New Years Eve day 77 so chilled almost vertical!

This is my laziest day since I left the UK. The weather was a lot cooler, overcast and it had rained hard overnight making everything damp. Simon was out for quite a bit of the day, which meant I was home alone to just please myself. I did manage to put the first coat of paint on the back of the bathroom door. Now that Nicholas's height and hand prints have been preserved for posterity I could get on sanding, scrubbing and painting. Simon helped me for a while before he needed to go out, we used meths to take off some of the marker pen. He was shocked to learn that people actually drink the stuff if they are desperate - "it's marked poisonous Mum" he exclaimed, but that is the sad reality.

I did manage to have a long FaceTime catch up with the Mitis - but I missed Noah as he was already in bed. It was great hearing about their Christmas in Orpington with her family. Reuben is just the most smiley, happy baby and by ringing around 9pm I get to see him enjoying his bath. Here he is wrapped in his gorgeous lion towel which matches the frieze in his nursery.

I read, watched an episode of Phil Spencer Secret Agent, Homes Under the Hammer and finally Long Lost Family which made me cry. It must be so difficult for Mums to give up their babies and also for children who are adopted. I did a few jobs but nothing of much substance.

When Simon get back we had a hot snack around 5.15pm before I got ready to go out to some of Wendy's friends for what I thought was going to be a board games night with drinks and dessert. I left loaded up with some contributions to the games evening. The plan was when it finished about 9.30 I would drive into Napier to see the open air concert on the seafront, followed by fireworks at midnight.

In the event there were 2 couples when we arrived. The hostess Jill had done tasty nibbles for with drinks and then later a full hot dinner of lamb, stuffed courgettes that are called zucchinis here, new potatoes, freshly picked green beans and a variety of roast veg. It was a pity I was so full having eaten less than 2 hours before, but the small portion I had was delicious. Afterwards we ate the Tiramasu Wendy had made, followed by coffee. 

They were really welcoming and we chatted all evening which meant I never did get to see the concert and fireworks, nor play any games but heyho that doesn't matter. Jim plays the bagpipes and towards midnight he regaled us with tunes from the pipe. Jill put on some Scottish songs which gave the evening a flavour of Hogmanay. It did feel very strange spending New Years Eve at the other side of the world with people I have only just met, but this trip is all about me getting out of my comfort zone.

I got home soon after midnight and Simon came in a few minutes later when I was just on FaceTime with Cheryl and Seb, wishing them happy new year. Seb was buzzing, showing me all his Christmas gifts and bombing around on his Swegway (hover board). When I said to him I would be home 2 weeks today he immediately shouted yay and punched the air. That's very cute.

So here I am in 2016, thank You Lord for Your incredible blessings in 2015 I am so grateful and looking forward to whatever You have in store for this new year. 

Also I want to wish all of you who have persevered with my ramblings on this blog a very Happy, Blessed New Year. Thanks for all your love, support and encouragements, love Helen x

30th Dec day 76 more holiday joy

It was another glorious morning with no rush at all to do anything. So we began with our NZ breakfast in the garden, scrumptious I will definitely be cooking this when back in the UK.

We got changed into shorts and Tshirts as it was hot outside by 10am. Then with suncream applied we settled down to our quiet time together, followed by a crossword. Eventually we got changed and made our way to Ocean Spa. Nicholas was with Philippa and Carol had gone into work for the day. 

Simon hadn't seen the new pier in Napier so we walked along the seafront before going into Ocean Spa. The tide was in and the waves were breaking under the pier as we stood at the end. 

Below is the view towards Hastings showing more of Hawkes Bay.

And here is the view of the waterfront looking from the pier, the white in the left hand corner is a large wave crashing up the shoreline.

Simon and I swam lengths when we first arrived and then after half an hour drying off we headed for The Bach, the cafe inside Ocean Spa. Here he is is waiting for our coffees to brew.

We then read and sunbathed for the remainder of the afternoon. Carol called in on her way home from work so they had a cuppa together in the cafe, whilst I stayed on my sunbed. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to spend a summer day.

I wanted a picture of the Agapanthus which are just coming into bloom, so Simon stopped along the coast road for me to get this shot. They are a stunning roadside feature both here and in Australia.

After dinner Simon went to Carol's and I cleared the ironing basket whilst watching the tv before turning in to read my book in bed. 

29th Dec day 75 Star Wars and Art Deco

Philippa contacted us late last night to see if we could have Nicholas today as she was in work - what a treat. He was keen to start building the Star Wars Imperial Assault Carrier Cheryl and gang had sent him for Christmas. I am absolutely rubbish at reading any kind of instructions so Lego is a challenge for me but I usually manage to help Seb a little bit by finding pieces. But Simon and Nicholas are a well-oiled machine where Lego is concerned, so they cracked on with it whilst I did some ironing.

