Cars, Concerts and Kids

February has been a whirlwind of socialising, visitors from the northern hemisphere, babysitting, car shows and a wedding!

The sunshine gods have been kind to the Waiwera-ites and we have had warm days and very little rain! A welcome climate change from the last few years where we have been erecting floodgates!!

My brother Kevin and Roland have just left after a month in the homeland…which meant we caught up with a lot of friends and family!

Kevin and I with one of our Swiss visitors

Thames visit and a visit with Sir Keith Park (memorial statue) who flew in the defensive of Malta in the 2nd world war for the English airforce! That was after a road trip to Tauranga to see another old friend!

Earlier in the month my Swiss family arrived and a day trip to Muriwai beach and the Gannet colony….

We also Celebrated my oldest grandsons (Tyler) 4th birthday with all the visitors!! and family

Preceded by another day at the Orewa beach hop (car show) and then it was a cut and polish for my cortina which was invited to the Ellerslie car show….

In all her glory on a hot Sunday! The family all came along for a picnic lunch

As I was locked in for a full day!

And thrown in – a concert with George and Jess to see Bryan Adam’s belt out his tunes…my birthday present from last year!

Florian, Verena and Benjamin(Swiss crew) headed south to see the sights after several days in waiwera with the family and return tonight for a few days before heading home…

Meanwhile the boys and I were privileged to share a special wedding with one of Jaxon’s friends in the middle of the month…

He and his new wife now live in Washington DC and brought a contingent of Americans with them to celebrate…it was an effort for the gal from the beach to scrub up into formal attire! Charity shops and sewing skills required to produce the masterpiece!

Amid all this activity I have had my baby sitting skills honed with a sick Henry(Jax baby) for a week

Playing with Russell’s childhood trucks made by his dad! Now while I don’t share my political views online….I need to share the disaster that is our health system. A family of four (two small children) cannot get into a medical practice here on the Hibiscus Coast – having relocated here three months ago, no doctors are taking new enrolments. I had to take this little man to the emergency clinic at the cost of $105.00 for a 5 minute consult to identify an ear infection (which I knew was the problem) and a prescription of antibiotics – usually a doctors visit for kids under 12 is free (when enrolled) !! Rant over!

On a final note…

My flowers are still blooming….

The vege garden flourishing and still feeding the family and drinking lots of water!

The last month of the first quarter of 2025 promises to be equally entertaining – with more visitors (from Australia), another wedding and a little dog sitting thrown in!