A Happy New year to One and All

Summer lasted 2 days. It then rained solidly for days. The rain has stoped and we have had a few hints of sunshine this morning. Agenda for the last few days has been to lounge around eating and reading - bliss, except I have probably gained 5kgs! In contrast we have continued to be horrified at the tragedy in Asia/Africa. I cannot imagine the horrors out there and do not have the linguistic skills to put my feelings on the matter into words, so will not even try. I have seriously considered the possibility of travelling out there to help but it is obvious that organisations need to go through the process of selection long before the disaster strikes and use people on their lists. Also I have this responsibility called motherhood which restricts ones ability with such activities. Maybe when they are older. Our thoughts are with all involved, including Carol who is manning the UK end of things over the next few days, at least.

Here at least life goes on as normal and today it is the cooking of Lamb Korma, Banoffi Pie and a creamy fruit dessert then off to J+K's for a NY's bash.I think there are 17 of us staying which should be fun (except for her of great hilarity!). We have to load up bedding, piano, dogs and food into the trailer and travel up in Eric's Safari (which I hate!) over the nexy few hours so I guess I best press on rather than typing.

From the Tanner household we offer you all our best wishes for a wonderful New Year and may 2005 offer you peace, good health and happiness.

The 2 days of summer.

I blogged yesterday morning. I told you about our Boxing Day weather and the summer that arrived 2 days ago (and lasted 2 days!!!) and I wished Carol Happy Birthday. As the computer is playing up I even typed it in Word - and still lost it. I even thought I had published it so was very surprised when I looked for comments later and there was no blog. I have looked for the Word document and that has also disappeared. Was I dreaming I ask myself.

I am laying in bed and laughing at Eric who is glowing. On Monday he burnt parts of his body not normally exposed. I have no sympathy, I repeatedly told him to put SPF on!!! The girls are also burnt. I was on the pool deck with them on Monday and supervised regular SPF applications. Yesterday they spent hours in the pool with Sarah (boil sitably covered) and Katherine. I called from the house at hourly intervals to apply and they yelled at me 30 secs later that they had done (their idea of application and mine obviously vary). I sunbathed under a blanket of lotion on Monday and tingle now but am pink, not Rudolph nose red!!

These were taken on Boxing Day. I'm not going to explain the hats, I did all that yesterday!







This is what we sat down to...


...and this is what was left over.


Yesterday Robyn bought the girls over to swim (their pool is still looking very dry. Repairs seem to have come to a halt since Eric went to the UK, not that he has done much to help but he has promised to) and then they came after milking to eat. I did in fact beg Robyn to come over and eat the left over left overs. We also BBQ'd and I made a cauliflower cheese. Why? I hear you ask. 2 reasons. 1. The veg garden has lots that are ready to eat and they don't keep very well and 2. I was craving some healthy, non rubbish food (she says tucking into another custard cream with early morning (8.48am!!!) tea). I declared that any food left over would be fed to the pigs so we all had 3 puddings, but in smaller portions than on Boxing Day. During the day I worked in the veg plot until I got too hot to carry on. Weeding being the order of the day. I also sowed (is that a word?) carrots and lettuce. I will be able to pick the first runner beans in about 3 days the broccolli and broad beens have just about come to an end. The strawberries are producing but as my plants were neglected at the start (they dissappeared under a mat of weeds at one point) they are only producing in dribs and drabs, suitable for a treat when gardening but not enough for a proper feed.

Well as you would have gathered summer arrived on the 27th. We had 2 glorious days but today it is windy again and the weather report warns us of rain arriving this afternoon and lasting 'til NY's Day and dumping a third of a metre on us!!! It is around 20 degrees C.

Like everyone around the world we are listening with horror and intense sadness at the devatation to have hit SE Asia. If I wasn't a mother I would be at Auckland airport now to fly out and help. It is awful to be so helpless when you know you have skills that may help, even if it where just lining the kids up for cholera jabs. We have been relying on the internet and radio for news. Sri lanka are here playing cricket and have been threatened with a 3 million $ fine and suspension if they cut their tour (ICC rules apparently). Isn't that disgusting.

Eric bought me a double USB hub as we only have one on this computer. This is to attach my speakers that he also bought me so I can listen to good quality Archer's. The problem is it works randomly. I think he needs to speak to the shop to ask why.

My battery is fading so I am going to get up and post before I loose this lot. Carol we have texted, tried to ring your mobile and your landline. We would phone at Bloo's but we don't have their number. Hope you had a great day. Let us know when you will be home and we'll try and phone.

Xmas and Boxing Day's 2004

Hello. Hello. I'm back. Carol you seem to be the only person to notice our absence! I'm soo sorry. How unusual that you have had daily access to a pooter. Can yours be working now?! A BIG BIG Happy Birthday to you. Have a fabulous day won't you. We will have a drink or 10 for you.

I have so much to write that I won't do it all in one hit. Firstly Ryan, big apologies darling. I did try to put the photo on after we spoke but had problems with connecting to the internet after attaching some bits to the computer that Eric bought me for Xmas. I did take the photo and it should be on there now.

I learnt two things over Xmas. One is that 3 puddings eaten one after the other leaves you full for more hours than is comfortable. Similar effect to obsence amounts of potatoes Helen though I didn't have them all in my mouth at the same time!! Even Bridget turned down alcohol on far too many askings after supper as she had no room for any! The second thing is how boring some people, or rather one person can be. No I don’t mean Eric! More on that later.

Xmas day was blissful. We went to Midnight Mass. Harri asked last year and I said No as I thought she was too young but agreed this year it would be reasonable. We all went and met Robyn and Sarah there. Richard seemed to think that having to get up at 4.30am meant he had a good excuse not to go. Wuss I say. We got home about 1.30am and got to bed by 2.30am and were woken at 6.20am!!!! The earliest we have be roused on Xmas Day for a long time. Anyway, we actually managed to wake enough to take an interest in the girls and our stocking contents about half an hour later then I think we must have dozed again for awhile. When we finally got up I went with Eric to feed pigs. We decided to put the little piggies in with their parents (they had been in adjoining pens but the piglets were outgrowing their space). So I waded through the mud that seriously threatened to run over the top of my gummies (NZ ones are only mid-calf length) to get to the gate between the pens. I looked at Eric and said this was not how I anticipated spending Xmas morning!!!! We came up and I made the waffles that the girls had requested for breakfast. I made the batter the previous day and it looked very thick by now. I don’t know what went wrong but they did. I made a big pile and we managed to salvage some that were OK. These were eaten with fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries and kiwifruit) and cream. I then remembered that I had not made the required Xmas Day pavlova so quickly threw one together. I was a bit reluctant as I had, in the previous 24 hours semi-ruined a stollen (put in the oven set to turn off automatically while we went to Mass!) and a pantone (pinger went, Eric turned it off and did nothing although he assures me he told me. I found the pantone, still cooking about 15 minutes later!), as well as the waffles. Anyway it came out fine. Our Xmas Day plan was to go for a walk in the morning and open pressies in the afternoon however every time we went to go the heavens opened for another downpour so we abandoned that idea and opened pressies instead. I was telling Tricia (Eric’s sister) yesterday that we started to unwrap at about 10.30-11’ish and Alice announced '12.25 actually!'. Was someone clock watching I wonder? We unwrapped for a while then had a break. At this point I suggested Alice and Harri have a snooze. I did, for an hour, Eric did for 15 mins and Alice went to bed for several hours! Harriette read. These photo’s were taken about 5pm shortly after I woke up.


Note the lolly sticking out of her mouth!!






We then, after 3 attempts to wake Alice, sat down to a meal at about 6pm (-ish, roundabout, I think). By about 8.30pm we resumed unwrapping the last of the presents. We got a Hector dolphin!!! Bridget spoilt us rotten, In fact I was embarrassed by her generosity. And I told her how naughty she was! Not only did she adopt a dolphin in our name but she also gave Eric and I movie tickets AND offered to babysit so we could go. How awsome is that? Now it appears that Bridget and Carol feel we cannot be trusted to name him/her (what’s wrong with Dusty for a cat?!?!?) Sooo...... here is your chance to enter the ‘name a Hector Dolphin competition’ The prize is knowing you won. Entries to be posted by clicking Comments below and then clicking OK at the bottom (after filling in the bits in between!). Good luck.

Other pressies I loved were ‘Creative Scarecrows’, a fabulous how to make them book from Eric, and Relax and Escape a Classic FM 4 CD set from Mom and Daddy. Thank You. I can now also tell you that the cryptic messages to Carol about there being 4 refers to England rugby shirts. I asked her to get me 3 for E, H and A for Xmas. Well she bought me one as well and it ended up that she gave them to the girls also. Thank you Carol. Tricia, bless her also managed to get organised and send pressies back with Eric for all of us. I should have got better organised and sent more over with Eric but it just didn’t happen. I was pretty stressed at that point in my life though so I’m not going to be too hard on myself. Eric also bought me a set of decent speakiers for the computer (now we have broadband we can listen to The Archer's properly) and a double USB port for above speakers. Problem is though nothing works when 2 USB's are plugged in so we are hoping the upgraded desktop will accomodate them when Eric reloads Windows today.

Alice got this for Christmas!!!!



Thanks Ava-Lee, it gave us all a laugh!!

