CHRISTMAS LETTER Hi all, 2015 for the Nelson’s; where to start? • A whirlwind of work and parenting and all associated craziness. • The DOC restructure is still giving Dean an impossible amount of stress. It’s probably worse than it was a year ago for him as the office has gone from two managers back to one (him!!) • Another broken wrist for me; left one this time, icy deck in early May, still giving me lots of grief, back to the specialist in late Jan. Moral of the story: don’t go outside in your slippers in winter. • A good first year for Josh at Lincoln, lots of mates and a lovely girlfriend, enjoyed being away from home, good grades, got taller and skinnier and grew his hair … home to work at the Four Square for the summer and learning to cook in preparation for flatting next year. • The end of Primary School for Kyle and Ryan, both did really well at the prize-giving yesterday. Two treasures. All the IVF heartache and $ so very worth it. Rugby, friends, guitar, skiing, tree-huts, finding golf balls and selling them back to the golfers, good mates, karate … they’re having the childhood we wanted for them. • We’re planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies and Yellowstone for next September / October. A long-term dream of mine. The boys turn 12 in November so we’re getting in just before they get to full fares. • I’m also going to Melbourne in April to the unveiling of a statue of a sailor honouring Australia’s sailors who went to war. This was a project of my dear friend Mac Gregory who helped me with research for my book. Mac passed earlier this year at the age of 92. • I’m writing again … little and often and no chance of getting published in the current publishing climate in NZ, but still I enjoy it. • Dean still chairs the Twizel Hard Labour committee, a huge job and a very worthwhile contribution to the community. • My Mum had heart surgery in the winter. She is slowly recovering and we are hoping for an improved quality of life for her. • Getting into the mountains is still a priority for us. We generally manage 4-5 trips a year. The best this year was probably Steele Creek between the Caples and Greenstone in April. Very proud of our boys. We also did a trip up to Hopeless Hut in the Nelson Lakes area in the last holidays after Dean had a wonderful reunion with his Nelson College mates. • We’re off to walk the Milford Track tomorrow; Christmas in Timaru with my sister and wider family; friends staying early Jan; then we’re off to Nelson area again for another tramp near Mt Owen and then 10 days of relaxing at Totaranui. That’s it. Nelsons on one page! Have a great Christmas and holiday period. We’d love to hear from you. Oh yeah – I turned 50 this year too! FROM: Sandy (and the 3 red heads and one greying baldy). Update: Back from the Milford Track, heaps of rain … a flood really. Got heli-lifted to one of the huts when the track became impassable. Wonderful wildlife … whio (blue duck), kea, kaka. Great family and friends. A totally amazing part of NZ.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 08:22:31 +0000
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