Mayberry

I have new running shoes, yet strangely I don't want to run.

2012-01-21T03:07:00.000-08:00

Basil went to the market with me this morning , I don't like this, he didn't say "why do you want that", but it was unspoken and I couldn't fossick to my heart's content...........but.

this pav was to celebrate Aj's good news which has become news delayed

my little haul from Saturday

I did get a teabag holder, 4 glasses, and two pretty cups(without saucers) and one book for Basil.
Aj's got good news and bad news in a 24 hour period about his selection for Teacher's College, he's in limbo at the moment, so we can only pray it all turns out o.k.

A gorgeous day in the park

The woodland garden with the Womens Hospital in the background

Baz and I went to the park for a walk last Sunday, he says this week we are going to walk/run around both parks. I had to go get new running shoes as mine have no tread on the soles, I think this is due to running on the treadmill.
The "men" will be both running up the stairs in the hills, while Baz and I go out for breakfast, such a treat, I do love breakfast out, actually I love breakfast, in fact I could eat breakfast for every meal, very Irish of me.Of course normally I have yoghurt and muesli but tomorrow I might be forced to have pancakes, bacon and maple syrup, and if I can sneak cream on there I will. The weather is supposed to be horrible tomorrow, snow and hail in some parts, not here in Christchurch, we are to have only rain, I am so looking forward to that walk/run, somehow new shoes don't seem that exciting. Best luck for any active endeavours you may undertake, I shall need them myself as I feel tired already and so I depart for the land of Nod. Goodnight, perchance to dream and sprain my ankle, (I know fat chance in bed) therefore not able to go around the park tomorrow. Love to all, Aunt Bee. Sorry, photos everywhere, but at least you get photos, think of them as pop-ups of a nice kind.

Busy Bee.

2012-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

Not a great shot of the moon, but it was beautiful last night

The scent from the lillies is subtle, gently wafting through the lounge

The return to work was fun, yes fun, but then my colleagues are nuts. The boss was still on holiday so there was plenty of hi-jinks, all our clients came back and actually wanted to work.
On the home front, Basil was in the garden most days, only defeated by the heat, it's so hot here, and humid at night which along with the earthquakes ( a 5 at 3am this morning) means no one is getting much sleep.
Aj had his interview for T Coll. and felt ok about it, though he did forget the name of a very prestigious local school and called them by their nickname, oops, the selection panel had a giggle, but reminded him nicknames weren't always appropriate, but by that time he had remembered the schools name. It's just wait and see and hope he does well in his last exams. Tom has his subjects for next year sorted, the Uni has lost students, buildings (to be demolished or rebuilt), and funding therefore losing staff , so options have been limited and stress levels high as it's his last year.

Top, scarf and books

I got a lovely top ( labels still on ) at the market and a scarf, old dice and tumbler and some pearl buttons and beads, it was a extremely hot there and so I didn't linger. Found two books for Tom, and an Pop Larkin in France for me. I am cooking a stew in the crockpot tonight which might sound strange, but it's to hot to cook in the evening so I'm being organised by preparing the meal this morning, stew and potato salad, it sounds odd, but will be fine.It's all that's on the menu anyway. I have been inspired by those doing the sealed tin for loose change challange and have bought a large tin money box to save all our small change, it will be opened on the 3rd December. It has proved hard to round up change from some people, no names given but you can guess. Love Aunt Bee.

Bad blogger is sorry, but relaxed.

2012-01-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

Last night's sky

New flour container, cheap but cheerful

I've been a bad lazy blogger, actually I have just been lazy, I have so enjoyed my holiday (back to work Wednesday), that I have done very little. I say with pride I don't give a toss, so nice to do nothing, oh yes, I've thought about doing lots of things, but the God of Sloth told me not to stress myself, so I didn't. So to you all Happy New Year and lets hope that it's a good one, we have had so many quakes since the 23rd December and on Friday the people who know (not a lot, I think) say we will have earthquakes now for the next 30 years, not all the time but frequently, ha I'll be 86 by the time the earth settles down and I'll probably be under it, cheerful thought isn't it.

My feet enjoying the back deck, note nail polish, quite bold for me

What have I done, well Basil and I went to Sherlock Holmes this afternoon, and I enjoyed it, (though it was too long), but Basil not so much. I was so uncomfortable in my seat. Is it an age thing, that movies are just too long?

Best muesli ever

Dear Rupert and Girls Crystal Annual, I am so chuffed with these.

