Once again it’s Sunday morning and I’m listening to Chris Laidlaw (talking about the huge price of gold and our gold mines here). The skies are blue, not a cloud to be seen and we have a morning planned planting a row flax (given to us by Mom and Daddy’s new neighbours) and fencing it to stop the cows getting to it. They love flax. It’s going along the edge of the paddock above the bank behind the pool. Eric’s still reading a book he started in Tonga and I think the girls are still in bed. Harriette got sent to her room last night because she through a paddy when Alice ‘pinched’ her place in a game of Scrabble!!! She was planning to put a 7 letter word down but nontheless her response was horrible. Alice shortly afterwards bowed out saying she was too tired. So much for my attempts to do something social and family orientated!!
I have had an unbelievably busy week, on top of a busy few weeks. I was ill last weekend but was feeling better by Sunday evening when we went to Mom and Daddy’s for supper. (Stop for a quick dash to the phone to remind them to bring my flashdrive and sunglasses that I left there. They are popping in soon for coffee on their was to Rhuapahu for a few days.
Monday was just trying to catch up on emails and general admin, and fitting in a few visits. I still have over 60 in my Inbox that, over recent weeks, have low priority but need clearing. I hate seeing a double figured number in brackets by Inbox (indicating number of unread messages). Tuesday and Wednesday were long days teaching a Vaccinator Training Course, Thursday I was at a Well Child Day in Tokoroa (40 minutes away) and Friday meetings in Hamilton all day. I thought that next week was going to be quieter. Well it is, but I have soooo much to catch up on.
Yesterday we took the girls to see Golden Compass. Harriette was quite offended that Eric and I found it boring. When I explained that it was a movie made for children her age I think she didn’t like the inference that she wasn’t an adult!! We then went looking for a tenor sax for Harriette. We have decided to buy one for her and send her one back to the rental company and swap it for an alto sax for Alice. Juggling renting, buying and borrowing a total of 6 instruments in a cost effective fashion between them is no mean feat!!
Not a lot else to report. We are off to one of Eric’s firms partner’s places today for a social. Lunch on their farm, off to a 9 hole golf course for a game and then supper at the tavern opposite. Should be a good day.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Back From Fafa
Sunday 2nd March 9.30am. Lying in bed listening to Chris Laidlaw on the radio. Have just typed up notes from Fafa.
Well the almost perfect holiday went to pot in the last 24 hours. We were unable to stay 5 nights at Fafa and were booked at the Lagoon Lodge in Nukuo’lofa for the last night. It was horrible. Lukily the bed was OK and had a huge fan but the rest was yuk. A 2 storey self-catering apartment, but all the cupboards smelt musty and there was no resturant or shops nearby to get anything to eat or drink so we were dependant on tea and coffee. We looked around outside and found a small bit of man made beach with a few battered picnic tables with shredded shades. We got a cab into the town, about 10 minutes away and had a coffee at the one decent café and then went for a wander round the town and to the markets. That did not take long! The infastructure just does not exist there. The poverty was evident everywhere but everyone still had cellphones and drove big cars, lots of people movers and 4x4’s. Back at the hotel in the afternoon I started to get abdo pain and think I had a tummy bug. By the evening I was feeling really Yuk. I was sure it wasn’t the usual adhesions as the pain was not increasing creshendo-like. I was not drinking and vomited during the night. I looked aweful!! In the morning I went to make tea but nearly passed out. I think my dehydration had dropped my blood pressure. I got to the airport and bought a litre of water, which I managed to keep down and the cabin crew plied me with plenty of fluids on the flight. I actually felt much better by the time we got to Auckland. I am still not right several days later. We got home about 6pm on the Wednesday evening and went back to work on Thursday. I was busy that day and then had the AGM for the schools band that I manage in the evening. That has generated so much work for me! It was 1.30am by the time I got to bed and then had to get up at 5am on Friday to go to a Hepatitis Conference in Whakatane (near where we went camping in January). The conference was good, well run etc but was really aimed at doctors, very bioscience based and far too much of it went way over my head. With hindsight I think IMAC should not have sent so many people. I stayed overnight at my colleague Liz’s place. She and her husband are Scottish and have 3 gorgeous boys. They live on a raised section overlooking the harbour, so beautiful!! I was jealous as she has huge trees of, among other things; peaches, fig, feijoas, avo’s, various plums and citrus fruit. I am really struggling to get my orchard going. Mainly because of the brown beetles that hatch from grass grubs and the stock. Back to the conference. The dinner on Friday evening was excellent and I ate something for the first time since Tuesday really. I suffered during the night. Liz, Kenny and I chatted until nearly midnight then I was up 8 times during the night!! I was feeling really yuk in the morning, felt faint after I showered and decided to go home. I have a horrendously busy week this week and need to try and get over this. Slept much of yesterday and have just been taking it easy since. I have a vaccinator training course to run on Tuesday and Wednesday and have not looked at the education materials that we got in Auckland the day before I went to Tonga. I must spend some of today doing that. Don’t have to worry about cooking supper though as we are going to Mom and Daddy’s this evening.
I am so looking forward to next weekend. Nothing planned and I can spend the following week catching up on myself.
While we were away Harriette and Alice stayed with R+R for the weekend then Mom and Daddy came here so the girls could go to college from home and stick to their normal routine. Harriette didn’t see much of Mom and Daddy as she had rowing Monday and Tuesday evenings. The should have finished this week but are doing another week as they had to cancel some sessions. She and Sarah will miss the last night as they have band on Thursdays. Missing 2 weeks (as they have) is not good but 3 is taking it too far. They also have their auditions booked for this Thursday.
Alice and Harriette absolutely love being at the same school! The evening meals seem to have us seated for longer as they have so much to discuss and notes to compare on teachers etc. Harriette has started her German course through the Correspondence School and Alice has started French with their young Sicilian, and eccentric, French teacher whom they both love. Harriette has been really good helping Alice with her French and Maths homework. It is a pleasure to see the relationship they have. They have always got on, and always had fights but their closeness is even more evident now. I am still struggling to source an alto sax for Alice and a flute for Harriette for this year. I have several irons in the fire before I resort to formal hiring.
Well I think that brings us up to date. Eric is plodding on. He just had another (small) pay rise but it is all going in the right direction. He did get a good bomus at Xmas and an additional payrise in November so is doing well. MagillEarl are undergoing a re-branding exercise at the moment so there are a few changes afoot there. We have a firm social next week. BBQ at one of the partners and 9 holes of golf afterwards. I have NEVER played golf in my life!!!
