The Adventures of Matt

Hi from NZ. I stayed behind on this adventure due to having to pay the rent. It would have been nice but we will go back. I dropped Matt off at the airport on the 17th. He was able to e-mail me the next day. He told me he arrived early in the morning and took a taxi to his guest house. He met up with the man, Tapp he has been communicating with daily for over a month. He turns out to be an energetic seventy seven year old, widowed with children in the states. The locals hold Tapp in high regard for the advances he is trying to make for the island of Rorotonga. He is employed by the UN to create a way to have self sustaining fish, algae and oysters that need no care. It sounds like they are only half way through with the project. I'm sure he was exited to have some fresh man power for his project. Matts first day he was exhausted, I had to laugh when I heard what he was doing. Tapp had him digging in the ground till he hit ocean water. He says it is hot dirty work but enjoying it. Tapp had made him a hamburger last I heard and he was off to read before bed. Hamiora, a friend from school would have been landing to join him today. I'm glad that he will have some company. Just wanted everyone to know he is safe and having the time of his life. I am so happy now he is being able to put to use everything he is learning and being able to see some positive effects.

I have been working hard and trying to enjoy NZ while we are still here. In my free time I have switched from acrylic to oil paint. Oils are very messy, smelly, toxic and sometimes explosive but they are amazing to look at. Sometimes a painting can take months to dry so I am layering them slow. I decided to paint some of my favorite photos from our travels. I would post the progress but unfortunately Matts got both cameras. Who knows maybe he will write on the blog too. Love, Lauren

Jude's 5th Birthday!

Today was Jude's big day! Lauren only adopted him when he was 1, so I found a picture online of what he may have looked like as a puppy (included below). His first owners physically abused him, and the Humane Society came in and took him to the shelter. Lauren adopted him on Christmas eve 2004. Since then he has had quite a good life, traveling near and far and getting spoiled along the way.
For his birthday I went to the butcher to find him a bone...I was given a 1 1/2 foot cow femur! I took a picture of him digging in...it was really graphic, think a National Geographic special on wolves, so I omitted it from our family friendly website!
He is an excellent watch dog, I feel safe when Lauren is home with him! He has no idea how small he is, no fear. His bred has been around for 2500 years in Japan, so his instincts are deep!
What a lucky dog, or are we the lucky one's?