Quick trip to Palmerston North

Well the week just gone was another busy one.
Went to the movies last Wednesday morning and saw Murder onthe Orient Express - the 2017 version. It was pure Agatha Christie with every character having hidden depths - sometimes it is fun tot ry and work out the relationships of each character before it is revealed - no character in an Agatha Christie novel is exactly what they seem. Quite fun seeing the well known actors in these roles - Judi Dench is always fantastic - and after a little while one warmed to Kenneth Branagh's version of Poirot. The moustache was a work of art although we probably had got used to seeing the TV version of Poirot - who is much chubbier, and walks a bit more duck footed.

Another busy day sewing and then off on Friday to Palmerston north - we flew right over my house. Quite fun seeing it from the air and then couldnt see Ruapehu as I think the plane was actually overhead. The pink rooftops are Acacia Cove and the green strip is th golf course, so I think my house is right at the bottom of the window in the centre.

After Jonathan took Callum off to Wellington by bus for their boys' trip, I took the girls out to dinner at Chinatown, and then bought a couple  more dresses and shorts for them. Annabelle is growing fast! and Cordelia is fitting in to Annabelle's last summer clothes.

Friday night dinner at Chinatown - one of Daddy's rituals ( but without Daddy this time)

Saturday was a mixture of action packed and Nana trying to have a rest after being woken at 5am.
We  did a little grocery shopping, and then went to the Lido swimming pool. They love it although Nana's knees get a work out when she is being used as a diving platform!
Compulsory rest after lunch and later in the afternoon I enrolled as a member for Geocaching which is an international "game" of finding items which have been hidden and can only be located by their GPS co-ordinates. The kids had been introduced to it at Keas ( baby version of Cub scouts) and their are several "hidden" in  Palmerston North . One was close to the Palmertston North square which was only meant to be 350m from Jonathan's house so the girls and I set off to find it - very successful!  So we wrote int he logbook and looked at the items left in the box, resolving next time to place our own item in the box. This could be a fun activity for the kids - the GPS on the phone app sort of guides you to the right place - but I am sure most of them are better hidden!

Our first geocache.

Writing in the log book.

  The boyse returned well after tea and Callum was pooped - his visit to the zoo handling the lemurs was successful  and they did other stuff, but apparently a lot of walking and one 7 year old looked a bit tired.

Sunday
        The girls and I made banana choc chop muffins - very successfully while Daddy watered gardens and then we went out to buy some plastic tablecloths for the BBQ Daddy was having for his Stats department. My friend Christine drove me to the airport and a lovely flight home.  My little Tui was excited to see me again although quite obviously she had fun with "Auntie Margaret and Uncle John" and her playmate Bella. Peter was also pleased to see us.

Then a big sleep for Nana - I feel very old sometimes when trying to keep up with 4 and 5 year olds!

Monday
Visitors for lunch today - old friends Charmian and Jane with whom I have worked on the Kate Edger Educational Trust - made lovely quiche and salad. Glorious day to show off my little house.

New rateable valuations came out today - the CV for my house is now $850,000.   Wow! Those around me have a bigger floor area so are a bit more, so although they say the property bubble is not continuing to grow, some values do appear still to be holding!  Interestingly you can now see everyone else's CV as well - makes interesting reading.

Off to doctor - I have best Blood pressure in a while so just need to lose a few kgs and I will feel like a million dollars.