busy, busy, busy...

The weather is all over the place at the moment and so are my walking and cycling plans. There's quite a bit of walking going on though as I am car less for half the day and if I want to get places I have to walk, which I am not complaining about, I enjoy it.


It is also the silly season and so everyone is busy, busy, busy. Busy with buying Christmas presents, we have decided to limit our purchases to under $20-00 this year for the adults and that is quite challenging, but I only have Mums to get now and I know what that will be. Oh, and the teenage grand daughters, they are not so easy to buy for. Probably this year it will be vouchers from some popular store so they can go shopping on boxing day and have fun in the crowds. Oh and the 20 something grandson, that's not quite so simple.

Then there are the Christmas parties, vestry, youth group, Sunday school for a start then the works do's as well. Then getting roped into being part of the puppet show, which ended up being greatly enjoyed by all, thank goodness as I thought it would be a disaster, it was at the dress rehearsal.

I have also helped to decorate 2 trees, neither of them mine, that is still in its box in the garage somewhere, but I hope to get to it sometime in the next week.

We, the GKB and myself have been to the Santa parade at the weekend and there are some picture on the page of some of the crowd who were there to watch a great parade which had over 80 floats to entertain us. Two of the grandchildren were on floats, near the end of the parade. And we were at the end of the route but it was a great atmosphere while we were waiting, with excited kids and bands playing, and chocolate treats and cardboard reindeer ears.

The excitement is certainly building, especially when you have kids around. Christmas - it can't come soon enough...

West Coast reminiscing...

I have had a wonderful holiday, only a week but a great week. Went to the Coast and revisited the old haunts, caught up with all the rellies who still live there and had a lot of fun. Sis, Mum and the GKB came as well, it was a time of reminiscing and laughter. Even the Christchurch cuzzy was there on holiday so it really worked out well.

Needless to say not a lot of planned exercise came into it but we did walk the streets where we used to live and try to work out where things used to be in the 'good old days'. Sis met a girl she used to play with when she was a pre-schooler so they had a bit of a catch up and have become friends again.

We also went for a drive up the coast road to the blow holes, which were not working as the sea was not rough enough. That was a bit of a pity because the GKB had never been there and it would have been marvellous if the old chimney pot was blowing. But it did rain for us and drove us into the cafe for cappuccino's, hot tea and wonderful home made afghans. Made fresh on the premises each day - yummy!

Sad to say that I have not been for a walk since getting back and have only been on the bike once or twice since getting back home. I will have to really get back into that as the silly season is upon us and I have already been to one wind up for the year that was celebrated with heaps of decadent food. Very Yummy. And I have another one to go to next Sunday night, shock horror, I have to prepare some finger food to take.

So life goes on, and I am back at work, week 3 coming up, it seems like only last week we were all having a good time together, but sis is back in the land of Oz, we are back at work and Christmas is just around the corner. I already have my first Christmas card, now that is a bit scary, but we also have to get the overseas parcels away tomorrow if they are to get places in time without them costing a small fortune. And write and send the Christmas cards -all good fun, I love Christmas and all the fuss and stuff that goes with it. Bring it on, it can't come soon enough...

oh well, back to work again ...

Holidays are over and it's back to work again, oh well, that's life.

I did a lot of walking while on hols, also did a lot of sitting on the bum getting from here to there and back again. We ate a lot of rich food as well, yummy. Night one, out for a meal with the rellies, chicken casserole and fresh veges then fresh fruit sponge pudding and ice cream. Night two, out with more rellies, whitebait patties and salads followed by cream cake and strawberries. Night three a barbecue with another set of rellies - home grown venison, chicken legs and nelson oysters with the usual salads to go with it. Fresh fruit and cheese and coffee or tea. And those who wanted it washed everything down with a wine or beer of their choice each night. Lots of fun and laughter all around.

It was a wonderfully relaxing time, we detoured off the main highway and visited the little village under the mountains where Grandad was born and where his father ran a wool scour. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we had hoped to get into the museum there as there are quite a few family artifacts there but unfortunately it was closed. Still we took some photo's anyway.

