A lot to catch up on!!!!!!!

The much awaited, much anticipated, very quickly forgotton, latest update from T'other side 't' World!

For those of you that have pestered us for the latest update (ie Russ Woods!!!!!!!!!!!), we have a few months all condensed into one. So I am expecting, based on current comment ratio to each months BLOG.....4 comments!!!!!

Winter is upon us now, summer offically finishing end March, although in my humble opinion, April was either a fantastic Autumn, or a cooling down summer!!

So, 'what have we been up to since our last update in Jan', I hear you all ask!! Starting from the most recent (since I am absolutely rubbish at putting the photos on in the right order.....and I have a dodgy mouse that has hampered my every move!)

Clare completed the Rotorua Marathon on the 2nd May, in a time of 4 hrs 31 mins and 14 seconds ( for an exact time!) Fantastic effort, and as you can see, the T shirt and medal to prove it!!!

My first efforts with capturing the moment as Clare crossed the finishing line didn't get favourable critism from the POWERS THAT BE, so we had another 'photo shoot' in the garden yesterday (9 / 05 / 09....and yes, it is still sunshining and short weather...the Kiwis are such soft arses when it comes to temperatures under 20 degress C!!!)

Without the 'proof reader/ editor' looking over my shoulder, I have sneaked in an action shot of the finish. How come after 42 kms (26 miles converted for UK!!!), Clare still smiles more than me??? Not difficult! Even more annoying, she walked up Mt Maunganui on the following Monday morning, and ran again on Tuesday!!!!

....and again today (1 week after 2 hrs!!) and yes, it is a SPAZZIE grin!

Fantastic effort though. Me and the boys are well impressed, although we wanted to do the 5k fun run, to show how good we are at running at the moment (boys have actually been training for their cross country later in the month), and we would have done quite an impressive time of around 30 minutes, but the NZ$50 each (£20!) put us off a little (you can all take it has 'read' that I have moaned about the cost to everyone who even catches my eye!!!)

And finally on SUPERWOMAN, in Jan, Clare did the 4 kms 'round the mount' (well not quite, the sea was too rough for the second year in succession, so was in Pilot Bay...and Clare has been offically banned from entering again, as it is only the second time in 26 years that it has not been around the mount, the first being last year....when Clare first entered!!!)

And so, moving swiftly backwards in time, to the month of March, enter the Wordens ( for those of you that have not seen my brother and sister in law before, the photos are a true likeness....no relation to me!!!) from Riley Green. Steve and Elaine braved the delights of the Southern Hemisphere for the first time (over packed and white legs!!!), first visiting friends in Australia, then onto NZ on the first of March.

I had planned a very hectic travel schedule for them in the 17 days they had.....let the story unfold!

* All photos supplied courtesy of Brits Abroad!!*

Like all visitors to our part of the world, there as to be the ritual 'LUGE Challenge'! Unfortunately, the court case on a SPLIT DIFFUSER on Steve Wordens 'LUGE' still rages on.....and he started before me, and I was looking out for the kids, and laughing at his image in HELMET......YES, the NZ champion on the Rotorua LUGE was beaten..... STEVE WORDEN is truely MAD!!!

For that humiliation, the photos they tried to deny the WORLD.....'HE WHO LAUGHS LAST' (is slow at getting the joke....and whilst I am on that subject, at the football game for Tom yesterday, one of the opposition parents came up to me and said, " Hi, I'm the ref", to WIT I replied "that's an unusual name!".......It was an embarassing pause whilst he digested the comment....not quite sure he fully understood it!!!!)

So here are the PHOTOGENICS from RG!!!

SPOT THE WHITE LEGS!!!!

And don't worry, about the likeness of the boys to me, Max does SMILE....occassionally!

Tom is the usual NUTCASE, must be a WORDEN THING!

Unfortunately, due to crap holiday entitlements, we only really spent the weekends with our visitors, which was probably enough for them, as they wanted to relax.....not much chance of that in our household!

More snap shots of Steve and Elaine. Not sure who took this, probably some innocent

bystander!

Steve and Elaine did a whistle stop tour of the North Island, flying to Wellington, then driving up the East Coast to Napier, then onto Lake Taupo, then back.

