16th Nov day 33 school run and Ocean Spa

.Nicholas is with Philippa this week so I took Simon into work. He can go in earlier when he doesn't have to drop Nicholas at St Matthews. The drive to Meeannee was easy but not so much on the way back. The journey shouldn't be more than 20mins but it was well over 40 mins by the time I had circumnavigated Hastings via the Expressway!

It was a cold, dismal, wet morning, well actually a cold, dismal, wet day. Simon has told me to put the heating on anytime if I need it but gas - like many other commodities here - is expensive. So I opted for a hot water bottle to my back and the supersoft turquoise blanket from my bed for over my legs. Curled up on the big sofa I felt warm as toast and really comfy. I stayed there for over 3 hours doing my usual readings and a crossword, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Eventually I had to move if I was to achieve my days objective of emptying the ironing basket, so I put on Brit TV and cracked on with it til finished - woohoo. 

Simon and I had decided no matter what the weather we were going to Ocean Spa in Napier when he finished work. The place does exactly what it says on the tin. There are 3 fair-sized pools of differing temperatures and then 3 toasty spa pools, with the Pacific Ocean being just beyond the glass screen at the poolside. 2 weeks ago when Simon FaceTime'd me in San Francisco he said he'd just been to Ocean Spa and that 2 weeks from today we could be there together - for me that was too good an offer to miss. Despite the cool, drizzly conditions we went and had a fabulous 45mins in one of the spa pools just enjoying each other's company.

I still have vivid memories of this large paddling pool below and the idyllic times Marcus and Nicholas had playing there when Cheryl and I came over in Jan 2008 when Seb was just 4 months old. The weather was hot and sunny and we all relaxed with ice creams to go with our picnics. Marcus was 5 then and Nicholas 2, seeing the pool again I could visualise the two of them running in and out of the water cooling off. It reminded me how quickly time passes and the need for all of us to enjoy special times, especially when kids are young, it doesn't last long.

I love these Birds of Paradise flowers they are such an imaginative creation, they are growing by the spa pools.

We called into McDonalds on the way back to pick up coffee and cake (they have vanilla custard slices here, how scrummy). We were going to a meeting at St Matthews to brief us on how to Marshall for the annual 32k challenge around Cape Kidnappers. It sounds like a gruelling event for the contestants as the terrain is along a gorge, a beach and through some hilly/steep, uneven passes. The event organisers pay St Matthews for the volunteer time so it's a major fundraiser for Nicholas's school. 

Dinner at 904 was sirloin steak, sweet potatoes, carrots and swede, Simon and I shared the cooking which is yet another lovely, ordinary thing to do together. Later we watched a second episode of Inspector Blake, such a good series I wonder if it shows in the UK?