HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Friday was Valentine's Day.  To celebrate, after work Alisa and I drove to Devonport to the historic Vic Theatre to watch Jane Austin’s “Emma” movie.  You can guess who chose that, it wasn’t me.  Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to demonstrate our love.  Even Alisa had to admit it was a yawner.  Then we drove back to downtown Takapuna for dinner at the House of Chocolate.  That choice was much more successful.  Alisa ordered a chocolate encrusted waffle with hazelnut topping.  I ordered a chocolate encrusted waffle with salted caramel ice cream and other assorted toppings.  We walked back to the apartment to work off the calories afterwards!

Saturday we slept in a little.  Then we drove about an hour to Mercer Bay (a regional park) to do the loop walk there.  We had some nice views of the cliffs and ocean.  We also hiked to Kera Kera falls.  Back home again, I barbecued hamburgers on our little fire pit, to go with corn and a cucumber salad and some chocolate chip cookies for dinner.  We invited over Elder and Sister Reynolds who are newly arrived from Utah, and Sister Tazuko Yamashita (who’s husband was out of town) for dinner.

 

I have been enjoying reading “The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook.”  It gives some interesting insights into the Pacific islands and their peoples.  I’m about 2/3rds through the book, just starting Captain Cook’s third and final voyage in his ship Resolution (a replica of which Alisa and I saw a few months ago in Auckland harbor).