Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

I am writing this in the middle of the night (3.30 am) because I ate and drank too much last. We went out to what turned out to be a very good restaurant called The Falls (www.thefalls.co.nz) to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. It was also the first time that the three of us have been out for a meal together since arriving in NZ, just over 9 months ago. We chose The Falls because it came out top in a reader poll in a local newspaper some months ago, and we had seen it while going to and from Henderson library and liked the look of it. Nicky popped in a few weeks back while using the car park next to it and booked for us. Nicky and I both started with soup of the day (beef and tomato), and for mains Claire and I had salmon and Nicky had pork. Claire and I shared a chocolate mouse dessert and I had a coffee with kahlua and bourbon. I also had to finish off Nicky's wine so that and having three courses is why I am suffering now. I should have known! Anyway, all the food was exc...

It has been a quiet week this week, with no really exciting events that I can recall. I worked at Hungry Creek modelling on Monday which was good, especially now that they have a gas heater which is like a jet engine - almost as noisy and pretty hot. We didn't need it on for long fortunately. Nicky has done her "regular" hours and emergency cover today, Sunday, at New Lynn. She enjoyed having Tuesday and Wednesday at home and was able to visit both Ruth and Mary, though Mary had gone on a trip at the last minute so Nicky only saw her briefly. Claire has had some time off work due to suffering with a heavy cold which most people both at Whitcoulls and the Library Service are also battling with. She seems to be on the mend but is still very congested and not sleeping too well. The weather has been getting a little milder and damper, but we have still had some spells of sunshine. Nicky decided this evening that we have really lost it. Today has been the first Sunday that Cla...

The best day of last week was Monday: it was my birthday so there was a public holiday, but of course The Queen had to muscle in and have her "official" birthday on the same day, making everybody think we had they day off because of her. Indeed. Anyway, it was another chance for all three of us to have a day off together. We started with a lie-in and and a leisurely breakfast, accompanied by present opening by me. I had bought goodies for a picnic lunch (smoked salmon and cheese wraps, dips & crisps) which we planned to have "out" somewhere. We headed off west to find Waitakere village as Nicky had been impressed by it on her EcoBus tour. However, when we got there we discovered it was not the place that she was remembering. It was however an enjoyable drive, and took us half way towards Bethals beach, which is where we headed next. After a stroll down the beach we sat on a picnic bench in the sun and ate our grub, while being monitored closely for crumbs by a p...

It has been another fun-packed week here on this side of the world. On Monday we went to the Rialto cinema in Newmarket to see "In the shadow of the moon". The cinema is near the train station which I use to get to work. We were going for the 6.20 showing. Claire had been at Whitcoulls in the morning and the museum in the afternoon so had the car with her (which we left in the Ubercarpark). Nicky had started out the day at New Lynn library and had then gone over to Henderson so left work early to catch a train to Newmarket. Claire and I met her at the station after having a bite to eat in the Westfield Broadway mall food court. We had not been to the Rialto before (there is only one in Auckland) but we preferred the atmosphere to the SkyCity cinemas we have been to. It was much more like a theatre and not so garish. The ticket pricing is also of the Moira Cocker variety - there is a "with wine" option. In between the seats are good sized wooden arm rests for glass ...