My tennis group went out for a pub meal last night to say goodbye to us. It used the savings from playing fees to cover all our meals and a drink.
A nice gesture.
@MrsBeaky I have been thinking of those in the far North and Whakatane and Ohope where I have friends as well as Wairoa, where I taught for year and where they've had more than their share of natural disasters in the last few years
We have been fortunate here in the middle of the South Island and it looks as though we will only have rainfall that is a bit heavier than usual. In the past I've gone out with a shovel and cleared the gutters, but I noticed this time the Council had already done that which was a relief as I have a heavy cold and it would be stupid to be out unless it was absolutely necessary.
I think the Student Volunteer Army. which was first formed in response to the Christchurch quakes, may mobilise again as they have a week of holidays left.
@MrsBeaky I have been thinking of those in the far North and Whakatane and Ohope where I have friends as well as Wairoa, where I taught for year and where they've had more than their share of natural disasters in the last few years
We have been fortunate here in the middle of the South Island and it looks as though we will only have rainfall that is a bit heavier than usual. In the past I've gone out with a shovel and cleared the gutters, but I noticed this time the Council had already done that which was a relief as I have a heavy cold and it would be stupid to be out unless it was absolutely necessary.
I think the Student Volunteer Army. which was first formed in response to the Christchurch quakes, may mobilise again as they have a week of holidays left.
Glad you're ok.
Beaky daughter has messaged to say things are relatively ok where she is based in the North.
She's currently training as a volunteer in the Fire Service so could well find herself on duty during future weather events!
Just a quick note to say that we have departed for the other side of the equator for the next ten weeks, although I may post the occasional update here. See travel thread in Heaven for more details.
Just a quick note to say that we have departed for the other side of the equator for the next ten weeks, although I may post the occasional update here. See travel thread in Heaven for more details.
Safe travels: I trust you have bypassed the Middle East.
@MrsBeaky -Good to hear of your daughter training in Civil Defense. The more trained people there are in the community, the better the outcomes for everyone.
Buses are my only mode of travel, so I'm not affected by the rise in petrol prices and being over 65 I have a gold card, which means I travel free after 9.00 a.m. There are more people on the buses at the moment due to school holidays, but it will be interesting to see if/how rising prices affect bus patronage. The bus fleet in Christchurch is also increasing the number of electric buses which will make it less vulnerable.
The NZ Government has stepped in with an extra payment for families affected by price rises, but I believe it's quite limited.
Off to the vet today. Aroha disappeared on Thursday. I thought she was in the house, but she wasn't responding to my voice. I finally rang a friend at 3 p.m to report that I thought she had disappeared or died. I opened all the inside doors and a few hours later she appeared from the spare room. I put out food, which she ignored and she didn't show any interest in cuddles (she's usually a smoocher).
I woke up this morning and she was lying on top of me, then she ate some food and wants to go outside. I think she's probably O.K, but we are going to the vet this afternoon anyway, just to check.
I discovered what happened with Aroha. She went to the house next door but one and beat up their disabled cat. The disabled cat's able bodied friend apparently then beat her up.
It's not the first time this has happened.
The vet has prescribed antibiotics which will help the scratches, but I'm not sure how to address the behaviour.
I might have to have a catio constructed so she can go outside without being free range.
@Huia, our 2 cats had previously been allowed out at whim during the day, but kept in
from sunset until the next morning. We now only let them out on a lead for a walk. They are both now about 14, so perhaps don't want to go outside as much as they did when they were younger. The lead training made me very unpopular and I was being hissed at every time, initially, but that did pass. I think persistence and a treat to keep busy whilst harnessed up and after a walk, might help with tolerance, but I am not an expert!!
Re the change or not in people's driving habits, I went out for a drive 20 mins across town, last week. I normally sit right on the speed limit (90km/hr) on that road and I was being overtaken at every opportunity. I don't know whether it's people driving on autopilot, but no one appeared to be slowing down at all! At our place Cheery husband's motor scooter has been playing up, so a new battery was bought, then he got a flat tyre. So he tried going to work on his electric scooter and that got a flat tyre. So he's been using the family car (Camry) and using more fuel than he would normally. Bit of a pest, but we can't do a whole lot about it other than get those tyres fixed and hope that the new battery for the scooter has done the trick!!
