Christmas Eve in Gisborne

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Christmas Eve was different. It was so hot here! Liz took Nana and I out to the view point of Gisborne. You can see the town, Nicks Head Cliffs, which one of Captain Cook's entrouge had spotted as they came round the coast, and you could see Liz's house too. It's alovely view, very nice indeed. Liz, Sophie and I went to a parade of shops as I hadn't bought any Christmas presents for them. I got everything I needed: a cow money box for Sophie (not that she's a cow...) as she likes cow's; some Speight (brand of beer) flip flops (called jangles here) for Gareth (plus I gave them both money); a wooden Kiwi that dangles on the edge of a shelf or window sill for Nana; a bottle of whiskey for Steven; and a lovely climbing rose for Liz. In the Liquor Store we bought Caramel Bailey's (which is slurpiliciously lovely - I'm gonna get a bottle duty free on the way home if I can), Woodstock (which is bourbon and cola in a can, but quite deceptively strong!) and some other bits. Liz, Sophie and I then bought some fruit from a guy near her that has his own orchard. Liz asked if she could show nana and I around the orchard (Liz used to work in similar orchards thinning the fruit, picking it and so on). So we went back and got nana, then went for a wander through the orcards. It was very sunny and hot, without much breeze, but was lovely to see all the fruit growing on the trees: plums, apricots, nectarines, oranges, apples, peaches... And we may have done a bit of pick your own. You don't get any fresher than that, picking fruit that is just about ripe off of a tree and eating it. Magnificent and so tasty. We filled up on the fruit and had lunch a little bit later.

Nana and I spent most of the afternoon just chatting in the gazebo, out of the direct heat. Liz came and joined us later. It was a nice way to spend Christmas Eve 😊

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