Flying visit

Our most exciting event this week has been my niece, Rachel, visiting us. She lives and works in Wanaka and we hadn’t seen her since she last visited us in December 2012. It was only a short visit, but very enjoyable none the less.

I collected Rachel from the airport at lunchtime on Friday, but she had not been fed on the flight so we walked up to the sushi bar where she bought us lunch. She is playing ice hockey again (she was in a team at University) but doesn’t have any kit, so we went to a shop in Avondale which she has used over the internet. She was able to get almost fully kitted out with all the protective gear and a stick with the help of an excellent sales assistant, who both knew the product and the stock, and was able to ship Rachel’s purchases to her so that Jetstar didn’t charge enormous fees for them on the return flight. We were there about an hour so by the time we were home again and had consumed a restorative pot of tea, it was time for me to start cooking diner (smoked salmon and penne in cream and brandy sauce with salad and ciabatta, followed by apple pie and butterscotch custard, a new find in the supermarket).

After dinner and a good chat with Nicky we decided to do a tiki tour of Auckland by night so the Rachel could see the lights. First stop was the top of Mt Roskill, then onto Mt Eden before driving down Quay Street and over the bridge, north and then south. The evening was fine but cool.

We didn’t rush out of bed on Saturday morning or into breakfast of poached eggs, mushrooms bacon and toasted ciabatta even though the sky was clear and the sun was shinning. Nicky packed up an excellent picnic of salad and tinned salmon sandwiches and we headed of to Whatipu on the west coast. We all enjoyed a long walk on my favourite Auckland beach, partaking of the picnic and a swim in the sea for Rachel and I. The wind got a little cool after we had been sitting but the sun was still out and we had a wonderful afternoon.

Steve and Ros came round for dinner (steak & ale casserole with veg and spuds, followed by the remains of the apple pie and lemon cake from Ros). Steve and I really enjoyed a bottle of Merlot that Nicky and I purchased from the Mercury Bay vineyard when we were on holiday on the Coromandel a couple of years ago. After dinner Ros and I snoozed in the comfy chairs while Nicky, Steve and Rachel played Scrabble. It was a very good evening and made the whole day special and enjoyable.

We were up early (5.15) this morning to get Rachel for the airport for the 7am flight back to Queenstown. Just as she was taking off Nicky and I were returning to bed with our second cups of tea of the morning. I did a couple of loads of washing while Nicky went off to church. After another pot of tea Nicky went off to Kelston to meet Stella at a quilting demonstration (which was very good). Shortly after she left home Jancis arrived for a chat, and to make arrangements to meet Nicky at St Lukes later on to see Noah at the cinema. Jancis left, Nicky returned and had lunch, went off to St Lukes and I did the ironing. Nicky wasn’t impressed with Noah, but we had hot cross bunnies and tea for tea so that improved things no end.

The rest of the week has been quiet for me. I did a RAM installation on Monday, and then on Tuesday after finishing a job in Kohimarama had a quick swim at the beach which was lovely. Nicky is encouraging me to carry my swimming things in the car with me so that if I get the chance of a quick sea-dip I can take advantage of the opportunity, and its a very good idea. It seems a very Kiwi thing to do to me, but was one of the aspects of living in NZ I was looking forward to before we moved here - and I have finally started doing it.

Nicky’s working week has been as busy as ever, and included two trips into town for and exhibition and a meeting at Lorne Street. She hasn’t had any evening commitments so we have been able to get through some of the tellyprogs which we have recorded.

The weather has been unseasonably warm this week - it got to 30° in Whangarei on Tuesday - because we are getting a warm southerly because the sea is warm (not sure why). I’m not complaining. I like the sun and it makes getting the pre-ironing stuff dry much easier.
That’s it for this week,

Take care, Rick