Well the almost perfect holiday went to pot in the last 24 hours. We were unable to stay 5 nights at Fafa and were booked at the Lagoon Lodge in Nukuo’lofa for the last night. It was horrible. Lukily the bed was OK and had a huge fan but the rest was yuk. A 2 storey self-catering apartment, but all the cupboards smelt musty and there was no resturant or shops nearby to get anything to eat or drink so we were dependant on tea and coffee. We looked around outside and found a small bit of man made beach with a few battered picnic tables with shredded shades. We got a cab into the town, about 10 minutes away and had a coffee at the one decent café and then went for a wander round the town and to the markets. That did not take long! The infastructure just does not exist there. The poverty was evident everywhere but everyone still had cellphones and drove big cars, lots of people movers and 4x4’s. Back at the hotel in the afternoon I started to get abdo pain and think I had a tummy bug. By the evening I was feeling really Yuk. I was sure it wasn’t the usual adhesions as the pain was not increasing creshendo-like. I was not drinking and vomited during the night. I looked aweful!! In the morning I went to make tea but nearly passed out. I think my dehydration had dropped my blood pressure. I got to the airport and bought a litre of water, which I managed to keep down and the cabin crew plied me with plenty of fluids on the flight. I actually felt much better by the time we got to Auckland. I am still not right several days later. We got home about 6pm on the Wednesday evening and went back to work on Thursday. I was busy that day and then had the AGM for the schools band that I manage in the evening. That has generated so much work for me! It was 1.30am by the time I got to bed and then had to get up at 5am on Friday to go to a Hepatitis Conference in Whakatane (near where we went camping in January). The conference was good, well run etc but was really aimed at doctors, very bioscience based and far too much of it went way over my head. With hindsight I think IMAC should not have sent so many people. I stayed overnight at my colleague Liz’s place. She and her husband are Scottish and have 3 gorgeous boys. They live on a raised section overlooking the harbour, so beautiful!! I was jealous as she has huge trees of, among other things; peaches, fig, feijoas, avo’s, various plums and citrus fruit. I am really struggling to get my orchard going. Mainly because of the brown beetles that hatch from grass grubs and the stock. Back to the conference. The dinner on Friday evening was excellent and I ate something for the first time since Tuesday really. I suffered during the night. Liz, Kenny and I chatted until nearly midnight then I was up 8 times during the night!! I was feeling really yuk in the morning, felt faint after I showered and decided to go home. I have a horrendously busy week this week and need to try and get over this. Slept much of yesterday and have just been taking it easy since. I have a vaccinator training course to run on Tuesday and Wednesday and have not looked at the education materials that we got in Auckland the day before I went to Tonga. I must spend some of today doing that. Don’t have to worry about cooking supper though as we are going to Mom and Daddy’s this evening.
I am so looking forward to next weekend. Nothing planned and I can spend the following week catching up on myself.
While we were away Harriette and Alice stayed with R+R for the weekend then Mom and Daddy came here so the girls could go to college from home and stick to their normal routine. Harriette didn’t see much of Mom and Daddy as she had rowing Monday and Tuesday evenings. The should have finished this week but are doing another week as they had to cancel some sessions. She and Sarah will miss the last night as they have band on Thursdays. Missing 2 weeks (as they have) is not good but 3 is taking it too far. They also have their auditions booked for this Thursday.
Alice and Harriette absolutely love being at the same school! The evening meals seem to have us seated for longer as they have so much to discuss and notes to compare on teachers etc. Harriette has started her German course through the Correspondence School and Alice has started French with their young Sicilian, and eccentric, French teacher whom they both love. Harriette has been really good helping Alice with her French and Maths homework. It is a pleasure to see the relationship they have. They have always got on, and always had fights but their closeness is even more evident now. I am still struggling to source an alto sax for Alice and a flute for Harriette for this year. I have several irons in the fire before I resort to formal hiring.
Well I think that brings us up to date. Eric is plodding on. He just had another (small) pay rise but it is all going in the right direction. He did get a good bomus at Xmas and an additional payrise in November so is doing well. MagillEarl are undergoing a re-branding exercise at the moment so there are a few changes afoot there. We have a firm social next week. BBQ at one of the partners and 9 holes of golf afterwards. I have NEVER played golf in my life!!!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Fafa Island Resort, Tonga
No time to blog at the moment, or for the next 10 days looking at my diary! Thought I'd post a few photos in the meantime. Eric and I have just spent 4 days in paradise!!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Fafa Island Holiday
7am Apa Fale, Fafa Island Resort, Kingdom of Tonga (that's just above the Tropic on Capricorn in the Pacific Ocean).
I'm lounging on a swing seat on the large covered deck of our fale. A small lawn, well tufts of greenery poking up through sand that is our garden, our hammock (swung between 2 coconut trees of course), green shrubbery sheltering us from the othe 12 fales on the island. Beyond the shrubbery, and immediately in front of me, blue sea and blue skies. There are pretty flax like grasses bordering the deck in deep pinks, almost wine red, and pale greens and yellows. Sun loungers and displays of shells around the base of tree trunks, one string of shells even hanging, can you believe it, with baler twine, from the hammock. Idyllic, yes until I tell you that among the chirping of various words there is the constant roar, no too strong a word, rush, of the wind. It has been blowing for 2 nights and 1 day now and has bought some huge but short nighttime downpours. The skies look less threatening this morning and I am hopeful that we shall see some more sun today. (OK so when I said blue skies I meant grey/blue). Eric and I are here as a belated treat to ourselves to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Our first holiday in 15 years without children. I don't think H and A quite believed us when we told them what we were doing!!
Fafa is Tonga's only luxury resort. A 5 hecare island a 30 minute boat ride north of the capital Nukuo'lofa. Close your eyes picture paradise, that's Fafa. Except that my minds eye of paradise has huge beaches and Fafa doesn't as at high tide the water comes right up to the shrubbery, 10' from our deck. On our second night Eric was woken by a huge jolt, a 5.6 earthquake. In the event of a subsequent tsunami we would have nowhere to go. On discussing this with an Aussie later we concluded that the best thing would be to head out to sea on a kayak as that would probably be the safest place!
On Fafa there are no phones, computers, cars, clocks, TV, radio, concrete or bricks. Our Fale (house) is constructed in true polynesian style with the pillars fashioned from cocnut tree trunks and the walls are basically weaved matting from, I am guessing, coconut tree palms. The decking and joists are imported radiata pine. Much of the 'walls' are bi-fold doors which we keep open day and night. The huge beds, one up on a mezzanine floor, have enormous canopies which drop down to act as mossie nets at night. The bathroom is a sight to behold. There is a covered deck that runs along the back of the fala that is open to the back garden (the back being inland from the sea which I would normally consider the front). The back garden is surrounded by a wooden fence about 5' high but the deck is raised so when you are standing on it you can see over the fence. This is the bathroom!! A shower at one end, with drop down matting on 2 sides for privacy from passers by, in the middle 2 sinks and an enormous mirror and to the other end a toilet. I love it! No worry about smells, especially in this wind!