We had a couple of cool nights this week, so tomorrow's job is to get all the aircon vents blocked with cardboard as is our usual practice!
Hoping people are doing OK this week. We've been having a quiet one. Cheery husband still taking the family car, so we are just hanging out at home. But when the days are so beautiful with the sun shining, there is nothing to complain about.
Have you now completed your house move @LatchKeyKid?
This week I was cleaning some sticky from my kitchen window and after doing so successfully, I managed to take a little tumble landing on my knees with much pain and swearings. Fortunately Cheery son was home and able to get me an ice pack. I then managed to slide across the tiles and sit leaning up against the kitchen island. I think I'm almost back to normal having had a couple of days doing not very much.
I nevery need an excuse to spend/waste time watching streaming!!
Did a jaunt to the Southern Highlands yesterday courtesy of my senior’s Opal card: $2-50 for the round trip including buses to and from Central station. About 110 km trip to Bowral By electric train to Campbelltown then the little diesel railcar the rest of the way. Very green after the rain and autumn leaves everywhere in Bowral. A pretty town; haven’t been there since 2010. The scenery on the trip has changed enormously since I used to catch the old Monaro Express to Canberra in boarding school & uni days-the suburban sprawl was not there after Liverpool (35 km out of Sydney) but now!! The railway ran alongside of the old Hume Highway which in tode days was a 2 lane road and passed through most of the little towns between Sydney and Goulburn; expressway was not completed until well into the 80s. It was a nice few hours away and enjoyed an excellent hot pie & a coffee in the local bakery on Bong Bong St ( main drag of Bowral).
I love the sound of your outing @Sojourner, so many places familiar to me on your journey!
I remember the Goulburn bypass being completed in the early 90's and taking our daughter in pram to be part of a community photo standing on the newly bypassed main street! That's a long time ago now!!
A very beautiful autumn day here today, the mowing men were out on their ride-ons this morning, tidying up the wetland near us, it was starting to look very scrappy and difficult to walk around with no footpaths opposite our place.
How will others be marking Anzac Day tomorrow? I will be making Anzac biscuits tomorrow. I had a dry run last weekend, baking some to take when we visited our hospital friends. We had a great morning tea with them, and even though my biscuits were a bit shabby, they tasted quite good. Hopefully I will do better with tomorrow's batch. I like to pick a flower from the garden and put it with the photo we have of my great uncle, to mark the day.
Back in the day when I worked as a civilian contractor for Defence ( Vic Barracks Sydney 2002-5 then HMAS Kuttabul 2005-16) I used to mosey down to Elizabeth St to watch the march then would have a beer with the medics ( wouldhave been social suicide not to do so). Have to been to a dawn service in Sydney since 2002 and before then in 1973 with my late father in 1973.
Every year my anger increases at how those Australian and Kiwi boys were sent off to be mown down at the direction of Churchill and his like “ for King and country” ; forever grateful that the Labour PM John Curtin refused Churchill’s demand for troops to Europe during WW2: that drunken old fool had no idea about the war in the Pacific, of course
Every year my anger increases at how those Australian and Kiwi boys were sent off to be mown down at the direction of Churchill and his like “ for King and country” ; forever grateful that the Labour PM John Curtin refused Churchill’s demand for troops to Europe during WW2: that drunken old fool had no idea about the war in the Pacific, of course
Well said.
We're not long back from the Anzac Day service in the local park. A good crowd, not as large as some years but larger than others.
I took the ANZAC service at a lovely little mountaintop community, Hervey Range. Over 60 folk there, not bad when the community numbers only a couple of hundred. It helps that the Hall has a licensed bar, and egg and bacon wraps met the requirement for food with alcohol before midday 😊
The turnout at your Anzac service sounds wonderful @Foaming Draught . Even if only one person came it would still be worthwhile, but to see people making a choice to come out to remember, must be gratifying as these things all take time and preparation.
