SPRING IS IN THE AIR

A lovely sunny day today and I have been in the garden weeding and generally getting ready to do some planting/sowing.  We have both done some weeding earlier but we have still been getting rain and wind and there are still showers in the forecast.  

Anyway, I am pleased with the weeding/clearing I have done today while Doug has been painting.

The trees in the park behind us are coming into leaf

The punga ferns that were self sown behind one of the fountains and moved are doing well.

The bees are enjoying the spring flowers

Still a lot to do but it is good to have made a start.

CELEBRATIONS

 On Doug's actual birthday we planned to stay home but our neighbour across the road didn't feel able to come over due to mobility problems so we took the birthday cake across to them.  We had not been home long when we got a surprise visit from Doug's Primary School friend whose birthday we attended at the end of June.  Stan has a neighbour who takes care of him (providing meals, driving him to appointments etc.) and in June youngest daughter had mentioned to him that it was Doug's 90th on 11 September.  He must have made a note of it and brought him here.  They live a fair distance out of town and had arrived while we were out but , luckily, returned to find us home.  Doug also had lots of cards and phone calls as well as other visitors.  

Yesterday, was the get-together.  We ended up with 20.  Daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a couple of first cousins.  The food was excellent. I didn't take photos but here are some from their website.

                                                                   Sandwiches

                                                                          Pies

                                                                       muffins

and some delicious desserts.  I opted for finger food and also ordered some gluten free sandwiches and desserts.  We were really impressed with the presentation and taste.

As well as this I made a birthday cake (actually 2 cakes) excuse the junk. 

Having not wanted any celebration Doug admitted that he really enjoyed himself.

Because I had made the cake/s as well as having the muffins we ended up with left over food, always preferable to not having enough.

BIRTHDAY

It is Doug's Birthday on Thursday  (9/11).  He originally said he didn't want any celebration i.e. party or anything else.  He eventually agreed to a get-together similar to the one we had for the family photoshoot recently.  That is taking place on Sunday and I think there will be 23 people - daughters, grandchildren, partners, great-grandchildren and four first cousins.

Yesterday, however, after a very pleasant walk to the Whangarei Falls, one of the ladies in the Walking Group made a cake and another a special card.  We had our coffee at our favourite restaurant where they are always most obliging.

Tomorrow, we have appointments in town and will go out for lunch and on the day itself some friends are coming here.