Newton, 47 Weeks Old

Today was Pugs in the Park, a meeting of pugs from New Zealand!

Although today was the 5th meet, it was Newton's first.

There were about 36 pugs in attendance















Newton had a lot of fun playing with everyone!!















The awesome event organizers















There was even a best-dressed pug competition, so Newton wore his new shark suit















Ballerina






















Easter Bunny






















Newton won first prize!! He won a certificate, a squeaky lion and some treats

Day 205

MOTAT Military Weekend

Horses






















Camps















Reenactors






















Medical uniforms















Military vehicles















Royal New Zealand Air Force band















Playing on a trash can






















Swing dancers















Vietnam War reenactment















We got to ride in an APC!! It was bumpy!!

Newton, 42 Weeks Old

Today Newton received a very special shipment from the USA...

SHARK SUIT!!















Newton is one cool dude!!















Fins up! ~~^~~

Day 200

Last week, the FPH sales team visited New Zealand!! It was very exciting because I got to see some of my friends from the US office.















April, me, Cathy















Pete, me (hi Pete!)















me, Masoud, Jon

Famous Kiwis

Name: Ernest Rutherford AKA my favorite famous Kiwi
Date of birth: 30 August 1871
Place of birth: Brightwater, New Zealand

Claim to fame: Once upon a time, a guy named J.J. Thompson proposed that the atom looked like "plum pudding"- basically a big orb of positive charge filled with little negative "plums". Then, a guy named Ernest Rutherford came along and shot a bunch of alpha particles at some really thin gold foil. When he realized that a very small quantity of the particles got bounced back, rather than passing through the foil, the world was introduced to the nucleus. Pretty cool, huh?

Newton, 40 Weeks Old

Kiwi Signs

Day 289

Last weekend was the Auckland Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival was a Chinese New Year celebration in Albert Park and there were TONS of people there. There were lanterns (obviously), food stalls and live performances. They also had a karaoke stage... I didn't get a chance to see it, but I saw a video of it and it was pretty... Epic. (Imagine the Chinese version of 'Let It Be'...)

Here are some photos from the festival:

Kids carrying red lanterns (they had real candles in them- fire hazard anyone?)















A Chinese dancer















A veggie tree















A cat stalking a dog















Orange cat (looks like Prince)















Pandas on a see-saw















Moon and stars















Chinese dragon






















Ducks on a pond















A dog herding some sheep















Masks















A girl holding a lotus flower















A pig farm















Dragon dance















Red lanterns in front of the Sky Tower

New Word: Spider

Kiwi English: A float (e.g. root beer float, etc.)

American English: An 8-legged arthropod