Sunshine and winter bugs

Photo credit: DAN LEE – View from Princess Bay, Wellington

We have been pretty lucky so far this winter on the bugs front, but of course the incessant background talk of swine flu makes us nervous at every cough and sneeze (and has made us diligent, over paranoid hand washers). On Saturday morning we woke with sore throats and thought, ‘uh oh’. We’d volunteered to look after our friend’s children, as they were moving house, and after giving them a heads up they made the call that they were going to brave the Chez Lee house-hold and drop off their 3 year old and 18 month old boys anyway. Thankfully, we weren’t feeling crook, just had the feeling that we were coming down with something.

We had a fabulous time with the boys (and I successfully changed one poo-filled, nappy – there I can still do it!) and around mid-day took them down the local playground and for a walk along the bays to their new house (just round the corner). We did get quite a few strange looks from people thinking we had four children close in age (and Dan kept looking at my gently protruding stomach saying, ‘I don’t know what we’ll do if it’s twins’), but they were all fabulous for us and didn’t give us any embarrassing moments.

The walk round the bays was fabulous, stopping to watch the surfers, rock pooling and willing the youngest of our charges to fall into peaceful slumbers in the buggy (mission successfully accomplished). We are so delighted that our good friends are living round the corner from us (at least till early next year, when they are scheduled to return to home to Oz). They have the most incredible view from their pad and if I wasn’t pregnant I would be having some serious G&T moments from their deck over the summer – never mind, lemon, lime and bitters will suffice. Sophie is delighted that her boyfriend is now attending her Kindi (she wants to marry him, but unfortunately he’s secretly in love with Sophie’s big sister, Charli – ouch!). Dan is also delighted at having a sport and beer loving buddy within staggering distance – I can foresee a few messy Saturday night sport night’s in!

Photo credit: DAN LEE – Houghton Bay, Wellington

Sunday morning we were once again good Samaritans, but by mid-day tiring a little! Thankfully reinforcements arrived by way of the boys wonderful Mum. We really would have liked to have helped more, but were feeling tired and were also keen to get out with the girls for a little in the sunshine. We took them over to Ohariu Valley for horse riding and it was magic as always. On the way back I fell into an unbreakable nap and by the evening felt like I was seriously coming down with something.

Thankfully, it wasn’t (at least we don’t think it was) the dreaded swine flu. But I spent most of Monday to Wednesday evening in bed with a temperature, sore throat like it was on fire, snuffly nose and body aches. Dan got off lightly (must be down to having had his tonsils taken out as a child) and the girls just had slight sore throats and snuffles – but the schools are asking for parents to keep children at home with any cold symptoms with the risk of swine flu this winter season. Dan managed to work a little from home and look after the girls whilst I rested. He enjoyed a lovely trip out with them on Wednesday ‘avo to the beach, interspersed with rock pooling and rock climbing. Thursday now and we’re all feeling better. The girls happily went back to school and kindi. Dan enjoyed the opportunity to see Sophie’s kindi and she was very proud to show it off to him. I am still tired, but definitely on the mend as I cleaned the bathrooms today (why is it I am the only person that notices when the toilet is getting to be a health hazard?!).

Ah well, I shan’t moan, they did buy me a beautiful bouquet of daffodils mixed with natural forest sprigs. And I did enjoy a rare opportunity to soak in a deep, bubbly bath without interruption. I dreamed of walking through a forest of spring flowers and hoping for more fine weather (and less of the bugs) to tide us through till the start of spring proper. Keep well all x