Lunch at Rendezvous - celebrating some special milestones

25 May - Some photos from today's lunch celebrating Des and Viv's 87th birthdays, and Mother and Des' 20th wedding anniversary. Twenty-four of us gathered at the Rendezvous restaurant for a very pleasant and special celebration.

Isla's school cross country run at Lyall Bay beach

Monday 19 May - Isla's school cross country event at Lyall Bay beach, on a very pleasant warm, sunny afternoon.

Isla's year group are lined up

Off they go, Isla is well placed at the start (in black shorts)

Isla is obscured in this photo near the start, you can just see her blue shoes.

Finishing sprint!

Fourth!  Well done Isla!

Metlink City Safari in Wellington

Sunday 18 May - Cecily and I took part in the Metlink City Safari along with orienteering friend Annie Sanderson from New Plymouth.  This is a six hour navigation race finding checkpoints around Wellington, but you can use buses and trains using a free pass.  During the six hours we visited Karori, the Botanical Gardens, Seatoun and Newtown.  We were very excited to come first women's team in the race.

At the start

One of the checkpoints in the Botanical Gardens

Waiting for a bus in Miramar

Most of the passengers on this bus are competitors, some studying their maps

Finished!

Winning smiles - thanks for the photos Jim Hepburn

Our winning trophy

Planet Spice

Saturday 17 May - I arrived in Wellington close to dinner time.  Mark was playing a soccer match so we girls decided to go and eat out at a favourite Indian restaurant in Newtown - Planet Spice.  We took Mark's favourite takeaway dish home for him too.

Mark had just got home from the Bahamas - the girls showing off their new dresses.

Keeping busy while waiting for dinner

After dinner I noticed that the girls were looking quite tired and full.  I took some phone photos to capture their feelings ...

Thursday tramp: No. 1 Line, Pohangina valley

8 May - a tramp into the lower Ruahine Range in the Pohangina valley.  Fourteen in our group today, a collection of photos taken by me and our group.

A steep climb up

Some magnificent rimu trees remain

This was as high as we got 1011m.  We had views over both sides of the range from here.  Southern Hawkes Bay behind us.

Note the dense leatherwood!

A huge rimu which we encircled for some photographs

Celebrating Andrea's 40th birthday at Paekakariki

Saturday 2 May - a most enjoyable family get together to celebrate Andrea's 40th birthday.  Thank you Andrea for organising the weekend at Paekakariki.

A family get together in Paekakariki

2 - 4 May

A drizzly Saturday didn't keep the girls from playing outside on the beach just below the house we were staying in.

Our house - a great view of the beach!