The Countdown

So this is the first post to this blog which I intend to update regularly (at least once a week) with news, comment and general chit-chat about my new life in New Zealand.  I say "my life" but really that should be "our" life as I would not be going were it not for the brilliance of my better half, Laura, in getting a job out there.  It is eighteen days, and counting, until we fly. Air New Zealand from Heathrow all the way to Wellington with changes in Los Angeles and Auckland.  Final preparations are underway and, at the moment at least, we are all on schedule.  We did have a ridiculously long list of things to do which until last week only ever seemed to get longer.  Somehow, we are over the worst and have ticked of nearly 90% of it within the last few days.  Everything is still surreal (an over used word but not sure how else to describe it).  The final hurdle is sorting out Georgie  (the horse) so we don't have to keep shelling out for her upkeep once we have gone.  Fingers crossed we find someone to loan her to very soon.  We only wish we could take her with us.

It has been fantastic to catch up with family and friends since Christmas.  We know with our busy lives it can be months between visits.  We'll have a real excuse soon.  Of course, everyone we know is welcome to come and see us after we have settled  in.  (Just don't all turn up at the same time.)  Before we leave we will endeavour to see as many people as possible (in amongst packaging the remainder of our belongings).  We firmly believe the hardest thing is going to be leaving all you wonderful people behind.  Enough gushing for now; signing off for the time being.