So what do we do all day? Well we've been busy. The big decisions we have to make each day; beef or fish for dinner, play cards or read, which book to read next and where to read; the beach, the hammock or sun loungers in the garden, the swing seat or the table on the deck, the island's library or one of the beds, one downstairs or one up in the loft (I won't tell you what Eric calls that). Yesterday Eric spent about 4 hours getting into a coconut with his penknife. The result was well worth it. Cocktails containing coconut milk are served straight from the coconut here. They hack the top off, slice a bit of the base to make the cocnut stand up then add the other ingredients and ice to the coconut milk. Our favourite is the Fafa Island Special; vodka, grand marnier, pinapple juice and coconut milk. We plan to work on the ratios when we get home!! Drinks here are very expensive. We were forwarned and bought our own GnT. As I said, we have minimal technology here. Eric's cellphone is supposed to have roaming so should work but doesn't. (We took the boat to Nukuo'lofa yesterday afternoon to see if reception would be better there but no. I was hoping to send the girls a text. It feels very odd being completely cut off from them. (Eric is reading my notes out so I can type quicker and said "It is odd being completely cut off from them, but very pleasant" I looked at him startled saying "I didn't say that"!!). We have been discussing if they would like it here and initially I thought yes but since have decided probably not. I think they's be OK for a few hours but then the novelty would wear off.
I'm lounging on a swing seat on the large covered deck of our fale. A small lawn, well tufts of greenery poking up through sand that is our garden, our hammock (swung between 2 coconut trees of course), green shrubbery sheltering us from the othe 12 fales on the island. Beyond the shrubbery, and immediately in front of me, blue sea and blue skies. There are pretty flax like grasses bordering the deck in deep pinks, almost wine red, and pale greens and yellows. Sun loungers and displays of shells around the base of tree trunks, one string of shells even hanging, can you believe it, with baler twine, from the hammock. Idyllic, yes until I tell you that among the chirping of various words there is the constant roar, no too strong a word, rush, of the wind. It has been blowing for 2 nights and 1 day now and has bought some huge but short nighttime downpours. The skies look less threatening this morning and I am hopeful that we shall see some more sun today. (OK so when I said blue skies I meant grey/blue). Eric and I are here as a belated treat to ourselves to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Our first holiday in 15 years without children. I don't think H and A quite believed us when we told them what we were doing!!
Fafa is Tonga's only luxury resort. A 5 hecare island a 30 minute boat ride north of the capital Nukuo'lofa. Close your eyes picture paradise, that's Fafa. Except that my minds eye of paradise has huge beaches and Fafa doesn't as at high tide the water comes right up to the shrubbery, 10' from our deck. On our second night Eric was woken by a huge jolt, a 5.6 earthquake. In the event of a subsequent tsunami we would have nowhere to go. On discussing this with an Aussie later we concluded that the best thing would be to head out to sea on a kayak as that would probably be the safest place!
On Fafa there are no phones, computers, cars, clocks, TV, radio, concrete or bricks. Our Fale (house) is constructed in true polynesian style with the pillars fashioned from cocnut tree trunks and the walls are basically weaved matting from, I am guessing, coconut tree palms. The decking and joists are imported radiata pine. Much of the 'walls' are bi-fold doors which we keep open day and night. The huge beds, one up on a mezzanine floor, have enormous canopies which drop down to act as mossie nets at night. The bathroom is a sight to behold. There is a covered deck that runs along the back of the fala that is open to the back garden (the back being inland from the sea which I would normally consider the front). The back garden is surrounded by a wooden fence about 5' high but the deck is raised so when you are standing on it you can see over the fence. This is the bathroom!! A shower at one end, with drop down matting on 2 sides for privacy from passers by, in the middle 2 sinks and an enormous mirror and to the other end a toilet. I love it! No worry about smells, especially in this wind!
So what do we do all day? Well we've been busy. The big decisions we have to make each day; beef or fish for dinner, play cards or read, which book to read next and where to read; the beach, the hammock or sun loungers in the garden, the swing seat or the table on the deck, the island's library or one of the beds, one downstairs or one up in the loft (I won't tell you what Eric calls that). Yesterday Eric spent about 4 hours getting into a coconut with his penknife. The result was well worth it. Cocktails containing coconut milk are served straight from the coconut here. They hack the top off, slice a bit of the base to make the cocnut stand up then add the other ingredients and ice to the coconut milk. Our favourite is the Fafa Island Special; vodka, grand marnier, pinapple juice and coconut milk. We plan to work on the ratios when we get home!! Drinks here are very expensive. We were forwarned and bought our own GnT. As I said, we have minimal technology here. Eric's cellphone is supposed to have roaming so should work but doesn't. (We took the boat to Nukuo'lofa yesterday afternoon to see if reception would be better there but no. I was hoping to send the girls a text. It feels very odd being completely cut off from them. (Eric is reading my notes out so I can type quicker and said "It is odd being completely cut off from them, but very pleasant" I looked at him startled saying "I didn't say that"!!). We have been discussing if they would like it here and initially I thought yes but since have decided probably not. I think they's be OK for a few hours but then the novelty would wear off.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
I have just done one of these so thought I'd post it.
What time is it?
20:51
What's your full name?
Michelle Elizabeth Tanner (nee Smith)
What are you most afraid of?
Dying young (I may have already passed "young" but I want to see my children reach adulthood and become self-sufficient. Then I'll want to watch my grandchildren reach aduhood and become self-sufficient.... )
What's the most recent movie you’ve seen?
Death at a Funeral (last night at Sky City movies Chartwell, Hamilton). Hilarious. And I love Matthew MacFadden
Where were you born?
Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Kent, UK. As were my children. Not because I never moved away but, by chance, I ended up back near Canterbury at that stage of my life.
Favorite food?
I'm assuming that chocolate goes without saying and therefore I can choose something else as well. Ice cream, but only particular ones and chocolate Hobnobs
What's your natural hair color?
Look at my head! (Brunette with the odd grey hair. But only if you look really close!)
Ever been a Neat Freak?
No. (My daughters will be choking and spluttering if they read this.). OK maybe a bit...sometimes.
Ever been skinny dipping?
Of course. Hasn't everyone? We live rural, no neighbours within sight and have a pool......!!! Oh if you've never done it you must.
Love someone so much it made you cry?
My husband, my children. However I cry at EVERYTHING!!
Been in a car accident?
Yes. When I was 7 months pregnant a car pulled out from a junction and I hit him in the side. My seatbelt failed and I hit the steering wheel fracturing my sternum.
Croutons or bacon bits?
