Holiday week.

Wednesday on holiday with mum and dad in Tauranga. It has been wonderful weather so that has been a bonus for us. Yesterday we visited the kiwi fruit farm that we used to stay at. A bag of kiwi fruit, avocados and passion fruit later we had looked at all the vines. Not in such great repair and dad thinks that they should have sold for the offer. House was looking okay but needs repairs. 
Back into town with a stop at the wine shop and lunch at palmers. Dad had the wrong time for his appointment so we decided to catch up with friends who own a cafe. Found the cafe, they weren't there but Kenneth who I went to school with was. Got to lawyers and left dad while mum and I went for a walk around the town. After meeting back up we went to the bernina shop and got an invite to the club class being held in the morning. Back to hotel for a rest. Decided to go to fish and chip place for tea which was lovely. A night at hotel reading, watching TV and embroidery followed. 

Thursday mum and I were up and off to the bernina class. Really interesting and lots of people. Learnt about different buttonholes and there uses: also great for appliqué. Next session was about making a woollen wrap. Was a great idea and might try from some fabric I have at home. Other product demonstrated was shrink fabric. I bought some to try when I get home. Back to the hotel to pick up dad and over to mount maunganui for lunch. Found a nice garden cafe for lunch. Had a great Kumera soup. Next stop was the packing business to meet with Helen who deals with the sale of the kiwifruit. We had a great tour of the packing plant and watched them pack the gold kiwifruit. For tea mum and I found a chinese takeaway which was called Rok the Wok. It was very nice.
Friday we travelled to Taupo so I could do the 100Km flyer with karen and phil on the Saturday. I was the support car driver. It was a horrible day as shown by the photo of the intrepid bikers at the start of the race. The race went along some interesting roads and both Karen and Phil felt the cold. Phil finished in a time of about 4 1/2 hours while Karen completed 75km and had a police ride to the end. A bit of a worry as she never went past me, while I was waiting in the car.

Karen and Phil off to the start of the 100km race.

Sunday monring - all recovered and getting ready to drive home.

Sunday we drove home in wonderful weather and that was the end of the holiday.

Progress

Had a lazy weekend but still busy. Creative Stitchers met on Saturday and it was interesting to see the different classes from conferenc. The remainder of the weekend has seen progress on Heart of the Cabin. Finished one square and started the next which is now halfway there. I am pleased with myself and hoping to finish this one before our canvases arrive for seminar. I am still enjoying this project and I realise that it will be a long term project but that is fine. When the canvases arrive I will have to change projects as I need the stretcher bars.
Got the list for my class with Beth Robertson and Suzanne Howren. It looks to be like lots of fun but concentrated time. I will have to do some of the preparation when we get to San Francisco as I am not able to buy the canvas here in NZ. Still it is not too much to get prepared.
Here also is a photo of the latest purchase – Geraldine has been around now for five weeks and is wonderful to drive. She has been named after one of the muppets from Fraggle Rock – definitely a girl car so could not be called Kermit (name suggested by friends at school). Mum and I took her to Hamilton recently and it was a great ride so really pleased with the purchase.

BJP progress is slow but moving. I have now got a letter to trace for the next one and will look at choosing beads over the next couple of days. This one will be mostly browns and I have some glass chips which I think might work. It was a challenge to trace my pattern but hoping that it will look great when stitched together.