Plenty of Slow Stitching Here

I was thrilled with the birthday gift I received from my daughter Nicky.  Several years ago I had purchased  a partially completed embroidered tablecloth with unused threads from a fabric fair. That would be a good project to finish, I thought.  But…… time went by and I didn't do a single stitch, so asked my daughter Nicky if she could complete it for me – sometime.  Out of sight, out of mind, and I truly had forgotten all about it.  We got together for a birthday lunch on Thursday and Nicky presented me with a parcel, it was the completed tablecloth!

Opening the parcel

The amount of stitching she completed was phenomenal, finishing the cross stitch and very close stitching in the figures.  There are big burly Scots in the Highland Games, girls dancing, and kilted gentlemen playing the bagpipes.  And as well, she taught herself how to crochet the pretty lace edging from tutorials off the internet.  I am so proud of her – it really was a big ask.  Nicky told me she was determined to finish it for this birthday.

Such a lot of work in this

My birthday was today, Sunday, so Robin and I discussed options on how to celebrate.  Out for an evening meal, or perhaps lunch?  In the end we decided on a Birthday Breakfast and went to a “new to us” café, Gorge, in Otaki.

Gorge Café

There was an interesting feature wall inside the café, driftwood from the local beach.

Wall art

The café menu had us pondering for a while, perhaps I’ll have the hot cakes and fruit?  But a little further down I saw kippers on the menu, that will do me, I thought.  Robin couldn't go past the Big Breakfast.

That looks nice

The kippers were advertised as locally caught, but I was sure that we don’t have herrings in our waters.  So I checked with the serving staff to find out.  Yes, the fish, Kawhai,  was caught at Waikanae Beach, then smoked.  I had tried “real” kippers in Scotland at a B&B while travelling around the UK, and this Kiwi version was just as tasty. 

I asked the young staff member if she would mind taking our photo and handed her my camera. Click, click, click she went, then handed it back.  But……on checking there were no photos there at all.  Rather than call her back and maybe embarrass her, we each took a snap of the other.  This reminded me of another occasion when we were out and another young lady had no idea how to work a camera.  She had to sent an older staff member over to our table who had no trouble at all.

Finishing off our breakfasts

I’ve had a lovely day today, breakfast out, phone calls and messages from friends and family, and no cooking all day!  That’s always a bonus, isn't it.