Easter

Spring pictures

Lunches outside

For me a turning point in the garden is when we can eat our lunch outside. Even on pretty chilly days in the winter my desire for a little sun on my face means you can find me sitting on the kitchen step, clutching a coffee and wearing a thick coat, but to able to sit outside and enjoy lunch means Spring is really here and summer is coming.

As it is the Easter holidays we have had a steady stream of visitors for lunch, Fran and the boys from Hackney, Louise and Flora, Annie and Alice and we have managed to create a little haven out of the wind in the sun, around the corner between kitchen and living room. The first of these saw a typical 'Granny Anne' moment, as I was suddenly struck with the idea of eating outside - which required the table to be laid - but first moved, and a spot of pruning (obviously!!). Fran stood by in slight bemusement and I think Louis and Dexter thought I really had gone mad - as far as they are aware no one ever needed secateurs to lay the table before! But is was all done quickly and we settled down to lunch - the sun went in for a while, but it was really great to be doing it! Then this week Louise and Flora, much better weather and a more relaxed affair - no gardeing needed. Michael on seeing the pictures announced that it looks a tip still, so today before our lunch guests arrived, I made Choc brownies, roasted a chicken and swept up all the leaves and moved the Christmas tree - finally; let's see if he even notices!

The fab weather has also meant lots of lovely walks along the sea wall and a new one around the back of the horses field, where Georgia and Flora had a great time playing over a bridge whilst Stan, Raff, Louise and I ambled slowly on - Raff spent much of the time on his belly - we thought SAS, he says he was being a slug!

This weekend is Easter and so we have a reasonably packed calendar, Katy and Kev Fri, Sophie and Caspar Sat and a big lunch on Sunday - I imagine the Easter Bunny will put in an appearance!

Poor old Mouse was spayed on Monday, so she has been feeling very below par and upset about being confined to her crate, these pics were taken on Sunday when she was still allowed to bounce!

Mother's Day -Spring sprung

Writing this a day later and on a particularly stormy crazy day it's hard to believe that yesterday we played on the beach and imagined the summer! What a great day though! Mothers Day and no plans had been made so we let the day take us. Michael always maintains that I am not his mother and therefore not his responsibilty - but it's all bluster because he always ensures that I have a little head space, particularly essential as I have been really hit by the black dog over the past fortnight. The brightening warm weather suggested a trip out and I had discovered on Saturday that the sometime-cafe at Seasalter had been reborn and looked worth a trip so we headed down for a late brunch with the dog - her first trip to the seaside. After nearly losing her as her enthusiasm got the better of her - must work harder on the 'Recall' training - we all had fun, Georgia went off exploring and found a great collection of Oysters - still in their shells but I'm not sure that even I will risk eating them! After a good ramble around we went in for lunch - a very sweet place although could do with a stronger extractor fan! The food was basic cafe fare but good quality great sausages and real bread - I feel that Stan and I may become regular visitors - it would be a good reward for a bike ride! Then Jo joned us - ostensibly to steal the dog which she was thrilled about as she hates being locked in the car (Mouse not Jo!).

When we got home Georgia and I embarked on an oft requested and long promised project of creating a miniature garden in an old fruit box. I have fantastic memories of doing this with Granny Creeek and Honey or maybe Jennifer for the Battle Horticultural Society Show - perhaps that's where my passion for growing began? There will be real grass when the seeds grow and I managed to lift a few plants from the garden in flower, for that instant 'Ground Force' effect and we had collected shells which Georgia wanted to make into a series of ponds - Charlie Dimmock would be proud of our water feature! Finally a broken bamboo cloche was broken up to provide rails and posts for the fencing and an old pot gave terracotta paths, Georgia is thrilled so all is well!

After that I reckoned I had earned some time to potter and thought that a good head clearing job was to tackle my shed! Given that it hasn’t really been tidied for three years it was quite a tip, but I did enjoy having a good chuck out - five rubble sacks worth of stuff to go to the tip and now I can see the floor and the benchtop! I also came across a family of mice, so once I had cleared up most of the mess, I left a little untidy corner behind a board so that they could carry on living in peace. Georgia has an ongoing project in the space between my shed and the boathouse – her ‘hideyhole’ whose construction increases in complexity day by day - Michael came along to give her some expert input as she stacks boards and planks around various supports to make her very own den - Stan sometimes has more of a deconstructivist approach! I caused much amusement to the whole family when I tried to catch one of the two (we think) fish who have survived benign neglect in our pond so that I could re-home it in my new old-water-tank pond. Needless to say with such an audience I failed, but I can report that today when they were all at school, SUCCESS!

