Thursday 23 February 2012

Caterton......

My very best friend of all times lives in NZ......we've been friends for more years than I care to remember......but her living there......and me living here......does make for a very long distance friendship these days.....we have long phone calls.....reasonably regularly.....and the occasional Skype......but there's nothing as good as being in each other's company...... chatting, cooking, and catching up......so a trip to NZ was never going to be complete without some special time with SA.


So I left Big Lad and Big Miss in the very lovable hands of Grandpa and Grandma G......and took Little Lad and Little Miss on a road trip of sorts over the Rimutakas......a narrow winding road up and over the Rimutaka Ranges......to Caterton, in the Wairarapa where SA lives with her husband B and two children J and K.....they have the most charming piece of land with a cute little cottage sitting in the middle of beautiful gardens they have created themselves, by clearing all the scrubby bush and loads and loads of river stones which they have incorporated into the garden structure......they have retained lots of native trees and bushes and a quite a few gum trees sprinkled through too.....





and they've made several vegetable patches and orchards, which are scattered around, including this delightful cottagey kitchen garden.......


SA's Cottage Kitchen Garden

The day we arrived was quite warm and muggy so J and K couldn't wait to take Little Lad and Little Miss to the water hole.....and then J and Little Lad bogey boarded down the water race......

J and Little Lad Bogey Boarding down the Water Race


Once Little Lad and Little Miss had acclimatised to the quite chilly water and the "wild swimming" adventure, it was a great way to cool down......heaps of fun was had by all participants.

While we were there, we also caught up with my friends from years gone by......R and M, and their children M and K.....we've been out of touch for quite some time now, so it was nice to see them and catch up again.

We all feasted together......all 11 of us......on the most delicious handmade pizzas that SA whipped up while I stood chatting with her......no, I'm not lazy not helping.....her kitchen is very small, and she wouldn't hear of me standing on her toes getting in the way.....so I was content to stand, chit chatting away, sipping on my scrummy cider followed by a delectable glass of bubbles......it was a most enjoyable way to spend an afternoon which slid easily into evening.

The following day the weather forecast threatened rain, but it was still rather warm......the children hadn't had their fill of water play from the day before, and were delighted to be able to get the waterslides out....after some initial re-manoeuvring to find just the right spot.... to get just the perfect slope......for just the best forward momentum.....the four of them were off.......slip sliding away......


Little Lad, Little Miss J & K


Little Lad & Little Miss


Little Lad Slip Sliding Away


Once the excitement of slipping down wet sheets of plastic wore off, the children took themselves and a water sprinkler to the trampoline........and happily bounced themselves silly in and out of the water shower making up all sorts of mysterious games with special rules only they knew......SA and I spent some brief quality time sipping on coffee and chatting......again .....while SA whipped up a couple of Easy Peasy loaves of bread......yum yum.

All too quickly it was sadly time to round up the Angels.....their clothes and things that had been scattered everywhere.....our lovely Christmas presents we had received......and make the return journey over the Rimutakas back to Grandpa's.....it had been the most wonderful thing to have this very precious time with SA......it was so very short......but felt like we'd never been away, separated by 12,000 miles and many years.....may the time come quickly when we can enjoy more happy and comfortable time together in each other's company again.

Before we departed Carterton, we stopped at Harman & Harman.......a most delightful little shop that SA had recently found......she rang the shop in advance to see if they were open...... being a public holiday......and was surprised to be told they were......upon our arrival we were greeted by a young lad.....who had obviously answered the phone......he told us his Mum and Dad......whose shop it was.......had taken themselves and their family to the beach for the day......leaving him at home because there wasn't enough room for him.....poor him.....but he had happily opened the shop just for us, as we were passing and would be returning to the UK .....how nice was that? And what a fabulous little shop it was.......


Harman & Harman

Inside Harman & Harman

Inside Harman & Harman

After a lovely little peruse at all the gorgeous goodies......and a far amount of hmmming and haaaing......a small amount of money changed hands.....and I was the proud new owner of a prettily embossed pink and white heart hanging from a pretty pink ribbon.....




well, I couldn't leave without a little something......for the young lad's troubles, of course.....opening the shop just for us.....so sweet and accommodating.......it now has pride of place hanging above my bed.

Then it was one last stop at Pinehaven Orchards for a most delicious tub of fresh fruit ice-cream made to your very own fresh fruit combination......yummy, yummy, yummy.

And while we were away, Big Lad and Big Miss didn't just sit around twiddling their thumbs .....they went ten-pin bowling and out for an Indian....nice......although it wasn't actually .....the food and service were terrible......at least we had yummy pizzas.....hehehe ......and there were driving lessons to be had in the little truck, the tractor, and the quad bikes...... Big Miss decided the No. 8 wire stock fences were in need of a little rearranging, so took out a little section with the quad bike.....a case of a bit too much power and too tight turning and the fence being just a big closer than she anticipated......not to worry.....Grandpa will fix it.....he likes to keep busy and always needs new jobs to occupy him.....haha.....and then just as it started drizzling, a magic carpet ride was enjoyed......Big Lad zooming round the paddock on the quad bike......Big Miss sitting demurely......or rather clinging on for dear life.......to a piece of sacking.......being dragged along behind .....with just the right amount of drizzled rain droplets to provide the perfect lubricity for a most adventurous riding experience......shame I haven't got any photos of that!

We all had a brill couple of days.....and once again, we'd like to convey our most gracious thanks to all those special people that made it possible.

-xx-



1 comment:

  1. What a lovely post! Looks like everyone had a brilliant day. Lovely to catch up with old friends. What a wonderful place they have. I cannot blame you for wanting to go back......I would!

    Have a lovely weekend!

    Vanessa xxxxx

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