There is something about March

Before Nicholas came along I never even noticed March. The only memory I have of the whole month was 7 March was Tax day for some group. But now March really is a focus on my yearly calendar. Firstly and so obviously, it is Nic's birthday - on the 7th. All of a sudden I realised how lovely March is around that time. It is still warm but the baking heat of summer has left and it is warm but fresh. The sky is so very blue and the water at the beach and the river not so cold.

Yesterday after a week of parties and 5 cakes! We headed for the beach. We were there early as the weather forecast indicated a cold Southerly coming through at about noon. The water was fresh (a euphemism for very tingly and a bit headachy), the surf was perfect and there were only hardy families camped out on the beach.I caught some of my best waves of the season and did some very enjoyable bobbing. The waves were so perfect that I just launched in at the perfect moment and was picked up and shot forward. No frantic arm swimming to get in the wave and no dumping with spine bending strength. Just perfect. I saw a guy about my age trying to catch waves on his boogie board, to little effect. I wanted to tell him 'It doesn't get any easier than this mate' but thought better of it. He and I were the only people in the water without wetsuits so big ups for that. Nic clung like a limpet around my neck as we tackled some waves together. Really is time for swimming lessons for him.
Jonty and Nic went hunting for creatures in the rock pools and discovered a very large crab in the defensive nipper flailing pose and left him alone, '100's of sea anemone', catseyes and Jonty got stung by a wasp on the back of his neck' Very brave my Jonty - didn't utter a word other than ' mmm stings a bit'. We kept an eye on that little spot all day but he seems ok.

Back home we cleaned up the detritus from Nic's birthday party and had a visit from my folks. Nic dressed up in his school uniform to show them and we all were a bit misty I think, looking at that baby of mine cute as a button and ready for school. All the books, bag, clothes and boxes are labeled to within an inch. Fresh baking in the tins and everything just so for the big day today. Nic is starting to worry a bit about it all but he will be fine.

Another great thing about March besides the calm warm weather is Nic's birthday. With only one small child it is a perfect opportunity to go mad and put heaps of time and effort in to everything about the party. Leaving two pre-schools, having a small family gathering and a kids party, I baked 5 cakes last week and made a lot of icing. Phew!
The weather was perfect on Saturday and all the little ones arrived gorgeous in party frocks...the girls...and tidy and combed ... the boys. With most of the children from different parts of Nic's busy life, there was a little awkwardness at first but once the trampoline was spotted and the new birthday castle inside and the crafty craft table everything just took off. Food was dispensed, lemonade and juice also plus the revealing of a huge pile of m and m's in the volcano on the cake and all the children were in heaven. Lovely to have all my friends there too with their children.

Before Nic I used to think the year ended in February...the end of summer...and didn't start again until November. Now I know that March is really just an extension of summer and the best kept secret month of the year!

Birthday Bliss

What better way to get over a big birthday event than fall asleep wrapped around your very own dragon?

Nic took a very measured approach to his 5th birthday. He got himself up and turned on tv, plugged in his headphones and proceeded to ignore the pile of very enticing and interesting looking presents on the coffee table. When the pile was pointed out to him he chose to 'turn the tv off so I don't get distracted', and carefully and measuredly opened the cards, then the presents which all had a good playing with before the next was opened. He especially loved the little bits and pieces Granny Philippa stuck on the outside of each of the 6 little things she sent. He absolutely loved each and every thing he received. Very heartwarming for his mother.

Off to pre-school he headed with another cake and a pile of lollipops. When we picked him up at 5 I managed to hold back the tears and make chit chat with Jo and Megan, but reading his profile book in the car on the way hope was almost too much. I only have great things to say about Barnados Early Learning Centre - Richmond. You just couldn't ask for a more warm inviting and happy place for a child to spend their time when they are not with you.

Home for a family dinner and another present. Jasmine hit the spot with a 'Lightening McQueen' money box with Easter eggs in it. The most enticing bit of this present was the padlock and key. An absolute obsession of Nic's. He doled out the Easter eggs all night and was hugely generous with them.

Bowling in to his room last night I was overwhelmed with love and affection for my beautiful boy who brings me love and sunshine every day of his life...the gift that keeps on giving.

Sunday Drive

When was the last time you went on a Sunday drive? For us this is usually a winter activity but last Sunday Jasmine was in town so after a delicious breakfast at Drexels, we high tailed it up to the Summit Road and went driving. The morning was stunningly blue with a fierce (unseasonal) southerly wind whipping across the hills. Jasmine took all of these photos. She has her own style which is distinctive and really interesting. Thanks for letting me use them Jasmine.
The hills of Christchurch are great. Hundreds of people a day use the hills for their recreation and there were cyclists, rock climbers, orienteerers, walkers, tourists and Sunday drivers dotting the road and tracks like small insects in a big landscape. I desperately wanted to get on my mountain bike and ride the traverse track, something I have not done for five years.
At Sugar Loaf the air felt big and expansive and hugely refreshing. We filled ourselves with lungfuls of fresh air and drank in the views for miles in every direction. It was great to get out of city and find some space and relative quiet.

Profusion of Pink

Our family party season kicked off last Thursday with pizza and ice cream sandwiches in celebration of Simon's 30 something birthday. On Sunday we attended a 'fairy party' to celebrate Olivia's 5th. Ruth put a lot of work in to the designing and decorating of the back yard and it was all lovely and pink and fairyish. The 30 degree heat also helped to make a lovely laid back atmosphere. All the girls floated around together playing lovely girl games in a little cloud of pinkness. The boys entertained themselves with the boat and ball games. Parents and grandparents languished on deck chairs under trees and caught up on each others year. Many of us only seeing each other at the annual event.

What made the event so very pleasant was all the lovely children who behaved like angels. No stampede to the food table, no tantrums no fighting or crying. Let's hope Nic's bash next week is as calm and relaxed.

Spreydon Library YouTube

Thought I would add this clip of my boss Carolyn being interviewed for CTV our local tv station. Note she is sitting in the gorgeous new Spreydon library. Click on the link and go to about 5.30 minutes in to the article and you will see the lovely Spreydon library in all its shiney newness.
YouTube

Libraries

I don't normally talk about work in Sallyscape but I wanted to share some pics of our recent project at work. This has been an ongoing project which has caused Chris and I some very dark moments and I think we both might have sqeezed out some tears of frustration at some point.

However, the revamped library re-opened on Monday after months of closure. We are thrilled with the result and although there are still a few lingering problems, it was very exciting to see customers loving the place on Monday morning. The team who work there also love it so, yay. It has been a huge team effort but as the project leader and buck stopper I am thrilled with the result. Perhaps some before photos would help ...might find some...

Totaranui

It really is Ground Hog Day... more pics of our holiday in the sunny Abel Tasman National Park. We had a fab time although not the baking heat of last year. It was windy and we experienced some pretty spectacular thunder and lightening as well as torrential rain. Nothing seemed to permeate our tent so all was well. A hightlight would have to be our trip along Farewell Spit. However, due to a camera glitch our photos are marginal. Totally my fault and I feel very bad about that.

However, here is a small selection of photos. Farewell Spit Lighthouse and Nic, Olivia and Ben

Golden sand

Awaiting the fire to die down for marshmellow toasting

Treasure hunting in the lagoon

...and the treasures

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.