Keeping up

Hello there. Sorry I haven't been around for a few days, my little mother has had another short stint in hospital. But I think it was a blessing in disguise as she had one of the 'seizures' she has been trying to describe to her GP right in front of all the ED staff and now they know what she is talking about. In a couple of weeks we have to travel up to Hamilton in the North Island so she can have a CAT scan and then come back and await a date for her operation. Also up in Hamilton. A lot of travelling for an old lady.

I have also been having some very frustrating computer problems resulting in smoke coming out of my ears. Not properly fixed yet to my mind, even though it's been up to the 'puter doctor twice in the past week and has a new anti virus installed.

We have also been working on stuff for our upcoming family reunion and not having the computer going has been a bind. Never mind, we managed to get the family tree put together, mostly, and sorted out some of the old photo's. Also got the welcome pack put together and posted away to various parts of the world. We've had a really good response with approx. 80 people coming including about a dozen kids. So exciting, it's getting close now - Easter.

My grandparents just before Grandad left for the first world war. His photo was taken the day he left home. I think he is so handsome, looks just like my youngest brother and my little mother looks like Granma, who I think is beautiful.

Anyway, today my GKB and I went up to the supermarket and had a coffee break while we were there. While inside a couple of families came in and the kids had faces painted and balloon animals and such like - and then we realised we could have been relaxing at the Party in the Park. It's held annually and very popular. Of course by the time I wandered over, without my GKB, it was winding down but I took a few photo's to show you. Sorry they're not as clear as I hoped they'd be.

Rides and swings for the bigger kids.

Food and craft booths for the older kids.

Relaxing in the sun after the live music

and listening to the piped version. Older kids again :)

And the toddlers playground 

fenced off just for them.

 And last but not least, in fact first in order of what happened last week, I went to see my youngest grandson take part in his school triathlon. He came in about the middle of the field, but I thought he did so well as he did all three legs himself instead of being part of a three man team. So without further ado - Daniel :)

The end of the running leg, he's the ginger.

Leaving on the cycling leg after Mum found

 his helmet which had disappeared.

Swimming, not the greatest style but he got there.

Heading for the finish line after

two lengths of the pool :) Phew.

So a bit of a mixed bag today but I hope you enjoyed it.

Diana

Today I'm joining Amy for:

Five on Friday

Tea and tea

To answer some queries regarding tea, from this New Zealander's point of view - most, but not all, of my generation's ancestors came from Britain so we enjoy morning and afternoon tea (also known as smoko in the workplace). And supper, which is not tea or dinner.

Morning tea  is usually mid morning, a cup of tea (or coffee these days) and perhaps a plain biscuit. 

morning tea

Afternoon tea is slightly fancier in that we might have cake as well as a biscuit with our cup of tea, served on a nice plate. Or maybe it will be a scone or something similar. My mother in law was very disapproving of someone taking a fancy biscuit or cake to eat if they hadn't first had a plain one! Good manners also dictated that you only had two biscuits. I'm not sure we stick to that any more. Afternoon tea is about halfway between lunch and the evening meal, sometimes as late as 4 o'clock. 

afternoon tea

Tea is also our main meal in the evening, usually followed by a cup of tea. Some people are now calling this dinner but when I was growing up dinner was a hot meal in the middle of the day and the evening meal that day would be a light one, still called tea. Followed by a cup of tea of course :) 

tea, the evening meal

Then later in the evening we have supper, another cup of tea and a biscuit before heading off to bed. As someone said, New Zealanders have 6 meals a day if you count all the 'teas'.

supper

I hope all the different 'teas' haven't confused you, and I haven't even mentioned high tea or Devonshire tea yet. Maybe another day :)

And just for fun:

Seen in a tea rooms when I was on holiday a year ago.

Have a good refreshing week.

Diana

Caught napping

Grand daughter's puppy Sass was 

caught napping on her owners' bed.

And one sunny day she decided to take a nap out of the sun...

...wouldn't it have been easier to just crawl under the table?

What? What??

And today she was not napping - she was left inside a little longer than usual and this is what met my daughter when she returned home!

Who Me? No, it wasn't me.

 It was one of the cats, the grey one...

Have a fun week,

Diana

And because dogs are critters 
I'm sharing this post with Eileen at:
Saturday's critters.

It's Thursday morning - again

Here it is, Thursday morning again. Already.

And I've missed the recycling truck - again.

So the newspapers stack up in the wash house for another week

 and the bin in the garage starts to overflow - again. 

At least the wheely bin has gone out in time. 

I'm sure it was Thursday only yesterday 

but I know a lot has happened since then.

* I've attended a school assembly.

* Watched the Saturday netball.

* Had lunch with one friend and coffee with another.

* Been to a couple or three meetings.

* Taken the kids to Sunday School and Youth Group.

* I went to work at least three times.

* Did some shopping.

* Talked to overseas family via the net.

* Watched some television.

* Did some housework, the washing and vacuuming.

* I think I even cooked one or two meals, maybe more.

* Had a houseful of whanau (family).

* Read a couple of chapters of a book.

But here it is, Thursday again. Already.

And I've missed the recycling truck - again.

And I'm sure it was Thursday only yesterday...

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

A bit of nonsense I wrote one Thursday morning several years ago.