On the edge

Edge

Balanced on the edge

Loaf

Two grandkids loafing on the couch

Bridge

Chinese opera on a bridge

Mine

Replica mine entrance at a theme park

Black

Yellow lights on a black night

My choice

Beautiful silverback eating popcorn at

Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch

Thank you...

...to everyone who prayed while Mum and I travelled this week.

We had a disappointing trip north  - discovered that little mother was not even on the waiting list for surgery, but she is now. It could take up to 4 months before anything happens though. At least the scan happened so it was not a totally wasted trip but very tiring for an 87 year old.

So once more we are playing a waiting game. She now needs to be reassessed regarding living alone. At the moment she is still with me but wants to go back to her own home, understandably.

Here she is waiting in the hoist, or pope mobile 

as they called it, to be put on the plane.

Once again I thank you for your kindness and prayers.

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

Normal service will resume 
next week, hopefully :)
Diana

Two intrepid walkers - on a road trip

I hope you will take a few minutes, maybe five, 

make yourself a coffee or tea and join me 

as I take a road trip to my childhood home.

Well it's been over for a week or two now but when my little sis was here on holiday from Australia we went on a bit of a road trip. All in the name of the reunion we are having at Easter next year. 

We had intended heading back up Central and knocking off a bit more of the rail trail but got chatting and decided on a completely different plan. Dunedin to Greymouth and back in four days, because I had a meeting to get back for. That's a round trip of over 1130 k's and meant we were on the road most of the time without a full day anywhere.

After making sure my GKB was okay with baching for a few days we got on the road. He didn't fancy a menage a trois of any kind anyway and quite honestly even though the campervan was supposed to sleep four it would have been pretty crowded. Comfortable enough for two though.

After a couple of hours on the road, we decided to stop for lunch at one of the rivers we crossed on the way. There was a fair wind blowing but we got out and stretched our legs, took a photo or two and some of some tourists as well, with their camera. (We are so nice like that, ha ha). The name of the river eludes me now but it is the same braided river I showed you in an earlier post with the ducks swimming on it. The photo above is a tiny sheltered braid close to the bank. Very pretty but the river itself is rugged. If you look hard you can see the Southern Alps in the background on the left. And then we headed for Christchurch to stop for the night.

There are a lot of road works and rebuilding going on and at one point we went round this roundabout into a little detour and came back out where we had gone in. Don't ask! I think that was as we were trying to get onto the Coast Road as we left the next morning. Anyway we went through here several times over two days. We had just enough time to get parked up at the camping ground/holiday park when we arrived when my grandson rang to say his partner had just finished work and was on his way over to pick us up for dinner. Time for a quick wash and tidy up and away we went for a lovely roast dinner.

The next morning, after an early start and finally negotiating the road works we turned inland and onto the West Coast Road. That is the Southern Alps we are heading for and which we had to cross. Heading home, well to my childhood home which I love.

Above is Castle Hill, no castle just these rather wonderful rock formations which from a distance do look like a ruined castle, we pass this on the way. And then a bit further on we come to the Bealey River, we're up in the mountains now and although there is no snow where we are, it's on the tops and cold.

Over the bridge and before we knew it we were in the Otira Gorge and driving over the viaduct. So different to when I was young, when you had to drive a lot higher up the mountain on an unsealed road with no barriers to stop you going over the edge. 

The photo above is taken through the van window, a waterfall above the road with the sluice to carry it across the road above the traffic. We stopped for lunch in Otira village, next to the railway station at some picnic tables and then carried on to the coast. We were on the downhill run now. We can hear the call of home :)

And I think that is where I will leave you today. I'll pick up here again in about a week and tell a little more. 

Joining Amy for 

Five on Friday

Diana

Coffee anyone?

My GKB and I went out for lunch today. 

That's not unusual, we often do on a Saturday.

We went to our usual place,  

where we know we can get our coffee 

the way we like it.

Instant, black with a small jug of trim milk on the side.

Today when it arrived, my GKB looked at it and said

'this cup looks dirty'.

We decided it wasn't 

but that some of the instant coffee powder

 had spilt onto the rim and handle, making it look grubby.

The fact that the cups were a pale grey 

and his was chipped didn't help though.

We weren't impressed.

Anyway this reminded me 

of our last couple of trips to Christchurch.

About a third of the way up the road

is a small cafe giving free coffee to vehicle drivers, 

encouraging them to take a break on the trip.

It's quite a nice wee stop, and yes that's our messy table.

Of course I had to pay for my drink,

GKB was driving, 

cona (filter) coffee this time for both of us. 

A bit further up the track we stopped again

and seeing as I'm not really into milk

I had a pot of tea, while he had a fancy (milky) coffee.

I think that was it while we were travelling up, 

we try to limit it to 2 breaks on the journey,

 but we did have a coffee or two out 

while we were in Christchurch.

That's our trim milk on the side there at the right, 

but the coffee was in piddling little (tea) cups.

Oh well, you can't win them all, and it was wet.

