Happy Christmas

We are preparing to celebrate Christmas in the curious hybrid way that a lot of Kiwis do. Although it’s midsummer we insist on having roast chicken, lashings of vegetables and traditional Christmas pudd.

Our concession to the climate is to start with a smoked salmon salad. In days gone by we were wont to work off some of the excess with a game of cricket down at Anderson Park but these days it is more likely to be a gentle stroll through the Botanic Garden. If the weather is fine we will sit out on the verandah in the evening and drink cooling libations.

Yesterday we went to see a football game between Team Wellington and Waitakere in the NZ Football Championship which is the top tier of national soccer. The standard is nowhere near what it would be in Europe but it has improved in the years we have been here. Lots of goals were scored but mainly by the other side! Here is a general view from the stand. The bank on the far side shows you how dry it has been here lately. Up to the top left of the picture is Wellington Zoo. We hope the animals enjoyed the game!
Blogging may be a bit sparse and random in the next couple of months. We are going away on a couple of trips and hosting my brother and his family who are coming out to celebrate Sam’s 21st and my 60th birthdays in February. I will report when I have time and access to the interweb. In the meantime the crew here take this opportunity to wish all my readers a very happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and prosperous new year.