Birthday Week (updated text)
It has been an action packed week. Chris Howes was still with us on Monday and had the day out with Nicky. They started off going to the library in Ranui, and then onto morning tea with friends from church, popped into the Waitakere Ranges visitor centre, and then had the afternoon in Devonport. The weather was great and they had an excellent day.
On Tuesday morning Nicky took Chris to the airport to catch her flight to Australia. We she got back I took her down to the railway station so she could go to work and then Claire and I went off to Newmarket to continue the search for 21st jewellery. This was reasonably positive but we didn't find the "drop dead gorgeous" item so finished the trip with gelato.
Wednesday was back to the airport to collect Izzy Mullins, a school friend of Claire's from the UK who is visiting us for a couple of weeks. The weather was hot and sunny to welcome Izzy. In the evening they went off to Ponsonby to fire lasers at each other with a bunch of fellow Whitcoullers in order celebrate Claire's and a work colleges' birthdays.
Nicky took Thursday and Friday off work to prepare for Claire's 21st birthday party on Friday evening. This involved a major shopping expedition on Thursday morning followed by cooking, cooking and cooking, and a bit of furniture re-arranging and gazebo assembly. Claire and Izzy meanwhile were doing Albany (campus), and Mirangi Bay. The weather was again hot and sunny, the temperature reached 45° in our roof space.
We woke to a slightly dull but fine morning on Friday. The girls went off to Devonport while Nicky and I continued with party preparations. Claire and Izzy returned late afternoon with Francis and set about decorating the house, organising chairs, icing cakes and doing lots of the necessary last minute things.
Eventually Friday evening arrived, along with most of the family, who came armed with mountains of food, and lots of Claire's friends who brought a range of tantalising goodies. We had decided to go for a Chicken and Chocolate theme, and then after eating too much and lots of speeches and tears, the more adventurous embarked on the quiz which I had organised. As a result the party finished much later than expected, but we had had a memorable evening. Claire was given a fantastic range of gifts, especially in the jewellery line.
To celebrate Nicky's birthday on Saturday we had planned to drop Claire at work and then head north to the beach at Uretiti and have a second breakfast on the way. However, we woke to a dull and wet day, and Claire still exhausted from the night before, so we changed our plans. Nicky went off to Blockhouse Bay library for some nativity readings, and then we went to the new vicarage for a tour. Claire went into work at lunchtime and Ros and Steve came over for Scrabble with Nicky and Izzy. In the evening Claire and Izzy went to an engagement do of one of Claire's Indian work colleges. Nicky and I had a lovely long chat to Brenda in London on Skype before falling asleep while trying to watch the Harry Potter DVD which Claire had bought Nicky for her birthday.
Today the weather was much better so after church Nicky and I headed off to the beach, and Claire and Izzy went into town to shop and go up Sky Tower. We stopped at a café just a few minutes before the beach which has a great view across to the Whangarei heads and had an excellent afternoon breakfast (eggs, bacon, tomato, sausage, hash browns and toast) with tea for me and milk shake for Nicky - all for $27. The café reminded me of the Working Men's cafés I frequented with friends on the way to the annual MacUser show via the Big Brindley Bus. The cuisine was of a similar style but I would judge the NZ café as bit a little more up market as the seats were not screwed to the floor. We then had three wonderful hours on the naturist section of the beach, sunbathing, swimming, reading and listen to music before driving back home. It has been a lovely way to end the week.
Rick
On Tuesday morning Nicky took Chris to the airport to catch her flight to Australia. We she got back I took her down to the railway station so she could go to work and then Claire and I went off to Newmarket to continue the search for 21st jewellery. This was reasonably positive but we didn't find the "drop dead gorgeous" item so finished the trip with gelato.
Wednesday was back to the airport to collect Izzy Mullins, a school friend of Claire's from the UK who is visiting us for a couple of weeks. The weather was hot and sunny to welcome Izzy. In the evening they went off to Ponsonby to fire lasers at each other with a bunch of fellow Whitcoullers in order celebrate Claire's and a work colleges' birthdays.
Nicky took Thursday and Friday off work to prepare for Claire's 21st birthday party on Friday evening. This involved a major shopping expedition on Thursday morning followed by cooking, cooking and cooking, and a bit of furniture re-arranging and gazebo assembly. Claire and Izzy meanwhile were doing Albany (campus), and Mirangi Bay. The weather was again hot and sunny, the temperature reached 45° in our roof space.
We woke to a slightly dull but fine morning on Friday. The girls went off to Devonport while Nicky and I continued with party preparations. Claire and Izzy returned late afternoon with Francis and set about decorating the house, organising chairs, icing cakes and doing lots of the necessary last minute things.
Eventually Friday evening arrived, along with most of the family, who came armed with mountains of food, and lots of Claire's friends who brought a range of tantalising goodies. We had decided to go for a Chicken and Chocolate theme, and then after eating too much and lots of speeches and tears, the more adventurous embarked on the quiz which I had organised. As a result the party finished much later than expected, but we had had a memorable evening. Claire was given a fantastic range of gifts, especially in the jewellery line.
To celebrate Nicky's birthday on Saturday we had planned to drop Claire at work and then head north to the beach at Uretiti and have a second breakfast on the way. However, we woke to a dull and wet day, and Claire still exhausted from the night before, so we changed our plans. Nicky went off to Blockhouse Bay library for some nativity readings, and then we went to the new vicarage for a tour. Claire went into work at lunchtime and Ros and Steve came over for Scrabble with Nicky and Izzy. In the evening Claire and Izzy went to an engagement do of one of Claire's Indian work colleges. Nicky and I had a lovely long chat to Brenda in London on Skype before falling asleep while trying to watch the Harry Potter DVD which Claire had bought Nicky for her birthday.
Today the weather was much better so after church Nicky and I headed off to the beach, and Claire and Izzy went into town to shop and go up Sky Tower. We stopped at a café just a few minutes before the beach which has a great view across to the Whangarei heads and had an excellent afternoon breakfast (eggs, bacon, tomato, sausage, hash browns and toast) with tea for me and milk shake for Nicky - all for $27. The café reminded me of the Working Men's cafés I frequented with friends on the way to the annual MacUser show via the Big Brindley Bus. The cuisine was of a similar style but I would judge the NZ café as bit a little more up market as the seats were not screwed to the floor. We then had three wonderful hours on the naturist section of the beach, sunbathing, swimming, reading and listen to music before driving back home. It has been a lovely way to end the week.
Rick
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