Sunday 26 August 2012

Lovely lazy day.....

I've just had the most wonderfully lazy, mooching day......I started off with my typical weekend croissants and coffee.....just like yesterday......


.....I watched as Big Miss set up a bit of photo styling.....


....I noticed Little Miss playing quietly with her dolls and ponies.....


.....I enjoyed some creative time with the Misses making wallpaper envelopes......


....I listened to Little Lad roleplaying as Indiana Jones around the house.....while I relaxed with a mocha and mags.....endeavouring to catch up with my neglected, of late, magazines.....whilst also gaining inspiration for home titivating at the same time.....


....I indulged in a spot of crocheting......the first in many weeks......


.....I was quietly impressed that Big Lad was getting his things organised to go back to school.....in a week......

.....and here I am now partaking in a bit of blogging.......

.....finally I think I'll finish my day with another bit of hookie in bed......

.....that was hookie....NOT nookie.....

.......before I go to bed.

It's been the most laid-back, relaxing day I've had for simply ages......and goodness it felt good .....I wish all weekends could be like this.....without doing a mountain of jobs.....without playing referee to the Angels.....without feeling guilty for not doing said mountain of jobs...... without the garden needing attention.....although it does, desperately.....just relaxing and going with the flow of the day......spending some time loosely with my Angels....but with each of us also doing our own thing.....it was just the best!

I've also just got into and onto Instagram.....so all these photos come courtesy of that.


-xxx-

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Impromptu picnic....

So yesterday, almost....but not quite.....on the spur of the moment, I decided to take the Angels for a picnic dinner.....I quickly made some most scrumptious choc chip cookies from Sarah's recipe over at abeachcottage......she has a lovely blog, with such stunning photos.....but I digress....I didn't have any choc chips.....so I improvised with some Whittakers peanut chocolate from NZ that was open and languishing uneaten in my bedroom.....how was that I wonder.....languishing uneaten, when it is simply the most deelish chocolate......trying to keep the pounds off, that's how..... anyway, I digress again.....the peanut chocolate was an absolute success.....a tasty twist for choc chip cookies.

After the cookies, I hurriedly whipped up some pesto pastry pinwheels.....threw some carrot and cucumber sticks into a jam jar.....grabbed a handful of cherry tomatoes......bottled some strawberry cordial.....flung everything into a French couffin shopping basket.....along with some cups and napkins......and bundled everything and everyone into the car.....I dashed into the local chippy for a portion of chips on route.....they always taste scrummy alfresco......then zippity zipped down to the local ponds for our said impromptu picnic dinner......




I didn't plan on being there too long.....Mrs Sunshine and Mr Cloud had been battling it out all day to see who would be victorious.....but I set off with a hopeful heart and a quick prayer to the angels for a window of opportunity before the heavens opened......we found a relatively sheltered spot......a brisk breeze was rustling the leaves to be sure......where we could easily enjoy casting our view upon the pond......and settled ourselves down directly beneath the cusp of a storm.....Mrs Sunshine bathed us in the last of her rays.....while the hugest, heaviest, blackest Mr Cloud threaten to dump torrential rain on us at any moment.......




......but despite feeling slightly chilly, we were thankful for that brisk breeze, as it held Mr Cloud at bay while we enjoyed our impromptu picnic.......




....it was not the best of days to decide to potter off for a pond picnic....but in true British style, we did not let the weather get the better of us.....it was just nice to be outside enjoying nature and the elements.....the pastry pinwheels and cookies went down such a treat, they were all gone before I realised I didn't even get a chance for a quick piccie....such was the rush of getting ready....


Little Lad & Little Miss


With full tummies, Mr Cloud finally victorious over Mrs Sunshine, and the threat of Mr Cloud opening his flood gates just a little too close for comfort, we packed up and ambled back to the car.....halfway home the rain started to fall.....as we pulled up outside home, the gentle pitter patter of the first raindrops suddenly became deafening as it pelted the car.....we were home safe and dry....but stranded inside the car for almost five minutes while we watched the gutters overflow, unable to take the sheer volume of such a sudden and heavy deluge......but Big Lad is impatient and declared he was going to wait no longer.....he was going to brave the downpour and fetch an umbrella to ferry everyone inside......as soon as our knight with an umbrella returned, the rain eased as suddenly as it had started.....and everyone made it inside as dry as a bone.....

.....thankfully the angels up above heard my prayers and allowed us that window of opportunity to enjoy our impromptu pond picnic.....my Angels and I had a delightful dinner dining out.


-xxx-

Phew....

