The Big Seven Zero

We've just returned from an eventful weekend in New Zealand.  We flew out on Friday night to join my family in celebration of my mother's 70th birthday.  My brother Hamish worked feverishly to arrange a memorable lunch at Mills Reef Winery.  He booked a private room for our 30+ guests and arranged a feast fit for royalty. 

My brother Matt organised the birthday cake.  Although on this occasion the cake was replaced by a display of truly dazzling cupcakes.  They were the talk of the party.  The afternoon was filled with laughter, memories and family fun.

Unfortunately, the story on everyone's lips at lunch had little to do with Mum's seven decades.  In a truly unexplainable moment of stupidity, the previous night I'd collected the wrong bag from the carousel at Auckland airport.  I discovered the error shortly after midnight, almost two hours south of Auckland, in a McDonald's carpark. 

As a result, I spent the next 36 hours returning the misappropriated bag while chasing down my own.  My bag was finally delivered to Tauranga airport on Sunday afternoon, a mere two hours before Garry and I headed back to Auckland.  Saturday morning was also a blur as I scurried off to the nearest mall to buy an entire smart-casual wardrobe before the birthday lunch kicked off at 11:30am.