Christmas Day, the real story.

I am back to tell the truth, I said the weather was beautiful and it was Christmas Day, till the afternoon. It didn't ruin our walk in the Botanic Gardens, and it's rained every day since. I can't pretend sometimes at 

The Rose garden, Barry , me and 3 German tourists.

Driving through town.

No one in the streets, but us idiots.

Christmas time the weather is horrendous, it's a bit hit and miss whether we get a hot day. So here is the proof.

Not cold but torrential rain

Merry Christmas

Vege from the garden, spuds, beans, peas and lettuce for Christmas lunch.

Christmas tree, slightly wonky photo

While out Christmas shopping took this photo of the many wall murals to be seen in the city.

Yesterday morning early morning walk on the beach.

I am now of to dip me truffles in chocolate, fish and chips for dinner, a tradition in our house Christmas Eve.
I am organised and almost relaxed, probably because I had most of the presents ordered and delivered by November. Roast Lamb, Roast Chicken, salad, vege, etc and for a little nostalgia I am doing the famous Chocolate log plus Pavlova for dessert. That's Choco log, with biscuits dunked in Baileys, then sandwiched with cream and cocoa mixture, and chilled. Some raspberries to decorate, then served, Yummy sounding, but the proof is in the pudding. MERRY CHRISTMAS, I hope you have a lovely day, and get something nice. Aunt Bee.

A wonderful day

Proud parents and Tom.

Sunday 15th December

Flowers in the garden the most beautiful is the flowering potato, new spuds for Christmas day, brilliant.
My currant bushes, managing to beat the birds most days.
The final photo, Custard tart with strawberries..........delish.

Google made it very hard for a technophope to find her own blog.

Sorry about not posting, couldn't find my blog on my own Google account..............says much more about me than about Google I think. Couldn't remember how to download my photos from own phone. There is a pattern here. 
First news is Aj has gone flatting, (small dance of happiness allowed here), love him to bits, but he has learnt a few things already, mostly of the budgeting money to last a fortnight kind, and wasn't it easy living at home. Tom has applied for Secondary Teaching, one more year at Uni, although he graduates on Wednesday afternoon, with a BA. At last, I thing he will be with us at least one more year.
I will bore you now with photos.

The photos are

The last spring flowers from the garden.

Shepherds Pie

Lights from the Sensory Room

Catholic Cathedral at sunset 

Pink sky at night

The last photo is the a*** end of a reindeer going to the 

Santa parade, when we passed it we noticed it had no head, that was on the truck in front, and too think I thought they flew.

Photos of a lovely Spring.

Vege garden taking shape,

Oh so true, earthquake wrecked church in background.

I am obssessed  with these lights.

Childish I know, this is Miss J,attacked by Angry Birds, it's a new phone and I was bored.

I park my car hear most days, this is all that's standing of a church, in Sydenham.

Hello, is there anyone out there ?

I am back from a very long break, where more that once I almost deleted my blog, but I have decided to continue, for no other reason than I feel more chipper.

I have not found a new job, alas, but hope springs eternal, spring has sprung, the clocks have leaped forward last weekend, which explains why everyone was so tired this week.

The Anglican Cathedral.

Tom has one last week of Uni, and Aj has started a 6 week trial with a builder, he will find out in 2 weeks if he has a a permanent position as an apprentice.

Basil and I went into the CBD last weekend.

It was a car free weekend in the CBD

I went shopping this morning and bought Christmas lights and paper, fabrics for my dining table chairs, and some cute fabric with robins on it for a new Christmas tablecloth. So I feel ready for creating, I'm getting the "sander from hell" out tomorrow to sand down the chairs as I am going to paint them, before I cover them. I always bought a Kath Kidtson mug, a large "cowboy" one which I shall enjoy drinking my morning cup of tea in.There we are, my first post in a while, and it was almost painless, almost, I have a smart phone a lovely Nokia, which I am slowly learning how to use. All these photos were taken on my phone, I wont tell you long it took me to learn how to use the camera, suffice o say I have a collection of blurred selfie's. Love Aunt Bee.

Now is the Winter of our discontent.

