STRESSFUL WEEKEND

Yesterday afternoon Blue was nowhere to be seen when it came time to feed him and we realised we had not seen him since breakfast. He often curls up somewhere snug so we had not really noticed he was not about.  

We checked around our section many times and contacted a few neighbours and were really worried as it not like him to miss a meal.

This morning there was still no sign of him so I found this photo taken a few weeks ago, edited out the grandson he was sitting next to,  and put it up on Facebook as well as making a flyer.  I then visited a few of our neighbours as we thought he must be locked in somewhere.    I nearly didn't go to a house a couple down from us as they don't have a shed or garage but went anyway.  He hadn't seen Blue but while we were talking we heard a plaintiff meow.  Blue was under the wooden deck.  We searched for a way into the space and decided a plank would have to be removed. I went to get Doug to come and remove it but by the time we got back it was already removed. We could see Blue in the distance.  It took a few minutes before he came out and then he just shot off home.  

He was hungry and thirsty as he must have been in there for about 24 hours and is staying close to home.

What a relief.

AUTUMN

We are, finally, getting some lovely autumn weather.  I hope it continues.  There were just eleven of us for yesterday's walk from Vinegar Hill Road to the park and back but the weather was fine if a little chilly.

There are several of this  yellow Justicia in the bed by the drive and we look out at them  from our kitchen window.  We also have the white and pink although they have finished flowering for the moment.

I picked these chrysanthemums before the last storm.  They are plants we bought last winter. The plants are quite tall and tend to fall over but are lovely in a vase on our dining table.

This Salvia isn't very showy but the bees love it.

MONDAY'S WALK

 On Monday the forecast was not the best but, luckily the weather held for our walk at Beach Road in Onerahi.  We often see small boats and yachts going past but, just as we were setting out a larger boat appeared. It was the Allankay, a Sea Shepherd boat.

We ended up having an enjoyable walk followed by coffee at Flames.

MORE ON THE WEATHER

With Climate Change (or Global Warming) we are getting more and more severe weather events.  Last weekend it was the turn of the  south of the North Island and the north of the South Island with flooding and slips in Wellington and other areas.  One man was missing from his house in Wellington that had water through it and, unfortunately, his body was found yesterday.

These photos are from Radio New Zealand.

A bowling club

This car was swept from a carport further up the road and came to rest on this fence

Wellington Hospital Carpark under water

We now have another heavy rain warning although, so far the front has travelled further south and has hit the area between us and Auckland.  The slip below has closed the non-tolled road between here and Auckland.  The road is between these villas and the slip.  The villas have been evacuated.  

Just came across these photos of the same slip on the Hibiscus Coast Neighbourhood Support FB page.

There has also been snow on the Desert Road and temperatures here are a lot colder.

We still have a heavy rain warning until 9 a.m. tomorrow so fingers crossed for the areas already affected by earlier storms.  

UPDATE: I have just read that tomorrow's Anzac Day Dawn Service has been cancelled due to safety concerns.

WEATHER AND FLOWERS

 Well, luckily, the storm wasn't as bad as predicted and no loss of life this time.  We ended up with a lake for a lawn but it drains away quickly.  

A lot needs doing in the garden.  I bought some broccoli, spinach and silver beet plants a few weeks  ago and they still haven't been planted out.  Hopefully in the next couple of days.  The weather and appointments keep getting in the way.

Just before the cyclone I picked some flowers as I thought they would get damaged by the weather.

Some Chrysanthemums still in bud.

Different colours of Justicia

Some small white hydrangeas at the end of the season with some white chrysanthemums in bud.

ANOTHER ONE

We are having warnings about Tropical Cyclone Vaianu which is due to hit New Zealand on Saturday (tomorrow) with heavy rain and strong winds overnight into Sunday.

There are warnings for the whole of the North Island. This was at 4.46 p.m. yesterday (Thursday).

The rain and wind watches have now been upgraded to warnings (orange at this stage and I hope they stay that way).  The soil is already sodden from all the other storms.  I can't remember having this many warnings about a coming storm before and just hope they are being over cautious.  

WALKS AND WEATHER

 In spite of the storms we had the previous week and a storm the previous night we had a wonderful day for last week's Parkinson Walk around the Town Basin.  

The shadows are starting to lengthen

At the weekend the clocks went back for the end of Daylight Savings. It is great to have some more daylight in the mornings. In spite of rain overnight we had a reasonable walk today with just a couple of showers however rain is forecast later today. We have a heavy rain warning and strong wind watch for tomorrow and a suggestion of another storm at the weekend or early next week.