First off, Kaimoana - a very happy, but belated birthday to you! It was, I seem to remember, a significant one, in fractional terms, yes? But not happy for so much of Auckland, sadly. I'm just emerging from a difficult period, so please forgive my lack of communication. I have yet to read all the previous pages, but will do so shortly.
The heat and humidity up here is just terrific, in its original sense. Sleepless nights, mosquitoes everywhere - huge ones, like condors, hovering menacingly. The potatoes rotting in the wet soil, kumara growing visibly, and advancing across the garden, which I have been unable to tend, like a tidal wave. Silver beet, basil, cucumbers...all are being swept away, or at least buried under the tsunami of green. Bad news is, because we've had 2 trees from our huge hedge at the front of the garden fall on the road, we have to have the whole thing removed...going to have to send MrJ down t'pit. SO expensive! At least no-one was injured, but the poor voluntary firefighters had to come out at 3 am in the deluge to sort it. It will be beers all round for them when we can get it to it.
However, all that fades into nothing in comparison with what the poor people further south are suffering. So terribly, terribly sad. Kia kaha, everyone.
but the kaimahi did it cheerfully.
