Mid Summer Kiwi Xmas

We had mid summer kiwi xmas close to Welford Junction - a 17 minute walk for Tim from the North Kilworth bridge after a drive down from working somewhere up north, and the rest of us were already in place - we already had the grandsons, and Mick and Julia arrived on Unknown No 3.

We had made the grandsons work for their passage - dishes, lockwork, steering the boat ... But we also let them play and sleep too, just in case you think we gave them no peace!

Karol opening the gate after Olek had worked the paddles

He's a good kid - and he knows the mantra of red before white and you'll be all right ...

Playing in the field at the top of the Foxton Locks.

And see, we do let them sleep in in the morning!

I was on the phone to Jaq Biggs while Olek was steering - he is a champ and when he comes back next Friday, I plan to make him steer all of the time!

And Karol is on dishes - he is pretty good at doing them although he swears he doesn't like the job - do I look bothered? No, because I am a meanie Grammy. And on the stove is the gammon, being cooked for Xmas dinner, and the lamb leg is in the oven - 4 hours being slow cooked - yummy!

Saturday morning and the shade tarp is being constructed. That's Tim up the ladder

Flag found in the locker under the sofa

Hedgerows are great for tying to, and another flag found

The flag is pegged on but got moved to the other end - this is one of the flags that were part of the referendum - it was the one we wanted so we bought it ...

Tim made a skirt to go over the gunnels in case of dropping stuff down the gap ...

The boys made small flags to be taped to sticks that they had stuck in the ground.

Pre-lunch nibbles in the shade

Roast potatoes and lamb, coleslaw, potato salad, kumara orange and walnut salad, carrot salad and gammon.

Xmas dinner in the shade. Julia, Mick, Olek, David, Karol at the table, and me - Tim did eat too ... Note the tarp 'skirt'  Tim constructed to mitigate the falling in the gap effects between boat and armco?

I think they look well fed ...

Not sure what Karol is doing but there were races in the late afternoon ... He was given a head start each time, and managed to win every race. I think the head start needs to be much shorter! He is little but extremely speedy.