Gosh it is mid November already

mid November

Going backwards over the last few months a few trips and events stand out
-Brian G came over and concreted the pad for me to park the Campervan on

- I drove Rose - a friend from Byron Bay - down to Palmerston North in the campervan via the Wanganui River Road - cloudy and wet but still a lovely drive

Rose grew up here in Taumaranui

Half an old Maori canoe  at Pipiriki

My lovely misty Wanganui River

The weather has suddenly gone cold and wet - and just when i was getting inspired to do a bit more gardening!  I have lovely purple sweet peas out and my roses are madly blooming. I have also put netting over my strawberry, blackberry and blueberry plants/bushes. It was a bit of an effort for the blueberries but already I am getting more blackberries and strawberries than I got last year, so keeping my fingers crossed for a bumper blueberry harvest.

Peter is ticking along OK - although we have the odd minor dramas eg he is not drinking enough and he is currently on a saline drip - but I doesnt like it as he says it inflates his belly, so I am calling in every day to ensure he takes his medication and drinks more. I think I might have to resort to chocolate milkshakes - he usually likes them! It is a bit hard to know whether to laugh or cry sometimes - this morning he said the reason his kidneys are failing is that he only has one - he gave the other one to "that silly bugger", and when I enquired who he said Jonah ( Jonah Lomu!) but then he laughed and said, didnt do him much good, my kidney must have poisoned him because he died.  Didnt know what to say to that one, no use contradicting him.. but it was rather funny.

Catherine was over for four days in mid november - and we took Peter out a couple of times and called in on him the others - he enjoyed going tot he dog show with us to see his daughter with her dogs, and Catherine enjoyed catching up with her half sister and then later with her friend Jane. It was nice having her over - we sorted out a few things around the house and as usual she enjoyed her shopping at the big Dressmart outlet.

I am having very busy weeks at the moment, but my best piece of news is that my flatmate from Sydney, Joan, has suggested we do a two week trip to Sicily and Italy in the April school holidays - and we are going to tack on three days in Rome at the end of it, as I have never been there. I will need to ensure I get as fit as possible and stay well! The tour is organised by the NSW Art Gallery and they send a well informed Australian guide with us - maxm 24 people, so I have paid my deposit and looking forward to that!

I will post this one now as I need to update this blog a bit more regularly - but not right now - got a huge to do list.

Trip to Palmerston North with peter

On Saturday 25th Peter and I flew down to Palmerston North - glorious weather for a day trip - everything went smoothly. The girls gave him a big hug, Callum was his usual laid back self, the girls showed him their reading and Jonathan was able to show him the new kitchen and all the trees in the backyard. Callum wanted me to play soccer with him, oh my goodness I am much too stiff to do such tricks now, although I try. They wanted me to go for bike rides etc, I think they think that when I come it is playtime. Our trip back was uneventful also, and Peter had a Georgie pie at McDonalds in case his dinner back at the home wasnt enough.  Glad we did it, it is the right thing to do but difficult to know if Peter really remembers it. Hopefully the kids will remember that we made the effort.
They are doing well at their swimming - with a bit of luck I might get to see them swimming in October.

I have been off to art class again, I think I need to take breaks - tend to try and paint in a 2 hour stretch  at the class and make mistakes near the end. But reasonably pleased with the outcomes.

Peter junior came up on Monday and has taken the campervan off for a week. His daughter Kiri is coming over from Sydney and they are going to do the Coromandel.

I am still very stiff on the legs if I sit down for any length of time - doing exercises but not sure how to get them better. Also counting calories and hoping that will assist in dropping some kilos!

Other than that - weather is still alternately downpours and blue skies - sooo changeable! But magnolia trees lining the roads are beautiful and my daffodils and freesias are good. As soon as the ground is not quite so muddy and it warms up I need to get the garden ready to do some planting and make decisions about raised garden beds etc.

Spring daffodils but very changeable weather

Well, eventually I went to the physio and found that I have done something to the gluteus minimus and gluteus maximus which are muscles in my butt. And they attach to something with tendons which means the pain in  my butt is tendonitis! Anyway - some exercises and strengthening is approriate and I am on the end.

