Nearly time to go

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Getting ready for the off!

Well here we are! When we booked this trip it seemed ages away, but the last few months have flown and we have reached the eve of our setting off for New Zealand. All the jobs in the house are finished (the ones in my book anyway) and we've said most of our goodbyes. I think we've put on a stone in weight this week with all the farewell meals we've had to eat!

Amazingly most of the Christmas cards have been posted. There are just a few local ones to deliver, ostensibly because we want to say goodbye to people, but the real reason is that we are too skinny to buy a stamp!

Phyl is on her cleaning / tidying crusade. There's a Peter Kaye sketch where he berates his mum for making sure the house is spotless before she closes the door when they go on holiday. Who is going to see it? Actually we may get an invasion from family members from Blackheath and Pontefract while we're away; I had this great brainwave of having new doors and locks fitted to keep them out, but finally succumbed and gave them a spare key. Does anyone know where I can get a key for the whisky bottles and a security code for the central heating?

The weather is freezing, but apparently there's a heat wave in New Zealand; can't wait. One thing I've forgotten to do is to tell Gordon Brown that we don't need the heating allowance this year. Shame, maybe he could have invested it in another bank or something.

Oh, and the Christmas poem is done and already been flashed across the world. This is much better than work!

No Christmas tree beside the wall
No coloured lanterns in the hall
No presents strewn across the floor
No holly wreath upon the door

No Christmas turkey on to roast
No piles of cards, come through the post
No children shrieking with delight
At Santa’s visit in the night

No Christmas treats for ageing bards
No party games, and no charades
No cosy family nights indoors
No relatives, and no in-laws (YYYEEEESSSS!!!)

Instead we’ll stay in bed all day
And then at night go out to play
Instead of watching the queen’s speech
We’ll build sandcastles on the beach.

The man’s gone mad, I hear you say
His marbles all have gone away
But treat me not with awe and wonder
We're spending Christmas Day down under!

Well I'm sure there are things I should be doing, oh yes, the packing.
Better go and finish off. Tune in again later, see you in Auckland.
Phyl & John xx

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Comments

[beerlady]

Enjoy
Hi there guys, am a Kiwi living in 0stanbul, Turkey and a Kiwi through and through, so will be watching your site with pleasure! Enjoy the experience. Shirley