Went to the market to look for a container, I have started making my own muesli, absolutely delicious even if I say that myself, but unfortunately Basil likes it too and I have had to make heaps more and bought a new flour container (lucky find) so I could swap the flour into it and then use the flour container for the muesli. Quite clever I thought, while there I bought a Girls Crystal annual, it's 1956 so I had to buy it, such a good year.

I'm glad it finished but not sure what to do with it.

Please except this small token as a apology for not posting.

I also have been cutting my gorgeous sweet peas, and filling the house with their lovely scent every other day, I love them nearly as much as freesias. I know the photos are out of sync, but really I hopeless. I would love to link into some to the new year finishing UFO's project's that are happening, but I just don't get how you join, so I'm joining in spirit, there is somewhere in this post a heart I have at long last finished, so onward and upward to the 23 other UFO's I have targeted for this year. Love Aunt Bee. Please ignore that the flowers on the heart are upside down, I am.

Christmas in an earthquake zone is interesting.

2011-12-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-22T17:14:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-19T01:38:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-30T19:33:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-11-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-11-12T17:09:00.000-08:00

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

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

2011-11-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-11-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-11-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-10-23T03:42:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-16T03:49:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-16T01:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry blogger is eating my posts

2011-10-15T23:12:00.001-07:00

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.

2011-09-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

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".

Spring cleaning and throwing out things.

2011-09-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

This is the pile of magazines and books I have donated to the Rotary Club to sell in their up coming Bookarama, yes I actually threw out almost half my house, food and craft magzines. It was surprisingly easy, no drama just looked at the covers and made a keep or give decision, Aj said "how can you get rid of them without looking through them", but honestly I could tell by looking at them what was in them, weird but true.

The cushion I made for the couch in the kitchen/diner, the floral fabric was a curtain, the piece of patchwork I made years ago and the tartan fabric I bought off Trade me years ago. The little Indian cushion I picked up at a jumble sale at a local church, even "the men" think the couch looks better. Just spring cleaning was a workout in it's self, the house is full of young and old men here to watch the boxing. Time for a cuppa and a sit down. Love Aunt Bee. P.S. much celebrating here last night. as Ireland beat Aussie, of course in this house Ireland is our second favourite team after the All Blacks. Little jolt last night at 8pm. the house seemed to jump of it's foundations and them back down again. Just a reminder not to get to complacent.

The craft flair fair and smart thrifting.

2011-09-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

I thought this was very CK like, although I have never seen CK fabric.

My fair booty, the tin held a fat quarter and ribbon.

I suspect this is the first of a series.

very pretty dish, now in the bathroom holding soap and corkscrew

I have returned from the Fair greatly impressed, as it was small, over 3 floors of the Riccarton Race Course, but perfectly formed. 39 stalls and mostly from Canterbury, a few from the North Island and the usual sewing machine displays. I spent some money, so it must have been ok. No photos allowed so that is why there are none, and I was strangely drawn to the beads and stamps, strangely because I don't do these crafts and more oddly I wanted to start doing them, sanity prevailed and I told myself no. Lots of classes and demo's, but I left after an hour, I searched in vain for a cuppa in a proper cup, I can't abide paper cups, so I went home happy but thirsty.
The book, corkscrew and a very sharp corkscrew it is, I stabbed myself twice with it while still in the CS, and the pretty leaf plate I found in one of my favourite CS shops, which I can only go to if I'm off work because of it's opening hours. They were reorganising their shop floor and I got the 3 items for $2.00, that's what I call a bargain.
I'm back to work next week and as usual I don't want to go, but needs must when the devil drives or some such quote that me sainted mother used to say. Love Aunt Bee. Oops sounds like the sainted mother is dead, but she doing ok at 95, and probably saying her numerous sayings, quotes and blessings in her indomitable Irish way. She has a saying for every possible situation, not as bad as her sister who used to say when greeting anyone, family or stranger "kiss me darling, nothing makes me sick", but then again she has lived in Aussie for 60 years.LOL, good thing she doesn't read this blog.

A swap arrives, and Radio 4 I love you.

2011-09-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

Very pink necklace.

