The view from the Summit Trail hike that Sydney and Rick took when the rest of us were either too tired or covering the clinic. She hadn't hiked Taylor's Mistake the day before so here legs weren't so tired. Of course, Rick did both hikes and wasn't complaining, but he's used to this stuff.










Sydney in her favorite Movin Shoes sweatshirt. You know Rick, always getting that free advertising even if he isn't still in San Diego. Some things never change.
Even on a misty day, the view back to the ocean is pretty amazing. We're headed up to this trail tomorrow, so hope it is clear so we can take more outstanding photos.

Shopping in NZ

Turns out you have to be a little careful when shopping in NZ, and there are always interesting new signs to follow. If you need eggs, don't look in the coolers, just the shelves as they don't keep them in the reefer.
If you need hamburger, don't grab the first meat roll you see as it may be intended for your four-legged friend! Some Americans thought that the meat actually was dog meat intended for human consumption. Not to worry, it is wet dogfood and no, we haven't accidentally eaten any yet.
What, you don't know what a trundler is? That would be your grocery cart, and like in the U.S., if you don't tell people where to put them when they are done, they will leave them standing around in the parking lot.
Our new favorite, that would be the gigantic chocolate chip cookies from Cookie Time. We live a couple of miles from the main outlet warehouse and have found it impossible to drive past without stopping in to fill up on some great cookies (for the kids of course).

Change is good, because I said so!

Well, the fun and games of our initial arrival have ended, and real life has set in. The kids got their fill of playing with Oliver and Belle (Ollie is in the photo), watching endless hours of rugby and the Tour de France, and enjoying feast after feast with our friends Rick and Lynn Vandertie in Papanui. But now we have moved to our temporary residence in the rural bedroom town of Rolleston, the kids have started school, and there is no TV and no dogs to play with, so things aren't quite as grand. On the bright side, Sydney's class is going on a ski trip to Mt. Hutt on Friday, Galen was able to sign up for the local under 11 rugby team, and Felicia has been able to navigate herself around Christchurch without getting lost, so there has been a bright side of things. I was going to put a photo of Sydney in her school kilt on here, but she would surely hate me forever if I did.
Work at the clinic is quite smooth so that bodes well for my year down under, and we are busy planning our multiple trips around the island in an effort to see as much as we can in the next year. We are really looking forward to having visitors from the US as there is so much to see and do, and with two cars there is plenty of room for everyone. Tyler and Nick are well on their way to golfing the entire South Island and are planning their trip to Wellington to see a concert in August. They have also taken a bite out of the local food economy and continue to rave about the grand food of New Zealand.
Whoops, lost track of time, must get ready for work. More photos to follow.

I'm not in Kansas anymore

Sitting in the Auckland airport watching the rain and clouds and realizing that it will be at least a year before I see desert again. Coming in to Auckland there was nothing but green hills and trees. Although it was cool with grey skies upon arrival, it has now progressed to a steady rain that will likely follow me to Christchurch in an hour when I head there on my next flight. The red-eye from LAX was uneventful with plenty of sleep and a row of empty seats for sleeping pleasure. Still can't believe that the plan that seemed so far in the future is now here and I actually start working on Monday. Imagine my excitement when I read in the paper that the swine flu has overrun the local clinics here. So I get to deal with mass hysteria again on this side of the world. The kids are having a great time at Hume Lake, Felicia is happily preparing the house for our departure, and we will all be together again in a week or so. 

Educated and Unemployed

Well, Tyler has actually done it. He graduated from high school. To be honest
it was pretty cool to take a photo with the three of us in our gowns.
With Felicia teaching high school history and me teaching physics, we ended up sitting with the rest of the faculty while Sydney and Galen sat with friends in our family row of seats.
I think this is the first family photo we have taken in several years.
We have cleaned out the garage and started on the closets as we prepare the house for our departure. Our social calendar is filled with visits to friends for farewell dinners and we will even have a farewell block party next weekend. Galen's All-Star baseball team will be playing on the next two weekends and then everyone is off to Hume Lake for their annual camp. Felicia and I will go straight from Hume to LAX for my flight, and then the rest of the family will follow after they get back from Hume the following week. We are all excited about the move and the life that awaits us in NZ. I am looking forward to posting regular updates once we arrive.

44 and Counting

According to my calculations, I will be arriving in Christchurch in 44 days to commence our year with the hobbits. The only unfortunate part is that I will actually have to work while there which will put a crimp in the exploration effort. That and the kids having to go to school will hinder our overall fun, but we're still pretty sure that it will be an excellent adventure. Felicia and the kids have purchased their plane tickets and will be meeting up with me on the 16th. We have rented a home in Rolleston for the first two months of our adventure and will be exploring the neighborhoods prior to our home shift in mid-September. The ski slopes open on May 30th, so it will be quite a transition in July when we arrive. We're putting the finishing touches on our move from Yucca Valley while also preparing for Tyler's high school graduation. We're looking forward being able to update the blog with photos from down under to ensure that those who want to enjoy a little break from reality can do so.

Tyler's future is so bright, he's got to wear shades.

The excitement is building and we are really getting ready for the move down under. Now there are 6 of us invading the South Island as we are bringing Tyler's friend Nick to spend his college summer vacation with us. We're really hoping that he can keep an eye on Tyler as they are looking to play every golf course on the island, and maybe a couple on the North Island also. Heck, they may even make a trip to Australia to see if they can hit golfballs there too. Only 5 weeks of school left here before Tyler graduates, Felicia and I are really looking forward to the break from teaching, and Sydney and Galen are actually getting excited about the move. We should be purchasing our plane tickets this week and the visa packets will be submitted in a few days. We look forward to vacation visits from any and all friends who have always dreamed of visiting the land of hobbits.

64 days and counting.