I can not believe it has been so long ......

Life has been a little hectic of late ... loads of things have gone on since Christmas far to numerous to mention and not of a lot of interest to everyone else ...
But I have just spent a wonderful week with my good friends Maureen and Stewart from UK .. finally they made it all the way to New Zealand.  A promise she made herself years ago when we upped sticks and flew half way around the world to live.... well it took a while to get them here but was worth the wait. 

I did not know we could pack in so much to a week ... when they arrived it was just like yesterday that we left each other the conversation just continued where we left off the last time we met. They flew out today to head to USA for a few days then back to Southampton  UK.

Another  happy day was when my daughter Kathryn received her Nursing Degree ... now Kathryn has been nursing for almost 20 yrs and was a registered nurse working in theatres,  a couple of years ago  she decided to may be retrain and leave nursing ... so she has converted her nursing diploma into a degree.

This has been no mean feat for her while holding down a nursing job and running a home and taking care of  two lively boys and of course Steve her husband  ... Well done Kathryn I am proud of you ....

Sir Paul Holmes

Sir Paul Holmes, the controversial broadcaster with the cheeky grin and quick wit, has died at home early this morning, surrounded by family.  Only two weeks after receiving his knighthood. He was aged 62.
A statement from the Holmes family said he died at home in Hawkes Bay surrounded by his family according to his wishes.
"Sir Paul had been in poor health since having heart surgery earlier in the year. In recent months he had also been suffering from a resurgence of prostate cancer," .
"More than just a broadcaster, Paul was a loving husband and father, as well as a generous friend. He loved people and people loved him.

Paul Holmes was loved,  loathed and hated, you either did or you didn't like him.
He was not afraid to speak his mind to who ever was in front of him, he asked the questions others would not dare too.   he conducted his interviews with intelligence and insightfulness, and while he never suffered fools, his interviews were never without kindness and empathy.

Paul will be remembered hugely by the broadcasting community. He had an amazing ability to retain facts, and pull them out at times that often tricked politicians and other people and I think that's an extraordinary gift that he had.
He will be sadly missed from our televison screens


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861073

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