A year on

It is just over a year since my little mother went home to her Lord.

That time has passed quickly and she has been on my mind

 at some part of every day since.

 

One of my sisters in Australia sent me a beautiful flower arrangement 'for looking after our mother' in their absence.

They really are rather lovely and lasting well. A lovely gesture.

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I've been a bit off colour for the past week with an inner ear thing going on so I haven't ventured far from the house until today. So I thought I'd share with you some of the books I've been reading over the last little while. I 'borrowed' the Ruth Rendell book, Going Wrong, when we were holidaying in Aussie last year and I must send it back. I'd never read anything of hers before and found her rather intriguing, with the twist in the plot that you don't see coming. I've read more since then and that same twist in the plot seems to happen, her style I guess.

I always enjoy Dan Brown, Inferno this time, but with a bit of space between books :) I like a good page turning action thriller occasionally.

Then there is Lost and Found by Marilyn Harris, who I'd never heard of until I borrowed this book as well. Also while we were in Aussie and also needing to go back but this one can wait until next time I'm going over. The story is set in the depression era in the 'American dust bowl', the tale of a little girl who is accidentally left on a train and her long journey to finding her family. Also a page turner.

The ones I have enjoyed most though are 'The Seven Sisters' series by Lucinda Riley. I was a bit iffy about the first book, before I started reading, but now I am hooked. The books all stand alone but having read one out of sequence I wouldn't do it again as it throws things out of kilter a bit. Each book is about one sister, all of whom have been adopted, and her search for her roots. I've read the first four books and so far have been to South America, Norway, Australia and England. Beautifully written novels with a lot of attention to historical detail. If you haven't read any of them I highly recommend them.

A couple of days ago eldest daughter rang to say she was coming over and 'don't buy pumpkin'. No wonder, she had three in the car and left two with me. The big orange one is a soup pumpkin so I may put that in the community pantry around by the grandkids school. I certainly won't be making it into soup. I'll cut the other one up and give some of that away as well. It came from her partner's farm, he likes to grow unusual veges on a plot near the house. These are not too bad but we have been given the occasional strange, to us anyway, vegetable. Or odd coloured ones :) And usually enormous!

Winter has arrived with a vengeance this week, perhaps I should make that pumpkin into soup ;(

Until next time

Diana

Queen's Birthday Weekend 2019

Well that was a weekend and a half...but we got through it :)

Queen's Birthday Weekend happens in June, and you guessed it, we commemorate the Queen's birthday. A long weekend, Friday through until Monday.

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It started off with our expectant mother going into labour late on Thursday and giving birth to a lusty son on Friday via emergency C section. He weighed in at 9lb 1oz and is named Arlo. We haven't been to see him yet as, although he is doing well, mother is a bit overwhelmed and isn't up to visitors. So we'll put it off for a few days and go when she's ready. Sorry no photo's, you'll have to take my word for it that he's a good lookin' dude!

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On Friday night I helped my daughter decorate the church hall for a baby shower. Yes, we have another little person joining the family in August :) A little girl this time. So it was a pink theme.

Very traditional.

Chloe lives in the North Island. She came down for the holiday weekend so her Mum decided a shower would be nice for her,

and for her old girlfriends.

She was given some beautiful gifts, the girls and the family did her proud :) Someone was even thoughtful enough to give her a big pink fluffy dressing gown for herself.

Her aunties and grandma's provided most of the afternoon

 tea and it was a lovely spread. It was also very cold with snow threatening which is why we are all dressed in our winter woolies.

We managed to get a photo of Chloe with all the grandma's.

Left to right we have two great grandma's, grandma, mum to be, grandma and great grandma.

As you can see we decorated with little baby outfits and dresses - from back when my girls were babies and toddlers.

I didn't know they had kept them.

 The only trouble with decorating is that it all needs undoing but the young girls all stayed behind and helped. I thought that was a really nice gesture.

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Now it's Tuesday evening and I've spent the day away at

the funeral of a friend. He was only in his late 60's

 and his death was unexpected. But it was a joyful funeral,

he had a deep faith and has gone home to be with his Lord.

As I said, it's been quite a weekend, but we got there.

So, have a good week folks,

until next time,

Diana