Lunch at the lake

It was a beautiful day on Saturday so we decided to take a sandwich and flask and have lunch at Lake Waihola.

There were not a lot of people there, much to our surprise, just one or two families about. More around at the boating, waterskiing area than at the swimming area where we were. Once more I missed an opportunity to go for a swim. The water wasn't too cold and not a lot of people. And we had a little bay to ourselves :) A really pleasant  spot to sit, eat and watch families enjoying the day.

There were the usual gulls hanging about looking for a free lunch.

This is a black billed gull and is only found in New Zealand.

Quite a pretty bird I think.

Over the track from where we were was the camping ground.

You can see it over the fence here. Quite a small one but just 20 minutes out of the city so you don't have to drive too far

to feel like you have escaped the madding crowd.

We stayed a couple of hours and then decided to take the scenic route home so set off over the hill and out to the coast road. This was the view looking back at the lake.

We drove home with native flax and toetoe on one side of the road and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The plan  was to stop and buy an ice cream but at $3.50 each (a rip off price) we decided to wait until we got home and have a free one :)

Another lovely outing on a lovely southern summers day.

Diana

'Tis 2019

First of all let me wish everyone a belated New Year.

How did you celebrate? Did you celebrate?

We didn't. We had our grandson staying

so thought we might at least sit up until midnight

 but he scooted off to bed about 10:30pm

and so we went not long after.

It still happened without us :)

We were a bit spoilt on New Year's day, a friend invited

 us out to lunch and we had a very enjoyable catch up

 with her at one of the hotels a couple of suburbs over.

That evening we were also invited to our son's home for the evening meal. We had a delicious cold meal, summer noodles, followed by icecream with a passionfruit sauce over it.

This was all finished off with rose petal tea

(coffee for my GKB) served in beautifully fine

 porcelain tea cups. So delicate. In the bottom

of the cup was an image in the porcelain of the

head of a Japanese lady. I think you'll see it

if you look closely at the picture below.

We all headed to the beach afterwards, next time

I'll take my swimming togs. It was a beautiful

 evening and the water wasn't too cold. Some of

us paddled, one of us decided the water was

too cold and another one guarded the cardigans,

cell phones etc. We headed home about 8:30pm.

After grandson headed back up to Christchurch

 we had a day or two just relaxing and then Sassy

arrived to stay for a couple of nights. She's missing

her family but once she realized we were actually

going to feed her and take her for walks she perked up.

She has been good and it's been fun having a dog again

 for a little while. We were out early for our walk this

morning as the forecast was for warm temps during

 the day, it's 31C at present. Unless it cools off somewhat

 she may miss out on her evening jaunt :)

And that has been our first week of 2019.

I hope yours has been just as relaxing.

Diana

joining Deb today for

Friday foto friends