Weekend 22 March

This weekend started on Thursday night when Penny finished school and off we went to Matarangi. After the usual instant relaxation, quick swim as the water wasn't quite like last time and evening walk on the beach, it was Friday.

We'd been given the news that our Oxfam walking team had lost a member due to some medical problem EEEEK! That means that either Penny or me are walking for our team, complicated by the fact that I am the spare person for another team and have to find out whether they are all intact before we can say I will be part of our team. So of course we had to do a bit more walking while we were at Matarangi. We couldn't find a good trail anywhere so we went over the headland to the cellphone transmitter

And down the other side
On the way we met a rugby team running along the trail and sure enough when we got back to the final walk along the beach, there they were again!
It wasnt all walking around.. I had a new shelf thing to put up but got thre wrong length screws for the fixings, so that sits in the carport till next time and finally I realised I left my wallet behind. so I thought.

We left on Sunday bright and early so that we could meet up with Penny and Roger's cousin from South Africa before they went home. We had a delightful afternoon lunch at a retaurant on the beach at Long Bay on a great day
but sadly on getting home..,. no wallet. since then I have been gradually replacing all the lost cards. amazing how many we use! meanwhile two were not amused by our coming and going
And of course when we got home the next day more walking, Duder's Park again.

Duder Regional Park Monday 3rd March 09

Today we knew was going to be lovely and because she was not at school, Penny decided we should go for a stroll somewhere. We decided on Duder regional park, a little way down the East coast past Maraetai. After packing our picnic, off we went. Soon we were trekking up the hill overlooking saltmarshes on our right at the mouth of the Wairoa River (big bay, little river)the gradual hill took us on to the rolling hills adjacent the shore
where we started to see the panama of theTamaki Strait looking out to the islandsat the South East end of Waiheke Island
Here's Penny on the pathway as we head along the headland, bit windy here!


After a bit of walking we came to the point, called Whakakaiwhara Point, which was a natural fortification, really steep almost cliffs from here down to the water. And here we found a sheltered spot on the North side, out of the wind for our picnic.After a simply lovely time here having lunch and Coffee of course, off we went over the dumpy hills toward the high point. Just before we arrived at our picnic spot we eyed up some mushrooms for the soon to be empty lunchbag. and retracing our steps we soon had a good kilo of them
Here's Pen on the track againMe too.. Then we took a little detour along a new track in the bushline which was'nt there last time we came, some 6-8 years ago, how time flies. Needless to say the lovely little track didn't take us anywhere near our destination which was the trig point on the highest hill on the peninsula, but spat us out on theroadway near the start. Of course not to be outdone by lack iof signs we retraced some of the track and burst out on to a steep hillside where we suspected the trig point may be waiting at tjhe top. After a bit of puffing sure enough it revealed itsself van we were able to wend our way along the ridgeline to the trig.
Her's Pen concealing her bag of mushrooms

and a last one of me before we saunter down the hill to the carpark.

What with mushroom hunting (they were good for tea tonight with the barbie) and picnic stop that was a splendid 2 hr 45. And no although surrounded by water and passing our local beaches on the way home we did'nt stop for a swim cos we forgot to bring our cozzies. After our regulation Whitford ice cream we just went shopping. Still cant get Pen's swimming floats at a cheap price, $40 for a kick board id ridiculous eh!

Anyway thats what we did today. hope it finds you all well!!

Have a great day people.

Steven's 30th birthday

Sunday 8th March. We all descended onDeborah and Leighton's place this afternoon for a barbie to celebrate Steven's 30th! happy birthday Steven!



roger came with the kids and Richard and Abbey too

Of course pride of place really went to Kaitlyn who was in danger of stealing the show
The baby bouncer was a people magnet until it was throw up time

But Kaitlyn was soon back into it all
But finally said goodnight. Cutie eh?

February gone already!

Looking back on the month I guess the most memorable points are:

Yes, swimming at the beach. Just lovely. I have to say though that swimming last year with the big fish out there (and, yes ,despite what people have offered as explanation I still believe there were a mixture of sharks and dolphins, bizarre as it may seem) has rather put me off swimming outside the breaker line. That can be a bit controlling on what we do cos those breakers are not really big, but can be surprisingly strong when you get out there.

Down at the other end of the beach some people who have places adjacent the shore have a permanent set up, viz the loungers must be great to just sit there with lunch. I wonder about them because not seeing any people for a bit was surprised to see them still there after some wet and windy weather and high tides the other day. Moved one onto the grass a bit for them.

See the artwork! Someone started with a few twigs and presumably others added to it. It seems to be a permanent bower at the other end of the beach now. Hasn't disappeared into the sea yet.

Now Kaitlyn must be the youngest to visit. Penny was enthusiastic as you can imagine when the Gosnells came to stay.

such an attentive soul even at her age. Here receiving instruction on lemons!
not sure what here,
but that little look gives me an idea that things are going to happen her way!

Most likely they are both going over Leighton's and my fishing trip. It went like this. Leighton does not just hang around at the beach like me. He is into action, and fishing is his thing. Within a short time of being at the beach we had to take a drive to the local store for bait and a a new line and hooks for Roger's set line. We spent quite some time being coached in the finer arts of hook tying and lots of other fishy things. At last it was coming to the end of the day, but the line was finished. It was finally agreed that Steven had still not enough strength after the fall to control his part of the double kayak. That left me and Leighton. At least he knew what he was doing. Off we set in the double. We oared about a km optimistically out into the briny in rather choppy water. Leighton fed out the line at the back while I kept the bow into the waves. Seemed to take AGES to me. Then the reason was a hook had caught in webbing at the extreme back of the kayak. At length it was dislodged and in the darkening sky it was time to head back. Of course the delay meant that the line was not well strung between the buoys, it had to be manouvered from the kayak and we poked about until it seemed straightened and headed for home. Boy it was hard to make headway even though we seemed to have a following sea. Finally we were at the breaker line. As soon as I said "lay back!" we were into the surf literally. Both we, Kayak, paddles and a yellow thing was in the water. Yellow thing? Yes, the float from one end of the set line! What was that doing here? So was the other one, so was the line and all the nasty hooks all in the surf! After finally extricating kayak, bits and line and returning home now quite late it seems that while we we were just putting the last finishing touch to the layout the rather bumpy waves allowed the line to come on top of the back of the kayak where there is a rope toggle for carrying.The chances of the line being held by the toggle while we paddled a km to the shore against the resistance of the weights on the bottom and the floats on the surface was pretty low. But that's what happened. The next morning for me was the exercise of untangling a large ball of fishing line. At least it was in the sunshine with a beer. My record of never catching a fish still stands. No wonder at Penny's and Kaitlyn's looks! I am now looking at how to make a motorised Kon Tiki fishing torpedo!
One delight has been the way the days progress into twilight with the colour and shadow. A lovely sequence from one of Penny's walks
Great sunsets eh?

Anyway on March 1st (happy anniversary Paul and Paula!!) we swanned home from yet another beach weekend because I had let myself in for Jury duty. (A sort of public spirited thing as I can refuse as I'm older than 65) Well what a palaver! About 70 to 80 would be jurors assembled at the local court first thing Monday. After an introductory video about 30 were selected by a bingo type of contraption then a similar number for another case. Strangely I was not picked. Together with the remainder I hung around for about an hour until all the challenges etc were carried out for those selected and finally just before lunch we were told to go! And we came home a day early for that?!! Well at least I could do a minor collection of odd jobs. Tomorrow Penny is back at the chalk face and I will be into lists again!