Florence of Sunshine of my loves, was my swap buddy in Lakota's swap and due to many things such as Florence getting ready for her family's big trip to Europe, my indecision over what to send her in the way of jewellery, and NZ Post's very slack service we have finally exchanged our swaps. Mine arrived on Monday, and a very nice start to my holiday it was. A lovely painting of flowers, even Basil was complimentary he said we have to get it framed, so I take that as a good, a wonderful scarf, very long and almost black which I will be wearing for all future AB games. A pink necklace, love the colour it's such a lovely pinky pink.
My holiday has been wonderful, Monday I went to the Mall what a novelty, a Mall where you can go into the shops and have a good look around without fighting the heaving throng, the Christmas Shop has opened, I could have spent serious money but didn't, didn't have any really, money that is, saving it up for the Fair on Friday. Tuesday went with the men to a Mall that I haven't been in since the big earthquake a year ago, and I felt nervous but it was fine, this is the Mall where Aj was on June 13th and had to flee with his friends just as he started eating his curry, how sad he couldn't ask for a refund. I had a look around and a lemon muffin and then Aj and went on to Spotlight, (Tom went over to the Uni which is about 500 metres away), as I needed more wool, really acrylic, for a new crochet project, very hush hush, only because it will take ages to do, with over 200 granny squares I don't want to get your hopes up that you might see it in this decade.
Today is a cleaning day, have done the shower, moving on to the dreaded toilet, those with a men only household will know what I mean. So enjoying the time to myself, oh and listening to Radio 4 on the internet, you lucky British people to have Radio 4, I have been catching up with "Just a minute", the Agatha Christie stories and a Paul Temple serial, I love Paul Temple, yes I can remember pre TV world and all the brilliant radio serials on at night. Which Aussie or Kiwi can remember Portia faces Life, a classic housewife's favourite.
I would be grateful for anyone who has a favourite on Radio 4 programme to let me know, I'm not familiar with much any more as I left Britain to return home at the end of 1980, so any comedy or drama or good current events shows I would be grateful for a recommend (if you know what I mean). Must go and check if Paul and Steve are any closer to catching the dastardly Valentine, infamous drug dealer circa 1948. I do believe I am regressing more to the happy days of 50's and 60's when life seemed easier, of course I was a child and we always saw things differently than our parents who had the financial responsibility for us all, just as we have for our own families today, and we all know that isn't ever easy.
Love Aunt Bee.

sorry, sorry blogger went mad

2011-09-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry if you read the last post, don't know what happened. I was going to say I might be in rugby meltdown by the semi finals. I'm so illiterate computer wise as I couldn't edit the post.love Aunt Bee.

2011-09-10T14:53:00.001-07:00

I asked Tom did he want to go to the market with me yesterday surprisingly he said yes, so of we went. The car park is slowly getting repaired so everyone was still crammed into the church car park, and although I had tempted Tom with the idea the book man would be there, he wasn't. But Tom did buy socks, a knee support and a very cool bronze of Achilles. It's very heavy, and he has lost his spear, but Tom loves it. I picked up the very nice green, and isn't a lovely green eggcup, and the cute little tiny casserole dish, well that's what I'm calling it, it does say its oven proof on the bottom, behind them is a very pretty embroidered table cloth.The cauli is huge and beautiful, I love caulis and this had the added bonus of being only $3, which is a bargain, considering they were $4.50 last week.
After the market I went to Avonhead Mall and picked up Mollie Makes, and as we were coming home I saw the bowling club was holding a giant garage sale, it was almost over when I got there, Tom refused to get out of the car, took me back to the time he was a stroppy 6 year old, and all I got was the nice tin.It was a lovely morning, he was happy with what he bought and I was glad for the company. Although he was telling me about "trans humanism" his favourite philosophy at the moment, don't ask me, I have know idea what it's about, I'm focusing on Classics I have some hope in understanding them, the Greeks and Romans I mean.
The rugby was good last night, and tonight we have Ireland v United States, it'll be very exciting and emotional as it is the anniversary on 9/11. My rugby watching meter is high at the moment but next

YES I AM SHOUTING, HAS ANYONE FOUND MY VOICE ?

2011-09-10T00:46:00.000-07:00

After seeing everyone raving about Mollie Makes, I emailed the magazine to see if it would be on sale in NZ. They emailed back a few weeks ago and listed the shops stocking it in Christchurch. I visited the closest shop last week and they had none (actually they didn't have a clue what I was talking about), but the young lady there said she did, fellow crafter of course, they put my name down for all future copies and they rang last week. I dashed down there today, result issue 3 is mine, and I think it is worth the hype, I'm very pleased with it.I'm here at 7.38pm watching France v Japan, waiting for England v Argentina at 8.15pm to start, and playing with crocheting flowers. Bliss rugby, craft, and only me in the lounge. It's bliss for the men as I have a rotten virus thingy which has left me without a voice and with a grumpier disposition (they aren't so happy about that part of it), but of course I have next week off. I want you to think you are hearing sounds of great joy, yelling and cheering, because you can't hear me and I can't actually do it at the moment, but that's what I doing inside. Have been to the market, garage sale and library today, each has provided treasures, to show you next post. Love Aunt Bee.

