Well i thought that as i haven't been on here i had best update people on where i am and what i'm up to. When i was in perth i got a job offer in new zealand between napier and taupo, so i got a flight and this is where i have been since which has flown by and i cant belive its been over four months.I have a job at a place called mountain valley working with the horses they use for trekking for the winter, i have my own house and i'm really enjoying being busy again. The weather isnt too bad either for the middle of winter, hard frosts and warm, sunny days.

Where to start is the question , i have so much to say and i had written a long blog but the stupid computer crashed so here we go again.

After coming to mountain valley for a long weekend kind off as a trial and for me to see if i wanted to work here i had two weeks before i started so i went over to taranaki on the west coast. I stade with a friend of brendons because he was away and glenn had offered me his car for the two weeks, yes me and glenn are now a couple. Nicky pugh who i went to primary school with wasnt too far away so i spent some time with her we went up the mountain to dawson falls and into New Plymouth where we hired bikes and rode along the water front. We also had a night out with her work friends and went rolla skating before hitting the pubs, it was nice to catch up with a friend form home. I aso got to catch up with Bruce a brecon boy who shears over here for a few months before he went home. Alton is the little village where glenn lives and his local pub reminds me of the pubs back home. I got taken to a hungi ( traditional maroi meal) up at the dam by glenn and a few fo him friends. I have made some good friends and have been back a few time to visit as glenn and me take it in turns to go and see each other.

I suppose you want to know a bit about him, he's 29 and works for Brendon shearing and has been over to the uk a few times ( not this year ). Hes a nice guy and we get on really well, maybe you all might meet him one day.

Napier is the local city 45 mins by car and also the nearest shop, see i'm in the middle of know where. Its a quite little place not much bigger than brecon just better shops and very pritty. We did have a bit of drama down there the other week, i just happened to be in town when it all kicked off. There was a seige on the hill ( napier and surround is flat apart from the hill or bluff as its called ) three police got shot and another person. It went on for over 48 hours and was all over the news here.

I had best tell you all about where i am, so when ever you come to new zealand you'l know the best place to go. Mountain valley is owned by clive whos a pom, he's been here about 4 years now. Its got to be one of the nicest places i've been to in the last 10 months - the wild side of wine country. I have some great horses to look after and ride and some of the nicest countryside to ride in, lots of wild deer and some huge stags which i muct get a good picture off to show you all. During the roar ( stags ) we took the ute up to the top of the hill and a few beers to listen to the its quite something. I have even been out rafting only on the grades one and two, but i will do the grade three once it warms up again because Deon the resident raft guide has already tried to chuck me in but FAILED. Dippy is a fox terrier cross jack russel and about 8 months now, the best work buddy ever now complaining. Needless to say she spends alot of time with me and i'm now known as aunty, her favourite place is zipped into my jacket, keeps her warm and she has no ballence on the quad so safe. I feel like a mama kangaroo half the time and get some strange looks with little dippy sticking her head out of my jacket. Then theres my cat mama cat or smudge or mog which eva name comes to mind shes and 8 year old tabby who got dunped down at the campsite with her four kittens. One got killed by some p****who was saying ( cats are seen as a pest and i have to say there are alot of strays ). Two i found a home for with a family from the uk who have moved over here, htey came to stay for a weekend and went home with two kittens. The last one had to go to the SPCA i couldnt find a home for him but i'm sure hes found a great family by now. Mama cat thinks shes in heaven and is very loyal, never goes far, a great hot water bottle and is a great ratter after waking me up in the middle if the night to show me her kill. The only thing with her is as soon as my alarm goes in the morning shes pests till i get up.

A few months ago clive held a famil for companies from Taupo area to come and see what mountain valley is all about, it was great i made lots of comtacts and have a made a few deels so watch this space for some crazy stuff. I now have a huge bucket list of all the thigs i have to do while i'm here in new zealand and theres no shortage of ideas. I dragged clive and his kids to napier one night to go to a rolla disco which was such a laugh, it felt like being 6 again.

A friend of mine Brenden from canada who i met in perth was up in taupo and we went to meet up, which is great cos i have a car so we went of to do a few of the tourist things in the area. The thermal park, huka falls and went to see a dam opening its gates, Brendn then came back with me to mountain valley for the night to go for his first ever horse ride. Then it was a big night out in Taupo for bexs birthday who i met at the famil, its nice to have made a few friends and get the chance to go out. On the thursday Glenn and i went up to Hamilton which is 3 hours away for field days which is a bit like the royal welsh but without the stock, not as good in my opinion but a nice day out all the same.

I have saved the best till last the weekend just gone i got tickets for me and Glenn to go and see the All Blacks in Wellington play France. It wasnt the best game as the All Blacks arent on form at the moment but they did win 14-10 and it was great to see them in thir home country and ticked of something on my bucket list. I was so excited about seeing them Dan Carter walked right by us and i got to see the cave man Chebal who isnt as huge as the press makes him out the but not that i would disagree with him. The off field entertainment was good to with chickens running rings around the secuity guards, one poor thing was even painted the colours of the french flag. Two girls ran across the pitch which i thought was a good idea and would give me the chance to get on tv for you all to see. Two problems with that 1- the secuity guards are huge and the tackle made on one of the girls looked like it would hurt and 2- Glenn being the spoil sport warned me that he wouldnt be paying the bail.

Hope you are all well????

I swear that i will update my site more often in the future.

Hugs and kisses

xxxxxx