just when we were having our BBQ and picnic - but we did have a gazebo! It was fun to look round the zoo despite most of the animals hiding from the rain (the hippos loved it!)

The Maritime Museum also had a superb Christmas party where we were invited to the Captain's Table! Everyone was dressed up I'm 1920's gear and the Jazz band was excellent - not to mentions the lovely food and free bar!

Malcolm was very keen to see the annual Auckland Santa Parade, so we joined the droves of excited kids and frazzled parents crossing over on the ferry to see the parade. It was a big spectacle!

 Malcolm on tip toes making sure he could see Santa!

Apart from Christmas frenzy summer has also meant walking, sailing, culture and visitors.
We even took part in the Auckland Climate Change March, one of the first for the Paris Summit.

A friend Hilary who lives in Auckland has invited Shona to a couple of local events - the Waiheke Walking Festival, the walk included lunch with a glass of local wine! and a visit to an amazing sculpture park, which included Andrew Goldsworth's Arches - just like in Dumfries and Galloway.

 The sculpture park also had giraffes and zebras (as you do!)

We had our second sail with John Duder in the 1936 cutter Spray two weekends ago and were both somewhat shocked to be sailing in 38km of wind with waves crashing over us, no safety lines and Malcolm out on the bowsprit to bring in the jib! We survived and guess what we won the race too! Shona has decided not to go out in such conditions again!!

We have also been having a few visitors, including Clare a childhood friend of Shona's and Robbie our nephew who has escaped the sheep farm in Dannevirke where he is working, for a week, to meet his friend Hugo and go travelling round the North Island having borrowed our car. I hope they are having an awesome time!

 We put them up in the best guest room!

Shona also had a lovely time visiting 3 week old baby Alice - pronounced Ellisee (like the French palace) who is my old friend Kirsteen's niece Julie's new baby.

As for culture, a real treat was getting returned tickets to see Steven Fry at the Civic Theatre - very posh, eloquent, funny stories! We also popped into the local Folk Club to see an Edinburgh band playing. The club house is in the first world war bunker on the local volcanic plug called Mt Victoria, just 20 mins walk from the house - what a quirky fun place! devonportfolkmusic.

 Roger is the chairman of the folk club - he looks just the part!

We are now getting ready to greet the Gammans next week at the start of their 3 week 25th anniversary holiday. They will be sailing with Graham and Diane first the we all head to the south island for 2 weeks of touring, camping, backpacking and tramping - can't wait!