Return of the Ghoulz

Jordan and I are en route to Auckland once again, but this time we're on a retrieval mission.  

We are on our way to pick up the beautiful and wonderful Jules and drag her butt back to Raglan with us.
We meet her on a downtown street corner and rush to embrace her in a group hug.  We quickly decide a beer and a major catch up session is in order.  We stop at an Irish pub and immediately strike up a conversation with the girls at the next table.  Two are Irish, one is from Montreal and she and Jules begin bonding.  We think this is a good omen.
We continue to catch up as we fight our way through traffic.  We roll into Raglan at nightfall and wrangle up the troops from the pub for an impromptu 'Welcome to Raglan' party.
Drinks are drank, games are played, beautiful music is made (we even find an accordion in the house and add it to the mix.)  It's a lovely evening.

The next day we do some sightseeing including going to Bridal Falls.  We generally chill out and are lucky enough to get invited to Ben's to look through his insane telescope.  We see the rings on Saturn and some of its moons; we look deep into the milky way; we see the 'jewel box' with 3 stars of green, red and blue; as well as countless other clusters with names we can't recall.  It's pretty incredible.

Bridal Falls

Over the next few days The Shack is doing renovations so I spend some long days there helping get things set up.  Before long it's Saturday night and I meet Jules at the pub for a beer and a game of pool.  Two rather intoxicated ladies round the corner and Jules screams.  They are both wearing cards under there noses that make then look like they have grotesque beards.
"We were just talking about messed up things and then I see you!"
The ladies feign offence, "Are you calling us messed up?" but then insist we try them on.
They're from Auckland and claim they would NEVER don such things in the city, but since they're here in sleepy Raglan...

Thanks for laughs Auckland ladies

A representative from 'Sweet As Popcorn' rolls up and gives us all samples.  I start interrogating him on how I can't find the salt and vinegar flavour at the supermarket anymore.  He tells me to call the company directly.  I'm not impressed.
It's a pretty quiet night in town, but Jules and I hit the Yoti and the intimate group tears up the dance floor.

Sunday morning we want to surf but end up going for fish and chips instead.  We go out to Manu Bay and watch the surfers while digesting all the grease.
The following week is a blur of fun and sun.
We spend a day in Hamilton playing around by the river.
Another day we have a picnic with Kadie and Brenna.  We sprawl out on a blanket in the sunshine, nibble cheese and drink cider while Brenna serenades us on guitar.
And we surf!  Heaps!  We actually get gear and spend 2 full days kooking it up at the beach catching party waves and yelling encouraging words to each other.  We're slightly shocked by our lack of upper body strength and the temperature of the water, but we love every moment of it.

The girls at Waikato River

Kadie, Jordan and I soaking up the sunshine overlooking Whale Bay

Surf sisters

We finish up our visit with an epic open mic night...
Jules and Jordan have practiced a song together and a solo one each.  Kadie, Kayla and Charlottle join us for a pre-drink and we all roll up to The Orca.  Nerves are tense, but I remind the girls how dead last open mic was and how lacklustre most of the acts were.  This is not the case this time...  The place is packed to the gills and the talent is out.
Joe is performing when we arrive and Judith comes running up asking Jordan and I for our bras.
"We're going to throw them on stage!" she tells us excitedly.
I decline as the bra I am wearing is pretty much the only one I own (I know, I know, I'm gross... and poor okay?)  Jordan agrees and Judith tosses their bras onto the mic stand to a chorus of cheers.  Joe laughs into the microphone.  "I'm keeping those," he threatens.
It comes time for Jordan and Jules to perform.  They begin their song but the mic is too quiet and keeps giving feedback.  One of the members of the Raglan Music Club attempts to fix the problem and insists they stop and start again.  They do but the equipment continues to betray them.
"I'm really nervous right now," Jordan adorably admits mid-song.
Despite the technical issues the ladies sound amazing.  I'm so incredibly proud of my girls, I want to cry!
Jordan performs her solo and then Jules performs hers.  She calls out for her back up dancers (side note: earlier in the night I tell the girls that if they get nervous, I will dance on stage like a fool to take the attention off them.)  Myself and some of the other ladies jump on stage and begin to flail about.
The next group starts jamming and we start a dance floor.  The singer comes down and has us each sing a verse into the mic.  Jules jumps on the drums for a while and absolutely kills it.
The night winds down and we find ourselves with the pub crew, drinking by the water.  A beautiful finale to Jules' visit.

Pub crew after Open Mic

The next day I drive the babe back to Auckland and we reassure each other that the next time we meet it will be in Australia mate!

Until next time Goulia!