Xmas-New Year rogues gallery

I live away from my main base of family and friends so my trip away at Christmas provided an obvious opportunity to address the risk of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

The photo gallery is pretty much in chronological order and there are captions if you hover over the photos. Further below are some points summarising events.

• On my drive north I took the unusual step (for me) of breaking the journey overnight in the Waikato so that I could catch up with one of my primary school friends, Annmarie, and practice my honorary aunt-ness with her children.
• Christmas Day was spent with my family but there was a surprising absence of family pics – though I guess the circumstances didn’t overly lend itself to. (Maybe if my brother had been a bit less afflicted by a terrible man flu during his fleeting appearance…)
• I visited Trish whom I worked with at my first job. She had her hair shaved off a couple of months before for cancer fundraising – so admirable! Makes you think, could I do that? Don’t know. Never say never.
• Two quick catchups were managed with Hannah, who I also met through work back in my Auckland days. We’re trying to get our looooong awaited Thelma & Louise trip happening this year!
• After Mike flew up my family had a final gathering out at Shelly Beach in South Head. The weather was, well, a bit shite though from our sheltered if cramped position inside the popular café, we were kept entertained by some kind of regatta on the water.
• From Parakai we went to West Auckland for a night with friends Kirsten and Mike (and their wee man – another chance to put on the Aunty Hayley hat). Debbie and Barclay joined us for one of those brilliant evenings of food, drink and general hilarity. I went to high school with both ladies and primary school with Kirsten. We’re currently organising a group weekend away up in the Coromandel (well, up for us, down for them) in a few months time.
• Fast forward a couple of days and we arrived in Palmerston North. We spent the last night of the year with Glenda, who was my flatmate when I first moved to Wellington, Bryan and their daughter. A family concert in the city square – featuring pirates and “Katy Perry” (cue hundreds of excited squealing children) – was followed by a night of jenga. Wasn’t our first such tournament, won’t be our last 🙂 .
• Finally, back in Wellington, a lunch was organised at fairly short notice – quite the achievement these days – with most of the ‘Wellington girls’ past and present – Glenda, Danielle, Megan and Michele, to mark Danielle’s fleeting return from London.

I may not see my friends and family that often, but when I do, the solid foundations mean we can just pick up where we left off. That’s a great feeling.