A good day (generally).

Today has been one of life's good days. The girls got off to school without too much aggravation, I only had one visit to do and managed to get some organising done in my office, including re-arranging the whole place. But the best bit came in the post, a tax rebate twice as big as I had been expecting! (Just hope the accountant doesn't double his fee at the same time, we await that bit!). It carried on well. Harri came home from school having had her first MeNZB vaccine and did not make a huge fuss (unlike the last time she had an immunisation at school) and her piano lesson was cancelled so I didn't have to do that after school dash. In fact this evening it all feels quite relaxed here at Cedar Lodge. Well it hasn't ALL been good. My visit this morning was a bit hassle-y and Harriette came home from school with a disgusting weepy big toe. She had a whitlow had that got infected and my ministerings had not helped. Antibiotics were called for and despite my pleading with the receptionist she insisted I had to take her in. I was really hoping to speak to Andy and get him to prescribe over the phone which Eric could collect on the way home, but he wasn't in. Saw another doctor who told Harri she needed a 'wedge resection' of both sides of her toenail next week and then went on to graphically describe the procedure, and how they had to remove the growth plates way below the nail!!! I swear she would have fainted had she not been sitting down. Anyway she came out with a script for antibiotics and a return planned for next week. Needless to say Eric fell around in hysterics when she descibed the consultation to him and asked if he could watch! I have just realised that Harriette is on music camp next week so may postpone her appointment.

We have just had a VERY relaxing long weekend. I was planning to be off on Tuesday, a university and school holiday (remember I work, indirectly for Auckland Uni.), but was asked to take a new member of staff up to Auckland so she could collect her car so didn't. I took Harriette for the drive. I had hoped to be back in time for us all to go for a walk but it was late and as I drove back I suddenly remembered that it was Tuesday and therefore Alice had a horse riding lesson. I phoned Eric to remind him and as I drove along SHW1 and Taotaoroa Rd and did not pass them (therefore assumed that they had already turned off to Karapiro)I was impressed that she was actually going to be delivered to a lesson on time for a change. I was therefore not impressed to pass him about 2 minutes drive from our house. She was going to be very late - again!

Have just had a break for supper (smoked salmon and sundried tomatoes with fettucine) and had Alice in tears. She has just returned from Guides full of The Gang Show, a variety show that guides and scouts put on in a theatre in Hamilton in October. She was very keen to participate and was obviously hopeful that we would say Yes. I then read the blurb and it involves: 2 weekend camps, one on Harri's birthday, that we can cope with, Sunday rehearsals for 4 months, err, OK, 8 performances in 7 days in Hamilton, 7 of which are in the evening, now going off the idea. I then see that the weekly rehearsals are 6 hours long and in Hamilton. Err.. NO. Hamilton is a 40 minute drive away and I am not sure what we would do every Sunday for 6 hours for 4 months. Poor Alice was so disappointed but understood why we said no. Maybe when she is older but not at 11 years of age (as she will be in October).

Eric kept telling me at lunch time, refering to the tax rebate, 'Now I know you, don't go spending it all in your head' What's wrong with spending it in my head!!?? I've spent lotto wins that way hundreds of times and we don't do lotto! He then had the cheek to mention, when he got home this evening, that he'd; priced a new fishing reel (his broke after he had wound on about 400m of line on to it on Sunday), spoken to the person at Matamata Machinery about a tractor and had taken his shotgun in to discuss alterations required to accomodate the new shot they have to use here in NZ for duck shooting (they can't use lead now - I think). The latter point he was planning to do before the post arrived I have to admit.

(All back to normal, Harriette is yelling protestations at having to wash up after supper!!!). Night night.

PS. Don't you just love children!

As I posted my last blog this conversation emerged from Harri's bedroom. (All yelled loudly!) "Oi, don't bite me" Followed quickly by "Well don't put your leg in my mouth" !!!! What more can one say. I said nothing as they both then disintegrated into giggles.

Rain, rain whoberful rain.

Taotaoroa Tattler

I must be getting kiwi-ised. I don't ever remember getting excited about rain in the UK, S.Africa yes (after we had seen none for 7 months), the UK no. But here, getting anxious about lack of grass is a pastime we seem to have engaged in. Our summer has actually happened (thank heavens) and come rather late. We are seeing signs of autumn now with the trees (ooops I meant leaves!) falling (and as a consequence the pool filling with the damned things) but the temperatures remain warm. That makes months of good weather now. We went to The Mount recently and the sea was incredibly warm.

