Anita's 1st Spring Birthday

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Greeting from a wet but warmish London Bank holiday, Monday 26 May. We are off to Malta tomorrow but lets fill you in on some of the recent highlights. We started celebrating Anita's birthday with a night out at the London Palladium watching The Sound of Music, It was nice, not dynamic but very slick, professional and as with live musical very powerful. We had a cheapish dinner at a popular sort of Wagamama type resturant called Cha Cha Moon. Itwas just off Carnaby Street, in a very happening part of London. On Saturday we drove with friends around the Cotswolds. It is very quaint and very English and covers about 4 counties west of London. We also went to Blenheim Castle which is close to Woodstock. We also visited the old part of Oxford, where the university is based, it had a real good feeling/atmosphere but I was glad to get home at 9pm, a long day. Yesterday we spent on our lonesome, indoors, just chilling out, then went out for a cheap Turkish meal. delicous, the Turks tend to BBQ their meats on charcoal and it is very tasty.

What else has been happenning since I last wrote. Well the biggest news is we have booked tickets for a 12 day trip to Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro at the end of August, a weekend in Brussels and Bruges at the start of August and we are planning a weekend in Rome. In mid July, are going back to Wales (Swansea way) in early July, the Isle of Wight, mid June. But, and wait for it. Nelson Mandela turns 90 on the 27th June (he is my idol) and they are having a huge concert in Hyde Park to raise money for some Charity and we have booked seats (tickets, I don't think we will be sitting). They are calling it the 466644 concert (his prison number on Roben Island) they say tickets will stop at 466,644 (thats a lot of people) and he will be there and make an appearance, WOW I will see Nelson Mandela (yeah, from what distance but we will be there. There is a huge lineup of top bands/acts, which I will list later, so plenty to look forward to in the coming months.

Sideswipe Anita -Thanks to all those lovely people who remembered my birthday. Tony bought me a digital camera - sadly my old camera (35mm) is like brand new. Tony likes to drag me into the technological age! He also took me to the Sound of Music. I loved the Sound of Music and it reminds me how lucky we are to be here for this time with these opportunities at our fingers tips - thats if we we have the funds of course!


A few weeks ago we had a 2 week experience of summer in London- temperatures reached 27 degree. This through me into a panic - had to race out and get a summer dress and some sandals. However by the time I have completed these purchases the temperature have gone back to between 14 and 17 degrees.


I loved our day out in the car around the Cotswolds - such a treat to be in private transport thanks to our NZ/UK friends John and Jude!...... Thanks for sharing your car! On our travels I bought a £5 leather handbag from a local village fete. A bit of black nugget and it looks like new! The Cotswolds showed us a slice of England that we don't get to see on a daily basis, except on TV of course.

Tony has been on a booking frenzy - I hope I can get all the money organised in time for all of these great events. One has to be forward thinking to get the good deals . Another rainy day at home today- hoping Malta will be sunny and warm.

On 1 June it has been three months since we left NZ - it is wonderful to know we have our paradise taht we call home to return to, along with all of our wonderful friends and family!

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Photos

Isobels gate
I don't whats more stunning us or the flowers

The Cotwolds
Roofing, but not as we know it

our Home
Where I go the flag goes

London
Across the Thames from Southbank

Comments

[Claire]

Blimey Charlie!
Cor are you two actually working or just livin it up over there!??!?!! Sounds fabulous and here i am experiencing the height of kiwi winter complete with condensation and his mate damp! Wahoo! Sounds a bit like the english summer doesn't it!! Well i will be finishing here at SF very soon to take up my new position of Lead Family Advisor at WDHB, sounds good dunnit! Will fill you in when i get the chance. Take care, Happy Birthday Anita and you'll have a Very Hot time in Malta and Croatia, wonderful....Look out for scarey brits on holiday, they'll be the burnt ones wearing jewellery and make up on the beach! Big Love me xx

[Cheryl and Chelsey]

Some people have all of the luck!
Hi Tony and Anita, Well I am back from a whirlwind trip to Paris ,the country house and San Francisco. I had great weather and a wow time. The baby is beautiful gold red hair and blue eyes...over 10lb...a big kiwi baby, very contented... I went for the christening and had a party time in San Fran... Here we are in the office. It has finally been newly arranged you can find us under green and red pot plants filed away in Zzzz for sleep mode. Your photos look great...too great in fact. The concert for Nelson Mandela looks cool...trust you to be in the thick of historical events...and great music...We have a new CEO Graeme Ramsey..and a couple of new locum counsellors. There is always plenty of business...get back here to clear air and cocaine free water. Arohanui Cheryl Hello from Chelsey..kia ora e hoa, kei te pehea koe, kei te pehea korua? Miss ya heaps Tone, take care and look after yourself. Kia ora Chelsey

[hayley, mum, and connor]

nice pictures
wow nice pictures we enjoy seeing them and its a great website to have a look on how you guys are going. hope all is well and enjoying the different scenes lots of love to you both. xxxx