Will you come and follow me...

Today’s blog was going to be called “A great and mighty wonder” because it was a great and mighty wonder that we were able to track Marcia and John Hardy down at all. Marcia is an NZ minister who was in our home circuit until very recently. We had a telephone number and a church address from a Methodist church in Auckland, the we couldn’t get the phone number to work even with the area code using our mobile. So there was only one thing left to do and that was to drive to Morrinsville and find the church and see if we could find them. Another of our “angels” turned up - a member of the church who had missed last Sundays service and wanted a copy of the notices found a phone at the church, and the contacted Marcia for us. We had already picked up the last copy of the notices but willingly gave it to her as it was now much more use to her, than us.
When we met John Hardy at the church and he said “come and follow me” the temptation was too great! We met up with Marcia at their home and then found out again how appropriate the title was after we heard how John was basically asked that question when Marcia wanted to travel to England in search of her roots. I didn’t like to tell her that the post in UK was not that bad and that she can also get Roots on the internet. For those not in the know Roots is a preachers magazine which is available all over the world by mail (as well as on the internet)!
It was really good to see them both happy and settled for the moment; and we heard about their plans for buying a home for their retirement and a possible retreat centre for others in Dunedin. It’s a long way from where she is now, but much closer to family, in a beautiful spot on the sunny side of the hill overlooking the harbour.
We spent a very pleasant morning with them sharing what news we could of the Wimborne circuit and they send their love to all who remember them. Blessed with some tomatoes and runner beans from their garden we made our farewells and then pointed the “slug” in the direction of Miranda Springs. This is where we will be staying tonight in our little tent when we are not in the spa pool on our camp site, fed by the hot springs from where this place gets its name. Thinks, I shouldn’t push the tent pegs in too hard just in case we get our own spa water bed in the tent! 
As the school holidays are now over in NZ the camp site is very quiet and much to our liking. We have also discovered where all the sparrows have gone... well they’re not in England but in NZ. They are so tame and quite cheeky as you will have seen from our “2 for T” photo previously posted. We’re sitting in the sun watching a family of sparrows with 4 or 5 young birds who are quite big enough to fend for themselves, but are “trying it on” with Mum and Dad to get a free feed without making the effort !
We’ve also had some great views of the Harrier which is quite common here .This morning one was feeding on road-kill and took off just in front of us but too quick to get the camera out. The harrier is probably buzzard size but elegant like our hawks and eagles.

Note to all Marmite Haters – skip this bit, you just won’t understand!
We couldn’t bring any food into NZ with us. Being both great marmite fans, this could have posed a problem! However, deep and serious joy was experienced when we found Marmite, not the fake Vegemite, in the shops.
What you won’t necessarily understand, is why we donated it to humanity by leaving our jar at the last campsite!
We’d tried to eat it, we really had....but they’ve put SUGAR in it! What a heinous crime to the marmite loving population and us in particular! It tasted disgusting!! We hope it’ll find a good home (or a bin!) shortly!