At our destination we visited the old family home, well where the old family home used to be, it is now a block of pensioners flats and the street has become really rundown and needs a bulldozer through most of it. Sis met a girl who she played with as a pre-schooler and now they are going to keep in touch, they were good friends for years.

Back home again and sis and I went walking along the Silverstream one morning, it was so hot we were pleased to get back to the house for a refreshing drink. We talked so much we didn't really notice how far we were going but turned around at the main road and came back again. She's away back to Aussie now, via Wellington.

I have also been back on the bike again but the GKB keeps putting it back in the bedroom, especially if he thinks we are going to have visitors. Not good. Not good at all if I am to ride it - it can't make me feel guilty if I can't see it.

wandering the silverstream

I took a wander down the banks of the Silverstream today, there was a bit of a breeze blowing but it wasn't unpleasant, reasonably warm in fact. Had to carry my hat though as the breeze kept snatching it from my head and playing with it. I took the left side of the bank after I had gone through the gate - and closed it after me with the hook. A lot of people don't seem to realise the farmers run stock on it at times. That would be an interesting sight, woolly sheep wandering down the road and into peoples gardens. None there today though.

I went further than I have been before and could have kept on going, it was pleasant walking but thought I should turn back when I got down to the stand of gum trees because had to walk back into the wind. It seemed to be further going back for some strange reason...as I said I went further than I had been before past the macrocarpas along the track where the sheep were sheltering with their lambs from the sun and wind. With a large brown horse to keep them company. Then I decided I could go on to the next wind break a paddock away, it was a large stand of gum trees, or widow makers as I sometimes think of them. Quite magnificent though.

Under the bridge was a bit of graffiti, or maybe I should call it tagging as it was quite good, not that I stopped to admire it but it wasn't just mindless scribbling. The branches and logs had built up again from the last lot of floods, some easy firewood for some enterprising person.

Saw ducks on the water and on the wing - oh I saw some gorgeous ducklings waddling along the street a couple of days ago with both Mum and Dad in tow. I have never seen that before, I wished I had my camera, Dad doesn't usually do the domestic thing once the ducklings are born. Cute.

Passed a couple of dogs out and about teaching their owners how to throw sticks and balls and a couple just out for the pleasure of it, like me. People, that is!

Lots of song birds about as well, I could hear them making joyful noises to the heavens, they were all around in the trees but I couldn't see even one, they were well camouflaged.

So a really nice wander out in nature again, much preferable to the city sidewalks if you can do it.

Goodnight all.

plovers, blackbirds and starlings...

I have just climbed off the bike. I am going to sleep at the computer, well I feel like I am. Today we have been into the city to look for new carpet for the hallway so the GKB and I have both pounded the city pavements, it was cooler there than at home too. Decided to get new vinyl for the kitchen but now have the samples at home and don't like the colour of the vinyl, maybe it will grow on me, maybe. It doesn't really go with the carpet samples.

My sister is in the air on the way over from Aussie, we're picking her up at the airport in the morning. She wants to walk the country block and see the alpacas down the road, so we will get in at least one walk while she is here.

Late in the afternoon I took a walk around our block and surprisingly saw a pair of plovers in a playground, along with the usual blackbirds and starlings, all after the worms and grubs in the grass. I've never seen plovers over this way before. Then another half hour or so on the bike and I have had it. So it has all been concrete and pavements today apart from some time out in what passes for a garden at my place. I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to get out in the sun after a mixed week of storms, hail, snow, and brilliant sunny days. The brilliant sunny part quite often happened after I had gone to work in the afternoon.

Anyway, bed calls, so goodnight all.

pounding the pavement...

Well it hasn't been a bad week, as far as the walking goes anyway. I have pounded the pavements from the centre of town to home, a couple of k's I guess. It's quite different walking on the footpaths to walking along the Silverstream, no give on the surface. Different things to look at too. And more traffic.

Earlier in the week I walked halfway around a country block, it was great. The sun was shining, the trees were in bud and blossom and only a little traffic. Coloured sheep and alpacas were out looking down their aristocratic noses as I went past their paddock. Walking past the timber mill brought back memories of the plywood factory about 40 years ago, I love the smell of freshly hewn timber.

