Spitfire, Spitfire!

Drove to Tauranga today with Matthijs and Irene to deliver the boat to her new owner. The trip went well except I lost the pelican clamp for the Whiting forestay. Very annoying and luckily the new owner was very understanding and declined my offer for me to source one and send it down.



Unknown to me the meeting point was at the end of the runway for Tauranga airport and the airshow was in full swing. So while we were sorting out the hand over, we got buzzed by a low flying Spitfire! What a rush!

Luckilly on the second pass I had had enough time to get my camera out and take a couple of shots. And then just as we were driving off the Catalina comes in to land!



The rest of the day went well, we drove up to Coromandel town for lunch, then over to Garys' place to have a look at his production Ulua. Regretably Gary wasn't home so we only got to admire his boat and not talk to him. After that it was a straight drive home.

Welcome Eloise Hoai Thuong

What a day!

It started normal enough, wake up around 7:30ish Cecile tells me she thinks she's having contractions, ok how far apart? Twelve minutes, ok want me to Call Toni (the midwife)? Yes please.

Call Toni, pass her over to Cecile. Toni (who was about to step out the door and go on holiday) asks us to call her again when the contractions start coming five minutes apart. So thinking I have plenty of time I call Mum, tell her its all go and have a shower.

Get out of the shower, grab a bit to eat, give Nico a cuddle, oops contractions are now 4 min apart, call Toni again. We're off to the hospital, call mum tell to her that there's a change of plans and could she please come over to pick Nico and Cecile's' Mum up. Take Nicos seat out of the car and off we go.

Arrive in hospital at 9:00 and get Cecile settled in, Toni arrives and I head out to park the car. Toni is well liked by the Hospital staff so we have a nice delivery room with a view of the harbour. Its Auckland Anniversary weekend so there are lots of boats including a couple of tall ships on the harbour.

10:08 Eloise is born.