Been trying to motivate myself in  very! changeable weather. Still havent mastered the heater. Some gorgeous days but some really bad wind and storms passing through (no tornadoes - though Taranaki got a beaut one).

Been an interesting couple of weeks - I currently have my friends two little white fluffy dogs for a few days. She is overseas and her husband has been called away out of Auckland - they are cute and no problem except the puppy ( about 8months old)  fetches anything that is not tied down to chew on and drag around the house - looks like chaos. In the middle of that, I had been struggling to stop Tui constantly licking a sore spot on her leg and she had to be either bandaged or wear one of those conical collars. It is healing nicely, so I took her to the vet to have her teeth cleaned ( under anaesthetic) and whilst there they took off a little cyst she had on the top of her head ( shaving a 2" square patch around the incision and stitches - she has a bald top knot! Oh dear, she does look funny! A very expensive visit all round - I am going to have to allocate as much for dog servicing as for car servicing!

One of the Orewa exhibits

I took some ladies up to Orewa last week for a stitch art exhibition called Toss the Floss - some very nice work on show.

I finished a table runner to send to catherine - she had given me the kit about 5 years ago - great to be able to find a home for it, and fun to do a project I didnt need to buy more fabric for!


Then I decided that I should utilise the campervan and pop off somewhere nice for the weekend so I went to my favourite place on the Coromandel - the bay at Kirita. Absolutely gorgeous warm day Sunday, millpond sea - new lambs frolicking everywhere including right outside my campervan - thank goodness Tui is such a little gem and doesnt chase animals or chickens.

By the parking lot at Thames

Mums ready to lamb right outside my door.

View from my bed

I did go to my art class yesterday - not sure if it is turning out quite how I expected - I suspect Amanda is a better teacher than Claudia but the traffic is certainly less and it is very low key! So far not much teaching involved but at least it forces me to "have a go" - I need more practice - I think I am a reasonably good copyist but not sure that I will ever be a real painter - watercolour is very challenging! I think Uncle Geoff was an Oil painter and so was Uncle Bob.  I really need to loosen up!

Mucking around a bit - lots of things on my to do list but I am not really getting started very well!

Atleast I have now updated this blog so on with the list!

Visitors quilting and the first half of August.

Very few photos this month, but it has been quite busy with a lot of catching up of little tasks.

The first few days after getting back from my trip to Palmerston north was actually pretty sore - I think I have pinched the sacroiliac nerve - pain in butt and weakness in right leg which made walking and sleeping quite uncomfortable.. even now 3 weeks later I have not got it entirely sorted - found exercises with the aid of Mr google and have been trying to do them often but "pain in the butt" literally.

However, visitors have provided some great bright spots.  Starting with My friend Gretchen arriving for morning tea with her friend  Sally on Friday two weeks ago ... was a great catch up - these are people I would love to see more of. Gretchen was the first NZ woman engineering graduate back in the early 1970s and the only woman who has been President of IPENZ, she  is off for 10 weeks overseas including catching up with Barbara S for a week in Southern France! Then Brian and Fern brought the campervan back on the following Sunday night and I dropped them off at the airport early the next morning. Brian Baxter then arrived for five days on his way back from the funeral of his 100 year old mother. We had a great time catching up on all sorts of odd jobs, new clothesline, cleaned gutters, bought bits of carpet for campervan, sorted out all the light bulbs including a light on the garage door opener (which I didnt realise I should have had) and the outside security lights.. Mitre 10 and Bunnings did a roaring trade. I left him to his own devices and the tender care of Tui when I went out on two nights and he visited a cousin he hadnt seen for many years using my Auckland Transport card on our train and bus system. Apparently it all worked very successfully albeit time consuming!

My Philosophy groups started up again, so I am back into the swing of those two nights each week, and a residential weekend last weekend. have started in a new watercolour painting class in Pukekohe every Tuesday afternoon  (traffic is much less stress than going in to the CBD) and it will be interesting to see how that progresses.. 
Oh, I also got to attend the Awards ceremony and hand out money to the women who had won scholarships from the Kate Edger Educational Trust - one of the awards was even named after me... that was fun!

