Hamner

We had a fantastic time staying with Nana & Grandad in Waikari and took the half hour drive to Hamner Springs last Sunday (after arriving at 2:30am that morning) and it was just the rest we all needed. As we clambered out of the car Ethan put his nose in the air, inhaled and said "mmm... eggs!" It was a different story though when getting into the most 'natural' of the pools when all three said "we don't want to go in the stinky pool!" In the evenings Nana & I did scrapbooking in her craft room and we even spent a whole day driving around scrapbook stores in Christchurch - I spent way too much but found some neat things to play with. Nana also discovered many places she didn't know existed & plans to return. She is going to be teaching calligraphy at www.thepaperpeacock.co.nz later in the year and signed up for a class for a valentines album at www.thememorystore.co.nz that she will also take my sister in law to. Jase had some wine sales to do so I spent a day with him driving out to Arthurs Pass and visiting some Lodges as well as in an around Christchurch central. We had dinner at an Italian place called Saggio Del Sol (not sure of the spelling) which I had the summer white truffle pasta dish & he had some shaved raw beef dish (I felt queasy when he told me what he was eating and had to gulp down water quickly - I'm almost vegetarial by choice of taste rather than beliefs!).
We drove back to Dunedin on Wednesday night as Jase was called back to work a day early & the children and I are staying here till Saturday night as my cousin is getting married on Saturday and Granny is doing a small birthday party for Katya later today. We are having an afternoon tea party for Katya's 4th on Sunday afternoon at Waitiri Creek so hopefully we have fantastic weather - all she wants is a bowl of lollies - coloured ones!