>we have reliable house guests who will look after our property and our beloved cat as we leave on Friday for our long-awaited three-week trip to New Zealand-


Glad to hear you're OK, slithy. The weather here has not been particularly well-suited to gyreing or gimbling either. The South Island just got lashed by a snowstorm, and a tornado killed a couple of people on the North Island's West Coast. If you're after sunny weather (and good wine) while you're here, be sure to visit Hawke's Bay.