How are people at this end of the world?
Things are quiet/not quiet at mine. Cheery husband anticipating a new employer and team to integrate into, always fun. Cheery daughter has returned home from house sitting and having a bit of downtime. Cheery son has 2 medical appointments this week, one final with a Specialist that has managed his care for 23 years. Many thoughts about that and uncertainty about how to proceed. I am sure we will have a lengthy conversation about that (I hope).
Enjoying lovely days in the garden and walking in the neighbourhood. Our pond has refilled overnight and all the birds are out and about. Beautiful little wrens about 2 metres away from our back door yesterday and one furry friend very put out about that!! I thought I'd do my walk during a lull in the rain this morning. I felt a bit silly with both my sunhat and spray jacket on at the same time, but I guess that gives a picture of this city in autumn, prepare for all the vagaries in the weather!!
We are expecting our first frost on Friday and that makes me laugh as I still have about 5 roses on my rose bush, Two are currently in flower, but I might lose the last few. I'm leaving the flowering ones on the bush as they are not quite out, but I think I should cut them before Friday.
Now that Anzac Day has passed, the aircon vents are all blocked up and the heater is quite definitely ON!
My new air conditioner, which is has both heating and cooling options has definitely been in use. I live in a poorer suburb which means there was a considerable subsidy, this added to the extra $20 a week winter fuel allowance makes the cold more bearable.
Today I did my grocery shopping and borrowed 3 books from the library, which meant I was carrying two shopping bags and my backpack was full. I was within a metre of the bus stop when a young boy offered to carry my shopping. I thanked him and said I was OK because I was catching a bus.
This small interaction brightened my day considerably - he had seen my need and offered help. In a world where people get caught up in their own concerns being seen felt like a gift.
I'm glad to hear you have good reliable heating @Huia, winters can be miserable otherwise.
What a lovely young boy, I suspect there are more of them out there than we ever realise - we so often only ever hear about the problematic ones!
Today has been the most spectacular autumn day, a tiny bit chilly early on, but beautiful blue sky with just a hint of a breeze.
I've done all today's chores including listing all Cheery son's specialists and where we are with each of them in order to be ready for Friday's appointment. Cake has been baked and is packed up ready to gift. All we have to do is remember to take in all on Friday morning!!
We are hoping Cheery husband will be able to attend as from Friday he is employed by a new company. I know he feels awkward about asking for time off on his first official day!!
Reluctantly, because Mothering Sunday was the Third Sunday in Lent, not the American Hallmark Greeting Card nonsense which Australia has imported, I'm looking for a Mothers Day image to use as the welcome slide which greets folk as they come into church. Googling "Religious Mothers Day" returns a mish mash of Blessèd Virgins and misogynist proof texts from Proverbs.
Reluctantly, because Mothering Sunday was the Third Sunday in Lent, not the American Hallmark Greeting Card nonsense which Australia has imported, I'm looking for a Mothers Day image to use as the welcome slide which greets folk as they come into church. Googling "Religious Mothers Day" returns a mish mash of Blessèd Virgins and misogynist proof texts from Proverbs.
And of course, that should be the Fourth Sunday in Lent.
As a kid I loved Mothering Sunday in the Anglican church where I went to Sunday School. I never struck me then that the work of organising the small posies given out fell on the women.
Indeed @Huia, I recall there being posies for almost every woman attending our larger Sunday service when I was a teenager, and I'm sure it was all the elderly women of the parish who put them together. Both beautiful and wrong all at the same time.
I'm not that concerned which day of the year Mothers are celebrated as long as it occurs at some point. Fathers and special friends too! It was one of two days in the year where I would get a cup of tea that I had not made myself (Cheery husband not partaking) and also a day where my non-mothering interests were acknowledged. When the kids were little, I asked for a day without them, and I would go out with a friend to have some downtime.
