Picnic at Kaka Point with families playing games and kids in the water wake boarding.jpg (885KB), The nuggets just beyond the lighthouse..jpg (934KB), Nugget point lighthouse. Looks like the Great Wall of China.jpg (846KB), Yellow-eyed penguin is dead center. He is only 12inched tall....jpg (824KB), In the Catlins...we still cannot pronounce long words..jpg (749KB), The falls with the P. name..jpg (681KB), speed limit sign.jpg (784KB)
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One just cannot improve on the Spirit in Sacrament Meeting...not with dozens of visitors, nor perfect organ-congregational accompaniment nor more members. When the Spirit is there all feel it and little else matters. Our members were back and our visitors were gone and we had a whopping 13, our regulars at Church and it was wonderful. We were asked how we fill the time for Fast and Testimony meeting...don't know, but we do. Our members testify. We even went over today. HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone. All of our noisey neighbors packed up and left town for the holliday and everything was so quiet! We forgot how stressed boom box music can make us. Midnight on New Year's Eve we stood outside and gazed at the stars. I have never seen more stars in my life...not camping, not at Moon Lake no where! Probably because we are a wee island and the light pollution is minimal we could see so many but there were thousands. Jack commented on his crooked neck the next day so I washed a tarpoline and let it dry to spread on the ground for star gazing the following night but at 10:30 p.m. it is still LIGHT! We will have to wait until later in the season for darkness to descend earlier, but I have my plan and a clean tarp!We drove to an area called the Catlins, 1 hour from here, which I visited with Sue, and Sue, we missed the good stuff! Besides people in the water at the Kaka Point beach we saw seal lions and the rarest yellow-eyed penguin, but his back was to us, they are bashful, another light house at Nugget Point with spectarular giant "nuggets" in the water, a waterfall and some really nice scenery. Every road but the main road was a dirt road and we eventually fatigued of driving on them, though they are nicely maintained, we had had enough "dust-breathing" and headed for the local bar for dinner. Yup! That is the only option in the wee towns frequented by trampers who only want to quench their thirst. We had eggs, sausage and chips (fries) and headed home. (The bar was connected to the hotel/restaurant and we ate in the restaurant portion...) We took a shortcut on a dirt road to get home faster!I have harvested our broccoli; shared 2 heads with a neighbor who brings us zuccini, blanched it and froze it. Yum! Gardens grow themselves in NZ! It is nice to have Jack's expertise but I think even I would succeed, no discredit to Jack!Did I mention that we are already on water rationing for the gardens and lawns? We get plenty of sprinkles of rain but nothing really refills the aquifirs, except for the two deluges we had yesterday, complete with thunder and hail. It rained buckets. Usually our storms are 10 minutes and blow on through...rain is good and needed! A member gave us a rolled turkey breast for Christmas. We feel like we have now had Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's dinner... The turkey was delicious and we are licking our chops. It was a sacrifice for her and an indication of the esteem in which they hold the missionaries! We feel loved by all. I hope you feel love from this end because I love you! We miss you! We have had a really nice Christmas and New Year celebration and feel blessed to be here in NZ. The Church is true...and the gospel if the power of salvation for we earthlings. Amen!Love, Jack and Dixie
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