Carol, Simon and Nicholas all wanted to see the Star Wars movie and as that's of no interest to me I decided to do the Art Deco walking tour. Simon kindly paid for and printed off the 44 page guide for the tour. When they left to go to the film, with Anthonio accompanying them, I went the opposite direction into Napier. 

It was a stunning morning by then after a dull start, so I made my way along the promenade and took some pictures before heading into the town.

The waves were crashing up the beach with it being high tide, as you can see the sand is black volcanic. Did you notice the line of big pieces of driftwood washed up on the waterline?

At 10.47 on 3rd Feb 1931 an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale completely devastated Napier and large parts of Hastings. It was the fires which broke out that caused most of the damage. Hastings had a fairly new water pumping station so many of the fires were able to be extinguished, but Napier didn't have one unfortunately. However within only 2 years Napier had been rebuilt, making it the world's newest and most modern city. 

As a result most of the buildings are in the Art Deco style which was popular in the early part of the twentieth century. The period was characterised by three important changes - 1) the development of science, technology and the machine 2) the increasing independence of women 3) the overthrow of old conventions. The favourite motifs were geometric, usually with angular patterns and shapes such as zigzags. Symbols of power such as lightning and speed were popular, along with symbols of freedom, leaping deers, prancing women, fountains and most common of all the rising sun. I hope you enjoy a few pictures that show this distinctive style of design.

I love this bronze life sized statue.

It took me well over 2 hours to do a part of the tour but I found it hugely pleasurable walking in the city centre and admiring these classic buildings, imagining what a striking difference they must have made at the time, to a city in shock after such a disaster.

I took this one of the sunrise arch with the ocean beyond because I wanted to show the magnificence of the giant Norfolk Pine next to it. Both sides of the coast road into the city are lined with these spectacular trees. You can't get the impression from the photo below but this shelter is a semi-circle along the seafront.

On the way back to Hastings I called at Clive Bakery and bought Simon, Nicholas and I hot pies for a late lunch. After eating we played Cluedo and Billionaire before it was time for more Lego construction.

Just before I went out this morning the doorbell rang and it was Nicholas's missing Christmas gift of the Star Wars Ghost. Simon had hidden it under his bed and this picture shows his delight when it was discovered.

After Philippa had collected Nicholas Simon went out with Carol for some sale bargains whilst I stayed here reading in the garden. When he got back I made one of his favourite suppers - sausage with roast veggies in a white wine sauce. We ate it in the lounge and watched - would you believe it - 4 episodes of Newsroom before going to bed around 11.30 - ridiculous but compelling!

28th Dec day 74 - perfect way to spend a holiday

Simon and I had a slow start that included breakfast, a crossword and a shared quiet time. What a great way to begin a beautiful morning. On Sun in the car coming back from Napier we were chatting with Carol about some special things to do over the next 11 days until I leave. Carol said we ought to go to Waimarama, a stunning beach at the other side of Te Mata Peak. Simon chipped in saying that would need to wait until next week when we had Nicholas back and Linda at home with Sam and Jack. We ganged up against him saying it's much more relaxing going to the beach without the kids - much as we all love them - but for a quiet sunbathe, read, crossword, picnic and swim, adults only was both of our first choice!

So today is the day, yippee. We packed a picnic, ground sheet, small tent, suncreams, lots of drinks, books, crossword etc it was a major expedition. We called at the Warehouse enroute to buy a sun umbrella and Carol brought along Button her very cute, well-behaved dog.

This is the first you see of the beach as you turn the last major bend at the top of the hill - stunning.

We got ourselves settled and the two of them took the dog for a long walk whilst I sunbathed, half dozing and enjoying the buzz of beach voices and the nearby waves. This is definitely my ideal for a holiday, exploring is fun, walking takes you to beautiful places, city tours give you an excellent flavour for the life and culture of a place - but nothing in my opinion compares to unwinding on a beautiful beach with the waves lapping nearby, especially with the hot sun on your face/body, bliss.

This was the view from my towel.

And this is Button with Carol trying to entice her with cheese in order to face the camera for a photo shoot.

After a lot of sunbathing I finally sat up and the 3 of us finished the crossword Simon and I had begun his morning, so helpful to have another person on the case when you have dried up. In fairness we were struggling with the clue swashbuckling adventurer 9 letters. We had racked our brains for ages and come nowhere near to guessing. In the end it was 'daredevil' - now what I ask you has that to do with swashbuckling?

Crossword cracked it was time for Simon and I to go for a swim, sooooooo wonderful to be bathing in the Pacific with my son. It's a dangerous beach so the lifeguards had put the warning flags more or less in the middle. Simon and I jumped over the waves for quite a while, sometimes they knocked me over as they were powerful and then we decided to swim between the 2 flags. With the strong undercurrent it took us quite a bit of swimming to align with the second flag. By then we were tiring so we body-boarded into the shore on a large wave, it was all sheer joy.

