not a long

weekend.

But a busy, busy weekend.

The sun shone and I attended Ali von der bar's brother's wedding.

This is a very poor photo of the bridal party

Hannah's dress was qute detailed and she looked beautiful

I don't actually know Hannah or the groom Brendon

it's quite a long story how I ended up at their wedding

but it was a lovely wedding and fantastic wedding breakfast.

Lovely, lovely family speeches and a very happy evening.

The bride's family, as organisers had put a lot of work into being inclusive

and had great table names.

They were named after an important place in

either the bride's or the groom's family history.

Each little table name note had a wee bit of history written on it so we could all share in the family history and these were read out early in the evening by someone seated at the table and it brought everyone together and was really touching.

I am now very tired and

need to go to bed after waking up at 5.45am in a lovely soft bed,

man I was awake!

Blenheim

This weekend is Tasman Regional Final in Blenheim

I love Blenheim, really love it. I take ever chance I get to go there.

It's kind of bizarre cause it's not like Blenheim is a pretty town or even a particularly interesting town unless you are into wine in a huge way. There are plenty of wonderful wineries and beautiful vineyards in the local vicinity.

Blenheim is flat, ringed with dry hills. It's hot in the summer, brass monkey cold in winter, dry all year round. Winter has wonderful clear blue skies with bitter cold - I love that.

I think the reason I love Blenheim so much is because I lived there from age two til five and a half and have great memories of everything about being there.

I started school at Redwood Town Primary and have a weird circumstance story.

I would have started school with Chris L.

My family left when I was five and a half, taking me to the Hamilton, far, far away. 15 years later Chris L married my best high school friend Sara J. Redwood Town Primary would have been small enough that we would have been in the same class, though alphabetically separated. He may have been the boy who put nails in my sandwich. Or the boy who held my hand when we lined up to get fish and chips at Friday lunchtime, and because the teacher had told us to hold hands, we didn't let go and I got told off for being in the boys line.

Geez I was only there for six months.

Good thing I left if that was how I started off.

I don't remember this river at all. I suspect it may have arrived after I left.

My wonderful Aunty Prue lived off Wither Road.

She was married to Uncle Brian who was very eccentric. He was from Cave and that says it all.

When I was almost five I had to have my tonsils out which was totally fine because Aunty Prue worked in the children's ward and brought me fresh raspberries from her garden and ice cream when they finally got around to taking them out.

I also had cousins, lovely big cousins who lived there.

They were in High School when I was just starting Primary School. Ann used to let me use her double album covers for my Barbie doll houses (singular in those days, having a Barbie doll at all was a luxury never mind having more than one). 15 year old Ann used to take me with her in her Mini to visit her friends and I loved tagging along. How wonderful is it to have an older girl let you come along with her on her adventures?

I experienced my first memorable earthquake in Blenheim.

My parents left Punky Pete and me on the couch as we watched the lounge mirror swing from side to side. They weren't concerned and I never have been since.

See how great Blenheim is?

I realise that all of those events and people could have been anywhere but our memories anchor (my new favourite word) time to place. So when ever I go to Blenheim I feel great.

Can't wait to show you photos of the weekend.

It's gonna be good hard working, hard playing girls weekend and it's going to be great.