Well after the heat wave over the last few days (up to 26 oC which is ridiculous at the end of autumn!) it all came to a crashing halt today – we had cold we had wind we had rain… we LOVED it! J was off work and so we stayed inside almost all day drinking cups of tea, reading, watching ‘Extras’ on DVD (and I did some housework too). Wednesday is our delivery day and so fresh vegetables, fruit and fish were delivered to our door this afternoon. Seriously, this is the life!
Yesterday we made the most of the lovely weather and went and explored the Port Hills a little. It was great!
There’s just something about being at the beach that we love – the smell of the ocean, the feel of the sand, the sound of the waves, the taste of the salty air, and the sight of sky meeting sea. We so enjoyed being able to go to the beach every day in Oz whereas now we have to get in the car and drive about 20 minutes. Still, when we go it’s just awesome!
And then tonight at tea time we had a significant moment – J went out to the garden and for the first time properly picked some ingredients for dinner. It was fantastic to have a salad comprised of things from our garden (mostly!) We’re loving the whole growing veggies thing!!
KJ had a link to this video. Very cool (and set in Edinburgh!)
I finished ‘Cutting for Stone’ by Abraham Verghese today. I do recommend it – I enjoyed reading it and now J’s started on it. It’s one of those books that distract you from all else and you suddenly realise that THREE hours have gone by since you sat down and you haven’t got anything done! Ooops.
I became aware today just how divergent me and my brother’s lives have become. I listened to him this morning on Radio Scotland talking from Westmister about the budget!!! (To hear him go to about 1 hour 19 minutes into the programme) Meanwhile I spent the morning learning to knit!!
Many thanks to Karene’s aunt who was an excellent teacher. I think I’m going to enjoy it!
Apart from that I had a very busy house-wifely day and then when J came home from work he told me he’d had a very busy doctory day – lots of sick patients that he helped stabalise. Granted his day’s work probaby did more good for general humanity than mine but at least we were both doing our jobs!!
PS We’ve just started getting fish delivered weekly (as well as our fruit and veg). We received it for the first time this week and it was delicious!! So now Wednesday is fish night!!!
This is the website I’m using to get some sponsorship for Signpost international. I’m doing the Christchurch Marathon May 31st and thought I may as well try to raise some money for someone – thanks to whoever it was who suggested it. I say “doing” the marathon – admittedly there’s no guarantee I’ll get there but here’s hoping. Please do consider giving something but check out their website first to see what they do.
OK before anyone (AKA “Dad”) writes to correct me on my spelling in the title – it was our goddaughter’s birthday yesterday. Miriam (affectionately known as Mirrers to her family) turned ONE but was apparently completely oblivious to the fact. We however went over for fish and chips and enjoyed it for her. Two big shout-outs then. One to the Akaroa cod which we ate – very nice indeed thank-you. They say it’s just like Blue Cod but a bit cheaper - I know this is almost useless information for anyone living outside Chch which makes about 95% of the blog readers but hey if you ever come to visit (hint hint) we’ll buy you some. The second shout out is to Mirrer’s parent John and Janet who are a little hard pressed with a combo of sick kid/willful kid plus busy work schedules plus moving house…sheesh…. so THANKS FOR HAVING US ROUND!!
we wrote a one year old limerick for her -
O Mirrers we love you we do
Through tears and vomit and poo
From the day you arrived
We’ve watched as you thrived
What will you be like when you’re TWO!
The landlady has had the roof replaced this week so I’ve been watching and getting a few tips – you never know when you might need to replace a roof or two. Seems pretty straight forward. Step one – get onto the roof and throw down the old tiles to your mates who will stack them. Step 2 – rope in your son and daughter to help move the stacked tiles. Step 3 – Put some black paper or some similar water-proof tarry stuff on the roof. Step 4- Screw some tin sheets over the top and go home. Bob’s your uncle. N.b. watch out for stray cables in the roof space which can be tripped over – we had no phone for a day but Telecom were pretty good and fixed it this am for nada.
They put some new Pink Batts (insulation) in the ceiling so hopefully it’ll be a bit warming come winter. I was in 3 layers and an extra duvet last night tho…
After no Autumn to speak of in Perth WA last year we are loving it here…
J ran for 1.75 hours after work!!! Strong work. Marathon training is going well!
I arranged to go and see a friend’s aunt on Friday to begin learning how to knit! (Thanks Karene!)
I wore my gloves for the first time today and it felt SO good!
Our washing didn’t quite dry outside so I took it in this evening and turned the heat pump on – to 18 oC. J commented that in Oz we turned our reverse cycle on to 24 oC to COOL the flat down. We sure are in a different country now!
Five games of Settlers in one day is surely some kind of record? That was the day before yesterday but yesterday there were more games…
J and Phil played boys games – the kind that I have never seen girls play. For example – let’s take a tennis ball and stand on either side of some rings and try and get the ball through one of the rings…
After all that effort though they did sit and have a chat by the duck pond (girls do that too!)
Phil left yesterday afternoon to head back to Dunedin… Come back soon.
Then I met Rach at the airport and we managed to squeeze in a hot chocolate between her flights. And she gave me the apple corer thing I’d requested her to get from Oz. This is THE coolest piece of kitchen equipment I’ve ever seen!! J’s grany had one and I loved using it and now I have my very own one. I’ll post some photos soon.
Last night our fellowship group and a wee get together the theme was children’s parties and so we had party food and games. I was responsible (along with some one else) for the games. We played pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel, a true/false game and of course the chocolate game (I have great memories of playing this with the Beans!!)
J is attacking the (fairtrade) chocolate. All good fun!
And today I listened to a sermon from Redeemer and want to move back to NYC (sorry mum!) At least we’ve tickets to go visit at the end of the year!!
Incidentally (for those of you who are interested) my parents sporadically put pictures up on-line here. I love seeing them but then I’m rather biased!
Well by lunchtime we’d made up for our lack of Settlers. We played three games and I have to say the first one was the worst I think I’d ever played – it was over in about 15 minutes and as you can see from the photo blue and green are on four and three points while white (aka Jonathan) had won. He only had three numbers to start with – 5,9 and 10 – but they came up every roll.
This afternoon we decided to take our game paying outside. The first time we played the game Kube was with Andrew and Ann-Wilma in Aberdeen and so enjoyed it we thought we’d try and recreate it here – using recycled milk and beer bottles… and it worked! Good fun.
This is the initial setting up. It’s too confusing to explain fully but basically you throw a baton (read: empty beer bottle) at the kubes (read: milk bottles filled with water) and try and knock them over. Your opponent is trying to do the same to your kubes. Once all of them are knocked over you’ve to try and hit the king in the middle (read: empty orange juice carton filled with water)
this is my technique – legs together, low throw
this is Phil’s – very graceful!
J standing well back from the range of the bottles!
and then going in search of a missing one!
These kind of chilled out, game-filled days are so good! The boys are now playing cards just before tea and I think we may watch a movie tonight. I love it when J has days off!!!
Posted by morveniona 
Posted by morveniona 
Posted by morveniona 
