A trip down memory lane

 

Punakaiki River Valley

 by K John Toomer.

 I was visiting a friend in a rest home when  this painting on the wall in the foyer caught my eye. I thought I recognized the area, it's the Punakaiki River on the West Coast of the South Island, NZ. As a child I spent a lot of summer weekends in this area as my uncle was building a batch on the river and he frequently took a carload of cousins, aunties and uncles out there for the day and, after the batch was completed, for the weekend.

The batch has long been sold now but here is a photo of Aunty, Mum, middle sis and me standing outside it when we visited it a few years ago when sis and I took Mum and  my eldest grand daughter over for a holiday. And this, below, is where we all rushed through the bush to the river to play and swim. No gates, fences or paths in those days though, just tracks we made of our own accord.

We played in the bush and swam in the river and at some stage there was a canoe we took turns in and just generally had a lot of fun. The boys went eeling under the bridge and uncle went whitebaiting. It was a great whitebait river and there were several people there in the season. Uncle, and others, would also go surf casting in the sea but I can't remember that we ever ate any fish. We must have.

Grand daughter just down river from the 'eeling' bridge.

The pancake rocks were just a couple of kilometres further up the road and on occasion everyone would go up for a look and see if the blow holes were blowing. The sea had to be fairly rough for that and an incoming tide but it was a great spectacle. We'd have a great time clambering over the rocks with the mothers shouting at us not to fall in because they weren't jumping in to get us :). 

That was in the days before it became a tourist spot and fences and paths were built. It all seems very tame now when I go back and remember what we got up to and I'd rather remember it the way it was. Maybe we were a bit foolhardy but it was a lot of fun and we survived. We only ever got into trouble the one time some of us went up by ourselves and didn't tell anyone until we got home to the batch.

One of the paths around the blowholes and pancake rocks.

Although I do remember the boys taking a couple of kitchen knives and going AWOL into the bush for the day. Pig hunting they said when they got back. Needless to say they never saw a pig, which was probably just as well and they got a sound telling off when they arrived back. I think they were probably about 10 or 11.

I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane, I have.

The photos are all more recent  but still give an idea of how things were.

**************

My prayers and thoughts are with the people in the Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman area.

Keep well and keep dry.

Diana

Swede, bulbs and jigsaws

 It's been so cold this winter we haven't done much except hunker down at home and go out when we've had to. It's been wet and cold and sunny and cold and night time temps below freezing at times. That means it's cold when we get up but the living area is warm as we set the heat pump to come on about an hour before we rise. 

I've finished one jigsaw and got another on the go but I don't know how far I'll get with it. DIL Sofi gave it to me, it was one they were discarding  at work, and I've already had one shot at it. I didn't finish it that first time and I seem to be doing even worse this time around. I've got the border finished and a few pieces in and about 840 pieces that don't fit anywhere at all :) Never mind, I'll plug away and see how I go. I'm not promising I'll finish it this time either. 

Jacqui arrived in for a chat and a cuppa yesterday bearing gifts. Half a swede, that will be nice in some vege soup, she'd got three from a roadside stall, and a boot full of spring bulbs. She's going to sort the bulbs out and bring some back for me. They'll look nice out the front when the jonquils die off - daffodils, gladioli and pink and white hyacinths. 

Just for something to do we went in to the Warehouse and had a wander. We came home with a new toaster, which we needed and a new blouse for me. I decided I needed a light long sleeved top for when we go over to Aussie next month. Their temps have been a lot cooler up north than  normal this year. Sometimes down in single figures.

I've also worked a few extra days in the shop as well and last week I had a wee fellow come in with his mother. They wandered around and picked out what they wanted and then while Mum was still browsing he came up to the counter and put his sticker  book on the counter and said "Now you pay for this." I smiled and said "No, I haven't got any money." With that Mum arrived at the counter and paid and he was happy. He was only three and knew when you went to the counter someone paid. I guess he thought it was me, because he didn't have any money :) His Mum and I had a wee giggle about it.

And with that I'll finish.

Keep well, keep warm - or cool - and I'll see you next time.

Diana

ps. Texas you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hello there

 I've just been for a stroll down to the Silverstream to have a look and it is almost back to normal levels but running swiftly. A new path has been built up to the flood bank which is great, it'll save walking through the. grass and getting wet feet after it's been raining. People and their dogs and kids on bikes are using it again on this lovely, warm (for winter), sunny day. An enjoyable walk really.

