A proper weekend

Just as well I did not make 'I will blog at least once every 2 days' my NY's revolution. I was determined (well a bit determined!) to blog last night. I am on holiday for 2 weeks now but worked yesterday as we had a meeting. I was physically less active than for any day recently but after pizzas (yes I know it's not Saturday but holiday time is about not sticking to routine) and half a glass of red wine, or as Carol call's this particular cheap (if you can call any wine in NZ cheap- it isn't) boxed red wine 'ribena for growd ups', I was almost asleep on the sofa. I went to bed.

I am however here first thing this morning.

The sun is shining, and it promises to stay that way for a few days. Rain again by the weekend just as we are due to head up North. Plan A was we would camp but when Bridget kindly offered the possibility of plan B kicked in. We just await confirmation that it's empty. I guess (hope!) that if the weather is set for rain then no family members will want it and we won't have to camp. If sun is predicted then I reckon it's more likely the bach will be occupied and camping will be great. If sun is predicted and it pours down we're in for a miserable week!!! We have no plans beyond lots of walking (sorry kids!), swimming and hopefully some fishing, and of course a catch up with Stan.

Where did I leave off, ah yes, Eric's birthday. We did go over to the Mount to meet R+R and the girls who were there on holiday. For them holiday is not getting up at 4.45am wherever it is. They have a very nice, if small apartment. It is in a complex surrounded by other complex's. Robyn seemed quite horrified that other people could look in. She directed me to the window and said 'Look, it's all buildings'. I then pointed out to her that this is how a large percentage of the worlds population live. She was flabberghasted. Not that she did not know that but I don't think she'd ever experienced it first hand. She then said, 'I like to look out onto the land'. Now you'd have to see where they live to know exactly what she means. R+R live up high and they can see for more than miles. They can see forever in a 360 degree rotation almost, and all they can see is fields and the Kaimais (a long low mountain range that divideds the Waikato,us, from the sea). The weather had been aweful but sun was promised for tha afternoon, and amazingly that's what happened. We had a bread, cheese and sausages lunch walked round the Mount.....




I love this photo of Katherine and Alice

Sarah

NZ's fabulous Pohutakawa


and then played boule on the beach....


This is Richard mimicking Eric's professional looking but poofey pose!

Their apartment is literaly 'across the road from the beach. After a wash and brush up for the girls who had been bodyboarding in the sea, and me collecting Hannah, we went into Tauranga for dinner. It was heaving and we would have had an hour wait at the Lone Star, our destination. Hannah then said she knew a good restaurant along the way. I wouldn't normally trust a 10 year old with such a decision but Hannah is both wise for her age and has good taste. They could fit us in (a big ask, a table for 9 on a busy night) and warned us we would have quite a long wait. It was, and I could see Richard getting a bit impatient, not rude but a subtle tapping the table and fidgeting - he was starving, but when the food came it was very good. They were clearing tables as we left, obviously turning the place from a reastaurant to trendy bar and preparing the disco. That sounds such an old fashioned word! Is there a trendy replacement I wonder?

On Sunday we took Eric's boat out. Now he has his fathers boat and this is it's first trip out for 3 years. It has been the object of great hilarity with the guys as they do 'proper' boats here. We went onto the Waikato river at Hora Hora domain about a 5 minute drive from us. Unfortunately it is a boat access used by lots of water skiers with their big 70 - 130 horsepower engines. Eric's has 7! The girls took the mickey out of him mercilessly but he soldiered on bravely. In fairness it is meant for a bit of fishing and the sole purpose of the boat is to get Eric off shore which it will do perfectly. Fishing is also something he hasn't done any of yet!! We had a break (more boule, on grass this time) and the girls went out again. As I saw them rounding the bend in the river, coming back, the phone rang. Doreen (Hannah's grandma). Bert had been waiting at the Woolshed (our drop off/collect Hannah place) for 30 mins now!!!! The plan was to exchange Hannah in the afternoon (later rather than earlier). We went out, Doreen phoned our home phone and left a message saying they'll be at the Woolshed at 4pm, but of course we did not get that message! It was no big problem as we would have left shortly anyway. We had 2 cars so we helped Eric get the boat out and flew off, arriving there at 5.30pm. Back for a roast pork dinner in the evening, a good meal to end a lovely weekend.