Christmas in an earthquake zone is interesting.

Christmas Day has come and gone, and the earth has quieten down a little, so we are enjoying the peace. It was a peaceful  family Christmas, but little in the way of presents, not because of any idealogical reasons, but because the post was late or to be honest non existent after Friday afternoon's earthquakes, everything stopped and closed and everyone went home, traffic jams everywhere, just as well as we had a further 5.3 then a 6. They have been all from the same fault line and there have been over 35 shakes since the initial one. From the same stretch of  coast and all very shallow, the beach suburbs have been hit badly again. 

Aj was very well looked after by the company he works for, I picked him up on Wednesday and he and his colleagues came out smiling, carrying bags of meat, the boss had done a cull of his cattle and given the meat to his employees, they each got a ham for Christmas as well,  and Angus won a bottle of Port, got a DVD from his secret Santa and crackers and mints from his immediate boss. He is off with his mates to a music festival for 2 days, it's Dub something music, he played  me some, I admit too not understanding it all, his father ran from the room screaming. 

Tom worked yesterday and is working tomorrow, while waiting for Uni to confirm his subjects for next year, all very stressful. 

Who cares about earthquakes when the weather is stunning.

I'm venturing to the Mall, the only Westfield Mall in Christchurch, which in a earthquake is a scary place to be, my friend Mare was there on the second floor on Friday, only her second time in the mall since February and now she is too terrified to go back. But we are given vouchers for Westfields by our boss, every Christmas and so I shall go tomorrow and hop in and out quickly, the Contessa told me to send her the voucher and she,ll use it up North, quite a fiendish plot to do me out of my voucher while being concerned about by safety. I'm on to her though. Wish me luck for tomorrow. Hell's teeth as I sit here we have had another one, bloody hell I shall still go to the mall and will post tomorrow just to prove I made it home, Love Aunt Bee.

Another earthquake, just now.

Another big quake, sitting here while the earth shakes, at least I did the shopping this morning. Bugger. It was 5.9, and shallow, sorry for this, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Love Aunt Bee. Sorry we had got a bit happier thinking we were over them. Thank God we weren't at work.

Isn't it grand

There was a bit of a melee getting up the stairs to the top

the view from the double decker bus

Isn't it wonderful, our work "do" for our clients and their families was out of the city. We went in style in a double decker bus, kindly provided by a former colleague who lives in England, her friends and family raised funds for us to have a treat after the earthquake and this is what we did. Oh the excitement of a dd bus, we all wanted to be up the top, I of course took no prisons's and sat up the very front with Linds and Di. We regretted this on the way as we came that close to a power pole and numerous trees, a double decker bus is unusual in NZ we didn''t have them here, till people started importing them for "booze and party buses", so they are a novelty. Of course the state of our roads made the trip interesting, there was lots of arghhhhhh and ohhhhhhhhs along the way. I decided to let someone else sit in the front on the way back, something about a tree almost giving me a facial made the decision for me.
 We shared the lovely venue with a funeral which was more disconcerting to them than us. We had a great day as you can see it was wet but humid, the weather has been terrible,  rain, humidity, cold (had the heater on ), hot and flooding and landslips in Nelson.I am keeping an eye on the sky in case I spot falling frogs, as the weather is definitely strange.
We finish Thursday our clients finish Wednesday, everyone is a bit flat it's been the worst year, we are all hoping and praying that 2012 will be better, till someone mentioned that Mayan calendar, then someone else said don't worry it all kicks off at the end of 2012, so we can have a good year till the end. Madness or I work with mad people, but then how many Mayan's are their around to talk too about their stupid calendar, as I suspect none, now what does that tell you. On that merry note I leave you before  blogger has another hissy fit. Love to all Aunt Bee.

I have something to tell you but it has to remain a secret.

Bloody blogger has eaten my post, holding it in drafts but not letting me post it. I think sometimes I'll switch to typepad, did you hear me blogger I'll move unless you get your act together. Well that told it, I shall attempt the post tomorrow when we have both calmed down.

Feeling poorly.

I shall be resting on my sick couch if anyone wants me.

Unfortunately I have another bug and the voice has gone again, this is going to be a problem as tonight we are having our work "do" at the races. I've never been to the races in NZ must be the only one, but of course I have been to Ascot, me and the Queen, not that she invited me but we were  there together at the same time. 1978, I think it was, I won some money on Fingal's Cave, the Queen Mothers horse, isn't it weird what you remember. I don't remember what Baz told me 10 minutes ago, but I remember a horse I won money on all those years ago. I hope I can enjoy myself as I'm feeling rubbish at the moment, we have to be there at 5.30, bugger that's to early and the last race is after 10pm. Yesterday I had lunch out with 2 of my guys, at our Gentle Exercise group Christmas "do", next week is  work's client Christmas "do" and the week after that staff Christmas breakfast.I'm tired just thinking about it. I am taking myself off for a lie down and a brandy, lemon juice and honey toddy, doesn't cure, but puts a smile on my face. Aunt Bee.