I love my kids dearly, but one of the sacrifices of parenting (or caring of any description) is putting one's own desires and interests second and I wish I'd understood that much much better before embarking on the experience, I'd probably have delayed it for 5-10 years. A lot of the joy was sucked out by the length of Cheery son's illness and I think that's something that many people will never "get". I find it a day of mixed feelings and I am sure it is for many, those who can't have children, those who have lost a child, those who have estrangement in their family. I can cope with the commercialisation of it, although that's problematic. It's the inability to acknowledge the messiness of it that I struggle with.
As a woman who has never given birth I avoided Mothering Sunday Even in my late teens children would see a female of childbearing age and give them flowers, and it just felt awkward,
Comments
A nice gesture.
We have been fortunate here in the middle of the South Island and it looks as though we will only have rainfall that is a bit heavier than usual. In the past I've gone out with a shovel and cleared the gutters, but I noticed this time the Council had already done that which was a relief as I have a heavy cold and it would be stupid to be out unless it was absolutely necessary.
I think the Student Volunteer Army. which was first formed in response to the Christchurch quakes, may mobilise again as they have a week of holidays left.
Glad you're ok.
Beaky daughter has messaged to say things are relatively ok where she is based in the North.
She's currently training as a volunteer in the Fire Service so could well find herself on duty during future weather events!
I haven't noticed much.
Have NZ fuel costs increased by 25% to 50% because of the Iran war?
Safe travels: I trust you have bypassed the Middle East.
Buses are my only mode of travel, so I'm not affected by the rise in petrol prices and being over 65 I have a gold card, which means I travel free after 9.00 a.m. There are more people on the buses at the moment due to school holidays, but it will be interesting to see if/how rising prices affect bus patronage. The bus fleet in Christchurch is also increasing the number of electric buses which will make it less vulnerable.
The NZ Government has stepped in with an extra payment for families affected by price rises, but I believe it's quite limited.
I'm not sure how you'd notice that. OTOH, we are driving less these days, and using the train/walking more.
I woke up this morning and she was lying on top of me, then she ate some food and wants to go outside. I think she's probably O.K, but we are going to the vet this afternoon anyway, just to check.
It's not the first time this has happened.
The vet has prescribed antibiotics which will help the scratches, but I'm not sure how to address the behaviour.
I might have to have a catio constructed so she can go outside without being free range.
Has anyone changed a cat's life from being free range to being contained?
from sunset until the next morning. We now only let them out on a lead for a walk. They are both now about 14, so perhaps don't want to go outside as much as they did when they were younger. The lead training made me very unpopular and I was being hissed at every time, initially, but that did pass. I think persistence and a treat to keep busy whilst harnessed up and after a walk, might help with tolerance, but I am not an expert!!
Re the change or not in people's driving habits, I went out for a drive 20 mins across town, last week. I normally sit right on the speed limit (90km/hr) on that road and I was being overtaken at every opportunity. I don't know whether it's people driving on autopilot, but no one appeared to be slowing down at all! At our place Cheery husband's motor scooter has been playing up, so a new battery was bought, then he got a flat tyre. So he tried going to work on his electric scooter and that got a flat tyre. So he's been using the family car (Camry) and using more fuel than he would normally. Bit of a pest, but we can't do a whole lot about it other than get those tyres fixed and hope that the new battery for the scooter has done the trick!!
We had a couple of cool nights this week, so tomorrow's job is to get all the aircon vents blocked with cardboard as is our usual practice!
Have you now completed your house move @LatchKeyKid?
This week I was cleaning some sticky from my kitchen window and after doing so successfully, I managed to take a little tumble landing on my knees with much pain and swearings. Fortunately Cheery son was home and able to get me an ice pack. I then managed to slide across the tiles and sit leaning up against the kitchen island. I think I'm almost back to normal having had a couple of days doing not very much.
I nevery need an excuse to spend/waste time watching streaming!!
I remember the Goulburn bypass being completed in the early 90's and taking our daughter in pram to be part of a community photo standing on the newly bypassed main street! That's a long time ago now!!
