NEW TECHNOLOGY

A couple of weeks ago, after a Microsoft update, Outlook that I use for emails suddenly became blank.  I was able to locate my emails on a website but was unable to fix the problem with Outlook.  After asking for recommendations I had a technician to look at my All-in-one desktop. I had purchased it in 2015 and this was the first problem apart from some initial teething glitches.  I had been thinking that when time came to replace it I would like a laptop and monitor.

When the technician left I mentioned to Doug that I might purchase a new one prior to Microsoft no longer  doing updates for Windows 10 and he said why not do it now and get the use of the new technology so I got a couple of quotes and have just received my new Asus Vivobook and Acer Monitor and am still using my wireless keyboard.

It is really much the same as my previous set up.  I only need to open the Vivobook to switch on and can then close it .  There are a few technical differences that I am still learning but I am thrilled with it and it is so much faster. I put the photo of the Hokianga Harbour with latest Kohu Ra ferry in the distance back as my screensaver.

NEIGHBOURS

 Our lovely neighbours have just been away for ten days and we collected their mail for them.  They flew to Paris and then travelled on to Barcelona.  She was giving a presentation at the Barcelona Conference on Education and he went to keep her company.  

What with the long flights between New Zealand and Paris where they spent 3 days and then travelling down to Barcelona they did not have a lot of spare time.  

In spite of this she went to the trouble of bringing a small gift back for us and had, obviously, gone to a lot of trouble to find the right item.

It is the perfect choice as we don't usually have salt and pepper on the table as I use kelp salt from a re-used spice jar while cooking and needed a nice set for when we have visitors.  It already has salt in and I will buy some pepper on my next shop as we only have peppercorns.

WE ARE STILL HERE

 and spring is on its way although it doesn't feel like it today.  The N.S.W. Waratah are in flower and Doug took these photos from our kitchen window.  What's not to like.  

 Following our very wet and stormy  summer we had more wind and rain over winter.  Because of the flooding we had been warned of shortages in vegetables but luckily ours did well even though I had to stake the cauliflower due to the strong winds.  

With some good weather over the last couple of weeks we have started to get ready for summer planting.  Hopefully, better weather will return next week and we can get on with preparing the vegetable beds for summer and planting the few flower plants I have purchased.  Doug got the potatoes in the ground a week ago and they are starting to show above ground. 

THE TOWN BASIN AND CATERPILLARS

Once again we were lucky with the weather for the Parkinson walk and walked around the Loop at the Town Basin.  We started near The Warehouse and walked across Te Matau a Pohe bascule bridge.  The reflection was lovely although the tide was extremely low.

Further around, the boats looked good in the sunshine with the Hundertwasser dome in the background.

We stopped next to the Hundertwasser building for morning tea with a shorter walk back to our cars.

The whole walk is 4.2 kms. 

When we got home I noticed some Monarch caterpillars so collected them to put in the cage.  Not sure how many I ended up with but a lot.  This is just a few of them.  (This week we have been having our coldest weather so far this winter. Down to 4°C in the mornings.)

NEW YORK TIMES WORDLE

Does anyone else who reads this do the New York Times Wordle.  It is addictive and every day I think that my score will go back to zero.  IF YOU DO IT AND HAVEN'T YET DONE TODAY'S DON'T LOOK ANY FURTHER.

Today's Wordle

A MIDWINTER DAY AT THE BEACH

 On Wednesday last week we were not needed to sort the junk mail and so we decided to go to the beach. The first beach we went to was Ngunguru whch is 21 kms away and the furthest was 27 kms, Wellington's Bay.  I took something for lunch but Doug bought a delicious pie and mussel fritter from a cafe in Ngunguru although he could only manage the fritter and ate the pie for his evening meal.

Looking across to the Nunguru Sandspit

We stood on the seawall and watched these gulls below us doing a little dance to bring some tasty morsel to the surface.

A couple of dinghies waiting for their owners.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day even though the clouds started to come in in the afternoon.

PURPLE CAULIFLOWER

I have grown purple cauliflower for the first time this year and they have done quite well.  The photo makes it look a bit smaller and paler.

 Last year we tried cauliflower mash and enjoyed it so have been making it with the purple ones.  It turns out a pretty green and is delicious. We had it with leg of lamb.