Thanks to all of you who searched so hard for me when I appeared and then promptly disappeared back on 2nd Dec. No Rae, I wasn't in the dirty clothes basket, and neither was I in the garden eating apples Chatoyant. I was actually up the creek without a paddle. My computer had a seizure and has been two weeks in intensive care and I have only just been able to read all your remarks and questions.
To Smitty - yes our seasons are the opposite of yours so we should be in early summer but you would never know it by the weather. Our Spring this year should have been known as the "wet season" and it is not yet much improved.
To Sentanta - I am about in the centre of the North Island
To Gautam - I am not a big cricket fan but I know enough about it to know that I am on the winning side if I am discussing it with a Pom.
To Babsatamelia - yes The Piano was set in New Zealand as was The Lord of the Rings.
To c.i. - The t-shirt used to say "Land of 70 million sheep, 4 million of which think they are humans" but those figures may not be quite accurate as I haven't counted them lately. But it is a lot anyway.
Hoping I can stay on line long enough to get to know you all better -
Eve