With my friend Margaret away on her big quilting trip to the UK I have had the ladies round here every Thursday and another couple of visits from quilting friends who wanted a hand.
So what with haircuts and visits to the vet, and taking Peter out to see Robyn's new puppies, it has been quite a busy time.

I have been in this house almost a year now, and I finally met the neighbour on the "sea" side last week - I had heard a new baby crying and the little one is now 3 months old. New people moving in on the other side this coming week, so obviously something is always changing.

Yesterday was the local Quilting Guild and I am the "Education officer" so I had prepared a little demo on a couple of methods I had been taught on preparing circles for applique - I was a bit tired but apparently it went well and people are pleased with the learning opportunities I have been presenting for them.

It is a beautiful day today all over the country according tot he weather man, and I have been able to get out and do a little gardening before I go up and get Peter - to take him out for a drive and/or walk. The daffodil bulbs I planted have done well and look so beautiful I am reminded of the old hymn "All things bright and beautiful.... On Friday we went for a drive in the campervan while I emptied the tanks at the Pulman Park dump station, and we had a tea break watching the airplanes and helicopters at Ardmore Airfield.

The children in Palmerston North went  to their first swimming carnival yesterday and did pretty damn well for kids who had to compete in the 9 and under class. Annabelle in particular had only had 4 "lessons" and apparently acquitted herself awesomely. Callum had a 3rd and a 5th and a 6th and pleasingly his classmate was also there, so that will be an incentive for him to keep going.

Amy's son Marcus ( who swims really well) with Annabelle and Callum at their first event

Oh, and in my spare time I have almost finished a table runner for Catherine, baked a couple of cakes and made lemon Honey.

I need to get out and do more exercise- been eating not wisely but too well this winter so I need to be a bit more disciplined  - hopefully this hip thing will get better - I am going to phone a physio this week as I have been getting a bit frustrated with it.

So, yeah, I think I have been busy! But still have had time to read a few books  - this retirement needs to be viewed as a God given opportunity to indulge in some of the passions I didnt have time for when I was working.

Woops July is racing past

For some reason I have been a bit lazy about updating my blog this month although I have had quite a busy month

I started the month with a bit of a head cold so huddled pretty close to home and caught up on some sewing and listening to talking books and watching a few old movies on Youtube.

I did get quite a bit accomplished - finished off two quilts for charity - the squares had been done by someone else a very long time ago so I joined them up and then did the quilting.

 Campervan trip 1 - visit to Tauranga. It being school holidays and having none of my term time activities I took the opportunity to travel down to Tauranga via Paeroa and the Karangahake Gorge

Karangahake Gorge

My goal was to visit my cousin Linda.  Linda was the flower girl at my wedding and it seems funny that she is now a grandmother!. I always enjoy her company and I am in awe of her creativity - she is truly a "creative stitch artist and embroiderer" and her home has a wonderful view of the Tauranga harbour and Mount Maunganui.

After staying overnight ( and sleeping indoors) I eventually took off and found a lovely spot for the next night at the Tuapiro foreshore reserve - on the shores of the Tauranga harbour. Met an interesting woman Dianne who has been living in a campervan for 12 years. Her current van is very well fitted out with internet, Tv, good insulation and a comfy bed. Would I like to live that way - dont really think so.. no space for my current hobbies ... but might be fun for a little while, especially if visiting places hadnt been before and in nice weather.

After returning on Wednesday I  popped in to see Peter and bring him home. All well.
Quilting Thursday and then busy day Friday getting ready for Saturday and baking and making soup.

The "challenge" fabric

On Saturday had a busy day at the local Quilting Guild, where I ran a little workshop and handed out a "cheat" sheet for beginner quilters. Also handed out the challenge fabric from which we have to put together a 16" by 16" wall hanging which includes the challenge fabric in some way - be interesting to see what people come up with. I am not sure what I will do - could be fun!


Peter's son Brian and his friend arrived on Sunday from Australia and I took Peter out to the local Dog Show grounds to catch up with them - rain pouring down! Robyn was showing Kate, her beautiful Australian Silky. Brian and Fern came back with us and then took off in my car.

