A hot quiet week after the storm

Thames coast road at Waiomu

It seems longer but it is only just over a week ago that we had a massive storm and king tides hit areas round here - my place was not affected too much but the Thames coast and the Coromandel peninsula really got hit and the road at Waiomu where I had camped only a month ago was really a huge mess.
Since then it has been hot and humid - 29deg may not be much by Australian standards but it is very energy sapping when coupled with high humidity.
Lots of garden watering - and a few decisions that the soil at this new house is useless - boggy in winter and dries out way to quickly in summer - I think raised garden beds and perhaps a rockery will be the answer!!

It has been lovely weather for walks in the evening or early morning - but a bit too much in the middle of the day!

I have taken the opportunity of a nearly blank diary for a week to have a couple of sets of visitors round and to pay a visit to  another friend whose schedule is usually very full. A lovely way to spend time - I took peter for a couple of drives and he continues quite well, although he doesnt cope well with the heat.  The Care home has taken the residents out for several van trips to local beaches - they have enjoyed that!

Several little sewing projects which are classified as UFO s ( unfinished objects) also had major inroads on them. I finished the L is for .... little challenge quilt for the Guild - you used the first letter of your name and I went with L ( for Liz ) and tried out painting on fabric, practised with the foils I

L is for Love, lilies and ....

got at symposium and the glitter and generally learned a few lessons particularly that hottish irons, dupion silk and basting spray are not a very good combination, but the overall result is presentable I think. My Faded Roses wall hanging started at a Griet Lombard class at Symposium now looks like ti will be finished soon and I also completed a little dress for one of the girls, an embroidered purse kit I had been given and now just have to face all the quilt tops hiding in the wardrobe that need quilting - on a cooler day methinks.

Some beading and hand quilting to go on the Faded Roses and then it will be finished.

The heat has meant Tui has been shedding hair in a remarkable fashion - after a couple of weeks of constantly picking up black fur, trying to comb her and strip out undercoat several times a day - I capitulated today and she visited a specialist spaniel groomer - she looks lovely now - the shorter coat means she will be cooler and can go onto the beach next week with us - and she still looks like a cavalier KC spaniel - I was very apprehensive she would end up looking like a furry beagle! Definitely worth the money and after a clip or two we will start having a go ourselves with my friend's clippers.

The grandchildren arrive tomorrow and we are hoping to head up to Mangawhai for a few days as long as my brother and his wife can handle the invasion - really looking forward to that!! Then I willhave my Aussie grand daughter over with her other Nana - so a very social fortnight coming up! Yippee.