The aftermath

Well we missed the Tsunami at Piha but it looks like one washed through here today with camping flotsam and jetsam all over the place, plus the children's usual mess, and the entire contents of the laundry.

Lily has an ear infection so we started her on antibiotics today. Since Ali came home from school the kids have been fighting like cats and dogs. Phil finished work early and then he had to come home and paint the laundry poor guy! Roll on bedtime!

A camping we will go

After school on Friday we drove down to Piha and pitched our tent. In the morning we had a lovely walk along the beach. Ali found some seaweed to take home for the garden

and then we were joined for lunch by our friends Irene and Patrick. We spent the afternoon at the grand new playground with some other mates from Auckland who came out for the afternoon only. Dinner was fish and chips followed by a superlative sunset on the beach.


Sunday everyone slept in a bit but after plenty of cake and watermelon we packed up and walked/carried the kids up and over the hill to Whites Beach. White's Beach was a lot quieter than Piha so Buddy could run around off his lead. Irene and Patrick are geologists and they had brought some special magnets which attracted the iron in the black sand. Ali and Lily were entranced with the sand 'flowers' they could make with the magnets. If you click on the photo it will expand to the whole screen so you can get a better look.


It was a big trek back up the hill to get back to the cars in the afternoon, you can see that everyone was pretty tired from this photo.


On our way home we popped in to see our old neighbour Cheryl at Piha. We managed to stop in and say Hi to my Opa as well. He seems much better than the last time I saw him! He even managed a conversation with Ali about her school (pretty good considering he can't hear her and she doesn't understand Dutch). Lily was well and truly stuffed by this point so she slept all the way home in the car..

Thurseday

Lily's friend Claire who lives next door came to play after we got home from Playcentre. We have just planted the flowers around the deck of the playhouse and put in the pavers a fortnight ago. When Ali came home from school she and Phil picked up all these passionfruit from the vine that climbs over and into the garden shed.
Ali wanted to show everyone her silly face.

The homekill man came and took away our cow, Sausage this week. There is no stock in the paddock now so we brought up the portable electric fence unit and battery to put safely in the shed. Buddy happened to sit next to it in a manner which made him look like he was being tortured so we snapped this one to send to the SPCA.Phil suggested that we dine alfresco last night because it was warm and stuffy in the house so we moved the table outside :-)
Off to Piha now, see you Monday!

What's going on?

A big thanks to Rosie who did the most recent post!

The kids have been taking turns being sick (sleeping all afternoon on the sofa while running a temperature) for the last 8 days and so there haven't been many happy photo opportunities. Finally the daily after-school swimming lessons have finished and I have done all the beginning of year paperwork for Playcentre that I need to do so hopefully I can get onto it again!

Last weekend Phil went down to see Top Gear with Noel. We were all supposed to go to Ak for the weekend but Lily spiked another temp so I stayed in Waipu with her. Rosie very kindly looked after Ali while the big boys drooled over the cool cars and marvelled at the synchonised driving displays. Rosie took the pictures at Northhead and very cleverly managed to post them on the blog as well. Meanwhile I sat at home and watched Lily sweat on the sofa!

The weekend before that we went to see Oma Mary (my Oma) for her birthday on Valentines day. She was in good spirits and we had a lovely visit with lots of choccy bikkies and cake for morning tea - just as well birthdays are only once a year!

Ali is still loving school. Her new teacher Mrs Finn is a very kindly lady who doesn't take any nonsense and Ali thinks she is even better than last year's teacher. Lily has been feeling a bit left out - going to the pools for Ali's lesson and not being able to swim, and then not getting to go to Ak this past weekend was a bit of a blow, so I have promised her a trip just her and Mum one day soon.

This weekend we'll be off down to Piha again. Friends from Auckland will be meeting us there to camp for a couple of nights. Buddy is allowed to come with us so it should be an extra special trip. Sorry about the recent lack of photos I'll put the camera in my handbag and start snapping again tomorrow!

cheers Karen

Ali's afternoon at Northhead

First Ali tried tabogganing on a piece of cardboard


Then Ali went down the steep steps to Cheltenham
beach to climb on the rocks and collect some shells.


Walking back up the hill again it was nice to

stop in the shade of a pohutukawa tree and
take in the view of Auckland across the water

Back to School - Wahoo

It's been a busy couple of weeks . After a long holiday break waking up early and getting everyone out the door in the morning with all the bits and pieces that they need has been a bit of a challenge. Ali in particular has been tired after school.

We are doing swimming lessons every afternoon after school, life-saving on Saturdays and we'll be off down to Auckland the next two weekends so there is no rest for the wicked for the next couple of weeks! I've been trying to ask the kids to help out more around the house and look after their stuff. This is how Lily (who now wishes to be known as Cornflake) decided to feed the dog his biscuits.

It's not that easy for the dog to get a rest either :-)