Catching up with Family

 My children don't live on my doorstep, so it is always so nice to see them when I can.  Son Michael lives in Christchurch, in the South Island, and was up in Wellington recently to stay with his Dad.  We arranged to meet for lunch, I drove down to Otaki, and he drove up from Wellington.  Just as well I got there early, as there was no parking close by, it was a matter of driving around till I found a park in an adjacent street and walk back.  

While I was waiting, several groups of older cyclists arrived.  This cafe is obviously on their route for lunch when they are on their bike rides.  Good crowds in a cafe always means that the place is popular and the food is sure to be good, I feel.  Michael duly arrived, after finding a handy car park non existent too and walked back around a corner or two to reach the cafe.  We ordered lunch and settled down to catch up with the news.

Michael

I had taken along some computer stuff which Robin had tucked away and I didn't know what it was or what to do with it.  Michael took a couple of packets of discs off my hands, so that was good.  There is a lot of stuff at home I'm still trying to sort out, so this going to a good home is a bonus.  As far as computers go, I know what I know, and that's not very much!

I didn't even know what these were

My daughter Nicky came down to see me on Sunday, and we had lunch here at home.  I made some parsnip and bacon soup, it is always very tasty.  Then we sat and chatted.  I showed Nicky a project which had been stalled for a while.  It features three snow people and I mentioned how I hate making and stuffing toys.  Her response was, why did you buy it in the first place if you hate making toys?  The answer was that I bought it very cheap in a sale, and I enjoyed making their easy felt outfits.  But when it came to the bodies I put it away.  Luckily I had stitched up the bodies and arms, and had the stuffing handy so she sat and stuffed them for me.  

Snow people bodies and arms, don't they look weird!

Gemma checked them out too, and was soon rolling around and giving one of those legs a good beating with her back feet, she must have thought it was a type of mouse.

What's all this, she is thinking

I'd better get the heads stitched up, and then maybe Nicky can stuff them for me as well next time she comes visiting.  And I've got no idea how to attach the arms.  Maybe I will need to read the instructions.  Did I mention how I hate making toys?

So it was nice that I spent one on one time with both of my children lately.  It is the school holidays here in New Zealand, and I remembered our outings from Hutt Valley to Wellington on the train each holiday, to see whatever film we had picked out.  And having lunch as well in the Pancake Parlour (now long gone) was another school holiday tradition.  Those were the days.