My GKB Bob has had another birthday, he's reached the grand old age of 83. We had cream buns with chocolate icing to celebrate, he didn't want to go out, and the girls came over for the afternoon. He had phone calls and messages from other members of the family as well and I think he quite enjoyed a nice relaxed day. The girls pandered to his sweet tooth, giving him ice cream, fudge and chocolates, which he is being very good with and only eating a couple of pieces a day. And yes, he is sharing :) Though we haven't tried the ice cream yet. Maybe tonight :)

Apart from that there is not a lot going on. I am working 3 shifts a week at the moment as one of the volunteers is away, but I'll have my turn in August when we head to Aussie to visit my sisters. So we're looking forward to that. 

Until next time, keep well and enjoy life.

Diana

Not so silver Silverstream

 It has been raining non stop for the past 27 hours.

 Not heavily but steadily. 

It's not forecast to stop until sometime tonight and the council have had a sandbagging station operating since yesterday morning. 

We're lucky in that our house is quite high off the ground and the flood banks keep the water of the Silverstream contained. Unlike in earlier years when the properties at the bottom of our street would flood.

I took a walk down to have look this afternoon and these are the photos. It was very muddy on the bank and slippery so I stayed well back. I didn't fancy slipping and getting a dunking.

We haven't seen the local news today but know there was bad  flooding further north yesterday, in Marlborough, and I suspect there will be flooding in South Dunedin today. 

Take care.

Diana

Travelling with Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

Hello! It's time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

Summer is June 21st and people usually take advantage of the warm weather to take a trip or vacation or day trips to visit, shop or for recreation.

  So could we talk about travel?

1. What are the most memorable destinations you've visited, and what made them stand out? (this could include places like museums, art galleries, etc. not only a vacation site.)

Memorable places? The first that came to mind when I saw this question was my trip to Fiji with a nursing colleague when we were  just 18. The culture was so different to anything I knew and the colours, smells and sights were so wonderful. The first overseas trip either of us had ever made, in an age where no one went overseas (not where we lived anyway). It was so exciting and we looked forward to it for so long.  It was probably another 40 years before I went overseas again and that was to visit my sister and her husband and family who had moved to Australia. We took the family and that was an exciting time for all of us. We had a great time, visited one of the islands off the Queensland coast among other things. But we learnt a good lesson, don't visit north Queensland in the summer, we'd gone for Christmas! Never again.

Then Aaron  was living in Japan, met a Chinese girl and we went to Japan for the wedding. What a wonderful time and I don't really know where to start. So totally culturally different and we didn't speak the language. Thank goodness we had our family interpreters with us most of the time :) We learnt how to use the buses and some of the drivers got to know us and where our stops were. All I can say is if you plan on going to Japan - do. It was a wonderful experience made even better because we were staying in Aaron's flat in an older part of the city and didn't do only tourist things.

the view from Aaron's flat in Kobe, Japan

2. Which hidden gem locations have you explored that you'd recommend to others ?

I don't know that Te Papa the national museum of New Zealand could be called a hidden gem but if you're in Wellington make a point of visiting, even if it is just to visit the Gallipolli Exhibition. I found it to be a very emotional experience but had to rush the end of it, one because I was getting emotional and two because my GKB had disappeared about 10 minutes earlier. It depicts conditions for the men and women in the battle at Gallipolli during the first world war and as well as letters, photographs and short films there are life size models of soldiers and nurses as well as a model of the trenches. Well worth a visit.

Anywhere in New Zealand is well worth a visit though :) We have lakes, beaches, rivers and mountains all within a short drive of most places.

Milford Sound on a misty day

The Southern Alps 

3. What’s the most unique cultural experience you’ve had while traveling ?

Well, lets see. I've been packed like a sardine into a commuter train in Japan, eaten raw seafood which was still moving. I couldn't get out of it as I was the future mother in law and that position held a certain amount of prestige apparently. And part of that was getting to eat first whether I wanted to or not. I didn't want to actually but was told I needed to and looked around the table and every eye was on me, kids and all. My GKB was smirking away but he got to try it too. So I bit the bullet, or raw, moving octopus, and swallowed. Then they all  clapped and I had to do it again. And then they all tucked in. Not my most exciting moment I can tell you but certainly memorable.

that greyish stuff is the still moving, sliced octopus

On the day of the wedding I got to take part in a tea ceremony at the reception. No one warned me but I duly took part and Aaron's sister in law guided me through, We finished our tea, only the bride, groom and mothers took part, and I looked up to see Aaron and Sofi kneeling in front of me. Once again no one had warned me I was supposed to bestow a blessing on them so I stumbled through something, I'm not good at off the cuff stuff, but finally it was over. 