A beautiful start to Summer, long may it continue.

It's only temporary,( that means a few years) but this was one of the busiest  thoroughfares in town.

Pop up mall made of shipping containers were once was Cashel Mall.

Looking directly into the heart of the city, to the ruin of the Anglican Cathedral

The Rose Garden.

Trying for an artistic shot here.

The herbaceous border in all it's glory.

The hideous fountain looked quite nice in the gorgeous  sun

The Contessa and the Yorkshire Terrier are down for a few days, the Terrier to work and Contessa to visit the family. We had a lovely day yesterday visiting the Botanic gardens (cue lots of photos of Roses), the new container shopping area in town and a quick lunch in a Mall near our house. Aj and I met up with them for dinner,later that night, which was lovely. In the container area, Johnsons the the best old style grocers shop in the world and New Zealand, has re- opened, as the old shop was demolished, Contessa and I bought things we loved to eat when we were living in London, I of course was delighted to pick up a 6 pack of Walnut Whirls, (heaven), and a Yorkie bar (not for ladies, sorry for the trip down old advertisment lane), Contessa bought pork scratchings for the Terrier and a Fry's Peppermint bar for herself. We stopped at the Northlands Mall in a fruitless search for Yorkshire Gold tea and discovered the supermarket has just started selling English food items, I could have bought my Walnut Whirls for $3.00 cheaper. They had sold out of Yorkshire tea  but stocked other things that tempted us, I said to the Contessa we were eating memories and that is the truth. Our days of our big OE, were some of the happiest days of our lives, I include the Yorkshire Terrier because we met him, while living in London and he was from Scunthorpe which was overseas, in comparison to London if you know what I mean. I shall go back to bed now, it's 4.26 am and I have a busy day tomorrow. Love Aunt Bee.

December 1st, welcome summer

Christmas swap from Max, ornaments, coasters (fabulous)and

 and wonderful Christmas book of poems.

double chocolate biscuits and to die for cheese biscuits.

Note skew whiff light, can't be straighten as it will break off, so that's fixed then.

Market shopping,  love the threads and stamp, pity I don't do stamping

Here we go, the house is finished too the builders requirements, not ours, but that's another story. I spent whole of the last weekend taking things out of the garage and finding a place for them. I did well, even if I was sick, got some sort of bug, by Friday I had no voice left much to the amusement of everyone at work, if the only thing I'm good for is to amuse my colleagues, then it is not a small thing. Cruel heartless bums that they are. Carpet went back down yesterday, Aj said how weird it was to have carpet again.

Chaotic house makes a chaotic mind, no my mind has always been chaotic.

I'm trying to go to a lovely calm place...................ohm

Ok, I'm not missing in action, it is just the house is in chaos and I can't find anything including cords, camera and my mind. The living areas are finished, but all the furniture is in the garage, the furniture from the bedrooms is in the lounge and the builders stuff is in the garage too. The washing is all over the lounge, and kitchen, as the weather is either gorgeous or crappy, today it's crappy. I have lots to show you, but it will have to  wait till the end of the week, when we will be back in control of our house and lives. I lied about being back in control of our lives, it would take more than the house finished and the builders gone to do that. Love Aunt Bee.

Sunday baking.

Sunday's cake,  chocolate sponge. This is becoming a habit.

I haven't been totally lazy, must be getting back in the posting groove.

It's amazing how many granny squares you can do in your lunchtime

Found a Phoenix  rep at the market.

A little Christmas display 

cream sponge from BBC Good Food,  perfect

The house is a tip, but I went to the market, as so I should.

Pixieware how gorgous, $2 brilliant

some rotter had cut out the magic painting pictures

I have been remiss in not blogging much lately, but as the builders are still in my house so to speak we are living in in chaos. The lounge is stripped the carpet covered in plastic wrap (which Dave hates) and contains the TV and the old couch which comfortably seats two three at a pinch but definitely not four of us. The table is in the dining room but has no chairs and everything else is in the garage along with the builders stuff. They haven't told us to clear out the bedrooms yet but possibly next week, the hall has no carpet, but it does have a new ceiling,  they thoughtfully left the carpet tack rails, oh! so invigorating to the  mind and body if you step on one. I know my library books due to go back this week are in the garage and I am mounting a full scale expedition to find them this afternoon, I may be some time.

Didn't she do well.

I haven't done much in the way of sewing, crocheting or nosing around in op shops or indeed the market, but I did return to the market yesterday and was rewarded by the thrifting gods.

Add caption

A Spring evening, 8pm in the garden, 4th November.

Why does 60 minute makeover make it look so easy and voting.

