I started in GirlGuides over 5 years ago as a Pippin leader then somehow managed to get roped into taking Brownies (the 7-9 1/2 year olds) and then the next level up, the Guides. Thankfully we now have other leaders who have taken over those two section, so I am back to taking the sweet little Pippins, despite my own girls being in the older sections.
Anyway we set out for Paeroa today and my own girls had to come along because their dad was working. It worked out quite well as the three wee Pippins who went for the day were initially too scared to let go of their parents hands. My three pippins were split up into different groups (the sapphire, ruby and gold fairies,). Throughout the morning the girls in their respective groups move from activity to activity. I handed one pippin over to each of my daughters and I stayed with the third little poppet til she was settled and it worked out perfectly. They had a great day; it was a fairy theme and they got to make necklaces, wands, fairy skirts and so on. They sat at toadstool tables (I so want one!) with stools that had simply been cut from a log. After they ate the lunch that was provided, they were entertained by a magician. Then a couple of big group games before we finished for the day around 2.00pm.
After that my girls and I popped into the Paeroa township. We did some shopping at their quaint supermarket (it's a big chain supermarket but they have gutted 3 shops and made one big supermarket so it's a bit of a laugh, as you feel like you keep entering different areas.
We then had a quick look along the main street of Paeroa. Paeroa is where the "World famous in New Zealand" drink L&P (Lemon and Paeroa) comes from. L&P was traditionally made by combining lemon juice with carbonated mineral water that was sourced from the local spring water.This soda drink is uniquely Kiwi but sadly these days is manufactured by Coca-cola on the same lines as the other beverages that they make. There is still a L&P cafe there as well as the giant L&P bottle.
The best thing about Paeroa is that it is the mecca of antique shops in New Zealand. Oh how I wish had been able to spend the day there. It's only 45 minutes away so I think I will venture out there again one day, and maybe just take The Fashionista (Agent Smelly would get a little bored after a while). The girls and I wandered through a few shops. I was shocked to see the prices on some of the items. I had just sold some educational games this past week for $10-$15 a box that they had retailing in the shop for $45. I was so horrified.
The Fashionista tried to talk me into getting her an old clerks desk, dream on princess, that's $300 I don't have! It was a quick trip but I did manage to grab a couple of Enid Blyton books that had been missing from a series I had been collecting as a child. They were $6 each which I thought a little steep but, in the next shop I went into, the same books were $25 each ... so then I was a little happier. The girls really enjoyed pointing out some things that they recognised and we discussed how things worked in the "olden days". At nearly 45 I recognised far too many things from my own childhood. Agent Smelly was absolutely taken with those phone's that you had to dial by putting your finger in a hole and spinning the dial around to the number. She had to give it a go ringing our number and thought it hysterical ... I really did feel a bit antique then! Don't you think it's funny their reaction to things we grew up with as the norm?
I could have gone through more shops but Agent Smelly convinced me to leave. Yup she whined and whined and I finally admitted defeat. I must admit that in her defence it had been a really long and busy day and she was dead tired. She reclined her seat back in the car and had a wee cat nap on the way home. Even The Fashionista was quiet on the road home.
So a lovely Saturday spent with my beautiful girls and some of my sweet Pippins at the Pippinic.
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