Easter weekend and, at the children's request, we have just been to church. Now, Eric is playing with his fishing tackle (a new pastime since he and Richard planned a fishing trip when we were at The Mount). He 'discovered' a new knot last night and got sooo excited about it. Somehow I couldn't get as excited! Alice is sorting her photo's taken on camp. I have given her an IKEA frame to use and she is decorating the border. Harriette is sulking in her room having been reprimanded about her 'me me' attitude following their Easter Egg hunt. Big strop when the Easter bunny had not been by 7.30am!! Amazingly she was so good yesterday. She washed my car (had to really, I had gone halves on a dress for her and she was $5 short so offered to wash my car) but them she came and helped me weeding the garden AND she made the pizzas for supper. AND, and this you won't believe.......she cleared up afterwards!!!!! She obviously was not well.

Juliet and Kev came down on Thursday evening for one night. They are so much more relaxed now even though they are weeks away from a pay packet and will be months recovering from the finacial repercissions of this period in their lives, but knowing Kev now has a job is just brilliant. They bought their 3 labs (one of each colour) and so we had 5 of them here. They all just managed to sleep in the kennel but the Stokes dogs, or one of them, barks much of the night!! Thank heavens that is never been a problem with ours. They left on Friday and it rained... and rained... and rained. And do you know what I did, absolutely nothing! It was wonderful. I sat down and read Harry Potter, all afternoon. I cannot tell you what a pleasure that was. We seem to have run around constantly since Eric started Uni. and were desperate for the break this weekend offered. With our student gone on Thursday the atmosphere in the house has been a lot lighter as well. We have the first 3 HP books on audio cassette and I have listened to those stories so often that I could almost recite them, but the 4th and 5th books I had forgotten most of so am reading them again in anticipation of the 6th due out in July. I love them as much as I did on the first reading! In NZ the books are released at 11am so they do not have the sleep in's that they have in the northern hemisphere. Still there is always much anticipation and in this house 3 people trying to get the book to read.

Yesterday was the usual into Matamata for the library and bits and pieces and then another lazy day. After lunch I was feeling particuarly unmotivated (it's no good having time to relax!) and really had to force myself outside by mid afternoon. I felt much better after a few hours weeding though. In the evening I made my traditional Simnel cake. I asked Alice, at one point, to put a piece of greaseproof paper over it half way through cooking to prevent it burning. What Alice failed to tell me was that is was already heading in that direction and another hour later is was positively charred! I am therefore baking another one now, at a much lower temperature!

Before church I phoned Louise and had a great chat. Louise is one of my oldest friends, we met the first day we started out nurse training (28 years ago!!!!!) and she has been through a rough patch of late. I was worried about her and relieved to hear that things are much better now. Lu is a regular reader of blog but an irregular commentor! I have tried to chivvy her along after explaining who D-Man was (do I know myself?!) and filling her in on a few other gaps.

Well I guess I had better get outside as the sun is shining at the moment. Eric was casting off the deck when I last saw him and by the sound of things he has the water blater out. Perhaps he is mimicking the seas waves and gettinng in the mood for a sea trip. Richard, please take him away soooooon!!!

Good News

After posting photo's and writing yesterday I forgot to relay the best bit of news. had a phone call from Kev to say he has a job. Thrilled for them. Brilliant Kev. Life is definately on the up for them now.

And Now She'd Gone.

Puppy has gone. We are really pleased that she has gone to The Scott's so we will still get to see her lots. Katherine was promised a puppy for her recent 10th birthday. They had been waiting a neighbours pregnant lab but Katherine decided on this puppy instead. I must say I think, for Katherine's sake, it is a good decision. Katherine is a tiny thing and I am sure she would struggle to handle a lab. Puppy will be just right for her. Carol Eric is adamant she is a foxie, the difference apparently being the facial structure and foxies are of slighter build. To me they are all little yakkie things, but Puppy is cute! No D-Man, she will not be Ninja 2 but Faith.

We still have our Japanese student and she is not saying any more than when she arrived. We took her on a bush walk last Saturday, after taking Alice for a catch up riding lesson, up to a kauri (NZ native tree) grove in Ngaruawahia on Saturday.

A healthy looking Stan.

We met The Stokes there and then went back to their place for supper. It was a gorgeous evening, and we spent it on their deck looking at this.

Well I actually mean the view but Stan took it into his head to walk the lamb at regular intervals! Stan has come and gone. The girls were thrilled to see him (that doesn't mean we weren't!). He looked very well. NZ is obviously good for him and the sooner he stops talking about it and actually gets himself out here permanently, the better it will be. He called in on Bridget on the way down and she popped round on Friday evening so they have made their peace, which I am pleased about.

