Sipping my coffee, on my penultimate morning before flying off to summer…leaving behind my family and friends to push through the wet, chilly Auckland winter, is bittersweet.
Having had a whirlwind (working) seven weeks from my sojourn in Texas..
The fences are painted and the food garden is hibernating for the winter
The new trellis is installed, the spiders have been sprayed and…
The Getz has been retired to pasture ….
Home maintenance complete!
My two youngest granbabies turned one…with cakes
And playgrounds
And parties
A few play dates with no 1 grandson, bush walks and baking…
Lots of rain…with the odd fine spell in between…but no chance to cut the grass as the ground is sodden!
I have had lots of family time, baby time and Netflix bingeing as the heavens keep us inside.
As I focus on last minute packing, looking forward to the next adventure, I am grateful for every day I get to work, play and share with my people here and around the world!
Water blasting, in between being Gran’’ma, Mother’s Day cooking and general maintenance (personal and home) with the odd car show thrown in.
A little over two weeks have flown by since I returned from Texas…and life has been action packed!
My two gran’babies turn ONE this week, Luka yesterday and Henry tomorrow…and both have had lots of (sick) Gran’ma days last week…good excuse for Gran’ma to tune into afternoon TV time watching the NBA playoffs..as with walking, crawling one year olds…inside time is easier with two…
Chasing Shadows and Catching the autum rays on the first weekend… a bit of beach time for these two! Then on the Sunday … off to the all Ford car show at Ardmore…with my latest co pilot (mr 4 year old) in the hot seat!
Rubi, once again was in fine form…
And Tyler played the part, checking out the other fords…eating the mandatory ice cream with sprinkles and enjoyed the added attraction of small planes coming and going from the Ardmore Airport!
Last Sunday was Mothers day…I prepared lunch for the family…glazed ham and apple pie! Jess and George added Mother’s Day cupcakes and Lex shared her Mother’s Day bubbles… a great family afternoon (without rain)
While I was in Texas, a cyclone roared through the homeland and blew down fences…and destroyed grounds and gardens… the rest of my time has been spent slapping my gardens back into shape…cutting grass, pulling out drowned and dead things…de moulding and … my Mother’s Day pressie to myself…water blasting with my new Karcher…fences, decks, pavers, driveway, chairs, driftwood…..well everything in sight actually… 7 hour days of physical and a few old muscles have resurfaced to let me know they are not that keen to come out of retirement! My body has just accepted lifting 10 kg babies as the norm!
My new trellis has been delivered … just waiting for the builder (Dan) to slot me into his busy schedule!
And after my water blasting extravaganza…(there is still a bit to go)…I have some painting days ahead, I have managed to remove a lot of fence and garden edging paint.. The weeds I haven’t blasted away will also need dealing to!
But first some One year old birthday parties to celebrate…
Arrived home yesterday to the glorious dull autumn weather in Auckland…after another busy warm Texas weekend of family and Friends.
A fun Friday evening by the pool catching up with some of Russell’s classmates .
Swimming lessons for the adverse water challenged puppy, Koa, who was determined to get no more than his feet wet! Until Al carried him deeper for a moment until he could escape and give Chuck an unwanted shower!
We all wandered to the lakeside, where we were sure we could hear the Alligators calling each other…and sure enough about 2 meters from the edge this guy was wallowing in the weed…
Just staring at us! Close enough! There is some debate as to whether the honking sounds we heard were alligators or bullfrogs…but the alligators are there for sure…
Saturday was another trip into Houston to see George and Jess before their flight home meeting at Pappasito’s (another Mexican establishment) for a late lunch, this time a wise call where Jess and I shared a plate as the meals are so huge…
And so are the Margarita’s! A two hand job for Kelly as they met us on their way back from baseball!
Then it was the drive back on the freeway with a naked man running erratically across the five lanes and everyone slamming on the brakes…we avoided a wreck but who knows how long that continued…it wasn’t pretty!
Sunday morning was church, and saying goodbye to my new friends, followed by a shrimp boil for lunch with Jai Leigh and Al before they headed back to Austin.
I then jumped on my suitcases and closed them for the journey home and visited with Travis ( their son) Ashleigh and the kids before that last haul back into Houston to catch my plane….hopefully Tona and Chuck will have a break from the Houston-lake Jackson drive for a bit…
I lucked out on the flight, booking a window seat (of only two) and the second one was empty!!! So it was armrests up, legs up and a 10 hour sleep after 10pm take off…only having 4 hours of reading and breakfast to endure before landing on home soil!