Boxing day was to be our busy socialising day. Juliet, Kev, Emma and Hannah, Juliets parents Ann and Mike and Emma's friend from the UK, and her Mom were here for 2 days. We organised sleeping arrangements, Harri and Alice cleared up their respective rooms (if you are regular blog readers you will know how big a feat that is) and the cottage bed was made up. When they arrived in the afternoon I detected a bit of an atmosphere and questioned Juliet. Apparently they had left an answaphone message (I keep telling her to email rather than do this we pick up answaphone messages about once every 2 weeks!!) saying they would not be staying!!!! This other person had said that she did not want to come as she did not feel she could stay over and her daughter may feel left out!!!! We at Cedar Lodge go out of our way to make people feel uncomfortable and left out as you well know!! Well obviously they could not leave these guests behind so they had to agree not to stay over. Mike therefore agreed to not drink (this is a man who loves his beer) and drove them all back in the evening. I cannot tell you how incredulous I was of the whole thing. How can you go and stay will someone and be responsible for for altering the Xmas plans of 3 families? Juliet and Kev are going through such a rough time at the moment this was going to be a serious relax, chill out day for us all. I hope she felt very guilty about the whole thing. Am I being unreasonable? Not only this but when they arrived our 4 girls dived into the bedroom to play hairdressing (straighteners and styling sets being Xmas pressies) and came out to find this child when she didn't follow them in. She would not go and as a result Emma and Hannah had to stay out on the deck with her while she did craft things. Finally she did go in and they had a great time, appearing at half hourly intervals with different styles. Throughout the afternoon the Mom only spoke when spoken to and no one witnessed a smile (although she is on 2 photo's). After eating (more about the meal later) the girls piped up 'Can we go and swim?'. On 'Yes' they cheered and ran out. This woman then said to her child 'You can't go in for 30 mins' Poor child looked crest fallen! I think Bridget was on the verge of saying to her don't be mean or ridiculous or something. I don't think any of us could trust ourselves to speak. As a compromise she was able to put on her togs and sit on the edge. Alice crept in a while later and asked if she could please join in now and was told Yes. I mean, yes, you shouldn't swim after eating. But these girls spent so much time giggling they hardly ate anything and they were going to lark around in a pool ouside the kitchen window, not swim kms in the sea on their own. I tried not to let the woman spoil our day but it was hard and threated to deteriorate badly when Juliet said after a few drinks, and very loudly in the next room 'If ever I get that boring please shoot me'!!! Anyway you get the picture. When they left at 9.30pm I made a point of saying to them each in turn 'I'm sooo sorry you have to leave'

I have just spoken to Robyn. Sarah was sick over Xmas and had to go the doctors on Boxing Day. They spent Xmas Day rushing around and running late all day and their relaxing Boxing day did not really happen after 3 hours at the doctors. And I have just listened to the news for the first time since the 24th and heard of the terrible earthquake and tsunamis in Asia. Puts things in perspective doesn't it. I hope none of you have friends or family in the affected areas.

I must go and do something. Eric said the sun is shining so I may dive out on to the pool deck for a while. Will fill in all the gaps later. Love to you all. We still miss our friends and families and think of you especially fondly at this time of year.

For Ryan

Ryan, I couldn't get these on yesterday. Sorry. Love Michelle xoxoxoxo

Why God Made Mom's

Bridget's Mom sent this too me, (I suspect to consol me regarding my opinions of my parenting!!). Anyway what it did do was have me laughing very loudly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank You Trish.

WHY GOD MADE MOM'S - Ask the Kids

Enjoy the answers given by primary school age children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

She's the only one who knows where the sticky tape is.

Mostly to clean the house.

To help us out of them when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

Magic plus super powers and a lot of string

God made my mum just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

God makes mothers out of clouds and angel-hair and everything nice in the world, and one dab of mean.

They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string. I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mum?

We're related.

God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mums like me.

What kind of little girl was your mum?

My mum has always been my mum and none of that other stuff.

I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

They say she used to be nice.

What did mum need to know about dad before she married him?

His last name.

She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?

Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mum marry your dad?

My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mum eats a lot.

She got too old to do anything else with him.

My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

Mum doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a sad-sack

Mum. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

I guess Mum is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between mums and dads?

Mums work at work and work at home, and dads just got to work at work.

Mums know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

Dads are taller and stronger, but mums have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

What does your mum do in her spare time?

Mothers don't do spare time.

To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mum perfect?

On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mum, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mum smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

Broadband

HORRAY. WE HAVE BROADBAND!!!! I feel we have, at last, joined the 21st century. It took a bit of setting up, the people at xtra said we had to have the line checked but when the guy came out he said that was rubbish as we are within 5.5km of the exchange (doesn't 'exchange' sound so quaint!). I also had to phone this evening to find out how to reconfigure our accounts so that the pooter doesn't keep trying to dial up. Anyway, it now works and is sooooo much better.

Had a day teaching in Hamilton and R+R came for supper. Eric cooked a nice pork with cream and apple and we had scrummy bread and butter pudding with apricot brandy as well as rhubarb crumble. From the garden came; the brocolli, broad beans, rhubarb oh and the pork of course. R+R had kindly had the girls for the morning and will do so again on Friday as we were both working. After H and A did their chores today Eric collected Sarah and Katherine to bring them here. I came home to find all the girls swimming 'skinny' (tannerspeak for naked) and thought of how Carol would be horrified at all the nudity! They were having a ball!

Mom and Daddy are considering their options. Watch this space.

End Of Term.

I am so fed up with my job laptop! The internet connection is terrible and downloading emails took me 1 and 1/2 hours this afternoon. I have had no reply to my request for broadband!!

The girls are now off school for the summer holiday!!! I listened to parents at end of year assemblies saying how they were looking forward to having their children home for 7 weeks. I am riddled with guilt knowing that I dread it. I am going to try really hard this year tp be more positive. I wonder if these other Moms are really looking forward to it or just trying to convince themselves they are? I have told Eric that we must try and DO things this year rather than just let the weeks glide by.

As I mentioned we have been attending school EOT assemblies. Alice's was yesterday. They did a kiwi-ised version of a childrens story. It was so funny and the whole school participated. I never fail to be impressed by the support the schools here get from families of their children. The hall was packed and overflowing - literally. Alice had a lovely report pointing often to her kindness, consideration and helpfulness. Her literacy skills are way above her year level but I feel she lives in Harriette's shadow sometimes and doesn't believe she's as good as she is. Harriette's assembly was today and she recieved one of the 6 awards given for acaedenic excellence for her year. Her report was excellent and said at one point that "the depth of her vocabulary is outstanding and her peers are often in awe of her knowledge". It also said things like "Having a tidy desk may help Harriette to be more organised"!!!

The weather is still so up and down. Yesterday was gorgeous in the afternoon and the wind even dropped for awhile, it's back today!

We came hone today to find strangers poking around in Claire and Ians woolshed. I was just about to call out "Can I halp you?" which is code for 'who are you and what are you doing?' when I realised that they are probably prospective buyers! I therefore just offered a friendly wave. Needless to say Eric had the bino's up peering at them from the dining room and assessing whether or not a)they could afford the place and b)did we want them as neighbours. I wonder how they would feel reading this in a years time when they have moved in and we are all best of friends?!?!

Had some, not so good, news from Mom and Daddy today. They went to NZ House to deliver their application for residency last night (well yesterday for them - you know what I mean) and were told that the limit on residency visas for family sponsorship had been reached for this year and their application would not be processed until July 2005. I didn't know they had a quota even! Anyway they now have to think about coming out for a very long holiday while they await a decision.

Richard and Robyn coming for supper tomorrow night. They have such a hectic social life that we have had to resort to catching up mid week with them as their weekends are chocoblock!!!! (I can see Robyn laughing as she is always saying they never go out!!) Still with them up early 7 days a week and the girls now on holiday I guess it makes no difference to them.

I am off to teach in Hamilton tomorrow - the last of the MeNZB training sessions. Should be interesting as for the midwives session we only have one person booked in! I'll let you know how it goes. That's it for now. Serious Xmas card writing tonight.

She came and went.

I haven’t blogged properly for a week really. I have had the time but it’s the usual, if you’ve got the time it means that nothing much is happening. We didn’t get to Hobbiton as the weather was, and still is, awful. It was raining and windy. The rain has since abated but the wind has not and it’s getting everyone down. I did manage to garden on Saturday but Sunday was a doss around indoors day. Eric cut the big shelves for Harriette’s room to go on the new wall which is part of my office. I finally got them up yesterday. She has that wall painted seriously bright lime green. I really like it, Bridget and Eric don’t! It’s a real teenage bedroom as the other walls are 2 shades of purple, and you can’t see the floor or surface for the rubbish all over the place. She had to tidy it last night as Sarah and Katherine (spelt properly Sarah?) are staying overnight and we needed to put a bed in there.

On Monday Carol was due back however the winds and cancelled ferry crossing from the South Island played havoc with her travel plans. For details click on the quest4aragorn link. She ended up hiring a car and driving back, arriving here in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Her timing was terrible. I had been working flat out when she was here at the start of her holiday and hardly saw her, whilst she has been away I have had lots of time at home and was here all day Monday. Tuesday was her only day here and I was in Hamilton all day. In fact she walked into the house about 30 seconds before I was due to leave. When she returned to the UK I felt that we had not had chance to have a proper chat at all. (I am typing this in Word and the grammar check tells me that was a badly constructed sentence. I know but it’s my blog and it stays!) I had lots to ask and seemed to constantly be bombarding her with questions. She said it was like having her mother around, or words to that effect. Eric had a thought before she left about making her a gift from the charred wood remaining from the fire she famously caused when she first got here (her blog again about Sept 2003 – exact date Carol?). He came up with the idea of carving a fish hook (classic Maori design). I’ll try and get a photo put here (Stan have you got time to do that? Please.)





I was so impressed. He is such a clever badger. So now she has gone and if she keeps returning every 6 months she will never be able to afford to return here in 2 – 3 years to live, as is her grand plan!

Work is now focused on these cold chain accreditations that every GP practice has to have. I am waiting for the practices to return there self-assessment forms, then I go and do a review and accredit them. The forms are just beginning to trickle in and I have done my first 2. They took about 40 minutes each which is better than the 1hr 20 min we were told to allow to start with. I only have another 62 practices to do.