Today I walked down the Silverstream to the bridge, out on to the road and back home down Bush Road, 3 kilometres in half an hour, not to bad for me!! Horses were communicating across the paddocks to each other and a couple of ducks flew overhead. The Alpacas were out with their coloured sheep mates, and I am sure I saw a water rat scampering up the bank of the ditch at the side of the road. Talking of horses there are some appoloosas grazing in the Bush Road paddocks. I didn't see any deer today - or ostriches!! It was good to get home again to have a drink, it was 22deg (I wore the GKB's Speights cap) and I was talking to a cyclist at the intersection who was on her way to the nearest shop to get a bottle of water. Fancy cycling around the plains without a water bottle.

And I have even been on the bike, for half an hour yesterday. Also been to the cricket grounds with the youth group and kicked a ball around, chased a frisbee and chucked a tennis ball. I slept well last night.

Anyway, this week I think I have not done too badly at all. I love getting out into God's book and seeing the sights and smelling the smells, some good, some not!!

And I did walk around the Botanical Gardens with the GKB a week or so back...

Back on the bike

Well I have done it. The bike is back in the lounge where I can't help but see it and I have been pedalling madly away on it again. Whew. I think one of the grandkids has adjusted the knobs and things too as I seem to have the bum on the seat for longer but going about half the distance... I think she may have changed me from kilometres to miles, I hope.

I have been watching Joyce Meyer while I pedal away and it is amazing how long I can keep going now with an enjoyable distraction to hold my attention. That gets two things done as well. Multi tasking! Not that watching Joyce Meyer is a chore or a bore but it's a matter of fitting everything in :(

And I have been going out walking on my days off, haven't got any flash shoes yet, may never get them, but I am out pounding the pavement, or the side of the Silverstream, or wherever. So it's all good :)) Haven't got a clue how far I am going, just do it and hope I am getting a bit fitter. I'm not brave enough to try the hills yet but one day soon - watch this space.

October already...

I don't believe it is October already and I haven't written anything, so how accountable does that make me???

Anyway the exercycle, now affectionately known as 'the bike', duly arrived and I had a good old time on it in the lounge, reading and watching the telly while I chalked up the miles, the GKB (good kiwi bloke) snuck some time on it too, but not while anyone was about to see him. And the grandkids think it is a wonderful thing to play about with and on, adjusting the tension while the granma isn't looking is a good trick apparently. But I have now cottoned on to that one.

Anyway all was going well and then someone coughed on me , or sneezed on me or something similar and I got crook and retired from all life except work (I wasn't about to admit to them that I got a bug especially as I refused to have the 'flu injection). For some strange reason I thought I would still be able to keep going on 'the bike' but after about 2 seconds my legs refused to go round any more and now I look at 'the bike' as I pass it in the bedroom on my way to bed each night, and think to myself that I really must take it back out to the lounge where I can see it and it can make feel guilty if don't get on it for a while.

Have also been looking out for some decent shoes to wear for walking in as another thing I want to do in this lifetme is walk some of the tracks scattered around the country. Mind you I look at the distances and times at the moment and think "Days? I was thinking in terms of hours! Or even minutes..." So I still have a wee way to go to get into the right mindset.

I'm now going to walk past 'the bike' as I head for my bed - I promise I will take it out tomorrow - sometime.

Training (haha)

Well here I go. I don't know whether anyone but me will ever read this but it doesn't matter really, it's for my own benefit as much as for anyone elses.

At some point in this life, time to be decided, Lorraine and I are going to 'do' the Otago Rail Trail - whether on foot or on a bike has yet to be decided. So I need to be accountable when I get Training, (haha). I'm certainly not fit enough to do it at the moment except in a car, and they aren't allowed. So I now have an exercycle, well I will have tomorrow when Vanessa delivers it, and then I will put my bum on the seat a couple of times a day and hope it helps build up some muscle and maybe even some stamina. Who knows?? When the weather gets warmer I may even go out walking as well, but I'm quite bored with walking around town so will have to find some place a bit more interresting - or someone to go with. A girl I met a few weeks ago suggested up the hills but don't think I'm fit enough just yet, sad to say.

It's time to start ticking off some of the things on the bucket list, and the rail trail is one of them.