Anyway, back to the weekend. On Sunday R+R came round for morning tea and to see Stan before he left. From there we went to The Mount to show the 2 Japanese girls. A slight misunderstanding meant we arrived 45 minutes before The Scotts! Harriette and Sarah climbed to the top and we did the easier and prettier walk round.


We then got fish and chips which we had on the beach. The girls all went body boarding and swimming in the sea as the sun set.


The sea was incredibly warm, if I'd have had my togs I would have gone in. I didn't so Robyn and I had a girlie chat while the boys went for food and played petanque when they got back (why I bothered I don't know, I seem to get worse rather than better at it!). Between all the hectic activities at the weekend I tried on 3 times to phone a certain person in the UK who said they would be in in the evenings - they weren't!!!!!

Tomorrow I am off to Auckland for an interview for my bosses job. As I have said before I do not actually want it as it is only 20 hr/week and I am quite happy that Pen will get it but I do want to suss out what other opportunities may be available for me so am going. Eric is still flat out and we are really looking forward to the weekend (5 days off for us). Alice has been rather under the weather with a nagging cough and snotty nose, which has gone on for weeks now. I finally took her to the doctors and she has a battery of treatments. I let her have Monday off and would have liked to have kept her off today but Eric and I were both in Hamilton all day. She does seem a lot better this evening though so I feel a bit less guilty now. Tomorrow evening we have a Sayonara for the Japanese students and she goes on Thursday.

Off to bed now. Hope you enjoy the photo's.

More animals?!

Eric bought this home today.






By definition, as Daddy told me once, it is gorgeous, as in, all puppies are gorgeous. The reason he bought it home is it is so small it escapes through the fencing in the pound. Needless to say we have done nothing tonight but watch this thing take on Rust, Feral and a netball, all of which are far bigger than her. Inca kept out the way once he'd had a good sniff. She is such a character and all 3 of them (E,H and A, not Feral, Inca and Rust)keep looking at me with a pleading 'PLEASE can we keep her' look. I am a heartless woman though and keep repeating No,No,NO. I hate small dogs. She is very cute though!!!!

I exagerate slightly, we didn't watch her all evening as I had to go to Horahora Domain and get Alice who was biscuiting on the river with the guides. She had a whale of a time and was far more impressed with the 115hp engines pulling her around than Eric's 8hp (without hairdryer). It did look like seriously good fun and a faster boat has definately been added to our shopping list. Unfortunately it comes after:

1. Head gasket for the Mistral.
2. Trakker
3. Trakker attachments (various and many)
4. Pool cover and roller
5. 2nd barn
6. Bits (and a miracle) to get the RR on the road
7. Metal to redo the drive
8. Soak away field for the septic tank (don't ask!)
9. Digger hire to clear the stream
10. Glass house or poly tunnel
11. Retaining wall and soil for my garden plans
12. House insulation and double glazing (difficult as NZ does no appear to have discovered the latter yet)
etc
etc

and of course the girls are desparate to return to the UK.

THEN we can buy a boat!!!! 2012 maybe.

Stan phoned this evening, he is on his way down.

8 days worth of blog

I know, it's been over a week since I blogged. Sorry. We are trying to adjust to Eric being at Uni, and working, and studying. The pattern of single parenthood is emerging. Roll on November. Yes I know, lots of people do, year in year out, what we are dealing with now ie not having enough time, one or both working 8am - 6pm, juggling childcare etc. It's called the rat race and it's part of the reason we left the UK. We are getting up at 6.30am and I do try and get the house sorted, supper organised etc. I also have to do the after school activity runs piano, guides, horse riding etc, AND I am supposed to work 40 hours a week. I am rapidly using up the time I am owed at the moment. I am going to be working at the weekends to catch up before long. I was hoping to have all of Monday in the office to catch up as I had been out the last 3 days of the previous week, but I got called into Hamilton and then I got a call from our local paper who were doing a story on a child who died from Meningococcal Disease and wanted to clarify the technical facts. She had got it all wrong so I went through to their office on my return from Hamilton and sorted that out. About a minute after I got back Bridget arrived. Bang went my 'office' day. Doesn't that sound ungrateful, sorry Bridget, I didn't mean that! It is always good to see you.