Harriette is being even more foul than ever at the moment so I am force feeding her Evening Primrose Oil. She has her end of year piano concert this afternoon. We all cram into the living room at her teachers and listen to about 30 children play 2 pieces of music. Of course the only ones you want to hear are your child’s and the pieces played by the senior students. Before that, we drop off Sarah and Katherine at their separate destinations, and afterwards we are off to a colleagues in Tauranga for a housewarming BBQ. Tomorrow we are doing the Hobbiton thing that we didn’t do last Sunday. I will pick Sarh up from her sleepover first as she is keen to go but Katherine will give it a miss. Finally we have Christmas on Broadway (Broadway being one of the main streets in Matamata) in which Alice is playing recorder again. Last Sunday she played in tiny church opposite her school. It seated about 50 and had an old organ, the size of a piano, that the lady playing had to pump foot pedals frantically as she played. Harriette was most impressed and was chuffed to have a go playing afterwards.

At 9.30am I had better get up. I wonder if Richard is still in bed? He was so looking forward to a lie in as he has been getting up at 4.30 (or some similar ohmygod hour) 7 days a week since about August. Yes I know you have as well Robyn but not for quite so long. I asked Richard on Thursday if, if he had his time again, would he go into dairy farming? He considered and said Yes but that he’d like to be able to drop the pm milking (I mean this man is mad, he’s happy getting up at ohmygod hour every day?!). I must say though having to be back at the farm for 3.30pm every day is quite restricting. Anyway I MUST get up. I’ll try not to leave it a week before I write.

2 photo's. She's gone now.

Alice after Carol straightened her hair this morning.


Carol and Eric pondering the view just before she leaves.

So Carol, when did you open it? Did you cry? Isn't Eric brilliant!

Rough Crossing?

5m swells and winds gusting to 140kph. happy crossings Carol! (Carol due to cross the Cooke Straits on her return to the North Island this morning).

Dogs and cows. Computers and Hobbiton.

Friday night. I love it!! Actually I have had a go slow day. Little bits of work interspersed around shopping (boring food sort), gardening and general housework. I feel like I have actually made some progress in the garden, yes it has stopped raining and the wind eased off through the day. I tilled a section and planted my sweetcorn plants that were bursting out of the seed trays and some seeds. I also tidied up the potatoes and strawberries. The cows watched me put hay (yes I know it should be straw but I haven't got any) round the strawberries so I am half expecting them to risk the electric fence and be in there tomorrow. If they are I will cry! They have already eaten one of my pepper plants as they push their heads through the section of fence that is wire and warratah as opposed to electric tape.

When Eric and I were down there this evening (he is always dragged down to admire my efforts when I feel like it looks like I've done some work) Rust sat outside the veg plot and allowed the curious cows to come right up and sniff him. Inca would not come anywhere near us as he is terrified of cows. He did try to get to us taking a wide berth round them but they saw him and ran towards him. He was in the front paddock before you could say 'Jack Rabbit'!

Carol is keeping a low profile. I have text'd, phoned and emailed daily and had no reply. I think she should extend her holiday but can't do anything about persuading her when she is 'in communicado'.

Had calves liver this evening (remember Richard and Robyns calf that Eric had to slot) followed by strawberries and cream. Harriette served the strawberries and got in a mega strop when I swapped hers and Alice's plates. She had put equal numbers of strawberries in each plate but gave Alice all the small ones! She was so cross and threw such a temper she was sent to her room while we ate. I bought asparagus for $3/kg today but didn't think they went with liver and thick gravy.

Eric is trying to repair our desktop where the computer man failed to! Knowing how good he is when he fiddles I wouldn't be surprised if he suceeds. The man said it needs rebuilding but Eric's employers have upgraded all their computers and are selling high spec columns off cheap so we will have one of those when they are available next week.

I'm weary and have sore eyes. I strimmed without goggles and got dirt in my eye. I know I should have had googles on but I had started before I realised I had forgotten them and couldn't be bothered to go back to the barn. My bed is calling but I have no good book at present. I started one a few weeks ago but have not got into it, picked one up at the library without proper perusal this week and don't like that one either. Tomorrow I am in town so will have a decent look at the library. Oh I forgot to mention. Hobbiton tours, which are usually $50pp are being offered to locals for $10 ($5 for kids) on Sunday and I am helping with a sausage sizzle there (fund raiser for Hinuera School). Hopefully I'll get a free look but at long last H and A will get to look round there.

It's windy in Nelson which made us think of Murray and his kite buggying. Todays entry made us chuckle!

Who's Who

Long ago I promised to do this. Here it is:

Michelle – 40 something. Main writer of this blog. Has nursed for 27 years now in the UK, S. Africa and NZ. Now working from home as an Immunisation Co-ordinator. Aspires to live the Good Life and is nearly there. Just the necessary full-time job that gets in the way!

Eric – 30 something and Michelle’s husband. Attended Duke of Yorks Royal Military School in Kent and is therefore an ex- ‘Dukie’. Ex-police officer in the UK, retired after being shot, and a law graduate from Kent at Canterbury Uni. Currently jumping through loops for the NZ legal education council in an attempt to qualify as a lawyer. Working part-time as an Animal Control Officer in the meantime.

Hax aka Harriette aka 'The Evil One' – 11 year old daughter of the above. Intelligent and hard to live with at times (hence the Evil One)!

Alice aka Licey Lou. Stan's Pwincess – 10 year old daughter of the above. Horse mad.

Stan – Ex-Dukie. Great advocate of blog. aka (also known as) Paul, Queenie, Stin, Big Man and lots more. Stan is…..unique! May emigrate to NZ … one day?!

Carol – aka Cx, Briggsy. Carol worked with Stan in the Mets. Came to NZ in pursuit of horses on a career break and in a round about way ended up living with us. Part of the family. Now back in the UK (for awhile at least).

Ma and Pa Smith – Michelle’s Mom and Dad. Have visited twice and now hoping to emigrate to NZ.

Milky – aka Bridget. We met through blog. Well Stan found her and she is now an integral part of this world. Bridget is a kiwi planning her big OE. She also lived with us for a while during a difficult patch.

Milky’s Mum – Bridget’s Mum!

Richard and Robyn – our very dear friends who live nearby and whom we see lots of. Dairy farmers who work too hard!

Sarah and Kathryn – daughters of the above and good friends of Harriette and Alice.

Helen and Phil – ‘new’ friends who have recently emigrated to NZ from the UK with sons Tom and George.

Bloo – aka Stuart. Ex-Dukie somewhat younger than those mentioned above. Bloo has done his OE and took refuge here for awhile. Currently living back in Fleet, but not for long I feel.

Hx – Helen. Does not qualify as an ex-dukie as she is the wrong sex, but is in that crowd by virtue of attending a local girls boarding school with which Dukes had strong ties. Lives in London.

Cheryl (and Mark) – friends from the UK. Occasional visitors to NZ with children Myles and Laura. May emigrate in the long term?

Claire – fairly regular reader I believe, but infrequent commenter! A dear friend from the UK whom I met when our children were in nursery together in Folkestone. Awaiting baby No 5. Will this be another girl?!?!

Louise – a dear friend from a million years ago. Louise and Michelle trained together in Kent in the 70’s and although contact is infrequent she remains very dear.

Hels and Chris – Eric and Chris did their law degree together. They have visited us briefly and we hope to see them back one day.

Emma, Katie and Lily – nieces and special.

Sean Veasey – ex-Dukie.

Brian Griffiths – ex-Dukie from a while before Eric’s time. Lives in NZ now.

Fred – recent addition to blog readership. See his blog. It’s hilarious!


If you're name is not there please comment and I'll add it.

Had a busy weekend. Saturday I went to a colleagues house somewhere between Tauranga and Katikati to drop some stuff off for work. She lives in a house built from bricks made in a little brick works in the paddocks. It was a lovely place, with quite an English cottagey feel. Then took H and A into Tauranga to buy clothes. Finally found a pair of jeans to fit Alice. I managed to pursuade her that the rolled up look was 'in' (which is actually true) and avoided turning up 6" of denim.

Sunday Helen and Phil, along with Phils parents, came over for tea and ended up staying to supper. Roast pork, cauliflower, broccoli and rhubarb crumble all care of our own production with the exception of the new potatoes (mine aren't ready yet) and the oxo cubes for the gravy. I don't know why I bother to invite them for 'tea' or 'coffee', they always end up eating the next meal here!! Helen starts a new job today as the key person in a Maori organisation. Hope it all goes well Helen. I will be watching her progress with interest! I will also be working with her from time to time.

Eric is still tired. I think he's playing on things a bit now!!!! He has had an excuse for not finishing the office walls (Harriette's side) as I had not got the paint. Bought it today and Eric was not impressed. It's called Wellywood and is luminescent green!!!

Alice came home from camp yesterday ate supper and asked if she could go to bed!! I am hoping she will do a blog entry about her escapades. Paul, the school principal, told me he was very impressed with Alice making it across the 3 wire bridge (the one I wrote about going across when Harriette was on music camp in March). She was terrified but made it. She enjoyed the archery most of all.

Carol is on South Island. She's obviously had a brilliant weekend with Murray and is calling in there on the way back. I can't believe she goes home next Wednesday and I know Carol believes it even less!!!

Harriette came out with something dorph this morning which warrants a blog entry. We are trying to remember what it is - where is Carol, she always remembers these things?

Photo's

Second posting tonight with some more piccies. This has become very complicated. Firstly I messed up some of the links for the first set of photo's. Whilst trying to sort it found a comment from Stan saying he was sorting it. ie we were both fiddling at the same time. Very confusing so Stan went to work and left me to it. Then, I am trying to work out why I missed Friday the 13th this month. I then consulted the calendar and realised that I hadn't but Eric's camera was on NZ time and therefore the Friday night piccies it thought were taken on Sat morning (13th Nov)!!! Anyway, here are the photo's I missed last time, and some more.