I have decided for diplomatic reasons not to release to the World the facial photos we have of Steve and Elaine whilst racing along in a JET BOAT....too cruel! A tamer version of the CHAVS was deemed more appropriate! Elaine is showing off NASA's latest re-entry shields!!!

Steve just wants to 'BE A TREE'!!! Will Napier ever be the same.

The latest from Napier, as of the last few days, an armed offender as shot dead a police officer, and injured two other people, and as barrackaded himself in a house. Got to say Steve, you were lucky to survive!!!

New Zealand beaches have now been closed, for fear of more WHITE SUN BATHERS BEACHING!!!!

The beach earlier had 26,000 people on it, but for some inexplicable reason....emptied!!! Well, except for this 'HARDY SOLE'!!!!!

MRS HARDY SOLE had obviously decided that this was a real opportunity for 'REASONABLE CAUSE FOR DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS'....only kidding!

A fantastic time was had by all, thanks again for coming to visit our part of the WORLD!

And finally, the now compulsary walk up Mt Maunganui, and photo opportunity!

We live some close to the 'Halo' over Steves head!

Steve and Elaine departed NZ shores mid March...hope you still have some of the TAN!!

Life goes on with or without visitors. The summer here is a very very busy time with a multitude of sporting activities.

Tomas's team absolutely thrashed everyone at 'Flip-a-ball' ( a mini version of waterpolo) and Max has started playing junior waterpolo.

added to that we have Ocean athletes for Max, junior life saving for Tom, cricket and swimming for them both and numerous other school stuff (top schools team photo.....a mini version of 'IT'S A KNOCKOUT'), not much more we can do....roll on SKI SEASON!

This lot are a mottley crew of very very good athletes, especially the blonde girl knelt up at the front. She is one seriously good swimmer, runner etc. Look out for her as a future TRI ATHLETE. And the others are no slouches either!

And as we are watching out for people, there is a REWARD out on the next boy! He is nothing to do with me at all....honest! Please tell me I was not like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Talking of embarrassing people, this was at a local cricket match. Our home team got a bit of a beating. Max got his cap being a REP CRICKETER (represents the area, unfortunately it all seemed to clash with surf life saving events!!)

This little game involved BLACK CAPS (NZ internationals) and a great opportunity to get a quick photo with Daniel Flynn, a local....and a BLACK CAP!

Poor Daniel, does he know what he got himself into having photos with these two reprabates!

Still moving back in time.....close now to the adventures of MRS E, SUPERWOMANS MUM!!!

Max limbering up for his heat in the Inter schools swimming

Tomas in one of the BEACH COMPETITIONS for the SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB....Papamoa won easily again....best in the country our lot!

And now.....MRS E's trip in JANUARY....a life time ago.....or it would seem!!!!!

Won't go over all the usual stuff of the Mt maunganui walk(s) coffees, muffins, cakes and general walking along the beach, that has been covered many a time.

Something 'afresh' was our Christmas present to Mrs E, and 2 day 1 night walk. A very strenuous 2 day walk to THE PINNACLES in the Coromandel Penninsula. Age has no bounderies.....right Mrs E????

The walk looked fantastic from just the photos! I am quite sure it was meant to be a leisurely month in NZ for Mrs E.....yeah RIGHT!!!!


Next adventure, climbing MT COOK!!!

Oxygen masks off for a photo!

The sunrise was spectacular!

So there you have it folks 3 1/2 months all rolled into one edition.

Now that all our activities have scaled down for winter, only doing

Max - football, waterpolo, swim training

Tom - football, karate

Clare - 1/2 marathon end May, then preparing for 1/2 Ironman in Jan'10

Neil - 1/2 marathon end May (why did I ever challenge Clare to this one?), preparing for 1/2 Ironman Jan'10.....got to beat the wife (even if it is a dip for the line)

So next time you here from us will be July, 'cause we are all going to hibernate over winter, and only come out for a skiing holiday in the kids school holidays. It could be an interesting holiday, as Tom now wants to snowboard like his brother....GOD HELP ALL OF US!!!!

Senior Wordy signing off