Fiji...someone's got to do it!

Another chilled weekend...Friday off and Nick home doing last minute Fiji stuff; pancakes with Andreas and Danielle on Friday night (Nick had helped me peel a huge batch of apples which we stewed in a pot on the potbelly - they were ready just in time to take a dishful for pancake fillers). Bacon and egg rolls for breakfast on Saturday and more final errands, and a family movie-afternoon; cold weather on Sunday and Graham and Liz to lunch again (last to leave the church again...and they insist it's not planned). Lots of family time and lots of relaxing (and just a little bit of housework too).

Today, Monday, Nick left for Fiji. Seems that it's becoming a regular thing to leave us in winter for some mission or ministry event somewhere! Two years ago (to the day, I believe) it was Ascension for a month, last year he was in Palmerston North for a School of Theology for a week. All good though - this time he's away for two weeks to minister in the only reformed evangelical church in all the islands. He will preach several times at church and bible studies, conduct a pastor's fraternal, and generally encourage the pastor of the church. I will give feedback where possible when I have communication with him. Andreas also happened to be going to Christchurch for a flight to Auckland, and was able to give Nick a lift to the airport for which we are very grateful! Nick was due to be boarding at 12.35; at 1 pm there was a 5.5 magnitude earthquake, followed by two smaller ones before another whopping 6 at 2.20 pm. Rachel and I were in the studio which rocked severely and we were both in doorways feeling pretty terrified. Nick felt the first one strongly but thankfully his plane had taken off before the bigger one, and the airport was closed. His plane was the last to leave Christchurch today. I spoke to him when he'd landed in Auckland again; he was to be leaving NZ around 5 pm and arriving in Fiji three hours later. And thus I am now in charge of keeping the home fires burning again...this time Nick has given me better instruction so today I used one match, one firelighter, one pinecone, one piece of paper, and a few small dry logs to get my fire going. The boys were suitably impressed - last year they called me Fireman Mom because I was so good at putting it out :) Winter evenings are now very much spent together in the lounge...we've moved the Mac into the lounge for the winter as well so we can all be comfy cosy. Music practice, reading, Lego, mask-making, blogging, e-mailing, Skyping, crafting all happen in here. In summer the boys would still have been outside playing on the tramp at this time of day! The sun is rising just after 8 am these days and setting at 5 pm. Only a few more weeks before the winter solstice though and the days lengthen rapidly. Wooohooo!