The Numbers Game

I know it has been a while since I have written a blog, but you see it has all been the fault of numbers.  Let me explain.
 
I noticed after my last rash of blogs (I think eight in a row, a week apart), that my writings had not generated much more interest than usual.  Why was this?  Maybe, I thought, I am overloading my gentle readers. Maybe (pleasant holiday thought), I could take a bit of a rest.

Later that morning I cooked Kotz a state-of-the-art breakfast and we sat together on our sunny deck enjoying the food, the company and the array of bird activities we could spy from our eating position.
      “Look at the tuis!” Kotzman exclaimed watching two native birds sucking from the water feeder I had positioned in the front garden. Enjoying the view, food and company a thought occurred to me. Smiling sweetly at him I asked an impromptu question.
       “So sweetheart, as a wife what mark out of ten would I get?” 
I was truly confident with Kotz’s gentle nature and my spectacular attention to his every need my score would be hovering in the upper nines. Kotz looked at me and without even a loving twinkle in his eye to show any usual joking he might mean, he solemnly declared, “Six point five.”

The sound of my jaw hitting the table ricocheted around the South Island.
       “What?” I gasped, looking at him in total horror, “Why is it so low?”
     “Well honey,” Kotz said, reaching across the table, patting my hand in an apparent attempt to dissipate the shocked expression on my face. “When we came back to New Zealand ten years ago, you told me you’d show me the North Island.” He paused and looked at me wistfully.  “You know I haven’t seen any of it yet!”

That piece of important information set off an avalanche of activity.

Since then thanks to Grabaseat-cheap AIr New Zealand flights, and Airbnb, we have visited Wellington, Auckland, and are about to head to Christchurch/ Dunedin, then back to Auckland and Wellington.
This flurry of travel has of course kept me from my writing desk, and even though I am booked to give many talks up and down the country, my main focus is currently raising my score with Kotz.
 
This very morning I dared ask again.
       “Don’t worry honey,” Kotz replied happily, “you’re in the high eights!” 
Hmm, he obviously wants more travel, I thought. So if you find the blogs are a little spread out, then guess what I will be doing- playing the numbers game.