Iwannagethomefromnewzealand

 

 I have never before experienced a flight being cancelled, especially due to 5 inches of wet snow, but NZ has been full of surprises this trip. It is the heaviest snow fall in 15 years and the coldest temperature since 1918. Cantabrians enjoyed it immensely and as one wag said, "it is the icing on the quakes."  My friend Sue took these pictures.  The one on the right is our street, to the left of the picture, my little car.  

There had been a going away party at the house for me on Sunday afternoon, with way too much good food, put on by Rick and Lynn. There hadn't been much snow as yet, although Sue and Phil reported a lot of cars in the ditch en route to Darfield.  Nest morning we woke up to about 4 inches of snow, which increased over the day.  This is very unusual for Christchurch because so many storms come from the west, and most of the snow has been dropped in the mountains before it gets down to the lower altitudes.  Christchurch frequently get some fluffy snow overnight which melts in the morning sun.  This snow came from the Artic (oops, busted-Antarctic) on a south east wind.  The dogs, above left, were both born in New Zealand had never experienced snow.  The little one Wilma aka Boo Boo, wore herself out playing in the wonderful stuff.  About 1:00pm, we found that my plane had been cancelled, and Lynn and I started to work at getting the new one booked from Monday afternoon to Thursday.  Not a problem.

It is odd, I have really enjoyed being in Christchurch and am looking forward to coming back, but I had really planned on being home, enjoying some hot weather and eating tomatoes from the garden.  My mind already moved to "Ontario mode".  However, the weather is now sunny the temerature 12 degrees and I am going with Lynn and Rick to meet Sue and Phil at a Vietnamese restaurant near Church Corners where Phil is currently working.  Wheels up tomorrow at 3:10.