Wednesday 2 January 2019

Reflecting on Treasured Moments of 2018





The photos in my collage represent some 
of our treasured moments
over the past year.

Our French family have now been in New Zealand
for 16 months!
They moved north of Auckland in April,
and bought a cafe which they renovated and
it is now a French Bistro!

They found Auckland was too busy and expensive
and wanted to live in a smaller community,
close to beaches, as this was what our daughter
missed the most when living in inland in France.

The girls have thrived, both physically and intellectually.
The eldest has adjusted to the different school system
and is doing well academically.
At 15 she has set herself goals for the next few years,
through to university and more!

Our middle granddaughter is 13, 
she is very sporty, and takes part in everything that's on offer!
Before Christmas she had surfing lessons and just loves it...
She is very outgoing, has lots of friends and is up for
adventure!

Our sweet 6 year old turns 7 in a few days.
She found the change of countries the most difficult.
Initially the Kiwi school children
had difficulty understanding her french accent.
However, she has now made two or three good friends
and finished the year on a much happier note.





Take care and
be kind to one another
à bientôt

Shane xx


40 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos, beautiful young women. What joy for you, Shane. I'm simply delighted to see this as you start your new year.

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  2. Happy New Year to you Shane. I wonder where the new French Bistro is - always loved French food although not able to eat a lot of it now being gluten intolerant.

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  3. Wishing you health and happiness in 2019 Susan!
    It is called Le Cafe de Paris and it is in 84 Cameron Street.
    I see on their menu they have gluten free galettes - which you could try! It's a savoury crepe and I order the mushroom one (called Forestier I think) when we eat there.
    We'll be up there again next weekend to drop off presents for your youngest GC!
    Let me know how you get on!
    Shane x

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    1. We have been there Shane. We were in that part of town and it started to rain so we called in and had lunch. Doug had a hamburger which he said was excellent. I had a galette but can't remember the filling. It was good but a bit dry so will try the mushroom one next time.
      We were there at about 11 am a bit early for lunch so it was quiet and we had a chat with your daughter (although, of course, we didn't know she was your daughter then.) We also had some excellent tea - were not sure if they would serve tea being a French cafe.

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    2. Thank you Susan!
      Next time you visit please tell her you are my blog friend!
      They have a lot of lovely regulars now!
      It is hard work and my daughter makes all the cakes and goodies. She learnt to bake from her grandmother (my mother) when she stayed with her during school holidays!
      They also had a cafe in France, but visiting your local cafe in France is a way of life and the locals would pop in for a coffee etc every day!
      I’ll let her know you’ll be popping in!
      Xx

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    3. Before I came to New Zealand, while still at school, I had a couple of stays with French families (exchanging with people my age). My brother also lives in the Dordogne. I used to love French cafes and all their delicious pastries but that was before I became gluten intolerant.

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  4. A wonderful collage of happy, bright, colorful moments. Your granddaughters have grown so much. How lovely that they are closer to you yet are retaining the French connection by opening a bistro. Sounds fabulous!

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  5. Thank you Tammy, we feel very lucky to have them only 2 hours away.
    A change from two x 14+ hour flights plus airport waiting time between flights!

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  6. You have a beautiful family, Shane. I hope 2019 is a very happy one for you all.
    Amalia
    xo

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  7. Lovely collage Shane - it must be lovely to have your three granddaughters closer to hand. My two granddaughters have also returned back from France to live in the UK. These transitions are not necessarily easy, but in the end I think that it widens their horizons. I hope that your granddaughters are managing to retain their french language, sadly it can disappear surprisingly quickly without practice.

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  8. I too am loving having my daughter and grandson back 'home'! Your girls have made huge adjustments but it sounds as though they are fitting in well. What excitement to have your own French bistro in NZ!

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  9. It looks like you had a very good 2018 and I hope it continues thru 2019. Your daughters are lovely and how good it must feel to see them adjust to the move so well.

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  10. How wonderful that your family is in NZ. It must be fabulous ti see them more often. What a busy life they have chosen with a French Bistro to run. The collage gives me some small sense of all that goes on in your world...lovely!

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  11. Trying yet again to comment here - having problems with whatever Google has got going now - really frustrating!
    Loved hearing the latest regarding your family and their move to NZ. The girls are doing well and that's grand, the family bistro business sounds fabulous, I wish them luck and huge success - very exciting.
    Lovely photos - the girls have grown into real beauties and now you can spend much more time with them. . . . . . lovely!
    Best wishes to you all for a fabulous New Year Shane, good health, happiness and prosperity.
    Love Mary and Bob XX

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  12. How lovely to have those three beautiful granddaughters close by. You must delight in seeing them more regularly. The French Bistro sounds like a great place. Have a wonderful 2019, Shane, full of love and joy.