But the time I really laughed, 

and my GKB spluttered and nearly blew a gasket,

was while we were waiting for friends in what 

he would think of as an up-market establishment.

We ordered our drinks, tea again for me and coffee for him.

This little demitasse cup of coffee arrived!

Oh dear. His face was a picture.

Splutter, splutter, what the **** is that? he said to me.

I paid ****** good money for that.

What did you ask for, says I.

A short black, says he.

Well, that's what he got.

A shot of very strong, thick, syrupy coffee

that he mixed with about half a bowl of sugar

 and ate with a teaspoon.

Oooh, he was mad!

What he really wanted was a flat white,

 or a long black, and got himself all mixed up.

Oh dear.

He gets himself all in a dither 

when he goes anywhere out of the usual.

What he really likes is this...

...a nice big mug, full of instant coffee, 

with a dash of milk, made by himself or moi.

And why not?

Hoping all is well with everyone.

have a great week,

Diana

A controversial cathedral

Last weekend my GKB and I made a flying visit

 to Christchurch to visit an old friend who is ill.

While we were there we caught up with our eldest grandson

 who took us into the city centre to have a look at 

how things were progressing since the earthquakes in 2011.

The three of us at the Container Mall

part of the Container Mall

 A container mall has opened up where there used to be high rise buildings and it is rather a nice place to be. I thought it was a good example of thinking outside the square when it came to getting some of the businesses up and running again.

 It had been rather eerie walking among the damaged buildings and seeing cordoned off shops with their goods still all on display!

What I really want to show you today though,

 is ChristChurch Cathedral. 

My GKB and I were there just 12 months earlier 

and took photo's inside the cathedral as well as out.

Here are a few of the before photo's.

from Cathedral Square

As you can see from the scaffolding, 

repair and restorative work was going on.

looking from just inside main doors

beautiful stained glass

inside the Pacific Island Chapel, looking over to the visitor centre

The Rose window above the main doors with murals underneath

 My grandson and I went for a short walk, left my GKB and grandsons friend to chat as my bloke's sore leg was playing up.

He took me for a walk around the cathedral,

starting on the south side and then around the back.

South eastern end

I didn't think it looked too bad, all things considered.

I could understand why there is a large group 

of people wanting to restore it to it's former glory.

Then we came around to the western side proper.

That was a different story!

This is the side the tower and spire was on

It is quite devastated, 

(grandson related it to being like a medieval ruin),

and now I know why another group of people

 want to push it  over and build anew.

There is quite a controversy about it and it's a real dilemma.

 from the front, the tower and spire was to the left

ChristChurch Cathedral was the heart 

of Christchurch City, which is why there

 is such an emotional reaction to it being pulled down.

I hope they find a solution that will 

make most of the people happy.

**********

Have a wonderful week,

till next time,

Diana

hunkering down again and a trip to the vet

 Well here we are hunkering down again for another snow dump. For some reason I'm a bit apprehensive about it this time, the forecast is for snow through to Tuesday or Wednesday. It will be bad enough here, but at least we are on the flat, so will be able to get to places if we need or want to - and of course the GKB will probably be snowed in and I will probably be called in to work again. Oh well, more cash in the holiday fund.

  Now the people in Christchurch I do feel sorry for, some of them are still living in cold, damaged houses after the earthquakes. In fact they are being told that if they think they may not be able to cope with the weather, especially as there are  likely to be power cuts, then they need to move in with friends or family now if they can.

  Hot soup and cheese rolls would have been nice for lunch tomorrow but seeing as we seem to have finished the cheese rolls, soup and hot toast will have to be the order of the day.

  Claude has been sitting looking through the back door for much of the evening. If he had any sense he would come in and make himself at home for the night, but no he is a real outside cat. The only time he tends to come in is in the middle of summer when both the doors are wide open and he can lie spreadeagled in the breeze created in the passage. But, a fortnight ago that changed. He had an altercation with either one of the other cats about the place or with the new powder puff style dog which has moved in next door, resulting in him not being able to weight bear on one of his front feet and a trip to the vet.

 After a slightly fraught trip in the car he tolerated having his ears cleaned, his eyes inspected, his mouth and teeth examined and his coat and skin checked for any unwanted passengers. He really objected to where the thermometer went but short of flattening himself and trying to become invisible he couldn't do much about it. Oh yes, his leg and paw were all inspected too, with a nice shoulder massage thrown in for good measure. Eventually we took him home but not before we were given meds for him and told to keep him inside for the weekend. "Okay" we said. "Oh, and this medication could give him diarrhoea." We climbed into the car, looked at each other and said "outside cat inside for two days with diarrhoea, I don't think so." And when said cat, on arriving home, took refuge under our bed that sealed it. Cars moved out of the garage, old armchair and a dirt box moved in and Claude was a happy camper. He came indoors with us for about an hour every evening and then the caterwauling would start and he was deposited back in his temporary holiday home. All is now back to normal, he is doing his own thing, which includes sitting on the back doorstep, looking plaintively in through the glass until the door is opened for him and then he takes off once more for places unknown.