The best way to chill out and de-stress is ........

Look at this very happy, very chilled out person, its been too long since I felt this way. Its not the cheesecake in front of me that cheered me up. It was a road trip with the girls. I have not laughed so much or had so much me time since I don't know when. This is a long story, hope you enjoy a peek into what we got up to.

Friday morning I dropped my youngest at school and I was free. I had the driving job for the trip, so first task was to pick up the girls and off we went. After a few toilet stops, what do you expect with a car load of ladies, we reached our first main stop Carterton, which I have just found out is the daffodil capital of the world. Keriann, had already done the research and selected Cafe Mirrabelle a very nice little french bistro for lunch. And as usual she was spot on. The food was perfect.
We managed to drag ourselves away from the french pastries and other delicacies, via quite a few vintage shops, where we all ohhed and ahhed, and eventually reached the car and the next stop on our journey. A visit to Agnes Coy, a little studio shop. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

About 10 minutes outside Carterton is another very pleasant shopping town, Greytown. It is stuffed full of lovely shops, cafes and pretty hotels.
We knew we were in a posher place because there were broken wine glasses in the gutter instead of beer bottles.

This has got to be the cutest shop in Greytown.

Finally we reached our destination Martinborough, we were all totally exausted from the journey but still had enough energy to have a stroll around.

Martinborough is built around a main square and they have managed to hang on to a lot of their old buildings.

The view up the main shopping street with a beautiful blue sky - perfect weather for our gallivanting.
I loved the name of this pub, how appropriate, especially if you pronounce it with a strong Scottish accent.
The following morning we hit the town. Keriann, the vintage shopping ninja, knew all the best places to find bargains. One of which is this treasure trove of interesting things.

Piled to the top with things you know you will need some day.

Each of the drawers in the plan chest was full of bits and pieces it would take a month to look at it all.

Eventually, after having a quick lunch of french bread, cheese, pork and pistachio terrine, figs and apples. We headed off to the main event, a French Country fair, the reason for the trip. We were a bit unsure what it would be like, none of the locals seemed that keen to go.

The entrance ticket booth, so far so good.

And we were in to an Alladins cave of trash, nice crafts, good food, interesting cafe we decided to avoid, plants for sale, fudge, a very cute french man, pleasant music and lots of nice vintage items just lying there waiting for us to snap them up. And of course lots and lots more laughter.
Final destination of the day another visit to Greytown. We needed a break for tea and visits to the little girls room. Which is where I had the cheesecake and the smiley face. The cafe I mean not the little girls room. There is a picture below of the walls of the cafe toilet.
Our last night in Martinborough was spent in Cafe Medici stuffing our faces as usual. The portions of food we were served were to big even for me and I have to admit I had to refuse dessert, a first ever. I was about as stuffed full as my car was for the journey home. Seriously we had snapped up a lot of vintage lovelies, I am not sure we could have fitted much more in.

Before we left I nipped out to take a couple of snaps of the area. While the cat sat and watched.

On our way home we stopped in Greytown again to have coffee and pastries at the French Bakers and for Kerry to buy wild boar pies at the delicatessen. And as the shops had just opened we thought we should do a final hunt for vintage items.

Down a little street past a daisy window. You just knew I would sneaked one in.

I found my favorite junk shop, in it was the cutest little coffee set, dark blue daisies on white. Unfortunately, I could not afford it at the time. Maybe one day I will be back and it will still be there and I will have some money in my pocket. The street appeal of the shop was perfect I think, very Kiwi.

Complete with its own private dunny.

Jane spotted a builders we needed to visit. They build the cutest little cottages. I would love to buy one and stick it on to our house.

It would make a cute extension, I can always dream a little or quite big actually.

And that was it on our way back home to family life, still laughing so much I could hardly see to drive.
There were still interesting things to view on the way home. A car parked on a veranda above a shop.

The viking guarding Dannevirke.

The International Police museum in Dannevirke, who would have know it was there. I think it might be worth a visit just for the novelty factor.

A detour to look at interesting old buildings.

And beautiful vistas.

Just taking time to stand and stare.

And most of all thanks to the lovely bunch of friends, who took me off for the weekend, made me laugh till I cried, wandered around every junk shop in the Waiarapa with me and reminded me what life is really about. Not the running around stressing that we all do. Its about the joy and the fun and the just being who you are. Thanks Girls.

Favorite Flowers #2 - Agapanthis

My second favorite flower is Agapanthis. I love the way the flower heads raise themselves above the rest of the plant.

I used to think I just liked the blue variety and was not so keen on the white ones.

Until this bunch grew in my garden, they look stunning with the light on them against the dark woodland behind.

I know they are considered a weed here in New Zealand. But weeds are just plants in the wrong place. In my garden they are definitely in the right place.

Before you go swimming.........

Always remember to check your swimming bag for small tortoiseshell cats.

Lunch time walk number somthing or other

Just around the corner from the office I work in is a little public garden.

With an huge waterfall.

I was just going to walk around the garden, but decided to go a bit further up the hill.

Past some lovely little cottages

and some weird cloud formations.

And eventually ended up outside Napier jail. Which is now run as a back packers.

I decided to take the little short cut down to work.

Which has amazing views out over the Pacific and

over to Cape Kidnappers.

Yet another sunset picture

Sorry to bore you with yet another sunset picture.

Still working on that Kitchen Makeover

For a year our kitchen has not had fitted work surfaces. It had a patchwork of old bits from the old kitchen. The sink has been balanced on a couple of lumps of wood. Not really very easy to clean or hygienic.
I kept checking Trade Me to see if I could pick up some lumps of rimu that we could convert. After months and months of looking we found this couple of table tops complete with chewing gum.

Next step, lots of sanding, staining and oiling.

The end result three sections of work surface completed and in place.

Now all is needed is the long section under the window. I have a cunning plan more about that soon.

The kitchen looking like a proper kitchen almost.

The sink is at last fitted into a work surface, the wrong work surface, but at least there are no more gaps.

No extra bits of work surface sticking out to catch your arms or clothes on.

The french doors will eventually get put in place, just not for another few months, maybe next Spring. The nights are too cold now to have a large hole cut out of the wall.

After all the work we were shut out of our lovely kitchen while my eldest son and his mate were working on some software. Which we did not really mind as they were doing it for the Red Cross in Christchurch. Well done guys.

Where the hedge used to be

Between my wild garden and our formal garden there used to be a hedge. One day I decided to take it out instead of trim it into shape. The idea was it plant it up with native grasses, flaxes and hebes, so that the two parts of the garden would merge together seamlessly.
My plan has worked and I think it looks brilliant. I love to watch the grasses as the breeze makes shadows and light through them. It is now possible to see the ferns and agapanthis which were hidden by the hedge.

Another lunch time walk in Napier

After a lovely lunch with some people I work with, at Milk and Honey, I decided I needed a walk.

It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and everything was beautiful.

On previous occasions, when I have walked along the boardwalk at Ahuriri, it has been cold and wet.

About half way through the walk I realised why I don't do this walk on hot days.

There is no shade not a single little bit and I was way, to hot. Beautiful views but next time I will take a hat.