4.What mode of transportation is your favorite for a long trip? How about a short trip?

I would have to say I prefer to travel by plane for a long trip. Well let me qualify that. I live on an island. If I want to visit family who don't live in the South Island I have to cross the sea, to the North Island or to the bigger island to the west (Australia) so really I don't have a choice. I don't enjoy flying and we usually drive if we're going anywhere in the South Island.

Some celebrations

Sitiveni turned 4 last weekend. It was a time to celebrate with his family and some of his little kindy friends. He had a Spiderman theme and mum made and decorated the cake for him. We just sent some cash up and mum took him shopping so he could pick out something himself. He bought himself a Spiderman glove that squirts water :) What else would a 4 year old boy buy :)

 

A week or so earlier Arlo turned 6 and he also had a party with his school friends. He likes to read so we gave him a fun book about a farmer who blew up the cowshed. And a card. A 5 year old card! I received a message from his grandmother "please message 

Great Granma and tell her I am 6, not 5." Oh dear. I knew he was turning 6, how did I make that mistake? But all is forgiven and we sent him another card with the correct age on it :) 

And I was celebrating getting my new specs, until I got them. Everything is beautiful and clear but nothing is sharp. So they need to go back but I need to see the optometrist again before they can be adjusted and can't get in until next week. Which also means I have to cancel an afternoon tea engagement as well as they're both at the same time. But I do need the specs adjusted so I'll grin and bear it. Otherwise wait another week. 

Tomorrow is a holiday for Matariki, the Maori New Year, so I thought I'd go and take a photo of our towns' matariki star cluster in the dark but it didn't turn out as I'd hoped as there are too many lights around it. A shame as I think it would be quite striking otherwise. 

A short explanation of Matariki taken from the internet.

 Matariki, also known as the Māori New Year, is a time of celebration, remembrance, and looking forward, marked by the rising of the Matariki star cluster (Pleiades) in the winter sky. It's a time for communities to gather, share stories, reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

Alice and Sitiveni are all dressed up in their Tongan national dress tonight to go to Alice's school celebration for Matariki. Sitiveni took part in his kindy kapa haka presentation earlier in the week. 

And just because I can - eldest daughter Jacqui sent me this photo of a feijoa she had sliced in half and captioned it

'It looks so happy. I don't want to eat it...😥'

And I'll leave you there.

Enjoy your week wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

Until next time

Diana

Eating out and other stuff

 It's a beautiful blue sky day today and so we decided to go out for lunch at a tavern a couple of suburbs nearer the city. The place we used to go to has burned down and they're not rebuilding so we need to find another 'favourite' eatery. We enjoyed being out in the sun even if it was still a bit cold. When we arrived the carpark was full, we parked outside the takeaway shop and I hoped the owner wouldn't object.

 The tavern was crowded but we managed to get a table for two. There were renovations/extensions happening next to where we were sitting but all closed off so no danger to the customers. And nothing going on today. 

We had a delicious meal but unfortunately it was very noisy, the restaurant and the bar were both full, and we couldn't hear ourselves speak. But it rounded off nicely a week of grey, cold, miserable weather. 

We didn't bother to stop for a hot drink after but left pretty much once we'd finished our meal and headed over to youngest daughter's place to have one. And to check out how they were going with setting up their new home. They have just bought their own home and are still settling in.

Sassy and Purr exploring their new back yard.

 

Theo had been visiting for the night and was waiting for Mum to pick him up so not a lot was getting done but next weekend is a holiday weekend so they're hoping to get everything finished up then.

And feijoas! There are still a lot on the tree, and yes I am over them, but they are not as prolific as they were which is a blessing. I'm managing to keep up with them :) I found a recipe for a feijoa loaf so I've made that a couple of times as I don't have any more room to freeze any. It's a nice change and will only be seasonal so that's good. I've also used the leaf rake and deposited the smaller ones in the green bin!

I think I'll finish on that note.

Keep well, keep warm 

and I'll catch up again in a few days.

