Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter and Anzac Day

We went to the Maketu Dawn Service at the Maketu Marae on Anzac Day.
An inspiring service followed by breakfast on the Marae.
During Easter we caught a little bit of the Jazz festival in Tauranga, with street performers, and on Easter Sunday we had lunch with Sarah at Papamoa, for my birthday. Sarah gave me some lovely gifts, and also my first ever "Step-Mother's Day" gift. This I am not allowed to open until Mother's Day 8 May, so the parcel will sit on the sofa till then, for me to look at!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Yvonne's Special 65th Birthday Lunch

Today I had a birthday lunch with a special group of friends. Thanks Anne for arranging it. Thank you too, for the lovely cards and gifts, and I really appreciated Ellen travelling from Ohope, and June from Galatea.


My birthday cake.
And flowers.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Day 117...

It's Day 117, and I have read 135 books. You probably wonder what else I do, if anything!
Books I have enjoyed...
  • "The Book Thief" -Markus Zusak. Young Adult book-stunning.
  • "Mr Pip"-Lloyd Jones. Superb.
  • "The Cross Feeling"-Pauline Cartwright. Picture book.
  • "Annie & Moon"-Miriam Smith. Picture book.
  • "Scruffty Mouse & One Eyed Ted" Penny Wech. Picture book, about two toys bought from the "Op Shop". Delightful
  • "Room"-Emma Donnaghue. Adult story about a young woman who is kidnapped. The story is told through her son Jack's eyes.
  • "Minding Frankie" & "Heart & Soul" -Maeve Binchy
  • "Still Life"-Louise Penny. A crime novel.
  • Bubble Trouble"-Margaret Mahy. Charming pictures, wonderful words and rhymes.
  • "Opposnakes"Sally Yoon. A Lift-the-flaps book about opposites. Charming.
  • "Quaky Cat"-Diana Noonan.Poignant picture book about the September 2010 Christchurch Earthquake. In rhyme.
  • "Common Ground" & "Common Table" -Virginia Pawsey and Janice Marriott. Emails between two friends whose friendship is rekindled at a school reunion. A love of gardening, cooking and the outdoors shared.
More next time!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Stewart Island

Ted is at Stewart Island having a great deal of fun I hope. This year instead of setting myself huge goals, like spring-cleaning a room a day while he's away, I am just giving myself bite-size challenges. Amongst this, I have to keep up my reading, so that takes precedence! day 110, I have read 126 books, (that includes 3 stories I heard on the National Programme's Story time this morning) Also a little bit of extra exercise, say 15 minutes a day. that means I can't count wandering around Te Puke doing shopping etc. Did I tell you Ted and I, and 3 others from Farmlands had an 11 week challenge losing weight. We weighed in each Monday we put in $30 each, and the winner at the end takes all. This was all to encourage a workmate of Ted's who said he couldn't lose weight. He fell by the wayside, well, who wouldn't, if they kept on eating pies and drinking copious quantities of beer? Anyway, it was quite fun, weighing in on Farmlands scales! It was a hard fought battle, I came 3rd with a 9% loss, from my initial start weight. Final weigh-in, Ted and another guy, took off everything they could, boots etc, and even their shorts! (Disgusting, I say!) and Ted was the winner! He asked us all to put our $30 towards either the Christchurch or Japanese Earthquake funds, so mine has gone to Japan. We are weighing in 6 months from our start date to see who has put the weight back on! It's been a lot of fun! Today I am going down to scrapbooking so will enjoy that I am sure.


A clue as to my character at Esmee's E party... I will post a photo soon.