Bacon bits
Favorite day of the week?
Friday. With the whole weekend ahead of me.
Favorite restaurant
A Thai reasturant in Sandton City, Johannesberg. Can't remember the name of it!
Favorite Flower?
Don't have one but gerbas rate right up there. I hate the smell of lillies.
Favorite sport to watch?
Rugby, rugby, rugby and Wimbledon. Not having TV means I see almost none of them! The big matches we get to watch at friends though, plus the odd one at Waikato stadium.
Favorite drink?
Tea (PG tips), G'nT and good quality iced coffee (in that order)
Favorite ice cream?
Tesco's cookies and cream (Now reduced to a once in 5 yearly treat)
Warner Brothers/Disney?
Disney
Ever been on a ship?
The tall ship the R Tucker Thompson in the Bay of Islands, for a day in appalling weather with the Hyamses when they came to NZ.
What color is your bedroom carpet?
Cream
How many times did you fail your driver's test?
1 (I think). It was so long ago.
Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Bridget
What do you do when you are bored?
What's 'bored'?
Bedtime?
Every day I aim for a 9pm bed, like today. It's now 9.15pm!! I probably get to bed between 10 and 10.30pm
Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest ?
I've no idea!
Who will least likely respond?
Elly
Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses?
Everyone's will be interesting. Louise please send yours to me as well as Helen.
Favorite TV shows?
See above. On the rare periods of my adult life when I have had a TV I have loved MASH, Cracker, Castaway (the first series)Heartbeat, Hamish Macbeth and Prime Suspect. I have never seen an episode of Coronation Street which is beyond the comprehension of most kiwis who seem obsessed with the show!
Last person you went to dinner with?
Lunch with Eric and the girls yesterday. Dinner with the committee from the local RSA (sorry, Retired Services Association) of which Eric is the legal advisor, a few weeks ago. A mysterty tour. We ended up at 'Out in the Styx'.
Park or Zoo?
Neither. African bush
What are your favorite colors?
Anything bright
How many tattoos do you have?
Are you mad??? They are the grossest thing ever. Not new but what do they look like when you're 60 - YUK! Henna tattoos, now that's different, especially when you have an artistic husband.
How many pets do you have?
If you don't count the calves, cows, geese, chooks and sheep 3.... Inca (black lab), Rust (brown lab) and Freckles (our friendly cow), oh and Feral the cat - that's 4.
Something you would like to do before you die?
A hot air balloon ride at dawn - in Africa, and go to Jellystone National park. I'd also like to do some voluntary work in rural Africa.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Do I care?
Have you ever been to Hawaii?
No, and don't have any huge desire to. I'd prefer South America or the Antartic. I'll never go to the antartic though as I don't believe tourists should go there.
Anything in life you regret doing or not doing?
Lots but as long as we learn from our mistakes then they could be seen to have been worth it. I wish I had intervened in events one afternoon in 1973 that would have meant my brother did not die. I don't blame myself. I just wish I had been a bossier big sister and made him come back.
How many people are you sending this e-mail?
Don't know yet.
Time this survey ended?
21.38
What time is it?
20:51
What's your full name?
Michelle Elizabeth Tanner (nee Smith)
What are you most afraid of?
Dying young (I may have already passed "young" but I want to see my children reach adulthood and become self-sufficient. Then I'll want to watch my grandchildren reach aduhood and become self-sufficient.... )
What's the most recent movie you’ve seen?
Death at a Funeral (last night at Sky City movies Chartwell, Hamilton). Hilarious. And I love Matthew MacFadden
Where were you born?
Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Kent, UK. As were my children. Not because I never moved away but, by chance, I ended up back near Canterbury at that stage of my life.
Favorite food?
I'm assuming that chocolate goes without saying and therefore I can choose something else as well. Ice cream, but only particular ones and chocolate Hobnobs
What's your natural hair color?
Look at my head! (Brunette with the odd grey hair. But only if you look really close!)
Ever been a Neat Freak?
No. (My daughters will be choking and spluttering if they read this.). OK maybe a bit...sometimes.
Ever been skinny dipping?
Of course. Hasn't everyone? We live rural, no neighbours within sight and have a pool......!!! Oh if you've never done it you must.
Love someone so much it made you cry?
My husband, my children. However I cry at EVERYTHING!!
Been in a car accident?
Yes. When I was 7 months pregnant a car pulled out from a junction and I hit him in the side. My seatbelt failed and I hit the steering wheel fracturing my sternum.
Croutons or bacon bits?
Bacon bits
Favorite day of the week?
Friday. With the whole weekend ahead of me.
Favorite restaurant
A Thai reasturant in Sandton City, Johannesberg. Can't remember the name of it!
Favorite Flower?
Don't have one but gerbas rate right up there. I hate the smell of lillies.
Favorite sport to watch?
Rugby, rugby, rugby and Wimbledon. Not having TV means I see almost none of them! The big matches we get to watch at friends though, plus the odd one at Waikato stadium.
Favorite drink?
Tea (PG tips), G'nT and good quality iced coffee (in that order)
Favorite ice cream?
Tesco's cookies and cream (Now reduced to a once in 5 yearly treat)
Warner Brothers/Disney?
Disney
Ever been on a ship?
The tall ship the R Tucker Thompson in the Bay of Islands, for a day in appalling weather with the Hyamses when they came to NZ.
What color is your bedroom carpet?
Cream
How many times did you fail your driver's test?
1 (I think). It was so long ago.
Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Bridget
What do you do when you are bored?
What's 'bored'?
Bedtime?
Every day I aim for a 9pm bed, like today. It's now 9.15pm!! I probably get to bed between 10 and 10.30pm
Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest ?
I've no idea!
Who will least likely respond?
Elly
Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses?
Everyone's will be interesting. Louise please send yours to me as well as Helen.
Favorite TV shows?
See above. On the rare periods of my adult life when I have had a TV I have loved MASH, Cracker, Castaway (the first series)Heartbeat, Hamish Macbeth and Prime Suspect. I have never seen an episode of Coronation Street which is beyond the comprehension of most kiwis who seem obsessed with the show!
Last person you went to dinner with?
Lunch with Eric and the girls yesterday. Dinner with the committee from the local RSA (sorry, Retired Services Association) of which Eric is the legal advisor, a few weeks ago. A mysterty tour. We ended up at 'Out in the Styx'.
Park or Zoo?
Neither. African bush
What are your favorite colors?
Anything bright
How many tattoos do you have?
Are you mad??? They are the grossest thing ever. Not new but what do they look like when you're 60 - YUK! Henna tattoos, now that's different, especially when you have an artistic husband.
How many pets do you have?
If you don't count the calves, cows, geese, chooks and sheep 3.... Inca (black lab), Rust (brown lab) and Freckles (our friendly cow), oh and Feral the cat - that's 4.
