A social week.

We've been in Mackay just over a week and it has been quite a social time. We've caught up with relatives and friends over morning and afternoon teas, a birthday dinner, a meal out one evening and tonight we have a barbecue to go to. We went out to see if we could spot some whales one day but they weren't really  cooperating. Saw some big splashes from the tails but they weren't breaching. Well not while I had the binoculars anyway :)

I'll just post some pictures with a short description if they need it.

I was trying to get a pic of the ibis, there were five in all, but they weren't having any of it either. Sister's  front lawn.

Sis with her son and daughter in law.

Trying to spot whales. Both Sister's and Bob just out of the shot.

The shipping harbour...

...and the marina in Mackay. There's a lot of money tied up here.

Sisters sharing a laugh, that's me on the right.

Another morning out, I liked the way they presented the sandwiches.

Morning tea at a friend's house. We knew them in New Zealand and he is a rally car driver. 

He took both Bob and I for a spin in one of his cars, very exhilarating. And noisy :)

A short clip of our ride.

And last night we had another couple of family members arrive for a few days. So it will be nice getting to know them. They're from further south and we'd never met them until now.

And until next time,

enjoy your week,

blessings

Diana

A quick round up.

Last Saturday we flew out of Dunedin to Auckland on the first leg of our trip to see the family in Australia. Our youngest grand daughter and her husband took us to the airport and sat and had a coffee with us while we waited. It was a nice time.

 Aaron and Sofi met us in Auckland and we had a nice relaxed evening catching up on the news. On Sunday we all attended the church Aaron is pastoring. The congregation is small but welcoming and consists mostly of pacific islanders. Below is a picture of a tapa cloth on the wall. Tapa cloth is highly valued in the pacific communities and traditionally represented a woman's wealth. It is made from beaten bark.

After church we went out to Maraetai Beach for the afternoon. It was a really pleasant day and we enjoyed being able to sit there in the sun and watch everyone enjoying themselves, swimming no less. 

We had hot chips for a snack with a hot cuppa. 

And just as we thought we were going home Sofi thought it would be nice to show us Sylvia Park Mall, which is the largest one in the country. So we strolled around there for an hour or so and some of us spent money and some of us didn't :) It was a long day.

On Monday we did a trip down to Cambridge to visit our grandson who has a 'retro and collectibles' shop there. AMPERSAND is what he calls it. It wasn't open but he took us in to have a look...

...after which we all went for lunch and then strolled down to the local museum for a browse.

Below is a mosaic on the footpath. 

Cambridge is the main horse racing stud area of New Zealand. This is one of the horses, 'Mainbrace', very famous in its day.

Next day was a rest day :) it had been very busy then on Wednesday we flew to Aussie. Below is Bob coming out of the chair lift from the plane at our final destination - Mackay.

I'll leave you there until next time. 

Have a lovely week,

Keep well and enjoy yourselves,

Diana

Looking back on the week

 We had a day in town this week mainly because I had to take my phone in to be looked at. It's been going very slow and even telling me I had no internet connection when I was sitting in my own house. Anyway I'm hoping it's fixed now but to be honest I'm not sure. And the young fellow in the shop was not very forthcoming. I found out more when Bob went into another shop, we're with different companies, and I may change over when I have to update my phone one day.

Still it was good to have a wander and buy one or two things we need to take away on holiday with us. After we'd finished we went to our favourite cafe for lunch. Arrived just before the rush, by the time we left it was full. 

 We catch the bus in these days, it saves trying to get a park somewhere, the parking buildings are often already full. And it's amazing what you see from the bus, being higher up, that you miss when sitting in the car.

I've been in the shop as well but it has been very slow lately. I think in part because of the weather, it's been very cold and miserable, but also because of the economy. People are not buying a lot of books these days, we do great sales in greeting cards though :) But today it was a little different, I had two authors ring and enquire how their books were going. Quite exciting having a little chat to them.

I mentioned how cold it's been, again, and the picture above is what we woke to this morning. Thick fog which turned into freezing rain about midday. A lot of flights were delayed today, the airport is a few kilometres further down the plain than us. I just hope it doesn't happen on Saturday when we're due to fly out. Youngest grand daughter is taking us to the airport.

