Saturday school

Last night Graeme and I went to Bishop Richard and Jane Fenwick's home for supper. Graeme especially enjoys their company as they are both accomplished musicians - Richard has a marvelous organ and Jane plays an rather large harp.  Needless to say, their instruments take pride of place in their lounge.
As it was the opening night of the olympics, we hurried our supper a bit so that we could watch the ceremony on the tele.  We had dessert on our laps.  It was a most enjoyable evening.

Saturday morning dawned cold and wet.  So I unconsciously shelved the idea of clearing out the store room, as planned.  Then the door bell rang, and I was faced with 4 children dressed in jackets and boots - who had come to help me clear out the store room!!  I felt so bad, that I offered to take them to Sandy Bay beach in the afternoon - no matter what the weather was like - Josh had never been to Sandy Bay.
At 2pm sharp, the little rascals pitched up.  We put 2 in the boot, 3 in the back seat and Danny and Hannah in the front.  It was a 30 minute drive on very windy and steep and narrow roads to the beach and it was cold and overcast, but the children were happy to run and play in the black beach sand and wade in the cold sea.  

Sandy Bay valley



A stark, black beach

wading in the cold sea

The landscape is very stark and barren in Sandy Bay, but if you look, you will always find a plant of some sort growing in the sand.

succulents growing in the sand

Hannah keeping warm in the boot

On the way back, I spotted a shrub with fruit on it that neither the children nor I had seen before. It had l-o-ong thorns, and sweet smelling fruit that tasted something like sour plums.  Apparently, the Saints call them curry apples.

inspecting the fruit

scary thorns