Well Reader,
It's been a while but here I am back from New Zealand where I decamped to in July to help our youngest daughter after the birth of their second baby. People have said to me that they hoped I enjoyed my holiday there, it was lovely, but it wasn't a holiday.
The baby arrived via C Section so Verity had three or four days in hospital. I hadn't seen Xanthe for about 18 months and was a bit nervous that she would yell the place down in her parents absence but during the 24 hours I was there prior she and I got on well so everything in the garden was rosy.
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| This is the lovely Kay who came to meet me at the airport at dawn, way way before her getting up time, thank you again Kay. I look upon Kay as my honourable sister now but technically she is Verity's mother-in-law. |
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| Little Xanthe, here she is trying to press the button for this selfie. |
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| New baby Naomi |
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| The two views above are from Verity's hospital room. |
So I have to say I did have a wonderful time there for six weeks, saw a little bit more of Auckland, Kay and her sister Carol took me out to a concert in the oldest church in Auckland (It wasn't terribly old of course) but the singing was a boys school choir and it was terrific. They were going next to the national final competition after I returned to the UK in Wellington which I think they won.
Coming to London next year if they can raise the funds.
Carol, her husband Gary and Kay also took me to see Odyssey at the IMAX cinema, that was quite an experience having never been to one before, the noise was terrific, better for me as I wore my noise cancelling headphones which made it much more tolerable.
The film was truly and amazing experience.
There's a lovely park in Auckland called Cornwall Park where I walked while Verity napped, I'd say it's more of a country park, but it was just beginning to bloom into spring flowers, most confusing to the British brain having spring flowers in mid summer....
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| Some pretty yellow one. |
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| An New Zealand Kingfisher |
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| A better shot of him, paler in colour than ours and no water to be had in this park. |
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| Gorgeous Magnolias |
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| Mount Maungawhau or Mount Eden the crater of an extinct volcano in Auckland, one of many. Later a settlement of Maori and now an amazing viewpoint of the city centre. |
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| More Magnolias. |
Now you might remember that back in May HERE
I met a young woman, a "Rock Dropper" the idea being to publicise their cause which was Uni Learning Disability, they plant these highly decorated rocks and ask the finder to share it on Facebook, you can look on there and learn all about it. Well back in May I happened to meet the painter as she was planting it. The rock in question was a Q for Quilting, I do quilting (Or used to) and I absolutely loved it. I told her I had a trip coming up to NZ and would "Drop" it there. Well Reader I just loved carrying the rock in my hand bag, so smooth and so bright but I did drop in in Cornwall Park see below.
So here it is and Reader I have to say I regretted it almost immediately, I went back to reclaim it after a coffee at the fabulous cafe but it had gone. Moreover the finder hasn't put in FB either.....
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| Nonna and Naomi |
All too soon it was time to leave. The worst thing about going is the leaving, it does not get easier I can tell you.
So I'm back, there are the five family birthdays in August that are now done, (One of which my mother who was 96) and very shortly David and I will be reporting for duty on WaL.
Very shortly.
TTFN
