Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Welcome 2013

Another year.  No doubt another handful of posts.  I have realised though, seeing as we dropped our external hard drive last year and lost ALL our photos, that things like Facebook and blogs are quite useful for at least retaining some of them.  So I really should be more diligent at uploading stuff to the interwebs.

Last year was a complete rollercoaster.  Huge highs - a month long trip through Europe, and huge lows - Dad dying.  So I am hoping that this year will be a bit calmer (busy is fine but let's try to keep the emotions in check).  So on that note here's my dad in his younger years flying a Skyhawk


I posted most of the places we went to in Europe and have since got the ones back from Slovenia, Rome and Hong Kong so here we go


Skocjan Caves in Slovenia were amazing.  I had to leave mum behind because she's not a huge fan of cave-like places. 


We hung with Gasper in Ljubljana


We had osmizza in Trieste with Angus and Iga.  Here we are eating the mandatory boiled egg beforehand


And we at suppli in Rome which are my new favourite thing.  SO GOOD


Another day in Slovenia we went to Lipica and saw the beautiful horses.  Unfortunately some of them are kept in stables 24/7 which is not so cool.


Then via Hong Kong on our way home.  Crazy bustling city.


And they have dodgy looking scaffolding.  It's held together with plastic ties.  Oh god.

So when we got back we had a week with Dad before he passed away.  It was a pretty horrendous time but in some ways we have to be glad that it was sooner rather than later.  He was suffering a lot and no one wanted to see him go on like that for much longer.  

We held his funeral at the Island Bay Surf Life Saving Club.  A bit of an odd place for a funeral but Dad would have loved it.  It had a view out over Island Bay, a place he held dear to his heart, and so many of his friends, old and new, turned out to farewell him.  Some amazing stories were told about his incredible life.  I think he would have been proud. 


Token creature shot.  Marty and the band found this beaut male Hawkes Bay tree weta hanging out on the back on the sofa in the garage.  Don't see many males around here so that was quite exciting.


Marty's board making skills are improving rapidly.  


This is the A & P Show that Dino and I went to.  He looked beautiful....

                                      

And behaved atrociously.  He was fine to start with and then got himself completely worked up and had a mental.  Not much fun.

                                                   

Emma and Max did really well though.  They got many ribbons :)

                                                   

6 ducklings were born - we have 2 left.  We don't have much luck keeping ducklings alive.


Detour played at the Sanctuary Sounds Music Festival


And I drank beer in the sun


Found a velvet worm!  So exciting.  Quite rare.  Love them.


We had 2 wwoofers, Ali and Laura who were super helpful.  Here they are helping Marty carry the Christmas tree home


Along with the velvet worm we found a tree with honeycomb inside.  And many bees


I got my first taste of Polo X just before Christmas.  I rode a lovely horse called Trevor.  Hopefully will do a bit more of that this year.  Not on Dino though!  


                                     

Angus and Iga came to visit for Angus' 30th birthday.  We saw them again in Awaroa over New Year but I don't have those photos yet - I forgot to take my camera.  Dumb.


Dog was overwhelmed with Christmas


Christmas morning before everyone arrived


Boxing Day bagels and lox


Unbelievably Isos, the ancient, earless cat caught a mouse the other day.  then he accidentally let it go and caught it again.  Then he dropped it and it got away.  Good effort though for an 18 y/o!


Last weekend Marty, dog and I went fishing up at Tangoio Beach.  The only things we caught were 3 crabs and a foul-hooked fish that was smaller than the hook.  There were some stingrays out there though.  So beautiful! but scary as well. 


We went to Marine Parade first but the dog was way too hot.


Marty fishing at sunset

 
The minuscule fish


                                                  Burgers on the beach at Marine Parade.  

Also last weekend we decided to spontaneously rip up the carpet in the TV room so reveal the beautiful rimu (we think) wood underneath.  Here is the transformation....

                                     






The final coat of polyurethane will go on today.  It looks SO much better.

Yesterday we heard an almighty crash outside but we couldn't figure out what it was... until I went to see the horses....


Piwaka v Bath.  Amazingly Piwaka only came away with a tiny cut on her back leg.  Unbelievable.

And that is it from me.  Time to go and help Marty with the floor.