The Big Hug, to give our city a hug for all we have been through.

2011-09-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, we did wait here for awhile, till we realized we were in the wrong place.

We had a great time, Eldest son, MM, me and Mare from Aj's.

The other side of the hug circle, they didn't do the Mexican wave very well .

MM taking a photo of me taking a photo of her.

Entertainment before the HUG.

Note the number of trees cut down because of the earthquake.

The fan zone in the park for the Rugby World Cup.

Instructions for the big hug.

September the 4, 2010, little did we realise the worst was yet to come.

2011-09-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

What a truly wonderful thing is Spring

2011-08-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Daffodil Day on Friday, unfortunately no real Daffs, as the snow had killed them all.

sugar shaker

Very useful shopping basket.

Pretty in pink.

Sweet peas planted yesterday.

Washing on the line..........drying in warm wafting breeze.

It's been a interesting time here at Mayberry, Basil turned 60, unfortunately he had been sick for a few days, but luckily he was still on holiday. I've just reread that and it sounds so callous but I mean that he didn't have to go to work while feeling crook, it was his heart of course, the cold weather always makes him poorly. We celebrated quietly with a family dinner, I had one of those "woman things" test at the hospital..........say no more, and Spring has finally arrived a few days early but welcome just the same. The joy of a line full of washing can't be underestimated can it, I'm watching them blow around in the breeze and hoping they will be dry by lunchtime and I can put more out by lunchtime. Who would have thought when we were young, that getting clothes dry on the line would provide such pleasure, as does the wonderful Bellbird which is serenading us from the tree next door. I am really turning into mum.The market has shrunk in size, as the car park, that it used to be in, is getting fixed, unfortunately some of the new concrete is already cracked from the earthquake earlier yesterday morning, it was quite a noisy one, but I thought" bugger it" I'm not getting out of bed. We had a decent rumble at work on Tuesday morning, we were talking, as you do, and Matt said "move away from the wall girls" which we did, waited for half a second to judge the strength and went on talking, that's the way to do it. There is a Vintage market planned for the 4th September it is at the old house, which is the market I blogged about in my second or third post, I shall not be going as it is the first anniversary of the "big one" and there is to be an attempt at the world record for the biggest hug and we are going to hug the CBD, what is left of it. But I am going to the Creative Flair Fare which has been set up in place of the Aussie craft fair that isn't coming, probably scared of the earthquakes, they came to Christchurch last year and it was brilliant and were meant to come this year I don't know what happened and I do hope they will return next year.The CFF seems to be local craft stores and I'm hoping that as it's in the local Race club it might have some stores from other parts of NZ, I wish this because I took this week of work for it, and I want to spend the money I have saved up..........God I get sadder by the day. So with the joy of Spring in my heart and the need to but the washing machine on a again I say farewell. Aunt Bee

yes, Miss Holly we got snow.

2011-08-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Mayberry in the snow

Is Robin going to get me to work tomorrow?

What the best dressed snow bunny is wearing this year.

Don't Aj , you know your'll be sorry later.

The Main North Road and few cars are out and about.

The first sign of spring

Beautiful but bloody freezing.

I liked this strange movie or do I just like Daniel ?

2011-08-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

I loved the movie, yes it was strange, the alien thing, but somehow it was o.k. I know you'll say it's because I love Daniel, but it really did make an unusual movie which was exciting and enjoyable. The weather is bad, but no snow falling yet, hail and sleet but they say tomorrow will be the day.Love Aunt Bee, hope you have a nice day where ever you are, and the weather Gods are kind to you.

My obsessive pursuit of Mollie nears an end.

