22nd and 23rd January 2011

We had two weeks at White Beach Cottage and this was the middle weekend. We were just across the road from the water with a little beach to safely launch the kayaks from. Finn dived around the kelp and seaweed just off the shore, with Mark as support vessel to take him further afield.

We had passed the Coal Mines site many times on the way to and from camping at Lime Bay but had never stopped. We were surprised just how much was there. It was a beautiful bush setting near the coast and was very peaceful. Those poor convict men would have had a terrible time there. The underground cells were very, very dark even without doors on them, I can only imagine and shudder at what it must have been like to come up from the mines only to be locked in another dark hole.

The air shaft was kind of strange and unexpected. It was at a distance from everything else and apparently there are no remaining records of when or why it was built. It is beautifully built in sandstone and goes a long, long way down.

15th and 16th January 2011

What a fun weekend enjoying the weather in the great outdoors. Plays at the Botanical Gardens are always fun and it was great that Nick could join us. The weather was perfect and it was a "rollicking yarn" performed with lots of laughs and music. Matt and Leah showed great courage to take a spin on the biscuit, especially Leah whose turn came up just after the enormous seal swam through. We did catch a lovely feed of flathead - too busy bringing the big ones aboard to take any photos.

8th and 9th January 2011

Saturday slipped away from me in trying to catch up on lost sleep, but Mark and Finn made the best of it. Some fishing, ski-biscuiting and generally enjoying being on and in the water with the McNeices filled in their morning.

They made it home for a BBQ lunch and Finn was straight into a new library book. He started reading it right where I handed it to him - sitting on a table on the back deck.

Nick came for a sleepover and the boys enjoyed each other's company very much. They played all kinds of computer games, watched movies and gave the table soccer a workout. It was lovely to see them together.

The flowers on the New Zealand flax have been attracting birds for a couple of weeks now. After heavy rain on Saturday night they were weighed down enough for me to get a closer look.

Mark headed off on Sunday morning for a trip the highlands. He saw lots of fish and even had a couple that got away so he came back a fish-less but very happy man.

1st and 2nd January 2011

After Christmas we went camping straight away for a few nights. When we came home we went 10 pin bowling, finally caught the new Harry Potter movie, and had a successful fishing trip followed by a quiet NYE at home. After all this excitement our first weekend of 2011 was a very tame affair, but very productive, with a little fun thrown in.

Mark had been itching to finish that last section of the retaining wall and I wanted to take my new wheelbarrow for a spin. Mark sawed and hammered until it was done then took to the garden with loppers and pruners. My new Yard Kart is fantastic - light as a feather and easy to maneuver. I weeded away to my heart's content and then we topped things off with some new mulch. All very satisfying.

The Christmas tree was stripped and added to the trailer. All the lights and decorations packed away - another festive season done and dusted (and vacuumed away).

The veggie patch is full of fruit and it was great to pick loganberries, tayberries, blackcurrants and cherries. Looking forward to digging new potatoes soon.

Finn was a bit grumpy and was sent to his room Saturday morning. He finally emerged some hours later having read the first two books in the Whimpy Kid series and started the Percy Jackson he got for Christmas. So much for punishment! On Sunday he got his computer privileges back and spent a good deal of the day liberating Ireland, meeting with King Brian the Mauler (and other Irish faction leaders), and making new alliances and enemies in equal measure across historical Britain.

Sunday night we got out another Christmas present from the McNeices. We played Creationary according to our own rules - everyone built something at once. Mark turned out to have a hidden talent - his treasure chest, complete with key, and chainsaw were exceptional.

A year of weekends

When I heard on the Paperclipping Digi Show about Peppermint Granberg's A year of weekends project, I thought "Yeah, I could do that!" 52 weekends has got to be easier than Project 365. One post a week. Yes I can do that!