It is the winter of discontent, it's freezing,and miserable and my usual "I love Winter" mask is slipping. Visited my dear aunt and she said "I got the heat pump on 24 and it's still cold", she says it the coldest winter she has felt and she lived in England during the 1947 winter. O.k. she's over 90, but I'm freezing, have bought a new jacket, extra warm norse gloves, boots, yes boots that actually fitted my well shaped calves, a miracle I tell you, and many more tops than I need. 
Aj goes to work with 5 layers, and strips off if the day warms up, it's so cold he is eating a hot breakfast before work..........well I never, some good has come from this misery. I won' t go into the flooding, roadworks scenario but my little car and I have had some "hairy" moments going to work lately, bloody earthquakes. There isn't a major or minor route in town that isn't closed, or half closed, I, the mildest of women, wanted to get out of my car and "bop" the driver of the car that pushed in to my lane, although they knew they had to merge 300 metres before. This is a common feeling in Christchurch, MM coming to work on Friday, saw a guy kick some one's side mirror off, on the motorway (that was safe driving wasn't it).  I should add the cars were all stopped in another traffic jam.See I'm an old misery guts at the moment. 
I have finished the angel, I loved the book so much I bought a copy from The Book Depository, how I love that site. It's a book by Madeleine Millington, Felt with love, gorgeous book. Then while in a op shop I hadn't been in to for yonks, I found some CrossStitcher mags for a $1 each, they are all around 2000 to 2003, I wonder if the penpal seekers got any penpals.  I'm a bit like Toad, full of enthusiasm's, so I'm cross-stitching again, while making things from felt, but still taking time to think about my UFO mountain of quilts and then quickly move on. 
Your wondering about the lack of photos, well I can't find them, I love Windows 8, but the photo retrieval is useless. Or possibly I'm useless, go with what you think is the truth.
So that's it for the week, I've forgotten the important thing I was going to tell you all, but I do feel better I have had a weather/road rant. Love Aunt Bee.

I've started so I'll continue.

Out for a walk with Tom, sadly we ended up ankle deep in mud.

It's been almost 2 months since my last post and during this time I've been debating with myself, should I stop posting or give myself a good talking too and start blogging again. So I here again, so much has happened, but I thought that my driveling was boring, and then last week a revelation, my life is no more boring than anyone else's and writing my blog is as much for me to record what's happening here and now, like so many other's I don't want to record too much of the miserable bits but we aren't stupid are we, we know that our lives are real with all the small and large trauma's that comes every one's way. That was a bit of a epistle wasn't it, here endeth the lesson.
O.k. major shift here, my beloved Crusaders are slaughtering the Chiefs, I love rugby, I watch the Warriors (league), I also watch tennis, hasn't Wimbledon being brilliant this year.I support the Tactixs in netball, and believe me that has been hard to do this year. Winter is my favourite time of year for watching sport, I have tried to multi-task this year by getting back into my crafts, while watching TV . 
Have been stitching a felt angel and decided to stitch around the edge in invisible thread, so on a really freezing morning I went to the local fabric shop but I couldn't actually see the invisible thread so I had to ask the staff, she found it for me, at home I couldn't actually see the end of the thread so Josie kindly found it for me, then of course it was very slippery and time after time I kept losing the thread and having to re thread it, I was torn between laughing and saying some very bad words.  The angel is almost finished but I may never use invisible thread again, well not unless I have a massive improvement in my eyesight.

Aj and me at the rugby.

gorgeous annuals found at the market.

yes, we got our first snow day home by 10.30am, snow stopped at 10.33

So that's it, not a great start, but a start, love Aunt Bee.

William John McNally 1923- 2013

This is a photo of AJ and my Dad. Dad died last week and his funeral is next Tuesday. We are travelling up on Monday. Dad was born in Belfast NI in 1923, he was a well loved husband, (Mum died last year) , and loving father.We shall miss him so much, but Mum's death left him bereft.Mum and Dad emigrated here in the 50's, living for a short time in Australia, too hot for Dad, then settling in NZ for the last 57 years. Love to all, Barbara McNally Simpson. P.S.. He was racing a old nun from his parish to get to 90 first, (he was a funny man), and as my friend Chris said "you can never beat a nun".

Rambling again

I am such a stinker, I haven't been posting and yet I am busy, busy and busier, each week is jam packed with excitement. Well not excitement or though to be honest, my heart skipped a beat when I spied a french market basket at the market 2 weeks ago, I didn't need it, but wanted it so spent my whole budget ($20.00) and bought it, how did I know it was french? the French lady who sold it told me it was. She has had a stall at the market for a few weeks now, and I have bought a owl picture for Josie, 3 metres of muted tartan, and some needle cord.
On a work note, we have moved from our old building to another building, (next door to the Spotlight Mall, it has a new trendy name but can never remember it), which has lots of lovely food places. This move is to a smaller building till ours is fixed, it's actually very good in a packed to the gunwale's way, and warm as the weather has turned and Autumn has arrived with a vengence. I sit here with frozen toes as I have left my new 2013 slippers in the bedroom.
Basil had a heart scare, that's what I'll call it, he ended up in hospital for two nights, although the doctors pooh-poohed it, he had his flu injection the week before and it's a given he'll get really sick afterwards.
On the I'll go out if invited front, last week 32 people from work, 7 actual workers and there appendages, ie, family and friends, (sorry not the appendages you might have been thinking) went to Laserstrike. Wonderful, never been before, but so much fun, 32 people from 8 to 58, having a ball, and such good exercise, 15 mins of dodging and hiding, went so quickly, if I'm not totally decrepit I want my 60th birthday party at Laserstrike.
It was my birthday on Tuesday and I got Nigel's Kitchen Diaries 11, so pleased, said I would be taking Nigel to bed with me, and a friend asked who is Nigel, I told her and she said never heard of him. I wept, I love Nigel.
Also got some other books and a DVD, Miss Marple one I didn't have, how can that be.
Last night we left Baz, and went out to drinks at the Astro Lounge for Josie's 21st, me and the lad's, the lounge is large plastic curtains attached to a small restaurant on a concrete, brick and rough ground courtyard, and I was wearing heels, arrrrgh. Not the normal foot attire of the less footed, unspotted, middle, aged besom. 
Met Josie gorgeous sisters and had a great chat, they are 19 and 23, and love books, old TV shows, Colin Firth and the Goons, how wonderful.

