Donations, and Lunch with SLG Friends

It was time for our monthly lunch with our Super Leisure Group (SLG) friends, and Calvin had arranged for us to meet down at Porirua.  That suited us fine, as on the way I could do a donation drop off at Paraparaumu Beach, on the way to Porirua.  So I packed up some goodies for Foster Hope, and we set off bright and early.  These had been finished some time ago, and were waiting patiently to be delivered.

Three draw string bags for toiletries or pencils

Three toddlers aprons, a woolly beanie and two pencil cases with pencils

Two quilts, one for a boy with Happy blocks, and one for a girl with floral nine patches

These were handed over to the local Lotto and book shop which accepts donations for Foster Hope.

We had plenty of time to spare before our lunch date so parked up on Paraparaumu Beach for a while.  The tide was out, and empty several boat trailers attested that a  few fishermen were out to sea.  Sea gulls were busy calling and it's always nice to see Kapiti Island offshore.  Robin remarked that when he was truck driving for Toops he often used to park up on this beach during his lunch break.

Kapiti Island off shore

Then it was time to continue with our journey down to Porirua to meet our friends.  This was at a "new to us" cafe in Mitre 10 hardware store, and it certainly was busy.  Just as well that Calvin had booked a table for us.  There was a further donation at the cafe.  You may remember that I had gifted Trish's GGD Charlotte a quilt featuring pretty unicorns a while ago.  With some of the unicorn panels left over, I stitched up three unicorn cushions recently, and gave this one to Trish to pass on to Charlotte as a little extra.  

Trish with a cushion for Charlotte

As usual, we had plenty to chat about as we checked out the menu and the cabinet food.  The cafe was humming with customers.  Then it was time for the draw.  Our group originally started with 12 members, so the draw was done annually.  Sadly, with only five remaining SLG members the drawing of the months comes around much more regularly.  The name of the months we each organise our outing were pulled out of a cup, and notated, always very necessary in case we forget.  Robin's month is September, so he will have to put his thinking cap on and decide where we will meet.  In the group's early years we were all so much more actine, and went for tramps up and down hills, along beaches, and walked through fancy gardens which were open to the public.  These days with our various sore knees, backs, feet etc we just meet somewhere for lunch.

Helen, Calvin, Robin, Jenny and Trish

It's always so nice to get together and Trish had brought along some photos of our escapades from earlier years.  Goodness me, not a grey hair in sight back then!  Many thanks to Calvin for planning our day.

The following day I received an unexpected phone call from a lady thanking me for the donations, and the quilts in particular.  She is the founder of a group "Grandparents raising Grandchildren" and obviously works alongside the Foster Hope charity.  She told me she was very impressed with my thoughtful donations and told me she was going to take the two quilts to use in her own group.  I commented that I had no problem with that, and also that she was the only person ever to acknowledge my donations that I had made over the years.  She was astounded by this, and thanked me profusely, explaining what her group did, and how many grandparents end up taking care of the grandies for various reasons, usually drinking and drugs.  I'm sure like all who donate to good causes, I don't do it for thanks, but as I always leave a note inside the bags with my phone and email details, would just like to be acknowledged.  

   

Donation Drop-off, and Lunch with Friends

 Over the last several months I have been stitching away, and had accumulated a bag of donations for Foster Hope charity.  The nearest drop off point was on the way to where we were heading for lunch, so that worked out well.  I collected the bag, and we were ready to go.

Ready for the donation drop-off

So what did I have ready to donate?  A red and blue boy's strippy quilt, featuring helicopters and planes, and road construction machines.  As well as some draw string bags for the foster kids to put toiletries or pens and pencils in, beanies, and a little baby's striped jumper I had knitted.  All to be given to children in need.

Donations for Foster Hope

We were meeting our friends for lunch at the Paekakariki Hotel.  The meaning of Paekakariki is "pae" for perching and "kakariki" is a small native parrot.  The local cafe just across the road from the pub is called "The Perching Parrot".  

Paekakariki Hotel

We took some time choosing our meals - I was after soup as it was a chilly day, but no soup on the menu just yet, I was told.  Eventually, we placed our orders, and the food arrived.  I tried corn fritters for a change, and Robin enjoyed his sweet and sour pork on rice.  Having a nice meal for lunch means I don't have to cook another meal for our dinner that night.

Corn Fritters for my lunch

There was  plenty to chat about as usual, including mentioning our friend Trish who was about to embark on an overseas adventure, how exciting for her.  We certainly wished her well, and safe travels.   As we sat at the table by the window, we remarked at the railway barrier arms coming down across the road, stopping traffic as a train went by.  This happened time and time again while we were enjoying our meal, passenger trains arriving and departing regularly, and the occasional freight trains too.  This is a very busy rail line indeed.  

Enjoying our lunch

There was an interesting print of an old painting (painted in 1868) on the wall by our table,  showing the local Maori people and their waka (boats) on the beach, with Mana Island in the background.

Paekakariki Beach in the 1860s

We had a lovely time together, and then it was time to say our goodbyes and we headed home.   And no trip along the coast is complete without a stop to admire Kapiti Island, is it.  This really is my favourite island, I have to say.

