Ka pai te rangi ataahua

What a beautiful day yesterday...............Man, I could handle Winter if everyday was like this.Woke Mana up for Kindy at 0715 and she sleepily rolled over dragging the covers up over her head all the time complaining about being tired "Mana chan mada nemuiiiiiiiii" (boy it sounds so cute in Japanese)But after some convincing she got up dressed and we sat down for the traditional Kiwi kids breakfast which consisted of "Weetbix" and toast with Marmite on it of course.Then it was off to morning Kindy session for her ......YATTA!!! we both thought,sometime to ourselves.K and I headed off to the local Starbucks for a coffee and hot chocolate.Abs-so-lutly awesome day not a cloud in the sky,bright sunshine,a typical crisp winters morning and as we sat outside with the sun warming our faces and hands firmly clasped around our mugs to warm our digits we both sighed in unison......Ahhhhh!!

1130 I shot out to Muriwai for a surf,how could I go wrong on such such a beautiful day?The beach was awesome and I was greeted to the sight of smiling faces of Mums heading off for a beach walk with there oversized 4 wheel drive beach/buggies with babies tightly bundled in,Runners and Walkers with their dogs.........you know even the dogs were smiling.
The tide was coming in, a offshore breeze that could only be described as a zephyr and a clean 2ft swell.Even when I entered the water expecting that ole so familiar "Brrrrhhhhh" I was pleasantly surprised it was if Tangaroa was making one last ditch effort to hold on to something that resembled Summer.Paddling out was a breeze and I positioned myself a wee distance from a longboarder,but close enough to acknowledge him with the kiwi version of "how are you,Yes I can see you and no I wont drop in......." I'm talking about the every so subtle jerk of the head skywards while raising the eyebrows......Char bro!With the surfer etiquette out of the way I turned my attention to the task at hand,but having"Bluetack" jammed in my ears and being able to hear ones own breathing it kinda sends you into a trance like state (that and bobbing about like shark bait in the line up) and on a day as such it gives you time to really contemplate life's little mysteries......But that was soon forgotten as the longboarder yelled out and frantically pointed to a very tidy 2ft right........(nice wave bro thanks for that) and the rest of the session was to be repeated again and again.....paying for it now as my arms and shoulders are abit on the "al dente" side.

K and Mana came out and together we made all kinds of castles,water holes plus a very strange looking cake (that Mana insisted we eat) as we played I noticed Manas footprints in the sand so I made my own right next to hers and then just had to take a photo (as you do)

Driving home to the sounds of Jack Johnson,I tell you..........windows down stereo LOUD and the soaking up the last remaining sunshine........very cruiseeee and very happy.
Ohh yeah the mystery I was thinking about earlier......well not so much a mystery.......but today is the day both me and my Sister will celebrate our birthdays.....yes same day,but year apart.

Sorry I'm not there with you in person Sis but I know your whanau will look after you and show you a great day.....Happy birthday Sis.
Arohanui