150 and still going strong

Well it may be spring but this morning we had a good ol' frost on the ground. This did mean it turned into a lovely sunny day with warm temps later though.

It also meant it was very cold in St Paul's Anglican Cathedral where we were celebrating 150 years since the Dunedin Diocese came into being.  I certainly wished I'd worn a warmer jacket while I sat through the service. But it was great to be there with other like minded people to celebrate. The choirs and music were fantastic and reminded me why I love the Anglican tradition. Although it was fairly traditional it was also reasonably relaxed. After the service doves were released from the cathedral steps, some of them seemed somewhat reluctant but eventually they all took wing and soared away, and that was followed by a tree planting to commemorate the event.

I met my GKB afterwards, he arrived in time to be photographed on the steps with the rest of us - almost front row centre as well -  which made me laugh as he is not a churchgoer. We were actually going to head off for a lunch date but also had movie tickets and because of the length of the service lunch didn't happen. Instead we took popcorn and hot drinks into the theatre. A naughty lunch really but it only happens occasionally. And if we can't be a bit naughty sometimes life would be very dull :)  We saw Downton Abbey which I thoroughly enjoyed and which my GKB said was okay.

And that's it for just now. 
I am heading north in a few days to visit with my granddaughter  (and baby Alice) so will see you all when I get back.
Until then,

Diana

And so we waited...

We have a new great granddaughter and her name is Alice Dawn.

It was quite a lead  up to her arrival. Her Mum was still working, due to finish that week, but when she went for her midwife appointment during her lunch break she was told "You need to go back to work and tell them you are finishing immediately. Baby's head is down."  

So she did. Then went home and rang her mother, who was in the South Island, and told her. Mother was booked on a flight to go up later in the week, in plenty of time for the birth, so she thought. Then the waiting began. 

And we waited. 

The proud granny got on her plane and flew up to the North Island

at the end of the week.

And we waited some more

 - to the point we all thought Granma was going to be back in the South Island again before baby put in an appearance. 

And still we waited.

 But, as we know, babies will make their appearance in their own good time. Eventually, six days after she was due and almost three weeks from the midwife instructions to finish work, wee Alice came into the world. She is a week old now and a beautiful wee button. And the nice thing is that her Granma was able to spend a week with the new family, enjoying baby and lending a helping hand. She comes home tomorrow afternoon and the other granny flies in that evening, so ongoing support for them just now.

Sweet Alice ready to go home.

 Wee Arlo, three months old now,
 visiting with his aunty.

And now this besotted great granma is going to sign off.
Keep well until next time,
Diana

Hello there

Oh dear, it is almost 2 months since I last posted but I promise I have been busy. And I have called in to see you all now and again. We have had computer problems as well and I'm not sure whether or not I'll be able to post any pictures, but I'll have a go :)

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Our new great grandson, Arlo, has been out to visit. He is growing so fast, it's hard to believe he is nearly 3 months old. Winter is cold and flu weather and so we have been very careful in our visits with him. My GKB has been down with a really bad cold twice this winter so we haven't seen the wee man as often as we would like.

Back in April I showed you a panel from a crocheted blanket that I am cross stitching on. My middle sister made it over 20 years ago but I never got the stitching done. Well now it is completed and flew out of town with my middle daughter yesterday to await the birth of another great grandbaby. Due tomorrow. But they live in the North Island so we won't see so much of this wee one.

When I had finished the blanket I decided it was time to do something a little more relaxing, craft is not my thing, so I have finished a very busy jigsaw. Fun. Although my daughter in law says, "Jigsaw? No way, Mum".  :) Unfortunately it had a couple of pieces missing but that added to the fun, I don't think I'll keep it though.

 

Yesterday I thought I should start going through the boxes of Mum's writings and photo's etc that have been sitting in my spare bedroom  for over a year. Mum wrote poems and short stories, none published, and a lot of them for her grandchildren. Now said grandchildren would like copies so I need to find the ones they want and do something with them. I have a little pile, about six inches high, of folders and notebooks I need to go through. I have up to three versions of some stories so far, not all in the one place either, so I can see I am in for an interesting time. It will be nice to eventually have my spare room back :)

And that is it for the time being. 
I will try to get back a bit sooner next time. 

Until then , keep well.
Diana

A train trip

My GKB has just had a birthday so the kids all dubbed in and shouted him a trip to Palmerston on the Seasider train and I went with him :) It was a pleasant way to spend a winter's day.

We had a little while to wait before we could board the train once we arrived in Dunedin so we had a poke around the farmers market and then  listened to some young people busking outside the station.

 

Eventually we were able to board the train and our journey began. 

We had a nice young couple from Auckland sitting opposite us, they were doing some sightseeing before they headed back north in a couple of months time. They took this photo of us.

 

My GKB's family are from the Palmerston area, none left there any more, but he still feels a real connection. He spent a lot of time there as a boy. When we arrived he only had one thing in mind - one of McGregor's (world famous in Otago) mutton pies for his lunch. 

 

I think he was a little bit disappointed as the pie as a bit dry. Mutton pies always used to be greasy, the fat would run out as you took a bite and run down your chin. People either hated them or loved them, I was in the first camp. So I had a large sausage roll :) 

 

 After lunch we took a stroll around the township before heading back to the train. On the way we stopped to chat with a couple of the local goldminers. A lovely day out and a thoughtful birthday present from the kids for their father.

That's it until next time,

enjoy your week.

Diana

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

A lazy tea

It's been a busy day today. Housework in the morning

and down to the shops this afternoon followed by a visit

from eldest daughter and still pregnant granddaughter.

She was due six days ago but I think

he is nice and warm and cosy where he is

 and knows it's winter out here :)

ready to go under the grill

So it was a lazy tea tonight.

We had cheese rolls - a southern specialty.

People have their own secret recipes

and they are a popular school fundraiser.

ready to turn

A cheese mixture rolled in bread, brown or white.

We prefer white. We often pair them up with a cup of soup.

Cold day comfort food.

ready to eat

Youngest sister ordered two large cheese roll whilst

out for lunch one day, not realizing large ones

 were made from a caterers loaf. She hadn't

had one since she moved to Australia nearly

thirty years ago.

hamming it up on holiday.

Have a good weekend

Diana