This evening was gorgeous. Such a beautiful evening. I drove home via the Bays, and people were out on their roller blades and runners, lovers holding hands, dogs dragging owners out for a walk. Me driving in my car, looking for a place to stop and breathe.

I thought the evening was a good one for a picnic of fish n' chips and sticky saucey fingers, sitting on the stone wall at Mission Bay. When I got there, the tide was out and there was actually a decent amount of sand to walk on. Not too many people, either - well, relatively.

The sky was blue, end-to-end and Rangitoto was its typically fabulous horizon. Little boats and yachts, ferries and general water traffic. Wind warm, for a change. Birds and people, squarking both. Volleyball nets up on the sand, touch-rugby on the grass, families gathered around spread-out newspaper and salty fingers.

I wouldn't mind company next time if you feel like coming.