A very beautiful autumn day here today, the mowing men were out on their ride-ons this morning, tidying up the wetland near us, it was starting to look very scrappy and difficult to walk around with no footpaths opposite our place.
How will others be marking Anzac Day tomorrow? I will be making Anzac biscuits tomorrow. I had a dry run last weekend, baking some to take when we visited our hospital friends. We had a great morning tea with them, and even though my biscuits were a bit shabby, they tasted quite good. Hopefully I will do better with tomorrow's batch. I like to pick a flower from the garden and put it with the photo we have of my great uncle, to mark the day.
Every year my anger increases at how those Australian and Kiwi boys were sent off to be mown down at the direction of Churchill and his like “ for King and country” ; forever grateful that the Labour PM John Curtin refused Churchill’s demand for troops to Europe during WW2: that drunken old fool had no idea about the war in the Pacific, of course
Well said.
We're not long back from the Anzac Day service in the local park. A good crowd, not as large as some years but larger than others.
How are people at this end of the world?
Things are quiet/not quiet at mine. Cheery husband anticipating a new employer and team to integrate into, always fun. Cheery daughter has returned home from house sitting and having a bit of downtime. Cheery son has 2 medical appointments this week, one final with a Specialist that has managed his care for 23 years. Many thoughts about that and uncertainty about how to proceed. I am sure we will have a lengthy conversation about that (I hope).
Enjoying lovely days in the garden and walking in the neighbourhood. Our pond has refilled overnight and all the birds are out and about. Beautiful little wrens about 2 metres away from our back door yesterday and one furry friend very put out about that!! I thought I'd do my walk during a lull in the rain this morning. I felt a bit silly with both my sunhat and spray jacket on at the same time, but I guess that gives a picture of this city in autumn, prepare for all the vagaries in the weather!!
We are expecting our first frost on Friday and that makes me laugh as I still have about 5 roses on my rose bush, Two are currently in flower, but I might lose the last few. I'm leaving the flowering ones on the bush as they are not quite out, but I think I should cut them before Friday.
Now that Anzac Day has passed, the aircon vents are all blocked up and the heater is quite definitely ON!
Today I did my grocery shopping and borrowed 3 books from the library, which meant I was carrying two shopping bags and my backpack was full. I was within a metre of the bus stop when a young boy offered to carry my shopping. I thanked him and said I was OK because I was catching a bus.
This small interaction brightened my day considerably - he had seen my need and offered help. In a world where people get caught up in their own concerns being seen felt like a gift.
What a lovely young boy, I suspect there are more of them out there than we ever realise - we so often only ever hear about the problematic ones!
Today has been the most spectacular autumn day, a tiny bit chilly early on, but beautiful blue sky with just a hint of a breeze.
I've done all today's chores including listing all Cheery son's specialists and where we are with each of them in order to be ready for Friday's appointment. Cake has been baked and is packed up ready to gift. All we have to do is remember to take in all on Friday morning!!
We are hoping Cheery husband will be able to attend as from Friday he is employed by a new company. I know he feels awkward about asking for time off on his first official day!!
And of course, that should be the Fourth Sunday in Lent.
I'm not that concerned which day of the year Mothers are celebrated as long as it occurs at some point. Fathers and special friends too! It was one of two days in the year where I would get a cup of tea that I had not made myself (Cheery husband not partaking) and also a day where my non-mothering interests were acknowledged. When the kids were little, I asked for a day without them, and I would go out with a friend to have some downtime.
I love my kids dearly, but one of the sacrifices of parenting (or caring of any description) is putting one's own desires and interests second and I wish I'd understood that much much better before embarking on the experience, I'd probably have delayed it for 5-10 years. A lot of the joy was sucked out by the length of Cheery son's illness and I think that's something that many people will never "get". I find it a day of mixed feelings and I am sure it is for many, those who can't have children, those who have lost a child, those who have estrangement in their family. I can cope with the commercialisation of it, although that's problematic. It's the inability to acknowledge the messiness of it that I struggle with.