Hi folks....

Well, it seems I spoke to soon when praising the good weather & we've now suffered a week of rain and flood warnings! Even the Lahar broke it's banks at Mt Rupehu and flowed down in a massive torent.

I've sold a painting!! Within 2 days of my 'exhibition' at Wunderbar (a cafe/restaurant in the village) I've had a painting sold and someone else also wanting it....looks like I'm going to have to start a production line!!

I've now landed myself another job. This time working at The Govett Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth as an arts teacher on Sundays. Amazingly the pay is twice as much per hour as I get as a relief teacher so I certainly couldn't say no. Nick is now considering an early retirement!

Yesterday Nick, Tom & I moved in to our own little house in the village (Oakura). A rental with garden, 2 bedrooms, big kitchen and loads of free funiture. It seems amazing that we started with an unfurnished house and now have loads of 'stuff' thanks to people giving things away...including a crazy Scottish lady who threw in an alarm clock, colour TV, rugs, cushions and books with her velour sofa and chairs!

Right, off to school now to teach media studies to a group of 6th formers who are the equivalent to yr9's at home! I'm sure most of them have only taken the subject to watch movies!