The end of Winter

Its been a while since our last blog post, so I thought I'd better remedy the situation and provide an update on our latest adventures. The last few weeks have seen a range of events...Tim's played in a couple more concerts, I attended Johannah's hen's lunch party, we visited the Coromandel Pennisula and I got a new job!

Tim's latest concerts included an arguably more fitting repertoire than his previous Proms performance....this time it was music from the Americas. A great selection of popular classics, including the theme tune to the West Wing! (this was particularly appreciated by

Kineret, the wife of Tim's colleague, who I think may be the show's greatest fan!) They joined me for the performance at the Auckland Town Hall, a beautiful building that was packed out with families anticipating the show. The playlist included a special guest appearance from an American accordion player, who was in town for the World Accordion competition, whic h Tim (and the rest of the orchestra) also accompanied. We feel proud to live in a city that hosts such world class competitive events...

The weekend before last was Johannah's hen's lunch party. Her good friend Issy organised a fantastic afternoon at a lovely restaurant called Andiamos, complete with bubbles, games and fun accessories for the bride-to-be. I was so pleased I could join Johannah and a huge crowd of her lovely girlfriends, in the lead up to her & Fergus's special day.

Over the last few weeks I've also been interviewing for a strategy job at Telecom (the NZ version of BT). I'm pleased to say that they offered me the position, and I'm looking forward to starting on the 5th October. Thanks to Mum & Dad for the celebratory bubbles and Granny & Grandpa for the lovely card!

Last weekend Tim and I became Jaffas again as we headed to the Coromandel Pennisula. The weather was perfect and we had a very relaxing couple of days. Tim had found us a great holiday apartment in Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga), with views of the bay. On Saturday, we visited Hot Water Beach, aptly named given the nearby volcanic fault which creates a layer of hot water just under the sand. Its a strange sight, resembling something rather like an archeological dig, as visitors use their rented spades to locate the hot water and quickly dig paddling pools before a wave comes and destroys all their hard work! The water was surprisingly hot in some places, causing Tim and I to hop in and very quickly out of various steaming pools. We also visited Cathedral Cove, a little further up the coast, named after a spectacular limestone arch! The cove is reached by walking along a stunning cliff top path, which winds through groves of native trees, before reaching the fabulous arched rock and beautiful secluded bay. I would definitely like to visit again.

On Sunday we drove up the coast a little further and found another couple of wonderfully secluded bays, where we enjoyed planning a return visit in the summer, equipped with Kayaks and snorkels. We then drove over to the West coast of the Pennisula, stopping off to enjoy a distant view of Auckland city, before heading into Coromandel town for lunch. Its a quaint little spot which enjoyed a short-lived gold rush in the late 1800s. Its now home to a selection of cafes, art shops and the popular 'smoke house', where Tim tried a selection of smoked mussels. We spent the rest of the afternoon taking a leisurely drive down the coastal road, before joining the other Jaffas on the motorway back to Auckland.

Tim's musical schedule is kicked up a notch over the next week or so as he joins a second orchestra (St Matthews Chamber Orchestra) in rehearsals for a concert on the 20th September. This one is slightly more serious, playing Handel and Mendelssohn, rather than the theme to the West Wing.