Happy Birthday Big Brother! (Not THE big brother, my big brother). Chadine is the ripe ole age of 28 today (but yes, derives from the same 30 year old mother. Strange...). Hope you have recovered enough to enjoy it in true Yerevan style!

Not much news on the NZ front... another quiet Friday after a somewhat large week. Tuesday I was at Cat & Wayne's for a bbq (absolutely divine, I had been deprived much too long) and a bottle of Harrington's honey ale. Wednesday Anne, Sol, Gemma, Cat & I ended up visiting Harrington's (staying much longer than intended) and last night Roz, Gemma & I (the lifers) went over to a cozy cafe nearby for a coffee and cake (hazelnut, caramel and chocolate. Tell me, who of you could have resisted?). Again, absolutely no cultural experiences but another fab week. Tonight Gem & I had a nice dinner with Pete & Veronica, a middle-aged British couple who have just bought 2 houses to turn into a hostel and a separate ski shop! Really interesting couple with great ideas.

That's all. I have no more. Tomorrow there is a "works do" (no, not a celebration of civil servants, a night out for the staff of Doorways). There are loads of mid-winter activities taking place now. Tuesday, the shortest day of the year, is our Christmas mid-winter feast at the hostel. I'm told Monday night we're going to watch a Christmas movie to make it feel like Christmas Eve. Too fun!

I'm braindead. Good night.

Forgot to mention the highlight of the weekend... Lucy was christened! That's right, I named my second child Lucy. It's a shame she'll never meet her older sister Betty, but I'm not sure they'd get along well. Or if they did, they'd just gang up and figure out ways to conicide their breakdowns to drive me crazy, as all children do.

(Yes, I'm talking about the car).

Happy Birthday Mumsy! Amazing how time goes by yet you are still 30! And don't look a day over 25. Enjoy it & know I'm thinking of you!

(take that brother brown nose)

Here it is Monday again already. It was a wonderful, relaxing, sober weekend! Friday I emailed to avoid peer pressure to go out and spend my non-exisistent funds, Saturday I got up early and was groomed (new hair and serious eye brow shaping), then Gemma & I went for a nice little adventure. We started in Lyttleton, a harbour/port village about 15 min out of the city that's quaint and cozy. The coolest part was taking the tunnel under the mountain to get there.

Leaving there, we took the summit road along the top of the mountains to get some killer views, then decided to pull over and climb the rest of the way to the top of the gondola.(Turns out gondolas aren't just boats chauffered by people in funny hats with painted on mustaches, they are also cable car/enclosed ski lift things that go up the sides of NZ mountains in high tourist areas to give some stunning views). Wicked views and a cheesy little museum passed some time before we noticed a massive cloud rolling over the track we had to get back down. Crap! All was good, we got back to the van and continued on to Sumner, a posh little suburb right on the coast. It was lovely to be on the beach just as the sun was setting (5pm!!!) and go for a wander through some of the sea caves. A coffee and back to town we went.

Sat night, again I chose books over beer and stayed in. GEEEEEEK! I love it. Sunday was a day of puttering and visiting friends, shovelling down a massive supper (my infamous guacamole was well received and mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm fahjitas!) before settling in for the final episode of Friends! (Yes, don't know if I've mentioned it before but there is a 2 month delay on all importing of American culture - tv, movies, music). It was rather anti-climatic but fitting. That's my professional opinion.

Today my friend Cat told me she's taking a week's holidays and not only is she training me to do some of her work so that I will (fingers crossed) be at Doorways until I'm ready to leave Chch, but I can also have her flat well she's gone. Space by myself! I could like blow dry my hair and turn on the light in the morning and crazy stuff like that. Wicked!