News from Nelson – July 2 2012

Hi all,
Here we are on the downhill run to August already; and Christmas is frighteningly close.

I have sent our “Deutschlandreise 2012” for printing, so two copies will be winging their way to Jan’s grandmothers within the next month. I am about to start putting together another book: one for the Martins (Ana Silvia & Camila’s family) as they leave today to return to Brazil.

We had a lovely time meeting Berto and Celia, hosting them at our place for a night. They travelled the North and South Islands, but spent a good chunk of their time in Nelson, being hosted by all the host families of the girls. Tina and Jeremy also had the whole family around for Raclette at the tail-end of their North Island tour. Celia says she feels like she has had a taste of the Rotary experience!

We all have lots of photos of them all, and they are a delightful family. Ana looks almost the same as she did when she left four years ago – and spent a lot of time at our place with the dogs.  

Anna & Phil G hosted a get-together at their place, as did Hugh & Julie B, and we had a couple of meals out with a big group at restaurants, including a farewell dinner at Café Affair last night. Murray & Yvonne B took them over to the Golden Bay, we took them to Kaiteriteri, Anna & Phil took them to Lake Rotoiti. They have seen a good chunk of Nelson. 

They fly out today at 10.30, and I think they have had a great time, and now will know all the things that the girls speak of, as they too have a personal connection. We plan on going to Brazil on our way either to or from Germany for the 100^th celebrations in 2015. 

It was great to hear from Hartmut that Karin & Ernst have been to Ulm to visit Oma Lieselotte and Uta. It sounds as though everything in Ulm is stable at the moment, but I will find out when I write shortly to Uta, to accompany the photobook and tell her how we all are.

Simone has written a lovely email, Achim has sent a quick email and Karin has emailed photos. Technology is a wonderful thing!

Last Saturday night we had dinner at Kathleen & Frits’ place but didn’t get to look at their trip photos, although we showed them ours!! I think that was a bit one-sided; we will have to put that right soon :-)

NMIT & AUT teaching is going well; I have sorted out all my courses and my semester's teaching is planned out. I have handed over Applied Management (L) to a new lecturer, and have set aside one full weekday for my Masters study (Mondays – NOTHING else is done on Mondays but Masters research).

It is my brother’s 40^th in a couple of weeks, so my family will be coming together for a party. That will be all good.

John appears settled in the UK for now, and has been posting regularly on Facebook; but he does miss Bonnie the Boxer. She is heartless and doesn’t seem to be pining in the slightest (by the way, John: she is registered & tagged in TDC to our address now. It was painless). But October will come soon, and John’s return with it, and then I am sure she will collapse in wiggles and smiles.

Speaking of October, Camila comes to us in October for the last three months of her Rotary exchange year. It will be wonderful to have her. We think we have sorted out the logistics of getting her in to Nelson College for Girls every weekday (car with Jan to Richmond & bus to Nelson on the days I don’t go in), and there are many offers of accommodation for her to overnight in Nelson if she needs to stay late, has soccer practice or wants to socialise.  

We have heard from Sandra & Gary, who are having a great time in WA; as usual, Sandra wrote a hilarious summary of all the happenings in their household. It sounds as though they are having a good time, and have managed to collect another dog. Number 3 canine and no children. Sounds like people we know…!

Andreas, Katrin & Christian are planning on being in New Zealand this coming Christmas and New Year, and we were thinking of finding out where they were going to be, and spending Christmas with them. We hope that Jan’s Welly family can join us, but can’t do any planning until Jan finds out what Andreas’ family plans are. It would be great to spend a Kiwi Xmas in the Bay of Islands!

Happy birthdays to Fleur, my brother, Kelly M, Moose, Merrill C, Julie C, Tracey P, Paul T, Tessa W, Erik dB, Neil L, Gary B, Uta S-K, and Coco! 

Right – I am sure that I have forgotten lots, but this will do for now. All the best to everyone :-)

Jan Kuwilsky & Sam Young

News from Nelson – July 2012

Hi all,
Wow – where did the time go?

It seems like two minutes ago that we went to Germany, and here we are back again already. The partly-completed flip book of all our trip images can be viewed by clicking on the link “Deutschlandreise2012” to the right (we are still waiting for photos from our Kassel visit to be emailed to us).

Jan’s grandmother, Oma Lieselotte, is relatively OK, and still has a good sense of humour and a quick turn of wit. The second day there Omi was very ill, confused, and uncertain not only of who everyone else was, but who she was and where she was. However, the House Doctor came and found that she was retaining fluid. She had an injection and has other meds to control this in future. By the next day she was fine – relatively – again, and had her sense of humour back.

Uta is undertaking all her care, and very good care that is too, but it is hard on Uta. I know that Uta wants to do it, but the workload isn’t light, and it goes on day in, day out. However, Uta does have some good friends who help as well.

Jan spent a lot of time helping Uta and spending time with Omi. He also went through and photographed all the pages of the family book that his Grandfather had researched, so he has a record.

Eberhard took me to a Rotary lunch, where the Rotary Club of Ulm-Donaubrücke had a tour of the Ulrich Medical plant. It was extremely interesting. However, I was presented with a Rotary flag, and hadn’t brought one of Whakatu’s with me (!). Last Friday at  Rotary I officially presented the Ulm-Donaubrücke flag to my club, and was given one to send back – the next job on the list today. Jan & I also met Eberhard’s new partner, Monika, and had dinner with them at one of the old restaurants in the Fischerviertel. They have an apartment on the top floor of one of the buildings nearby, with a lovely shared garden for the building, near the old city walls.

Jan & I did a few walks around the Donau and through the parks. Uta & I did a bit of shopping, and I managed to get some presents for people and get some Lebkuchen to bring home. Mmmm.

I also spent a day with Justine in München, which was just great! Justine flew over from London to München on Saturday morning, and stayed until Sunday morning. I took the train from Ulm to München and we met at the railway station. We had a lovely time, drinking coffee, looking at museums and choosing food at the markets. What more could we want?! Well, more time, obviously, but other than that, it was great. I had a fabulous day, and got back tired on the train at 9pm. However, as Thomas & Bettina had arrived, we stayed up talking, but I slept like the dead when I finally got into bed.

Thomas, Bettina and Svenja came to stay for our last weekend in Ulm , so Jan got to spend time with them on Saturday while I was away. But sadly Thomas got sick on the Sunday morning, and had to stay in bed, which was horrible for him. Svenja showed Jan & I how playing should be done with the trampoline and the swing though :-)

We had a brief visit with Simone, Michael and Andreas, who kindly had us to stay on the first night in Langen. We also caught up very briefly with Katrin O in Eppingen on our way to Ulm; and with Gerhard and Claudia, Ernst and Karin, in Kassel, for coffee, before we headed back to the Edersee. We visited Oma Friedel four times, staying with Anne & Herbert for a couple of nights. We also caught up briefly with Dieter and Gudrun. We also stayed on the last night with Achim, Katrin, Mariella and Holger, which was great. We got a walk in the woods with them and a fantastic lunch at the Limes to send us homeward again. 

Sadly we missed Oli & Katrin as they were in France at the same time we were in Germany. We also didn’t get to meet their new Beardie puppy, Barney, as he was with them. Next time!

Since we have got back, we have briefly caught up with Kathleen & Frits, who have been as busy as we have. We are trying to catch up so we can all talk about our various trips and compare notes.

Congratulations to Adrian & Bridget on the birth of Matthew. Happy birthdays to my mother, John H, Colin C, Aunty Jill, Jörg, Thomas, Fleur, and Kelly M over the next month.

All the best - hope to hear from you all soon!

Jan Kuwilsky & Sam Young