SPICED DATE AND ALMOND COOKIES

Today I made a batch of these soft cookies and used the Danish Dough Whisk that I bought last month.

The recipe uses dates and says to mix everything in a food processor.  Unfortunately, I blew up my food processor a few years ago with this recipe.

Today I whisked a couple of eggs with the new whisk, added date paste and whisked that in then grated ginger, Chinese 5 spice and baking soda and then ground almonds and a pinch of salt.  It is quite a wet mixture so I put spoonfuls on a baking tray.

They are delicious and contain no added fats or refined sugar so they must be good.  The whisk worked beautifully.

There is a cold wind here today as there is snow in the South Island so, although it is a nice sunny day ,you do not want to be outside too long.

We are about to sit by the fire and have a cup of tea and a cookie.

I also made Welsh Leek and Potato soup for our evening meal.

GOOD FRIENDS

When Kim and I moved here I never thought I would see the day when she and Sophie lay by the fire.  Sophie actually moved a bit closer just after I took the photo.

Just after I took this photo Doug received a phone call from S.  Doug and S went to Primary School together nearly 80 years ago.  S moved down to the South Island and Doug tells me that they didn't have any contact for 15 - 20 years then one day a campervan pulled up at his place and it was S.  I first met him not long after I had met Doug.  Doug was just about to leave home to come to my place for his evening meal when a campervan arrived and it was S.  Doug phoned to warn me that there would be two of them and they had a good time catching up.  Since I have lived here with Doug S has turned up a quite a few times and always unannounced.  He lives about 20 kms away now on a 3000 hectare farm owned by his nephew.  It is very hilly country and to make the call last night he had to drive to the top of the nearest hill to get coverage.  They chatted for a good half hour or so.  Great friendship.

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I keep the "teddy bear" rug on the settee for Kim but this morning I couldn't find her and, as it was a bit cool and I had not lit the fire she had got underneath it.  Poor girl feels the cold.

FRIDAY 5th

14 days now with no new cases of Covid 19 and only one case remaining.  We had our usual morning walk and noticed these growing along the roots of a long dead tree.  Goodness knows what they are although I expect Mr. Cro will tell me they are edible (not by me).

The white eyes have been busy drinking from the sugar water that Doug puts out for them - they are on their third bottle today.  I love seeing them coming and going all the time.  They move so fast but I managed to get a photo of this one.

There was a water leak across the road caused by tree roots wrapped around a pipe and Doug's son-in-law called in for a cuppa as he was there supervising the workers.  It was good to catch up with him.  Apart from that I managed some work in the garden.

KIM THE CAT

Kim has been with me for 15 years now.  She and Kath (in my header photo) were the first cats that my late husband, Max, and I chose.  They came from the SPCA.  Previously, when one cat died another one appeared.  We decided to get two to be company for each other but it didn't really work out like that.  

It was estimated that Kim was about a year old when we got her so she is 16 now and was due for her annual check up.  She was at the vets earlier in the year and 6 months before that with stomach/bowel problems and has been losing weight and become very fussy with her food, she seems happy enough.  She was checked over, given her annual injection and a tablet for worms not covered by her monthly treatment and it was suggested I try her on a special sensitivity cat food so I brought some home with me.  

We will see how she goes.  There was a suggestion that she could have an ultrasound to see if they can find the problem but she has always been a very shy cat (disappears when visitors arrive) so I would not want to put her through that.  

She has always been my cat - when I still lived in Kamo when Max was in care Doug used to come around for his evening meal and Kim was on his lap straight away (most unusual).  When I moved here when we got married Kim would not go near Doug's lap and has only recently sat on his lap on rare occasions when I have not been there.  

 

Anyway, fingers crossed that she keeps well.

COVID 19

We are on Day 12 of no new cases in the country and there is talk of moving down to Level 1 and what it will entail.

It seems as though life will be basically back to "normal".  Everyone will be able to return to work, school, sports  and domestic travel.  Numbers will not be limited although people will still be asked to keep their distance where possible.  As far as people entering the country are concerned there will still be screening and  mandatory 14 day quarantine or isolation. 

I am still not keen on going to too many places.  Yesterday, when we were in Kamo I went to the butcher to get a couple more bacon hocks for some soup.  Only 2 people were allowed in the shop at a time and I had to sign in.  There were signs everywhere as to what one could or could not do.  I did not feel at all comfortable. 

I do, however, realise how lucky we are.  America not only has a high death rate but all the fall-out for the murder of George Floyd.  I don't know what the world is coming to.

SPORTS PARK

Doug needed to go to the next suburb for some things today so we decided to go to the park on the way.  We used to go to this park every day to walk Sophie but it is too much for her now so it is some time since we were last there.  It was a lovely autumn day, a few clouds in the sky but no rain, just a short intermission as showers are forecast again for tomorrow.

The river is still quite high but has been higher.

JUNE 1st

We had quite heavy rain and strong winds over night.  No major damage just small bushes knocked over (swan plants for the monarch butterflies) there are plenty more smaller ones.  It is not cold but we have had drizzle and heavy showers all day. 

First day of winter as far as the Meteorologists are concerned so the weather goes downhill from here.  Still all the vegetables are loving the rain. 

Later,  have just heard on the news that there is severe flooding on the Coromandel Peninsula , we were very lucky.