Bits and pieces

I have been doing something this week 

that I haven't done for about 40 years.

I've been sewing!

I had to borrow eldest daughters' sewing machine, 

mine is sitting rusty in the garage.

It was so nice to use , nice and smooth to sew with.

Unlike mine that used to sound a bit 

like a freight train coming up the passage.

I'm almost tempted to start sewing again.

What was I making?

Squab covers for the caravan.

By the time I got to the last one 

I had it down to a fine art.

Well almost. No they're not perfect

 but I'm quite pleased with my effort.

I've also had my 'hair done today. 

It is very straight and fine and hard to do anything with.

So I decided to get a colour put in it instead.

PINK!

I loved it when Helen Mirren went pink, 

but I wasn't game enough to have it done all over.

So we decided on a "smudge" in the front.

It took two or three goes to get the colour right

 but we think we've got it nailed now.

Tomorrow we are heading up to the caravan 

for a week or so - unless the weather packs up.

Our summer hasn't been terrific, 

but I am not complaining when I see 

what is happening in other parts of the world,

what with the flooding in England, the snow in 

America and the bush fires in Aussie.

So what's a little wind.

We have been extremely lucky we have just had wind,

 even if it has been pretty non stop for months.

So we will head off in the morning, 

both our daughters will drop in

 and have turns at feeding Claude over the week

 and all going well my GKB will have enough 

fine weather to catch a fish or two.

I just enjoy getting away for a while.

P.S. Claude has just discovered beds, couches and easy chairs after 14 years, and he rather likes them. Woe betide if I should lift my backside off  my seat, apparently they're more comfortable if someone has been kind enough to warm them for you.

So on that note I will leave you

and see you when I get back.

Diana

A country town

Today was a sweltering 27 degrees C out here on the plain.

Far too hot to just sit around at home.

"Let's head out to Outram for an ice cream" says I.

Outram is just 10 minutes drive west, 

and they have great ice creams,

 so away we went. 

Windows down and the breeze blowing through the car.

Once we arrived we decided to have 

a stroll around and see what was happening. 

These two shops were closed, much to my disappointment, 

the one at the top had some nice pieces in the window.

It's a craft shop, the others are second hand shops.

 All of them only open at the weekend.

These two cafes were open and doing a good trade

especially as it was a week day. 

But of course it is the school holidays.

Outram gets a lot of weekend visitors

 who go out for the cafes and craft type shops. 

And ice creams. 

It probably helps that the river passes by the entrance 

to the town and has good bathing and easy access.

Of course no small town would be complete

 without the local watering hole and a church.

And houses for people to live in. 

The house below is a converted church,

it looks really beautiful and tranquil.

And this is what you gaze at if you are sitting out

the back of one of the little cafes, 

it is so peaceful and restoring.

Now I want to show you some real 'country style'.

Don't ya just love it? 

I hope you've enjoyed strolling around Outram with us.

Have a good week,

Diana

Summertime

First of all I want to wish you all a happy

 and prosperous new year, 

a little belated but not too much I hope.

It is summer here down under,

in the southern hemisphere,

which means summer holidays.

Here are a few rules for those heading to the beach,

 the bach, crib or caravan. 

Mainly though they are rules for beach-goers, 

wherever you pitch your tent.

checking the surf

Wake up smiling

Flip flops are mandatory

(or jandals for New Zealand and thongs for Australia)

Nap often

Feel the breeze

wear sunscreen

take long walks

soak up the sun

MAKE A SPLASH

Hang up your towel

relax & unwind

Leave the sand at the beach

WATCH THE SUNRISE

Ride the waves there and back

Build sandcastles

Be grateful for the day

Wishing you all great summer holidays if you are in the south 

and good days whatever you are doing anywhere else. 

Diana

Missy the manx minx

We have been kitten sitting for a few days. 

Missy is an 8 week old manx kitten
 and she had fun trying to demolish the Christmas tree.

When that didn't work she decided to climb to the top,
 but couldn't quite get to replace the star.
She did manage to dislodge 
several decorations  on her way up though.

And after swinging on tinsel and lights for a while

she collapsed in a heap on the back of the couch and slept.

Oh, Claude was not impressed 
that we had a kitten in the house, 
even a female one.

Keep well as you prepare

for the new year

Diana

Unto us a child is born...

Luke 2:1-20 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 



So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

******************

wishing you all 

a blessed Christmas 

and all you hope for 

from the new year

Diana

A silly week

Pohutukawa flower (N Z Christmas tree)

It's been a silly  week.

Or I should probably say a busy week.

Yesterday was the last day for youth group,

I organize and wrap their Christmas presents

then help to ferry kids to wherever their breakup is being held.

Tomorrow is the Sunday school break-up, 

I help organize their prizes

 and food for their 

Christmas party.

And help set up the hall for said party.

Guess who volunteered to help at

a kids craft day as well?

And I am not a crafty person, gulp.

There have been several meetings for that, 

and a prep day as well.

It'll all happen on Tuesday this week,

so that the mothers can have an extra day 

shopping before Christmas, without the kids.

I'm not complaining, you understand,

 but I will be pleased when it is Wednesday.

So just to relax a bit, and be a bit silly, 

I'd like to share this New Zealand version 

of a well known Christmas song with you.

I think you'll guess the tune.

A PUKEKO IN A PONGA TREE

On the first day of Christmas 

My true love gave to me 

A pukeko in a ponga tree

On the second day of Christmas 

My true love gave to me 

two kumera 

And a pukeko in a ponga tree 

On the third day of Christmas 

....

and so on, until... 

On the twelfth day of Christmas 

My true love gave to me 

Twelve piupius swinging 

Eleven haka lessons 

Ten juicy fish heads 

Nine sacks of pipis 

Eight plants of puha 

Seven eels a swimming 

Six pois a twirling 

Five - big - fat - pigs ! 

Four huhu grubs 

Three flax kits 

Two kumera 

And a pukeko in a ponga tree! 

Kingi Ihaka

Pukeko

Ponga  fern

 

A summer Santa and two silly pukeko

Have a great week, folks.

Blessings, 

Diana

Girls day in town

Yesterday I had a day in town with my daughters.

And two of my grand-daughters.

Ooh and I'd better not forget youngest grandson, Danny.

After doing some of our shopping 

we headed to the gardens for lunch.

Pizza in the park

One of the grand-daughters' beau had 

appeared on the scene by this time.

(Isn't it funny how blokes can sense when there's food around).

Although we'd had cold (warm) drinks with lunch

it was such a hot day we decided to head to eldest

grand-daughters' flat for tea and coffee

and a bit of relief from the sun. 

She had just finished decorating her Christmas tree.

pretty blue & silver tree

Her first Christmas tree away from home

 and she is very proud of it.

As she is of her garden.

She has put a lot of work into it.

Of course I went out and looked around 

and encouraged her, she's really keen.

a work in progress

Then after a social half hour or so 
 it was time to head home again.

Enjoy your week,
don't be too busy,

Diana