Kauri Wood, 74 Windows

I love our house in New Plymouth, but the sad truth is that its days may be numbered.  The house needs too many expensive upgrades to bring it up to current living standards.  If the house doesn't sell after we leave, the owner is considering tearing it down.

This house was built when kauri wood was still readily available.  Now kauri is protected and ancient swamp kauri is a luxury item.  (see ancient swamp kauri)  I love the beautiful colour in the kauri wood that makes our counters, shelves, floors and ceilings.  Supposedly, if our house were to be demolished, the kauri wood could be salvaged and would be worth $100K.

The kauri makes beautiful window frames.  The kauri color contrasts vividly with all the green outside the windows.  I love the 74 window panes and the views out them.

There are windows on three sides in our kitchen.
One of them, however, looks into this covered patio which usually
looks about like this - bikes and muddy gear.

Even the views out the bathroom windows are pretty good...



Our house doesn't look very flash when you see it up close.  Paint is peeling, scuff marks, older appliances, non-insulated windows, etc.  It feels more like a cabin than a house.  When the wind blows, we can feel it.  The roof even leaks in a couple of places.  But it suits us very well, and I feel very thankful.

Books

audiobook

Oak NPBHS Speech

Where to start?

2-day layover in Dubai. . . family reunion in London and Cotswolds . . . BYU reunion (in London) . . . it's hard to know where to start. . .

Friday in the UAE is considered the Sabbath, since it's a Muslim country.
We attended LDS services in the morning,
visited an active Sikh temple in the afternoon (and appreciated a free Langar meal),
and were awed at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi in the evening.  

*one of the more memorable moments in Dubai was having my lost iphone and credit cards returned to me by Saddam Hussein at 1:00 in the morning...

Siblings!

I remember when we were all little, and now we're so grown up!

Tennessee Cousins

Sage broke her wrist in Holland Park on our first day in the UK.  Luckily, governments of UK and NZ have "an agreement" so we had no out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Connecticut cousins

Grandma and Grandpa - best parents ever!

One of the kids' favourite days was an afternoon spent playing Sardines in old Wardour castle.  We had the castle to ourselves - no one else around.

free time at the cabin in the Cotswolds

Back in London - Grandma's house (on the right)

Exploring London, getting hit by an irate Oxford history professor, holding tight onto Joycie in the underground, being reunited with Danny, "promming" in Royal Albert Hall (Aurora Orchestra!), evensong at St. Paul's, berrypicking, etc., etc.



 

The Family reunion was followed up by my annual reunion with BYU friends...in London!  What a treat!
=Life is good=