Easter

Silverdale

Today I am looking forward to a long  day at home as it were, not having anything in particular planned after a busy day yesterday in Orewa. We had the use of the bach up there for the day and used the opportunity.

We got a early bus up but stopped off at Silverdale where there is a market every Saturday.  Not a big lot of produce so not a farmers market but I have my favourite lady selling her seasonal jams etc in the old hall.  Bertha is her name and I think she might have a German heritage with a name like that.  She is in the Historical Society too so I always have a little chat and buy something off her, as her things look and taste beautiful and are reasonably priced and beautifully presented. Yesterday it was quince jelly which caught my eye. And feijoa chutney but I might try and make my own, a small quantity as we don't get through a lot these days.

We had an hour in Silverdale and I had time for a coffee and free muffin at a bakery cafe , an apple muffin which is my favourite, the a visit to the Hospice Op shop which had  all sorts of summer stuff for a dollar a piece.  I bought a pair of bright green trousies for the dollar and will look like a ageing budgie when wearing them, round the house probably,  seeing that is the case.  I do need something comfortable and cheerful for there too, in my opinion.

Dieter of course was not in good shape and hadn't wanted, even,  to go but we got a taxi to the bus stop and bused everywhere so there wasn't a lot of walking.  However I didn't even get to the beach,  so will do things differently next time.  The tide was not right for a swim and we had run out of time with the buses running half an hour late so wasted a lot of time waiting for buses which we could have spent at the beach.

 I deadheaded a lot of faded dry hydrangeas  from  a big bush up the front and have another big bushy thing with pink  flowers to do next time, oleander or azalea which, if either,  could it be? It has long fingery-type leaves.
Went to a nice cafe up there for a little feta and vege quiche and salad  for a late lunch by which time we were starving.  Meals come around with such monotonous regularity.   Had to cook a meal when we got home to Ponsonby but had bought steak,and mushrooms at the supermarket in Orewa  so it didn't take too long to do so.

Even stayed up an hour or two later than usual and caught up on a couple of saved TV programmes.  We have a new  weekly architectural documentary programme where people are building a  new house, usually on difficult sites but with stunning architecture and views, costing megabucks too of course. Enough to get the wind up me with my more modest build at Salisbury St. Watched that and a satirical irreverent programme on the events of the week, Seven days,  before retiring for the night.  Bliss.

Over To Waiheke

After busy weekends home and away decided to have a midweek trip to the island for a bit of r and r ourselves.Went to Solar for dinner and enjoyed a seafood board between us - hot salmon and tender spicy squid, marinated fish, warm crab casserolend a salad of island micro greens with local ciabatta and crostini. Yum.

Made a day of it and ate out for lunch too at Frenchot, authentic French cuisine, morning, noon and night, conveniently located in Surfdale.  Delicious croissants and the best ever coffee at breakfast time, baguettes with salami, ham or chicken with salad and cheese accompaniments at lunchtime and the best ever bouillabaisse I have had for a long time in the evening.  As I said, we were there for lunch - chicken and bacon baguette with lettuce and tomato followed bay moist almond cake and piping hot coffee , all enjoyed in the courtyard out the back.

Enjoyed the bach too of course, tidying up in between for our next lot of visitors.