Well what a year! It started absolutely dreadfully with fires, storms and floods - we even had to declare a state of emergency in February in the Manawatu. It didn't get a whole lot better either, with a Wahine-strength storm in Wellington in August and a very cold start to summer. Just last weekend the Mt Ruapehu ski fields re-opened, raising the prospect of Christmas Day skiing for the first time since the early 90s!

Parliament celebrated its 150th birthday, but for much of the year Helen wasn't smiling. Don settled quickly into his new job leading the Nats and although his Orewa Speech made his trip to Waitangi a bit sticky (some of the locals even threw mud at him!) he was rewarded with a big jump in the polls. Helen had a nasty row with her old friend Tariana Turia, who joined 15,000 friends in a protest march on Parliament. Tariana has since moved out to join her friends permanently and you can write to her c/- the Maori Party, where she seems a lot happier.

Helen's also doing much better. Despite being accused of speeding at one point (and we have to agree her driver's really to blame) she's popular once again and promising to spend more from her bulging piggy-bank.

Our boys in black were given a new coach and a new captain. After losing the Tri-Nations they looked healthier with good wins against the cousins in England, Italy, France and Wales. And Jonah finally got his new kidney, so he's a box of smiles and hoping to play again soon.

Stephen (Fleming) and his friends won one-day cricket series against Pakistan and South Africa, but the neighbours are still dominating at the longer version of the game. We're hosting Sri Lanka over summer, and Australia again, so fingers crossed!

The family also did very well in netball (beat the neighbours thank goodness), softball (world champs!) and picked up five medals at the Olympics in rowing, triathlon and cycling. We were relieved to be able to confirm an entry in the 2007 America's Cup, thanks to a very generous cheque from Emirates Airlines.

The boys in Afghanistan and Iraq sent back mixed reports. The Iraq contigent had to return early after a few problems with the locals, but the trip to Afghanistan was a lot more successful and recently earned a special commendation from the Americans. Needless to say, we're all very proud. In November we honoured their predecessors with a ceremonial laying to rest of an Unknown Warrior at the National War Memorial in Wellington. Welcome home.

Peter (Jackson) is going from strength to strength, and picked up 11 Oscars on a recent trip to California. He's now back in Wellington working on a project he refers to mysteriously only as "King Kong."

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to a few old friends: Michael King (historian), William Pickering (scientist), Maurice Shadbolt (writer) and Arthur Lydiard (athletics coach) passed away during the year.

But overall, back in here NZ the mood's optimistic and we're looking forward to a cracker in 2005. After all, even if the cricket doesn't work out there's still the Lions tour to look forward to. But for now it's bye from us. Let's all cross our fingers for sunshine: the turkey's waiting in the fridge, the fishing rods and tents and cricket bats are by the door, and the pohutukawas are just starting to bloom. Merry Christmas everyone, wherever you are.