This perfect Sunday was rounded off by Michael cooking some wonderful onion bahjis. Or as they will forever more be known in this house ‘fried frogs’, Raff was watching them being cooked and Michael made the observation that they looked like frogs – which captured Raff’s imagination – he would of course never eat an onion bahji, but, being a boy of a certain age, thought that fried frogs were yummy – a testament to M’s cooking!

And of course, the clocks went forward - not they we knew anything about it until later in the day, so it's lovley light evenings from here on - if only this Mistral-esque wind would stop blowing before I go barmy!

Spring tide

Another fabulous day in Nagden, bright sunshine reflected all around by the very high Spring tide. The weather changes so quickly at the moment and by the early afternoon it was snowing, not enought to settle though. I managed to go for a lovely long walk with Mouse today and then, energised by that, got lots more done in the garden. had to stop for a while to watch this wonderful boat being tugged out, Stan was asleep but woke up to see the tug on its way back to the wharf. I have taken some pics of the garden to remind myself how it looks at this time of the year. Perhaps this year I can plan some more plants to form an interesting winter skeleton?

The Gardening begins

There's nothing as grounding after a long trip away as taking charge of the garden again - for me anyhow. For the first few days I have felt so like a zombie and the dreadful February state of it was really pulling me down, so yesterday- not withstanding another atrocious night and then up at 4 with Stan, I decided I had to plant the tree which Dad had given me for Christmas.

It is the kind of job which one could focus on and achieve in an afternoon - unlike all the weeding mulching and clearing up that seems so insurmountable. The wind has been blowing and North Easterly gale for two days and nights but the sun shine broke through and wearing about 20 layers and Michael's beanie - as I said to him I was 'dressed for warmth not fashion'! I dug a hole a meter wide and just over a spades' depth, forked over the base and prepeared my stake. Along the way my trusty assistants Georgia and Raff helped with the excavations and the dog obviously thought that such a big hole must be for playing in - let's just say ot took a little longer than planned! With a stop to make and eat lunch I eventually got it in the ground by the end of the afternoon and I feel great. It is a 'pendulous pear' and I hope will screen the chicken run a little and provide a new shape in the garden - now I just have to move the Cotinus, beech sapplings, contorted hazel........

Down with a bump

I now understand sleep deprivation as torture - and this is after having had three kids! Last night neither Stan or I could sleep - although I reckon that by 2.30 am with out Stan wriggling next to me I might have managed some shut-eye! So today I felt worse than a zombie and I am sure I shouldn't have been driving a car. I woke Michael early because I wanted an hour's sleep before the day really started but my mind was still racing and I just ended up bursting into tears and being generally very glum - you were right again Sasha - re-entry is pretty tricky! So now, a very quick bite of Friday night curry with the Roti Chanai I bought in Wellington and then hopefuly some sort of rest - Stan willing

Home again - a new adventure

The journey was long, uncomfortable and boring and my seating arrangements were so dreadful I cannot bore anyone anymore about them, suffice to say that when we got to Heathrow to find it was 6am, freezing, dark and wet, I sent Michael a text that said, "we've landed, it's horrible we're just hopping on a plane back again"! There were pretty big queues at Passport contol so I thought I would take the opportunity to go and get freshend up, change into clean clothes and sort out Stan, when we came out the queue had trebled!! AAAGH,

I saw fellow parent of small children who had been on my flight and she seemed to think we would be able to get fast-tracked so we tried that but no officials were interested, then a man took pity and let me join him near the front of the queue, very kind man! Then an elderly lady said that her husband had gone to plea my case - we were now at the start of the zig zag section. Anyhow, he came back and pointed out a customs official who was waving me through - I felt like a celeb - albeit a not very galmorous celeb! News had obviously got through to the baggage handlers too, as my suitcase was one of the first to fly down the shute and then the buggy swiftly followed. So in the end I shot through in record time! Unfortunately no-one had told the M25 that such a VIP was in town, so there was no movie style, romantic, emotional greeting from husband and family, just a sad trudge along the line, realising that they weren't there and trying to be chipper!