I had a very scary experience today. Close your eyes for the next bit if you are squeamish. I let the dogs out when I got in from my various talks today and wondered, 5 minutes later, why Inca didn't come back when called. I went out to the back paddocks, scanned the neighbours paddocks, went round the front, no Inca. Finally he came and I decided that something dead, or a good bone, had kept his attention somewhere. I sniffed his breath, smelt fine so he obviously wasn't eating something rotten somewhere. Anyway he instantly disappeared again. On investigating I just saw the top of his tail over the some huge logs under a tree way down in the dip of the back paddock. Deciding something must have died there I went down to find a lamb with half it's side missing. Unfortunately it was still alive, just. Where was Eric when I needed him? In Hamilton at Uni. I did that panicky run around on the spot thing (ie 'fire' mode) and tried to think how I could kill it. I decided that it had to be the rifle and went to text Eric for a lesson. He phoned me back and instructed me how to get into the gun cupboard and step by step how to load the rifle. 'Put in the magazine', 'What's a magazine look like, I only know paper ones with pages?' 'Is the bolt in?' 'What's a bolt?' You get the picture. Now anyone who knew me in the UK will know how anti guns I was, and the tensions when Eric bought home his fathers shotgun (I insisted the gun cabinet be in our, very difficult to access, attic). By the time I put the magazine anywhere near the rifle (the magazine has the bullets in it) I started shaking and telling Eric, 'I really don't like this'. Anyway, thinking only of this poor creature I trekked across the paddock to shoot it. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to find that it had already died. In fact I nearly dropped the rifle (I didn't Eric!). I immediately pulled out the magazine and felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders! I don't know why a rifle scares me so much more than a shotgun, I guess I am more familiar with the latter. Needless to say I left it to Eric to dump it down the offal hole! YUK. So this blew out my hour of office work today, I then had the horse riding run to do.

We have a Japanese student at the moment, Yuri. She is easy, language-wise as she spent 4 years in America, and has a good grasp of English. I doubt she can understand Alice (accent) or Harriette ('Kevin-like' teenage mumbling) though. She is quiet though and I am not sure if she is happy. Harriette and Alice's incessant arguing does nothing to help either. They are also getting up at 6.30am now and need earlier nights but we are not really managing that. Richard and Robyn also have a student who is very chatty and lovely. I am pleased as it is the first time they have had one. They all came for roast pork on Sunday. Another attempt at an early night, I said we would eat at 5pm. Well by the time we had all gone down to look at the piglets and waste time just gazing at them and got back to the house Pen, a colleague of mine turned up (expected) to pick up some equipment I had, and stayed for a coffee, it was about 8pm by the time we ate. Roast pork was followed by 2 pavlovas (Robyn and I had both done one), 3 ice creams, jelly, peanut butter tart and fruit salad!!!! Dining Cedar Lodge style!

Well not a lot else to report. Photo's as promised. As you can see, Ninja and his siblings, are thriving.

Weekend Report

It's raining! I said that last week didn't I. Well last Monday's rain stopped all too quickly. It is soooo dry here. Actually with Alice off to a bush camp I was quite pleased the rain did stop. Since then it has been hot and dry, yesterday was really hot. I spent the whole day in the veg plot and, alas, did not put on enough SPF. Burnt face, but as I'm reasonably brown at the moment I didn't suffer too much. Still, not good practice. This morning I received some photo's from Stiv's (an old boy several years after Eric was at Duke's) from when he was here in June 2003. The pool had no fence and my veg plot looked pathetic! If Stiv's is happy I will do a 'then and now' thing when I have some more time. Anyway his email started 'It's Mother's Day here..' OOppps! It's in May here and having not bought any cards lately I had missed the reminders 'Mother's Day in the UK is... March this year' I had completely missed it. Still it's still Sunday there (big advantage this being 11-13hrs ahead of the UK) so quick call to Mom. At least she understands the problem.

The weekend has been stressful. H and A have kicked up the usual fuss at being given chores and the issuing instructions 10 times for each task has been depressing. Well H kicks up the fuss, Alice just cannot retain more than one instruction at a time. I went down to the veg plot yesterday leaving a small list of jobs and instructions that they were to get dressed (PJ's at 11am still) and spend some time outdoors today. Came back up to find they had done barely half the jobs given, and none of them properly, had forgotten the rest and made more mess with board games all over the place blah, blah, blah you get the picture. Eric has started uni today and with that and working, things will be very different here for the next 9 months. I am dreading it really, roll on Nov. Saturday Harriette went to Scott's for the day as Sarah had a pool party, sort of a belated birthday.You'll remember they were at The Mount in Jan on her birthday. Well I dropped H. off on the way to town. Getting out the car I was swearing at the children who were arguing, well taking the Lord's name in vain actually, I realised that R+R were talking to one Mom who is particularly religious, a lovely lady, but still probably did not apreciate it. I then embarrassed myself further by swearing again as I ranted about how H and A were driving me up the wall!!! OOOpppps.