A bit of yard maintenance is in store for me when the rain stops…as the storms over here, while I have been away, have not only taken down fences, they have drowned the last of the summer veges and flowers and it’s time to clear them out and lock them down for the winter!
In Texas, metaphorically speaking, the grass doesn’t grow under your feet, as the adventures continue….the actual grass does grow as Texas spring dumps plenty of water, but very kindly clears up for our drives into downtown Houston…
Wednesday night and the Houston Rockets (NBA basketball ) playoff 2nd game against the Golden State Warriors. Eric, George, Jess and I once again headed into the Houston Sports arena area! Which was hectic as not only our Basketball game was on, but also another Astros (baseball) game and Kendrick Lamar playing at the football stadium…but for us it was all about Basketball…
We joined the Throngs of red shirted fans and entered the “Noise” of playoff basketball!
All out fans marching past as we took a bathroom break before settling into our seats…
Home game and it was all about red, having brought our rockets T Shirts to blend in perfectly, we found a 2nd one draped over the back of every seat….giveaway to the fans…all size XL…but fun none the less…
Great seats, full view of the court and screen..
Warm up time…
Our own Stephen Adams (kiwi) in action…
And lift off…from here on in, there was no time for photos as it was all go….with the game and in between quarters entertainment…Tip off a little after 8.30pm followed by 3 and a half hours of solid noise and action, with a great win for the Rockets!
Getting out of town, with all the other events, was a little tedious for Eric(driving) and we got back to theirs around 1am…were we (kiwis) were crashing for the night (or rather morning) Kelly, Eric and the Kids were all gone to school and work by 7.30 am…George had another nap and Tonas tours collected the team around 9.30am…for a brunch and a Sugarland (mall) shopping experience.
These are becoming a common sight over here…this cybertruck in a banana yellow!
Breakfast and coffee was great and huge! It was then time to mall walk it off! Not George’s favourite activity until…
We found ‘Barnes and Noble’ book (mega) store! complete with a coffee stop!
And a one stop gift shopping extravaganza!
Followed by a walk through the mall..
George met his (height) match…and practised his modelling expertise to fill in time..
And life size superhero’s…along with a plethora of shoe, clothing, homewares, department stores etc…
By mid afternoon it was time to carry on into Houston city (again) to drop George and Jess to their Air BnB for a couple of days of city experience…a weary Tona and Sue turning back to Lake Jackson (another hour and a half drive) for some very quiet time before party central (Sheri Lane) opens up for the weekend visitors this afternoon!
The evening consisted of a cool beer, light snack and feet up!
Tuesday (yesterday) was a roadie to Galveston Island, about an hour and a bit south east of Lake Jackson on the Gulf of Mexico. It was a little overcast but we had Tona, the Tour Guide driving us and all the points of interest were viewed mainly from her car!!
On the way down, a couple of short stops for George and Jess and revisits for us…
Yes – the big Buc-ee’s in Texas city, and the outlet mall…where George invested in a new shirt to replace the one he covered in buc-ee’s food!
Then on to Galveston Island and a stroll up the “Strand” – it seems every seaside town has a “Strand” filled with souvenir shops and eating establishments….
George got dragged into a couple of shops until the need for a coffee got the best of all of us!
A few extra flights of stairs – up then Down and we found a nice little terrace cafe, with very good coffee…the sun even peeked out…
Some great old buildings on the “Strand”… then back to the car and a tour (Tona) of the Seawall waterfront…the beach a little rough after Monday’s storm – strewn with seaweed!
Hotels…more eating places and…
Pleasure Pier Galveston….a rather strong onshore wind still blowing in. We continued along the Seawall road to the west end of Galveston Island..
Colourful condos, and the closer we got to the bridge to the mainland the more prominent stilt houses…all designed to withstand storm water damage.
We continued to the southernmost end of Surfside … the mainland beach…in search of a restroom stop…which I recalled from mine and Russ’s adventures a few years ago…
Another windy pier signalling the entrance to Freeport harbour, servicing all the south Texas petrochemical plants!