No new job yet, alas, there is always tomorrow, on wards and upwards, no point in getting downhearted, Winter is creeping around the corner. My favourite time of year.
Missed going to The Mousetrap, due to Baz, go on tell me who did it?

There is a penguin in this photo, believe me there is, its that little dark speck near the sand

This place is amazing

one of Riverstone's, many shops

I know the penguin is hard to find, but it was hard to find one, as we went down to the harbour late. They keep to a schedule and penguins don't do photo ops if your tardy.
On to Riverstone, everyone says go there, your'll be amazed, well amazed doesn't cover it. I felt sensory overload, and that's saying something, it's incredible, not one shop but sheds full of things you didn't know you wanted, gardens, vege and flowers, animals, birds, and they are building what I thought was a massive castle style house with moat, but is a kid's fort with moat out the back. I'm sure if you googled Riverstone, Oamaru NZ, you would find it, not forgetting it is an award winning cafe, only cafe to win restaurant of the year. The chef is a celebrity chef now, a small but amazing menu, because it was only 9.30am we had a cheese scone each, omg if that's a scone, the lunch dishes must be out of this world.I am going back to Oamaru with Tom and Josie in October, must save my pennies intend to do my Christmas shopping there and Oamaru.  Love Aunt Bee. 

a little trip away

Oamaru's small but perfectly formed
harbour

Shops,bakery, cafe's, crafts, books, homemade ice cream, heaven

Not into Steampunk but the sense of humour is great

Outside Steampunk HQ

Oamaru, the Victorian area

Heading for Oamaru

Leaving Fairlie,  very foggy

Lake Tekapo, without Mt Aoriki/Mt Cook, freezing and cloudy

Dave enjoys the Autumn sun
Some photos of our trip and one of Dave relaxing without leaving home.We had a great trip, the weather was good except for Lake Tekapo where it was freezing and we couldn't see Mt Aoriki/MtCook. Stayed the night at Fairlie, where next morning Basil fell over moving from the bathroom to the kitchen, this had a affect on the rest of the week. But he survived but is still limping. Oamaru one of my favourite places was great, the Victorian area was as awesome as everyone said, and the Steampunk HQ, though not my cup of tea was suitably different, it's very arty/crafty/vintage and some of the people dress in Victorian/Steampunk clothes which gives it a real vibe.
I have got some more photos to show including a where's Wally/penguin photo for my next post. love Aunt Bee 








 

Taking some me time, but have to take Basil.

Sorry for lack of posts, my mojo for crafts, blogging, even ( I hate to admit) keeping up with friends has deserted me.It's just me, although we, I mean all of us in the city of Christchurch are suffering from Earthquake stress and depression. Who would have thought of that,13,000 earthquakes and we are all suffering fatigue, yes we are suffering from experts telling us we are all nuts. 
Basil and I have both a week off, and we are going on a wee trip down south, hopefully I'll come back balanced and ready to get in too the things that make me happy.............sounds good, but not sure it'll work.
So I am going to take photos of my beloved Canterbury, eat too much, and enjoy some time with Basil, I'm driving so I can stop where I want to, haha, don't think Basil has thought this through. Good bye for now.

I went for the arty photo look, sadly

Plum jam made on a slightly cooler evening in February.
 

 

Shakespeare in the Park

  Me going out for night out with the "girls"

Sorry, tried to be arty, failed miserably, but the photos show I think, how hot the summer has been, taken at all times of the day and night and the sun just will not behave. Note people wearing jackets at Twelfth Night, it got decidedly cooler in the evening under the trees. My mantra this year is go out more, so what if Basil's working, he's always working. I going to see the Wind in the Willows soon, it's in our beautiful Botanic Gardens, and signed up for a Laser Strike night. Went out to the market and stopped at a very expensive Op shop, bought Basil a milk frother, the lady at the counter didn't know what it was, it would have been more than $3 if she did know, I think.  On to the market where I bought a Chinese bamboo steamer and a book, ok, also a sausage in bread, with onions and mustard. Might as well confess my sins. No big deal about St Valentines day, neither of us celebrate it, we have been together 31 years, through good and bad, and we are in it for the long haul, the occasionally "brunch or movies out is our treat". I have been out for "brunch" actually twice last weekend, it reinforced what didn't need reinforcing, I LOVE BREAKFAST. I say  to one and all, goodbye at 5.00pm, with the smell of BBQ in the air, (not ours), children laughing, (next door) and the bloody crickets making a fearful racket in the trees. Love 
Aunt Bee.









Dahlias with half eaten plum, by me.