2011-08-13T04:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, quick post to say something happened today, which was very exciting, if the distribution point in New Zealand for Mollie Makes is exciting, then this is exciting. Well it is to me, I emailed them to ask could I buy the mag here and they said if I sent my location they would let me know where the nearest bookshop will be...........it's exciting in a who cares only me way, but then my life is rather sad, here speaks the woman going to Cowboys and Aliens becos she adores, yes you read it right adores, Daniel Craig and has managed to persuade her husband he wants to see this movie too. And the other news is we are awaiting a big winter storm bringing snow, more snow than last month and for longer, hell's teeth maybe 2 or 3 snow days, I wasn't happy about this, well not as happy as my work shy colleagues who on Friday were drooling over the thought of days of work, but then after doing the shopping and stocking up on the important things such as loo paper and cat food, and the dawning realization I could do some much needed sewing I am ready for this coming weather event, though it is due while we at the said movie. Yes, on one hand Daniel, on the other snow storm, howling winds and warnings to stay home or again, Daniel, so you can guess the answer to that, I hope he will some day realize what I did for him and the dangers I placed both myself and Basil in. Right, good night, time for bed and I've just remembered I didn't put the electric blanket on earlier, to engrossed in Lewis, which truthfully had so many red herrings I was a bit bored, but it did have that really gorgeous Robin Hood in it, as the baddie so I had to watch to the bitter end. Aunt Bee. The Robin Hood who went on to Dynasty or one of those hideous American shows, he was a Prince and they all got shot in the end, so hideous I obviously didn't ever watch it, yeah right.

Things I picked up over the last few weeks.

2011-08-13T01:32:00.000-07:00

I love these shawls especially the one on the left.

More needles, aaaaaaaaargh someone stop me

Absolutely fabulous tea Chris bought me back from Melbourne, truly delicious

felted fingerless mittens, and my square peasant hands, but warm hands

Dave 1, Aunt Bee 0

2011-08-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

I love gingham and a Indian tablecloth which I have worn as a scarf, as you do.

Great find, crochet mag from the 70's, I remember them well.

Dave's petty revenge when I didn't dish up his dinner quick enough.

mmmm, must remember to take lid of box containing lovely Christmas decorations, before I photograph them.

Sorry about lack of posts, everyone including me has had the flu, actually we all still have the flu. The camera went walkabout, oddly enough in my bag, believe me it's the Black Hole of Calcutta in there, and then I couldn't download photos till I found the cable which of course was under Aj's bed. Where else would it be ? But on a happy note Aj can drive without us in the car so for the last two days he has taken Basil's car to work, yahoo!, no more getting him to work at 7.30am and then waiting in my work carpark for an hour till I start work. Will post again tomorrow as I have more to show and tell, including the weather forecast, and it's all bad. Love Aunt Bee.

The week after the last post.We did find snow the following Sunday.

2011-08-02T03:39:00.000-07:00

4am early Monday morning, July 25th.

Dave is not happy does his duty then spends the day under Tom's bed.

This is looking good for a snow day.

For 2 days I'm forced to watch DVD's, crochet and read books.

Aj is persuaded to clean the snow off the Sky dish, while I take photo from inside.

Yes I finished the blanket, and we needed it, I love and so does Basil.

The no snow trip. July 21st.

2011-08-02T03:27:00.000-07:00

This is our destination, the Southern Alps

Only 1 hour from Christchurch.

I was driving, no 4 wheel drive, no chains and 6 other people, only one other who could drive.

Just about here when we turned back, something about icy roads.

And this was the snow, just ice, bloody freezing as we had already started to climb.

Back to the Springfield Station for lunch, shelter plus toilets what more could we want.

****** Blogger

2011-07-29T02:01:00.000-07:00

I am so sorry for not posting but ****** Blogger wont let me download any photos and I have so much to tell you. The snow hunt, which was fruitless, and the real snow which we weren't looking for and we didn't have to go up a mountain either to find it. But I want to have the photos, so tomorrow I shall sit at the computer till Blogger does what it should.Humble apologies from the heart of my bottom or some other grovelling line, don't you just hate Blogger when you have so much to tell and it wont let you do what you want. Rant over, till tomorrow adieu and yes we have snow, not one snow day but two, that's a record. Love Aunt Bee.

No water for 2 days.

2011-07-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

oh! the joy of a bath and to be able to wash my hair, no water for 2 days due to earthquake damage to the water pipe down the road. They sang "Smelly Cat" to me at work, I resent that, I was feeling grubby not smelly!

Some more photos of destruction and a few bargains

2011-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Won't be repairing buses in there any time soon.

Back view couldn't get closer.

They have taken the copper off the dome, when the wooden structure is down, the back wall is going to fall.

sign on a fence opposite the Library

The old Edgeware library and was the community centre, obviously not now, the building is on a lean, it's not you.

