We have two reasons to be especially jubilant. The first is that our application for NZ permanent resident visas has been approved. This process has taken more than five years and a boatload of paperwork and other associated red tape, but it’s finally come to pass. 
The second is that we have dropped to C-19 risk level 1, a little less than a week ago. Things are pretty much back to normal, to our delight—although one new case was reported two days ago, and folks are still advised to wear masks when using public transportation, and most are complying. And the recent elections produced excellent results, in accordance with our hopes. We feel so very fortunate to be here and in daily touch with our families. There are so many reasons to give thanks for our blessings, and these are only a few.
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krikitarts 
Great news on both counts. The way you guys have dealt with Covid has been amazing!
Hey, Mr. P, it’s like talking in real time. I could not agree more!
And I join in thanks with you and your family. Lovely! Welcome :)
It’s great to feel even more welcome now!
That is wonderful news for you all on all fronts, Gary–definitely a reason for feeling jubilant. Election politics are continuing here, as you know, and irrespective of the ultimate outcome, it has been a really messy and ugly process. As for the pandemic, it is not even close being under control. I don’t anticipate a return to “pretty much back to normal” any time in the foreseeable future.
When we get news of election politics there (on NZ radio and when streaming US stations), sometimes we just have to shake our heads in befuddlement.
Excellent, Gary, really wonderful news on all counts! I have enormous respect for NZ’s premier, really a very capable person in my view. But, as with Mike’s comments, covid in the UK is anything but over.
We are delighted to have Jacinda in there for another three years; she’s doing a fabulous job. And, yes the C-19 news of your area and other places is really frightening.
This is the first big family group portrait I recall seeing of you guys.
Does permanent resident status let you stay and be absent as long as you’d like? Of course, at this point there’s no other normal place to go to.
Your word “Jubilation!” reminded me immediately of “Cecilia.”
Yes, with the permanent resident status we can leave and enter the country as we wish, at any time, and for as long as we wish. However, I can’t imagine us having any wish at all to leave in the foreseeable future. If we should travel to an unsafe place, our re-entry would be easier with the new visas, but we’d still be required to be in 14-day quarantine.
Congratulations on the visa status, and as you might guess, I envy your government and COVID status, too.
Thank you, Lynn, it’s a truly great place to be in these crazy times, and we appreciate it deeply every day.
Congratulations, Gary. This is fantastic news and I too was delighted to see Jacinda back in. I guess we live in the luckiest countries in the world at the moment (me in Australia and you & CD in N.Z.). I’m sure your children and grandchildren are thankful you’re in a safe place with them.
They surely are–and they are almost as thankful as we are, I dare say. Thanks so much, Vicki. Hope you continue to do well and stay on top of the important things, with all the challenges you’re facing.
Two excellent announcements, Gary. Congratulations on both. If our “leader” had led then he might be a shoe-in. I am not sure we’d be in good hands but maybe at least the number of dead would be fewer…far fewer. You’ve got yourselves a gem there. Are you now officially a “kiwi”?
Thanks for that, Steve, and good question. I suppose that being an “official” Kiwi would require citizenship, and qualifying for that will take another five years, but we are quite happy with the permanent-resident status and will very probably settle for this. We are now, literally, at home here, and are daily counting our blessings.
Congratulations, Gary! You have peace of mind on both counts, which is great! Unfortunately here things are going from bad to worse, and I fear will not improve for a while yet.
It is such a deep concern to read and hear of the deteriorating situation out there, and we all hope that those in charge will take this rogue bull by the horns and stop pussyfooting around as if it were just a temporary nuisance rather than a serious threat.
‘Pussyfooting around’ aptly describes what’s going on here. I know they are balancing health and economy, but the longer the politicians dither the more harm to health and the economy in the long run. At least your prime minister Jacinda Ardern has a really good handle on things there, which put her in good stead for re-election.
Woo-hoo! Grand news all round, Gary. Best wishes to you all! :-)
Woo-hoo sure sums up our reactions, too–thanks so much, M!
Great family news….. as for CV19 , just don’t anyone get complacent, it hasn’t disappeared, and I guess it will not for a good while yet
None of us is getting complacent; no worries on that score. We are still super-cautious.
I wish our Prime Minister was super-cautious…. his gung ho attitude has resulted to too many folk adopting a couldn’t careless attitude….hence the increasing infection rate.
Good news all around!
It took a long time but we cautiously embracing the new risk level news and are basking in the resident news (now, if only we could travel)!
Congrats, Gary…looks like you chose well when opting for New Zealand. Good deal.