I painted  this and then mod podged the back with  serviettes.

painted and hung on the wall

I have been busy the last few weeks, painting bits and pieces, the little shelf which I got at the market and the shelf thing which was from AJ's room. I've learnt that I am not the world's best painter, and it's not as easy as the experts make it look. The little shelf is now off the wall as the builders are here to repair the house and all the walls are to be repainted. We are living in chaos at the moment. The bigger shelf thing is in the dining area and contains an assortment of my sewing things it's been re-arranged since this photo, as I have placed the radio down to the next shelf. The men have said it looks good, high praise indeed. Our house is indescribable at the moment, as we will continue to live in the mess as the work is done. They are working between our house and the next door neighbours, so it is going to take weeks, but we are happy to get it done although we have had a huge argument with EQC already, as has everyone we know who has the builders in, bugger, but the weather is wonderful and everyone seems optimistic and positive that things are on the up. We are also in the midst of an election, oh dear we are to vote on whether to stay with MMP or go back to "first past the post, or STV or some other system, it's a mess MMP  (that is) but we can't go back to FPP, I'll be doing some research  before voting, oh how I hate having to work hard before I vote. Ha ha only joking, I appreciate the right to vote, sanctimonious aren't I. Love Aunt Bee.

Bacon fat is delicious in ginger cake. OMG who knew

Not sure I want to make a cake that will keep for months

I found this at the market last week

Oh why am posting this at 11.40pm, well can't go to bed yet, the sky is full of fireworks, and cars are hooting, people screaming, and partying, the AB's won the World Cup, what a game, brave France, beaten by one point, but one point is all you need. Tomorrow is a Public Holiday, no not in advance of winning the cup, its Labour Day, so I shall sleep late and revive slowly.Next World Cup, London 2015, might have to start saving. Good night and God Bless, Aunt Bee.

We love the Ab's

I am off to bed, All Blacks won, I am exhausted, feel like I played the game. The half bottle of Lindauer I consumed probably had something to do with how I feel. At least we will be happy but tired at work tomorrow. If you think we are rugby insane in this country, well we are and for us in Canterbury and specially Christchurch ( although we love Robbie Deans) we need this win, the only city too not have a game because of the earthquake, we really need something good to cheer about. The builders start work on our house tomorrow, Aj starts back at Uni and Tom starts studying for exams. Basil will sleep in the garage during the day while the builders are here and I shall seek comfort and quiet at work..............yes I know there is something wrong with that statement, it's more of a hope really. I feel the need for  chocolate, I must fight this craving with all my might, I think this is going to end badly. Love and hugs Aunt Bee.

If I try and put in captions the post disappears, so a Sunday walk in Town

Sorry blogger is eating my posts

Sorry but Blogger is eating my posts. I shall be back when I find out how to fix it, or go mad trying***************fill in the blanks with any swear word you can think of, because I have. 

The visitor, the dietician and the men hitting each other.

I have been busy the last few weeks, we had a visitor from Aussie, a army friend of Basil's, (1970's vintage) to stay for a week and I was a bit on edge, as I've only meet him 3 times in 29 years and he deigned to speak to me about 6 sentences in all that time. We did a lot of ferrying around, well Basil did the most, but we don't have a spare room so Tom slept on the floor. Not ideal for a boy studying and trying to type up 4 major essay for Uni. He (the visitor) seemed to enjoy his trip and returned home early and I mean in the early hours of Monday morning, Basil was on night shift so I got up at 3.30am to see him off, am I mad or what.

I have not gone on about my DIET (it deserves capitals though), because don't you get sick of those bloggers who start off normal then go on a diet and that's all they talk about, BUT I had a weigh in with the dietician yesterday and  I have lost 13.4 kg since the first week of June. I have a long way to go but I'm determined to do it, she doesn't want to see me again, but I can email her with results every month or so. Now all I have to do is go back to the specialist who told me to lose weight. Mmmmmmmmmm not to keen on this next appointment, as he was, how should I say this, a bit of a pig, that really covers it I think. Anyway the female specialist and her nurse and the dietician said he could do with losing weight himself and that to expect me to get down to 70 kilos was mad, I had to agree, so the dietician and I think 78 or there-abouts, is good. So no more talk of the DIET but I will be happy to show you, me, in June 2012, as that is how long I have given myself to lose the rest of my pounds of butter (that's how I'm thinking of them).

On a happy note we have gone to daylight savings and it is so beautiful at 6.20pm to see my clothes drying on the line, the  birds singing in the trees, and the happy sounds of my sons's beating the hell out of each other with boxing gloves.

O.k. I'll have to go out and stop them or there will be tears before bed time. Love to all Aunt Bee. 

Miss Read books, I'm a happy reader.

Some pretty tulips, I love Spring.

I was pleased to find this Duvet and pillowcases, so summery.

Bought at the market, it matches my "granny purse".