Back into the social whirl

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We started the first full week of the New Year off in style, with a leisurely breakfast of croissants with bananas. We followed this with a not so leisurely range of domestic duties - mowing the lawn, ironing, vacuuming and taking down the Christmas decorations. Stella and Kate called in and collected our tree for recycling along with theirs. At least with it being a public holiday it gave us a four-day working week.

Nicky’s week at the library has been really busy with the schools on holiday and lots of activities for the children. I have also had some work to “ease” me back into a busier period, I hope.

On Tuesday I photographed a wedding. Lisa, a friend of Nicky’s from the staff at New Lynn library, asked me if I would take some pictures of the event when she came over for dinner a few weeks ago. The ceremony took place on the lookout on the Mercer Bay loop track - a fantastic location. It was a very intimate and low key affair (just six of us and the celebrant), which I felt privileged to attend. They brought along champagne and carrot cake for after the main event and it was a wonderful experience. I’m sure they won’t mind be sharing one of the photos with you:

Lisa & Paul
Afterwards, they went of to Piha for a swim and some lunch, and I went to Karekare for a walk and swim and my picnic. In the evening I put a photo book together for them which I am hoping will arrive before they leave for Italy, when Paul lives and works.

Wednesday also had a celebratory event. We took Stella, Kate and Tim to the Chapati Indian Restaurant on Lincoln Road for dinner to mark Stella’s birthday. We all had lovely mango lassi’s and a gorgeous range of foods. The peshwari nan were as good as I had remembered. We had a very good evening and came home with doggie bags.

Thursday evening I was out at my MeetUp group in Orewa, and Friday evening went up to The Block for a drink with Paul and Jason, so it has been a busy week socially.
For most of the week the weather has been good, with some long warm sunny periods, but the rain returned with a vengeance on Friday, especially while I was driving back from Pukekohe. This is probably why I had a poor night’s sleep while being feasted upon by a squadron or two of mozzies.

I had work in Avondale on Saturday morning setting up a new Mac, and then took my photo books over to Paul in the afternoon as he wanted to see what sort of product they are, and what sort of pictures I take. Nicky came for a while too and had a good chat with Paul’s mum. Come mid-evening, not long after Lewis had started, I was feeling really in need of a lie down so took myself off for an early night in bed.

Today started out a little dull, and I didn’t feel like going far afield so had a walk round the reserve while Nicky was at church. Steve, Ros and Stella came over for Scrabble this afternoon and we really enjoyed the fruit cake that Stella brought with her. Nicky has managed to do lots of sewing so feels she is making progress with the current quillo.


Take care, Rick

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