Week beginning 22nd January

Scotts Landing

Mathesons Bay

River at Warkworth after the rain.

Week beginning 22^nd January.

We should have gone over to Helensville on the West Coast to attend the wedding party of Julie's niece on Saturday evening but a night of wind and rain was forecast. As we were supposed to be camping we all decided that it wasn't an option so just Julie drove over. It was indeed a very wet and windy night and when we woke on Sunday morning we were amazed to see that the windows were fogged up on the outside of the house as it was so hot and humid outside. The rain had stopped and we braved the wind and went into Warkworth to meet up with Rob and Julie for lunch. Rob brought Danni and Jonny back on Monday evening, so good to see them again. On Tuesday I took them over to Martins Bay which is perhaps my favourite beach in the area. It is edged with Pohutakawa  trees which are known as the New Zealand Christmas trees due to the bright red flowers that they produce at Christmas time and is a very safe swimming beach. After a walk along the beach we decided that it was perhaps a bit chilly for a swim so after a picnic lunch we went a couple of miles down the road to a small reserve where there are several donkeys that the children love to visit. A walk for me and a run for the children around the beautiful reserve and we decided that it was warm enough to go back for a swim. We were in the water for about an hour and I discovered the art of “noodling” !! A noodle is really a safety aid for children learning to swim, a long, thin piece of strong foam, but is great fun for adults too. I found that by leaning back on it and wrapping it under my arms I could just lie back in the water and float and keep an eye on the children at the same time.

Wednesday was Rob's day off so we went over there mid morning. Julie was working but her niece and 3 daughters who were visiting the area were there, a great delight for Danni to have someone her own age to play with! Jonny was a bit shy at first but soon joined in the fun and games. After lunch we all went to the beach at Scotts Landing, another safe beach for the children. It was very relaxing for me with other adults there to keep an eye on them all and other children for “my” two to play with. After a swim we waded over to a nearby island, a great adventure! Jonny was too small to wade over so Rob carried him over. By the time we came back the tide had gone down a bit so Jonny too was able to wade and he was so thrilled!! Back at Julie's the children raced around the garden and Rob cooked a meal on the BBQ. By the time we got back “home” it was almost 9pm and we had 2 very tired children who were more than happy to go straight to bed.

They were both still pretty shattered on Thursday and as it was another hot day and we had all had so much sun the day before we had a quiet morning before going off to Matakana and the cinema in the afternoon to see Yogi Bear!!

We were all up and away by 9am on Friday for a short car ride to Goat Island which is a marine reserve and great for snorkelling. I have wonderful memories of previous visits there and was looking forward to Nigel finally getting in the water and seeing the many fish that are in the water there. Danni did remember, vaguely, her last visit there when I was  here 5 years ago but she had not been brave enough to snorkel then and was really looking forward to it this time. We had to get there reasonably early as there isn't a lot of shade on the beach and we wanted to grab a good spot. Sadly, when we got there, the sea was rough and there were angry clouds on the horizon. A handful of brave souls were on the beach and in the water but it was certainly not suitable for my 2 little ones to take to the sea. As we were deciding what to do Rob called me, on my mobile, and told me that there was a cyclone on the way with heavy rain and wind forecast!! So off we went and did some shopping before coming back home just before the rain started. By 7pm the rain was torrential and continued to be so for most of the night. The wind howled and the rain battered the windows but miraculously Danni and Jonny slept through it all! We were up at 7am as Rob was picking the children up at 7.30 to take them back to Auckland for a few days and the worst of the rain and wind was over but we were without electric. Thankfully Jill lent us a gas stove so I was able to have my morning cup of coffee after they had gone. I don't think that I have ever experienced so much rain in such a short time. Jill said that it was worst she had seen in the 17 years that she has been here.

As I write the sun is back again and the wind is dying down and we now have a few quiet days before Danni and Jonny are back again, next Tuesday, for their last visit before starting back at school on the 7^th.