Stan and I settled down to a grotty Starbucks breakfast, called them up and then bought the kids some Pain au choc - how do Starbucks make such a yummy thing so turgid and chewy?! and then, after a bit of a wait, they arrived, everyone beaming - G and R at me, Stan at Michael and at "Raaaf and Jer jer". We sat and ate breakfast and all spoke at once! The kids looked great, Michael too, they all seemed to have survived their mother's/wifey's absence, in fact I would say they may even have thrived on it, perhaps I should go away more often!

Home again - it's still standing and one expects much to have changed but really life has carried on at a normal pace and the garden looks as muddy and hopeless as ever, but there are a few signs of Spring with bulbs sprouting and a lovley clump of snowdrops and my garlic is doing well. Raff seems to have moved his fasciantion with train track onto Lego and spends most spare minutes crouched over it on the living room, it's very sweet. Georgia seems delighted to have me back and I just need to cope with the battery of noise that emanates from 3 children all demanding my attention plus Jambo! They are all in a pretty high state of excitement, which is lovely but when your body is still so weary, it's hard to practice all the calm positive parenting one hopes to! Stan woke at 5 am this morning and demanded to "see Raff, see jer jer" I tried to persuade him it was dark and sleeping time, but after 10 minutes I accepted that he was in fact wide awake and it wasn't too early in the scheme of things, so we came downstairs for tea and toast and I caught up on some of the weekend papers - as Sasha and Rich would agree, the quality of the papers in NZ is not great. Georgia appeared at 6.30. very sleepy and bewildered -"what ARE you doing downstairs?" she asked in a very funny role reversal!

Last 24 hours

Monday morning was spent pootling around town picking up a few presents for Michael and the kids and packing, quite glum, but Sasha and I kept reminding each other that really I had a whole day left and we shouldn't watse it moping!! Not sure how well we convinced each other really. We went to Cafe L'Affare http://www.laffare.co.nz/caffe/main_caffe.htm since I had enjoyed drinking their coffee at home every day, it was another great place, full of character and atmosphere. A combination on one site of cafe, roasting business, shop and offices. I had bought Michael their rather beautifully designed book all about how to make coffee from Te Papa so it was good to see where it was all from . They have wonderful branding and design which I also thought he would love. We collected Oliver from school for my last time and I dropped in to say hello to a great friend of Annie's who teaches there - I think she was somewhat taken aback!

On Tuesday morning I got rather tearful and introspective and Sasha and I headed out for a walk around Ngaio, looking at various houses and chatting, but there was a real sense of sadness hanging over us. When Richard got back from a meeting we jumped into the car, said goodbye to the house and went for a quick lunch at the Maranui Surf club which I wanted to visit again. Rich commented that it was becoming a place with rather bittersweet memories for them because they always take people there before the airport, but the promised sea fog which would have delayed my flight and which had affected them twice before didn't materialise so off we went to the airport - not before Stan and Pippa had quite a passionate embrace - pics to follow! On the way out Sasha signed me in as a life member, the food was lovely again so I'll be back!

And so began our journey home, where as I write it is snowing!!! Big hugs all round and a few tears, but having gone through security and waiting for the plane I looked out over the carpark and saw Sasha and Rich drive away and it really hit me and I understood how hard it must be for Sasha to do it every year with her Mum and Dad and I wondered if I could really bear to put that much distance between my family and me?- Sasha you are a superstar! I love it there, it's a fanatstic country but it will inevitably be a while before we will be there again. I sat listening to the ipod on the plane from Wellington full of emotion because it was all music so tied up with Michael and the kids and I was so thrilled to be going home to see them, having missed them all and yet .....

