The weekend with movies, swimming, visits and gardening

Hi,


What an amazing weekend. Friday night was quiet and we watched a movie together at home (the recent Karate Kid movie - all about Kung Fu - but the boys loved it).

Saturday was the first swimming lesson of the year and Toby was by far the best swimmer in his lesson. He concentrated well and kicked and I heard the instructor saying "Fantastic Toby" and never corrected anything he was doing on one of his laps. He must have something sorted!  If he continues like this, he will be moving up to the next class before we know it.

After that we headed home and collected Toby's friend (Jonathan, Johnny and even Jonty - I call him Jonathan) for a wee play before his family headed up the coast for a visit.  There was an hour overlap with William coming to play as well.  William could stay a bit longer - we dropped him off at 5pm and then dropped Toby off at the Sampson house.

Mike and I went out with Ilkse and her partner Richard.  Richard is over for a holiday from The Netherlands and they are off tramping the Milford this week.  I hope the weather stays nice for them.  We went to Big Thumb - a great Chinese restaurant off Courtney Place.  Mike had a great suggestion to go to Strawberry Fare for dessert and that was a huge hit with Ilske and Richard.  Us too!  Yum!  We ate banoffee pie and it was good.

This was capped off by watching a spectacular fireworks display in the harbour for Chinese New Year.  Perfect.

Home via the Sampsons to collect Toby and into bed.  Sunday morning was a little lazier.  The Tabors arrived for a gourmet picnic lunch for my birthday.  How cool was that?  I was pretty impressed with that.  They stayed for ages, despite Aidan still being under the weather with a cough.  We chatted away about all sorts of things and I have started Scrabble over the iPod with Josh's mother, Jackie.  Great!

After they left (to rescue poor Lulu) we got stuck into the back garden and Mike cleared some lovely garden steps we had down there.  We want to build a fort for Toby in the backyard so we need to find a good spot.  We finished with a brazier evening, when Mike burned lots of garden waste.  Toby played in his clam paddling pool/sandpit naked in the balmy summer evening.

Back to work and into it again.  Have a great week.  Samoa for my birthday for 4 days at the end of this week.  We must pack!

Love,
Angela