....it's been a while......my NZ entries were so epic......and took me so long to record here...... but now I'm so pleased to have done so......to have a visual.....and briefly annotated diary of our super duper, most fabulicious adventure in NZ......both for me.....and my Angels......to look back on in years to come......a digital travelogue........to relive and revive our slightly fuzzy memories.....I just hope blogger will still be here in years to come.....still looking after our most precious memories, keeping them as fresh as a daisy......as if they were just yesterday......




But my goodness, this year has seemed to whizz by.......it feels like life has just taken over .....like I've been swept up by a big blustery wind and tossed hither and tither on the wild waves of life, not knowing quite which way I'm going........




......and what of my aim to slow my life down.....to savour my life.....and love my life........ well I'm very sad to say that all kinda went by the by whilst I was on these whipped up waves..... but that's not to say that I didn't think about pausing momentarily to appreciate and record the good things.....because I most certainly did.....and I'd often run through little mocked up lines in my mind of what I wanted to say......I just never managed to actually take the time to do so.......



......and here I am, several months down the line with a chunk of our lives all a bit of a blur .....nothing too huge in the big scheme of things really.....after all, I only started this blog around a year ago......and I don't have any proper record beyond that.....and a few months out of our lifetime is just that, a few months......not a lot actually......




.....but I've actually missed blogging.....taking the time to think about the good things in my life.....to photograph and write about them.....it's not polished with fab photography.....but I enjoy the creativity of it all.....and of taking some quiet time just for me.....doing something I like to do.....




......so here's to a new start......to slowing down......to savouring my life.....to really enjoying and appreciating what I do.....for if I don't, my life will have whizzed by before I know it.....and I'll be left washed out and faded by those ever constant waves of life......wondering what happened to the sparkle of life.....like those tiny twinkles that glint off the waves when the sunlight catches the sea spray, and then vanish in an instant as the clouds shimmy across the sun .....leaving those tiny twinkly sparkles looking dull and grey......here's to blogging again..... and celebrating all that is good in my life......




-xxx-

Thursday 2 August 2012

NZ Treasures.....

Treasures bought.....



Treasured family......



Treasures of the sea.....



Landscapes and flora to treasure....


Fauna to treasure.......



Geothermal landscapes to treasure.....



New Zealand treasures.....



A montage of New Zealand memories to treasure forever.


-xxx-





Tuesday 31 July 2012

Farewell....but not forever......

And so, after 3 of the most wonderful weeks, it was sadly time to bid farewell to our friends and family..... newly found and well known.....it was time to board the plane for the long journey back to Blighty.


I'm never good with goodbyes....I'm the most emotional person there is.....I cry at cartoons...... so saying goodbye to Dad, G, A and New Zealand was the hardest thing on earth.....I was still crying on the plane.....Little Miss didn't really understand, asking after take-off why I was still crying.....she didn't understand the concept of not knowing when we'd be back.....or when we'd see our friends and family again.


It was dull and dreary when we left Auckland......






.....but once we cleared the cloud cover it was gloriously blue and sunny....






How exactly do you say......
T H A N K  Y O U
......for the most amazing holiday ever?


Flying over Australia


We packed so much in......we saw so much.....we did so much....the Angels met members of our family they didn't even know they had....I spent a teeny tiny bit of time with my bestest friend....we did things we could never do here in England....the Angels learnt new skills.....I enjoyed catching up with my first real BF after more than 20 years.....the Angels learnt some of my life history.....we played games.....we laughed.....and cried.....I found I really, really miss "home", even though I thought I didn't.....we all learnt a lot.....about ourselves.....about each other......about NZ .......I discovered how wonderful it is to part of, and surrounded by family....and memories were made.....wonderful, glorious memories etched in our minds to treasure forever.....of fun times, family, friends, and faraway places.

And there are so many people to thank.....for their kindness, thoughtfulness, and going the extra mile......for treating us, taking time for us, and being with us.....



.....to all our friends and family who we met, who went out of your way to see us or do things for us....you all know who you are......and most especially to Grandpa and Grandma G......without whom, our holiday would never have been possible.......we say the biggest, loudest, most gratefullest.......


T H A N K  Y O U !



Flying over Australia

We all saw how brilliant NZ could be for us.....we have vowed we will return......




-xxx-

Sunday 1 July 2012

Auckland.....

Our last full day in NZ.....we managed a spot of shopping....some sightseeing.....some swimming .....some snacking on fish and chips.......and some stuffing.....stuffing loads and loads of stuff into suitcases.


The skies started off heavy and ominous.....


Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park, Auckland


....but did lift and lighten a little.....


The Misses
.....for a while.....


Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park, Auckland

The Angels were desperate to have some beach time before we departed.....so we gathered some things and headed off to find a sheltered beach to indulge them......and bag some precious time for us adults to chill and chat while we were at it. The plan was to enjoy fish and chips alfresco after the Angels had had their fill of sea and sand.....but with the clouds thick and grey.....


The Misses

....the wind whipping everything into a frenzy....


Big Miss, Little Miss & Little Lad

.....and us adults freezing our tootsies off....


Little Miss


....it was time to head indoors for our fish and chip feast....just how Little Lad and Little Miss managed to be in the sea wearing only their swimming costumes is beyond me......I was huddled at a picnic bench wearing jeans and a fleece and wrapped as best I could in the Angels' towels trying desperately to keep warm....and still freezing......it was not the chillin' I had envisaged..... that's for sure!


With heavy hearts the Angels headed off to bed....we had a very early start.....while I started stuffing suitcases.....packing and unpacking......zipping, weighing and unzipping.......jiggling and juggling......we had a L O T of stuff....we came with four suitcases......but we were returning with five.....five very full.....and very heavy suitcases.....it was a mammoth task.... but I got there in the end.....P H E W !




-xxx-

Friday 29 June 2012

On-Route to Auckland......

And so it was that we trundled off from Rotorua on the last leg of our road trip.....via Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty......for the briefest of briefest visits to Grandma G's friend.....on-route for Auckland.


There was rain on the window.....




.....and scudding skies all around......



.....but our spirits weren't dampened......no sireee.......we were uplifted by a gorgeous garden......refreshed with tea and scrumptious cake.....and I savoured the lovely antiques ......like these beautiful old pewter tankards from over here in Blighty......




 ....but this was all just too much for some of us.....back on the road again......the perfect opportunity for a little shuteye snoozy wooze........





.....before we arrived in Auckland at our good friend A's house.....where Little Lad and Little Miss quickly made friends with Ziggy.......




....a Leopard Gecko.....


Ziggy...the Leopard Gecko


.....who A was babysitting for her grandson......






It had been another long and whirlwind day.....we had experienced the entertaining Agrodome....met new friends......driven far.....and seen lots of the New Zealand countryside whizz by....we were tired.....emotions were starting to run high.....we knew our time was up......we knew our mostest wonderfullest holiday was drawing to a close....we knew we only had one full day left with family and friends in NZ.




-xxx-

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Agrodome.....

Like many of the motels in and around the Rotorua area, ours had it's own private hot pools and a warm outdoor swimming pool heated solely by its own geothermal hotspots......unfortunately for us adults, time did not allow for us to soak up the relaxing and healing benefits of the hot pools ......although, I'm sure we would have benefited immensely after three weeks of being non-stop on the go trying to show the Angels a real taste of what New Zealand has to offer.....but while we were packing up our things and loading the minivan, Little Lad and Little Miss took full advantage of the facilities on offer, enjoying a spiffily warm splash around in the swimming pool while the skies were grey, the air was cool and the rain was drizzling....bliss!


Before we left Rotorua proper, we stopped at a brilliant attraction.....pure NZ it was....the Agrodome......a real taste of the farm....NZ style. As we drove up the road on the approach to the main building we spotted a whole paddock of these rams with the biggest curly wurly horns you've ever seen.....


Parked up, and Grandpa having secured our tickets, we walked down a corridor and were surprised to walk into a huge cavernous barn-like building......we were immediately accosted by a youngish lad wielding a camera and directing us to stand in front of a large green screen.....smile.....snap .....smile again.....snap......catching our startled smiles to be printed onto photos superimposed with tractors or paddocks of sheep.....for us to buy after the show.....and save as memories of a happy holiday spent together.....Grandpa did purchase the photos for us to bring home to the UK, presented nicely in a spiral bound album type book.....but I'm not going to embarrass ourselves, caught as we were quite on-the-hop, with gawkish grins, here on this blog.....we'll laugh about them privately at home.....thank you very much.

We were extremely lucky with our timing as a "show" was due to start in about half an hour which gave us just enough time to have a quick look around.....off the left of the "barn" was a smallish room where some of the animals were patiently waiting to strut their stuff in the show......cows, ducks, geese, and.......lambs......


.....who were in a low-penned enclosure just waiting to be joined and petted by anyone who chose.....the Angels loved it.....and jumped straight in to stroke and hug the little lambs..... although Grandpa had some lambs at home, they were bigger than these, and not nearly so friendly .....we had to drag the Angels away to take our seats for the show.

