"Summer" Time on a Wintry "Birthday"!

Thursday 25 June

Wow! The sunniest and warmest of winter days! ☀️

Took Albi for a walk round the block in a light sweater (me, not her) and it was like late spring out there! Here she is looking all sunny in amongst the poinsettias ❤️

By the time we’d driven over the Harbour Bridge and up to Beach Haven to see Mairi & Summer it was more like summertime (no pun intended). We felt very flattered when it appeared that Summer remembered us - we were the first people to introduce her to beach walks after all!

Second pic is a weird ghostly image that made me so confused at first… my phone was down on the table with the camera open as we chatted with Mairi; suddenly realised I could see my foot moving under the table! The camera was focusing through the loose weave table cloth and the smoky glass table top to capture this phantom foot!!!

We had a lovely catch-up, morning tea with bourbon biscuits (so British) and Albi was very courteous to her new friend. Then we took the dogs out for a walk in the park and it was scorchio! Louis got the leads out and was suddenly the most exciting person in the room! The two doggos looked so adorable walking together - Albi & Summer share a DNA 🧬 - Albi is a Retro-Doodle and Summer is a Golden Chow - so both are 50% Golden Retriever 💛. The tide was in for our selfie at the lookout and just check out that sunshine - Mairi & I in thin long sleeves and Louis in a T-shirt... glorious weather.

Louis had swim squad again with his old mates at West Wave in Henderson after that so Albi & I tagged along for the ride; did a bit of shopping and had a wee wander then we all headed home for a siesta. Albi almost blended into the brick pathway in Falls Park and had a wee drinkies from the wine barrel base of the pioneer winemaker statue opposite the pool complex.

Daughter Amy & Grandma Helen joined us early evening and we whizzed into town for a First Table “birthday” dinner at The Alcott (which used to be Pilkingtons) on Shortland Street. I have my big six-oh coming up at the end of July and we decided to kick off celebrations with Helen while we’re in town. I always fancied going to Pilkingtons back in the day - great location and fab menu - but somehow we never got there before it closed. Not sure when it reopened as The Alcott but I was happy find it on First Table. Amy and I had mocktails - Cos-no-politan for me and and a No-secco for her - cheers!

Turned out to be a great choice of restaurant with a fab menu, excellent service and far too much food! We thoroughly over-ordered with karaage chicken, lamb koftas and duck fat potatoes to start, then Helen and I had the oriental salmon and Louis & Amy plumped for enormous meaty burgers. Nobody really had room for dessert but somehow we ended up with a chocolate lava cake, affogato & crème brûlée - with a birthday candle for me to blow out... birthday celebration part I complete!

Such a lovely evening! 🥳

Back at Truro Road, we dragooned Amy into attacking Louis’ hair with the clippers as she is more skilled with them than me!