Something you would like to do before you die?
A hot air balloon ride at dawn - in Africa, and go to Jellystone National park. I'd also like to do some voluntary work in rural Africa.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Do I care?
Have you ever been to Hawaii?
No, and don't have any huge desire to. I'd prefer South America or the Antartic. I'll never go to the antartic though as I don't believe tourists should go there.
Anything in life you regret doing or not doing?
Lots but as long as we learn from our mistakes then they could be seen to have been worth it. I wish I had intervened in events one afternoon in 1973 that would have meant my brother did not die. I don't blame myself. I just wish I had been a bossier big sister and made him come back.
How many people are you sending this e-mail?
Don't know yet.
Time this survey ended?
21.38
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Happy 2008
Happy New Year. We hope that 2008 is a good year for you all. 2007 was a very good year for us. Eric’s first full year as a solicitor, me settled in my job and the girls both had good years at school, with Alice shining particularly.
It is Sunday morning, 10am and I am still in bed. Well I have been up briefly. I adjusted the irrigator (we have been a way for a few days and it had stopped rotating), fed the chooks and dogs and have returned to bed with tea. I did set the alarm for 7.30am. We are on almost 4 weeks leave and have been very lazy, sleeping in late and spending large chunks of the days reading on the pool deck I decided that we should try and be more productive this week and get up a bit earlier so that the 6.15am starts next week won’t be such a shock. I explained this to Eric this morning when the alarm went off and he said “But it’s Sunday!” Ooooppps. I had forgotten that!!!!!
Last Sunday was out 15th Wedding Anniversary. Which means Eric and I have been together for 21 years now. Those of you who knew us back in the early days will know that Eric was my whole life then. I knew within 2 days of meeting him that this was the man I would marry. I think Eric knew this pretty early too but he was very young then (only 21 when we met!!) and by the time we were set on this course Eric had been shot and we knew he would come into a significant amount of compensation. Our plan was to get married at Victoria Falls when that came through. The earlier than planned appearance of Harriette bought matters forward a little and when we finally got to Vic Falls Harriette was 10 months old and I was 7 months pregnant with Alice. Not quite the romantic trip we planned but fabulous anyway. “Eric was my whole life” That sounds like he isn’t now. Well I guess that is the case. I still love him dearly, and he is the best thing that ever happened to me, but when you have children the centre of your world encompasses more than one person. We are both lucky to not secretly have favourite children as I know some people do have. I go through phases of ‘liking’ one child more than the other but that is more to do with the time of the month and varies regularly! As our anniversary comes right at the end of the year it is inevitably a time of reflection. Every year I conclude with a summing up (‘Thank God that’s over and roll on 200..’, or as in 2007, ‘That was a great year, may next year be as good please’), that varies a lot but reflecting on another year of marriage I always count my lucky stars, God, or whoever is responsible. We always have good years, some are just better than others. To celebrate 15 years we decided to have a romantic get away on a Pacific Island but going over New Year was a) expensive, and b) meant someone would have their holiday time put upon with having H and A in their care. So we decided to go when the girls are back at school, the prices are more sensible and the holiday season peak has passed. We have booked 5 nights at a superior fare at Fafa Island Resort in Tonga. Google it and drool! We go in Feb and I can’t wait. For our actual anniversary we decided on a day at the beach rather than dinner out and went to Whiritoa on the bottom of the Coromandel’s east coast. It is just over an hours drive and as we pass through Paeroa we called in to Mom and Daddy for tea on the way home. It was the first time we had been to Whiritoa and we will certainly go back.
It is Sunday morning, 10am and I am still in bed. Well I have been up briefly. I adjusted the irrigator (we have been a way for a few days and it had stopped rotating), fed the chooks and dogs and have returned to bed with tea. I did set the alarm for 7.30am. We are on almost 4 weeks leave and have been very lazy, sleeping in late and spending large chunks of the days reading on the pool deck I decided that we should try and be more productive this week and get up a bit earlier so that the 6.15am starts next week won’t be such a shock. I explained this to Eric this morning when the alarm went off and he said “But it’s Sunday!” Ooooppps. I had forgotten that!!!!!
Last Sunday was out 15th Wedding Anniversary. Which means Eric and I have been together for 21 years now. Those of you who knew us back in the early days will know that Eric was my whole life then. I knew within 2 days of meeting him that this was the man I would marry. I think Eric knew this pretty early too but he was very young then (only 21 when we met!!) and by the time we were set on this course Eric had been shot and we knew he would come into a significant amount of compensation. Our plan was to get married at Victoria Falls when that came through. The earlier than planned appearance of Harriette bought matters forward a little and when we finally got to Vic Falls Harriette was 10 months old and I was 7 months pregnant with Alice. Not quite the romantic trip we planned but fabulous anyway. “Eric was my whole life” That sounds like he isn’t now. Well I guess that is the case. I still love him dearly, and he is the best thing that ever happened to me, but when you have children the centre of your world encompasses more than one person. We are both lucky to not secretly have favourite children as I know some people do have. I go through phases of ‘liking’ one child more than the other but that is more to do with the time of the month and varies regularly! As our anniversary comes right at the end of the year it is inevitably a time of reflection. Every year I conclude with a summing up (‘Thank God that’s over and roll on 200..’, or as in 2007, ‘That was a great year, may next year be as good please’), that varies a lot but reflecting on another year of marriage I always count my lucky stars, God, or whoever is responsible. We always have good years, some are just better than others. To celebrate 15 years we decided to have a romantic get away on a Pacific Island but going over New Year was a) expensive, and b) meant someone would have their holiday time put upon with having H and A in their care. So we decided to go when the girls are back at school, the prices are more sensible and the holiday season peak has passed. We have booked 5 nights at a superior fare at Fafa Island Resort in Tonga. Google it and drool! We go in Feb and I can’t wait. For our actual anniversary we decided on a day at the beach rather than dinner out and went to Whiritoa on the bottom of the Coromandel’s east coast. It is just over an hours drive and as we pass through Paeroa we called in to Mom and Daddy for tea on the way home. It was the first time we had been to Whiritoa and we will certainly go back.
(Photo's as above. I can't get them to go in here!)