These taken on Friday, not the 13th:





And these on Sunday:


Jez

Brotherly Love - Mark and Stan

Hugh

PHOTOGRAPHS!!!!!

For heavens sake. Talk about harrassment! HERE are some photo's. Now are you happy!!!!

Dover Castle

Bloo's left nostril

A tad traditional I know Ian but lipstick is traditionally worn on the lips.

Poor Mugs.

Another person Eric was delighted to see. Thanks for making it Woody.

For the girls to comment on!

I have nothing to say!!!

Stin and Kate

Yet another welcome face - Kate.

Meterological Matters

It is very frustrating when you do a blog…then loose it!! It wasn’t the first, and probably won’t be the last but it is still very annoying. I wrote blog then went to photobucket to sort some piccies out to paste. As I was about to click the button I briefly thought I should save this in drafts. Why do I not listen to my inner voice?! Anyway. I was, in said lost blog, talking about the weather.

Regular readers may know of my, near obsession, with the weather. I thought the British had the monopoly on meterological concerns. Well their casual ‘still raining’ or ‘nice weather today’ comments are nothing on the conversations that go on down here. For a start the weather here is seriously unpredictable and secondly it is seriously important. Judging when to lock down paddocks, when to get hay/silage cut etc are expensive decisions. One year in a few decades time we might get it right! And by unpredictable I mean that. A few days ago Eric and Carol sat on the deck for, so they tell me, a short period of time (?!) and Eric at least got sunburnt. Yesterday it was bitter cold all day (16 degrees),with showers of torrential rain and very windy. In the afternoon I lit the fire. Today, as I sit in bed at 7.20am, it looks gorgeous but by 9am who knows. I hope it is good today as there is some sort of parade in Matamata at 11am that the girls want to go to.

Still on the theme of the weather, yesterday I was driving home between Cambridge and Hamilton and was taken aback by the sky. Directly above me and following the line of the road, was a strip of white cloud. To the left of it was lower seriously black cloud and in the distance I could see rain falling on the hills. To the right of this strip was bright blue sky and occasional ‘good weather’ clouds. Needless to say I was driving into the weather system to my left. In fact by the time I got to Camridge I was in the midst of a hail storm. It’s all my fault you know. I got the summer duvet out when Eric was away.

Yesterday morning I was laying in bed looking at the rain and listening to the weather forecast when asked Eric if anyone had told God that it is supposed to be summer. He handed me the phone but I didn’t know the number!

Carol has left and headed South, due back this weekend. Her blog takes on a different hue when she writes from NZ. There is no doubting where her heart is. I have always said how she pales my ramblings into insignificance.( www.quest4aragorn.blogspot.com ). She even makes very unfunny things funny. As an example, as few days ago she managed to join us for breakfast and related, almost verbatim, the talk over the table. No I was there and found it, at the time, frustrating. You know, the usual, ‘will you do this’ and ‘have you got that’ pre-school stuff. Well reading Carols version was hilarious. Maybe I would benefit from looking from the outside in sometimes.

Work has eased off a bit with a huge rush due over the coming weeks. I have almost nothing in the following week and plan to keep it that way. I will take some of the many hours time owing I am due and catch up on weeks of neglected office work. Our Cold Chain Accreditation process should start next week but I am not planning to do any until the following week. I need some breathing space. I am aware that I have not been performing very well this last 4 weeks and Jude has even picked up on it so I must take myself in hand. Eric has been very supportive – when he’s been here!!! But I know I must take responsibility for myself. Gosh isn’t that very growd up!

Well I guess I ought to get up. Have invited R+R and Helen and Phil for supper tonight. R+R are busy and haven’t heard back from H+P (left them a message). Also left Mandy a message asking if we could pop in today as I have to go over to Tauranga but haven’t heard back from her. (Must check my deodorant!!!)

Will try and post piccies this evening if we don’t have ‘company’. Did your parents used to refer to ‘company’ when people came over? Mine did. Doesn’t it sound terribly quaint now!

Hobnobs and Horse Riding.

Living in a constant state of exhaustion blogging has been neglected lately and what has been written has been less than interesting. Hopefully normal service will soon be resumed. I have been looking forward to ths evening. Not only have I got the last few weeks out the way but the VTC I was running today and yesterday are now finished. I came home and had a long snuggle with Eric on the sofa with a cup of tea and the paper, which I managed to read - bliss!

We got our sheep sheared on Sunday afternoon. The black sheep look almost shiny black now as opposed to the dull brown with full fleece on board. They have not been terribly well looked after this last 6 months and I expected them to be skinny underneath all that wool. They looked suprisingly good though. Several wethers (de-bollocked males) have huge smudges of pink on their faces. When the withholding period following drenching has passed they will find their way into the freezer. Carol made some comment about the sheep talking to each other ' Ere, have I got pink stuff on my face?'

Eric is sunburnt. While I slogged away teaching all day yesterday, Eric and Carol sat chatting on the deck. In true kiwi summer style it is now chucking down with rain and I even lit the fire again this evening!!!

Carol took Alice horse riding this evening. I have previously expressed my admiration for her teacher Dorne but what do I know about horse-riding. It was nice to hear Carol (who does know about horses) come in singing her praises. Carol also commented that she had never seen Alice apply herself so well. She really does love her lessons.

Bridget and Carol finally met on Sunday afternoon. They seemed to get on like a house on fire (ooppps, bad pun where Carols concerned but you know what I mean!!).

I am sooo generous. On Sunday morning I shared my hobnobs with Eric. My image of a Sunday morning snuggled up in bed with tea, hobnobs and the Saturday paper went out the window though. We had gone to bed so early Saturday night that I was awake at 6.30am. I was conscious that Eric had had a bad night and was so sleep deprived that I got up so as not to disturb him. I was in the veg plot at 7.30am but I did leave him tea and biscuits on the bedside table before I left. However Eric did present me with 3 bars of Galaxy chocolate Saturday night and I guess I cannot hog ALL the goodies.

Home safe and sound.

Today is the first day that I have felt even half normal since getting home. Thanks to everyone involved, I was shell shocked and knackered but enjoyed being 'Yo' Bitch fo da weeken'. I do feel that an apology is in order to MTM though. If your reading this, I'm sorry if Stan and I hijacked your evening on the Wednesday night mate. Piggy is wonderful and we enjoyed your company sooo much we just couldn't let you slip off! You even looked as though you enjoyed it, in which case, I'm not sorry at all so skip the apology bit, but Piggy is still wonderful. The beer there is good too, only the kebab afterwards didn't do it justice. Sorry had to have one before I left.

A good flight from LHR to Tokyo with a whole centre isle to myself. I stretched out and did get some sleep, the cabin crew were going to leave me to sleep through dinner but a whiff and I was sat up ready for grub. That was about an hour into the flight, needless to say despite occassional nods, I didn't get back to sleep. The films were the same as the ones on the way there, so no relief from that quarter. I was too tired to read and my eyes ached so just me and the long haul. A three hour stopover in the transit lounge and off again on the home leg. I couldn't believe my luck, it seemed as if I was going to have the three seats by the window on which to stretch out my abused body. Just as the doors were being shut, two giggling Japanese girls sat beside me! I had the last laugh as the chap infront had the same idea of stretching out and as the cabin crew shut up dived into the row infront with a glance around to make sure that he was ok. Two more Japanese came looking for their seats and he had to sheepishly relinquish his prize. I tried not to smirk but it was hard! The flight was uneventful and I nodded a couple of times waking myself up each time I did it.

Coming through passport control was a breeze only about fifteen of us were NZ passport holders or held residence certificates. Great, through in a trice only to be held up waiting for the luggage to come through. Last as it happens. Alice was there to greet me and M was on her mobile to Cx who had forgotten her vanity case. I ask you, can you imagine Cx without lippy and hair straighteners? Harri couldn't come as her back was so painful. Carol was cooking my breakfast so I'll let her off. Besides, that would have been too much. Her meeting me at Heathrow and then at Auckland. My mind was numb anyway!

Yesterday we had the sheep shorn and I was left pooped. Today, it was back to work as per usual. It was a bit like a long dream. I felt myself starting to nod at one point and had to pull over and drink in the sunshine. How long can I make that excuse last? Not too bad a morning though, a couple of stray dogs that I managed to reunite with owners. A property inspection out in the wop wops, and delivery of my pig bin to the orchard. The owners then quizzed me as to how many pigs I had and then asked if I would take over the disposal of the big bins ( 200 Ltr drums) of veg waste. You bet! Tonight the pigs dined on stawberries and could have had the last of the colostrum which I suppose is as near as pigs will ever get to strawberries and cream. Cx cooked a mexican for us. Where she dragged him from I don't know but he spat too much and smoked terribly! It was very good in truth and M and I appreciated not having to cook for once.

M is pooped and I'm sunburnt from sitting on the deck with Cx after work putting the world to rights. Time for bed and hopefully tomorrow, I can put an entry on the Forum. Note for Richard, THE FORUM, not the afore mentioned magazine Forum! Night night and sleep well all. I'll bore you all again soon. Cheers Eric

2 travellers, arrived safely

Sitting in the living room with Carol, Eric and the girls eating a bar of white Toblerone (Thank You Mom and Daddy - it wasn't meant for Xmas was it?!?!?!) having just had a pizzas on the deck. It is 7pm and I'm sure it must be nearly bedtime!

I drove to Auckland airport yesterday with the girls to collect Carol at midday and was back up there at 9pm today to collect Eric. Eric arrived, ill with a sore throat, tired through lack of sleep (over the last 10 days not just 24 hours) and grumpy!! He improved significantly after the cooked breakfast Carol made, a shower and shave. I am impressed that he has managed to get through the day without snoozing.

