Saturday fro those not in the know. A delightful boiled egg and soldiers in bed, and presents, with tea and cake delayed until the afternoon.
On the present front I did well. A new jumper so Shaz can be proud of me in public, a new wallet so that I do not lose my cards, a book about the beauty of clouds, and their deeper meaning and best of all a book on home brewing-so far read avidly. I am in the process of finding important items of kit. More to come I am sure.

Fourteen…..I can still remember her coming out and being covered in vernix.

Smelly had a party yesterday at home, while Dad and the boys made themselves scarce. Was it seven or eight who were there? Games were played suiting the modern teenager, cake is still fashionable, and she borrowed one of Mum’s dresses and looked lovely.

How fitting that with the Olympic games just around the corner, that when we are on holiday and passing through Opunake, on the surf highway, that we came across a bronze of Peter Snell, noted middle distance runner, and son of NZ.

A few days away in North Taranaki, at a place called Wai-iti beach. we were the only people staying on the site. It has converted ship containers for accommodation, as well as pitches for tents and more palatial “cottages”. The site would be too cramped when busy but was good for us. There was a cafe on site which we sampled for one night and found new beer from an organic micro-brewery just down the road. It is mild, not something one gets to grips with much these days.
We enjoyed good walks through the wild scenery, enjoyed the sea views, and took it easy. I started reading the “Little House” series, so now am into real living, and self sufficiency, and after visiting the brewery I am now going to be reading up on brew your own.

Everyone had a good time, and all that walking was good for Joseph’s rugby training.
No one actually ventured into the water, and the day I had the kite ready-no wind.

unday, May 04, 2008

Storm’s full force still to come – MetService

Updated 1:30PM Tuesday April 29, 2008
By Craig Borley

Photo / Keith Brimmer

Thunderstorms, lightning, torrential rain and gale-force winds will strike much of the country this afternoon and tomorrow as two huge fronts collide.

MetService forecaster Oliver Druce said there is a lull in the rain at the moment but a lot more is to come later this afternoon.

Thunderstorms are predicted from Northland to Westland. Taranaki and the Kapiti Coast expected to be worst-hit, bearing the brunt of the weather tomorrow morning.

An updated forecast from MetService this morning said “intense downpours” would bring between 60 – 100mm of rain to areas in the North Island today.

Boaties are being warned to check moorings before the weather hits, and people are being cautioned to stay away from rapidly rising waterways in the eastern North Island.

MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt told the Herald people in the worst hit areas should avoid driving if possible, as the wind, wet and poor visibility would make driving conditions perilous today and tomorrow.

Well, in fact we had a fine weekend.
After the fine walk on Friday, the good weather persisted on Saturday, with the high pressure system sitting over NZ, giving us fine blue skies, no wind and warmth. After a stint of cleaning up the garden we had a family trip on the harbour, with Isaac’s friend Heidi, who now lives in Sydney, along for the trip. We took the ferry from the city to Eastbourne, with a quick look at Seatoun. It was a great day for it, with a chance for a close up look at a large ship anchored in the harbour. We walked along the beach at Eastbourne, then squeezed in a ice cream chocolate and iced coffee. The view of the city was refreshing from an alternative viewpoint.The visiting French frigate was waiting on the quay.
Sunday was another “Quirkes are active” morning. A trip to Oriental Parade with M&D running to Kilbirnie and back for 10Km of activity with Isaac doing some scootering with Eleanor n with him, and Joe keeping up the activity with a 5Km run. Then feeling like heroes it was off to lunch with the Burgesses at the St Johns ambulance bar. Good form and fun.

Back to the ranch for relaxing tv-you just can’t beat it.

Yesterday was the national day of remembrance, as explained on a previous year.
We did not attend the dawn service this year, as I was earning down at the afterhours centre. At home, Sara at least, was watching the themed television programmes. Isaac would need Nintendo to put out an ANZAC game on DS lite. Going to work at 8-30 was a little eerie, as the place was so quiet-more so than a Sunday. Shops cannot open until 1pm, so I presume so people have not ventured out of the house, or those up early have returned.

Back from work at 2-30 and Dad was raring for some outdoors activity, so a family walk was on the cards. We went for a new venue that we have had in mind for a few months. It is the circuit for the Gutbuster run that Sara and I considered doing earlier in the year. Check out the route and the description-it does not do it justice. The start was walking to the top of Wright’s Hill, which is where the old gun emplacement is that we visited before.The undulations were certainly steep and required a lot of effort. It would be a killer of a run to do, a real challenge and may well do it next year, now knowing what is required. We had a picque-nique under the wind turbine that was well deserved, with pork pie, crisps, and disgustingly unnatural cakes for the children. We all knew we had had a walk, some more than others, but all did well, and aching limbs, a sure sign of a worthwhile afternoon.
After a shared bath with a beer, the parents were out on the town, with me paying the bus fares in! Good chat, though a disappointingly average curry. The live music did not eventuate. A pricey taxi ride took us home.
So, all go in the house of Quirke!

Hello, long time no keyboard strokes to fill you in on the ongoing saga of a Khandallah clan.

Autumn has arrived. As soon as the hacks got back on the jet plane, the sun went away, the southerly wind came and the heating has been on. The clocks have jumped and the world is darker. Though nothing like 3-30 in the afternoon in December up north.

It is currently school holidays. As such the delightful ones are being entertained. As I type, Joe and Isaac are at basketball holiday camp in Newtown. Shooting at the hoop is their new sport. Joe has been angling to play for ages, I suspect mainly to have an excuse to add to his polyester sports shirt collection. Isaac has been encouraged by one of his friends and by her mum, who is a basketball “nut”. Both have taken to it at midweek hoop club, and now we are looking for a new hoop, back board set-up for the garden. They start playing matches next term. More ferrying to enjoy.

Eleanor is out shopping with a friend. What else. Though to be fair, yesterday she was in the role of carer and did a fine job. Dad was at work, and Mum was in Dunedin, on a day-trip for work.

The Hacks were in “God’s Own’ during the Easter school holidays. We met up with them initially in Queenstown. No mean feat! The drive from Wellington was somewhat longer than we had obviously appreciated when first looking and agreeing. A day there, and day back. However, two days in the bright warm sunshine of Queenstown, and the warm glow of the Hacks made for a good time. I took the old camera, and took images on transparency film. Totally screwed exposure;not sure why, and so only one out of thirty any good-not a good hit rate in anyones’ book.