Cruising Milford Sound

Cruising Milford Sound

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Laney Update, 2012 was an eventful year.


 1-1-13

Dear Family and Friends,
We have gone over the e-cliff and are sending out greetings electronically this year! We really enjoy keeping in touch with you all, and if this is the most convenient way, then so be it.  It is greener, avoiding paper waste and postage. Hope this finds you all celebrating a new year with good health and good cheer!

January 2012: Steve and Sandi head back to New Zealand for work and play. Brian and Laurie (Steve's cousin) enjoy some wine tasting in Central Otago, South Island, NZ.
Yellow eyed momma penguins feeding their young in the Catlins, South Island, NZ.
Sandi visits with our NZ friend, Kay, in Dunedin's beautiful Botanical Gardens.
February: Chris, Steve's brother, with Sir Edmond Hillary, at Mt. Cook, South Island, NZ.
April: tramp (Kiwi for hike) around Mt Doom in Tongariro State Park, North Island, NZ.
June 9th: back in the US., Steve, Sandi and Tyler celebrate Jill's MSW Graduation, Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago.

June 23rd: Jill and Stephen tied the knot with a beautiful celebration in Elk, Washington.
Tyler, Nicole and Steve enjoy the clear waters of Loon Lake at family reunion following the wedding.
July: Steve and Sandi visit Flathead Valley, Montana, near where Steve's grandparents farmed.



August: Backyard garden harvest, it was a very kind growing season.
September: Stephen and Jill enjoy some down time while camping at Upper Priest Lake, Idaho.
Late September: Jill, Stephen and Sahara prepare for the trip back to Chicago for his continuation of graduate school and her job search in social work!
September: Steve readies the apple pressing machine.
Annual Laney Apple Pressing, a great turn out with a record breaking production of 28+ gallons of apple juice!
October, Steve taking in sunset from our campsite at Cape Lookout State Park on Oregon Coast.
October: view of Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park, Oregon Coast.

November: Ford Family Reunion with (Sandi's Mom, Marge-lower rt.) and siblings in Bridgeport, West Virgina. A great gathering of 4 generations, ages 8 months to 98 years!
Early December: A week long get away with the Overstreet family on South Padre Island, Texas. Sunset on the bay side.
Marge, enjoying sunset dinner on South Padre.
Rob (Sandi's brother) with his Gulf shark, caught off South Padre Island.

Steve with his Red Snapper catch, South Padre fishing trip.
December: Deb (Sandi's sister) reminiscing about sons, Ryan and Rhett with their buds at Angelina's in Austin, one of their favorite hangouts. On a very sad note, Rhett lost his 4 year battle with multiple myeloma in August. 
Home for Christmas: Nicole, Tyler, Steve and Sandi with grandpuppies: Malcolm and Kaylee. Nicole year 2 of 3 in family medicine residency, Tyler progressing through PhD in psychology. Grandkitties stayed at home in Seattle.

Best to you all in 2013. Make it a great year!
Love, peace and happiness,
Sandi and Steve
keep in touch






Wednesday, April 28, 2010

South Island to North Island: Between Assignments, 27 Feb to 14 March 2010

Our Corolla loaded to the brim, we took off mid-day Friday from sunny Alex for a reunion in Waimate with the staff at Oak House Medical Clinic before closing. Some of the staff had moved on and the clinic had been under new management for the last 2 years, but we had good visit with the core group. Then up the hill behind town to Te Kiteroa and a delightful evening with Ann Dennison at her and her husband Gary’s vineyard B&B. This is Waimate’s Mansion overlooking the town with views out to the sea. Te Kiteroa had another life in the mid 20th century as a Respite House for stressed out farmer’s wives. If only Steve’s hometown would have shown such foresight, he considered how he might have had a more harmonious life growing up on the farm. Ann cooked dinner and opened the latest vintage of Point Bush Pinot Noir, which matched the best from Central Otago. We got the inside tract on all the news from Waimate.

Te Kiteroa





About Waimate Revisited

The next morning we checked out all that was old and new in Waimate – didn’t take too long. Sandi found some hand knitted premature baby booties at the Sat Market. We had lunch at the new Malaysian Café, a tour of the flowers at Nottingham Park and greeted a very content pig along the way. Afternoon Barbie with Steve and Hazel Fish’s extended family in their work in progress country home. Her parents were on an extended visit from England. Hazel gave us a blog tutorial. The kids demonstrated the results of Hazel’s home schooling in the King’s English. Steve formulated alternative locations for the new garage while he grilled and awaited the next “ring up” on call. All and all, a pleasant bit of Old England in Kiwiland.

Waimate Revisited





About Geraldine

We made it to our backpackers in Geraldine that night and Sandi revisited the local Merino weavers and spinners at the Sunday Market, armed with her newly acquired skills in the art of felting.

Geraldine