The day after a wonderful day.
We were all a bit tired but as the older kids were heading off in various directions we had arranged to meet for breakfast first.
We arrived at Ambrosia in Richmond and found Sunni & Mat already there.
I was trying to organise enough table space for about 18 of us.
We tend to forget that it would be far easier to think ahead and call to book tables for all of us when we move en masse.
Probably because we actually don’t think of us all as being a large number.
It is the rest of the world that thinks that 
We nabbed several tables at the back but needed a few more.
However there was a single solitary man sitting right in the middle of the neighbouring tables.
He had his newspaper spread out and seemed totally oblivious to us.
I didn’t want to be too rude and outrightly ask him if he would mind moving
I was asking the younger children to occupy space to hold tables for 18 of us (making sure I said that part reasonably loudly and clearly 
) that hadn’t arrived yet when his breakfast arrived.
He then looked up and asked if we would like his table.
Of course I thanked him kindly and said that if it wasn’t too much trouble we would appreciate it.
So he obliged and moved across the room a wee bit.
That gave us all heaps of room.
Cat, Jesika, Angela, Sasha & David arrived next followed by Bri, Nick & Abby.
We all ordered our food.
It came in waves according to who arrived first.
So we sat and socialised and caught up on the previous day etc.
While we waited Jesika & Sunni checked out some of the wedding photos on my laptop.
Mat seemed more interested in what was happening on Cat’s phone!
Sasha is great at entertainment value and finding accessories.
She met Jesika & Angela at the airport with leis and hongis.
She found all the fascinators for the wedding.
And now she had herself, Cat & Abby arriving wearing sporty very red noses.
It’s wonderful what she finds at the recycling centres!!
Crazy woman
Jesika was trying to talk to Cat.
She finally said,
‘Cat! I am finding it impossible to have a sensible conversation with you while you are wearing that stupid nose!!!’
The staff did a great job and soon we were filling our tummies.
Azzan had brought along some more bubbles.
He and Angela filled in time blowing them around the café while they waited for their food.
Azzan ordered a full Ambrosia Breakfast.
It was huge.
He did complete justice to it too!
It was the most popular choice followed by the Eggs Benedict which I had, and can proclaim to be most delectable.
Anson & Gavin finally arrived.
Tim’s cousin Phil drove them out.
They had been out on the town for most of the night and he was sure they shouldn’t be driving yet.
Anson regaled us with their antics of the night.
They had gone clubbing with a few others but as the night had progressed the rest had all disappeared off home.
It ended up with just him and Gavin.
They eventually tried to find their way back to where his truck was parked at Melrose but got completely lost.
They walked way up The Brook and then back into town before finally flagging a taxi to take them to the truck.
As it was only a few blocks behind the city centre it won’t’ have been too costly a taxi ride 
I dare say all the walking they did prior was probably good for their overloaded systems!
By this time it was about 4:30am so they just lay the seats back and slept in the truck for the next few hours!
This is Anson trying to get out of my photo.
And again – he thought wearing sunnies would make him invisible to the lens!
Phil wasn’t going to eat but the sight and aroma of all the food was too much for him and he soon was ordering a plate full.
After we had occupied the cafe for a couple of hours the older kids decided to go do their voting.
So they all followed Anson on a goose chase through the mall.
He was sure there was a voting area in there.
But that had been a few days ago for the special votes and they ended up walking up the road to the Tasman Council offices.
Bri, Nick & Abby, Cat, Jesika, Angela, Sasha & David headed off to Takaka.
They were spending the next couple of days over there.
They were talking of cycling, diving etc.
Tim and kids said their goodbyes to Sunni & Mat.
I took them and Shanni with me.
Tim took Mahalia & Azzan and went back to pack and wait for the boys at Alan & Eare’s.
Phil took Anson & Gavin out to Motueka to pick up our trailer.
They finally met up with Tim around 2:30pm and he towed it on home.
The lads then went over to Pelorus for the night to shear some sheep for Ruth (my sister).
Anson had told Gavin the night before that they had some shearing to do and he would be rousieing.
So he had held back on his imbibing so he would be in shape to work.
Anson didn’t tell him till the morning that there were only 15 sheep to shear
It was extremely windy as we drove around the port.
The tide was in and the sea was grey green and the wind was whipping it all up.
It looked very stormy and dramatic.
Sunni checked the flights to make sure they were leaving in time.
She saw that a flight to Auckland had been canceled so she phone up Seb to see if they had been affected by it.
Just got his answer phone.
I dropped Shanni at the library for an hour or so.
We quickly zipped out to Seb’s house and unloaded all the wedding presents and showed Sunni & Mat around as they had not seen his new house yet.
Then it was straight back to the airport to drop them off.
It was very windy & the Terrano was being buffeted quite badly as I drove.
Seb called up as we drove and said that their flight was canceled and they were rerouted on an earlier flight via Wellington.
We said our goodbyes and I headed into the city.
After having all the family together for the past two days it was a strange feeling to be alone again.
Shanni walked up to meet me.
She was really tired and not coping with the heat.
I left her to sit quietly in Starbucks with her book and a cold drink while I returned the guys suits and changed some shoes & pants.
Then I sat with Shanni for a while in the cool.
It was rather pleasant to just sit.
Shanni wanted to go hang out with Katherine so I dropped her up there.
Then I went to visit Nicky & Dave at their motel.
Loaded up all the leftover drinks and returned the excess wines to Liquor King.
Then I went and found a voting booth and did my thing for NZ.
Did a bit of visiting before picking up Shanni.
We then went and hung out with the Wenborn family and enjoyed a lovely bbq and evening at Maitai Villa where Sara, Ruth & Lydia and their families were staying.
It was a fantastic spot for a large group.
Just the sort of place I would love to live in if when we move to Nelson.
Maybe, it might be on the market when that day happens
Shanni and I were both really tired so we drove back to Alan & Eare’s and crashed out for the night.
Rabbits Nest 