1st's will always pop up somewhere...

My First NZ Birthday (30 July 2009)
(Ok, actaully celebrated on the 31st, but who's checking?)

Just around the corner in Porirua, the battlefield of the pins!! (10 of them, just in case you wondered why it is 10-pin bowling)




A very serious Niel. He can, cause he's that good (See previous Blog called P-Party)



A less serious Birthday boy, cause I'm not that good. (See previous Blog called P-Party)






A captivated audience of two...




Having the right set of balls for the game is important, they say.





One man, so many balls!!!!



Quite civilized, each in his/her own turn.




Not so sure where that one went?





There are so many sports that make you wear funny looking uniforms. Don't laugh at the shoes, when last did you see what golfers have to wear!?





OK. So not everybody appreciates the same sports.




He's THAT good - just check that form! We hate him. :-)





Two big guys with big balls! ( A blue one and a green one). And TUI's






The TUI's were on special!





Like I said, they were on special!






The end of a special night...

P-Party
(7 July 09)

That's when you have a party with a "P" theme to it. Ours was easy - Pool en Pannekoek!! No special occasion, just wanted to.

Niel just couldn't help winning, he's that good. But we tried to explain to him that winning against the rest of us was no admirable feat. I doesn't take much!! :-) - Still, he couldn't help being schmuck about it!! - He's officially "uninvited"!! :-)

Saskia taking aim, taking a bow, taking her turn, taking her time, well, whatever. She was playing against Niel - nothing will have helped.
He's that good!!

We cooked, we talked, we bragged(only Niel), we wined and dined on pancakes and wierd and wonderful fillings.



Paulus explaing important matters, whatever they were....




Paulus & Tiny - Kermis Tannies - hulle maak die pannekoeke!!!!


Maar jy sien nie Kermis Tannies argumenteer oor wie die beter pannekoek flippertjie is nie. Dis net seuntjies wat so rof wil speel!!

Our OWN kiwi home!!!!!

So, the farm was fun and great and all, but it wasn't ours!! , Chance, luck, destiny, Sonja's dilligence, whatever!!! Somehow we came accross this lovely house and decided to make it our home!! We are now not just residents in NZ, we are also home owners! Yipee!

This is the view from our porch. I call it "Our Village". Whitby is a suburbs with a few schools, some churches, one shopping centre, two lakes and lots of hills.

More of the "village" view with the lower lake. No, the people are not "Village People ", and for those of you who know what I'm talking about; KEEP YOUR AGE A SECRET!!!

The view of the house, obscured by lots of trees from the lower lake.





Obscured by the trees in the distance to the left top of the picture... that's us!! (No, not the bird, the house, that's us!!)!


It was a must for the "Rumpus" room - that's what these guys call a "Play" room.





Esme in our kitchen....




The kids in the Lounge enjoying full HD cartoons!!!




Not that they seem to be too bothered by whether "goofy" and his friends are crystal clear quality or not! :-)





Minka seemed more taken with posing with her Jannie Verjaar Water...





And Miah, well, being Miah!






Preparing to dine with the family... Rooi wyn 'n moet!!!!

Our fake fire in the play room - jy plug die outjie in en dan maak hy warm lug!!!!








Discovery drive going past our back yard to the left here




So, if you can spot the yellow dot, that's us, according to Google Earth! If you cannot see the yellow dot, well, again - KEEP YOUR AGE A SECRET!! - of bel jou naaste rekenaar winkel en vra hulle vir 'n beter graphics card!! :-)

DDD's - 26 June 2009
(Dinner, Dance & Drinks)

Since it's been a while, we thought you might wonder just what we've been up to. And it's no surprise that you'll find us having fun, settling even more in our new lives and here are some shots from a charity Dinner & Dance that we attended.

Yep, dinner & dance, not just dinner...
Prins Paulus en sy silwer kleed - very flash!! :-)



The food was of the highest standards... - (the event was organised by South Africans)




And then, D no 3 - DRINKS!!!
Cointreau's were the order of the night!




And they kept coming to the table!!



Soon, we all smiled!!!!




...and smiled....





Some looked so in love!!!






Some even looked like they were renewing vows!!! Not sure, the music drowned out their conversation from the rest of us...




And some, later on, just sat and watched, and watched...



CAUTION!!!! - DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE!!!!
Seeing that you need your hands, you'll just spill the drink!!!!





So, what to do then???
Get serious, sober up, have some coffee, and still get someone else to drive you home!! :-) Come on, get with the program, spoil yourself a little, imagine they are the chauffeurs.