Enjoying Summer and being on holiday

Christmas Day came and went and again it was a lovely low keyed affair with just me, TOF and the lads.  Oh and the pets, lets not forget them.

In a few days time the decorations will come down and be packed away for another year, but the summer holiday will continue.

We did the gift giving thing then devoured a mighty fine late breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns and potato breads which were a no go, nothing like they were supposed to be. But at least I gave it a crack!!

 Oscar scored a new toy!

Sheba got a new ball and was so funny to watch as she ripped the paper off to get to it.  Needless to say she is stoked!!

As for old Tex, well he got some Cat Nip treats and tripped balls all afternoon.  No not really but he loooooooooved them!!

The heir decided to head home, so the rest of us, including two surfboards and the dogs piled into TOFs truck and headed out to Raglan.

Sheba basically just runs and dives into the water, running in and out having an absolute blast.

Oscar on the other hand gets to the edge and when a wave comes runs back to the dry sand.

He did get get in and got bowled by a small wave so was covered in black sand and sea weed!

We went to Manu Bay and while the spare had a play in the small surf on h is surfboard, me and TOF buggered about down at the boat ramp.  

I paddled in the warm water wishing I could dunk right in.

One

very

happy 

big

black

dog!

TOF tried to find a stick to throw for Sheba but couldn't find one at all, so ended up  throwing stones all skimmer styles into the ocean for her to chase.  Such a good work out for a pooch, and both dogs slept all the way home.

By the time we had walked back to the truck the spare was walking back over the rocks from his surf.

This gorgeous set of triplets was having a grand time with water in the pink bucket.  All I could think was how much work 3 wee boys would be for the mum.  So adorable and so happy.

It was just me and TOF for dinner which we decided to have late as we weren't that hungry.  While the lamb cooked and the spuds roasted I threw together a salad.  When I gathered the lettuce from the garden I got sided tracked.

 The garden at night is lovely.

I think the full moon  helped with the lighting, it hovered in the sky like a big ball of cheese!

Look what the spares lovely girlfriend gave me for Christmas!  I am still deciding where I want to hang it, isn't it just lovely. 

 

We ate this, not all of it, at about 10pm, not the ideal time but bugger me it was nice.

Boxing day is like recovery day really, after a day of pigging out feasting on festive food.  Also we kicked back and watched the Cricket on TV.  Nice and relaxing.  Normal eating will resume when the scraps have all been devoured.

This morning we were up at 5am, yes you read correctly, 5am as TOF was going fishing out at Raglan with a friend of ours.  I wolfed down a bit of toast, sculled a cup of tea, threw on some clothes and went to.  Not fishing but to our friends place.  We were on the road by 6am.

The drive out was beautiful so early in the morning as there was a mist hanging about and the sun was trying to arrive.

Magical!

From their deck we watched the mist slowly but surely lift and Raglan woke up.  The lads left to go hunting and gathering while us girls had a cuppa on the deck.  We could see the Gypsy Fair that was in town.

Remnants of a hard nights work covered in dew.

By 9am the day was perfect so we wandered down the hill to the Gypsy Fair.  It was good to see plenty of gorgeous House Trucks rather than buses/mobile homes.  I remember a time when these fairs were all about locally hand crafted goods.  Now it is mostly imported stuff.

We both bought Argan Oil and I got some Nga Champa to hang in my car to make it smell divine.  The clothes were lovely but either far too small for me or over priced.  I fell in love with this elderly Staffy that was having a nod in a changing room, and why wouldn't you!

From the Gypsy Fair Diane and I  took a short cut on a bush track which turned out to be all up hill to another friends house.

The view from Sharons Deck are stunning and it was so nice sitting in the cool of this space, chatting and letting the world slowly carry on around us.  I could move to Raglan tomorrow and be so happy.

Everywhere you look in Raglan there is a flowering Pohutukawa tree.  The ones down by the water were so vibrant and red.  What a glorious day to be out at the coast.  The lads arrived home with a nice amount of fish which we have dined on tonight.  You cannot beat fresh fish!!

Before I go I want to show you just a smidgen of the decorations my friend Ann does in her gorgeous old home.  She has a talent for decorating both Christmas and Interior, and don't get me started on her garden.

I do hope you are all enjoying

your Christmas Holidays.

 

 

 

Time to celebrate so many things!

By the end of the year most people are over it, what it is I am not sure, but what ever it is, people are over it!  I think everyone is tired and stressed out, and sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and get on with it.  Or if you have a mate in the country you go and visit her!!