As the wind was a bit keen by then we packed up but we had enjoyed 6 hours on the beach. There was only one thing missing from a perfect day by the sea - you guessed ice cream.

The scenery between Hastings and Waimarama is lovely and Simon kindly stopped the car so I could take a few pictures on the way home.

It was getting late by the time we got home and had showered. I cooked a delicious stirfry from the Bald Butcher before we watched an episode of Would I lie to you. I left them for some couple time whilst I did my blog and read in bed, with that relaxed but worn-out feeling that comes from a day in the great outdoors. Sleep came very easily.

27th Dec day 73 church and cinema

Carol, Simon and I all went to church together to Trinity Methodist in Napier. It's a church that hosts Carols' choir's concerts and the Minister is very friendly, so they decided to try going there. Simon and I had looked at their website and it was still advertising the services for last Easter, which didn't bode well. Also the website was obviously done by someone as skilled as me technically and all the photos were of an older, small congregation. So I went with incredibly low expectations - but I was very wrong (sorry Lord for my judgmentalism).

Here is the outside of this 140 year old building which survived the terrible 1931 earthquake. I think it's the prettiest church I have visited this whole trip and it's really well maintained.

We were greeted by a warm, friendly guy on the door so immediately felt welcomed. As we sat down everyone around us said hello and one lady from the row in front started chatting. As John, the Minister, entered from the front and came down the steps he was smiling and acknowledging people. He spotted Carol and gave her a huge grin of welcome. When he had been at the choir's recent concert he had invited her to come to a service, so was obviously pleased she had decided to come along.

The whole service, which included liturgy, was printed into individual order of service sheets, which made it easy to follow as all you had to find were the songs. But best of all for me was the fact there were Bibles in the pews. It's interesting how few churches have them available for people like me who like to follow the readings. I am pleased my home church of All Saints provides them. 

We sang a couple of carols and the singing was good, helped by Carol's fantastic voice everyone sang up. John was warm and friendly using humour in his welcome. He spoke on the passage from Luke 2 41-51 when after the feast of the Passover Jesus stays behind in Jerusalem, when his parents leave for home. They had assumed he was with family and friends and when they realise he's missing they go back to find him, he was 12 at the time. They search for 3 days, imagine the panic for Mary and Joseph - losing your child is your worst nightmare - then find him in the Temple in discussion with the leaders. When Mary complains to him about the upset He has caused them He answers by asking a question "did you not know I must be about My Father's business?"

John did a good job putting these events in context and helping us to think more deeply about this account, that is the only one in the Bible about Jesus's childhood, after He was taken to Egypt as a very young child. All 3 of us found the service a blessing and the welcome was outstanding.

After church we went for morning tea to a pretty cafe by the port in Napier. I had a delicious warm rum and raisin bun. The 3 of us had a good long chat about all sorts of things, with Carol and I getting to know more about each other a little more.

They dropped me off at 904 and went out together. I enjoyed a lovely afternoon reading my interesting book about New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. 

At teatime Wendy, Jillian, Carol, Simon and I went to the Focal Point Cinema in Hastings to see the film Joy. I enjoyed the film despite it being over 2 hours long, it was hard to tell all the way through if it was going to end well or badly. I love this Art Deco building both inside and out and the flower baskets all along Heretaunga St are impressive at the moment.

Later I made myself a tasty supper using up some of the ham from Christmas Day and watched the Christmas edition of The Midwife, it's been such an easy and pleasant day.

26th Dec day 72 lazy Boxing Day

I had a luxurious lie in and didn't get up until gone 10am. It was a glorious morning with hot sunshine, Simon and I enjoyed a NZ breakfast in the garden. We had a special prayer time together having read his daily Bible notes and then we chatted about all sorts of things, some of them of significance. As in the UK, sales start on Boxing Day here - poor, poor retail staff, so Simon and Carol went into town to look for summer shirts for him and for her boys.

It was sooooo relaxing in the garden, reading my book, blogging and replying to emails. I have really appreciated friends and family back home keeping in touch with me during my trip. There is a strange disconnect being away for so long and at times I have felt like I have been in a selfish bubble away from all reality.

This is Phil Simon's neighbour from behind. It was his 65th birthday on Christmas Day and he had received a couple of generous vouchers as gifts. He and his wife Carol had been out spending them this morning and he kindly called to show me his latest plant acquisition for down the shared drive - a different colour beautiful Calla lily.

After he had gone I lay on the trampoline reading and attempting to get some colour into the back of the world's whitest legs, it was bliss. 

