If I’m to judge my writing ability for 2015, then I must come to the conclusion that the total posts will be nowhere near the 362 which were written in 2014. In fact, this is the first for the year, which gives a projected meagre average of only 30-odd posts per year…
That said and set aside, we, like many others around the globe, celebrated the dawn of the new year at midnight on 31 December 2014, in the company of our family and a fair number of friends and acquaintances at Chartwell. I think there were just over 20 people in total.
(Above): A total of six bedrooms, a lounge and conservatory, as well as a tent camp on the lawn together provided sleeping accommodation for everyone. New Zealand enforces extremely strict drink-drive laws, and New Zealanders in general observe these very strictly. Unlike partygoers which we have encountered in other countries, we found that revellers in NZ are a pretty responsible lot. That doesn’t mean that there are no drunks at all… that would surely be unlikely.
(Above): Delicious dishes fit for a king, ready to satisfy the hunger of the merry-makers. Each person supplies their own liquid refreshments.
After the stroke of midnight, several Chinese lanterns were fired up and released into the sky amidst secret wishes. The glowing craft could be watched for quite some time as they soared up and away into the atmosphere, stratosphere and, possibly, other spheres.
Some time later after a bit of a tidy-up (and yes, NZ men do their bit and certainly help with the dishes and collecting empties), it was beddy-byes for the weary revellers for the last time in 2014.
After breakfast, and after a few games of petanque and backyard cricket, some of the guests made tracks for home, while others remained for a lazy day in a hammock or on a recliner in the generous shade of the trees on the front lawns.
(Above): A nail-biting finish to one of the games. Drat! The girls win again…
(Above): The ladies throw the jack. Nice shot.
(Above): Some of the finalists trying to make out the lie of the boules. It’s hot work and probably time for a beer or a cuppa.
(Above): Backyard Cricket: A minor dispute ensues as to whether the bowler’s arm action might perhaps fall into the category of “chucking” or not. The jury is still out on a decision…
(Above): Backyard Cricket: A view of the game while relaxing in a hammock in the shade of a favourite tree. The pitch was specially prepared and close-mowed for the New Year Test. There are still a few bumps which may favour the bowler or the batsman, one can never be sure…
(Above): Strangely enough, Labradors also like Backyard Cricket, and also like lawns and the shade.
No comments:
Post a Comment