Easter on the Island

Another happy Easter spent at the bach on Waiheke Island, doing the usual churchy and Waiheke things. Attended the Good Friday ceremony and Easter Sunday Mass at St Peter's, both of which had an influx of families with children which made a pleasant change. On the Saturday made the usual trek to the Ostend Market, also jam-packed with holidaymakers. Stocked up on Herb Spread, a delicious pesto-type concoction of herbs and even a notion of lavender and calendula , and Tamarind Chutney, made by Jenny's Kitchen, also a strong favourite. Braved the supermarket for the more mundane purchases to complete the shopping for our roast chicken with prune and bacon stuffing Easter dinner the next day, which we shared with good friend Fr. who was staying with us for the weekend, along with a neighbour-from-across-the-road. Monday had a visit for the day from another friend and took her for a long walk from Surfdale to Blackpool and back via Little Oneroa, followed by lunch at the bach, and then a whirlwind visit to the art gallery in Oneroa to look at the small paintings exhibition. Fr took the middle picture of Oneroa Beach on New Years Day this year. The boats were all moored on the other side of the island at Easter as it was quite rough and windy. She also took the photo of the bach from the front garden then and e-mailed them to me today, so here they are for you to see.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you and yours. For the first time in many years I have made some hot cross buns which are going to prove overnight. They were easy to make . Put on my chef's jacket to be all hygienic and was transported back in time to when I did the professional cooking courses at AUT a few years ago. I have Patisserie Stage I and II , Certificate in Basic Cookery and Certicate in Professional Cookery to my name. I was going to do up the old villa in Herne Bay and take in guests but that has plan has fallen by the wayside and Elisabeth is happily ensconced there with flatmate Tim. Still hope to remodel the house to bring it into the 21st century as far as kitchen and bathroom is concerned. Our architect will hopefully get round to doing the plans soon, as the time will be right in a few months when E finishes her studies.

The guava harvest continues. I have made guava jelly and prepared and frozen more juice for conversion to jelly later in the year. Dieter has taken several containers each week to a downtown gelateria which they have been using to make the most delicious gelato.

Have been enjoying the last of the summer sun by getting out and about round Ponsonby. Saw this house yesterday with its quicky sculptures of Southpark and others in Dedwood Terrace.

Historical Society Visit to Huia and Cornwallis

Auckland for a change.

Spent the weekend at home seeing I had been at Waiheke all week and had been invited by good friend Carolyn to attend a fundraising garden party at Fernhall, a lovely old villa in Gillies Avenue. Persuaded Dieter to come too for company. It is a centre which offers development courses for girls and young women and they were on hand to speak about their experiences, show people around and serve afternoon tea. We sipped punch and enjoyed harp music too and I was suitably impressed by the place.

Today was more leisurely though we went down to have some icecream at Giapo. This is the place where Dieter has been taking many kilos of guavas off our tree in exchange for gelato vouchers. He has over $100 worth so far. Had a most delicious feijoa and tiramisu cone.

Went to a concert in the Town Hall by the Auckland Youth Symphony Orchestra after that seeing we stumbled upon it after getting off the bus to go and get our icecream. It was very enjoyable - a sorrowful lament, punctuated by tubular bell ringing for Benjamin Britten by the Estonian composer Part, then a Mozart piano concerto, followed by Tschaikovsky's Symphony no 5.