christmas 09

Well we had a quite Christmas this year, no guests, and for Me and Rob it was a relaxed affair

we got up and opened our pressies, then chilled before going over to Rachel and Ricks house for Christmas day.

Rachel cooked a perfect meal,

fruit sorbet for starter

Turkey with all the trimmings

then Christmas pud (Mrs Raithby's recipe) with Brandy sauce

and also Chocolate roulade with cream

We then settled down for the afternoon to watch christmas movies and help Cole play with his Transformers

he has Optimus Prime

he also has the

Construction Devastator.

These toys are serious stuff, you need a PHD to put them together and transform them *I am a complete failure and gave up even with the little ones for age 4+!

Cole had a blast playing with them and Rob and Rick had numerous goes transforming them throughout the day LOL.

Later that evening we had Cheese and crackers, and homemade bread (fennal & granary made by Rachel of course) - I found some english cheese -( Cheshire & red Leicester ) at our local supermarket (expensive but heck it was xmas)

Rachel had spent all week painting the ceiling in her new bedroom so we had somewhere to sleep, unfortunately the bed she borrowed (double camping bed) sprung a leak and we ended up on the sofas!

but heck it was only for one night, so I didnt mind really. I had a great day and it was lovely seeing Rachel enjoying playing host in her own house.

Pics to follow, as soon as Rachel sends me them

Lake Tekapo

this is Lake Tekapo, we stopped here on the way back from Christchurch.
I want to go back there camping this summer

some of the pics from Karen & Pauls visit

this is a Collage of the visit to Queens Park, Cole was performing to the camera as usual
This was taken after Luke picked us up from the Stuart Island Ferry terminal in Bluff, it was very windy (hence the earlier return) and we went the Bluff hill to the lookout, Luke hung on as he didn't want to get blown off!Karen and Cole up the look out viewing deck at Sandy Point.Luke at the Dux de Lux pub, on their last evening in Christchurch before their flight home

Rob, Jason, Karen, Paul & Luke on the bridge over the River Avon in Christchurch

there are loads more...I will post a few later on... must get to bed now as the alarm will be going off in 5 hrs!

ride in the estuary...unexpected companions!

This is a picture I took while riding on the estuary tonight... the tide was in, but i know Jester is ok in water so I rode him in towards the island, it was about 2m deep I guess, the shadow in the middle of the picture is a RAY! 3 passed me, I turned Jester around and rode in the opposite direction back to shore!!

they were about 1m away from his legs at one point, I was so shocked as its the first time I have seen any fish when riding in the estuary.

but I guess with the calm day and sunny weather the Rays were on a scenic tour of the neighbourhood LOL.