A Remiss Blog Author Attempts to Make Up For It

Okay, so I was a crap correspondent-slash-historian last week. What can I say? Not much happened. We had visitors for one day, and Sebby had his mate Robbie around, but the most exciting photo I had was two one year olds sharing a cup of milk.

But this weekend we had a rocking time! We spent our Easter Weekend up at Puponga, the last little settlement before Farewell Spit, in a darling little two bedroom bach on the beach. Going into it, things didn't look auspicious; the weather forecast was appalling, and Sebby was uncharacteristically grumpy (about which, more anon). But we had a wonderful time regardless.

Here is the view from our little borrowed front door:



And here is the view OF our little borrowed front door:



It was a perfect holiday house; only two bedrooms, and a painted wooden floor, but lots of rugs, a log fire, comfy beds, a decent shower, loads of garden, and fully fenced.

We knew the weather was going to turn on Saturday, so as soon as we arrived on Friday we zoomed over to the beach. I took off Sebby's shoes and trousers; he immediately lurched towards the sea faster than we could say "Wait!" and before anyone could catch him was fully immersed and dog paddling madly, screaming his head off. Nutter. At which point we gave in and stripped him down and let him do his thing.

He was happy.

That evening, however, he was hot. Very hot. And squally. And hot.

Saturday dawned blearily after a disrupted night and Liam took him in to Takaka to see if there was such a thing as a weekend doctor around the place. He got directed to the Community Hospital, who put Sebbo on antibiotics for an ear infection. Sigh.

But Seb seemed pretty copacetic about the whole thing. The next day we wrapped him up snugly and took him out for some puddle jumping. He had an awesome time. It was a drizzly old day, but we had a lovely Easter brekky, and there were a few breaks for outside time. Us girls don't mind inside time, anyway!

Today was much brighter and cheerier. We took a hike up to Whakariki Beach, over on the outside of the spit. It was just gorgeous.

The beach itself is windswept and grandiose, huge sand dunes and rocks sculpted by water and time. Very deserted. Apart from an amazing pool of seal pups! They swam and leapt and honked and chased each other, just a few feet away from us all. It was stunning. Seb was mesmerised.

He complained madly when we tried to get him to turn around and come back home, but in a brief gap between complaints he did let me take my very favourite photo of the holiday:

He also had a lot of good times with his roomie, Mo-Mo. He says her name now. Actually he's saying more and more things: broom-broom for car, and buh-byeeee! and Oohbar for Rhubarb. He even said his first sentence the other day: "Buh-byeee Daddy!" He can point to loads of body parts now, not just his winkle.

And when we got back... our Hunter Gatherer had been on a Cockle Hunt this morning (Gathering) and for lunch he steamed them in in white wine (Hunting, 'cos it killed them) and fried them up with garlic and butter and MMMMMMM!

Not a bad holiday for one which could be described as "two wet days in a very small house in the middle of nowhere, with a teenager and a baby with an ear infection". I had a great time!