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

A party in the park.

Last Sunday afternoon my GKB and I went over to The Party in the Park. It was being held at a new venue this year, which is about half a kilometre  from home. Very handy :)

This is an annual event aimed at families and always well attended, but of course was interrupted by covid for a year or two but finally able to be held again.

 It was a hot, hot day, over 30C and we only stayed about half an hour. Most people were trying to stay out of the sun by keeping to the stalls, under the trees or under the shade sails that were scattered round about. It would have been nice to have had a water sprayer or two for people to  walk through :) But these are not normal temperatures for our part of the world and so no-one would have anticipated how hot it would be.

No one was taking advantage of the chairs in front of the sound stage but plenty of people under the trees to the side. 

There were all the usual types of craft stalls and food and drink trucks as well as service clubs advertising.

 There were bouncy castles and other fun activities for the kids including rides on the miniature railway. I was pleased I didn't have any little kids to contend with, I didn't envy those parents who had wee ones out in that heat all afternoon.

Because of the heat we didn't stay long, I think I'll take an umbrella as a sun shade another time, my hat was hot and uncomfortable and I was pleased to take it off when we got home. There is a cafe at the venue but it was full or we would have gone in for a cool drink. But still, I'm not complaining, it was an afternoon out doing something different.

That's all for today. 

Look after yourselves until next time.

Diana