Back to yesterday. Harriette was going to go to school to hand in her budgeting project in the morning but was unable to complete it as the computer locked up for 2 days and she didn't have it on disk. She therefore stayed off. I had a quick tidy up, having been up til gone midnight trying to get some semblance of order in the place, and we tottled off. Carol arrived looking pale and immaculate, not the healthy loooking country girl that left here 6 months ago. The weather was gorgous (I was pleased, it would have been awful for her to have arrived in the rain) and she spent the afternoon by the pool. She is delighted to be back here and it is good to have her back. We had supper on the deck, well we started to, it then became rather blowy so we adjorned to the kitchen. This morning it was up again at 6.30am for the second trip to Auckland.

Richard, our shearer phoned this morning and asked if he could shear tomorrow (I phoned him to ask when he could do it a few weeks ago). My heart sank! Not tomorrow, my only lie in and Eric's first morning back. "Yes" I said " what time?" I was most relieved when he said 1.30. R+R were going to pop in pm tomorrow so I have phoned to re-arrange that for am. Bridget is calling in after work. Our poor shep missed out on their May shearing this year. Normally Claire tells us when she is getting her sheep done and we put ours in to be done at the same time but she didn't this year. By the time we got round to phoning we had started lambing and it seemed to take about 6 months to have 8 or 9 lambs so they didn't get done. Poor things, they must be exhausted carrying all that fleece around.

Eric has had an amazing time away and I cannot say Thank You enough to all of you who contributed to his ticket. I have asked Stan for a list of all who did so we can say Thank you individually but I think the chance of me getting it is about zero. Bloo Thank you so much for risking your credit card for this and I hope that you are not out of pocket. Thank you Helen and Carol also. Everyone I have told has commented on what brilliant mates Eric must have to do such a thing - I agree.

Eric unpacking was great. I got...... an IKEA catalogue. Thank you sooo much M+D. I also got heaps of Thorntons toffee and chocolates as well as 2 Toblerone bars. I am presuming that these are Xmas pressies and we will save all, but afore mentioned bar already consumed , for then. Big Thank Yous. I also got a giant packet of HobNobs and 4 packets of custard creams. Just as well I don't do diets isn't it. I have to say I have no intention of sharing hobnobs with ANYONE!!!

I actally got down to my veg plot today. I planted some lettuce and pepper plants. I am a bit stymied until my poo comes. I must phone again on Monday. They said it would be here on Tuesday last week but I've only phoned twice and it usually takes 5 calls before it actually arrives, in true kiwi style!!

I'm going to eat my strwberries and cream that Alice has just haned me and go to bed. Night night all.

Too tired to Blog.

Carol's here. It's 9pm and I'm exhausted. Have to get up early again tomorrow (Sat) to go and pick up Eric. I am SSOOOOOO looking forward to regaining some normalitiy back in life. Have been really lonely without Eric around. Harri is not coming to the airport. I think she has fractured her coxyx (?spelling!!) and 4 hours in the back of our bone shaker was enough for her today.

Will blog long and hard in the next day or 2.

Life at home Pooh-less and tree felling.

Not quite sure why I'm blogging down under when all the action is happening 'Up top'. If you ignore trees falling across the drive and dead animals!

Went to see Juliet and Kev for the day yesterday. Kev was bought a chocolate lab puppy bu his in-laws and Mom as an early Xmas pressie. Needless to say she is gorgeous and has bought some light into their world lately. No photos as my camera is elsewhere! No news on the job front and with Xmas approaching none expected. Kev is looking into setting up a business on his own at present. If it doesn't come off at least it has given him something to focus on. Juliet's parents have just arrived from the UK so it was nice to see them. They have just had got their residency through so I am hoping that Mom and Daddy follow in their footsteps very soon.

Finally had a good conversation with Eric this morning. ie he wasn't a) drunk, b) in a room with a hundred other people or c) on a cellphone that was breaking up. I phoned him at our dear friends Helen and Paul's. Helen said he still looked shocked. I also had a great chat with Helen, whom I miss lots still. Eric obviously has an absolute ball over the weekend and I can't thank you all enough for that. I have never seen such good photo's of Eric as those taken since he found out he was going, just beaming! I am pleased that he will have a bit of a wind down time with his family over the next few days.

Alice took a call from Claire, next door, this afternoon saying that a tree had come down on our drive. Yes Eric, that one you said you would tell Ian about. Claire said Ian had said last week he must chop it down before it falls down!!! No-one could have predicted the weather we have had this last 24 hours. I woke at 11.45pm to an enormous clap of thunder. The rain was deafening so I did the usual, walk round the house and close windows. Alice had the window next to her bed wide open (probably to allow Feral free access) and the blind was being sucked out. She was laying there sprawled out, covers off, oblivious. After deciding all was fine I went back to bed and thought of you all doing your 2 mins silence at Duke's. The rain was getting harder and harder and the wind was blowing a hooley. I decided that sods law said a tree would fall on the house as Eric wasn't here and got back up then to put some PJ's on. I thought back to the night of the fire when Carol and I both wasted time getting dressed (and running around in small circles in a totally unconstructive manner). I must say it was quite scarey but I finally manged to get back off to sleep. Since then we have had bright spells one minute and then rain and wind coming from nowhere the next - literally. Just after the girls got in from school Alan went to kill a couple of Claire and Ian's sheep (with their permission I hasten to add) and said the tree was already down. This means one of 2 things. Either the girls walked through/over it and forgot to tell me (unlikely but I can't exclude that totally) or it fell within minutes of them walking past it!!!

And the dead animal. I saw Inca in the front paddock hasseling a ewe and lamb yesterday. I called him and he reluctantly came back but on inspection I saw that the newborn lamb was dead. He was looking for an early supper!! I dumped it down the offal hole and was pleased to see today that the ewe has not been fussing around that part of the paddock. That is a couple of newborn lambs we have lost this year which is a bit worrying. I wonder if the fact that we did not get the sheep sheared in May is anything to do with it.

I took the girls to school today and picked up some things in Matamata. I popped in to Eric's office. He had had 2 emails from one of the girls. One saying they had just heard that Eric had to dash home and assumed it was a family crisis, could they do anything, and another which came after they got the full story. I planned to get organised at work today but got so many phone calls that I made very little progress. I have so many hours owing that I am hoping to take a few hours off each day this week. I guess I'd better take Friday off as I think someone might be expecting to be met from the airport! In fact I have 2 trips to the airport in less than 24 hours for Carol and Eric. Carol, could you get a bottle of Gordons and one of Blue Saphire at the duty free at Auckland please for me. I priced it last week and it is cheaper at the moment than buying in the shops. My gin levels are seriously low at present (ie levels in the booze cupboard, not blood levels!!). I think one of the girls told you that the growd up ribena is back on the shelves (they stopped making our everyday cheap red wine for about a year but it's back!). And what do you want for supper on Friday evening? Eric you know you will get pizza as you come home on a Sat.

Stan phoned briefly this evening. He had just got up for work and sounded terrible! Darling you left before Alice could say Hello and she was very sad!! :( Oh Alice has a blog!!! www.cedarlodge.blogspot.com I planned to get the girls sandwiches done and tomorrows pork vindaloo underway this evening but decided that a blog entry was required. It's now bedtime. Night, night. And good morning UK.

Rural Romeos and Airports

CAROL, CAROL!!!!! I have just bought the Australian Women’s Weekly (NZ Edition) just for you. Yes, I know neither you nor I usually buys ‘Women’s’ magazines BUT this one has an article ‘Find A Farmer Wife. 25 Rural Romeos looking for love’. If we work quickly enough maybe you won’t have to go home in 4 weeks time!!!!!!! At first glance I’d go for No 4 Wayne of Taranki. Sheep/Beef farmer. He buys flowers!!!!!!!!, wants passion J but has 3 kids L!!! Should I book a blind date now?

I am sitting in Invercargill airport. When the hotel shuttle arrived there wasn’t anybody here! I swear you could have walked out the back and hoped in a plane and no-one would have noticed until you fired up the engines. I love small airports, you know the kind the are just one big room really where you can put your bags at a table and go and get coffee and still watch them, where you go outside to the car park (or in the likes of Zambia) the field the runway is in, and get your bags.

I’m going to research Rural Romeos now.

I forgot!

Richard and Robyn, I have meant to phone you but not got round to it. Sorry. I hope the girls behaved. I am mortified to hear that Alice and Kathryn were chatting until nearly midnight, I hope Kathryn is not too tired. I am sooooo grateful to you both for having them. Thank you sooo much. Speak to you tomorrow or Sunday.

Hey everybody, I think I heard wrong when I was taking to Bridget this evening. I thought she said "Harriette's been an angel" Nooooo surey not. Seriously though darling if you have I'm proud of you and Thank you.

He's phoned - at last.

Sitting in bed in a hotel room half way to Antartica and finally having some time to myself. Have spent an hour reading everyone elses blogs and looking at some woman hugging my husband on Stan's blog. Well she was hugging him at Heathrow airport actually and looking pretty pleased with herself!! Is it nice to have him there Carol?

I have finally heard from my man this morning which made me late for the course, well for setting up anyway. Thankfully Jillian, who, sort of, does my job in Southland, was there - and organised. I'll explain. I am teaching on a VTC down here, a course I was meant to organise, but Jillian has done most of it. She works in Invercargill and we have both been teaching this last 2 days. As well as doing the VTC from 8.30am - 5pm we had a Vaccinators Update to teach from 5.30 - 9.30pm last night. Well it was a disaster. Started off with no-one coming to re-arrange the room, the meal coming late and consequently us starting late. We then had a power failure on the cable running the dataprojector and then tea for the break was 25 mins late. We patted ourselves on the back for soldiering on but God it was stressful! I fell into bed around 10.30am exhausted and struggled to wake up this morning. I woke at 3am and, having given Eric strict instructions to text me as soon as he got to the baggage lounge at Heathrow turned my phone on as I reckoned he would be arriving around then. Woke at 7am and finally struggled out of the sack. No texts so texted Carol and demanded to know where my husband was, he phoned me back and had just arrived at her place, they having just dropped Stan off. It was SOOO good to speak to you Pooh! Have tried to phone you for the last hour but some infernal woman keeps telling me you are unavailable. What does she know that I don't I want to know!!!!!?