And what a show it was......funny, entertaining, engaging, informative.....even Big Lad was seen to be laughing and enjoying himself.....we didn't really think it would be his thing......but the presenter was fab and managed to engage all age groups easily with his humour and easy-going style.

The sheep.....19 champion rams had been waiting patiently along the sides of the barn for their turn to shine.....



....and then they took their turns to run onto the stage and stand on their own allocated spot....proudly representing their individual breeds......



....some of the sheep were really funny...obviously they are well trained and knew the routine..... but as their turn approached, some of them started getting impatient.....stomping their feet and pawing the rails......seemingly desperate to take their turn in the spotlight on the stage....but all became clear......at each sheep's post was a little bowl of moreish snacks to keep them occupied and well behaved......little bribe-ish treats......just like we use for little people when we want super-duper behaviour.....but some of the sheep were greedy.....gobbled up their own..... then tried jumping up, on and over their neighbour to steal what was not theirs......again, just like little people do sometimes.......and while the sheep were entertaining us with their antics, the presenter explained the qualities and provenance of each breed.

Once we were fully informed on which breed was best suited to which need....just in case we were about to launch into our own farming venture........the sheep dogs came running in from the back of the barn.....and proceeded to herd the geese......which had just entered from a little door to the left of the stage......back and forth across the stage.....and back into their little door from whence they had come.....



Next up a cow took the limelight.....and a couple of willing participants from the audience attempted to milk the cow.....a quick lesson on the art of squeezing tits in just the right manner.....followed by a few squirts of milk tinkling into the bucket. Then came the baby lambs .....yep, the very same lambs the Angels were stroking and petting before the show started...... more willing volunteers from the audience......Little Lad stretched and stretched his hand up high, but alas, was not chosen.......took to the stage.......and this time were handed bottles of milk......no having to milk their own cows for this job......the lambs were so enthusiastic for their milk, one of them knocked the bottle clean out of the hands of their willing provider...... quick work was made of dispensing with the milk, I tell you.....



Shearing was next.....although the Angels had seen Grandpa do a spot of shearing at home, crutching his rather large lambs here........


......this was a chance to see a sheep fully shawn by a super fast top NZ shearer......



....brill he was....with a running commentary about how within just a few short hours the sheep's skin has thickened up......from the shock of losing their cosy woollen blanket......to keep them warm in its absence.....he had the sheep sitting on its butt in the most relaxed fashion waving its paw.....by tightening the sheep's skin in such a way, the sheep seemingly did it all by itself.....the Angels were well amused laughing along with the rest of the audience.

A wink or a nod and you would be the new proud owner of sheep in the auction....it was fast paced and hugely entertaining when the presenter told a little lady of little English that she had nodded......and therefore had won the lot.....he invited her onto the stage and hoped she could pay for her new sheep....



....no money? never mind.....a nice watch or jewellery would do.....she was quite overcome.....but a good sport.

Then the Grand Finale came......the sheep, who by now were comfortably sitting all relaxed at their posts were gently encouraged to get to their feet and stand looking proud representing their breed....with a few special whistles the sheepdogs were running back and forth, up and over and around the sheep......




.....it was a great spectacle.....with the two dogs finishing the show standing on the backs of the top two sheep! Such an entertaining show....for all of us......Grandpa took great amusement just watching the Angels watching the show.

After the show the audience were invited onto the stage for their own photo opportunities with the sheep and dogs.....then we wandered over to the well-stocked souvenir shop.....where the Angels parted with more of their holiday money.....which our wonderful friend M had so very kindly given them before we left Blighty.....there were so many things to buy and choose from......it was difficult for them to choose.

By now we were all feeling a little peckish.......luckily for us, Grandpa and Grandma G had packed a wonderful picnic of batches and baps filled with leftovers from last night's dinner.....cakes and cookies leftover from Christmas.....and all washed down with cordial and coffee...yum...yum...yum!

While we'd been in New Zealand, although we'd obviously seen pictures, photos, cuddlies, models and flags of kiwis, we unfortunately didn't manage to see a real, live kiwi.....but the Miss's did manage to sit on one.....


....a giant one, hiding in the agapanthus bushes!

There were lots of attractions and activities to do in Rotorua, not least the Gondola....the best way to see panoramic views of Lake Rotorua and the city.....the thrill of the Skyline Luge.....the Lads would have adored this.....and Rainbow Springs....but sadly we were out of time......we will save these for N E X T time......even the Agrodome had a Farm Tour and other activities to partake in......but we had to move quickly on.....Auckland and airports were calling.....but what we did manage to see was both highly entertaining and educational.....a definite must-see and well worth it!

-xxx-