This Christmas and New Year we took the unusual step of staying home. Our
children (young adults) complained that each year we’re either up a volcano,
camping by the side of a lake, sea kayaking, hiking in the wilderness or having a
vacation overseas. Above is a picture in our garden where we have the firepit.
The summer in New Zealand stopped raining prior to Christmas and gave us
temperatures of 30 / 31 degrees C. So, we were able to have our Christmas
dinner in the garden while covered in sunscreen.
I was able to get outdoors and go fly fishing with a neighbour in a river just over
the hill from where we live. I’ve not been fly fishing in over 6 years and it
showed. Not only did I not see any fish, the only thing I caught was a nearby
tree. So, I think I’ll need to get out and practice some more. As you can see, it’s
a nice spot we’d found.
Sitting still is a problem for us and we went on a family bike ride along a nearby
disused railway line for an afternoon. It was a very hot day. But we had a nice
time together.
We’ve also been checking traps in the local reserve as part of the predator free
New Zealand initiative. The objective is to eradicate all pests in New Zealand by
2050 to encourage native birds (such as the flightless Kiwi) and trees to
thrive. This week we found a possum and two rats which the traps had
caught. Hopefully, our small contribution will help.
We also had a night out star gazing at a lavender farm over in the Wairarapa.
Google Maps wasn’t very helpful with the directions it gave, as it guided us a
good 3.5km away from where we needed to be. Luckily, we quickly realized that
a dirt road in the middle of nowhere with no houses anyway close by, was a
good clue to being in the wrong place. Anyway, we back tracked, and Cathy
figured out where we needed to be. Once we were there, it was great to have
astronomers point out the various stars and constellations were in the night
sky. From our home we have great views of the night sky, but to have key
features pointed out was worth it. We also saw quite a few satellites flying
overhead and we even saw Elon Musk’s Star-Link satellites as they flew over in
formation. Aside from the moon, the Star-Link formation was by far the most
obvious feature in the sky. It looked like a string of pearls flying overhead.
So, as you can gather, we are active relaxers, as you’ll read more about our
exploits at the end of next month with what we have locked into the diary for
the rest of January and February. I’m excited by what we’ve got planned and I’d
love to share details of our experiences with you.
What’s been happening on the writing front?
I’ve uploaded my new covers for Double Cross and Dead Secret. They were just
too dark for my liking and Dead Secret could have been about a zombie
apocalypse set in Wellington. I have to take responsibility for the brief for the
cover designer, I gave them so many items to work with, the original cover was
busy and dark. So, I wanted to brighten things up.
I’ve also finished the first draft of ‘Framed’. I’m now going through it in slow
time and making minor changes before it goes to my biggest critic. My
daughter can be quite savage with me, and it has led to some heated
discussions. Unfortunately for me, many of the points she raises are quite valid
and after leaving my emotions behind, I end up with a better story. Then there
are a few further steps before you get to see it. But the good news is, I’ve
finished writing the story!