After an afternoon cuppa with Simon I got ready to go around to Carol's for dinner. Her sister Linda didn't have her 2 boys yesterday so it was a re-run of present giving. Jack and Sam are delightful lads, they had spent Christmas with their Dad and his partner in the outback, hunting and fishing etc. They had shot a deer for Christmas lunch - that's different eh? Here they are with thieir Grandma.

Linda had done really well and managed to buy Jack a video camera because he wants to make short movies and a tablet for Sam. They were both over the moon with their presents. There had been a lot of teasing of Jack as he opened his gift before I took this picture, as it was in a photocopy paper box, then when he took it out his cousin was saying its a handbag - hence this pose.

Sam couldn't believe his gift, he is very creative so he is now looking forward to taking lots of photos.

The whole present opening session was hilarious as it was interspersed with 19 year old Anthonio leaping up and firing his Nerf gun, then others joined in when no one was watching. Dinner was in the garden in the gazebo with cold ham, salads and scrummy leftover desserts. It was another really lovely occasion with me feeling like a part of this family now. 

25th Dec day 71 celebrating the birth of Jesus

We were up by 6.45am and opening our stockings before 7am. Simon did something I have never done in all my years of faith as a Mum and Nan - he read the famous passage from John about Jesus. You will know it as it's generally read at every carol service, it starts, "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the word was God". For me it only made any sense when someone explained Jesus is the word, so here's how I read it now and it's easy to understand.

In the beginning was Jesus and He was with God and He was God.

Anyway I was delighted we started this special day by focusing on the reason for the season and by praying together. Then we dug into our stockings, such fun. Mine included these 3 car bumper stickers and it was easy to see which of the 3 was each of the boys. 

Am not sure yet if they will ever make it onto the bumper of my smart red Saab convertible but I love them and the thought that went into buying them?? Have you ever wondered why we give presents? Well it's because God gave us the best gift ever His only son, now that's worth celebrating.

Philippa came around for present opening about 8.30am, breakfast and as it turned out a quick game of Cluedo together. Nicholas wanted to prepare breakfast for us, here he is as the waiter serving hot croissants.

The 3 of us went around to Carol's about 10.45 for more present opening. They have a tradition of the oldest person getting the first present and everyone oohs and aahs, working down to the youngest. I was impressed Nicholas didn't complain at all but waited for his turn very patiently and was enthusiastic about various gifts. You can see he's enjoying Simon getting a coffee maker from Carol and her boys.

But he was positively popping when he opened Ken's present because it was a part of the Star Wars Ghost he knew Simon and I had ordered but hadn't arrived. I had some really thoughtful gifts, mainly jewellery which is easy to get back to the UK. Carol and her sister Linda had bought me a pretty pink/ lilac cross necklace and a beautiful scarf to match. When I opened one of the gifts Cheryl had sent it was a lovely cyclamen pink M&S top that perfectly matched the things the girls had given me. Wendy bought me wooden doorstops in native rimu wood for the heavy doors back at my apartment.

Lunch was a buffet eaten outside in the gazebo, we had perfectly cooked ham and lamb, salads, new potatoes and some delicious sauces, including home-made hollandaise.

Instead of party hats we all had whacky glasses which gave us a laugh. Here are Carol's sons Matteo and Anthonio, below me looking like Dame Edna

There were fabulous deserts to follow just before Simon had to drop Nicholas back to Philippa. The party was such a happy affair with lots of laughter, it was a joy to be here. Late afternoon Carol's boys disappeared and the rest of us settled down to watch Miracle on 34th St. Carol's Mum kindly dropped me back at 904 about 7.30pm, it was lovely to just be alone, put my feet up and reflect on this happy time.

When Simon got back later we both had a catch up with Cheryl, Marcus and Seb to find out how their Christmas morning was going. Apparently Marcus was sad I wasn't there on Christmas Eve when the Moran's were around. All the kids decided to do a show so I was missed (I'm a pro at being a one woman, enthusiastic audience having had years of practice). Anyway Ken and Jeannette (Cheryls Dad and stepmum) were staying this year. Thankfully as soon as Marcus had expressed his disappointment he recovered himself and said in his announcers voice "but thankfully we have 2 subs here today joining us on the bench!" That gave them all a laugh and they were back to having fun.

Looking back on the day it's been brilliant, better than I could have hoped or imagined. I have waited 10 years to spend Christmas with Nicholas, and although I missed my UK family it was definitely worth the trip. Simon had done amazingly getting everything organised and I am proud of him. It's great to see him so happy with Carol and both he, and Nicholas, included in her extended family.

So thank You Lord for the best ever gift of Your son Jesus who we celebrate today. Thank You for my fabulous family and all my friends around the globe. Thank You for this amazing trip of a lifetime and all I have seen, done and enjoyed since leaving home.