The butcher of Halswell

Much of this evening has been spent attacking a 8kg ham with an electric carving knife. My company gives each of its employees a ham each Christmas and I got mine today. We decided it made sense to portion it up, cut some into useable chunks and generally freeze most of it in varying size lumps. I can't believe how long it took though. Getting on for two hours in all, I'd say, including cleaning the skin and fat off and stuff.

At half-time in the great butchery extravanganza Joanne and I nipped out to the airport. Ruth, Keith and Zack were due to arrive just after ten and we thought it would be a nice surprise to meet them off the plane. I'm so glad we did. It was so good to see them. It's going to be great to have them over tomorrow evening for dinner for some food and a bit of a catch-up and to hear all the news from our friends on the Barge. They're in Nuzziland for about a month I think with Christchurch at the beginning and end for a few days. It'd be great if they were around on a Sunday to come to St John's with us. I think Joanne's got their itinerary somewhere. Otherwise we can just ask them tomorrow night, of course.

It is strange to have people from our London life over here though. Sort of out of place. London is like a different world now, in some ways it seems like such a long time ago, and it's strange to have an overlap of worlds. Does that make any sense at all?