ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

Birthdays seem to come around much more frequently these days.  I find it hard to believe it is a whole year since the last one.  

I wanted a quiet day, hopefully catching up with a magazine I subscribe to.  It is bi-monthly and, not only have I not opened the last issue but I have only just started reading the previous issue.  I had a good quiet day but still have not picked up the magazines.

The day started with a phone call from a cousin on the Welsh border followed by a couple from Auckland and later on Australia.  I have had lots of emails, e-cards, cards and other messages with presents from two stepdaughters.  

Apart from a quiet day at home I decided I would like a walk in the bush alongside the stream so we went to Whareora Road and walked to Mair Park which was lovely and cool.  Back home a cuppa and cake then Doug cooked some fillet steak which we had with salad.  Neither of us had the room for the trifle I made at the weekend.  

On Friday I saw an advert for a plain linen dress and ordered one and the timing was right with it arriving today.  It was creased as it had been rolled up in a bag but I tried it on anyway and am happy with it - very comfortable which is the main requisite nowadays.

Photos from our walk

A birthday photo in the very crinkled dress.

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

 The day started with an early morning phone call from the Welsh Border and a good chat and catch up.  We then had our usual breakfast and opened the presents from my stepdaughter in Australia. 

After visiting our good friends across the road and doing a bit of prep we headed to grand-daughter H and her husband B on the farm 20 minutes away.   As well as their 2 year old and new baby (26 days old) they have a new puppy.  Both were happily passed from person to person.

First of all we opened a mountain of presents and the children (one aged 7 and two 2 year old's were in heaven.  A relaxed lunch followed of ham glazed on the b-b-q. with a potato bake and roast kumara, beetroot and carrot salad, then trifle and pavlova.  There was a water slide amongst the presents and this was set up and used by a couple of the younger adults and the children who also made use of the pool.  Another Granddaughter, C arrived with her husband and 9 year old and we had secret Santa with dice and lots of hilarious changes of presents.  

By this time the two oldies were tiring and we headed home.  We arrived home just in time to watch "Together at Christmas" in Westminster Abbey  followed by a walk around the block and a very light meal.

A really enjoyable day.

 The above is a stylized pohutakawa flower also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree as it is in bloom at this time of year.  It is often seen on beaches.

It is Christmas Eve here (in four hours time it will be Christmas Day). Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful 2025.

DECEMBER 23rd

I am doing a bit of dead-heading, trimming and weeding in the early morning when I can while it is still cool.  Got a bit done this morning before breakfast.  After breakfast I made two cakes.  First a chocolate cake, Doug's favourite, then a gluten free vanilla cake to use for a trifle.  

It was 26 degrees today so got very hot with the oven going.  Cold lamb and salad with home grown new potatoes for lunch then I organised and sent my e-cards.  I was nearly nodding off when Doug asked if I would like to go to A.H.Reed Park for a walk around the boardwalk.  It is just 2.2 kms or a 4 minute drive away.  Ideal for a hot day. For some reason the photos have loaded with the last at the top

The photo below is taken from the end of the boardwalk looking across at the very tall supports and into the gully.

Looking down to the stream and ponga trees from the top of the boardwalk

The photo below was at the start of the walk and is of a swimming hole.  There were about 3 or 4 people swimming and several more watching.

The end of Paranui Valley Road and the bridge across to the Park

Driving down Paranui Valley Road to the Park.

PRE CHRISTMAS MARKET

Woke about 5 a.m. as usual for this time of year and got straight up and out to the Growers' Market to beat the crowds.

It was pleasant.  We bought everything on my list but, as we were half way home, Doug said we didn't get bananas.  We had bought a few at the supermarket yesterday but they are not nearly as nice so we turned off at the next intersection and went back to the Market where it was starting to get busy.  

Altogether we bought watercress, avocados, tomatoes (ours are growing but a fair way off yet), red onions, delicious peaches, beetroot and beans as we are not picking quite enough just yet as well as the bananas.  We did not plan on buying any plants but a couple jumped into my arms on the way  to the car, a Lavatera and a Campanula.

Legs of lamb were on special yesterday in the supermarket so I slow roasted one today while I wrapped the great-granddaughters' presents.

A good day and a fairly lazy one.

UPDATE UNUSUAL PLANT

 Watering the garden a few minutes ago and suddenly realised I was watering a baby thrush in a small bush. By the time I got my phone he had moved but not very far. Just as well pusscat was fast asleep. Not enough room to get closer for a better shot.

This morning, first thing, he was back in the bush.

READING LIST.

This morning the blogs in my Reading List are many years old (eight or nine in some cases, possibly more).  I haven't been able to get back far enough to current blogs.  Is anyone else having this problem and is there any way to correct it.

A GOOD DAY

 Today we drove across town to meet new Great Granddaughter.  We also met up with the baby's big sister, Miss 2 year old and cousin, another Miss 2 year old and her mother. The 2 year olds had just had their weekly swimming lesson and we joined them for brunch at a nearby Cafe.

Doug and I both had a delicious Roast Lamb toasted sandwich.  We must do this more often.

PARKINSON WALK MORNING TEA AND CHRISTMAS TREE

In the end there were only 14 walkers for morning tea here yesterday and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

One of the things we did last week was to put up and decorate the Christmas tree.  I have lots of decorations going back years.  I used to buy something new each year.  This year I decided to go minimalist and just used the lovely pewter ornaments my cousin sends each year.  They come from Nova Scotia.  

I am so pleased with it I have decided to go through my Christmas decorations and donate a lot to a charity shop.  A few special ones may still be added to the tree.

It always amazes me how seasons change so quickly.  With the beginning of December we suddenly have summer.  

While 28 degrees Celsius is not hot in a lot of places it is plenty hot enough for me.  

GETTING BUSIER

With Christmas coming at the start of summer here in the Southern Hemisphere things tend to get busy at this time of year and we have had an extremely busy week.  Onn Monday we had  a lovely out of town walk around Lake Waro and the rocks next to the lake with caffeine fix at a nearby cafe.  I only took one photo of one of the rocks. 

Apart from that we (mainly Doug) have been installing irrigation systems and I got the overseas Christmas mail ready. 

On Wednesday we both had podiatry appointments and while Doug had his appointment I walked the 1.25 km. to the Post Shop to post the mail. The posting seemed to take forever and Doug came and picked me up 

A month or so ago my brother did a blog post about the supermarket loyalty scheme in Brighton,  Sussex and I have been meaning to do one about the schemes here. They have recently changed and after posting the mail we did an extra large supermarket shop to take advantage of the current special offer.  This meant that on Thursday I cooked a large Moroccan style stew which I froze in portions the following day.  Also on Thursday we celebrated the arrival of great-granddaughter # 5 (all living here in Whangarei).   

On top of this a fair amount of gardening has been done, I have been in the garden by 6.30 or 7 a.m. every day.  It is a good growing season so there has been lots to do.  

On Saturday it was the Growers' Market as usual and then at 1 p.m. we went to the Whangarei Dance Academy's show called "Decades"  Eldest great-granddaughter (9 years old) was performing and granddaughter told me the ages ranged from 3 to 18 years old. (Doing a rough calculation from a photo there were about 160 people involved in the show).  There were three performances in the 340 seat Theatre and we were blown away by the standard.  It was such a professional show.  The show finished at about 4 p.m. so it was a very late lunch yesterday.  

Today has been busy getting tables and chairs moved and ready for our pre-Christmas get-together for the Parkinson  Walking Group and making a batch of 18 mini ham and kumara frittatas as part of my contribution to the food.