evening all

mia's new favourite thing is to bounce on our blow-up bed! she thinks it is absolutely hilarious and it is great fun to watch. i had a great night last night. actually went out - woo hoo! carolyn picked me up at 4.30. we were supposed to be having a big girl's night out but carol cancelled and carolyn got invited to a work-do. anyway, i got invited too and we decided to forego a night of boozing and dancing and go to this bbq instead. we drove west to her boss's house for a bbq. i thought it was going to be a big party but there were just 7 of us in total. we had a truly memorable evening sitting around a dining table in a beautiful kiwi villa drinking fab nz sav blanc and munching bbq prawns and huge juicy strawberries with chocolate cake. we had a great night, marvellous company. her boss's best memory of living in the uk is supping a pint of beer whilst munching sticky toffee pudding. great people and so so friendly and welcoming. i hadn't laughed so much in months. thank you dave and ruth. and carolyn for driving!! 

 

mussels mussels everywhere

 

 

mussels galore

see all the little black things in the background - green lipped mussels. thousands of them. 

beached out

 

 

 

Bethell's beach boys

very warm and windy walk at bethells beach today. put mia in backpack and walked from bethells to o'neills beach. i'd never been before as it is a tidal surfing beach. lovely walk, mia adores being in the backpack. thankfully there was no swell as toby didn't have his gear. 

 

thanks again

in case you missed it the first time - thanks for mia's presents. she particularly liked her touchy-feely books! it is sunday evening and we have had a nice weekend after a not-so-nice week. after suffering a sore throat for 3 weeks i eventually sought medical advice. unfortunately my normal doc doesn't work on mondays so i got some nutter. he scared the **** out of me, saying my swollen thyroid could be cancerous. neglected to tell me it could just be down to an infection in my throat. git. told me to take antibiotics, wait a week then go and get blood tests. so i waited a couple of days, then thought, why am i waiting? and went and got blood tests done. all clear. just an infection. stupid man. won't be seeing him again.... 

auckland domain, winter gardens (last weekend)

 

 

mairangi mosaic

 

 

sunday sun

not too flattering of mia but i like the one of me so i am putting it on blog!!! sunday evening sunshine at mairangi bay children's playground. toby practising flash photography and mia and i playing. as you can see, she is desperate to get down off my lap!