DAY OF REST!

Stew has taken today off work... so we can spend the day doing bugger all!
Yesterday was full on ... busy, so it will be nice to just relax.

Here's some more photos from yesterday:

ABOVE:  The hall all ready for the party.  My photo boards fitted across the front of the stage perfectly.  And they were very popular!

We had four big trestles set up at the far end of the hall for all the food.  Everyone brought a 'plate', and we had BBQ'd sausages and bread as well. 

 ABOVE:  I took a photo of my niece Maxine and her husband years ago.. it's pointed out on the photo board behind them.  In it, Maxine was holding her left hand up and intimating a ring on her finger would be nice.
A few years ago they DID get married.  So I had to replicate the photo!

 ABOVE: This bunch of guests came from Whitianga and one lady from Cambridge.  They were all 'boating cronies' of my Mum and Dad.
Such a lovely lot.

ABOVE:  On the left, a very dear friend of our family, Bruce.  I did NOT expect him to make it to Mum's party as he's an extremely busy business man... who's out of the country as much as he's in it.  

He came along with his brother (on the right).  I had a few tears when I hugged him, so did he.  Then tears all over again when Mum saw him... she was SHOCKED!  But just so thrilled to see  him.  They both cried.  It was rather special.

ABOVE:  My nieces, Shelley and Christina (daughters of my brother Peter), looking at photos with my cousin Janice.  There were so many happy catch ups yesterday!

 ABOVE:  My nephew Deon, he's the son of my eldest brother, Peter.  Deon came up from Palmerston North, as did our son, Mike, and his partner Joyce.

 ABOVE:  Mum with 7 of her siblings.  Sadly two of her siblings couldn't make it to the party.  

 ABOVE:  Mum with the grandchildren and great grandchildren who attended the party.  She got to talk over SKYPE with two of Russel's little children, who live in Australia, yesterday too.

Poor wee Archer was not feeling well for most of the day, so he pretty much slept in Bex's arms all day!  He is also VERY SHY, so when he was awake he didn't want to know anyone.

 ABOVE:  The yard behind the hall had an amazing playground, so all the small children spent ALL their time out there very happily.

 ABOVE:  A nice photo of Mum and Ron, just before I chopped up the cake.  

The cake was a rich fruit cake on the bottom and a red velvet cake on the top.  The red velvet cake was demolished and eaten in about 5 minutes flat !!!!  

By the time we left for home, there was half of the fruit cake left, but then Russell and Ange, and Steve and Bex took some home, so we are left with about 1/4 of a cake!  

 ABOVE:  Me with my Aunt Ethel, she lives just around the corner from where we lived in Auckland.
She is my Mum's youngest sister.

 ABOVE:  Mum, her sister Joyce and brother Charles looking at old photos of the hall and local school.

 ABOVE:  One of the photos taken in 1949... My Mum is dressed as a clown (pointed out).  She was rather pleased to find herself in that photo, considering how long ago it was.

ABOVE:  Brylee and that girl got on famously...  she's the daughter of one of my cousins.  No idea what her name is!  There's far too many cousins/2nd cousins! 

 ABOVE:  Stew gave a really lovely speech ... he got a bit emotional at the end.  He's such a softie sometimes.  *smiles*

ABOVE:  Me and my Mum.  I love her to bits.
Sadly, my only living sibling wasn't able to attend the party, so it is just the two of us.

So... that's a wrap!  It was an awesome, wonderful day.


Today...  hopefully our two nieces, over from Australia, will pop in. They will be on their to Auckland, to catch their flight back to Melbourne.

Apart from that... day of rest!

ONWARD...  

It's much colder today, so Stew and I are in the family room with the heater on!  Watching 'Tipping Point' on the telly.  I never watch morning TV usually, so it's quite a novelty.

For those who haven't seen the cake on yesterday's post:

My nieces, visiting from Australia, called in at lunchtime.
We had a lovely time chatting before they had to head off to the airport.

ABOVE:  Of course, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to get a photo!   Stew said I should label it 'The 4 Cows'!   As if!
I love those girls, it was so special to see them after such a long time apart. 

Now...  I'm watching Coronation Street, which I missed on Friday and Saturday night... and Stew is in the lounge watching cricket!  Talk about bliss, peace and quiet!

Well... Stew and I have had the most lazy day ever!  Seriously, we did nothing all day.  
I went to Weight Watchers, and will tell you how I went... tomorrow.
Cos I can.