Playing hooky with Dennis

Today Dennis and I took some time for good old fashioned male bonding as Chris is at a home schooling conference in Palmerson North.  Our time together actually started last night when Chris went to an Art Party at our church.  Somehow Dennis and I managed to feed ourselves and then we played computer games for the rest of the evening.

This morning we ended up rolling out of bed around 8:30am and after tending to the normal morning routine we planned our day ... as only boys can ... by a game of paper-scissors-rock which I won by producing a paper to cover Dennis' rock.

So according to the rules of the day I choose our first activity which was fishing.  Dennis eagerly agreed to accompany me to the fishing spot.  Which for today I changed from our normal.  We went to the Seatoun Pier which is strangely enough located in Seatoun.  The morning consisted of me baiting hooks while Dennis tangled fishing line.  My line was the first to hook a fish which gave me an excellent fight.  In fact more than once I thought the line was going to break.  I eventually prevailed and was able to land a 8" Gurnard which was quite lovely to look at.  While Dennis and I were staring at the fish and I was being reminded of the fact that I did not bring the appropriate gear to take a fish home with us, Dennis pole started to wiggle and he had his turn to land a fish.

After Dennis got the fish out of the water, but before it was on land he had a problem with his fishing tackle.  I looked over to see Dennis reeling in the fish as fast as he could and the fish just keeping above the water.  His line was a tangled mess down by the reel and was slipping off as fast as he could pull it back.  I came over and helped Dennis, together we got the fish on the pier.  Dennis caught a Spotty about six inches long.

Dennis later commented that we both had caught appropriate size fishes.  Right after we released these fish and got our hooks back in the water the weather changed as only it can do in Wellington.  It was warm and sunny with a cool breeze and suddenly the wind picked up dark clouds rolled in and we were cold.  Dennis kept on fishing whilst I cleaned up our tackle.

We left and it was Dennis turn to choose the next activity.  Which he did within 10 minutes.  Dennis and I took an indirect route home via Moa Point road which brought us though Wahine Memoral park and then by some tidal pools.  Dennis saw the pools and declared our next bit of fun was to play in (I said around) the pools.  So we stopped and spent about a half hour crawling on the rocks in a very rugged section of New Zealand.

After Dennis was too cold to throw another rock into the water we headed off to the car and to lunch.   We had Fish and Chips in Island Bay (town not the water) and went to the Island Bay Butcher where I picked up some Italian Sausages that look just amazing!

Then it was my turn to choose what to do for fun.  I choose to go to the top of Mount Victoria.  This would have been hotly contensted by Dennis as he did not consider it all too fun.  However I was driving - he actually suggested that I let him drive to get out of going.  It took a while to find Alexandra Road which is the way to the summit.

When we were at the top Dennis was not overly keen on getting out of the car so I coaxed him out by yelling "last one to touch the totem-pole is a rotten egg" as I left the car.  Dennis is always game for a race so he jumped out of the car after me and raced to the totem-pole.  Needless to say he was the first to touch the pole (it was fairly far away and up the hill.)  I never touched the pole myself so I tried to convince Dennis that he was the "last" one to touch it therefore he is the rotten egg.  That did not go over too well.

The views were amazing from up top Mount Vic.  Wow.

Back in the car it was Dennis turn to choose what to do for fun.  He asked to drive back to the house where we played a game of soccer in the back yard.  I am pleased to say that I won 10-9 which was mostly because Dennis fell down during a crucial play (my winning goal.)

Coming back in the house it is my turn to choose the fun activity.  I selected writing this blog entry.  Dennis has been sitting next to me the whole time (30 minutes or so) suggesting phrases to include in the narrative.  He very interested in describing the fishing correctly and displayed patience (and a bit of nagging) as I kept on writing about our day.

Now it is Dennis turn to select something fun to do.  He is requesting video games.  Which I think as this is a special situation I will let him have 30 minutes of mid-week screen time ... he will be a happy camper.

Tom (& Dennis)