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Have been checking in to keep an eye on things... though haven't posted anything news worthy. Just been work work work. How're you doing Wick?

But amongst that - I have my house on the market to sell, which is proving very difficult as nobody wants to buy in the present financial climate. My new house plans are all approved, deposit is paid, but I've told them not to start building until I have my house sold! Was going to do it another way, but backed out on that since property values are lower than I had hoped.

My son gets married this Saturday and that will be a smallish wedding, but quite eloquent. Looking forward to the day being special for them. They have been a very good couple and dating for 4 years. So with that, I also presently have my other son at home (he's back living in Brisbane Oz) - also now has a tat by the way. AAAAaaarrrrghghhh. oh well.

Have been refinancing my mortgage(s) also because of the present financial circumstances, and found a cheaper bank. Might save me $100 p/week on my rental property mortgage. So it's more paperwork galore, and visits with the solicitor to sign things - more bills. Think I will be laying low from here on.

Best part - just back from 3 days on the river, rafting! Whoopeee, what an amazing adventure of a lifetime. Just incredible. I didn't know rivers could have so many waves. We travelled about 200k over 2.5 days, river and rapids to grade 3. Jeepers, I don't really know rivers but I would almost think it may have been 4 in parts the waves were so big. It was like being out at sea sometimes! They were the best parts, bouncing up and over the huge 1-2 metre swells. Raft was brilliant and so bouyant. Never tipped over once despite our futile efforts of steering full speed into jagged rock faces in the gorges. Some we managed to get past nicely around the bends, while there were others we just couldn't avoid. We got quite good at crashing into walls and moving ourselves across the raft so the incoming side water didn't tip us.

I got tossed out in the middle of a grade 3 rapid - called the Nosebreaker(!). We were trying to capture it on movie, so I was given the job with the camera, whilst the 4 guys (yes me and 4 guys .... great stuff ) did the paddling and manoeuvring. Was okay until we got beached on a huge rock in the middle of it all, and a wave of water come in - took me out with it as I wasn't exactly hanging on, having two hands on the camera. Feet were quite well wedged in though, and until then, had been all that was required. So I went under into a huge swirl of water and the camera was pulled off my wrist - still on "play" mode. Fortuntately I was close to the edge, and once surfaced, didn't take me too long to get out of it. Hate to think how far I would have gone if I'd been out in the middle. Annoying to lose the camera and all that was on it! Weather was brilliant, and we camped a couple of nights along the river. Just perfect. NZ is fannnnntastic for adventure.

I need these crazy adventures - help keeps me looking forward to something, and reminding me of my sanity. (I think). Though I'm sure I'm mad sometimes.