Evening TV

I've enjoyed listening to the string of talent shows about at the moment, listening while doing other things and stopping for the really good ones like DaNica Shirey. Had to share this one.

Fireworks!

What a treat. An awesome venue, a barbeque, red wine, excellent company and fireworks over the harbour. After some work on Tortimony, making sure the skipper didn't fall from the mast and passing up those important fixing things things, the evening progressed as people gathered to watch the big fireworks display. Shed folks and others for the best view in the place.

I had taken my big camera, hoping I could get some night shot practice. Night shots and not my best so I need all the practice I can get. I've been getting some lovely time on the water lately with the Friday evening Rum Races. The weather out on the harbour is fickle, especially later in the day. This week it was the southerly change that brought stinging cold rain and small hail. Yes, it was very cold! Exciting too. We came third in class, not a bad effort. Rum was enjoyed.

Todays been a quiet one, much needed after some long days lately. Long days and people staying. That social time of year. There was the Meet-up Christmas party last weekend, an evening of great music and dancing. It's been a while since I did so I made the most of it. Finishing the evening with tea at the Library Bar in the small hours. I'm one of those organising work's Christmas party, thats been fun. 

Heading south for Christmas this year to enjoy the 4 year old. It's time for my first proper break this year, family time then heading off for an adventure to Nelson and hopefully sailing across the strait back home. One of the crew is taking his family out to the sounds and needs extra hands to get home. Sounds like a nice plan to me. 

How to make a lasagne

A vege one of course. Get a ride down to the vege market with your Cayman Eco bag. Hunt out too many veggies and fruit to fit in the one bag and be comfortably carried home. Buy them anyway. Trudge down the waterfront, stopping frequently, changing hands. Rest for a bit. Eat some of the ciabatta and a banana to lighten the load. Head to the nearest bus stop.

Up the hill dragging the bags, in the door collapse on the couch with my book and a cuppa for a bit. Empty the bags, sort the old vege in the fridge. Bin the lot. Get the vege ready for the lasagne. Get the dish for the lasagne. What? No dish? What do you mean no dish to cook the lasagne in? Guess that one didn't get packed after all. Sigh.

Out the door for the wander to the supermarket, an over 3 km walk both ways. Sigh. Well there was on dish there, the heaviest dish in the whole world. It was red at least. Just need a couple of other things......two bags, arms growing longer and longer. Who needs a gym workout.

Home, too late to collapse on the couch, oh go on just for a moment. Chop the vege, wilt the spinach, turn on the oven. Might as well make a date loaf while the ovens hot. Sauté the vege and add some sauce. Skype call from Sasi and the girls. Hold the lasagne, turn off the oven, lovely catch up with the gorgeous ones. Plenty of smiles. Hot there in Brisbane, nice.

Stack up the vege, lasagne and all. Into the oven. Date loaf next. Oh, not a wise idea. Hungry now, just want dinner. Not quite cooked. Loaf ready, in the oven it goes. Dishes everywhere, the next job. Sigh, just want to eat and relax on the couch. It's all done now, cuppa in hand, date loaf sampled. Not bad.

So it's work tomorrow. I'd rather have another sleep in. It must be just about time for a holiday, a few days off without anything much to do. Friday evenings have been spent on the water, this week shifty, gusty winds meant a full body work out. Nice social time after, postmortem on the race we didn't quite finish. It's been great having Sue here on the evenings she is, great company and we plan to get walking as the evening get lighter.

I'm really enjoying the twilights here, long evening to enjoy the gardens and the waterfront. There's always so much going on down there, today the Sea Shepherd was in Dock and the waka out training.  The chants drifting across to the watching crowd. I managed to get some pics, a relief to put down the bags for a bit.

The wedding

What a treat it was to be with everyone on such a special occasion. Brisbane turned on a beautiful day, all those special people came together, Kieran and Sasi looked just gorgeous and then there were the beautiful grandbabies. A real family occasion, one to catch up with those I haven't seen in a while. To renew, to reminisce, to celebrate.

The photos are wonderful, the photographers did an amazing job. I can't wait to get some prints. Although I took a few, my camera was mostly quiet. Too much catching up to do. The dress was a success.

I was really impressed by how friendly Brisbane folks are. I usually stay with family so I've not had much time in the city. The lovely staff at the Gardens Apartments up graded us to a two bedroom apartment. It was a great base, within walking distance of everywhere we needed to be. Everyone we met was fantastic and the happy couple were the centre of attention. So many people congratulating them.

So here's a pic of the whole crew. The first time in so many years that we have all been together, the first time with those gorgeous little ones.

Oh my!

This space has been just so neglected lately. Not that I've not had adventures to write about, quite the opposite. Life is all consuming at the moment. After a quiet winter, well quiet for me, it's all go with friends coming to stay, cultural events to attend, wonders to be wandered, socialising to be done. Generally busy in all parts of my life with work ramping up to the place where it's more interesting and engaging.

It seems that I've not written since mid September. So much to tell, where to start. I wrote last post that Jane and Annie were coming to stay. What a treat, two of my favourite people who had never met each other at my place at the same time. It put me in mind of a poem I received in a card once:

Make new friends and keep the old
these are silver, those are gold.

I've known Annie for so many years it's scary, we had a laugh about that. Remembering, reminiscing. Jane and I have country hopped together, both now back home and enjoying this place. I hired a car, we had adventures. I'd been stressing a bit about what to wear to the upcoming wedding, mother of the groom suitable. The outfit I'd bought earlier was elegant. It needed shoes, and a suck it in petticoat. Or the toning of some tummy bits.

