Brothers

My morning started with a phone call from mother-in-law asking for advice about another burst of chest pain. I was more easily able than a week ago to persuade her to call the ambulance, and she was readmitted to hospital.

Daughter C had surgery for a Meckel's Diverticulum this morning. I got a phone call from the surgical registrar after the surgery to report that there was nothing they didn't expect, and the operation went well, and she was in recovery pending transfer to the ward. The transfer would take place in a couple of hours. 

So I took the boys and their cousins down to the beach. Tsuken came too. As did son and daughter of S' Melbourne based brother, and brother himself plus wife. A couple waited patiently at one of the narrow points on the path for our long gaggle of children and adults to pass by. Great fun in the water for just over a half hour.

After that, S and I took Mr H and Young L to see their mother. She was still pretty groggy from the anaesthetic and the morphine for the pain. We didn't stay long, and the boys were a bit tense for a while. We also visited mother-in-law in the Assessment and Diagnostic Unit. Hoping they will keep her for a few days and sort out exactly what she needs.

After getting back to Snells Beach, I walked on the mudflats looking for tuturiwhatu (dotterels), of which there were none. I did see and photograph kuaka, masked lapwing, heron, and gulls.

A number of S' relatives stay nearby and they joined us for a picnic type of meal with a couple of bottles of champagne as a much reduced marking of our anniversary. Towards the end of the evening, Mr H and Young L were sitting inside on the sofa enjoying each other's company and their games on their devices.

I've included as an extra a photo taken a little earlier of a double rainbow over Kawau Bay.