Camping countdown

Yay, we are off on holiday. I am supposed to be packing but I think going on holiday exhausted is just the only way to go. Instead of packing I have been watching the lovely Gordon on the telly and doing some computer stuff. I have actully packed quite a lot of stuff but don't seem to be hugely connected to the process and am wondering what we will realise we have forgotten in the middle of nowhere. Jonty is convinced we are taking the entire house so I am sure we can fashion up whatever we need from all the other stuff we have with us. It is hilarious how much stuff you think you need to go camping. Because I insist on the book bag and another range of activies and books for Nicholas and a million other bits and pieces I then feel duty bound to use every little thing in a flourish to show how very clever it was of me to insist on taking said thing.

So, no blog for a while. I hope we have some lovely pics and a few tales to share when we get back. Have a good couple of weeks and see you soon.

Raspberry Cafe

Lovely time with our lovely family...just a bunch of pics to share and for everyone to see that they do make it in to my family blog.. Dads and daughters

Birthday boy Ruth

Lisa and me (making a very rare appearance on my blog)

Jonty and Lisa

The 'middle young ones'

Nic

Rosemary

Anika

once removed

The cousins are in town...2nd cousins twice removed. They are really here for their dad Frank's 70th Birthday celebrations but the very good thing about them all converging on CHC is that we get to spend time with them. Yay. Gill has abley organised the event from the Waiarapa and even managed to pull off the surprise landing of Pete, Lisa and Ciaran from Melbourne, all the while large bellied with child. Impressive.

(Andrew Stewart 2008)

Off to Raspberry Cafe for lunch today. Hopefully there will be something to report by the end of the day or AT LEAST some pics to add to the album. Although the camera hovered last night, no actual photos were taken. However, beers were drunk and Hell pizza consumed. Lots of stories and catch ups. Plus promises of travel and adventures to come. Looking forward of more of the same today.

Just remembered that it was a scant 6 days ago that my lovely cousin Margi and Michael were in town and joined the family for a bbq on the back lawn. It has been a lovely family time over the last few weeks. I can't really get enough of my cousins. Seems that the older I get,the more I want to see them and spend time with them. Plenty of time left I guess.

A tall long-faced tale

Another busy week at work has sapped my brain for writing in the old blog and I have no lovely images to share of my week either. But by the end of writing this I am sure I will be inspired to search out some.However, a tired Saturday morning entry might get me energised for a more interesting post later in the day. Continuing my theme of New Zealanders of note tucked away in weird places on TVNZ on Saturday nights, I watched Margaret Mahy last week. One of the "NZ Festival' cluster. A Tall Long-Faced Tale - Margaret Mahy, by director Yvonne McKay. Into the live action world of Margaret Mahy, one of New Zealand's most celebrated writers, enter 3D animated characters from her books, to interview her on her innermost private feelings and views, alongside writer Elizabeth Knox.

What a fantastic woman!! Although probably considerably odd for her time, she is the most eloquent storyteller. Whether talking about her life or the those of her characters she just somehow seems to have a unique way of using the English language. I guess that is the essence of any good or great writer so I am obviously not expressing myself that well....the sign of a not good writer. Anyhooo, the woman was a joy to listen to and watch...serenity, passion, mana.
I especially loved the creative way the programme used her characters to interact with the writer. Elizabeth Knox a particularly strange woman, was not the best interviewer and could be described as wooden, however, I saw the attempt at the intimacy of one writer interviewing the other as a considered idea.

Having read most of MM's teen novels, I can highly recommend them to anyone wanting a good read. I like the mystical aspect of them and rest assured we are not talking mystical in the unicorn sense. I am about to embark on '24 hours' after I have finished 'Run' by Ann Patchett, who wrote 'Bel Canto' - another fantastic book.

Thank the Lloyd

Another great NZ thingy on Saturday night for the stay at homes. Last week it was the hugely impressive Ron Brierley. This week it was Lloyd Geering talking about God and Christianity and a few other bits and pieces.

I just loved listening to him talking about his 9 theories or beliefs regarding God and all that stuff. To me, he was the voice of reason. However, Chris at work thought he was the heretic he was tried for being. John and I agreed on some of his thoughts and that in itself is unusual. Unfortunately we had to stop the conversation as I could see we were heading down a rocky road. However, I think a very worthwhile programme with some great ideas. I can see why the Presbyterians had conniptions in 1967 as his ideas would have been pretty challenging back then. Looking at the footage of the time, I wondered what my Granny would have thought of him.

Anyway, if you are interested in finding out more about this guy, check out his stuff at the library here. I love a little scholarly romp of a Saturday evening and my mind was so energised by the challenges of what he was saying, I found it hard to sleep.

Margaret Mahy is on this weekend and we love her. Being an ex-librarian (who worked at CCL) and an author of immense talent, it should be very good. Mind you, I will be interested to see if there is anything in this programme that I don't already know about her. I once had the pleasure of sitting next to her at a casual dinner and she was bloody great. An unforgettable meal for me. Will have to have a chat about her next week.

One more thing....Karen sent me some pics from a trip we did to Punakiki in 2005 and here is the one that I almost cried over....can't believe my rowdy little ball of screaming energy was once this angelic little cherub...I just want to pinch those chubby little cheeks.

Happy New Ears

Well all the presents and food are over, the holiday is ended and it is back to normal. We finally got home from the bach late on Sunday and I feel like I am chasing my tail catching up with everything. Work is mercifully quiet although I do have a lot on, there are no external pressures adding to the mix.






We had a lovely holiday and the weather was kind. Only one damp day and we used this to make our annual pilgrimage to Eastgate Warehouse to pick up small bach items and bits and bobs. I bought an outrageous top which was too small so will have to be returned but I love it so much I might buy the bigger size.

We had a very quiet time with only two visitors and a chance happening. I was hoping more friends would come over to share the fun but not to be. It was great to see my folks in the water together. They have an impressive set of stick legs each so looked very cute wandering down to the waves. They were the oldest people in the water and I was proud and hoped I would be the same - wrinkles and all.

Nic had the pleasure of Olivia's company for a day and night and was thrilled to be with another child, especially her. They played so well together and had lots of fun. Ben and his parents also turned up so that was another nice catch up and Marie-Anne made the journey from Timaru, sadly on the cool day, but great to have a visit and sit outside watching the waves and having a chin wag.

I challenged myself to take some interesting pics of the beach. I don't want my blog and more importantly my life to look like 'Ground Hog Day' although of course there are elements of that in everyone's life. So I tried, not very hard, to get some slightly different images of our time at the beach.