Surf's Up.

Jordy, see this white stuff....it's called SURF, and it's real fun. You run into the freezing cold of the Pacific Ocean, and you squeal really loudly, and then you run back onto the sand and then you do it all again...and again...and again! Your wee cousins have done this when they were here in Dunedin for your Mummy & Daddy's wedding. I can't wait for you to try this out too. The louder you squeal, the more fun it is.
Your Uncle Nick does big boy stuff with this white stuff...that's called SURFING. He'll be sure to show you how to do this when you're a big boy.

This is one end of our beach .....

And this is the other end. It is very very beautiful and I love walking along from one end to the other in all weathers. This morning was a "corker" ( that's a word we use here for something good ) It's Labour Weekend ( that's a day to celebrate work & all the workers get a holiday - well except those that work in shops, for some reason they have to be at work cos people love shopping and they like to go shopping on a holiday weekend ) See how there's no people in the picture? Well, they're all shopping! Not me! I'm at the beach!

When you reach one end there's a lot of wee water pools and sometimes you can see wee crabs. They're not big enough to catch for Grandpa Ukelele's favourite Chilli Crab dish though so I just sit for awhile watching them. You're just going to LOVE this place Jordy, and guess what! Every day at the beach ends with a Fish & Chip Picnic....ahhh, now Fish & Chips...that's another story....

My Backyard!

Last night the hailstorms were beating against the window and it seemed it might be another indoors day today but the morning was turning into a beautiful spring day so thought it a good chance to have a wee wonder through the top part of the Gardens where, if the hailstorm hadn't ruined them, the Rhodadendrams and Azaelas would be at their best. I am very lucky as it's a only a short 10 minutes away from my house and the walk up to the top is always beautiful

Sure enough, when I reached the top, the colours were breathtaking, the whole scene looking a little like a monet painting.
Once again, there was no one else about....( what do other people do on Sunday mornings! )

I've been wondering these gardens now for half a century.... Mum used to take us sometimes to feed the ducks and one of my earliest memories was Dad taking Judy & I on the bus to the Gardens one day to show us that our wee budgie was very happy in his new home with all his friends at the bird sanctury! We had left the cage door open for too long and were very upset that he was lost.
As a teenager I enjoyed biking here from South Dunedin and then when the boys were wee this was one of my favourite places to take them. And it's really nice to be in a place where youv'e been able to watch the trees grow slowly. I remember when the Azaeala Garden was first planted out and now it's world renoun.

And now when I walk the top way home I pass Nick's Castle On The Hill, looking very grand indeed standing in the sunshine. Maybe one day soon, after my Sunday walk, I'll pop in and he'll have lunch on the table for his old Ma!

"Hooked On A Feeling"

This morning was too lovely to not be out enjoying the day so with my trusty best mate i.e my MP 3 player switched to one of my very favourite songs - "More Than A Feeling" ( and singing my own version - "Hooked on a Feeling" I set off to Signal Hill lookout.

The climb up my hill was just the beginning of the steep climb to my destination and by the time I was half way up my wee player started playing "Eight Miles High" which seemed very appropriate. I passed a wee Asian fellow attempting to cycle up and gave him the thumbs up as encouragement cos he looked as though he was finding the going quite tough.

When I'd nearly reached the top I was heartened to see a young couple pushing their little toddler in a pushchair coming back down the hill. I really wanted to take their photo to show D&D that this is something we can do with Jordy when he comes over - but promise I didn't - that wouldv'e been just too cheeky!

The walk was well worth it. Due to the haze the pix aren't very clear but the view was magic. It was very still and best of all I had this beautiful spot all to myself. So I sat for awhile just reflecting on this beautiful city and how lucky I am to be able to enjoy it.

On the way down the views were incredibly beautiful too and I passed my wee Asian friend who had left his bike somewhere and was going to make it to the top by foot. I was pleased he was going to get to the top after all.

I was still "hooked on a good feeling" for the rest of the day and managed to get the lawns done and the car washed no prob..... and relax with my cousies at Andy Bay, it's amazing how a wee walk on a beautiful day can blow away the cobwebs of the working week!

Memories

Here is the Chinese Box which I aquired at D's work mall. As soon as I saw it I knew it would be exactly the box that would hold all Grandad's "stuff." Those wee mementos that were important to him and therefore very special for us.

His leather case stands underneath which Jude & I spent a childhood wondering about the contents. It was always strictly forbidden - but I remember that we did manage to climb up high one day and found, to our delight, little brownie snapshots of our Dad from WW2, ( he must have been 19 - 22 ) small mementos of Italian Women, and quite a few truck/mobile shots from perhaps Egypt. I remember Dad being very cross that we had managed to come across the suitcase. At the time I remember wondering whether there was more to the fact that Judy & I had climbed up on a footstool to get the case...and therefore unsafe...he was very angry...much more than the incident warrented. Dad was usually never angry at us so I knew this was serious. Now that I have the small ( and insificant for some ) contents I can understand his reserve, and wanting to shield his daughters from a horrific time in his past.

I have medals and letters, and my task now, is to gather this together and put them in the Chinese Box & Dad's old Leather Case. There are also a few mementos from Mum - not much - probably the most treasured thing is a big Superman Card which Nick made for his Mama just before she died.

Underneath the leather case is an ordinary old wharehouse trunk which holds heaps of Nick & David's growing up times. Not many photos of new borne David to show Jordy ( no time for photos I suppose ) but lots for later - lots of holidays & the day to day stuff.

So the Chinese Box will serve us well and I'll have much satisfaction filling it with family mementos. It was well worth the inspection at customs but that's another story!

My other aquisition is the wonderful ' Lust en Lesen 2009 " Calendar. My DIL said it MUST be part of the sitting room - and after a bit of rearranging I am very pleased.

Liam leaves for Wellington tomorrow. He is very excited and so he can be. Celia can be very proud. Watch Out World - here comes Liam - be well - Go Do It!!!