News from Nelson - May 2016

Hi Everyone!
The study break arrived at just the right time late last month for me to catch up on all my marking, due to losing so much time from the migraine I had. Since then I bought Dr Stanton's book, and started applying her "Stanton migraine protocol". I usually get a migraine a month, and this month only had one very small migraine (it was very light, and basically meant I went lay down for an hour). Everything else seems pretty normal now.

However, I am not eating any fruit, am limiting carbohydrates (both of those to reduce glucose), along with taking a magnesium supplement. I have hugely increased my salt - I was only eating about a quarter of what the protocol requires before I started. My taste for coffee is still missing in action.

Jan had a concert this month with the Nelson Symphony Orchestra at old St John's. It was entitled "A Night at the Opera", and featured a soprano, a spinto soprano, a tenor and a baritone, with 16 orchestral pieces taken from 10 operas. It was a really great night of music and performance. Tracy and Erica came with myself and my Mum.

I tried a new take on Uncle Eberhard's chocolate mousse recipe: I made caramel and sea salt mousse for the after party. And because it was made with dark chocolate with very little sugar, I could eat a little of it (ha, ha! Ulterior motive!).

Jan photographed this strange and spectacular rainbow from his office window:

We have had a few very spectacular dawns, which I have captured:

Some of my international research students had a lunch to celebrate their project progress thus far in the semester, which was really nice:

While I am not really feeling quite sociable as I used to - I wonder if that's an after-effect of the migraine? - we are trying to ensure we catch up with our friends. Jan feels more sociable than I do, which is a change. We caught up with the Cools's at our place for a morning tea, had a dinner with John and Aniko (who is here from Hungary) at Rose Road, and went to Tracey & Erica's for dinner with Jenny, and had a farewell dinner for John in Richmond as he has now headed back off to Europe for the winter. 

This means that Bonnie is now back with us for the winter, which is great. As John has been living down in Waimea West for the summer, Bonnie has been with him for most of the time, and we have been dogless. It was particularly awful when Jan had to be away on some training trips, and I was completely alone. 

The time is coming for a new puppy...! 


Sam (& Jan)

News from Nelson - September 2013

Hi everyone,

Oh, no! It's too late! We let him in... Jan is now officially a Kiwi. We had the citizenship ceremony at the Tasman District Council buildings on 5 September, the day before Jan's birthday.

What was really cute was that Ian Morris from down the road was also doing his ceremony, as was another friend of ours, Mike Greenawalt. Very relaxed and friendly ceremony. I must admit that I would have preferred the Nelson version which is held on Wakatu Marae, but this was fine. Jan is going to apply for a Kiwi passport - then he can choose the shortest queue at whichever immigration line he is at (providing he remembers to leave and return to NZ on the same passport, that is).

We have been flat out here for the last wee while: blowed if I know what we have been doing, but we have been busy doing it. Planted some new fruit trees, transplanted some eucalypts, cut and moved some gorse, visited people, shared food and conversation (the best bits).

Jan is rehearsing for the Solo Spotlight concert at present: I have done the PR for it. Should be all good - though I still have to compile the programme.

Jan went out to Krauts for his birthday dinner, which was once again a great night. I had a child's portion which worked out to be just a perfect amount. Jan had Schweins Hax'n. He took half home for lunch the next day, and that worked out just perfectly too :-D

We have caught up with Jan & Renate Cools, Gary & Nicki, Suzie, Jo & Keiran in the last few weeks, and will catch up with Max & Karen this weekend coming for their birthday. Gary & Nicki have now moved into their new house in Marahau (Check out http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8866551/Marahau-bach-wins-design-award). Jan helped them get the internet & PCs sorted this weekend just past. They sold their Nelson house through Susa on the first open home and had a two week settlement date, so it was a bit of a scramble for them. Of course, Nick was completely & utterly organised, but it was still pretty stressful for them, I think.

Jan & I are both well. I think that everyone else here is as well as can be expected.

Donna & Mike are deep in wedding plans for Raro next April. Jan & I have booked our tickets and I suppose I will have to buy new togs. I had some, but haven't seen them for ages. In fact, they may have got lost in our move, that is how long it has been since I wore them last!

Coco & Bonnie are well, though Coco managed to spike herself on some grass or something when she went running around the orchard with Bon dog a week ago when Jan planted some new fruit trees. She came up in a lump which has had to be treated with antibiotics, but it is resolving nicely.

Jan & I are going to be in Chch on 17, 18, 19 & going home on the 20th of October. I have a symposium to go to at UC on Thursday, and a CDANZ thing at CPIT on Friday. Jan will be free to meet anyone during those days, or to potter around as he sees fit. We have Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday breakfast time free to meet up, see houses, go and visit etc. So please let us know if you are available and when, because we would love to catch up with everyone.

Jan will be in Welly the next weekend for the Naenae reunion. I am not going, but will stay home & look after the dogs so we don't have to have a house-sitter two weekends in a row.

Then Jan is off to the US and Germany on 5 November, and returns on 24 November. 

Right, that is all I can think of for now, so I will leave it at that. Take care everyone, and Jan will be in touch with the German contingent to let you know when & where he will be in Germany. He keeps saying that he is going to get in touch, but it hasn't translated from talking about it to doing it yet!


Jan & Sam