Anyway after finally having a chat and knowing Eric had safely arrived I finally got along the corridor to the course. Today went really well. I had a discussion with the hotal assistant manger about the appalling service yesterday and he has agreed to deduct the cost of my room and was falling over himself with apologies. The group were more interactive today and gave us lots of really positive feedback on evaluation. We even got a round of applause which was a first for me!
We cleared away and Jillian took me down to Bluff, mainland New Zealands most southerly point. Eric there's no refinery down there and I think it's pretty, in a rugged sort of way. Reminded me of the drive to Pembrokeshire or Holyhead but with lots of flax. We went for a short walk on the coastal walk and blew the cobwebs away. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was so nice to get out after being cooped up for 2 days. Thank You Jillian. She kindly bought her camera and promises to email me the results which I may post. We then drove around the hotspots of Invercargill (Harri and Alice apparently they are netball mad down here!) and finally collected the evaluations and adjourned to the bar. We sat over a (now don't laugh!)... Dubbonet and lemonade (me) and chardonnay (Jillian) and had a post mortem on the last 2 days. We chatted for ages and had a very pleasant evening. I hope I get asked back and look forward to catching up with Jillian in the new year at some IMAC meeting. I had posh fish and chips in the restaurant, spoke to the girls and booked my shuttle for the morning and came to bed. Alice is mortified at having to get up at 6am tomorrow. Bridget is taking them to Waahi to an A+P show and I will collect them from somewhere in Hamilton on my way home. 1 more sleep!!!!

7 sleeps until CRD (Carol Return Day) and 8 sleeps til PRD (Pooh Return Day).

Messages

Eric, No hear nuffin' from you. Have texted lots and tried to phone you but am guessing that the cellphone's not working there. Hope you are OK. Missing you big time. Love you Lots. M x0 .PS If you are reading this please blog.

Everyone else. I cannot access my emails to xtra (don't know why) so please email me on hotmail address (emhatanner) or imacwaikto address.

I am in the middle of my VTC so must go. Working until 10pm so cannot promise an entry tonight! Long one tomorrow.

The Big News

I’m on an airplane flying from Auckland to Invercargill via ChristChurch. I’m exhausted, physically and emotionally and am just drawing breath. For those who don’t know I will start at the beginning. Eric went to school in Dover. The school has a really strong ‘Old Boy’s’ (OB’s) network which meet every year over Remembrance weekend. Eric has attended every year since leaving school, with the exception of the last 2 years. He really misses it. Well, about 2 and a half weeks ago (God is that all it is!), I had a phone call from Stan asking if I could arrange for Eric to get time off work over OB’s weekend, they were having a whip round for his ticket. I was rushing out the door (it was that morning I was late having turned up Harriette’s dress) at the time and just said ‘Yes’ after trying to voice protestations about extravagance etc whilst Eric was in earshot. I dashed out refusing to say who had phoned or what it was about. On the way to Hamilton the dates rang bells so I pulled over , checked my diary and realised that I flew to Invercargill on Wed 10 Nov!!! I then phoned Robyn and Richard and left, what they tell me was a very garbled message, asking if they could have the children for a few days. THEN I thought, Aminals. Who was going to look after them. By now I was at the practice I was due in and all thoughts of this were shelved as I did the work there. I left in the afternoon and the brain when back into overdrive, (where it has stayed ever since), WHO could I get to house/child and aminal sit?? With huge relief I thought of Bridget, phoned her and she said ‘You want me to house-sit’. She’d been in on this for awhile. OK so that was sorted, next Eric’s work. I phoned his boss and he could not have been more obliging. ‘I think it’s great and he must have some neat mates to do this. Take the time and we’ll sort it when he gets back’ Great. Next, visa’s. Now you may think having our entire lives based in NZ and being permanent residents we could come and go as we want. No. You need a Returning Residency Visa, and ours had expired. I then had a 10 minute telephone conversation with an Immigration Officer about how I could get Eric a RRV without him knowing. He did not realise that I was the principal applicant when we originally came out and insisted that Eric had to sign the form. When I finally confirmed what he meant by principle applicant and explained that I was that he said no problem, you apply. It takes 20 working days. I don’t have 20 working days! So I filled in the forms and took them personally to the NZIS in Hamilton. ‘Please have them ready by next Tuesday’ I begged and nearly kissed the guy when he said they’ll be ready in 30 mins! Unfortunately I could not wait so agreed to collect on Wednesday last week. I actually didn’t get in until Monday this week. I then had the weekend in Auckland for the Parent and Child Show followed by those 2 days off sick last week. While all this is going on there is a flurry of emails going from my job computer to all in the UK trying to arrange for Eric to see as many people as possible during his trip. Bloo booked the ticket and managed to get him a flight out today as I was going to the airport anyway. The only problem was he cannot get back until Sat next week, ie 10 days away, which is great for him, he can have some time with his family etc, but terrible for us (I miss him already). So when to tell him? Plan A was I would somehow get him to take me to the airport and give him his suitcase and ticket there (this was when I thought he’d only be gone 5 days). Went off that idea at the thought of him and the girls not being able to say Goodbye properly, especially when it was evident he’d be away longer. Plan B, let him get ready for work in the morning, feed aminals, then tell him to get changed, he wasn’t going to work. Discarded when I realised we had to leave at 5am to drive to the airport. So…. I told him last night. Arranged that Bridget would come ‘for supper’ and Richard and Robyn would ‘pop in for coffee’ I woke up at 4.30am yesterday and could not get back to sleep. I had to get up and write various lists, one was a ‘to do today list’ with 28 things on it!!!! Had supper (Harriette cooked a very nice cordon bleu chicken) and waited for R+R to arrive. By now I was at breaking point. Bridget kept telling me to stop pacing! We sat on the deck on a lovely still evening and I told him. As per previous blog entry. The rest of the evening was a blur really with Eric stressed out because he couldn’t find his OB’s tie and what long pants to take? He has about 15 pairs but hasn’t worn any for the last 3 years so didn’t know what fitted, were comfortable etc. We got to bed after midnight, I think and woke to the alarm at 4am. He was still in shock when I put him on the plane this morning.

So there you are. Now where were H and A in all this? Well I had not told them. However I was worried about a negative reaction spoiling Eric’s surprise so told them just before supper. Eric and Bridget had gone to Matamata to collect my car which I had forgotten to get in the afternoon when it had gone in for a service that it didn’t need (another story!), and I told them then. Harriette literally leapt in the air saying “Great, Daddy gets to go to OB’s!’. Alice however just burst into tears! A combination of a) shock, b) why don’t we get to go to England, you’ve both been now, and c) ‘but we always go to OB’s as a family’. I gave her a hug, told her that when Helen wins the lottery she’ll pay for us all to go (didn’t tell her you don’t do the lottery Hel) , promised to save hard to go as a family as soon as possible and made her promise to not cry or be miserable when I told Eric. As the evening went on and bedtime came they had lots of tears, which made us feel SSOOOOO terrible. Eric was very emotional this morning before leaving still feeling guilty at leaving them.

I nearly missed my plane to ChristChurch (I mean I was only in the airport 5 hours early!) and have lots ,ore to write but you have had enough to read and we are coming in to land. Later.

He know's!!!!!

I've told him!!! Eric now knows that a fabulous bunch of friends in the UK have had a whip round for his airfare and that he fly's out tomorrow morning.




"Where would you like to be this weekend"




"Here's your ticket"




"Bastards!!!"

I cannot convey to you how frustrating this has been. I have almost let the cat out of the bag a thousand times. Eric has been moaning about me going away for 4 days and wanting to know why I have been smiling back! He had no idea and when I told him that he was going to Old Boy's he just said "Yeah Right" and then when he realised it was for real "Bastards"!

I am totally and utterly exhausted and still have lots to do. I promise a longer blog as soon as I can manage it.

Brown Beetles

Ahhh, summer. We had supper on the deck this evening and listened to the birds and the lambs. It was delightful. I then realised there was not a jot of wind so filled a spray container with anti fungal stuff and went to spray the fruit trees. I was devastated to see that many of them had been eaten to within an inch of their lives. I immediately identified the critters responsibe and went back up to the house for anti beetle stuff. There were thousands of the buggers but I don't think they had a chance against my big guns. I will be on their case now until every last one is dead!!!! Ahhh, summer!!

Planted beetroot seeds some silverbeet plants that I bought today. When I stuck them in I realised that I had already planted a dozen silverbeet about 2 weeks ago! About 4 plants keeps us supplied so I think I might be in for a glut!!

My work day was stuffed up when it was apparent that Alice was not fit for school. I moved my 10.30am meeting with my colleague to 3pm and spent the morning doing computer work. I actually got myself vaguely organised and waded through about 80 emails so felt quite productive. Haven't seen much of H today as she has gone to a friends for a sleepover. She came in breifly after piano lessons and dashed out again. Eric doing all the running around as my lack of sleep means I am hardly fit to drive. (I don't do much with less than 8 hours sleep under my belt!). Anyway I had a veg plot to tend.

Alice has perked up this evening - just in time for the weekend!

What time do you call this?!

