Hydrangeas

Another year older today.  Last night I photographed most of the hydrangeas we have on the property.  Most were here when we bought but the lovely white oak leafed hydrangea I got from a friend - it is still only small and just one flower but it almost sparkles.

The deeper blue one didn't have quite the depth of colour in the photo as it does in the flesh so to speak.

Unfortunately, hubby has had what I assume are hallucinations while in the Rest Home and is not at all happy - I know it is not really him that is talking.  He also picked up a nasty cough and is on antibiotics and asleep at the moment.

The weather has been atrocious - it is supposed to be summer - it is not cold but has been wet, wet, wet.  Have just stayed indoors for the whole of the holiday period.  Hopefully, the sun will reappear over the coming weekend.

Still it is another year soon.

Merry Christmas

Every year for about 15 years my lovely cousin in Canada has sent us a pewter ornament by Amos Pewters in Nova Scotia.  This is the one for this year. They are slightly smaller than horse brasses.

Alstroemerias

With Christmas being in the summer we don't have holly with it's red berries but I think these alstroemerias, especially the small old fashioned one are a great alternative.

Getting There

It has been a difficult time.  I visited my lovely hubby on Monday to find him not pleased to see me.  I don't know whether it was vivid dreams or hallucinations but I had been doing all sorts of things.  Luckily, he settled down and was quite content when I left telling him I will collect him on Christmas Eve and bring him home.  I am not sure whether he knows where home is though.

I have finished the two lots of double antibiotics I was given and been having lots of rest.  For the first time in my 68 years I didn't really feel like putting up the Christmas decorations but I made the effort and am pleased with the result.  I finally went into town today and did a supermarket shop so we shouldn't starve for a few days at least.  I also bought some lettuce and penstemon plants and got them in the ground this afternoon.


Tomorrow I will bake some bread and a cake and gets lots more rest.  

Gardening

My lovely hubby is in a Rest Home for 12 days until Christmas.  This is the seventh day and, so far, I have spent most of the time resting.  I hadn't realised quite how exhausted I was.  We have had a very wet week which was more conducive to resting than working.

Anyway, yesterday I got out in the garden and did some dead heading of the roses and then cutting up some bamboo that has been down for a few weeks.  It will make good kindling in the winter months.

Whenever I have a container - be it bucket or wheelbarrow - Kim will always get in it.  Yesterday she stayed there even though I was putting rose prunings in with her.

In the other photo of Kim (in which her eyes are a bit unusual due to the flash) she is sitting about 10 feet up in a tree looking down at me trimming and cutting up the bamboo.  Meanwhile Kath was sitting on the path.  You can see how long the grass has got with all the rain.  I am assured it will be cut on Tuesday and the forecast is fine for then.

Kim is the only cat I have known to do a Meercat imitation which I have never managed to get on camera.

The Season of Goodwill

As with most of the rest of the world New Zealanders are finding things tough this year and most are cutting down on their spending.

On Wednesday evening on one of our current affairs programmes there was a young boy with the most amazing buck teeth.  His orthodontist said they were the worst he had ever seen.  The poor lad even seemed to have trouble talking and was being bullied.  Not only is orthodontist work needed but operations on his jaw as well.

Last night we heard that $99,000.00 had been donated.  This is an amazing amount.  A trust has been set up and a car was bought for the family so that the father can get him to his appointments. We also learnt that his sister needs orthodontist work as well but she wasn't willing to go on national television.

The spirit of goodwill is alive and thriving and this will be life changing for the family.

This week must be an improvement

This last week started off with taking the car in to get new front shocks in order to get a Warrant of Fitness.  A catch 22 situation now.  One has to get the work done to get the warrant; cannot sell without the warrant;  but is it worth spending the money on.  Anyway, it is done now and it is much more pleasant driving over the numerous railway crossings with the new shocks so we will keep it and hope that there are no more major things that need doing.

The middle of the week went as usual, taking M. to the optician for new lenses in his glasses following his cataract operation, and to Alz Club etc.  I also received a phone call from a clinical nurse specialist at the hospital relating to what level of care M. needs when he is in the rest home for respite.  Thursday, I took M. to Iris while I went to the Alzheimer's Carers' Meeting, a much needed monthly event.

Friday was the climax though.  I had been waiting for the builder to come and do some work on the bathroom.  At the end of June he installed a new vanity unit and we were very pleased with it.  This time he is to put new skirting boards as we are planning to replace the grotty carpet with vinyl and we are putting a much needed new tap in the bath and having it tiled.  Anyway, he phoned first thing in the morning and came around.  I took M. in to Alz club and did a quick shop before returning home to be told that when he started the job he discovered that there was a leak from a faulty washer in the flexihose to the hot tap in the vanity and the water has been soaked up by the vanity which will need replacing.  I immediately phoned the insurance company and it sounds as though we are covered which is just as well as it will cost about $1500 to replace the vanity cabinet as the tiles and vanity basin will have to be removed in order to do the job.

So tomorrow Iris comes and sits with M. as usual while I go to Pilates and do some shopping in the morning and then in the afternoon we have the nurse specialist coming to assess M. for the level of care needed for respite which is due again in a fortnight,  the insurance assessor is coming to look at the vanity unit and, hopefully, agree to replace it, and the plumber is coming to fit the new tap on the bath.

At least the sun has been shining, although the ground has been drying out so fast I have had to start watering the garden.  The roses are starting to bloom and we have made some good friends here so there are some positives.

I finally got some bean seeds in the ground and have just bought some more silver beet (swiss kale) seedlings and a couple of buttercup squash so must try and get out in the garden.