End of summer

It seems like it's been years since Christmas, and then I can't believe it's already March. They measure seasons the simple way here--summer starts on December 1, and Autumn starts on March 1, so I guess this is autumn, though it is hard to tell. It was a bit cool and rainy this morning (maybe 65), but it is sunny this afternoon, and might reach what is considered awfully hot here, at 80 or so. Joseph gets off school early on Wednesdays (to study...) and so is having a bunch of people over to play Dungeons and Dragons, so we are bracing for the onslaught of 16-year-old boys right now...they are nice kids, though, and I think Joseph is reveling in being the only child, as Emily is off at camp.

Camp is a bit upside-down, too; kids don't go to summer camp in the summer. They go on holiday with their families. Then they go to camp with school. Emily's school all goes in the same week, about a month into school. Last year they went to Wellington (the capital) and had a very civilized camp going to museums and making their own news show. This year, they have a more traditional camp at Lake Taupo, about two hours from here, and will be doing kayaking and archery and high ropes (she is leery of this) and stuff like that. She left on Monday, and will be back on Friday.

Manford is doing well; we have been taking a short walk most nights with Charlie, and he has not been too tired from the radiation yet. We're almost halfway done, now, and I am pretty sure we'll be ready not to be going to the hospital every day. We had a good meeting yesterday with a woman who runs an organization to support cancer patients and provide information about complementary treatments. I am looking for the ideal beach spot to escape for a few days in April, while Joseph is gone (to Young Friends camp---ok, so there are some non-school camps) and Emily is off of school. I want somewhere we can see the ocean from the deck, take walks on the beach with Emily, and there is food nearby so I don't have to cook all the time. I will poll my New Zealand friends for suggestions.

Joseph is going to the Banks Penninsula, near Christchurch, for this Young Friends camp over Easter. He has previously been a Junior Young Friend, but now he has moved on to be YF, which is 16 to 40! this is a bit scary for Mom, but he is keen to go...He is also keen to go to the US in July, and we are working on figuring out that trip, in which he will probably visit Topeka, maybe Chicago, and wander around the West Coast with my sister looking at colleges. Ok, that is scary, too. But we are brave.

Carrie