It's 5am and I have been awake since 3.30am. Finally turned on the tape to listened to, I am always reluctant to do this in case I wake Eric, and that has chewed. Sorting it out will definately wake him so I have got up, made a Bournvita and decided to send the few emails I wrote in bed last night. One thing led to another and here I am blogging.... at 5am.... I must be mad. Anyway. My mind is in permanent overdrive these days. I will be glad to get the next few weeks out of the way and settle down to a more hum drum existence!

The weather must be getting better as I have made significant progress on my veg plot this week. It was 3 foot deep in weeds and now only 50% of it is like that! My brassicas are coming along great guns (Cauliflower, broccoli etc for those less green fingered amongst you), the broad beans have recovered from Saddle tramping all over them in their formative stages and the potatoes I planted are getting big. The strawberries, salvaged from under said 3 ' of weeds are recovering and one even has a strawberry on. Last years runner beans have re-emerged and I have a fair few things growing in my mini greenhouse to move down. Shame my gardening time is spent mentally organising myself and not relaxing. For the last 2 nights I have been down there repeating to myself that I will go up in 10 minutes and start supper. On finally making it up to the kitchen I have found that Eric has everything under control and all I have to do is the accompanying rice or some such thing. God he is wonderful!!

As I alluded to before I blogged recently and lost the lot. I was livid, especially as the briefest thought occured to me when I was having difficulty trying to publish that maybe I should copy to a Word document 'just in case'... then didn't! I had written over the course of several hours on Wednesday morning around a phone call to Carol. Catching up with Carol is impossible with shiftwork combined with time differences. Ditto with Stan but chatting with girls is more necessary. With boys the bare facts will do, that's usually all you get, but with girls long conversations with cup of tea in hand is far more preferable. Anyway, can you believe that our conversation was cut short becuase of a trip to the football ground to watch... Fleet. Yes, I know, you never even knew they had a team. Well apparently they do, and Bloo has a deep and meaningful relationship with them. They were playing at Kingston, Carol's home turf, and so she went along. Mainly because she thought Bloo had no friends to go with!!! Turns out she was to be part of a group of 4, even less of a reason to terminate a perfectly enjoyable conversation. I put the phone down thinking 'I forgot to ask this' and 'wonder what happened over that'. Anyway, as Eric says, only a few sleeps and we can sit by the pool, gin (or tea) in hand and gas 'til the cows come home soon!!!! (or it rains!)

No I am having feelings of deja vu here. Am I repeating what I lost or have I published similar thoughts before and getting you annoyed - sorry! As I mentioned before I had a day in hospital last Tuesday. The day started outrageously early as I had to be there at 7.30am so that I could spend 4 hours sitting around reading. R+R had had the children the night before so Eric and I could leave at 6.45am. I had a minor procedure done, and am absolutely fine (thank you for voiced concerns and good wishes). ANyway I had a similar trip in 2 years ago but this was so different. The first time I laid down was on the operating table. Now i agree that you should walk perfectly healthy people into theatre rather than 'make them ill' by sticking them in a bed and wheeling them around but I think popping onto a trolley in the anaestetic room would have been preferable. I am very hospital savy but found it quite daunting being wired up to equipment I understood with theatre lights being positioned strategically aimed at important bits of my anatomy, all the time thinking about what would be happening to me in a few minutes!! What was lovely though was the 'going to sleep'! I had been talking to the anaesthetist about how wonderful drifting off under anaestetic was and I am sure he deliberately prolonged the ectasy! Sooooo nice.

Woke up shortly afterwards to a nurse asking me if I wanted to get up into a lazyboy chair. 'Nooo' I said quite adamantly, 'please can I have another 1/2 hours sleep?' At 12.30pm Eric phoned and said he would come through to collect me but was in Te Aroha (te-ara-ha). By 2.10pm, knowing that Alice would be waiting at the gate at school at 3pm I phoned again. He was round the corner and I said I'd walk down and meet him outside ED. The nurse was not impressed and insisted she walk me down (I was the last patient left from the morning). Anyway we got to Alice for 3.03pm and she was there. Riding lessons were reached on time you will be pleased to hear (after dropping me off).

I took Wed off, not because I needed to but because I had been told to - I was fine. Harriette came home from school on Tuesday saying that the school was desparate for transport to take her and some kids to Tauranga Intermediate for a literature quiz she was in. So guess what I did on Wednesday? Alice had woken with a worsening sore throat and so I gave her the day off and booked her into the doctors (on a weekday for a change, Hurray. It's cheaper!). Tauranga Intermediate school is as nice as all the others. Beautiful grounds with wonderful rose beds everywhere and a staff room to die for (well any English school teacher would!), masses of new, comfy looking sofas arranged in groups, a foodbar with fruit and pastries laid out (for the teachers not us), a coffee machine that made 10 different types of coffee and lovely (clean) mugs to drink from. The quiz was held in the library and we had a nice lunch laid on afterwards. The result was good, 3 schools provided about 13 teams and each school got a placing with Harriette's school (her team in fact) coming second. Alice managed to answer a lot of questions so I can see her doing the same thing when she goes to Intermediate. Later I took Alice to the doctors, antibiotics for tonsillitis. The GP wanted to know if I wanted to rent a room, some reference to me frequenting the place of late I feel!!! I really should not have sent her to school yesterday but I had to go to a teaching session in Rotorua in the morning so she had to struggle through.

Well It is nearly time to get up so I expect if I go back to bed I will drop off just in time for the radio coming on at 6.15am. Night night world!

P....d off of Matamata

Wrote a seriously long blog this morning in 2 stages around a phone call to carol. Lost it!!!!!!!!!

Robyn, Eric seriously upset that you said Carol could drive tracker further than him. Feels ganged up on!

Bridget where are you?

Child and Parent Show

I've had a busy but enjoyable weekend. I went to help on the IMAC stand at the Parent and Child Show. It was flat out talking (yes, I know, I'm well practiced!) but but late Saturday I was losing my voice! A few people made comments like 'It was worth the entry fee just to hear what you have said' or 'Speaking to you made coming here today worth it' which of course made it worthhile for us too. I get to speak to lots of health professionals but very few parents in my job so it was good to have that contact.

I stayed with Beth and Graham again and as usual they thoroughly spoilt me and made me feel so welcome. Beth cooked a Fujian fish curry. I was a bit sceptical as I watched her mash bananas for it but it was very nice. Luke, their son, always gives me the biggest hugs I've ever had from a child and is quite delightful. Beth and I talked about house swapping sometime so we could do the city thing and they could do the country thing.

Have just asked the family what needs to be reported. Harriette wants the world to know she has a sore tail bone, and the meanest mother who won't write her a note to get her out of fitness. My argument is her problem is sitting and I can't think of any fitness activity that involves prolonged sitting! And how did she get this sore bum? Going over bumps too fast while pillion to Sarah on the, bigger, farm bike.

I'm am being hassled. The children are staying at R+R's tonight as I am going into hospital for the day tomorrow and have to be there at 7.30am!! (Nothing serious, girlie things). Getting me into Hamilton and the girls to school at the same time is impossible so R+R have come to the rescue. H is going back their after school so Eric only has to pick A up and get her to horse-riding on time. Lets see!!!!!!

I'll go now and fill in the gaps next time. To remind myself, the last of the pig milk and the tooth fairy.

HELP!!!

Hi all, c'est moi. Michelle doesn't do French so I'll let you guess who. I have a problem at work. Doesn't that sound like some appalling teenage agony aunt page beginning? Well, I do. Horsey persons, please sit up and tell me what to do. I have a stray horse which is likely to end up slotted without help so alot hangs (excuse the pun) on your thoughts. This horse has ended up on a smallish triangle of grass. Plenty tucker, problem; no chance of starving the bugger out. to the rear, an extremely steep bank which leads onto a busy State Highway. If we managed to drag said beastie up the bank, it is likely it will be spooked by the traffic. In usual NZ Police helpful way, it is most unlikely that we will be able to count on their help to stop traffic whilst this manouver is carried out. both other sides of the triangle are railway lines which though not electric (a thought for our Pommie readers), the horse will not approach. No owner has come forward and Alice is desparately hoping they don't. If we get it off the triangle, we don't know if we can get it on a horse trailer or truck. It seems to be 1 year to 18 months old. Bay, thouroughbred? Thouroughbred x young stallion. It is used to being handled as even I managed to get a halter on it and lead it a little to tie it up. There are no fences around the rails! Your thoughts please. Mine are in order of preference; 1) attach it to my vehicles winch and drag it by a halter across the rails slowly but firmly. 2) a group of us get together and using ropes around its back end and halter, drag push it across manually. 3) lead it up the bank and onto the road. 4) and this is a final resort, slot it and have the Wallace Corp. pull it out with their winch. Despite you all believing that I'm heartless, I don't mind destroying animals when there is no other way or if it is a means to my plate, but I don't really enjoy it. Really. No, I mean REALLY!

This little problem has been taking my time up at work for the past few days, it cannot go on indefinately. Please help.

Apart from that, not alot to report. I'm just finishing off the woodwork in M's office, hopefully finished / almost, over the weekend. Then, weather permitting, I aim to help Richard and Robyn get their pool up and running in time for the summer proper. It isn't that big a job Richard really. Really must be the in word at the mo'. Take care my loyal readers and please send me your ideas.

One stressful day, one easy day.

Isn't life good! There is nothing to confirm that for me more than working in my veg plot on a warm summer's evening. It still looks a mess but there is progress evident. I then collected fresh broad beans and handfuls of parsley to go with the asparagus and pasta.

Had an interesting parcel today. Bridgets Mom, bless her sent me a magazine article on Linda Clark (which I'm about to go to bed and read), car stickers and other bits of National Radio promotional material. Thank you Trish.