Kapiti Island

Kapiti Island was the base of the warrior chief Te Rauparaha for 20 years back in the 1820s, using muskets to defeat traditionally armed local tribes.  He and his men also launched devastating attacks on the South Island tribes.  These days Kapiti Island is a bird sanctuary, however access is only available through licenced tour operators, to keep visitor numbers within acceptable limits.  We have done this trip several times in the past, and the bird life is amazingly abundant on this predator free off shore paradise.

Out and About

We've enjoyed a few little outings lately, meeting up with friends for lunch.  In fact, last week was very social indeed, with two lunches in a row.  The first was down at Paraparaumu Beach – where I did a drop-off with a bag of donations for Foster Hope, a charity which helps children in foster care.  The children often arrive at their foster homes with very little indeed,  so Foster Hope gives each child a back pack with toiletries, pajamas, underwear, and whatever else they made need.  My donation last week was a selection of 18 draw string bags for toiletries (or pens/pencils if they prefer) and two children’s quilts.  All these items have been made over several months.

Donation for Foster Hope

Then it was time to meet up with our friends, at a new to us café on the beach front.  It certainly looked rather grand as we approached.  As usual, we had a great catch up with everyone.

Lunch time

This café specializes in  fish, and Robin enjoyed battered Chatham Islands Blue Cod – delicious he said.  I chose Seafood Chowder, and told myself, as I was having soup, I really deserved a pieced of cake too!  How’s that for a weak excuse!  But the tiramisu in the cabinet was saying “choose me”  so I just had to, didn't I?  The very first time I had eaten this dessert was on our 2008 USA coach tour from New York to Niagara Falls and back, and we stopped off for an evening meal at Washington DC, where tiramisu was on the menu.  So I just had to try it, and it was as delicious as I had imagined.  Another memory from that dinner was when one of the waiters told us that the helicopter flying overhead was the presidential one, carrying President Obama.  How about that!

My delicious lunch

After we said our goodbyes to our friends, we drove down to the beach, to see what we could see.  This group of red billed gulls weren't at all concerned when we drove our car onto the sand and stayed in their little chatty group. 

Red billed gulls on the beach

Kapiti Island is not too far offshore and groups can take day trips over to this island.  In former times it was a whaling station, and visitors can see the large whale pots which used to render down blubber.    These days it is one of New Zealand's oldest and most important predator free nature reserves, and is full of beautiful native bird life.  Access to the island is limited, and visitors must go with the certified trip providers only.

Kapiti Island

Our next lunch was with two friends, Shirley and Robyn, the three of us take turns hosting lunches every few months.  Shirley had recently had a health scare so to save her any pressure we drove down to take her out to one of her favourite local cafes.  We were pleased to see that Shirley was getting her mobility back, and we had a lovely lunch indeed, but I forgot to take photos.  After lunch we were invited back to Shirley’s home for coffee and cake, and Shirley showed us one of the donation quilts she is planning to make.   It seems a lovely pattern using strips of shaded colours, I may have to borrow the idea for myself..

Winter has arrived in New Zealand at the beginning of the month while I wasn't looking, no wonder the weather has turned so wet and cold.  Just as well I've got my sewing and knitting to keep me occupied at home.  I don't know about you, but I always have plenty of projects to work on.  Happy stitching.

Cute little Quokka

When is a rat not a rat?  When it is a quokka.  And what is a quokka, you may well ask?  A quokka is a marsupial the size of a hare or domestic cat, and as with other marsupials, such as the kangaroo and wallaby, the females suckle their young in a pouch. Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, Australia, has quokkas galore.  Rottnest Island was named by Dutch explorer William de Vlamingh in 1696, meaning rats nest, mistaking the quokkas for huge rats.   It wasn’t long before we saw our first quokka, there were plenty around the small shopping area close by the wharf.  With their dark brown fur and long hairless tail, it was no wonder that they were confused for a large rat at first sight.

Hello, quokka

Overnighting on Rottnest Island gave us two days to have a good look around,  and we  were picked up bright and early from the hotel by the courtesy coach and taken down to the ferry terminal to board the Rottnest Express.

The Rottnest Island ferry

The island is 11km in length and 4.5km at the widest point.  No domestic cars are allowed, only service vehicles and a few tour buses.  It is a bikers paradise, and hundreds of tourists hire bikes and pedal around the island each day.

Map of the island

No biking for us, we took the easy way to explore and boarded the bus for our “Discover Rottnest” tour. Just look at this lovely coastline.  The island is rugged and windswept, with great fishing, we were told, and lovely clear water.  Dolphins live in the waters, and whales come by on their annual migration.

We stopped at the imposing Wadgemup Lighthouse was built in 1896, with a 45,000 candle power revolving dioptric light.  This was the last lighthouse in Australia to become fully automatic, in 1986.  Wadgemup is the old aboriginal name for the island and means “place across the water where the spirits dwell”

At Wadgemup Lighthouse

There is a quaint little museum on the island, and I always like to check these out for old textiles.  No luck with that, but I did find a little hand operated sewing machine on display dating from the 1860s and used by the daughters of the light house keeper.

Ready for more quokka pictures?  As we toured the island the bus came to a quick stop to show us this little cutie having a snooze.  Seems they go to sleep all curled over.

 

Sleepytime quokka

And later we came across this quokka family.  The baby was keeping quite close to Mum.

Quokka family

We have returned to Perth for a couple of days, before embarking on our epic train trip across the bottom of Australia, leaving on Sunday.  Can’t wait, we love trains.