Is summer here.. which makes for a pleasant change!. This pic from flying out of Minneapolis – the lakes are all frozen.

To be honest.. the last few days have been busy – getting my room sorted out etc, bike fixed, stuff unpacked – and meeting up with a few friends..

And defrosting the fridge

It was nice sitting down by the river, feeding the ducks, and generally enjoying the sunshine (have started reading Against The Wall by Simon Yates).

I am excited to be going rafting this weekend, and the Stewart Island trip is going to be amazing. But it was.. it is strange being back again.. it was really great seeing family and friends again back in Europe.. I don’t think that Dublin is where I’ll end up living.. but maybe Europe. I never felt – and don’t really – homesick at all while being over here.. but maybe it was my sister constantly saying how little I’ll see family if I live here.. (which is exactly why I want family to move here… then life’ll be perfecto!)

Mind you, it’s only been two days.. and I suppose it’ll take a little while longer to settle back in again and sure then I may never want to leave again!

So the holiday has finally come to an end. Or- in another very real way is just starting again.

I’m being a geek and writing this on my ancient (but still very functional ) Palm Vx on the flight to Auckland!! .. And some kiwi comedy music has just come onto my mp3 player The Flight Of The Concords. Hilarious if you get the chance to see them.

Anyway – yes the holiday starts again. With a few changes (I plan to be more productive! – but still have heaps of fun!).

I am easing myself back into work gently… I’m off rafting for 3 days when I get back (boss’ idea!). Then a week of work and off for a weeks sea kayaking around Stewart Island (Indiana Jones music just came on.. Seems appropriate!)….

Mind you, while it all sounds very (break for in-flight movie — Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) adventurous…. I have just finished The Endurance – an account of Shakletons attempt at crossing Antarctica – the failure of the crossing – and the awesome (in the real sense) achievement of saving all the people involved. He was Irish by the way!! When you read about their exploits – what they endured, battled through & won. Amazing. These days we’d just use satellite GPS, make a cuppa and wait for rescue. 6 of them set out in a tichy boat to cross 600 odd miles of the most inhospitable and treacherous seas imaginable to hit a 20 mile long island (this after months on the ice). Really worth reading. We are all worms by comparison!!

Too much time for rambling thoughts on a 12 hour flight (already have had 5 hours before this one). Fortunately I have a row of seats to myself so am off to stretch out.

And stretch out I did – I think about 5 hours sleep or so. Which for me is a record! Also watched Wallace and Gromitt – curse of the were-rabbit. Good fun.

Minneapolis has a sister town (older) called St. Paul. I think the cathedral was named after the city.. Either way it was an large impressive cathedral.

Around behind the alter, there were some patron saints representing some of the different countries whose people have moved to St. Paul. St. Patrick was there representing the Irish.

Now I’d always thought that St. Patrick was originally from Wales (captured and brought to Ireland as a slave), my sister Liz thought he was from France.. but this poster (and the Internet) seem to think he came from Scotland.. I guess some good people have come out of Scotland ;)

hehe, ehem.. right so that was St. Paul. Also visited the state capital and had an interesting tour of the building. Also got to see the portrait of their latest governor – Jesse Ventura. That link is to wikipedia – this link is far more interesting and funny! It shows some of the pics from when the governor of Minnesota was a WWF Wrestling star. Excellent.

One of the other days Liz and I went to visit the Modern Art museum there. I must admit – I don’t get modern art at all.. not at all.. sheets of blue canvas mean something though.. if you’re into minimalist art. In fact all it did was make me angry at myself thinking that I’m just not smart enough to ‘get it’. Ahhh well, at least I know now!

There was also a good restaurant – each of the deserts was modeled on one of the sculptures in the garden.

Minnesota is unusually warm for this time of year. It should be about -12C (10F) at the moment – and it’s hovering about freezing. Still, Tim and Liz took us out to Tims (mad) sisters place over in Wisconsin to go snowmobiling.

Snowmobiling is lots of fun. I was surprised at just how fast they go – we got up to about 45-50mph on them.

The other picture there is of Tims sister (Marilee) skijooring… which is where you attach a harness to a dog and have it pull you around. Good exercise for both human and dog! And no, it’s not cruel (or at least didn’t seem to be) the dog went beserk with excitement when it was getting harnessed. There’s a short video of skijooring here

Then another day I went for a bit of a bike ride down to the Mississippi.

I also had to check out MOA – the Mall Of America. Just ‘cos it’s completely tasteless. It used to be the biggest in N.America – until Edmonton in Canada took that particular accolade? away. I believe they have plans to enlarge it!

The picture on the right there is of the fairground inside the Mall.

So yes, one day left here and then I hop on a plane (well, walk) back to NZ. Really quite excited to be static for a while. I have really enjoyed hanging out with Liz & Tim & Fiona & my lovely God-daughter Ciara.. I wonder how big they’ll be the next time I see them!

Thanks to all the thousands of people who have texted me happy birthday. Unfortunately like last year I won’t actually receive any as I’ll not be able to check my irish one anyway – and the NZ one will have wiped all the messages off the network before I get home. Sigh

27 now! can you believe it? I feel *ancient*. Though I’m mostly in denial about it. I mean really it’s not that far off 30. Still, I’m not thinking about it! Will try to make the most of what remaining years I have left on this planet. In fact, here’s a poem my brother Chris sent me a while ago…

If you can keep your head when all about you
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
 But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
 Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
 And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master;
 If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
 And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
 Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
 And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
 
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
 And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
 And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
 To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
 Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
 Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
 If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
 With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
 And-which is more-you'll be a Man, my son!

Anyway, to start off the way I wish to continue my 28th year on this planet of ours, I tried a new sport! Cross country skiing. Then visited a kite show on the lake (there were people sailing and windsurfing on the ice!!)

Finally ate lots and drank a reasonable amount! Thanks to everyone who mailed and called. I love you guys *sniff* ;)