Diana

A blah day

  It's been a cold, wet and miserable day.  My GKB Bob had an early appointment so he was up earlier than normal. When he left home the temp was -2° C. That's 3° warmer than when he got out of bed. I think our high for the day has been 2°. So a good day for inside stuff. And today I had plenty to keep myself occupied. 

When Bob left the sun was shining and although it was cold I thought I might get a load of washing out and, maybe, even dry. Didn't happen. Just as the washing finished the clouds came over, not from the south which is normal, but from the east. Low, grey clouds. They looked like snow clouds to me and the breeze coming ahead of it was bitter. With the clouds came drizzly, sleety rain which has continued all day. So the washing is draped on the clothes horse, in line with the heat pump, and will hopefully be dry by morning.

I've also spent part of the day preparing a one pot meal for Friday Light, an outreach group which meets at one of the local churches once a week. It's so much easier to prepare these days, when they first started we prepared meat, potatoes and veges and it was quite labour intensive. I only cook once every couple of months now so it's no hardship. 

There's also a jigsaw on the go so I got some of that put together. Still a way to go but getting there. 

And I finished my book. I'm sure I've read this one before but I quite enjoy Donna Andrews' books, they're light, easy to read and humorous. Good for giving the brain a bit of a rest if you've been studying or just reading something a bit intense or challenging.

Did I say I was planning on stewing more feijoas today? Well that didn't happen. By the time I'd cooked the meal and done a few chores I just wanted to relax for a bit. But I'm sick of them covering my bench so I think I'll need to get into it tomorrow and as the forecast is for more of the same what else will I do?  I picked up about four dozen today so took some down to Friday Light, hopefully someone there will enjoy them.

And so I think I'll finish there.

Keep warm if you're in my part of the world

 and whatever else you do look after yourself.

Diana

I'm joining Tuesday 4 again

I thought I would join in with Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 once again. I have just copied and pasted the questions as before. I'm not sure who is running it so copy from Pam at Closed Doors, Open Windows. Feel free to redirect me. 

Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.
We ask 4 questions each week to get you blogging, thinking, discussing and visiting with other bloggers.

The commercial song said "the best part of waking up is Folger's in your cup".

1. What is in your cup in the morning? 

Oh, definitely tea. No milk, no sugar. Just plain black and not too strong but I do like to taste it :) My little mother liked hers weak, we used to laugh and say she just waved a tea bag in the general direction of her cup. And no, I don't leave the tea bag in, I took this pic while I was making a drink to have while I wrote and it was still brewing.

2. What brand of coffee or tea is the best in your opinion and why do you think so?

Call me a Philistine if you like but I had to look up Folger's. I am no longer a coffee drinker although my hubby is. For some reason about two years ago coffee started to trigger migraines so I stopped drinking it. That was hard for a start but I'm used to it now and it doesn't bother me. So what brand of tea? Dilmah. English Breakfast or Extra Strong. I prefer the English breakfast though. It's a little dearer than some of the other brands but I don't mind.

3. Where do you drink your cuppa in the morning? Do you have a nice view.

We always used to sit at the kitchen table for breakfast and our early cuppa but since hubby retired we sit in our easy chairs in the lounge, he likes to catch up on the news on tv and so I catch up with any messages I might have on my phone. And at times we even talk to each other :) 

The top half of this picture is what I can see when relaxing in my easy chair. Not very exciting, it is looking south though, which is where our bad weather comes from, so we can see the rain or wind in the trees as it heads towards us. 

4.Besides the morning, do you take little tea or coffee breaks during the day? If you are out and about where is your favorite place to get some tea or coffee?

I like a drink about mid morning and mid to late afternoon. Always one with lunch and if my sisters are here one after tea as well. Tea in that case being our evening meal followed by a cup of tea. When we're out and about in our little town we like to visit Aurora, it has the old fashioned sort of food we prefer and when in the city we go to a little out of the way mall off the main street and visit a little cafe there. It's always busy so not a secret, just out of the way :)

 I'll finish there, 

have a good week. 

Until next time,

Diana

 PS. The Rooibos tea in my picture is my go to for my evening drink as its decaf.

Its been windy.

 We were forecast for high winds today. It started blowing through the night but being deaf I never heard a thing. Sometimes being deaf is good but I would also sleep through a civil defense alert on my phone - not so good. Anyway, when I went out into the kitchen I checked the driveway for feijoas. The wind brings them down. There was a good smattering of them.

