Day Dates are My Favorite!

What a fun weekend! We were intending to be all hunkered down, expecting the Twenty Year Storm over the weekend here in Christchurch, but instead it ended up proving to be more like the twenty minute flurry… wah wah wahhh…. In fact, these 3 images were all I could capture of the blessed ‘historic’ event before my camera died! Lame. By the time my battery was recharged the snow was all melted away and everything was just cold and soggy…. Such a disappointment! 

Sorry about the first photo here. Yes, it's blurry. There's nothing wrong with your eyes or your monitor. I just wanted to show you what I meant about the construction literally being right outside our front door. Drew opened the curtains the other morning and this is the view we got.... apparently our front yard appeared to be the ideal spot for the road construction crew to set up their temporary office. Yesterday, the workman who was pressure-washing the top of it in his big orange jumpsuit actually waved good morning to me. Sigh.... No thank you sir! Think I'll keep my curtains closed!

Anyway, when Saturday morning rolled around and we found ourselves with an unset schedule and no motivation to work on projects around the house, we decided to have a little fun!  After a leisurely breakfast of brown butter French toast bites (more on that later!), Drew proposed a day-date. Since we were all geared up and anticipating some fun in the snow he suggested we take a little day trip! I was so excited! Day-dates are my favorite! And it was such a great and spontaneous suggestion. So we bundled up, wandered down the block toward Hagley Park and hopped the Penguin Express for a weekend adventure in Antarctica! Well, actually the International Antarctic Centre, but some fun family exploring all the same. We had such a blast! And since Canterbury residents receive 50% off the entry fee it was a two for one deal that made Mr. Robinson’s day that much sweeter! 

Little Blue penguins! So cute and fun to watch. There are about ten pairs at the IAC. Most having been taken on and being cared for due to an injury or abnormality. The youngest is the 8months old and was born with partial paralysis... she swims in circles.... kinda sad, but also precious. :)

 

The Hagglund ride was probably the best and worst part of the day. We had no idea what to expect and I nearly lost my breakfast on this thing. Literally!

Sorry for the blur, but this ride was Bumpy! At one point we were submerged halfway under water and it started coming up into the cabin! So much fun though... 

When it was finally over and we found solid ground again I had to calm down and take a break with a little non-alcoholic ginger beer... Drew went the more traditional route with a Stoke Dark Ale. Good man.

Gearing up...

and learning to mush! 

Drew settin' up camp....

And his famous, "Do I really have to pose for you again?" face. I can't tell you how many shots of him I have like this. He really is a dear for putting up with me.  :D

We had such a great time and this was only the first half of our day! Drew also reminded me at breakfast that the Physic’s Room was hosting a workshop that he was interested in attending later in the evening. So after a thrilling half-day out in the snow, we ventured over to CBD Bar, (which I believe to be) Cassels & Sons newest edition to the downtown craft beer scene, for some pizza and a couple good pints to fuel up before we headed back down the block to do a little wood-working and enjoy some local art. More on the Physic’s Room and the woodworking workshop in my next post! Hope your weekend was as fun as ours and you found a little time to do some exploring in your own town too!