Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

... it's been raining solidly for over 48 hours,
and the state highways north and south are closed again
 - this time by flood waters. 
But that didn't stop me going out

 for lunch today with my good friend, Bon.

About once a month we head over to Green Island

 and have lunch together at the Trading Post.

outside the Trading Post today

We usually have a toastie and tea (for me) and Bon has a cappuccino or latte or some such drink with hers.

You can't let a little weather stop you from having fun.

One year, it was going to be this one but wasn't,

 I am going to take part in the midwinter polar plunge. 

Well that's my plan anyway, part of my bucket list.
 It was like this the day it was held 
and I didn't realise it was on. 

That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

When I got home who was sitting, 

all wet and bedraggled, on the step?

Just Claude...who wouldn't come in, 

because strangely we like our doors shut 

when the weather is is wet and cold and windy.

He likes the doors wide open in case 

he spots a set of legs he doesn't recognize 

and wants to make a bolt for it, 

regardless what it is like outside. 

Feijoa tree

There is an upside to all this frightful weather though.

The neighbours feijoa tree is dropping fruit 

left, right and centre, over our fence.

Eldest daughter is coming over  to take some home, tomorrow, and I think I will make some into chutney this year. 

Not jam, last years didn't turn out too well.

There has just been so many windfalls

and the tree is still laden. 

You can see the fruit in the photo.

I can do a jigsaw or two without feeling

 as if I should be doing something more productive.

 This one is interesting and a bit of a challenge.

It has 11 pictures on the box

 and none of them are what you put together

...but are all in the completed puzzle somewhere

And I don't fell guilty about reading a book or four.

The first two in this pile are good stories

 but quite hard to read,

 a little strange I guess, 

and a bit different to what I normally read.

But that's not a bad thing.

And if all else fails, and there is nothing on telly, 

we can always hunker down and watch a DVD.

Have a good week,

Diana