Off out to Karakariki I drove to catch up with the other Sue as it was the only chance we would get this side of Christmas.

We chatted and drank tea, wandered the garden and laughed a lot.  We didn't solve any world problems or family issues but I for one felt better for having been in the company of a bloody good mate!

 

Ever faithful companion Maximus Giganticus, Sues foxy followed us everywhere.  He leaps over the box hedging as if he is in the Grand National.  Then goes looking for baby birds that fall out of the tall conifer trees that the adult birds have nested in.  I rescued a dead baby and put it on a post to save it being a foxy sized snack.

I picked a bunch of the gorgeous purple lavender and my car now smells heavenly!!

Some will look at these photos of us two having a laugh and think we are mad, nuts, have far too much time on our hands etc.

I say, SO WHAT!!  

I thank my lucky stars that I know enough people as mad as myself that I can let my hair down, and have a bloody good laugh at myself. 

If you cannot laugh at yourself then you cannot laugh at others.

Life is far too short to take it too seriously and especially at this insane time of the year.

Enjoying life is what it is all about, letting go of negative sad arse people in your life and moving on to happier times!! 

I'll drink to that!!!  And I don't even really drink.

So thanks Sue W, you are a good sport, a top bitch, a class act, mad as a snake, and I love ya for it!!!

This time of the year I miss two people, well one person and one pet.

Our beloved old Dog Ben, a hard act to follow and with two dogs, one cat, and ten chickens he is still never far from our minds and always in our hearts.  Dressed as an Angel one Christmas, and this photo is on our Christmas tree.

 

And this man, my dad!!  This photo is on our Christmas tree also, and I love seeing his smiling face at this time of the year.  Hard to believe he has been gone for 10 years next month, I miss him no less than I did the day he passed away.

I found this old card from him that my sisters and I and our mum got one Christmas, there was cash in the pop out glass.  I am thankful to actually have this, something so very personal.

I made this and it hangs on the wall in our dining room.  I believe that family is forever.  Be them animals, relations or close friends.  Be they alive or dead.  Sometimes there are members of your genetic family that you don't see eye to eye with but at the end of the day, they are still your family.  I no longer get together with my mother and eldest sister as we are not close anymore.  It was my decision to walk away from them and live a kinder calmer more positive life. I will always love them no matter what they think of me or how they treat me, they are after all Family.

ANYWAY.....moving right along as there is no need to focus on the negative things in ones life.

TOF had a birthday yesterday, no special number but getting closer every year.  I had a go at making him his favourite Irish potato bread that will get tested out tomorrow morning for Xmas breakfast.  I baked him a Banana and Almond nut cake with a Lemon Drizzle icing, with chopped Almonds on top.  I even made a smaller cake which I took round to my friend Vicki who has had a couple of foot operations.

Hey gorgeous wave to all the lovely people!!!  Vicki is another of those lovely friends I have made over the years, tons of fun, and has the biggest loving heart ever.  FAMILY!!

Me, the Heir, the Spare and the Spares girlfriend took TOF out for dinner last night.  We went to a really nice restaurant but made the mistake of sitting outside where we nearly froze our bits off.  The menu was Tapas and an entirely new experience for the blokes, a laugh a minute and the most enjoyable time out.  Sorry forgot to take photos but trust me it was great.

BACK TO YESTERDAY.....after waving TOF off to work on his birthday, baking treats, taking cake to the cripple, I mooched at home for the afternoon.  I took full advantage of the peace and quiet of a holidaying primary school next door and the glorious weather.

 Tex and Oscar mooched about with me.

 Oscar unsuccessfully and noisily chased a BEE....silly dog!!!!

I watched this Starling feasting on the Flax flowers. There was a Wax eye joining in but moved to fast to snap a picture of.

 

I added white bobbles to some new to me pants to give them a boost and wore them with my hot pink Birkies and the lightest cotton top ever.

TOF and I discovered that our Walnut tree down in the chicken coup has finally gone and grown itself some NUTS!!  Yay for the Walnut Tree!!

We ventured out this morning and got the last of the food we need for tomorrow and found everyone else in Hamilton had the same idea about going early to avoid the congestion!  We survived, and have everything under control.  I won't probably blog for a few days because I fear a food coma could be on it's way.

My gorgeous friend Denise sent us this card that depicts a New Zealand Christmas perfectly.

SO, to all of you out there wherever you are and whatever you get up to over the next few days.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

May you all be surrounded with people and things that you love and you have a safe and happy Festive Holiday!!