We have christened the tent we bought at the end of last summer. The girls groaned at the thought of going away in a tent to the beach. (Which makes me really cross). They seem to think that it would be so boring just having our company so we managed to persuade Sarah and Katherine to join us. We went to Opotaki about 50km east of Whakatane (pronounced Fukatane) and camped for 2 nights at a site right on the beach. The golden beaches go on forever along that stretch of coast and there is the right amount of surf for the girls to have fun in the sea. Harriette had got badly burnt at Whiritoa having spent nearly 5 hours in the sea without regular reapplications on SPF and in fact refused to leave the house for 2 days as she looked like a beacon! She was very diligent about applying SPF when we were away this time! We roasted marshmallows on a driftwood fire, drew pictures and played 0’s and X’s in the sand, went for long walks in the sunset and generally had a good time. Camping with teenagers is hard work though. They take stuff out the wash kit without returning it, leave litter all over the place and seem to finding washing up in the kitchen a complex affair needed specific and meticulous instruction. Alice also has difficulty following any instructions, which drives we insane! Before breakfast, “please bring the yoghurt and milk back with you when you have finished showering” (the showers being next to the kitchen). She forgets. We have breakfast and Alice and Katherine wash up. I then say, “could you bring back the 2 ice blocks that are in the freezer back with you” (I wanted them for the cool bag which contained our lunch for the day). They come back with ice blocks, AND the milk and yoghurt!!! Why would I want milk and yoghurt after we have finished breakfast???? And so it goes on. Their groaning and rolling of eyes every time I asked them to do anything made me really cross. Mind you I should be used to it, it’s been going on for about 4 years now!!
Our 4x4 is a 7 seater so I had no concerns about inviting S and K with us to camp. It was only afterwards that I realised that this would reduce our in-car storage area to just about nothing! Ah! So everyone was under instruction to take minimal luggage. We squeezed everything in to the small area behind the seats, the middle area of the middle seats and the roof box. Harriette put in a damp cossie, which I removed and hung on the pool railings, along with my damp cossie and some other bits. Needless to say I forgot them! When we got to the campsite luckily Sarah had packed a spare swinsuit so the girls mixed and matched various bits of bikini until they could all swim. Meanwhile, Eric had packed the camp gas light but not the mantle etc etc. The upshot was on our first morning we had to go to Whakatane to find a Warehouse (like Woolies in the UK) to buy various forgotten items. There we bumped into Sarah’s boyfriend Heath and his family who were staying in Edgecombe the other side of Whakatane from us! After shopping we went to Ohope, on the way back to Opotaki for lunch on the beach. Ohope used to be beautiful beach with old baches (kiwi beach houses) but now is going up market with fabulously expensive properties. Back to Opotiki where we left the girls reading in the tent while Eric and I went to get food for supper and call in at the DOC, sorry Dept of Conservation, office. We wanted to get some info on the DOC campsites in the Oreweras (mountains south of Whakatane/Opotaki). We found out that Boulders was only 20 minutes away so decided to drive down and have a look. We had considered camping at a DOC site on this trip but thought, as you can’t book and being peak season we might not get in. Well the drive was, tar sealed road then metal (gravel), single track road into the bush with the final 200m being serious, 4x4 necessary, steep drop down to a river bed. The site was deserted! It is a basic site, which means there is a long drop toilet, picnic table and nothing else. You draw water from the river and self register and pay by filling in an envelop, putting your money in and dropping it in a box). Cost? $7/night (as opposed to the $60/night we were paying at the Island View campsite we were staying). There were some fabulous water holes and we decided to bring the girls down the next day to swim and have lunch before we headed home. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures on either occasion – sorry.
So, yesterday, our final day. We went down to Boulders with the girls, Sarah having kittens on the way, convinced we would fall down one of the washouts and disappear into the bush below never to be found, and spent the morning tanning and swimming. By the time we finished lunch it was cloudy and cool so we tootled back to the campsite, decamped and headed for home. We left at 4.30pm and got back about 7pm. Richard and Robyn arrived later with the requested fish and chips and we ate with them, and Mom and Daddy who had been house sitting. Poor Mom. Her hearing is so bad at the moment she can almost hear nothing. Being the summer break she has not been able to contact the specialist to get some help. Daddy is going to chase it up on Monday. She was meant to see an ENT bod in December but has not got an appointment through. What is so worrying is that my hearing is worse than Moms was at my age. Her sister Alice, who recently passed away, was also virtually totally deaf. Quite a scary thing to know you have coming your way.
Daddy is not a farmer! When we were unpacking the car Eric noticed that the silage in the trailer in the paddock was all unpacked. Silage (damp hay) come in bales weighing a tonne. It is kept sealed in plastic where it ferments. If it dries out it is no good, The cows love it damp and won’t touch it dry. Daddy, who had previously only handled hay when he has fed out here before, decided that it was going off as it was all damp and opened up the whole bale (10 days worth of feed!) so it could dry out!!!! Bless him! We really shouldn’t be feeding out now but we are very over stocked and our grass is not getting chance to grow. We also have not, until recently, put anything on the paddocks in the way of fertiliser so are suffering a serious lack of feed. Luckily Ian, next door has heaps of silage in and we are using his supply and paying him. He is a wonderful neighbour!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Alice's Graduation December 2007
Just want to do our proud parent bit. Photos of Alice at her graduation (from Intermediate!) ball taken on Monday (with Richard Robyn's daughter Katherine). Alice had a great year with a glowing school report and 4 trips up of stage yesterday. Cups for top Music and English student and for greatest contribution to school life (which for me is the most important one) and a certificate for being in the top three students for social sciences.
Although this is Alice's big week Harriette also had a good year with her usual standard of school report and the Yr 10 trophy for top ("brilliance in") Science at last weeks prize giving.
Although this is Alice's big week Harriette also had a good year with her usual standard of school report and the Yr 10 trophy for top ("brilliance in") Science at last weeks prize giving.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thai meal
I HAVE to tell you about last night! There is a new Thai restaurant in Matamata. We are coming up in the world you know, there is also a sushi bar opening soon!! We had heard a few good reports so decided to give it a go. Well!! We arrived to find the entrance cluttered with people waiting for take ways so had a bit of a fight to get in. We were then seated by European waitresses, which I have never experienced before in a Thai restaurant. Still I guess there aren’t that many Thai’s living in Matamata! The lighting was too bright and the lovely mural on the wall was very kiwi (a beach scene) and didn’t quite ‘go’. The menus were dumped in a pile on the table. I would like to have been handed mine! Am I setting the scene? Anyway it continued like this. It took about 30 minutes before they took our order and we were STARVING by the time the food arrived. When it finally came the young waitress, whom I feel has never eaten anywhere more refined than McDonalds, plonked a dish on the table saying “F7 not sure what it is I can’t pronounce it”, followed by “C5”. After staring incredulously until she left we burst out laughing not quite believing what had just happened. The meal ended with me dropping my jaw (to the girls amusement) when, on asking for coffee I was asked how I took it “ We only have instant at the moment you see”!!! And the chocolate ice cream was a cheap chemically variety. However the Thai food was divine, and huge portions. Even we couldn’t finish the set menu for 4 and had to ask for doggy bags. Now we know why the entrance was cluttered with people waiting for takeaways. We will be one of them next time!!
