Family Time...

Saturday 20^th January 2018, we celebrated a belated family Christmas – with traditional breakfast of BLT’s then present opening, before the usual huge lunch with all the girls making this – dinner is BBQ and leftovers, catered by the guys. The present rules this year had been simple – an article of clothing, under $45 – so it was easy to pack both for the giving and the receiving. This worked a treat – we all know that it’s so much more about the being together than the actual gift – but we all like to get the gift, right!!

It was so nice to have the whole family together again, even if only for a few days, and this year we actually managed to get a family photo – usually it is exclaimed as someone drives away home – “Oh, No we forgot to take the family photo, again!!”

A fine family!!

We all enjoyed the facilities at the Bishop Selwyn, barbequing each night, swimming and hanging out in the spa, some even took a turn in the sauna!! Lilly enjoyed the scooter she was loaned and Jamie and I availed ourselves of the pushbikes. Amy found a second-hand bookshop and came back with some obscure finds amongst which was a New Zealand Joke Book which kept us all in fits of laughter for some hours!!

With Lilly due to start school in less than a week, Phil, Dolly and her had to get back to Adelaide so after goodbyes to the rest of the family I drove them back to Auckland. Picking up a hitch-hiker on the way I am not so sure was such a good idea – not that he was a problem – he just talked non-stop from Whangarei to Orewa!!

Baby Jimmy, Helen, Phil, Lilly Dolly and Red

We visited Thomas again, and Norah, as well as Phil’s cousin Helen, spending a lovely couple of hours with her and husband Red before a wander around the viaduct precinct in downtown Auckland and dinner.

The Viaduct Precinct, originally housing the fruit and vege markets, the fish market and many commercial fishing boats, has grown into a busy hive of activity with restaurants, bars, clubs and other shops, catering to tourists and locals alike, this growth mainly due to the America’s Cup regattas of 2000 and 2003 and the Rugby World Cup in 2011. There will, no doubt, be further development over the next few years with the next America’s Cup defence to be sailed off Auckland in 2021.

Goofing at the top of Roberton Island

While I was away, Jamie took the rest of the family – Marnie, Dylan, Amy, Grace and Cal out sailing. They went to Roberton Island, anchoring there and climbing the track to the lookout at the top. This reminded me of the time many years ago when the children were small and we went there on a tour boat. When we climbed to the lookout on that day somehow Amy managed to slip off the path and down the cliffside with one of the boys from the tour boat calling out “Skeet, Skeet, are you all right?” (Phil having given her that nickname from… Amy to Amos to Amosquito to Skeet) – funny the things you remember that you have forgotten.

A whale blubber boiling pot in Russell

They had a super time, saw dolphins and caught fish, Cal even hooked a hammerhead shark which made off with most of the line before snapping it and getting away. Even though it was an overcast grey day they had fun. Next day they went to Russell exploring there in the rain. Unfortunately the unpredictable weather has not been great for the family holiday here.

Wednesday the kids all headed back to Auckland, Grace and Cal were flying back that evening and Amy on Friday so they planned to spend the time visiting with relatives and ‘maybe doing a bit of shopping’ – very successfully I understand!!

The first day when Lilly arrived at the boat this trip, she very excitedly looked out at Jamie in the dinghy (called by the previous owners ‘Baby Spice’ as SOL = Spice of Life) and exclaimed – ‘Here comes Poppy in the Yamahama’ – so in the time-honoured fashion of “renaming” henceforth the tender is to be known as “The Yamahama”

Marnie, Dylan and Jamie in the "Yamahama"

Cal on the board

Grace showing her prowess

At Paihia

Lilly and Poppy

Two up!!