Blue skies ...

Basically, we came to Dunedin on the rainiest weekend in South New Zealand for about 27-years. I'm not really sure what I'll do if another person tells me: “It's a shame you came now, we've just had a wonderful summer.” Undaunted, we walked through the rain in our new Gore-Tex shoes, opened bank accounts and got ourselves some new cellphones. Our plans allow us to each pick a "Best Mate."

I've included a weather-related picture from the Otago Daily News, which is full of funny New Zealand-centric headlines about delayed Bluff oyster harvests and new gold prospecting plans (Dunedin owes it's solid, Scottish-looking civic buildings downtown to the gold rush of 1861).

By far, my favorite headline in today's paper is: “Coroner apportions no blame after wool press mechanism failed.” Think twice knitters: wool can be deadly. If you don't believe me, ask Peter Milton's widow.

We looked at a house for rent yesterday in the Kaikorai Valley and we like it enough to try to get it. Pictures will follow if we're successful. We also walked downtown and scoped out the location of the Cadbury's chocolate factory (they have a chocolate fountain), and the Speight's brewery (they, um, make beer).

If we have a chance, we're planning to go on tours at both places today. I'll suggest to the brewery that they take a look at Cadbury's business model and install a beer fountain. Anyway, the wind and rain have finally moved on and, at 9:30 in the morning, the sky is bright blue and cloudless and we're ready for the day. (CK)