Weather was appalling and lots of roads closed including SH1 so decided not to leave until Monday morning.




Campervan trip 2 - visit to Palmerston North. Amazingly Monday dawned with blue sky and no rain ( albeit possibly only a temporary respite, so I packed up the campervan and took off! Leisurely trip down - called in on Peter and Su in Morrinsville. Good to catch up, then I headed off to arrive in Taupo in daylight and get a good spot to park the camper.  After a good sleep, and a couple of nice walks with Tui, I took my time and made my way south to Palmerston north. The mountain was covered with snow and looked glorious.

Went to swimming with the kids - the girls and I played in the main pool - oh my body ached after having a 5 and 6 year old using me as a diving board. Their swimming is coming along really well.
The next day  I went to Spotlight and got some more wool for the girls second round of beanies and some paint brushes. Amy had flown to Chch but Jonathan was around so I wasnt in sole charge! They did some painting - not too much mess - on exploring the internet for some "how to draw" pages, yes, Callum found another link to Minecraft - how to draw the characters in his computer game!
Rena, Ollie and their kids came round for dinner - nice people!

Then early the next morning Jonathan caught a train to his meeting in Wellington and the kids and I were on our own. After a slowish start, we went up to Te manawa museum for their holiday programme and the kids coloured in and then cut out and pout together cardboard robot figures. After lunch we packed bikes in tot he van and went up to the school with the bike track and they used up energy!!

And no, she didnt get any of Cordelia's apple crumble.

Friday we went to Te Manawa again for a puppet show and then on to Cloud Nine which  is a trampoline park - they bounced and bounced on all the different activities for another hour - another great way of using up energy!

It was very quiet when the kids had gone to their mother's, but sometimes quiet is good!
I took off about 10ish on Saturday morning to go to Turangi where I was to meet up with Brian and swap vehicles. I hadnt slept very well on Friday night - so found the driving needed careful attention but weather was OK and once again the Desert Road provided incredible scenery - i wish I could paint what I see - this is a gorgeous country - so much variety.

Peter junior was back from the Hawkes Bay where he helps on a very large hunting and fishing " place - 28,000 acres!! Brian eventually arrived and I decided to do a quick swap and drive back Saturday night - I was admittedly very tired and managed to take a couple of wrong turns in the dark - SH1B ( the back road)  is deceptive when it is completely dark - a moments inattention and I was heading off in the wrong direction - but thank goodness for Google maps!
I got home safely and collapsed into bed.

I went and got Peter on Sunday and we watched a Clark Gable movie and played solitaire on my computer ( well I played really.. )..

I am stil.l a bit stiff, but hopefully going to aquarobics this morning has shaken things a bit loose. So now I am starting again on my todo list - hopefully a quiet week before I get at least three sets of visitors and the sewing ladies will meet here over August while Margaret is away.

How fast did June go!

If I am going to keep this blog going I better get into gear. June just flew past.
After returning from my trip, I had a few days to recover then my brother Randall arrived for a few days which was nice - a good opportunity to catch up and show him where I lived.
We had a couple of interesting drives although the weather was pretty awful!

Randall couldnt resist Tui's big pleading eyes.

My friend Karen couldnt resist temptation - and bought the most awesome new canoe - the Lamborghini of kayaks with all the accessories - Oh if I was 20 years younger....

She tried it out here in wattle Downs on a gorgeous evening.

The following weekend I was off in the campervan to Palmerston north for Cordelias 5th birthday and her first day of school. The mid winter weather co-operated reasonably well.

First day of school for Cordelia

Happiness is two grand daughters who arrived in the campervan at 6am

Princess Cordelia on her 5th birthday

My parking spot at Waiouru on the way down

The next weekend  I organised a sewing bee for the local Quilting Guild where we mostly worked on charity quilts - a very constructive day!

A Quilt as you go strip quilt

Meantime I was furiously trying to get the next edition of the School of Philosophy magazine that i edit ready - it is currently being printed and thank goodness I only had to write one of the articles myself this time. Some good contributions from others once I chased them up. Anyone interested in reading the current and past issues of Vision they will be available at http://www.philosophy.school.nz  once the webmaster reconstructs the website.

