Welcome Lofthouse visitors - thanks for browsing our pages.

I am writing this in a bit of a hurry as I am heading down to Christchurch this week - a mix of business and pleasure. Fiona and I are flying down together to attend a couple of cookings schools and to do a bit of retail therapy and then Colin and Gracie are joining me to meet up with Hamish and spend a few days in Akaroa. I haven't visited that area since I went with my parents when I was 15! We will then take Gracie to Lincoln University's open-day so that she can have a good look around at what awaits her next year. We will then all fly home in time to celebrate Gracie's 18th birthday - just a family dinner out and then her siblings have a big night of 'clubbing' planned for her ... lots of dancing and a few legal drinks no doubt!

Kirsty is back home after her month of house-sitting. Her exams are all over and she has passed them all and very thankful for that! She is on holiday now, so getting in lots of horseriding and she is planning a day down at the snow next week with her friends.

The Two Tarts are between series at the moment, hence the trip down south. We went to the Waipa Business Awards dinner on Friday night, and were delighted to be announced finalists in the Best Small Business category and in the Excellence in Innovation & Knowledge category ... not bad for two old tarts who have only been in business for eight months! We were so surprised and totally chuffed.

Must dash, but looking forward to meeting you here one day.

"Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your mouth is moving".