THE best table

What a day, glamorous, jet set and big treats! We started with lunch at Shed 5 http://www.thenourishgroup.co.nz/shedfive which is a harbourside restaurant on the jetty where all the 'World Boats' are moored. They have outdoor tables right on the water and we had been given the best one! People were crowding in on all sides to look at the boats and kept being shooed away by the waiters asking rhetorically "are you dining with us today" (if not go somewhere else!) So we had a ringside view of the action as each boat was interviewed by the TV crews and then set sail! We then had a delicious glamorous lunch whilst the children were pretty amazingly behaved. Stan really enjoyed his starter of freshly baked bread with a white truffle oil and marscapone spread, followed by wonderful fish and chips with almost tempura-light batter. I tucked into a fabulous piece of grilled fish (bream or snapper we couldn't decide) served on Nori and wasabi rice with fresh spinach and a spring onion and ginger sauce - I think I may steal this for the dinner I have to cook for the school auction when I get back. Accompanying all of that was a lovely Martinborough pink wine and I really felt like 'this is the life, long live summer and how lucky am I!!'

After lunch we wandered over to an indoor rock climbing centre for a long promised treat for Oliver, he had a chalk ball in a special bag which needed an outing! He was a superstar completing 3 climbs in no time much to the amusement of all watching - including Stan who was desperate to get up there too.

The next stop was a 'quick' drive round Oriental Bay to watch the start of the race, we wanted to be far round enough to see them close up without too many crowds - I think we weren't the only ones to have that thought, so we had 20 nailbiting minutes in the car, stuck in traffic willing it to move, but with our luck today there was a space to pull over just where we had been heading - superb! We scrambled out of the car with minutes to spare and Oliver was thrilled to hear the canon and see the smoke and we all got very excited as they raced away out of the bay, then it was back in the car and a dash to Breakers Bay where the harbour meets the ocean for a last look at them. It's a beautiful bay, rocky headlands and patches of sand with a mixture of trad beach houses called Bachs (pron. batches) and really modern pads, all with the most beautiful outlook. We waited for 10 minutes before the first two boats appeared flanked by 3 or 4 helicopters flying around at incredibly low levels, seeming at some times to be at or below the full height of the masts. Over 20 minutes or so all of the boats appeared and sailed off into the great blue yonder and what a picture they made, clear blue sky, gentle breeze and beautiful scenery. I could live here!!

Sunny Saturday

The restaurant was fab! Great service and lovely food - some of the best Prosciutto I have had in years and a superb salted cod with tapenade and truffle oil. Didn't think I had had much to drink, glass of fizz, two glasses of red and a 'stickie' but feel a little jaded today! Maybe it's the late night?? I have rediscovered my natural sleep pattern since I have been here, going to bed at 10 and waking around 8 - many thanks to Stan for his good sleeping and very quiet morning behaviour. He stands up in his cot, chucks out all of his sheets, blankets 'Raddit' and whispers to himself as he does so, when my head is raised off the pillow to peer over my toes, his smile is as broad as can be and then he climbs in to bed with me for a cuddle. I will miss those morning cuddles when he goes back to his normal morning routine of leaping around in his cot shrieking and giggling with Raff!

The morning was spent out and about looking at the boats and climbing on the Volvo lorries and diggers which were all around the race village. The boys were also climbing on and off the sandsailing buggies, pretending to steer and race them. I was jealously admiring the diners in several of the waterfront restaurants and imagining how amazing it must have been when the boats had arrived when Richard told me he had booked in at one of them tomorrow when the boats set off again! How cool!

There was a wonderful atmosphere and we headed over to the main stage to listen to speeches by various big chesses and watch all of the skippers come up to sign a pledge to save the Albatross. The kids sat patiently through it before we headed back to the car to go round the bay to Kaffee Eis on Oriental Parade for possibly the best ice cream ever! I indulged Stan's request for 'Chyocot' ice cream - god knows why because he would have been happy with anything and he did end up wearing a good deal of it and it's a nightmare to get out of clothes - not to mention his tummy button!! But hey, he's on holiday too and we managed to persuade him to have a lovely paddle when we went down to the beach afterwards. It was the first time I have seen lots of people lolling about on the beach in the sun, most people are extremely cautious here and my two week tan is darker than many locals!

Home then for a relaxing evening, stories and cuddles with Pippa, a barbie and me cooking a Bill Granger tomato ricotta tart yum yum. This is the life!