Next stop Lake Jackson Chick Filet (infamous take out!) , then home to turn around and head out again for dinner with Chris and Lori at the crawfish cafe in Angleton(the town where Russ met Chuck in the 70’s in their final year of high school)
Lori loves spicy Crawfish … little lobsters – we chose more familiar fare! My prawns and corn and potato served in a spicy plastic bag!!!
As today is George and Jess’s last day here we then took a drive to Travis (2nd son) and Ashlee’s house for them to say goodbye- they are off to the big smoke of Houston for a couple of days before heading home!
That meant this morning was an early morning scout (for Jess) to HEB supermarket and the must do Walmart shop before visiting with the neighbours for morning tea and a pack up! Tonight is all about NBA (basketball)!
Monday morning and it’s quiet on the home front before the sun rises, apart from the alligator’s honking in the lake and the birds having their morning catch up in the trees…a moment to reflect on the fun times of the last two days…
Saturday….it was golf day for the boys and shopping for the girls…and a houseful of family and Kiwis at the Wachtstetter homestead.,.
The go cart came out to play, morning activity for the Harder boys(Tonas nieces’ family who had joined us all for the long weekend)
Then around midday, the boys loaded up for their golf afternoon and the Girls…headed to the Lake Jackson Mall…TJMaxx, Ross Dress for Less…just a couple of lengthy stops…and more!
Cavenders boot store, everything country!…found us dressing up our model (Jess) in good Texas style…Kristin(Tonas niece) leading the charge…by 5pm…things had just found their way to my overloaded credit card which was feeling somewhat heavy!
Tona had collected Texas BBQ to feed the golfers and shoppers…for an evening of TV baseball and eating!
Sunday morning, Tona was up early, preparing the feast for the afternoon Easter celebrations.
But first…all off to Church for the Easter service…then the festivities began..
Chris’s and Lori’s family with the grand daughters Easter dresses that Tona had bought for all the girls …
The lunch was served…all the family adding to the feast! (The fridges are still full of leftovers) The kids played in and out of the pool and a 300 Easter egg hunt for them in the garden! Tona, Jodi (Tonas sister) and I had stuffed these plastic eggs with candy and money…the 12 kids all collected a good stash!
We (kiwis) got to catch up with (George with Tonas mum here) all the family and meet more members from Tonas side…
Kristin (Harder) and I still realing from the previous days shopping trip! This gal likes to shop too!!!
Their youngest son, Lawson, was celebrating his 9th birthday … an Easter cupcake and the happy birthday song for him!
George had bought the wachtstetter crew (adults) all All Blacks Rugby shirts, which they all donned for the afternoon…
George told them they all needed to fold their arms and look tough!!! Tona did a great job!
Then it was time…the traditional (or so it has become) water balloon fight…Gran’ma Sue against the kids and whoever else wants to join in!
I copped one in the face!
George and the girls ready for battle!
I certainly needed some reinforcements on my team…these kids are getting bigger! 100 water balloons were just not enough! Next time 200 at least!
Ok so I was wet…time to join the kids back in the pool…
Lizzie and I taking Mr Trump for a swim…shortly after this…he deflated…but sure he will resurface!!
As all the visitors hit the road for their journeys home (some of them having travelled 3 hours) we collapsed in front of the TV for some baseball and basketball entertainment- none of which produced the desired outcomes! We can’t win them all..we had all had the best day!
After a good sleep back in Texas….the busy times for the Easter weekend begin…
Tona and I went grocery shopping on Thursday morning, we filled a trolley each!!!
Tesla trucking in the carpark…not a pretty sight…but here they are!
We then drove to Houston in the afternoon to collect George and Jess, who had managed to escape the storm turmoil in Auckland and arrived on schedule…a three hour round trip in the rush hour traffic, dinner and bed for the weary travellers. Friday morning (Good Friday) was a slowish start with a family stroll to the end of Sheri Lane and back…
George and Chuck leading the charge and catching up on the last three years!
The boys then went for a little Shoot (we are in Texas) Chris (Tona and Chucks eldest son) joining them and Tona, Jess and I a little shopping excursion! Boys shoot, Girls shop!
The boot shop…overwhelmed for choice…need more time to spend here for sure! A new pair of these is on my shopping list!
The afternoon held a family gathering at Kelly and Eric’s (Kelly -Tona and Chucks daughter) with a Mexican themed meal, George in pigs heaven! …we headed up around 2pm.
