Final Bits & Bobs

Happy New Year my kittens! I hope everyone had a wonderfully scrumptious Christmas and New Year. We certainly did! 

 

I've been back at work for all of two days and think I need another holiday already. But once again I'm behind schedule, so I can't tell you about our holidays just yet. I need to finish off 2013 right. And what better what to do that than with a compilation of a number of bits and bobs from October through December to tantalise your eye sockets.

 

Impromptu BBQ at Red Rocks

 

We Wellingtonians like to take serious advantage of sunny days, as they come fairly few and fair between. Especially in springtime. So on a particularly beautiful Saturday afternoon in October, a bunch of the crew met up at Red Rocks to enjoy a delicious feed of sausages, chicken wings, potato wedges, and paua (abalone). Delish!

 

Matt cleaning out the paua.

 

Now that is a mean feed.

 

Mount Kaukau

 

Danielle and I spent another lovely afternoon walking the 500 steps up to Mount Kaukau (also known as Tarikaka), the highest point overseeing Wellington harbour. These little day-hikes are what makes Wellington such a liveable and incredible city.

 

 

Halloween, North-American Style

 

The family decided it would be considerate to show New Zealand how to celebrate Halloween properly. So when word got out that the North American Scum flat was having a party, the Kiwis were excited and everyone went all out with their costumes.

 

Kevin and I were inspired by the WOW show we saw in early October and decided to go as each other's better halves: half-man, half-woman. We destroyed some poor woman's wedding gown and Kevin took to the sewing machine with ease (he has much more patience with machines than I do). Natalie and I baked to the nines and we hosted the biggest party we've had to date. Unfortunately that was likely the last "biggest party ever" due to someone graciously vomiting in our neighbour's garden and it overall being a bit too late and a bit too loud. So we are laying low til everyone forgets it even happened before we strike again.

So domestic!

 

 

Mandatory day-after-Halloween breakfast that Kevin & I slept through...

 

Aurecon Masquerade Ball

 

The following weekend was the boys' company (Aurecon) mid-year function. The original party was supposed to be in August (hence "mid-year") but due to some shaky earthquakes at the time, it was postponed to November. This was good news for us, as we were in Canada in August. This year's theme was Quake-Delayed Masquerade. So we dawned our fanciest masks and clothes, and enjoyed a nice dinner, photo booth, and live band.

3 of the many Mexican wrestlers at the party

 

We couldn't help ourselves!

Mandatory day-after-Masquerade breakfast that we woke up in time for!

 

Camping in Carterton

 

A few weeks later Kevin and I ventured out to Carterton for a short weekend getaway. It would have been helpful, however, if we remembered to put gas in the tank at some point, as the car wouldn't start and we were scratching our heads trying to figure out what went wrong. Eventually, the problem was solved and off we went.

 

I will spare you the gooey romantic details, but it was certainly nice to get away just the two of us. Kevin went fly-fishing while I stayed at the campsite knitting (yes, I'm aware that we are both 80). On our way home, we stopped at our mandatory rest stop, The Big Apple, for a delicious real-fruit ice cream--a Kiwi favourite.

Sophia looking her finest. Now with zippered-access!

 

Best. Ice cream. Ever. 

 

Friendsgiving

 

A little belated for us Canadian folk, but we were able to celebrate American Thanksgiving in style with our American and Kiwi friends. Way too much food (with ALL the fixings) and SO GOOD!

 

Sending my love out to everyone for 2014! I am looking forward to the many adventures to come.