I'm joining Tuesday 4 again

I thought I would join in with Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 once again. I have just copied and pasted the questions as before. I'm not sure who is running it so copy from Pam at Closed Doors, Open Windows. Feel free to redirect me. 

Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.
We ask 4 questions each week to get you blogging, thinking, discussing and visiting with other bloggers.

The commercial song said "the best part of waking up is Folger's in your cup".

1. What is in your cup in the morning? 

Oh, definitely tea. No milk, no sugar. Just plain black and not too strong but I do like to taste it :) My little mother liked hers weak, we used to laugh and say she just waved a tea bag in the general direction of her cup. And no, I don't leave the tea bag in, I took this pic while I was making a drink to have while I wrote and it was still brewing.

2. What brand of coffee or tea is the best in your opinion and why do you think so?

Call me a Philistine if you like but I had to look up Folger's. I am no longer a coffee drinker although my hubby is. For some reason about two years ago coffee started to trigger migraines so I stopped drinking it. That was hard for a start but I'm used to it now and it doesn't bother me. So what brand of tea? Dilmah. English Breakfast or Extra Strong. I prefer the English breakfast though. It's a little dearer than some of the other brands but I don't mind.

3. Where do you drink your cuppa in the morning? Do you have a nice view.

We always used to sit at the kitchen table for breakfast and our early cuppa but since hubby retired we sit in our easy chairs in the lounge, he likes to catch up on the news on tv and so I catch up with any messages I might have on my phone. And at times we even talk to each other :) 

The top half of this picture is what I can see when relaxing in my easy chair. Not very exciting, it is looking south though, which is where our bad weather comes from, so we can see the rain or wind in the trees as it heads towards us. 

4.Besides the morning, do you take little tea or coffee breaks during the day? If you are out and about where is your favorite place to get some tea or coffee?

I like a drink about mid morning and mid to late afternoon. Always one with lunch and if my sisters are here one after tea as well. Tea in that case being our evening meal followed by a cup of tea. When we're out and about in our little town we like to visit Aurora, it has the old fashioned sort of food we prefer and when in the city we go to a little out of the way mall off the main street and visit a little cafe there. It's always busy so not a secret, just out of the way :)

 I'll finish there, 

have a good week. 

Until next time,

Diana

 PS. The Rooibos tea in my picture is my go to for my evening drink as its decaf.

Punakaiki

On the Sunday of our reunion we decided to head up to Punakaiki and the blowholes after we had finished our lunch. All the planned stuff was finished and now it was time to relax and do some sightseeing. It was a lovely day, maybe a bit chilly but for Easter on the Coast it was magnificent - the weather really put on a good performance for us. Some of the family went out to the Pike River Mine to have a look at the memorial to the miners who lost their lives in the 2010 explosion and others joined us for an excursion up the coast road. We drove along beside the Tasman Sea.

I have put a lot of pictures up so I hope you don't get too bored, I'm going to mostly let them speak for themselves with maybe the occasional interruption from me :)

looking south and... 

...north on the Coast Road.

At Punakaiki.

The Pancake rocks.

Shags.

All of the blowholes were really blowing well, 

these two pics are of the Chimney Pot 

(that's it at the bottom of the picture just off centre)...

...and although it might not look it we could

 have done with umbrellas here :)

That is nikau palm forest just behind and on

 the hill at the back is ancient beech forest.

Some family and people shots.

DIL trying to replicate the Maori weaving below.

Nikau Palms.

Refreshments before we headed to our daughters holiday

 accommodation for a pizza tea by the beach with just 

our branch of the family...

...where we were treated to a beautiful sunset over the Tasman Sea.

When I was growing up Punakaiki was not "discovered" and my uncle and aunty had a bach (crib, holiday house) on the river here. We spent wonderful summer weekends here with our cousins, in and on the river, at the beach and running around the pancake rocks. It is quite interesting to see how it has been developed and made safe for tourists where we just used to run free but that is progress and it is a great natural asset for the area.

I hope you enjoyed looking at where 

a little piece of my heart still resides.

joining Debbie today for: 
Friday Foto Friends 

Diana

Chloe and Jack

Just touching base with everyone to let you

 know I am still alive and kicking. 

Last night my youngest grand daughter Chloe got in touch to see if we wanted to  join her in a girls only afternoon tea: coffee and brownies. So my little mother and I went out with her to a nice cafe/bar and  had a very relaxing afternoon out. Two of the 'girls' couldn't come, my daughter and her youngest daughter but we were still a nice little party. This is the first time Mum has been out socially for a long time, months in fact. She has been back in hospital since last time I posted and they have put one of the stents in. What a big difference it has made to her but we are still awaiting the main op. and so she is still staying with us. It was nice to go out and not be visiting the hospital for a change :)

My little mother is tired tonight though.

Vanessa (daughter), Chloe, Monica (eldest grand daughter), mum and me.

On Wednesday night my middle grandson, Jack, had his year 8 formal. Girls a dress and boys trousers, shirts and tie. That would be a novelty for the boys in particular I think and possibly for some of the girls as well :) They have been practicing some ballroom dancing for several weeks now as well as some more fun stuff.

The photo below is Jack all scrubbed up and ready to dance (reluctantly in his case). This is his final year at primary school and next year he will travel into the city to attend high school, growing up and starting a new phase in his life. They are all growing up so quickly, I don't know where the time is going to, sigh.

Sorry about the quality of the photo, it has been through many incarnations before I managed to get this pic on the page. 

Keep well,
Diana

The week just gone by

A friend rang me during the weekend to see if I wanted to join her for morning tea at the local art groups' exhibition. I did and we enjoyed seeing the paintings as well as having a good

 chinwag over coffee and cake. Some of the paintings were for sale but we didn't buy anything this time. Mind you there 

were a couple I really rather liked. Really, really liked :)

There are a lot of talented people out there.

And staying with the coffe break theme, my GKB and I went over to Wal's Plantland one afternoon for tomato plants and potting mix. There's a nice cafe cunningly placed at the end of a tunnel/hothouse  and while we didn't buy any extra plants we did enjoy a late afternoon tea which meant I didn't need to cook that evening. Bliss.

Staying with plants, aren't the blossoms on this magnolia magnificent? This tree belongs to a neighbour and 

my GKB had to wander partway up their drive to 

take the photo. Spring is certainly here :)

I took this photo while out walking one day. I love the moody clouds, rain threatened but hasn't happened yet. And that was several days ago. I rather think we may have drought conditions this summer as winter has been rather mild and not a lot of rain.

This is another pic I took while out walking. I had tried to get a shot of a flock of sparrows having a peck at the dirt on the road in front of me but they didn't cooperate with me at all and flew off :) This little thrush wasn't so shy, she just sat there and let me snap away. I love thrushes, their lovely colour and speckles on the breast. So cute.

Just to finish off  we went outside one evening and found we had this little fellow visiting us. He didn't stay long once he realised he had company. It's amazing how fast hedgehogs can run when they get up on those little legs and start to move.

Joining Amy and friends for
Five on Friday
and
Friday Foto Friends

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