![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Yesterday D's kids (also now my step-kids, how weird is that?) returned to Wellington with their father after spending most of the past two weeks of the school holidays with us. Unlike previous visits the vast bulk of it was spent at home, partially because I was working throughout and partially because the weather was lousy for most of it.
We did manage one trip away, spending Friday/Saturday nights at "Nana South"'s as it is expected to be the final opportunity to do so. On the Saturday we headed inland snow-hunting, but it rapidly became obvious that despite the rotten weather and predictions of snow to low levels the previous week we weren't going to reach the levels it was actually visible at. Instead we stopped at Hanmer so D could visit the Mickey Rae's (quilting supplies) and then paid a visit to the Hanmer Animal Park for fuzzy encounters and lunch. L was a bit bored but uncharacteristically patient and E and R both really enjoyed themselves.
Speaking of behaviours all the kids have clearly grown in maturity between the last visit (Xmas/New Year/Wedding) and this one. (The next scheduled visit was cancelled by lockdown, but we were able to credit the flights, yay). They were mostly more reliable and proactive about doing their (pocket money earning) chores and alongside L's increased patience E and R are no longer so permanently attached / interdependent. Their fascination with LBTC Gytha has only deepened especially L (who was originally very wary) as this time he learned how to play with her from a "safe" distance with her ... chasey thing. For her part Gytha was much more willing to spend extended time in the presence of the kids (although the weather may also have had something to do with that) and accept being shut out of their rooms most of the time.
What mostly /didn't/ get done was the anticipated sorting and packing in the evenings. D's current injuries meant cooking parts of dinner often couldn't be started/progressed until I got home, which meant late dinners, which meant washing the dishes and other aspects of the nightly routine usually took us through to bedtime; I did stay up later (than I should have) several nights catching up on things online and trying to get my head around properties and price ranges and suburbs/locations and school zones ...
Today is a catch-up-on-various-things day and tomorrow evening the sorting and packing and paperwork will have to begin in earnest.
~~~
Yesterday was also the first anniversary of my father's death. We don't go in for big annual events in our family, life goes on and for me at least there are reasons to remember him every day. But I am glad that circumstances came together such that I was able to spend some quality time with Mum and help out a little with her decluttering. Several venerable, made-to-last kitchen/dining items now have appreciative new homes.
We did manage one trip away, spending Friday/Saturday nights at "Nana South"'s as it is expected to be the final opportunity to do so. On the Saturday we headed inland snow-hunting, but it rapidly became obvious that despite the rotten weather and predictions of snow to low levels the previous week we weren't going to reach the levels it was actually visible at. Instead we stopped at Hanmer so D could visit the Mickey Rae's (quilting supplies) and then paid a visit to the Hanmer Animal Park for fuzzy encounters and lunch. L was a bit bored but uncharacteristically patient and E and R both really enjoyed themselves.
Speaking of behaviours all the kids have clearly grown in maturity between the last visit (Xmas/New Year/Wedding) and this one. (The next scheduled visit was cancelled by lockdown, but we were able to credit the flights, yay). They were mostly more reliable and proactive about doing their (pocket money earning) chores and alongside L's increased patience E and R are no longer so permanently attached / interdependent. Their fascination with LBTC Gytha has only deepened especially L (who was originally very wary) as this time he learned how to play with her from a "safe" distance with her ... chasey thing. For her part Gytha was much more willing to spend extended time in the presence of the kids (although the weather may also have had something to do with that) and accept being shut out of their rooms most of the time.
What mostly /didn't/ get done was the anticipated sorting and packing in the evenings. D's current injuries meant cooking parts of dinner often couldn't be started/progressed until I got home, which meant late dinners, which meant washing the dishes and other aspects of the nightly routine usually took us through to bedtime; I did stay up later (than I should have) several nights catching up on things online and trying to get my head around properties and price ranges and suburbs/locations and school zones ...
Today is a catch-up-on-various-things day and tomorrow evening the sorting and packing and paperwork will have to begin in earnest.
~~~
Yesterday was also the first anniversary of my father's death. We don't go in for big annual events in our family, life goes on and for me at least there are reasons to remember him every day. But I am glad that circumstances came together such that I was able to spend some quality time with Mum and help out a little with her decluttering. Several venerable, made-to-last kitchen/dining items now have appreciative new homes.
