Out and About

I've had such a busy time out in the last week or so, one social outing after another.  And no, its not usually like that at all, everything just came at once.  We have been meeting up with a group of friends each month.  In the early years when we were much younger and fitter, we would go walking up and down hills, along the coast line, travel out out town for weekends away, visit gardens, exhibitions  and museums, all sorts of things.  As the years went by our numbers have dwindled as friends have passed away, and of course we are now getting older as our legs and backs keep telling us.  So these days we “Do Lunch”.  Six of us met for lunch in Paraparaumu, and very pleasant it was too.

Ashley, Helen, Calvin, Trish, Robin and me

After lunch we said our goodbyes, and called into the Coastlands Mall to visit the Butlers Chocolate Café.  We had recently gifted our friends Owen and Helen some drinking chocolate from Butlers for helping us with our caravan, and they absolutely loved it.  Why don't we get some for ourselves too, we decided.  So we did, stopping for one of their delicious cups of hot chocolate too.  Topped with cream, grated chocolate and marshmallows bobbing about, they are delicious.  And they come with a free chocolate too!

At Butlers Chocolate Café

The next day I went out to morning tea with a couple of friends.  We have a little group in our village and we go out to lunch each month, each taking a turn to choose where we go.  I wanted to check out a café  which had just reopened to see if it would be suitable for our ladies when it is my time to organize the lunch venue.    Yes it was, nice cabinet food, menu food and good coffee, what more could we ask for.  I forgot to take photos this time.

Then the very next day we had yet another lunch out, this time in Waikanae.  Another group of old friend, we were three couples who got together every three months or so.  Sadly, two of the husbands have now passed away.  The lunch was very nice,  and it was great to catch up again.  Both Shirley and Robyn are quilters, and Shirley also keeps busy doing baby knitting for the Neo Natal Unit.

 

Lunch at Relish Café

Then believe it or not, we were invited out on Saturday evening to help our friends Dot and Derek celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary.  We must have been talking so much that I forgot to take any photos.  But I remember my salmon and prawn meal was delicious, and Robin enjoyed his beef.  We toasted our friends and wished them well and very many more years ahead.

So that certainly was a very social week, out and about meeting up with friends, which is always nice to do.  In between all this going out I’ve done a little knitting, some piecing, and started machine quilting a donation quilt.  Gemma kept everything tidy after I’d finished sewing for the day.

She loves being curled up on my projects