Sunday, September 09, 2007
UK Holiday - continuation Pt. 4
I failed! I didn’t finish. And now I know I am 5 weeks behind on NZ blog as well. I am sitting in a spare bed at Ann and Mikes house (Juliet’s parents). Unusually for NZ it is a 2 plus storeyed house and on an elevated section (that’s code for a seriously steep drive!). As I look out the huge picture window about half my view is sky, a third sea (the Firth of Thames) and the rest Te Puru below us. We are here for our annual “get together with J+K at Ann and Mike’s while they are out the country” weekend. I can smell Eric’s sausages cooking but have declined breakfast in favour of typing. For several reasons: a) a tad too much gin last night means I am not feeling up to it (nothing to compare with the state Eric was in last Sunday!!!), b) it’s Sunday and I don’t want to be rushed out of bed (even if it is 10am), especially after staying up until 1.30am to watch the AB’s massacre Italy in their first World Cup match, and c) I really want to get his holiday blog finished and have a busy 2 weeks ahead of me so know that if it doesn't get done now it'll be weeks away.
So, back to the UK! I really enjoyed the family reunion but the girls were bored silly. When I was their age I used to enjoy these affairs but then I had lots of cousins my age that I really enjoyed catching up with. The girls had one or 2 distant cousins under 30 there but hardly any other teenagers there. I took lots of photos of various generations of the family, which I will post as this is MY blog, even if they will not interest anyone else! Sharron, Ryan, Devon and Emma arrived looking very smart but they had just come, or were going to, a wedding. The ‘children’ all looked very grown up!
Auntie's and Uncle's (my Daddy's siblings):
Cousins: Michelle, Tricia, Pauline, Sharron, and Mary
We had our final evening at Helen and Paul’s then the very sad goodbyes. It was really hard to leave them and some tears were shed. They had been such wonderful hosts and completely unfazed by our invasion of their home over the previous month.
Up to Ava’s the next morning. Mia and Maddie were now recovered from illnesses and Harriette and Alice loved being with them. Eric’s nephew Todd met up with us all in a typical London pub. We stopped there after we had all been for a walk through the park and Mia and Maddie had shown us their schools. And Yes, Todd, like all the others, has grown up! No longer the undergraduate teenager who visited us in NZ, but a confident young man working in London and recently returned from a holiday in Mexico. Todd spent the afternoon with us and came when we went to the pub in Hammersmith for our grown up night out. Well this didn’t go quite to plan and I’ll tell you why. I could not transfer our Outlook mailing list into webmail or hotmail. I had therefore, printed it out with the intention of sending an email to everyone to let them know where we would be meeting that night in a quiet moment (!) when we were on our travels. Unfortunately, I left the printout in London at Ava’s and, as we only arrived there mid-day, I did not have time to get the info out. So. We met up with Helen, Stan, Carol and Milky only. A cosy affair. None the less, still a good evening. Stan has finally moved out of the squat (not really a squat!!) into a house. A sensible move. He has made a lot of money on his Woking flat but really needed to move into more ‘grown up’ accommodation. Well at his age!!
And so, the next day - our last in the UK. I took the girls to Primark for a final clothes shop, then packed for our departure – a mammoth task. Why did we bring so many clothes???? Again we are grateful to Ava and Henry for putting us up, and allowing us to leave bags and other stuff clogging up one of their bedrooms while we travelled. We got to Heathrow, deposited the hire car, checked in our bags (phew – no excess to pay) and went to go through the departure gates, only to find we could only take one piece of hand luggage each. On the way to the UK (prior to Glasgow) we were allowed 1 piece + laptop + handbag. Now we had to wedge it all into one. Thank heavens Eric had bought a trampers day pack which had almost nothing in it. So, under instruction from a rather stroppy security woman, we moved to one side, put the laptop and some stuff from H, A’s and my hand luggage into it so we could fit our handbags into our cabin bags and went through. We THEN find out that the laptops have to be removed (from its case in the bottom of this day pack) and be put through the screening machines in a tray on their own!!!!!!!! In the departure lounge we finished writing, and posted, the heaps of Thank you cards we had been carrying round with us. And then we left, aboard another jam packed plane heading for Singapore.
We cannot thank enough everyone who contributed to making our holiday the wonderful, memorable trip that it was. We are blessed with great friends. As I have probably said earlier in this missive, our biggest regret was not having more time to spend with people. So, once again, and for a final time, a huge Thank You to you all.
So, back to the UK! I really enjoyed the family reunion but the girls were bored silly. When I was their age I used to enjoy these affairs but then I had lots of cousins my age that I really enjoyed catching up with. The girls had one or 2 distant cousins under 30 there but hardly any other teenagers there. I took lots of photos of various generations of the family, which I will post as this is MY blog, even if they will not interest anyone else! Sharron, Ryan, Devon and Emma arrived looking very smart but they had just come, or were going to, a wedding. The ‘children’ all looked very grown up!
Auntie's and Uncle's (my Daddy's siblings):
Cousins: Michelle, Tricia, Pauline, Sharron, and Mary
We had our final evening at Helen and Paul’s then the very sad goodbyes. It was really hard to leave them and some tears were shed. They had been such wonderful hosts and completely unfazed by our invasion of their home over the previous month.
Up to Ava’s the next morning. Mia and Maddie were now recovered from illnesses and Harriette and Alice loved being with them. Eric’s nephew Todd met up with us all in a typical London pub. We stopped there after we had all been for a walk through the park and Mia and Maddie had shown us their schools. And Yes, Todd, like all the others, has grown up! No longer the undergraduate teenager who visited us in NZ, but a confident young man working in London and recently returned from a holiday in Mexico. Todd spent the afternoon with us and came when we went to the pub in Hammersmith for our grown up night out. Well this didn’t go quite to plan and I’ll tell you why. I could not transfer our Outlook mailing list into webmail or hotmail. I had therefore, printed it out with the intention of sending an email to everyone to let them know where we would be meeting that night in a quiet moment (!) when we were on our travels. Unfortunately, I left the printout in London at Ava’s and, as we only arrived there mid-day, I did not have time to get the info out. So. We met up with Helen, Stan, Carol and Milky only. A cosy affair. None the less, still a good evening. Stan has finally moved out of the squat (not really a squat!!) into a house. A sensible move. He has made a lot of money on his Woking flat but really needed to move into more ‘grown up’ accommodation. Well at his age!!
