Peapods and strawberries to lazy dayzs on the beach

Shortly after breakfast, with Sophie in her PJ’s, the girls teamed up and started moving their painting equipment out onto the driveway. When I asked what they were doing, they simply said, ‘Painting pea-pods!’.

Here they are in action… I just love the way they are so creative and work so well together to come up with the most amazing ideas. Oh, how I’d love to while away the morning painting pea-pods – but it was delightful nevertheless – even if I was merely the paint supplier and fetcher of fresh water and more paper!

They whiled away the morning in perfect sisterly harmony. We also had the absolute pleasure of the company of local friends for morning tea, who have a lovely son and a beautiful 5-week old baby girl! They brought with them home-made shortbread biscuits – deliciously buttery! The girls were fabulous and we made up banana and berry smoothies, played in the garden and painted (some more!).

Meanwhile, poor Dan was sick in bed (and I knew he was sick, because he turned down a game of golf with Mark!).

By early afternoon, I was itching to get out to the beach. We headed down to Lyall Bay with our neighbour and friends. The girls delighted playing with the older children and making new friends on the beach too. A perfect holiday atmosphere. They even made an animal friend, a dog called Sheba. She was the most intelligent, delightful dog. She loved playing with children and kept dropping a stick, in turn, to each of the girls – never once forgetting whose turn it was next – incredible! The lady looking after her told me that Sheba had recently spent an amazing time swimming off the Mahia Peninsula with the very friendly local dolphin, Moko.

By 4.30pm the girls were ready to head back, at least that’s what they told me, but once in the car they asked if we could go round to Scorching Bay! Why the hell not, I thought!

So we spent a delightful, early, evening at one of Wellington’s very best beaches, Scorching Bay. Alas, Chocolate Fish Cafe no more, but the new one still offers a good coffee and ice-cream, as well as a rich menu of food, but it’s just not the same without the painted-chairs, incredibly personable staff and quirky decorations. The new cafe is called Scorch-O-Rama and there’s a review here in the Dominion Post. It didn’t have the same ambiance, but the service was very friendly and prompt – and the all important coffee worked a treat!

In the rock-pools the girls delighted in finding starfish, sea-snails and baby hermit crabs.

And of course… ice-cream and coffee was high on the agenda! Sophie spent most of the time climbing and singing, ‘Mamma Mia’ – which was met with a response of, ‘Here we go again,’ and resulted in a bunch of children, hanging like monkeys, singing Abba songs! Meanwhile, Charlotte was so happy, in her own little world, building dams and digging in the sand.