Easter Fun at the Mount

We got an early start on Good Friday to head up to Mount Maunganui where we had "Book a Bach". We  guided Simon and Jackie to our spot, and Jackie had gasped at all the old Bach stuff which is quite sort after now such as the Mc Alpine Refrigerator Jug. I was more taken with the teapot with the tea cosy of knitted pansies! Their bedroom was a bit squashed with Theos bed in there too, but we managed to cope. Jackie and Simon headed off for a quiet lunch and left Duncan and I to adjust to the continual talking by Theo, including that hardy perennial "Why?"

 The weather was warm, but what we hadn't counted on was the fact that the water was also warm. I didn't put my togs on, but got plenty wet anyway.

 Theo showed great confidence and even the odd time he got bowled over by a wave he seemed to get up with only a minor look of surprise.

Bring on the surf!!

I love this picture of us both waiting for the wave!
That night it was my turn on cooking, so it was kebabs, rice and veges, with a less than succesful (but had potential) cake.
Next morning Simon and Jackie took the kayak out in the harbour while Theo, Duncan and I built sand castles. There was a cruise ship in so a continual stream of people walking up and down the boardwalks along the shore. It was quite cold, but by lunch-time it had warmed up quite a lot. We went to Tay Street Cafe, and had soon colonised enough tables for all of us - Carla and Rodney, Rachel and Paul, Me and Duncan, Simon and Jackie and Theo and Lyn. The food was pretty good, but Simon got very hot in the sun. So this afternoon I put my togs on to go to the beach. The water was still very warm.

 We played lots with  balloons which you blow up using a pump and then stay afloat for quite a while, but we had a few fly over the fence to the neighbours. Theo was philosophical about it.

 The agony of trying to tie your shoe laces

 He actually got the first bit right.

Hot cross buns with Grandad.
Simon and Jackie on cooking tonight - pasta with bacon and chicken.
Next morning Simon and Duncan went to play golf. Jackie and I checked out Spotlight, but it wasn't open - what a shame they didn't say so on their website, instead of "4 Day Sale" which sort of implied that they would be. We came back and wandered up town for morning tea , I bought a necklace, and then went to the park where Theo swung for a very long time. So we were quite late when it came time to go to the beach and the wind had got up so soon Theo was shivering. We went to the Hot Pools - Duncan uses his Gold Card for OAPs there. Unfortunately Theo didn't want to get out of here and there were a few tears as we exited!

 After a bit more balloon playing it was off to an Indian Restaurant for dinner - very good food, especially the Naan bread.

 Next morning it was time to pack up and give the bach a thorough clean so that we got our bond back. Didn't manage to catch up with Carla again - even though she was in apartments just over the road. Just time to take some family photos before we left.

 I had to go to Spotlight as there were things I wanted to get for Market Day. We don't have a Spotlight in Gisborne anymore which is a great shame when it comes to all those craft things.

 Simon and Jackie headed off for home, but I was allowed a half hour shop at K and K at Bayfair which I was able to use to pick out 2 tee shirts, a cardi, a vest for golf and a snood! Well, who can blame me with 30% off all new season stock.

Then we went out to Jill and John Thurston's bach at Papamoa (yes I know they only live at Te Puke). We had lunch with them and then a drive around Papamoa. The Papamoa road I used to know (11kms long) was just dotted with baches, but now it is full of flash houses and several streets deep. There is a huge population of mainly permanent occupiers, a couple of schools and several shopping areas. On the way home I started to feel a sore throat coming on. Its laid me low for a few days now. I just can't keep up with these grandchildren! But it was lovely.

Spending the OAP

Duncan's birthday dawned a clear crisp day in Queenstown and after breakfast, presents and texts we left with Pinotthyme Wine Tours. Jim has worked in the wine industry, here and in Oz, had his own vineyard and made his own wine. He had just sold his vineyard and gone into the wine tours business. Joining us on the tour were Tom and Jenna, a young couple from Queensland. I did wonder about Tom's occupation when we suggested that they should try a bungy and he retorted - "I'm not going to risk a detached retina" It turned out that the young Tom Cruise look-a-like was a doctor and his tall, willowy partner was a nurse.
The first winery of the day was Peregrine, where the riesling was a stunner, but the servings were miserly (which, of course may have been a good thing at 11 in the morning!)
Aurum was next - a Kiwi grapegrowing family whose son married a french wine maker, Lucy. We arrived just as a group of voluble  french wine buyers were leaving. Fortunately Lucy switched back to English when they left. She is from Burgundy so we are expecting great things from her Pinot Noir.
We had been to Wooing Tree before, and here we found the first - and only - decent Chardonnay of the day.

I think I'll go home in the red ferrari.

We had lunch at Cromwell in an Italian restaurant. I had an apricot smoothie, Duncan had a beer, but Tom and Jenna had another glass of wine! - we were impressed by their staying power and love of the drier wines. After wandering through the artist's quarter we set off to Quartz Reef - a favourite sparkling wine of ours - and were impressed with the sparkling rose which had a bit of extra oomph to it.

A calm Lake Dunstan

At the historic village of Cromwell

Tom, Jenna and I enjoy the terrace at Mt Difficulty

It is a spectacular drive up to Mount Difficulty wines, with intense blue skies behind the rugged bronze peaks. Mount Difficulty is now the biggest wine company in the region, and their wines are more readily available in Gisborne. The Chenin Blanc was very interesting.

Duncan checks out the Brennan Vines

"Save the best till last" applied to Brennan - a winery that we had never heard of before. The tempranillo (that far south!!) and a vertical tasting from 2009, 2010 and 2011 which showed the development of the skills of the winemaker were highlights.
So with several dozen of the product to be sent to us we enjoyed stocking up our wine cellar.

A glass of bubbles to start

 After a rest and an upgrade of dress we were picked up by a complimentary taxi to take us to The Gantry for dinner. We were impressed with the 6 course degustation menu, but the 6 accompanying wines might have been a glass too far!!

 However we wine matched each of our three courses. I had pea and smoked bacon soup, followed by duckliver pate with cherries (really an entree) then roast peach and Mille Feuille for dessert.

Duncan's main

 Duncan had tomato, basil and red pepper soup then salt crusted venison - very tender - and a deconstructed lemon meringue pie where the lemon part was semi freddo and the base was a sprinkling of toasted crumbs and nuts.
I was highly delighted to see that they hadn't added the 15% surcharge for Otago Anniversary Day on, so I decided to add a tip - then at the till I mentioned this and he thanked me for my honesty and added it on - as well as the tip!!!

Cheers!

A truly memorable day. Duncan got his first payment of the pension the next day $61.13. Didn't quite cover the Birthday Celebrations!!