Red red rose

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve’s like the melodie
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
As fair are thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my Dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only Luve!
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile!
Robert Burns

How fortuitous to find out that it's Burns Night having just come across this gorgeous red red rose on the strand, a bit of flotsam and jetsam after Storm Éowyn. Kitchen Cove looking calm and pleasant between the hail storms!

Packed, cleaned and good to go. Would you believe another storm is now coming in - Herminia - who thinks up these names???  Wind and rain warning for tomorrow, perfect for a nice drive up to Dublin. I know you will all be sending good wishes and we are very grateful and keep 'em coming! It's a hell of a journey:
a good 5 hour drive to Dublin depending on traffic/weather/tractors/sheep/peebreaks; overnight stay in the airport then a leisurely start as we fly off to Dubai (7 hours) at lunchtime. A quick turn around and on to Melbourne (13 hours - urgghhhhh); a brief overnight in Melbourne then on to Auckland (4hours),  followed by a short flight (1 hour) to Nelson. A collapse and stay overnight in Nelson then a 2 hour drive over The Hill (bloody great mountain) to Takaka - and a serious collapse - that will be sometime on Thursday New Zealand time. We have a day and a half to get our acts together before Esme arrives on Saturday!

See you on the other side and Happy Burn's Night to Scottish blippers and go easy on the haggis.