 The smattering continued throughout the day. The wind didn't let up and was quite strong at times, it almost blew me over at one point when I was gathering the feijoas this evening. There are so many of them I don't really know what to do with them. I've taken a large bag to one of the local rest homes this afternoon and stewed some to freeze. I think I'll bag some up to go into the community pantry at church tomorrow. And hopefully the girls will come over and take some off my hands. If its a nice day tomorrow any left over can go in a bucket outside the gate for people to help themselves.

Enough of the feijoas 😄

My GKB Bob came through for breakfast and said 'it must have been a good wind overnight, the swing seat's been blown over'. So it had. The wind must have caught it under the awning, it was definitely not in the position we'd last seen it, up against the fence. Instead it was looking a bit skewiff in the middle of the lawn. I'm just pleased it was a swing and not a trampoline or goodness knows where it may have ended up.

Once the wind dropped a bit GKB Bob went out and put things to rights, removed the awning and put it in the shed and the swing is once again in its rightful place by the fence.

The wind's still blowing this evening, hopefully it'll blow itself out by morning.

And that's as exciting as it's got this week. 

Take care, keep well and enjoy your week.

Diana

Oranges and lemons

 Oranges and Lemons

Oranges and lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,

Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?

Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,

Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?

Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,

Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,

And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

I've just been reading a book with 'oranges and lemons' in the title and it got me to thinking about some of the games I played as a kid. 'Oranges and lemons' was one of them. 

We played on the street, ours was a short street and everyone knew each other. We were in and out of each other's homes and only went back to our own for meals and bed. 

The street I grew up in taken from the hill end. This must have been taken at least 40 years ago as our house is still standing in this photo but it has actually been knocked down along with a few others and pensioner flats have been built there. My aunt at the top right of the page and some of the boys I grew up with at the bottom right and on the bottom left.

Other games we played were cowboys and Indians and the boys were actually allowed to play with toy guns and bows and arrows. None of them grew up to be murderers. Skipping with a rope someone's father had brought home from the wharf, one girl at either end and 2 or 3 jumping in the middle. Hide and seek in the dark and ring a ring o' rosies.  The boys played cricket with old apple boxes for wickets. Our neighbour had a bay window at the front and the ball frequently went through it. Strangely by the time she made it to the street to see who the culprits were there was not a kid or an apple box in sight. These are just some I can think of off the top my head. Did anyone else play these games. I'm thinking some in my age group would have.

At the top end of the street was a farm on a hill. As long as there were no sheep in the paddock we were able to climb over the stile and play there. There was a large piece of exposed rock at one side and generations of kids used it as slide, I'm sure our knickers and shorts all wore out more quickly than they should have. Poor mothers. Mind you some of the parents had grown up in the same street so had inflicted the same thing on their mothers :) 

It was a great place to grow up, even if everyone knew everything about everyone else :) It was a real community.

******

Thank you for your kind comments on my last post. I really wasn't fishing for compliments but appreciate what you all said. My mother was a writer in that she wrote stories for her grandchildren as well as short stories and was great at writing poems but never had anything published. I suppose I take more after her although I don't write poetry :)

Until next time. 

Look after yourselves and keep well.

Diana

Where's mine?

I'm not sure what happened or why but I seem to have missed out on the creative gene that other female members of the family have.

 These are a couple of flowerpot people youngest sis made. She's done a few. She also paints stones and leaves them around the place for kids to find.

This is a quilt middle sis is in the throes of making - her daughter also makes them. In fact I think she got her mother started on it although her Mum has always had a creative bent.

And this is a blouse my eldest daughter has just finished. The black and white to the right is a dress she made herself. She's a lovely seamstress and made a wedding dress for one of her friends when she was barely out of her teens.

Both daughters had lovely gardens last summer, I haven't even inherited my grandmother's green thumb!

So what I want to know is who's got my share of those creative juices? Cos I haven't 😉

Until next time,

 Diana 

Tuesday 4

 I thought I would join in with Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 this week as not a lot has been happening in my life - and I'm quite happy with that state of affairs after the last few weeks :) So I've just copied and pasted the questions but if there is a better way let me know.

Staying Put/Moving On

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Sometimes we live in the same place where we were born and remain there all of our lives.

Sometimes we move away and never come back because of jobs, marriage, circumstances of all kinds.

Sometimes we choose where we will live and we have definite reasons for staying there even though we might be far from family.

