Motoitoi Familiy Reunion - Puketeraki Marae

Gathering at Custom House

The Esplanade wasn't our only dinner out that week. The following night, we all headed out as a family unit to the Custom House restaurant.

After all the driving around the past few days, it was great catching up with everyone in one space. In a slight turning of the tables, it was the kids who paid for supper for a change.

http://www.thecustomhouse.co.nz/

Granddad Kim's Farm

After a few days recuperating at Purakaunui, we headed out to Granddad Kim's farm for a visit. 

    He showed us around his new house on top of the hill (with 360 degree views of Brighton Beach on one side and the Taieri Valley on the other), then decided it was time to hit the paddocks.

     Of course, we set off on our journey with only 20 minutes to go before we were supposed to be in town to catch up with our Kiwi friends for dinner; but the flying visit was still worthwhile. 

    Granddad introduced us to his horses...

We stopped off briefly to check in on Kim's pig...

We bumped into some old stags that were well into the roar...

...and Granddad even called in his pet hawk to come and get some supper!

It was a pretty exciting trip. Shame we're always having to move onto the next place, one place after another. Next time, we'll have to bring our gumboots and help out some more on the farm.

Day Off at Mapoutahi Pa

Catching up with Craig, Alice, and the kids, Azza, Zippy and Nathaniel at Mapoutahi.
    Admittedly, it was a bitter-sweet meeting:

• Bitter, because of the short timeline we were committed to, and the pressures of everyday life ever present on the locals when visitors come to town. 
• Sweet, because it had been so long in the making and it was really great to see everybody. 

I for one was only just getting back into the routine of hanging out with my best mate from school after eight years away in the Air Force, when I learned Charlotte was on the way and that I would soon be moving to Canada. While it was certainly a hassle for Craig to bundle up the whole family to spend the day ferrying us all in two trips from Mum's house to the beach; it was still worth it to run around on the sand, drink a few brews, talk about the old days and catch a few long-awaited rays.

We miss you guys heaps, but for that one little moment amongst all the coming and going, we managed to have a little fun. Thanks so much for making it happen...

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov13_11Rail-t1-body-d13.html