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  13. It must be such a joy to have your family close once again, especially when there are young ones involved. They grow so fast and you miss so much when they're far away. Our 'littlest' is now nearly 2 1/2 and we haven't seen him since he was born. Counting the days until we can fly out in the spring - we hope!

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  14. How very wonderful to have your family in the area. I bet your granddaughters love seeing you more too!
    Beautiful picture collage.
    My Best Wishes to you for the New Year, Shane!

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  15. I love this update and so good to hear how your family is adjusting to being back in NZ. Oh a French Bistro near the beach sounds just wonderful.

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  16. Hi Shane, I enjoyed looking at your lovely photos. I wish you all the best in 2019!!

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  17. How wonderful is that, having your daughter and her family living in NZ! I had been wondering if you are still making those long trips to France to see your grandchildren, but now they all are so much closer to you :-)
    Enjoy your summer!
    xx

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    1. Oh Radka, it is lovely to see you here!
      Yes at last they are here - it took a long time,
      I’m popping in to see you later today (after I have a wee nap)! I’m hot and tired after spending most of the morning in the garden!
      xxx

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  18. Shane, how wonderful to have your family in the same country. Glad the year ended better for the youngest. Lovely collage of your treasured moments! Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  19. Dearest Shane,
    Such a transition across the oceans and language barriers is never easy! But young people are so flexible and they are like sponges, soaking up knowledge so fast.
    It did open another window to the world for each of them and glad they found a place for starting a new life and making a living.
    You of course are thrilled for having them closer to you!
    Today is my Dad's 98th Birthday and of course we once more are not able to mingle with the rest of the family. Never easy but there is no way to make that trip in winter time with Pieter's heart condition, aside from airfare being at its peak due to ski season in Europe.
    Sending you hugs and hoping that 2019 will be a kind and healthy year for all of you!
    Mariette

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    1. Thank you Mariette!
      I’m so sorry you won’t be there to celebrate your Dad’s birthday.
      It is hard when there are so many miles in between. Maybe you could look for a cheap fare when the weather is warmer in Spring - I understand your sadness only too well.
      Take care my lovely friend.😘
      Much love
      Shane xox

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  20. What lovely memories - and great that the girls are adjusting to their new life - what adventures they will have to remember. Lovely lovely photos.

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    1. Thanks so much JoAnn!
      Must have a look through all your older posts and see just what I e been misding!
      Shane xxx

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  21. Beautiful collage !!
    Have a Happy New year !!

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    1. Thank you Ela!
      I have visited your lovely blog and I am now following you!
      Shane xx

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  22. Dear Shane, what a beautiful family!!! I know that you are so happy to have them all close to you again. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your sweet comment! Wishing the happiest of New Years!!! xoxo, Dawn

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  23. Thank you Dawn.
    You have exciting things in store this year with another granddaughter on the way🧚‍♀️
    There’s no greater gift than a new life.
    Shane xxx

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  24. I've just manually adjusted and bookmarked your blog on a secure setting which I did not have before. I still have to remember to scroll down on my bookmarked pages as I cannot get you on my Blogger reader. I've enjoyed the lovely mosaic of family life and was very pleased to have an update on how your family are settling back in NZ. I'm glad to know that all is going well for them with the French bistro business, small community living and integration with schools and leisure activities. Wishing you all a happy 2019.

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  25. Dear Shane,

    I must have missed your lovely post and seeing all your beautiful photographs, of treasured moments of 2018. You must be so happy to have the family living nearer and can understand them wanting to move out of Auckland. It is just so busy and not the place it used to be. Having a French cafe sounds like a fun thing to do and wish them well with this.
    You have a beautiful family and lovely that the girls are settling into life and school over here, as I imagine it would be so different to France.
    Hope your year is off to a great start. It has been wonderful catching up with you again over at Instagram, thanks.
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  26. Shane, thanks for stopping by today and leaving the great 'skirt' comment. Wish I could go shopping with you!
    Hope you read the long email I sent Feb.16 - if not let me know and I'll resend later.
    My Blogger problems seemed to have resolved themselves somehow so I'm certain my comments will get through now, yay!!!!!
    Take care - much love.

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  27. aahh, treasured moments, indeed, with your loved ones. Those pink roses are beautiful. I love their color. Spending time with the family and grandkids is truly special. I am a grandma now of two grandbaby girls! It sounds like you have travelers in your family too. I sometimes can't keep up with the travelers in mine haha.

    ~Sheri

    ~Sheri

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