Just like that 2021 is over…

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Wow here we are at Christmas!!! It is Boxing Day here in NZ and a glorious one, such a lovely way to greet the new day, blue and sunny.

This month went faster than last, if that were even possible.

The beginning saw Luca have his 13th birthday!

Star Wars themed this year, though hard to tell from this photo! 🙂

It was a school day so the celebrations and present opening had to wait for the afternoon. In our house it has become a bit of a tradition to hide the gifts and then Luca and friends find them, this year his cousins joined in, once found, the opening begins, he was pretty overwhelmed with all he got and very happy. Your 13th birthday is a big one and here in NZ it signals heading off to high school, so some of his gifts were in preparation for that.

Ted stayed the night and they slept in the tree house, not much sleep happened again I don’t think but they had fun. We went to see the new release of Dune the next day and all loved it! Looking forward to the next one! Here are two very tired, but very happy boys at supper….

Graduation from primary school did not happen as usual this year,

Covid and the restrictions on gatherings made it a bit unusual, but still special things were done. The kids had a day at the beach ,(Rich went as one of the chaperones), then there was a dinner where each of the kids spoke ,(we could go to this one albeit in a “distanced” way), and then final assembly (which was videoed and sent out to us all, as parents could no attend). Luca had a great last year of primary !

I took these heading out the grad dinner, not much longer and Luca will be as tall as Rich!

My work function , the next evening was fun this year, we did a car rally, I have not done one of these before. It was kind of like the Amazing Race, you and your partner race from one clue to another, encountering “road blocks” to get to your unknown final destination, with the aim to get there first. My navigator and I won! Not sure how that happened but we did, and had lots of fun along the way 🙂

One of Luca’s presents for his birthday, was a trail camera from his Grandparents. It is very cool and has been set up most nights in different locations videoing the creatures on our property. He caught a very good video of a possum, we had but thinking one was around as Pica has been on high alert lately!

I love wild flowers and at the end of winter turned an old wooden ladder into a basket carrier and sowed some wild flower seeds. I did this in Manitoba when we lived there , which has the most wonderful growing season , short but prolific. I wondered how it would go here, seems they liked it!

Hard to tell from this photo all the flowers and the smell is divine, here are some close ups….

The garden too has been producing in abundance, the strawberries started early, here are the first 2 at the beginning of December with the ever present snow peas that never seem to stop

I spent a weekend finally painting the fire pit area the color to match everything else…

Rich’s stone path is coming along wonderfully…

Then before we knew it, Christmas Day arrived!

Very spoiled again this year! This was taken just before the present opening began!

A very happy Christmas mess ensured….. Luca says it was the best Christmas ever, but then again he always thinks that 🙂

Although as happy as Luca was, no one was happier than Pica. Luca got her a new ball (she had lost her other one). I wish I had got a photo of the unwrapping of it but I was too slow. She was SO excited and spent the day showing it off and taking it everywhere

Rich made his usual cooked breakfast – delicious

The day was spent relaxing, reading,(books a traditional Xmas gift in this house), eating and playing with gifts…

There was again a Star Wars theme going on!

A walk was fitted in, our trail a little overgrown and needs a trim, but so pretty that it can wait…

We were all very spoiled with gifts this year but one of the most special was from Canada, a painting of River Cottage, (our home there), and sent to us, I cannot wait to have it framed and up on the wall, so many, many happy memories ……

River Cottage, such a beautiful spot to spend a few years….

We are packing today for our hike of the Abel Tasman, it is a 10 hour drive to get there so we leave early tomorrow, we are looking forward to another adventure.

There is not a lot to pack as Rich has been doing it bit by bit all week , doing lots of relaxing in between, eating too, Rich just had some pavlova ,(a Kiwi Xmas tradition), with strawberries from our garden, not my best effort making a pav but Rich assures me it is tasty 🙂

Next time I write it will be 2022, here’s hoping things in the world settle down and it is a much better year for all. Happy new Year everyone x