And a montage of my great grands with the quilts my sister made them and sent over from Aussie. Amazingly they all arrived on the same day and there were some excited little people ripping open parcels. She personalized them to what the three older kids are into and made up a lovely colorful one for the toddler.

And just because I can.

I was using a public rest room when I spotted these unusual tiles on the walls. I found them quite fascinating. Some of the chemical elements on the periodic table. I would have taken more photos but people were starting to look at me funny :)

Top left S 16 - sulfur.

Bottom right Sc 21 - scandium.

And that's it from me. 

Next time I post I'll be in Auckland or Mackay. See you then. 

Diana

Cool nights and sunny days.

The nights have been cold, sometimes dropping to -5C or below and it usually means we have lovely sunny, if chilly, days. But it's usually lunch time before the sun is coming  through our sitting room windows and we can turn the heat pump off.

It hasn't stopped the jonquils from putting on a beautiful, cheery display along the front of the house though.

The afternoons are fairly warm(ish) up to 12C sometimes and one afternoon last week I went out to a very enjoyable Aglow meeting. The board had gone to the trouble of creating some small vignettes around the room relating to the theme of the afternoon.

We finished off with afternoon tea before we headed home again. It was cooling down again by then.

 You'll have to forgive me for going on about the weather. I don't like the cold. Daughter in law Sofi, says down south everyone talks about the weather - in Auckland everyone talks about the traffic. I'm down south 😄

But in just over a week we're heading to Auckland, where I won't talk about the traffic because I won't be driving in it, and then we're heading to Mackay in north Queensland. Looking forward to some warmer weather in both places.

I'll leave you there.

Keep well and keep warm.

Until next time, 

Diana

Sandwich time

 

Sandwich Time

Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Sandwiches are a lunch time favorite.  

In the 1930s two favorite sandwiches were ham, pickles and mustard and tuna with rice, capers, pepper and paprika.  I think it probably needed mayo!

Sandwiches can be a  simple peanut butter and jelly or a classy Monte Cristo.

1. What is your favorite sandwich and how do you make it?

I'm not a very exciting sandwich maker and we tend to only have them in the summer. I like a tomato, lettuce, ham and cheese usually on white bread but not always. A little mayo on the lettuce as well. Otherwise lettuce and marmite or cheese and marmite. Marmite is a yeast based breakfast spread not to be confused with vegemite which is more common in Australia. Toasted sandwiches are always good too but not with lettuce.

 

2.  What is the best bread for making toast?  How about for making sandwiches?

We like Couplands Super thick toast bread for sandwiches and toast. It stays lovely and fresh longer than other bread we've found.

3.  If you go out to eat for lunch are you more likely to stay with a safe choice or be more adventurous?

No I'm not a very adventurous sandwich eater when out. Usually I look for an egg 

sandwich made with chopped chives and some mayo. I don't keep eggs at home as we don't eat them very often so enjoy a plain old egg sandwich if I'm out for lunch.

4. Dagwood, hoagie, submarine, Po boy, grinder. Whatever they are called where you are, do you like them and if so what do you want on it?

Pardon? I'm guessing, but don't know, that these are either filled rolls or similar to a subway. On the odd occasion when we go to Subway we tend to still go for the salad ingredients with cold meat but have occasionally become quite daring and tried some of the other ingredients. Usually in a toasted grain bread.

Have a good week.

blessings,

Diana

A trip down memory lane

 

Punakaiki River Valley

 by K John Toomer.

 I was visiting a friend in a rest home when  this painting on the wall in the foyer caught my eye. I thought I recognized the area, it's the Punakaiki River on the West Coast of the South Island, NZ. As a child I spent a lot of summer weekends in this area as my uncle was building a batch on the river and he frequently took a carload of cousins, aunties and uncles out there for the day and, after the batch was completed, for the weekend.

The batch has long been sold now but here is a photo of Aunty, Mum, middle sis and me standing outside it when we visited it a few years ago when sis and I took Mum and  my eldest grand daughter over for a holiday. And this, below, is where we all rushed through the bush to the river to play and swim. No gates, fences or paths in those days though, just tracks we made of our own accord.

We played in the bush and swam in the river and at some stage there was a canoe we took turns in and just generally had a lot of fun. The boys went eeling under the bridge and uncle went whitebaiting. It was a great whitebait river and there were several people there in the season. Uncle, and others, would also go surf casting in the sea but I can't remember that we ever ate any fish. We must have.

