November-December 2011 Sun, beaches, bike rides, friends... Dear Friends,

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Dayna Hensley
5 years ago
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1 Dear Friends, Here are new adventures and photos from the far south. Adriana has mastered running, climbing and balancing and increased her vocabulary to What s that? and Why?. Oh, lucky mom and dad In the meantime, our friend Enrique arrived for a visit from Montreal. We continued hiking, biking and socializing. More about our trips and parties on the following pages. We were most pleased with Christmas and New Year Holidays in t-shirts 1

2 These months Adriana became very skilled with walking, climbing (particularly climbing up to the dinning table, if possible) and balancing and continues to improve her dancing and drawing skills (drawing with everything everywhere! ). Here are a few photos of our little pumpkin in action... 2

3 These weeks Adriana is amazed with books, phones, wheels, bike pedals, computers, drumming, playing hide-and-seek and Boo game 3

4 And, of course, an unavoidable beach fun 4

5 And a bit more action until exhaustion (where did she get those genes, we wonder!) Considering her amusement with phones and mobile phones, do not get surprised if she takes over our communications soon. In which language? We do not know yet. One, two, three, yey! goes pretty good in English at the moment. Get ready! Philip under the pillows Boo! Break from biking 5

6 In mid-november, Enrique arrived to visit us from Montreal for 2 months. Philip and I made a plan to surprise him at the airport. I put on a wig so he could not recognize me - just to see his reaction. It was lots of fun! Dunedin greeted Enrique with a few winter days (at the beginning of the summer) and a few days of 4 (and more! ) seasons just to teach him the first Dunedin lesson: Do not leave a house without touque, rain coat, sunscreen and sun-glasses! 6

7 Enrique got adjusted to New Zealand life pretty quickly and made some new friends with New Zealand animal kingdom especially with sheep. The magic of New Zealand nature was suprising him every day. But, from all Kiwi memories, it seems that Enrique will remember the most delicious food (including Jimmy s meat pies) and Kiwi beer Speights. 7

8 Here are a few more scenes from Enrique s adventures in Dunedin and the area (St Clair Beach, the town of Port Chalmers, Doctors Point Beach and Aramoana) 8

9 Enrique arrived just in time for my birthday party. We got together with our Spanishinternational group. It was my first birthday party with friends here in Dunedin finally after (just!) 3 years Fortunately, we survived those first 3 years Here a few birthday smiles Chilean, Spanish, Columbian, Italian, New Zealander, Canadian and Croatian 9

10 We continued getting together with dear friends in the upcoming weeks: gatherings with our little and little bigger friends, pizza party, visitors from Canada (Heather, David and Wendy, Tamara and Jett, Stanley and Islay) Friends from the Spanish Club 10

11 And a few more Spanish gatherings 11

12 At the beginning of December, we continued gathering with dear people most often with the excuse of the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays (Bryan and Jan; John, Julie, Claire and Grace; Janine and Candace; Adam and Amy) We continued exploring the area, this time with papacito Enrique. Not too bad, as Canadians would say. 12

13 We visited nearby beaches, walked in the neighbourhood, biked, dipped Adriana in the chilly Pacific Ocean (unplanned! ), went swimming in Dunedin s open salt water pool and got frozen (we could have picked a little warmer summer day for that swim! ) 13

14 Papacito Enrique had a pretty holistic sabbatical with his research projects in New Zealand such as making cakes, watering a veggie garden, taking care of Adriana 14

15 At the beginning of November we received a package from Slovenia with a bike seat for Adriana. So we started with bike rides on Otago Peninsula and in the area, biking with friends (Adam, Amy and Enrique) Our little pumpkin enjoyed those bike rides. When she had enough, she would just close her eyes and fall asleep (thanks again, Boky and Sanja! ) 15

16 Here are a few more biking scenes 16

17 Academic life continues to inspire me, especially work with students. My team of summer students this year has been fantastic again. December was full of university graduations and celebrations 17

18 Somewhere in between the sun, beaches, walks and bike rides, Christmas and New Year Holidays arrived. We celebrated Christmas with our Spanish-speaking friends. Santa Claus came to visit us in New Zealand too (and was sweating a lot! ). Philip and I are starting to enjoy more and more these Christmas and New Year Holidays in t- shirts Here are a few scenes from our Christmas celebration this year. 18

19 We spent Christmas Day on Karitane Beach 40 minutes north of Dunedin. Philip could not resist this opportunity to go for a swim. Considering the temperature of the South Pacific in this area (+14 C), Enrique and I chose to enjoy sun-tanning instead 19

20 And beaches, beaches We were really missing white Christmas. The only fluffy thing we could think of to celebrate in was the white sand at the beaches just to feel better while missing snow. Such is our destiny when we live in the town that cruise ships visit pretty much every week 20

21 Our little Kiwi enjoyed beaches too and has been having lots of fun discovering the beauty and diversity of the nature in New Zealand in between (short) breaks for a milk bottle or a nap 21

22 And then New Year arrived. We celebrated New Year Eve surrounded with dear friends in Dunedin, with many smiles, tons of positive energy, an international spirit and several languages - like in the good old (Edmonton) years 22

23 Here are a few more New Year Eve smiles New Zealander, Canadian, American, Chilean, Brazilian, Colombian, Australian, Spanish, Hungarian, and Croatian 23

24 And, for the end of this letter, here are a few spectacular sunsets above Dunedin this summer 24

25 And a bit more of Dunedin s sky 25

That would be a short update from us at the beginning of 2012.

The time has come that we take Adriana for another international trip this time an intercontinental one!

For those of you in San Francisco, see you at the end of May / beginning of June!

Once again, thank you all for all these years of friendship and unforgettable memories that we share.

26 That would be a short update from us at the beginning of We are already looking forward to this year, to new adventures and new gatherings with many of you. The time has come that we take Adriana for another international trip this time an intercontinental one! For those of you in Edmonton, see you in May! For those of you in San Francisco, see you at the end of May / beginning of June! Europe will need to wait a bit this time until we accumulate enough vacation days. Once again, thank you all for all these years of friendship and unforgettable memories that we share. Keep expanding your circles of friends, and keep sending us those wonderful updates on your weddings and new family members, photos and stories from your travels/voyages and your successes and joys. We are sending you tons of warm hugs and positive energy and wish you a happy and joyful 2012! Keep walking on the sunny side of the road, Sandy, Philip and Adriana 01 January 2012 Dunedin, New Zealand 26

January-April 2012 Here are beginnings of the new year... Dear Friends,

January-April 2012 Here are beginnings of the new year... Dear Friends, Dear Friends, Here are new photos and stories from our end. Considering the first few months, this is promising to be another exciting year Enjoy the photos as we have less and less time to write stories