Christmas in the 'Tron and Dad's retirement

On the 19th December Will and I drove up to Hamilton. We usually stop in Taupo for a fish and chip dinner, and enjoyed them sitting by the lake on a gorgeous evening.

Due to the extended family's various commitments we were celebrating our family Christmas on Sunday 20th December. We had a really nice day with the biggest gathering of family in a very long time. My brother and his wife Norshidah were over from Hong Kong, and my sister and her husband Shane, plus their wee girl Evelyn were over from Melbourne. Norshidah's mother Zainon, plus Zainon's sister Mel were also visiting from Singapore. We were all staying at mum and dad's so it made for a pretty full house!

Mum and dad's fruit cage produced a bumper crop of raspberries this year, and it was a real highlight for Zainon and Mel to pick them straight off the bushes. They were honestly the best raspberries I've ever tasted...

Zainon and Mel also loved to cook, so enjoyed having the run of mum and dad's kitchen.

Monday 21st December was dad's retirement party, calling it quits after 50 years in education. 25 of these as a teacher and principal, then the last 25 with the Education Review Office. ERO put on a function for him which lasted a good few hours. We enjoyed looking at some of the old photos from throughout the years. To dad's horror there happened to be one of him smoking! He reckons it was the one and only time in his whole life that he'd had a cigarette, and it happened to be caught on camera...

There were a lot of entertaining speeches. Warren spoke on behalf of us three kids and did a great job.

A very nice lunch was put on, as well as the most divine chocolate and raspberry, multi-layered mud cake. I think everyone in the family was pretty happy that there was loads left over to take home...

After the official part of the function it was off to the Speights Ale House where dad put on a free happy hour. We took the opportunity for a few more family shots. I love the pic below of mum and dad.

Getting a decent photo of the whole family can be quite problematic at times as Warren has bit of a complex when it comes to posed shots! We got there in the end...

 

 

Earlier in December Will's dad had passed away. He was 90, so it wasn't altogether unexpected, but still very very sad. I loved Hugh to bits, he was the best father-in-law I could ever have wished for. Below are two of my favourite photos of him. The first one from our wedding, and the second one wearing the alpaca jumper that Will and I bought him back from South America which he loved.

 

Will flew back to the UK the evening of dad's retirement function for Hugh's funeral on the 23rd December, and also to spend time with his mum and rest of his family over Christmas. The timing worked out really well in that he was able to partake in our family Christmas, as well as the retirement party, before he left. In an eventful night, dad ended up in hospital the same night due to a complication from a surgical procedure he'd had done earlier. He ended up having to stay in hospital for 3 nights, being discharged the morning of Christmas Eve. At least with so much family in town he had a constant stream of visitors! Here he is supplementing his hospital dessert with some of his retirement cake.

On Christmas Eve we visited the Christmas lights at the Mormon Temple not too far from mum and dad's. Every year they light up the temple and the surrounding grounds. There are also a few houses in the area getting into the action as well.

Our Christmas day was very relaxed. I cooked some French toast for brunch which went down well. It was lovely having dad back home to be able to enjoy it.

This photo makes me smile...

It was great being able to spend some quality time with my niece Evelyn as she is growing and changing so quickly. Jane and Shane took the opportunity for a rare night out together, leaving mum and I to babysit.

 

 

 

I really like this series of photos of Evelyn helping mum bring in courgettes (marrows?!) from the garden.

 

 

 

When in Hamilton I always try to visit the botanical gardens which is one of my favourite places. It's always nice revisiting the spot where Will proposed, in the first pic. The doves that he managed to conjure up for the proposal are chilling out on the roof! The Indian garden in the second pic is also a favourite with its riot of colour.

 

On the 29th December I headed back to Wellington after a lovely family holiday in Hamilton. Before I left, dad gave our little car the valet treatment. CUB likes its trips to Hamilton because it tends to be the only time it gets a vacuum and a clean!

With Will still in the UK I had to make the road-trip by myself, but it was a gorgeous day, I took my time, and it went well. This time it was a stop in Taupo for lunch.