Home and Away

Two weeks ago, we returned back home to Christchurch from a four-week vacation to the States. It was our first time back during the northern-hemisphere summer, and it was divine. SoCal was typically hot and sunny, but the Pacific Northwest also experienced a stretch of warm and beautiful weather, unusual (at least in my memory) for the middle of June.

In addition to spending lots of fun time with our whole family, we had a ton of fantastic new and repeat adventures during our visit: birthday parties, Disneyland, hiking, kayaking, fishing, meeting up with old friends, swimming in the lake, seeing cool dinosaur fossils, camping out in the back yard,
seeing spacecraft, and going to a 3-D movie.

Some snippets:

But as good as it was to be back in our old stomping grounds, and as much fun as we had, we were also glad to come home.

To reunite with best friends:

 To revisit favorite places:

And to remind ourselves of what a privilege it is to live in such a beautiful place:

The State of Dentistry in New Zealand

The subject for today is teeth.  Those things that allow us to eat and chew.  The white phosphate mineral (much akin to the phosphate mineral apatite...one of the most fitting mineral names since cummingtonite) that is much harder than everything else (excluding quartz, corundum and diamond) that allows us to rip into food, VW Rabbits (my apologies to The Croze), and so on.

Ever since I was three, I have feared the dentist.  One for the bubble gum toothpaste polishing compound that would make me gag and two for having to read Highlights in the waiting room while waiting to have to taste said bubble gum toothpaste polishing compound.  But that was the 80s and dentistry has progressed onto other flavors such as mint or wintergreen.

In the states, the dentist is often mandatory and used as a preventative measure.  It is not a last resort where the tooth is barely hanging on while the gums have transformed from being gummy to being bleedy.

I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned this past week.  I haven't had them cleaned in a year and my guilt complex was kicking in...I kept on having premonitions that Dr. Martin (aka my childhood dentist) would show up at my door, pull out the scraper and sing along with Chicago in the background while informing me that if I didn't floss more I would never be allowed to kiss a girl.

Flash forward to last week.

I introduced myself to my dental hygienist and right away she asked me if I was American.  I said yes, of course, where else would I pick up this ridiculous accent?

She then asked me how long since my last visit.  I winced and said about a year ago.  At this I was expecting the lecture about how all my teeth would fall out and that there was a special place in hell for someone like me.

She then asked me about my brushing habits.  Floss? Of course.  Circles when brushing?  Is there any other way?  Type of brush?  Soft, but I pay attention to certain teeth to avoid gum recession.

She asked me to open my mouth.  And this is what I didn't expect...the biggest ear to ear grin I have ever seen from a dentist with what I thought were tears welling up in her eyes.

I kid you not when she said with a quiver in her voice...I love you Americans.

Hot damn!  For the first time in my life, the dentist was praising me!  AND all Americans! 

It looks like all the mind games and oral torture from the American dentists paid off!

The visit went quickly (except for re-experiencing the bubble gum tooth polishing compound in which I almost hurled twice) and she said that I really didn't need to come back for years.  Years?  Oh crap, did she really mean it or was she testing me and my American oral resolve?

Upon paying the cashier, I was just about to walk out the door when I stopped to do the unthinkable.  I scheduled another visit.  The whole office went quite.  A tumbleweed blew threw the waiting room.  Yes, ma'am another visit...in six months.

Cause I am proud to be an American...where at least I know my teeth are clean!

Easter

We spent another glorious Easter with our good friends, picnicking and hunting for eggs in Hagley Park.

My parents were visiting last week and brought some Paas egg dye (coloring eggs isn't part of the kiwi Easter experience apparently), so The Squidd also had his first experience dying eggs.

As far as we can tell, all eggs sold in NZ are brown, so we weren't sure if the dye would show. Turns out it was not bad. For The Squidd's part, I think he was actually more excited about mixing the dye colors together. "I'm doing chemistry," he proclaimed.

 

 

 

   

 

Oxford...not the one you think

We went out to Oxford this past weekend to see our friends the Swiss Family Robinsons.  After perusing the local farmers market and taking a wrong turn that took us through a cattle farm, we finally made it to their place to check out their amazing place: alpacas, sheep, horses, vineyard, orchard, weaving studio, outdoor pizza oven, and veggie patch.

Camping

Over the weekend, Rocky took The Squidd camping for the first time. They went to a campground in Christchurch, so the return home would be quick and easy in case something went very wrong. We need not have worried. The Squidd had a ball playing with his friends (they met up with 3 other families we know) until late at night, roasting marshmallows, sleeping in the tent, etc. The campsite itself made the whole event very easy: full kitchen facilities, bathrooms with hot running water and showers, a cafe, an amazing kids' playground, and a beach around the corner.

When he came home, The Squidd said he wants to go camping again "for months and months."

Here he is running down the beach at the campground with his friend E. Clothing optional.

While the wintertime is still a little challenging here with so many facilities still closed or torn down due to earthquake damage, our first full summer here has been incredible. Nowhere else we can think of would we be able to visit beautiful ocean beaches, hike in the mountains, camp, and pick berries/stone fruits/apples within 20 minutes of our house.

Peas

Road Trip

I think I mentioned before that the classic New Zealander summer vacation consists of an extended camping or road trip that often begins the day after Christmas and lasts for several weeks. I have never been much of a road-tripper, preferring to fly whenever possible, but in a country where many of the best sights are accessible only by car, road trips are inevitable.

We embarked on this summer's road trip (The Minnow's first) with my sister in tow and spent a week driving around New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato region. Like the best summer days, we spent a lot of time doing nothing in particular, just poking around beaches, eating ice cream, hiking, and lounging around in shorts and tees. We also got to see New Zealand's famed cave glow worms, which are just as amazing as they sound and only second in coolness (in my estimation) to fireflies. We returned home yesterday tired, happy to sleep in our own beds, yet eager to revisit some new favorite places we found.

Ruakuri Cave

Ruakuri Cave trail

Passionfruit cheesecake at Coroglen farmers' market

Sunset in Thames

Whitianga Marina, just steps from the apartment we rented

The cutest little starfish ever

Culture

My sister is visiting. Among other hats she wears is the hat of Family Sushi-Making Expert. So today she introduced her favorite nephew to the art. I think it was a success.