1. Are you far from family and if so why? Would you like to have them closer and have you discussed that with them? 

I live within a 10 minute drive from one daughter and 15 minutes from the other. Our son was 5 minutes away but he has moved north and is now a 2 or 3 hour flight away. But still in the same country so not too far really - close enough not to have to worry about getting there if we need to. But in a city I enjoy and my husband doesn't :) Oh, and we're in New Zealand, so it's provinces not states :)

2. How did you come to live in the state you are in? How about the city/town?

I moved down to Otago to work and was living with my cousin for a while and then an Aunty. Met my husband and we were married and stayed here. We've had a few moves, one down to Southland where two of our kids were born then back to Otago, mostly because of Bob's work. He is Otago born and bred :)

3. What good things keep you living where you are?

What's good about your state and town?

Well It's not the climate although I enjoy the spring and the autumn. The winters are wet, cold and long and these days I find the summers a bit hot. I enjoy being close to the family, we do quite a lot together and always enjoy celebrating milestones of all sorts. Bob's only sister lives about an hour away, on the other side of the city but for us older folk buses are free during off peak hours so if we don't want to drive anywhere we take the bus and meet in the middle. The city is only 10 minutes drive if we want a change of shops but we can get pretty much all we need here. Of course there are art galleries, theatres, museums, parks and some wonderful Victorian architecture. We were a satellite town but are now an outer suburb. The area is flat so good for walking and we have beaches, lakes, mountains and rivers all within easy driving distance.

4. What things might convince you to move to another state or just another town? 

Nothing will convince my hubby to move and really the only thing that would convince me would be if all the kids moved away. Then again I might feel like I'm too old to be moving and making new friends and all the other adjustments that go with a move. I'm a bit of an introvert and am not good at meeting new people or going new places :)

And that's about  it for now. 

Have a good week.

Diana

Mother's Day

 Just wanting to wish all the mothers in blogland a very Happy Mother's Day.

I hope you've all had a lovely relaxed day doing things you enjoy doing with the people closest to you :)

I've had a very lazy day myself and might send my GKB Bob up the street to get curry rice rolls and chips for tea.

I've been feeling tired lately so had a long lie in and then watched our church service on line today. And after lunch both the girls visited at different times, bearing gifts :) I'm so glad they keep them simple. One gave me a nice scented bath bomb and the other a tub of slightly more expensive ice cream than I would normally buy, in a flavour I've never tried. I'm looking forward to trying it. Supper tonight probably, if I can wait that long.

Leaving you there. 

Have a wonderful week.

Keep well.

Diana

Here and there

Well the kids have been here ... and now they're there. 

 It's been quite an emotional few weeks.

And I'm feeling a little blue.

My GKB came home from hospital and the next day was Aaron's ordination. He wasn't able to attend but I went with Jacqui our eldest daughter, our youngest daughter was away visiting her grandchildren for Easter or she'd have been there too. 

Aaron and Sofi after a relaxed but suitably formal service. 

Very proud Mum and sister.

There was a nice celebratory supper put on afterwards.

Aaron called in on his way home and donned his robes so his father could have his photo taken as well which was really thoughtful of him. We appreciated that :)

A couple of days later it was time for our house group to farewell them so we had raspberry chocolate cake before we started our study that evening. Yum. Very rich though.

Then at the weekend the family wanted to have a farewell get together and as Vanessa was home from her visit we gathered at her place. Nothing formal, we had takeaways - fish n chips, Chinese and pizza so there was something for everyone. Including the wee fellow.  Followed by GF cream puffs :)

Not long after Aaron and Sofi left on their trip north to their new home and appointments in Auckland.

They crossed on the ferry on a beautiful day, after the crossings had been cancelled for three days due to stormy weather. 

Out for a meal with Chloe, Atu and the kids in Palmerston North.

They drove up and stayed with friends and family or called in for coffee and a catchup on the way.

Catching up for coffee with Andrew in Cambridge,

and spending money in his shop before they left.

Then arriving in Auckland to discover their furniture hadn't arrived and was still on the wharf in Picton. I was quite pleased to hear that's where it was as we'd seen containers toppled on the wharf in Wellington due to the winds and hoped theirs wasn't among them.

So they're camping in their new home at the moment. Luckily they'd packed their camping gear in the car in anticipation of their first night being without furniture so are coping okay for now.

So they've been here, and now they're there. Not a five minute drive away but a two hour flight. Sigh.

Hoping everyone is well and enjoying the season, whatever it is. There is always beauty to be found in our surroundings if we only look.

Until next time,

Diana