Grand daughter just down river from the 'eeling' bridge.

The pancake rocks were just a couple of kilometres further up the road and on occasion everyone would go up for a look and see if the blow holes were blowing. The sea had to be fairly rough for that and an incoming tide but it was a great spectacle. We'd have a great time clambering over the rocks with the mothers shouting at us not to fall in because they weren't jumping in to get us :). 

That was in the days before it became a tourist spot and fences and paths were built. It all seems very tame now when I go back and remember what we got up to and I'd rather remember it the way it was. Maybe we were a bit foolhardy but it was a lot of fun and we survived. We only ever got into trouble the one time some of us went up by ourselves and didn't tell anyone until we got home to the batch.

One of the paths around the blowholes and pancake rocks.

Although I do remember the boys taking a couple of kitchen knives and going AWOL into the bush for the day. Pig hunting they said when they got back. Needless to say they never saw a pig, which was probably just as well and they got a sound telling off when they arrived back. I think they were probably about 10 or 11.

I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane, I have.

The photos are all more recent  but still give an idea of how things were.

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

My prayers and thoughts are with the people in the Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman area.

Keep well and keep dry.

Diana

Swede, bulbs and jigsaws

 It's been so cold this winter we haven't done much except hunker down at home and go out when we've had to. It's been wet and cold and sunny and cold and night time temps below freezing at times. That means it's cold when we get up but the living area is warm as we set the heat pump to come on about an hour before we rise. 

I've finished one jigsaw and got another on the go but I don't know how far I'll get with it. DIL Sofi gave it to me, it was one they were discarding  at work, and I've already had one shot at it. I didn't finish it that first time and I seem to be doing even worse this time around. I've got the border finished and a few pieces in and about 840 pieces that don't fit anywhere at all :) Never mind, I'll plug away and see how I go. I'm not promising I'll finish it this time either. 

Jacqui arrived in for a chat and a cuppa yesterday bearing gifts. Half a swede, that will be nice in some vege soup, she'd got three from a roadside stall, and a boot full of spring bulbs. She's going to sort the bulbs out and bring some back for me. They'll look nice out the front when the jonquils die off - daffodils, gladioli and pink and white hyacinths. 

Just for something to do we went in to the Warehouse and had a wander. We came home with a new toaster, which we needed and a new blouse for me. I decided I needed a light long sleeved top for when we go over to Aussie next month. Their temps have been a lot cooler up north than  normal this year. Sometimes down in single figures.

I've also worked a few extra days in the shop as well and last week I had a wee fellow come in with his mother. They wandered around and picked out what they wanted and then while Mum was still browsing he came up to the counter and put his sticker  book on the counter and said "Now you pay for this." I smiled and said "No, I haven't got any money." With that Mum arrived at the counter and paid and he was happy. He was only three and knew when you went to the counter someone paid. I guess he thought it was me, because he didn't have any money :) His Mum and I had a wee giggle about it.

And with that I'll finish.

Keep well, keep warm - or cool - and I'll see you next time.

Diana

ps. Texas you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hello there

 I've just been for a stroll down to the Silverstream to have a look and it is almost back to normal levels but running swiftly. A new path has been built up to the flood bank which is great, it'll save walking through the. grass and getting wet feet after it's been raining. People and their dogs and kids on bikes are using it again on this lovely, warm (for winter), sunny day. An enjoyable walk really.

My GKB Bob has had another birthday, he's reached the grand old age of 83. We had cream buns with chocolate icing to celebrate, he didn't want to go out, and the girls came over for the afternoon. He had phone calls and messages from other members of the family as well and I think he quite enjoyed a nice relaxed day. The girls pandered to his sweet tooth, giving him ice cream, fudge and chocolates, which he is being very good with and only eating a couple of pieces a day. And yes, he is sharing :) Though we haven't tried the ice cream yet. Maybe tonight :)

Apart from that there is not a lot going on. I am working 3 shifts a week at the moment as one of the volunteers is away, but I'll have my turn in August when we head to Aussie to visit my sisters. So we're looking forward to that. 

Until next time, keep well and enjoy life.

Diana

Not so silver Silverstream

 It has been raining non stop for the past 27 hours.

