Friday, April 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Archie!!! (and home again)

Just about to turn seven. So much to think about.



Sometimes perfection deserves admiration.
The mist tip-toeing its way out of Queen Charlotte Sound before anyone wakes up.
Hugo's duck friends - they were so desperate for his mouldy bread one bit his thumb. He cried about it for a moment and then resumed his work. The ducks were much fatter by the time we left... and had a strange glint in their eyes whenever they saw our hands.
I can't believe that this is the final night of our road trip. After three weeks in a camper van together, we now have such a good rhythm going we could keep tootling along forever. I don't know how I would go with the home schooling but it would be great having little hands and arms around to help me wind my big new skeins of wool into balls (that's right, I went to one of those wool shops by the side of the road today that had 200gm balls of wool for $13, edible colours too).
Archie turned seven a couple of days ago (we had his birthday party before the trip because we knew we would never get around to it otherwise - as was the case last year). He was a very lucky boy as we went whale watching the day before and saw Tiaki (the most photographed whale in the world...), a ginormous pod of dolphins and lots of seals.
On his actual birthday, we stumbled upon one of the world's truly amazing places, Momorangi Bay in the Queen Charlotte Sounds. It is such a quiet little place the village's only shop was closed for the winter.
The boys spent all of their time fishing, only stopping for a birthday plate of doughnuts, marshmallows and pineapple lumps. Archie said it was his best birthday ever!!! Just shows, the simple things in life are the best. Thanks so much for all of your comment while I have been away. It was such a treat to read them all. Now, home tomorrow.... xxooxxooxx.
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Just a little note to say we returned home a couple of hours ago. So lovely to be back - when we walked into the house, the smell of a stew in our slow cooker wrapped its arms around us in a huge hug - Thank you Maureen!