Plan B needed to arrive, a trip to Greytown over the Rimutakas with my new credit card was quite in order. I'm not a good shopper, I have to be in the mood. With my personal shopper the stylish Jane and her trusty side kick Annie, I had little choice. And it was quite fun knowing that I could buy without checking the price tag on this one day. The joys of a new, untouched, no balance credit card and the need to look stylish for this very special occasion.

The first shop was all we needed. A nice green dress called me in, a gorgeous colourful Trelise Cooper dress left with me. i had a small chuckle at the name of the dress, Caribbean Dream. Too appropriate it seems. Just wish I still had my Caribbean tan. There was also that wonderful moment when I wasn't sure, it didn't quite fit the way it might, and the lovely assistant brought out the smaller size. It fitted perfectly.

So a pair of orange shoes and a matching handbag later, all I need is the right lippy and I'm good to go. Today I'm practicing using my new contacts, the glasses were a hit and they can be plan B just in case. All good so far.

The reason Annie came up is that we had planned to go to WOW or the World of Wearable Arts. There was a part of me that was ambivalent, that was until the first minute of the show. Wow it most certainly was. What a fantastic, mind blowing show. I could have gone a few times just to make sure I saw all there was in this most sumptuous production. I was awestruck and emotional, very proud of the talent, our talent, on display. With the wonderful piece that was all about Aotearoa. The clip below is such a small taste, the plan is to go again next year.

We had a small mishap after a night out where I learnt that it costs $140 to be let into one's house when one has mislaid the keys. One of those funny moments when we stood freezing by the door after being dropped off by the taxi, debating what to do, when there was a perfectly good car parked on the road to sit in. I even had the car keys in my hand and could have driven back to find the ones that had dropped out of my small bag. The locksmith was almost there when we realised, he came up the road to see three women crippled with laughter waiting to greet him. I suspect he'd seen worse.

So I suspect this is part one of a long catching up tale. I fly to Brisbane on Friday, outfit and shoes packed in a special carry on shopping bag. It's going to be a long day, flying to Christchurch to pick up the great grandmother, then to Brisbane and all the excitement of seeing everyone. I can't wait and photos will follow.

For now it's time to head out with Sue and Bex to pick up two sun loungers for summer evening wine moments in the late afternoon sun.

Catching up

Its been an interesting time lately. The winter blues have given way to some spring delights, like the daffodils on my table. Vibrant yellow reflecting the sun as it rises through my east windows. The sun now comes in those windows, that means summer is on its way. This is a summer house, not being insulated like so many New Zealand homes makes it not so warm in the winter. The sun is also gone in winter from quite early in the day.

Last evening I joined a few folks in the Last Minute Larrys Meet-up group to watch the rugby in town. I really enjoy these groups of people, all are friendly and inclusive, some I've met many times, some are new. Like the trainee doctor from Germany. I did my best to explain the rules of rugby, what was good and what was not. She had been in the country for two weeks and was told rugby was a must see. I'm sure I'd have been the same watching football in Germany with her, except she had perfect English and I have no German.

Yesterday I replaced my glasses, another tick on the to do before the Brisbane wedding. I also have some new contacts to try. The optometrist suggested that I only use one contact so I didn't have to carry reading glasses, she suggested it. Others have laughed at me doing just that when I only managed to get one contact in. See I'm hopeless at using them successfully. Hopefully they will work just fine this time.

Not many more weeks until I'm off to Brisbane again, I can't wait. It will be the first time all my sons have been in the same place at the same time in a long while, certainly since Nick became a dad too. Seeing my sons being dads is the most amazing experience. They are all awesome dads, well taught by their dad's modelling. It's precious to see their smiles as they gaze lovingly at their little ones, as they build Lego creations, take them on bike rides to the park, show their love and pride. It makes me very proud.

My daughters in law are all awesome too, like the boys they are all different and yet all with the same special qualities that make them wonderful women to be raising children, my grand children. The cousins will get to play, well the two bigger ones will, and their great grandmother will get to meet the two new additions. I feel family photos coming on.

Today I got my spare room a little more organised. Jane and Annie are coming to visit in a couple of weeks and Sue is coming to stay for a bit, commuting from her lovely new home in Nelson. I also got to wander in the gardens. Following paths familiar and unfamiliar and finding some restful contemplation spots. Wellington is truly amazing. Within 20 minutes walk I can wander in the bush, through rose gardens, along the waterfront, through the city and climb hills. No excuse not to be fit.

Brisbane babes

Giving in

I've been feeling a bit peaky the last week or so, everyone at work has the flu of some description and sharing the same air conditioning and open plan space is bound to mean some other sharing. So today I'm giving in and having a home day. One to have plenty of rest and fluids so I can make the presentation I'm doing at a conference tomorrow and the leadership meeting in the afternoon. I've also got a presentation to prepare for a session on Wednesday plus some personal stuff that needs business hours time.

So it might not be such a restful day, or am I just justifying taking a day off sick. I come from tough stock, originally Scottish stock and we don't admit to sick or do sick often. I've learnt that if I gift myself a day when I'm feeling like this, honour feeling off colour, acknowledge it and take care of myself, I come right quickly. It's the same with so much of life.

This week here has been lovely, soaking up the spring sunshine, topping up my vitamin D stores. Yes, summer is on the way. I'm looking forward to that and my next trip. Of course my next trip. I'm heading to Brisbane in a month or so for Kez and Sasi's wedding, I'm so excited. That coupled with the need to fit into a nice dress, buy shoes and organise some make up etc. Another thing for the list, that nice dress. Oh and maybe a hat/fascinator/hatinator (apparently there's such a thing).

So life in the capital goes on, there's an air of tension, excitement here about the upcoming election. It should prove interesting.