 Not heavily but steadily. 

It's not forecast to stop until sometime tonight and the council have had a sandbagging station operating since yesterday morning. 

We're lucky in that our house is quite high off the ground and the flood banks keep the water of the Silverstream contained. Unlike in earlier years when the properties at the bottom of our street would flood.

I took a walk down to have look this afternoon and these are the photos. It was very muddy on the bank and slippery so I stayed well back. I didn't fancy slipping and getting a dunking.

We haven't seen the local news today but know there was bad  flooding further north yesterday, in Marlborough, and I suspect there will be flooding in South Dunedin today. 

Take care.

Diana

Travelling with Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

Hello! It's time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

Summer is June 21st and people usually take advantage of the warm weather to take a trip or vacation or day trips to visit, shop or for recreation.

  So could we talk about travel?

1. What are the most memorable destinations you've visited, and what made them stand out? (this could include places like museums, art galleries, etc. not only a vacation site.)

Memorable places? The first that came to mind when I saw this question was my trip to Fiji with a nursing colleague when we were  just 18. The culture was so different to anything I knew and the colours, smells and sights were so wonderful. The first overseas trip either of us had ever made, in an age where no one went overseas (not where we lived anyway). It was so exciting and we looked forward to it for so long.  It was probably another 40 years before I went overseas again and that was to visit my sister and her husband and family who had moved to Australia. We took the family and that was an exciting time for all of us. We had a great time, visited one of the islands off the Queensland coast among other things. But we learnt a good lesson, don't visit north Queensland in the summer, we'd gone for Christmas! Never again.

Then Aaron  was living in Japan, met a Chinese girl and we went to Japan for the wedding. What a wonderful time and I don't really know where to start. So totally culturally different and we didn't speak the language. Thank goodness we had our family interpreters with us most of the time :) We learnt how to use the buses and some of the drivers got to know us and where our stops were. All I can say is if you plan on going to Japan - do. It was a wonderful experience made even better because we were staying in Aaron's flat in an older part of the city and didn't do only tourist things.

the view from Aaron's flat in Kobe, Japan

2. Which hidden gem locations have you explored that you'd recommend to others ?

I don't know that Te Papa the national museum of New Zealand could be called a hidden gem but if you're in Wellington make a point of visiting, even if it is just to visit the Gallipolli Exhibition. I found it to be a very emotional experience but had to rush the end of it, one because I was getting emotional and two because my GKB had disappeared about 10 minutes earlier. It depicts conditions for the men and women in the battle at Gallipolli during the first world war and as well as letters, photographs and short films there are life size models of soldiers and nurses as well as a model of the trenches. Well worth a visit.

Anywhere in New Zealand is well worth a visit though :) We have lakes, beaches, rivers and mountains all within a short drive of most places.

Milford Sound on a misty day

The Southern Alps 

3. What’s the most unique cultural experience you’ve had while traveling ?

Well, lets see. I've been packed like a sardine into a commuter train in Japan, eaten raw seafood which was still moving. I couldn't get out of it as I was the future mother in law and that position held a certain amount of prestige apparently. And part of that was getting to eat first whether I wanted to or not. I didn't want to actually but was told I needed to and looked around the table and every eye was on me, kids and all. My GKB was smirking away but he got to try it too. So I bit the bullet, or raw, moving octopus, and swallowed. Then they all  clapped and I had to do it again. And then they all tucked in. Not my most exciting moment I can tell you but certainly memorable.

that greyish stuff is the still moving, sliced octopus

On the day of the wedding I got to take part in a tea ceremony at the reception. No one warned me but I duly took part and Aaron's sister in law guided me through, We finished our tea, only the bride, groom and mothers took part, and I looked up to see Aaron and Sofi kneeling in front of me. Once again no one had warned me I was supposed to bestow a blessing on them so I stumbled through something, I'm not good at off the cuff stuff, but finally it was over. 

4.What mode of transportation is your favorite for a long trip? How about a short trip?

I would have to say I prefer to travel by plane for a long trip. Well let me qualify that. I live on an island. If I want to visit family who don't live in the South Island I have to cross the sea, to the North Island or to the bigger island to the west (Australia) so really I don't have a choice. I don't enjoy flying and we usually drive if we're going anywhere in the South Island.