Fun and Games

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We started the week with a warm and sunny Easter Monday. Breakfast was toms and bacon on The Rattigan before heading off for our Easter Volcano walk. This year we went to the Otuataua Stonefields (you might need to Google their location). There is just a small and low tuff ring but the stonefields are also an ancient Maori settlement, so we had a good wander round exploring the grassy tracks, walked along some of the coast path, and saw lots of aeroplanes (more going than coming). 



By the time we got home for lunch it was still cool enough to eat on The Rattigan, which we know will soon be going into hibernation as we move further into autumn.

Work this week has been busy for Nicky and quiet for me. The weather has been good even though we have had one or two grey starts, so I haven’t had any problems getting the laundry done. Nicky went to the Cathedral with her life group on Wednesday for the Stations of the Resurrection, which was very good. I had a nice trip out to Orpheus Bay on Thursday afternoon with Gordon from Deep & Meaningful, and went up to The Block on Friday evening for a beer.

The Commonwealth Games is featuring heavily since the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening. This is because the Gold Coast is only 2 hours behind us, and the PBS has got three channels showing the events, so for once we have easy viewing access. We have watched lots of things that we wouldn’t normally do just because the media are getting so excited about Kiwi’s winning something that doesn’t require a funny shaped ball or to have mangled ears. Also, apart from Bake Off, their is little else on.

Yesterday I had a modelling job so took Nicky down to the station and Stella picked her up from work on her way over here for Scrabble (and iron bread which she didn’t know I had made).

Today has been another lovely sunny day. With Nicky going to church this morning and prison this afternoon I had a day out to the waterfront. After two bus rides and a 45 minute walk I was down at Silo Park where there was a European Food event. There were about a dozen vendors offering some very tempting dishes, but as I got to the last one I was stunned into stationery amazement by a board advertising a dish which I had no idea could ever exist: Yorkshire Pudding Wraps. I quickly discovered that the two young lads running the stall were from Leicester, one had gone to secondary school in Sheffield and the other had been to Garendon in Loughborough! We had a good chat reminiscing about England and our experiences in NZ before I ordered my $12 roast pork with veg, spuds, apple sauce and gravy Yorkshire Pudding Wrap. They had already cooked the wraps which looked like a pancake but had obviously been baked and tasted like a good pud should. The overall experience was excellent, but it was not something that could be eaten delicately and took two hands. Brilliant!

After wandering through Wynyard Quarter and watching a street performer while drinking some coffee, I caught a bus to St. Heliers and walked along to Ladies Bay for a swim and a bit of time in the sun. I could see weather coming from the north so headed home on a bus route I haven’t used before (007) and got home about 5. Nicky was hard at work mowing the grass and had a good day. Our evening was more games watching, mainly cycling.

Take care, Rick.

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