Sunday, January 27, 2008

Queen Elizabeth Park - Kapiti Coast




After another fast week - where are they going? we spent the weekend getting natural wool insulation in our loft - can you believe there was no insulation at all - combine that with a tin roof - no wonder we were warm at night in the summer!!!! We discovered another Regional Park - Queen Elizabeth park on the Kapiti Coast. Great views, bird life - including a Buzzard - beach and walks! We did a northern loop along the coast and back along the inland track - about 3.3kms in total. There was a lovely fresh breeze which cooled the warm day!

The Kittens are still growing well and are now allowed outside to run riot! We also discovered a nice garden center and my garden has now been added too! 2 Lime bushes, 1 Blueberry bush, various grasses and some pretty pink and red perennials for the retaining wall planting - just have to work on removing more of the Ivy now! Getting a Mandarin bush is another project!

Oh well Monday tomorrow - back to another week of work and India starts Morning Kindy tomorrow 2. She is very excited and I think she may be disappointed as she thinks it will be like Josh's school and she will learn to read, write and have homework. I will try and get a picture of her with her Charlie and Lola rucksac in the morning! Another week and a half before Josh goes back on the 7th Feb. Then Andy's Birthday the week after! Before I know it Easter will be upon us and we will be hunting nice cadburys chocolate eggs - Josh has already complained that everything is filed with marshmallow as the marshmallow filled eggs are now in the shops!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

From up high



After the success of the Kevin the wandering kiwi walks we decided to try the introduction to Belmont park walk. Little did we know that it was such an up hill slog and a full 6kms in length! the kids did well, Saffy safely stored away in the rucksack, India plodded very slowly and Josh did a great walk. It was a great view from the top, despite being more open moorland than the interesting bush we prefer. But still it was great to see all the old army ammunition bunkers and a great view of Porirua harbor, a glimpse of South Island and views over the Hutt Valley.
We all needed to veggie for the rest of the day!!!


Thursday, January 10, 2008

Tunnel Gully


We join Kevin the wandering Kiwi (see other photos for this one!!!) on his walk around Tane's Track (pronounce tar-nay's) Maori spelling! It was about an hours tramp through the bush - buggy compatible and a slight diversion through the old railway tunnel with Josh's friend logan and Emma and Alex!


Quick Maori language lesson:
Vowel pronunciations
a = are as in Far
e = ear
i = ee as in me
o = or as in awe
u = ou as in foot

Anyway it was great fun and a great walk - they are doing one every Thursday in the holidays.

This was all before we came home and did some scrap booking which resulted in India now having a fringe!!!!! Saffron did it of course! I tidied it up!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy New Year


We spent a pleasant start to 2008 by taking a road trip to Cape Palliser with friends Steve, Lisa, Jemma and Lisa's mum. We got up close to the seals and their pups. And added to the tan again!!!! Its a lovely yet remote ocean spot about 1 & 1/2 hrs from wellington. Great Geology! See the link to the right for more pics of our day out. We then finished off the day with more friends at their house having a NZ knees up - BBQ!