All three of T &Cs kids, and their families and three of us Kiwis having a great afternoon in the warm Texas outdoors… the kids swimming,
Trampolining…and having a great time…while all the big humans caught up with George, who was here in 2022 last and got to know Jess.
Dear little Emma, the youngest grandchild (for now… a new one due in a month) giving her Nonna and Gran’ma Sue a cuddle!
Today is Saturday, slightly overcast, but another busy day planned with more family!
Heading east to Albuquerque, New Mexico to catch our flight back to Houston, the sun was peeking through the clouds on the hills…
Back seat photos at 80 miles per hour!! We hit a little rain through the desert areas, drove thru miles of Navajo Indian land, filled with trailer parks , surrounded by car graveyards! When your car no longer goes, you evidently just leave it where it stopped!!
We arrived on the outskirts of Albuquerque around 11.30am and headed for one of Chucks favourite Mexican joints for an early Lunch…
Framed by strings of (real) large Chilli peppers…a great rambling restaurant with outdoor and indoor dining areas..
A day before the Easter break and Peter rabbit was there to greet us on arrival at the entrance…
A vast selection of hot sauce, and the range of Tequila drinks on the menu, covered a whole page….however at 11.30am….coffee, water and iced tea was more preferable…with still a fair journey ahead of us.
Tonas taco salad…including an edible taco bowl if so inclined…
My (small) quesadilla meal and snacks were almost daunting, so glad I ordered the small, even then I could only manage half…
Bursting at the seams…we headed to the airport and said goodbye to the Red Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross…and shuttled to the airport for the penultimate leg of our journey.
The airport was busy and even sported a pet bathroom…there was an artificial grass mat, a fire hydrant for the boy canines, and instead of hand towels a roll of doggy bags.. hanging in a wall dispenser… however I didn’t actually see any dogs waiting for planes? Nice touch though!
A two hour flight, and the final drive Home, by 8pm – having gained an hour (Timezone) on the way…meanwhile my friends and family back in NZ battling through the cyclone and power cuts…my fences taking a bit of a battering I believe…
Not literally, just enjoying the south western roads of Colorado and everything in between – from the Mesa Verde National Park, and ancient Pueblos Indian cliff dwellings, dating back to 600AD, to the town of Durango, established in 1881, to service further expansion of the Rio Grande Railway system and service the San Juan mining district…
A sleep in…breakfast at 8am, and then up to the Mesa Verde National Park…..which turned out to be a drive around lookout tour, as being not the summer season until May….tours into the cliff Dwellings were unavailable and some areas still closed off from the winter months.
First lookout stop on the mountain road, having climbed 2000 feet.
First view of the spruce tree house built into the rock faces…
The air was cool and it was a winter woollies day…
A small climb, but smooth path out…we have become selective on our trails over the last week!!
The Cliff Palace – the largest cliff dwellings in North America.
In the Summer months one can take a tour down through the cliffs to get up close and personal with these original remaining structures.
Not sure how people would get down there right now, but apparently they do!
Balcony house lookout – natural shelter from the overhanging balcony…
Next stop the Square Tower Dwelling…
Bearing in mind these dwellings haven’t been inhabited for eight Centuries – many signs and messages around the place informing us “they did not disappear” …. Their souls and footprints remain! Although we did not see any!
We then visited a number of remains of the above cliff pit house dwellings …
Great construction techniques back then, with original foundations all intact!
And closer to the cliff dwellings …
Cliff palace…
After a shower of rain out came the sun (and smiles) again…
And finally the Sun Temple…
All sealed and our experience of this was walking around a sort of circular stone wall….George (6’7”) may have been able to see over! However Tona did get closer to the dwellings with the (free) telescope!
Having spent five hours, of driving and jumping in and out of the car…our self drive tour was now over and the team consensus was to head North to the town of Durango for lunch/dinner…
A mall with a great little Mexican cafe…huge meals and a drink…around 3pm.
To walk off our full tummies, we took a small hike along the Aminas riverside Trail…
A little mid stream island, nesting place for a very large duck (about the size of a goose)
A book exchange library…now a must have around the world for us book lovers!
The white rabbit garden – encouraged by the town council to make a garden from any trash folks pick up..
And white(brown) water rafting activities down the river…
Final view from the bridge on way back to car…and Cortez for our final night…but we are not talking about that!
All who wander are not Lost girls 