On Friday I took the day off and picked Alice and some other children up from camp. They were at Aongetete Camp in the bush on the Kaimais. We loaded them up and took them to Katikati to an outdoor pool at a camp site at Saphire Springs. There they had a swim and burgers for lunch before heading home. All well until Hinuera where I slowed to cross a level crossing then stalled as I pulled away. I pulled over and was about to re-start the engine when I saw smoke coming out from under the bonnet. B--ger! Now luckily I was literally around the corner from the school so walked the girls over and got a Mom to come back and decant baggage into her car to take it to school. Phoned Eric and after discussions about what to do we decided to try and drive it the last 7km (4 miles) home, being an automatic it is difficult to tow. We got as far as the end of our road and it died again. Home for a cup of tea (our cure for everything) and then we tried again and finally got it up the drive. Eric spent Friday evening diagnosing it and reckons it's the head gasket. We had been fooled as the header tank still had plenty of water but the radiator took about 8 litres of water! Anyway, apparently taking the rocker head off should have taken about 30 mins but the gasket there had melted and it took Eric several hours. The turbo he cannot get out at all. He was convinced one unreachable nut was holding it on but I managed to remove that and... it still would not move. He finally had to admit it had beaten him and thinks the engine needs lifting out. Unfortunatly he can do that but the beam that he would need to take it is in the barn and under it are about 300 hay bales!!!!! He is off to Te Poi to talk to Bryce at the garage today. Poor Eric, we need this like a hole in the head at the moment. At least I broke down in spitting distance of the school, close to home, Eric was at home and it wasn't raining!

Saturday night we had a relaxing evening at the Scott's. I took pizzas over (mine) and Robyn did sausages and salads. We watched The Crusaders thrash our local team, The Chiefs, in the Super 12. The Chiefs got to half time OK but a few tries by the opposition at the start of the 2nd half knocked their confidence and they slipped badly from then on. Apart from the loss, a good evening.

Well that brings things up to date I think. Oh I found a dead piglet last Friday. Don't panic D-Man it wasn't Ninja. No injuries evident so I think Mom must have squished her. When are you coming to see Ninja D-Man, you must bring D-girl and D-Lady before they get too big.

I must go and do some work. I'll update you with piggie photo's leter this week.

The beach at Broadstairs

A friend sent us this photo today - Thanks Chris. I have put it on blog so the southern hemisphere readers (all 2 of you) can gloat!!!!! Warm and sunny in Auckland today (where I was)! (Don't faint but Harriette is washing up as I type!!)

The Weekend

Well Vicki has gone and is now heading for Taupo after being suitably impressed with Rotorua and the mad things they do there. I hope she took out serious personal insurance for this trip. She has already witnessed a japanese girl break her back sand boarding in Australia. I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground and move around at human speeds. Vicki left here saying she now has to decide whether to get a job and just not go back to the UK or to go back and earn lots of £'s to bring back here!!! For some reason she has convinced herself she wants to make NZ her home. Now why could that be I wonder!
Vicki on Kawhia beach


On Arapuni swing bridge


Bliss!!!


You may recall I said we went to the Mount on Thursday and Harriette had a school trip there on the Friday. Well she got to school to find they had left without her!!! I was not impressed as she was there 8 minutes before they were due to go. Her teacher lives over the Mount way and was meeting them there. He was as impressed as I was when I drove her over and caught the class up. Anyway we know Harriette DID get to the top this time!



Harriette is missing because she was climbing to the summit!!

Saturday was a catching up on chores day, an hour or 2 watching the piglets and supper at Helen and Phil's. We always have such a laugh when we go over there, especially if Tom (their 15 yr old) is around. He is such a hoot, and the laughter is usually around his antics. Sunday I managed an hour in the garden and then we were over to Ann and Mikes in Thames for a BBQ. Had a pleasant day there with various friends.

It rained - HURRAY!!!!! Woke up Monday morning to wonderful rain (as Stan calls it 'happy rain'). Quite heavy but not torrential, and no wind. Only thing was Alice was just off to camp! She was SSOOOO excited, and had tried to pack almost every day for the last fortnight. Luckily for them the rain eased off and it has been, and promises to be, good for the rest of the week. I do hope so. It was quite cool last night and I worried this morning that she may not have been warm enough. I am really missing her, and it's only Tuesday!! Monday evening I was back to Thames, teaching this time. It's not that far, just over an hour, but seems a long way when you do the drive twice in 2 days.

Off to Auckland for the next couple of days. Harriette is off to the Scott's tomorrow, after school, to watch Millie being re-shoe'd or something. Wonder if it will be your hunky farrier Carol! Eric will be home alone - lucky guy!