Meri Kirihimete / Merry Christmas

Christmas Day is nearly over and it's been a lovely quiet day with just the 5 of us. There's been book reading, knitting, letter writing and eating left overs from yesterday. I've probably taken the least amount of photos ever - one teen got a tee and a Christmas cake and that was it - it's actually been a fugal Christmas as nobody really minds or needs much! I do love my All Birds sneakers and Karen Walker ear-ring (to match the one bought for my birthday - the only ear rings I know sold as one and not a pair, so you can make your own pair!). And a couple of books too.
I made a pavlova, cheesecake and Christmas mince pies from scratch yesterday - did really pull all the present buying, food decisions, food shopping together in 2 days and the tree took all of 10 minutes to decorate yesterday too. Simple, no stress and nothing over the top! How we like it!
I hope everyone had / will have a beaut day!

Christmas Spirit

I'm not sure where it has gone. I've done nothing. No gift buying or anything. No food shopping or even much thinking about it. No tree.  And family are here too in 3 days. I really just want to go to sleep for days. I'm whacked!
I've been doing round trips to school twice a day as the teens have been paid to do gardening there. They've done a fabulous job. It's quite funny - they get paid, but this teacher who has spent days in her classroom organising it for 2019, gets zilch pay. What other job requires beginning staff to be ready for day one term one of a new school year and not get paid until students arrive?
I'm already freaking out - all the planning to be sorted for a entire week and ready to teach fully from day one!
But my classroom looks fab I think - furniture in the middle ready for carpet cleaners over summer.
Here's a collection of photos taken over the last week - I was the only teacher in the school! All NZ schools are now on 6-8 week summer hols! I'm due back at school by January 17.... that is early, but all schools operate as individuals in NZ - 2 teacher induction days. Students come in on January 29. It's all exciting, but i have to make myself have a holiday!

Birthday weekend

It was my birthday weekend last weekend. It involved cake (on the Monday after with a uni friend, who was also celebrating a big birthday a year above me!)...

 a fruit mince pie at Stitch-n-bitch in Parnell

 with some wool purchased by the husband for birthday...

 knitting with family at same place...

 Then off to the fabric store for some linen and liberty fabric

 a night in a suite

 pre-dinner drinks (at Sky City - this kinda makes me sad as the young British tourist, who shares a birthday with me, who went missing on the same Saturday night and whose body was found yesterday, was in exactly the same place at the same time as we were!)

 an incredible dinner at Depot...

 Christmas windows at Smith and Caughey...

 the city... it kinda looks like Christmas in NZ's city, but i still think it's pretty sparse...

 A delicious breakfast at Ortolana the next morning...

 Yay for children's bookshops! A wee gem in the city!

 And flipping hot at only 11am!!! And home on the train to more cake - a lovely weekend! Well loved and spoilt!