The engagement

The room chosen for the happy occasion was really lovely in the early evening light but proved difficult for me to get any decent photos.  Mind you, that's my fault.  I'm falling out of love with my camera.  Between my not so sharp eyesight and dodgy memory I have trouble with settings, etc.  I think I'll stick to the phone. 

Amyway, this is the room.

 

Photo courtesy of Symonds Court

The happy occasion was the engagement of my oldest grandson, My Michael and his lovely, Rose.  They are such a lovely couple.  Love them to bits.

Here they are pouring drinks for their guests.

I'd like to add , "In other news" but there is none.

Date and time issue

My computer decided it was 1957 and refused to access anything on the internet, www stuff was out of bounds.  Why it worked at all is beyond me. My technician has no idea why it reset itself to 1957 so there's no way I could figure it out, although  I spent a few weeks trying.   Should have known better, of course, but I kept thinking that if I kept at it long enough I might remember something that was helpful. 

Little did I know in 1957 that one day in the far and distant future I would have a beautiful grandson who would grow be my pride and joy. I blinked, he grew and now he's 21.  These are my two favourite photos from the celebrations.  He knows everyone in the family adores him but looks slightly embarrassed at the sweet things his lovely girlfriend, Rose is saying in her speech. 

A morning after shot with a difference - most guys would have the haircut before the party.  Most guys don't have their mother cut their hair either. 

We had a pretty fierce storm a week or so ago.  One of the victims was my favourite tree.  Luckily no-one was passing under it when it lost a sizable branch.

 

 

Last weekend the family attacked the cow shed entrance to the farm which I share.  The yukkas I have removed from my garden came in handy.

I've tried to follow blogs on my little tablet but typing on it really tests my patience.  I will spend some time catching up now.

Meet the man night

I rarely see my first grandson these days so seeing him 3 times in as many weeks has been a rare treat.  He came to dinner on Saturday night.

Love this shot.  He's wrapped his arms around his mother as he says goodbye, he's back at uni in Wellington today.

Michael

 May the road rise up to meet you, 

may the wind be ever at your back.  

May the sun shine warm upon your face 

and the rain fall softly on your field.  

And until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

 

There are several Irish Blessings I love and this is probably my favourite.  I remember it rocketing around in my head when Bernie set out on his first overseas adventure.  Many years later, here it is back again as my precious oldest grandson is heading to Brazil to join his Uncle Bernie for nine months.  

 

On Saturday we went down to Auckland to join in Michael's farewell festivities.  He had a great night with his family and friends - and what a lovely bunch of friends they are.  After we went back to Leone's they kept us entertained till the early hours.

There was a second reason for the trip.  Krystal and Georgia were flying off on Sunday with Jami to spend a few days with Justine and Bill in Tarananki.  As Michael flies out on Thursday, Sunday was the day Jami had to say goodbye to her adored big brother - but not before they had one last photo together.  How she will miss him.  Actually, as I run through my mind, all those who I know will miss him, it adds up to quite a number. 

A few minutes later I captured Michael's glance towards Jami, as he got into his car to drive away with his lovely girlfriend, Rose.  I think there is emotion lurking there behind those beautiful blue eyes. 

I don't know if everyone does this but I imagine other people do it, too.  When I think of my loved ones I add my own little pet name for them.  Michael has always been, "My Michael, beautiful boy" or "My Michael, my delight". To me he's always been beautiful and delightful.  I accept that he's given his mother cause to worry from time to time but, hey, he's a teenager and I don't think any parent of a teenager has it easy.   He was born with a lovely nature and has always seemed wise beyond his years, especially when it comes to getting along with people.

And after he'd gone here was Krystal showing Georgia her shots of Michael.  But she looks a little too dejected to be interested. 

  

I felt the same.  I've waved off my own children as they set off on adventures with a strange mixture of happiness at the thought of the wonders that they might experience and sadness for myself.  But never when they were quite so young.  This time I have an extra heaviness as I would like to be able to lighten my daughter's sadness but know there is no way I can do that.  I know she lets him go willingly and with the knowledge she has raised a wonderful young man.  And that she trusts her brother to keep him from harm in a foreign country.  Bernie knows he will never be allowed back in the country again if anything happens to her beautiful boy!

A few hours later the three girls set off for their own little adventure in Taranaki, with barely a backward glance.   

Jami and Krystal are 13 now.  To think in five years ..... No, I can't go there quite yet.

FSO - Lines and stripes

When you look around lines and stripes - this week's topic - are everywhere.  I'm sure creative folk will find them in unexpected places.  The first thing that sprang to my mind was the railway line, probably because it is close by and a regular feature in my life.  I see it often and occasionally see a goods train rolling through.  There is no passenger service.  Just a single track to carry both north and south bound trains.

The rest of my photos were all taken last weekend when I was in Auckland visiting my daughters.  On Saturday we watched my grandson, Michael, play soccer, in a striped jersey - yay!  Here the teams form two lines to shake hands after the game.  That's Michael, the tallest in the team, in the middle of the shot.  Don't you love the little dog that joined in?  He'd watched the game sitting on the sideline, never once going near the field but when the game was over he scampered out to join his master.  Cute!

These are taken at a West Auckland playground and park:

That was easier than I expected!  To see how others interpreted this topic, just click here.

My town hero

Thank you, Ginger, for posting a few definitions to help us with this week’s topic.  I was sort of floundering trying to think of an angle and right there in your first sentence were the words that inspired me,  “someone we know will make us proud in the future".

My grandson Michael has been making me proud since the minute he was born.  Everyone who knows me knows how I adore him.  I only have one grandson but, honestly, who would need another when that one is Michael.  I don’t know what heroic deeds he will perform in the future but I know he will always be a hero to me. 

Michael is 16 now and towers over me but he’s never embarrassed to give his granny a hug – and I still go all squishy every time he does!

I think I’m pretty safe in saying Michael is a favourite with all the family.  His aunt’s husband honoured him by asking him to be his best man at his wedding when he was only 10 and he performed his duties to perfection.  Come on, you have to admit he certainly looks the part!

For a family 70s theme birthday party, he and I went shopping for an outfit for him.  If there had been girls his age around I think he would have been their hero!

There are so many things I could tell you about this wonderful boy.  He’s smart, respectful, gentle, loving and kind.  He’s also loads of fun.  One day he asked me if I could remember when he had “attitude” and I told him of a few occasions when he’d been 8 or 9 when he’d adopted a “I’m a cool dude” attitude.  He laughed and said he was glad he’d got it out of his system then because he’d look a bit stupid if he did it now.  At an age when  a lot of other boys think it’s cool to be sloppy and sullen, he’s still a delight. 

There’s no way my dog would just lay there and let me inspect his coat but he’s putty in Michael’s hands:

And I know one little girl at least for whom he will always be a Knight in Shining Armour.

To see the heroes of the other FSO team, just go here.