Sunday night

Today we went to another BBQ. Once again in the Kiwi tradition there was say too much meat for the number of people. I suppose there was a salad or two didn't have any myself. Just steak, sausages, and grissles (hamburgers.) I had a great time grilling food in the rain eating chips and dip. Seems a BBQ is the same on both sides of the Pacific. In fact we were commenting on that this afternoon. The host has been at BBQ's in India, I have been at them in Europe and it is al the same. Man has a wonderful fasination with cooking outside. In every case it was the men who were out playing with the fire. Details may be a bit different, like that Kiwi's will fry sausages on a griddle built into the BBQ! I still don't understand that when you can have them frame broiled. Oh well.

As I type this I am sitting in what can only be described as a breakfast nook. For those in New Zealand who are reading that is a room right off the kitchen that generally holds a small table which is intended for ... yes you guessed ... breakfast. We are not using it as a breakfast nook we have a small lounge set up. For those in the USA reading this that would be a living room. Our lounge has a futon sofa which I will have to take apart to get in our guest bedroom. At this time Dennis is sleeping here. Chris is off at a church group. And I am typing away on the computer sitting in a chair next to Dennis. I promised to keep him company and see no reason to leave right yet.

I opened the window at Dennis' request and boy does the air smell fresh! I suppose fresh smelling air is not anything new here. Wellington has the best air quality of any inhabited place in the world. I don't know that for a fact but would be willing to put it to the test. Today's southerly means that the air was over the south pole about a week ago. And has only made its way over the South Pacific and Tasman Sea. Where it dropped any particles of polution that were carried from that barren place. Go ahead try to beat that!

It is just like being on a Sail Boat in the middle of Lake Michigan. You breath deep the air just because you can, your body knows it is good and wants to have more. For those who have not sailed I would describe it like this:

When I was growing up in sparcely populated Western Chicago fall nights after a heavy rain would have the sweetest smelling air in the world. It was clean, fresh, and cool. I loved it! I would open my window and sleep with that air blowing on me all night.

With the exception of the rain smell that is a typical Wellington day. However the nights are special.