And this last weekend a very special time when Annabelle chose a flight up to see Nana for her 6th birthday - we had a playdate with cousin Maia ( thank you Auntie Dorothy, went swimming at Miranda after visiting Auntie Robyn, went to Butterfly creek, had a special birthday afternoon tea with Grandad ( his 93rd birthday) and she had a go with my watercolour paints ( with a bit of advice from Nana - although she handled the brushes.). All in all a lovely weekend having one on one time with a super kid.

 So all in all, been a pretty eventful month. Lousy weather except for a few beautiful blue sky days - but it is winter and at least my heating system works. This house is quite warm!

Almost off on the big trip

This is a very quick entry - I have been preparing for my trip to Europe with Dianne. I spent a few days getting ready for my trip -packing and repacking deciding what not to take and what to take!

Had another meeting deciding how to give money to further womens tertiary education opportunities - love giving that money away with the Kate Edger Education Charitable Trust.
Drove down to Palmerston North at the weekend to see the kids and Jonathan.
We wandered out and looked at a piece of land - Jonathan hankers after buying a small acreage - land banking I think they call it. Somewhere for Amies donkeys, and for him to plant fruit trees and for his kids to have space to run around and play and maybe later build. The land we saw badly needed grazing - the grass had grown and the land was very! rough - probably look much better if it had some sheep on it for a month or two. And not much flat land to build anything on - quite fun clambering!

Callum had a birthday party and the girls and I did some painting.
I sewed on Cub and  Kea badges  - and sewed Annabelle's dolly's leg back on - again!!!

Sunday we had a birthday party at family friends of Jonathan - Ethiopian food - delicious but a bit spicy for me.
Jonathan and i did some shopping and then Cubs and keas Monday night. The Keas had a "Mothers Day focus - including card making and nail polishing Nana's nails.

I left about 7.30pm and got to Waiouru where quite a few campervans were parked at the back of the Army Museum.
Easy drive home the next day and then once I arrived home picked up my car which had been serviced.

Now I am almost ready to go - need to take dog to see Peter one last time and then round to margarets to drop her off. I will miss her. I did the Emirates online check in - not looking forward to a 14hour flight without access to an aisle seat! Anyway off to Sydney this afternoon.

Anzac Day and Callum's visit

Mostly the last few weeks have been quiet, home based trying to complete lots of little tasks on my to do list, like planting spring bulbs, preparing material for the little magazine I edit and trying to do some painting practice.

Breakfast at Kirita Bay April 2018

A highlight was Anzac Day - taking Peter to the Manurewa service. He does like getting dressed up and taking part. The Manurewa service is always well attended and it seems sad that the local RSA  building is likely to be sold very shortly - not sure what that will mean for next year's service. They also had a service at the Rest home and again I took up his blazer and good clothes. The kids all went in the Palmerston North parade with the Cubs and Keas.

Callum arrived on his first solo flight on Anzac afternoon and after a quick visit to Grandad we did some painting at home, and had a relatively quiet evening.

The next day we had a very full day - met up with Brenda and her children Zane and Maia. The skate park at Waterview is a really good activity centre for children - Callum enjoyed himself and after a quick lunch at Brenda's Callum and I went up to the Museum to look at the big Wonders of the World Lego exhibition with Colin - a friend of mine who is himself a Lego exhibitor. It was great and had lots and lots of Lego bits for kids to have a go with. Some of the exhibits were fantastic and so detailed and realistic.

Then back to Brendas for home made burgers - note the boys are playing a game together - each on a tablet! Then I took the boys to the Stardome -  the Autumn Night Sky - great graphics but the talk went on a bit too long for the young ones.

Then on Friday before his flight went Callum and I popped in to Butterfly Creek, where the butterflies were great, the crocodile was sound asleep and the otters were cute. The robotic dinosaurs were well done also but it was a very! quick visit.

It was a lovely visit - I think Callum enjoyed having the individual attention and I enjoyed his company.

A wet weekend so I stayed in and took Peter out for a drive to his daughters this afternoon.

So a quick trip down to visit the kids and then I will be off on my trip to Europe!