Shelly Beach

Yesterday we went exploring on the Banks Peninsular. We were looking for a nice secluded beach, of which there are many. They are secluded because it is almost impossible to find the way down to them.

We were using a guidebook to find a beach. It said the path to the first option (Wreck Bay) was 20m past the sign saying “Private. Dogs shot”. That sounded quite an unusual landmark, but alas we couldn’t find it. I expect the owner took it down when he found out that it was being used as a landmark. He certainly doesn’t sound like a public spirited kind of chap.

The second option was marked by a rag on a stick. We couldn’t find that either. But we did strike it lucky with the third option, Shelly Beach which was across a sheep field and down narrow, winding animal tracks.

We have been in this situation before, when there is a wonderful place to go but access just isn’t as easy to get there as it could be. In the 35 degree heat, we plodded down the paths. Some were next to almost vertical cliffs. I was struggling with a 15 kilo child strapped to my back and dragging an unwilling spaniel behind me. Jo is unstable on her feet at the best of times. We got there in the end but it was quite fraught for a while.

The beach was quite lovely. The sparkling turquoise water of Lyttleton Harbour was calm and beautiful and Lily had a great time running in and out shrieking with laughter. But then the wind started blowing. The whole thing was also slightly spoiled by the thought of having to go back again afterwards.

So we probably won’t go back there again!

Hedgehogs

There's a hedgehog that lives behind a bush in the garden. You might think it is nice to have a bit of wildlife around, but it sends Molly and Jake crazy.

They spend half the evening restlessly pacing around the living room and the other half at the bottom of the garden, noses 2 inches from the hedgehog, barking manically and waking up the neighbourhood.

I don't know what hedgehogs are doing here. They are not native so somebody brought them over. Why would anyone do that? They are quite boring really. They just lurk at the bottom of gardens being spiky.

Being told off by a two year old

I don’t know where she gets it from but Lily now has a whole repertoire of things to say when she catches her Dad with a beer. Jo denies being involved but she is definitely the main suspect.

This is the barrage of comments I receive if my two year old daughter sees me with some booze:
“it’s a bit early for beer Daddy. Daddy’s a boozer! He’s drinking booze! Goodness Gracious my Daddy’s on the wines.”

That’s quite a telling off to get from a toddler. She starts kindergarten in a few weeks so Jo will have less time to coach her then!

Two Minutes to Midnight

It’s New Years Day 2009 and Jo and I are both exhausted. We have had a busy couple of weeks moving into our new house and unpacking and also cleaning the old house from top to bottom. And it has been another action packed year.

Which might explain why, after making a special effort to stay up late last night, we dropped off at 11.58.

I always think New Years Eve is silly anyway. Why celebrate the end of the year? What difference does it make? Who needs it?

We had a lovely day today, with a barbeque on the beach at one of the sparkly turquoise bays near Christchurch. 2009 should be less tiring as we are feeling quite settled here now in our lovely new house.