Today has been the least stressful one I have had for awhile. I did a clinical assessment this morning and had the afternoon for office work. Only thing is, I have no computer so could not do much. I went through to Hinuera to watch Alice in cross country!!! Now there was no doubt that she would be last by a huge chalk. The question was would she run more than the first 200m which is all she managed last year. Well I was so proud of her. She stuck the full course and ran some walked some. She kept her head down and concentrated hard. All the school kids were cheering her on and she got a big round of applause when she finished. 2 of the teachers went up and gave praise for her efforts and Louise Robb (who has pushed Alice hard in this department) said if they gave a medal for the children who had put in the most effort Alice would get the girls one! Definately a trip to the dairy afterwards (for ice creams). Shock horror. Jack has changed from Kiwi ice cream to Tip Top (which is Walls). I think we will have to go elsewhere as Kiwi ice cream is far superior in my opinion.

Had a doctors appointment later in the day. I have the lurge. Different variety to Alice but a red itchy rash over my chest (no rude comments) and getting worse despite all my efforts at home treatment. Andy (GP) thinks it's bacterial and gave me a concoction of creams and some antibiotics. $95 later!!!

I had the most stressful day yesterday. Not only did my computer have to go back to Auckland but my phone line died. I mean how is a girl to work? I poured out my frustrations to Loretta who told me to take the rest of the day off. As it is I still worked until 4pm. I was planning to de-stress in my veg plot but Eric was busy butchering the calf and I had to do supper and wanted to paint the office (seriously bright blue - not sure if I like it!). As I painted I realised that I had only planned on doing the 2 new walls and of course I have the 2 purple walls to cover as well - bugger. I think they need a coat of white first or they will need about 5 coats.

I am working in Auckland all weekend. planning to drive up early Sat am and come back Sunday afternoon. I am helping to man an IMAC stand at the Auckland Child and Parent Show. Should be interesting, and from what my colleagues say, exhausting!

Well nothing else to report at the moment. Take care all.

Just to make Carol turn Green..

Lovely to see you all again. Cx my dear, with that lovely grey cardy on, you just require a few cats sniffing around to complete the look. If that is, that is indeed the look you are looking for. That is not what I wanted to write about however. I had to visit Richard and Robyn's new farm today on business. A calf had been injured and possibly mauled by some stray dog. Today was not a good day for me to be visiting work wise however. My ute had to go in for a major service, cam belt etc., well I was lent a Mazda 323 in champagne until the work vehicle came back. I ummed and arrrh'd over whether or not I should take my rifle with me or leave it here locked in my gun cabinet eventually deciding that it would be far safer if I locked it up here. Anyway, pitching up at the farm, I was greeted with Richard saying that this wasn't my work vehicle! I explained the situation and we went to find the poor wee timerous beastie. It was standing in the racewayhead on and looked fine, then it turned side on and from a distance, I could see what appeared to be a lump which had been taken out of its hind leg. Getting closer was a bit of a problem until Richard practiced his wrestling skills and put it on the ground. It became very apparent that it was in fact a very nasty wire cut right around the leg which had severed the tendon at the hock. Richard decided that it had just bought itself a one way ticket down the offal hole, unfortunately, I didn't have my rifle as stated. I turned to leave to come home and grab it, when Robyn phoned and Richard gave her the good news. If it can be called that! It wasn't a dog.
Richard then told Robyn that I was placing Veal on the menu, (I think in jest at that point,) the idea had passed my mind. When he put the phone down, Richard said that strangely, Robyn didn't seem to batt an eyelid at the suggestion! I can't think why. Anyway, I returned and did the deed and Richard and I took it over to the other farm where we strung her up from the front end loader with bailer twine. Useful stuff bailer twine, every boy scout should carry some along with his tuppence for the phone in an emergency. I don't think that has ever been updated! Cx ARE YOU AWAKE THIS IS FOR YOU!! When I returned after work to do the 47 bit all over again, I got to drive the big red new tracker! And use the FEL! Nah nah de nah nah. Bet you're jealous aren't you? It was just like driving a BMW auto cabrio with the lid down! Anyhow, that's all I wanted to say really. Rest of the evening was spent reducing said beast to sizes suitable for Tanner meals, one cut should do it! I was going to comment on Michelle's splendid piece about picking the girls up, but after all the excitement, I can't be bothered. Sorry if reading about slotting etc offends any of you, but I've left out the gory bits. Take care my avid readership, until I can get onto MY laptop again, fare thee well.

I couldn't let this pass without comment, Cx, you now have one less reason to stay in the UK. God rest John Peel, he will be sadly missed by many.

A present from the Tatler Fan Club.



Cx , Stan & Bloo

One very stressful day!

I don't know what was up with the girls this morning but they got ready for school in plenty of time and Alice even made her bed!!!!!! I yelled at her as she walked down the drive not to forget that Daddy would collect her from school for riding so wait by the gate as usual. Eric said they had had enough of us after 3 days off and were glad to get back to school!! My work day started with with me trying to do a quick hours office work before going out. We got new (well they told us they were new but they are 2nd hand!!) laptops last week and being so busy on Friday this was the first time I had really tried to use it. I could not get into Outlook at all, found out that they had removed Outlook Express (I have never used Outlook), my address book was empty and I have absolutely no battery. Needless to say I was not impressed! I got nothing constructive done and dashed to Te Awamutu for the parenting group talk. That went well and I then drove down to Kawhia to do some practical teaching with a doctor. Kawhai is very isolated and very beautiful, situated on the west coast below Raglan. The harbout is huge and the scenery very dramatic. I'm sure I've raved about this place before. The population is predominantly Maori and John is the only GP there. Had an interesting afternoon. As I left I got a text from Eric asking if he should take H with him or leave her at home, he was just off to get her from school. If I was going to be home shortly he would have left her at home but I was still in Kawhia, a 1.5 hour drive away, so replied to take her with him. 10 mins later the Intermediate phoned me saying that they had Harriette there, she had missed the bus. I said not to worry her father was on his way in to collect her but should have been there by then. They took his number and said they'd phone him. 2 minutes later Alice phoned to say Daddy had not picked her up (by now it was 3.30pm so he was 30 min late). My immediate thought was panic, and that he had had an accident. I increased my speed considerably and tried his mobile - voicemail!! 10 minutes later he phoned me. His version of events.... Mistral had no diesel so he had to go into Matamata to fill up. Decided that as H needed to come with him he'd collect her from school. (She is in Matamata and finishes as 3.10pm). It was raining and all the kids dashed for the bus. He thought he had missed her so when her bus left he left to collect Alice (who is 10km out of Matamata and finishes at 3pm). In the interim Alice had left the front gate as she had waited 30 min and no Daddy and went to the office to phone me. Eric gets to Hinuera and no Alice, so he asumes she got the bus. Gets a call from Intermediate saying H needs picking up and goes back into Matamata to collect her. Meanwhile he phones me and I let rip because a) I was so relieved he was alive and b) he cocked up so badly and caused complete confusion (this is the second time Eric has botched up arrangements around horseriding evenings) and huge worry. He had 10 minutes to collect Alice and get her the 30 minute drive into Cambridge so gave up and phoned to say Alice would not get in. He was still livid when I got home but finally agreed that if he had collect A at 3pm then gone in and got H at 3.10pm he could have then got petrol and gone to the riding stable. I know, that's female logic! Why do men have such difficulty arranging things?!

Labour Day

Hurray, the start of summer!! Actually today has been gorgeous. Some threatening clouds this morning but no rain. From mid-morning it got sunnier and I actually sunbathed this afternoon for awhile. We came in at about 5.30pm and the heavans opened shortly afterwards. Perfect timing. The girls spent a good part of the day in the pool. Yesterday I blobbed out all day. I could not get motivated to do anything, attacked the fridge at hourly intervals and wasted the entire day! I lept out of bed full of resolve this morning and have had a very productive day. I have waded through the flower bed opposite the deck which, like all the garden has been so neglected. I dug out a walnut tree that had self seeded and was hoping to transfer it elsewhere but the tap root was soooo stubborn I had to cut it off so will not bother trying to re-plant it. I emptied compost bins and put the compost round the strawberries after weeding. With the warmer weather the weeds everywhere are going mad and I am going to have to try and do my 1/2 hour every evening in the veg plot to get and keep on top of them. Last year I planted some globe artichokes that I had dug up from the roadside out side the home of the lady we bought the pigs from. She had no idea what they were and thought me mad wanting to dig up and plant a huge thistle! Anyway today we had our first harvest from this. I picked 3 globes and they were lovely. I always think of Cheryl when we eat GA. Many years ago when we lived in Whitstable we had Mark and Cheryl round for a meal along with Mandy and David. We served GA's for starters and Cheryl just stared at them and said 'What the ---- do I do with this!' I would never have known myself if it was not for Delia Smith. The girls shared one and actually ate it. We forgo-ed the hollandaise sauce for dipping. Can you believe it Eric has suddenly, since doing his CPR course, had a conscience about his fat intake. Not only did he not have hollandaise sauce, but he declined ice cream this afternoon and even cut the fat of his (home-made) bacon yesterday morning!!!!!! This is rather a large ajustment for you to make after 18 odd years together as those of you who know Eric will appreciate.

Well so much for my determination to take the children somewhere this weekend, yet again it didn't happen. Mind you NZ does not cater for wet weather in the way that the UK does and we don't have historic buildings to visit so when the rain threatens it is difficult to know what to do. I had phoned Juliet on Saturday to see if they would be in but they were busy all w/e. Kev was thrilled with his early Xmas/birthday pressie from his Mom and parents-in-law. He had a chocolate lab puppy. Their neighbours Ian and Judy breed labs and have had very little success of late. However one of the bitches has just had 6 choc coloured ones. With Kev being so down about the unemployment situation some cheering up tactics were engaged and this was the result. Needless to say he is bowled over.

The children are making lots of noise in the kitchen, I think they are slapping tea towels at each other. I shall go and lay down the law before it ends in tears. Night night all.