Party Party Party!!!

I'm very close to calling up Alcoholics Anonymous for a quote on a life time membership.... either that or Weight Watchers, BEFORE they call me!

The last 3 weeks have been great but I may have to regrow my liver starting after January 2nd.

I do plan on getting back on the fitness/weight loss wagon on January 4th - that's my start date. I have a bridesmaid dress to squeeze into in April!!

Party number 1 - Averil's Hens Weekend
Renee, Claire, and I got our thinking caps on and organised a great night away up in Hanmer Springs. We told Averil we were going to Las Vegas and all she would need was her passport, toothbrush, and sleeping bag. She kind of caught on after we bypassed the airport and started heading North.

Being the nasty nice people that we are we had organised a beautiful outfit for Averil to wear all day during her henny complete with veil and pink feather fan (which came to be known as the Henny Fanny). She wore it well and didn't seem to mind too much. It was pretty obvious she was on her hens weekend. We stopped for lunch at Pukeko Junction just South of Amberley which is a favourite of ours. Her first dare was to go up to 5 groups of strangers and ask them for their tips on a happy marriage. She was allowed to take a support person and she chose me. The first table of two ladies had LOTS of advice. The first being: Don't agree to anything. Another group said: To get happiness you had to give happiness. Nice, I thought. Everyone was very obliging.

There were 12 of us all up and Renee had found the perfect holiday home to fit all of us for the night. Result. Usually holiday homes have to be hired for a minimum of 2 nights over the weekend or there can be an extra charge but it just so happened that there were guests already in there on the Friday night so no extra was charged. Perfect.

After an afternoon of cocktails, laughter, and some games we headed down to the town centre for dinner. Averil completed more dares - including serenading a stranger at the restaurant with a Meatloaf song. Averil told me afterwards when she saw this dare she was VERY excited - any excuse to sing Meatloaf out loud!! She did very well.
She also had to get everyone's attention in the restaurant, tell them she was getting married in her loudest, school teacher voice, and start the applause. For some reason I thought this one was particularly hilarious. After dinner we went to the Monteiths Bar where we met up with a stag party and played beer pong with them while they fashioned a head piece out of the Henny Fanny. It was a fun night and the best bit was that no one felt ill the next day!

After a huge breakfast and a look around the shops the next morning we headed back to Chch.

We had planned to go to the hot pools but Saturday was too busy and Sunday was too hot. Next time definately.

Kazio (Dad's sister Paula's husband, for those who don't know) turned 50 on 15 November. 50!! Who even knew people got that old??!

We all went out to the Garden Restaurant to surprise him for dinner. It was a great night. Being a buffet it's quick, easy, and filling. My kind of place.

Then it was up to Auckland for an Intimo Field meeting and long weekend for me. There is always so much new stuff to learn at these field meetings. And listening to other people's stories makes me realise that the goals that I have set for myself ARE possible. It's just a matter of achieving them. I always leave there buzzing with new ideas.
Afterwards I met up with some guys I met at the Horse & Trap Tavern BEFORE I went overseas - many years ago now. Nic worked behind the bar with me while Campbell and Matty helped hold up the bar on the other side. As soon as I arrived I informed them it wasn't going to be a big night as I had to get up early to catch the Naked Bus (clothing preferred) up to Warkworth the following morning.... and proceeded to immediately forget soon after having my first glass of wine! We had a great old time, catching up and talking crap. I didn't roll into Kathryn's until about 2am and she had to wake me in the morning as I had been absolutely comatosed slept through my alarm. Thank goodness for little sisters!!


Arriving in Warkworth is always like coming home to me. Krissy and baby Wills were at the bus stop to pick me up for a roadie up to Whangarei. Rachael had the day off work so we headed up as it was her son, Rihley's 6th birthday. Fun! He had about 7 friends to play after school and they spent most of the time on the Slip & Slide with Dad, Dean, being the hose holder and occassionally spraying the kids. With a good dose of dish washing liquid it was hilarious. They loved it.
Then there was birthday cake. Yum. I had been in charge of the party food while Rachael went to pick the kids up from school and I managed to burst the skin off every single cocktail sausage except one. Epic fail. They just looked like boring, tiny sausages. The kids didn't seem to mind too much once they smothered them in tomato sauce.
William managed to woo all the ladies who thought he was just gorgeous which, of course, he is. He's a wee charmer, that boy.
Krissy, Wills, and I stayed the night up there and then headed back to Warkworth on Saturday morning.

Party number 2 - Kathryn and Moos' Engagement Party
Saturday afternoon at Mum and Dad's in Warkworth was the place to be! Kathryn and Moos had their engagement party with great friends, lovely family, and even a cake lovingly made by Mumsy. It was a lovely afternoon with bbq and yummy food (actually I'm getting hungry now writing this just thinking about all that yummy food!)
It was a really lovely afternoon.
After everyone left we got to watch Kathryn and Moos open their presents. Lots of really nice things from really nice people.

Later on we had a game of charades. Averil's charade for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' by outstretching her arms for each word was classic. Every other charade of hers seemed to have a lion involved which again, she portrayed well. Hilarious!
Always fun times and laughter when we're together.

Party number 3 - Averil's 30th Birthday
For Averil's 30th she decided to have a party with an 'A' theme. The costumes were brilliant! There were 3 angels, an aristocrat, Aristotle, an arab, an airhostess, an air traffic controller, Andrew Mehrtens, an aftershock, an Asian, an agent, an artist, an Anglo Saxon, 3 All Blacks, an anethetist, an army soldier, Aphrodite, and an alcoholic. I think I got them all. It was a great night and Averil launched into her 30's in aristocratic style.

I don't know who moved the date for Christmas forward but last time I checked I had 6 weeks to go and all of a sudden it's NEXT WEEKEND! Eeek! I'm not quite ready BUT should be by the end of this weekend. Christmas is in Christchurch this year and Mum and Dad are driving down next week. They are staying with me for 10 days before they move into a holiday home just around the corner for the new year and Averil and Eru's wedding. The Southern Barts will stay with Claire and Scott as they have two spare rooms so it makes sense. And Kathryn and Moos will stay with Averil and Eru. It worked out well for us all getting into our own places before Christmas! My place is 7 minutes walk (that's at my pace - Mum will probably make it there in 2.5 minutes!) away from Roxy Inn so Mum can dash around there for cuddles with her grandaughters first thing in the morning without having to wait for me and Dad to get ready. Dad takes forever with his hair!

Ooh exciting news - my little friend Swayze up in Whangarei has purchased her first home all by herself. I take my hat off to her as it's not an easy task to do it on a single wage. Way to go Swayze - I can't wait to come up and toast to your achievement on your new deck!