And so, the next day - our last in the UK. I took the girls to Primark for a final clothes shop, then packed for our departure – a mammoth task. Why did we bring so many clothes???? Again we are grateful to Ava and Henry for putting us up, and allowing us to leave bags and other stuff clogging up one of their bedrooms while we travelled. We got to Heathrow, deposited the hire car, checked in our bags (phew – no excess to pay) and went to go through the departure gates, only to find we could only take one piece of hand luggage each. On the way to the UK (prior to Glasgow) we were allowed 1 piece + laptop + handbag. Now we had to wedge it all into one. Thank heavens Eric had bought a trampers day pack which had almost nothing in it. So, under instruction from a rather stroppy security woman, we moved to one side, put the laptop and some stuff from H, A’s and my hand luggage into it so we could fit our handbags into our cabin bags and went through. We THEN find out that the laptops have to be removed (from its case in the bottom of this day pack) and be put through the screening machines in a tray on their own!!!!!!!! In the departure lounge we finished writing, and posted, the heaps of Thank you cards we had been carrying round with us. And then we left, aboard another jam packed plane heading for Singapore.
We cannot thank enough everyone who contributed to making our holiday the wonderful, memorable trip that it was. We are blessed with great friends. As I have probably said earlier in this missive, our biggest regret was not having more time to spend with people. So, once again, and for a final time, a huge Thank You to you all.
UK Holiday continuation - Pt. 3
(It’s now Sunday 2nd September and I will do my best to complete this epic entry before going to collect Alice from the boyfriends in Hamilton this morning!)
That evening we went into Canterbury to queue for the midnight release of the final Harry potter book. I was quite disappointed as Waterstones had advertised a street party and it was just a very long queue with an entertainer (fire eater/juggler) and one coffee shop open. To make it worse at about 00.45 people were walking along saying there were no queues in WHSmith’s!! Anyway 2 books were purchased and we headed home.
The next day we had really looked forward to. Helen and Chris have visited us in NZ (you may remember an account of spending a day on a yacht with them off Coromandel). They are avid sailors and have a lovely 40’ (I think) yacht which they charter out. A and H had noses fixed permanently to their books but looked up when Helen, seeing the books, mentioned that Timothy Spall (Scabbers/Peter Petigrew in the films) had his barge moored adjacent to them. (In fact on looking at the days photo’s later we realised we had earlier caught him in the background of a shot). She talked about how nice he was for a few minutes. As we left Alice got all excited when she saw him and, as they had the books in their hands already, I gave them a pen and they asked him to sign them – which he did, then asked if he was in the final instalment!! Great excitement and I guess they had the only HP books signed but a film cast member when they arrived back here! This excitement was tempered by disappointment. Chris had booked a days annual leave weeks in advance of our trip but got a call in the morning to say he needed to bring a ship in, his leave had not been processed and there was no one else to do it!!! He phoned as things developed and it looked for a while like he would get back in time to see us. Then the ship broke down!!!!! He was stuck on the Thames somewhere for the duration. Such a big disappointment for us all. The only consolation being, that we know we will see them in NZ before long and have been invited to spend some time sailing with them when they come – which will be great fun. They have a lovely life and much of it is based around the sea. In fact Helen gave up a high flying career in a law office in London to take some time out and ended up working in a chandlers (I just asked Eric how to describe that and he says “a boats bit shop”. He has a wicked hangover – more on that later!!). She has done lots of nautical courses and now has her ocean yachtmasters for which she deserves many congratulations. Well done Helen.
Leaving the yacht (And Mr Spall) we headed up to the yacht club to meet some of their friends and have lunch. The sun shone and we actually got a tad red! It was with sadness that we left Ramsgate but it was nice to get some insight into Helen and Chris’s lives as I have only really become acquainted with them since they visited us here. They are such a nice couple.
We had to head off mid afternoon for Blean where Pauline had arranged a family reunion. It was so strange that Mom and Daddy were not there!! It was the biggest Smith reunion for very many years, probably since my grandparents 70th wedding anniversary in 1989, (they celebrated their 72nd before my grandmother died!!). All my aunts and uncles are over 70 but there were 8 of them there, and with cousins who are great grandmothers there were generations galore!
Ryan, Devon, Eric, Emma, Harriette, Michelle, Alice and Sharron:
That evening we went into Canterbury to queue for the midnight release of the final Harry potter book. I was quite disappointed as Waterstones had advertised a street party and it was just a very long queue with an entertainer (fire eater/juggler) and one coffee shop open. To make it worse at about 00.45 people were walking along saying there were no queues in WHSmith’s!! Anyway 2 books were purchased and we headed home.
The next day we had really looked forward to. Helen and Chris have visited us in NZ (you may remember an account of spending a day on a yacht with them off Coromandel). They are avid sailors and have a lovely 40’ (I think) yacht which they charter out. A and H had noses fixed permanently to their books but looked up when Helen, seeing the books, mentioned that Timothy Spall (Scabbers/Peter Petigrew in the films) had his barge moored adjacent to them. (In fact on looking at the days photo’s later we realised we had earlier caught him in the background of a shot). She talked about how nice he was for a few minutes. As we left Alice got all excited when she saw him and, as they had the books in their hands already, I gave them a pen and they asked him to sign them – which he did, then asked if he was in the final instalment!! Great excitement and I guess they had the only HP books signed but a film cast member when they arrived back here! This excitement was tempered by disappointment. Chris had booked a days annual leave weeks in advance of our trip but got a call in the morning to say he needed to bring a ship in, his leave had not been processed and there was no one else to do it!!! He phoned as things developed and it looked for a while like he would get back in time to see us. Then the ship broke down!!!!! He was stuck on the Thames somewhere for the duration. Such a big disappointment for us all. The only consolation being, that we know we will see them in NZ before long and have been invited to spend some time sailing with them when they come – which will be great fun. They have a lovely life and much of it is based around the sea. In fact Helen gave up a high flying career in a law office in London to take some time out and ended up working in a chandlers (I just asked Eric how to describe that and he says “a boats bit shop”. He has a wicked hangover – more on that later!!). She has done lots of nautical courses and now has her ocean yachtmasters for which she deserves many congratulations. Well done Helen.
Leaving the yacht (And Mr Spall) we headed up to the yacht club to meet some of their friends and have lunch. The sun shone and we actually got a tad red! It was with sadness that we left Ramsgate but it was nice to get some insight into Helen and Chris’s lives as I have only really become acquainted with them since they visited us here. They are such a nice couple.
We had to head off mid afternoon for Blean where Pauline had arranged a family reunion. It was so strange that Mom and Daddy were not there!! It was the biggest Smith reunion for very many years, probably since my grandparents 70th wedding anniversary in 1989, (they celebrated their 72nd before my grandmother died!!). All my aunts and uncles are over 70 but there were 8 of them there, and with cousins who are great grandmothers there were generations galore!
Ryan, Devon, Eric, Emma, Harriette, Michelle, Alice and Sharron:
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