I love it, Basil hates it and it's Scottish, there is no pleasing him.

Only $2, I've wanted one of these, so Nigella.

Just look at Tommy and Tuppence on the front cover, not what I'm used too.

I have my glasses and they are an improvement, but we are eating very basic meals this week as I am the provider of food. Basil and I went into town this afternoon,to take the photos before the buildings come down. Morning, noon and night the trucks are taking the rubble to the Forrest to dump, the CBD is disappearing before our eyes. The Library it was a library when we lived down the road, it was a wonderful old place, with little old ladies who were volunteers and very limited opening times but some of the best books in town. This is going back nearly 30 years, it is a landmark, a few metres up the street the supermarket, the bread shop, the bakery, the video shop, the vege man and the local pub are gone, the doctors is closed as well as the hardware shop till the engineers think what to do with them, this has gutted the community.
Basil took me out for lunch after, to McDonalds not any McDonald's but the one in the posh suburb and very nice it was too, busy but not noisy, just humming quietly. I went to the Mall to pick up some junk food for Aj and Coop (Aj's old school friend) because they are watching Auckland vs (us) Canterbury, it's us 24 to 16 so it's going well. The Crusaders lost the Super 14 final to the Red's, and although Aj was gutted, it's straight into the ITM cup and then the World Cup. I think we will be Rugbyed out by the end of the year.I did go to the market yesterday, but other than veges and another bag, I didn't buy anything, counting the pennies till next week when there is a Book Sale in that posh suburb I mentioned, I'm hoping for a better type of book, haha, not sure what a better type of book is, something to improve the mind perhaps, gosh that's to late for me, I'll be looking for murder, food and craft, and what does that say about me, I simply don't know. So that's it, have nothing else to tell you, except I will be marking out the vege garden next weekend, I'm trying to do it in a more planned manner, yes I know these sort of things never go to plan but I've roped in the family with a mixture of bribes and threats, the usual way I get family co-operation. Love Aunt Bee.

Who will rid me of this turbulent Blogger. No, don't go charging off to the Cathedral.

2011-07-07T03:08:00.000-07:00

Joseph Seibel booties, love them.

I've always wanted one of these, it still has all the spices in it, don't worry I'll clean it soon.

I bought this for Tom, I thought it was cool, he wished it was Ronald Reagan, where did I go wrong ?

I can do no more, Blogger is being a cow and I can't download any more photos. Life has been busy I apologise for not posting. But on the bright side we had the contractors in from EQC and they have signed off on all the work to the house, we will have to move out at some stage(there is no timeline given) but the house and garage will be repaired. We have the noisiest floors (they the contractors) have ever heard, I'm so proud in a only a mother can be proud of a ugly baby way, fancy having the noisiest floors, I'll be sorry when they are fixed as there has been no sneaking quietly in after the pub by "the men", the floor tells everyone when they get home. I have been to the optician today, it's my old optician's daughter actually, boy did I feel old, but she is a crocheter, so we had a good gossip about yarn. Of course this didn't make any difference to the bill, $858.00 NZ, and that's using my own frames,they are glasses I rarely wear,all I'm getting is new lens. Bloody hell, all I need now is a tooth ache and I'll be bankrupt. Love Aunty Bee/Barbara the broke.

Slim Pickens in the frost.

2011-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Don't normally buy shoes, but they fitted, a rare occurence,as I have Hobbit feet, little but wide.

I love Scottie dogs and tartan, it must be my Houston genes coming through.

Just another week at Mayberry, Basil on night shift, the boys not at Uni, exams and a holiday, and me mother slave, nursemaid, only person who can do laundry, getting grumpy by the minute. Yes I was a little tetchy by the end of the week and it's only when I get angry with them do they do anything. As soon as they see me come up the drive that they get off the bloody couch. Sitting there or the computers, or playstation watching reruns of The Bill, playing some alien killing game or Facebooking. Until I actually turn in the drive and then they scatter to pick something up so they have something in their hands as proof of work, then they have the cheek to ask "what's for dinner"?
Basil said on Friday night don't worry about dinner I'll cook, trying desperately to deflect my wrath, so we had takeaways, of course.
Saturday morning Aj drove to work, I have to go as adult driver, and it was bloody freezing that is not swearing, that is a metrological expression for a bone chilling, snow like, wintery, crunching, icy ground covering. The sun was raising and it was strangely beautiful, but in a why hasn't this boy got his restricted licence way, so I can stay in bed.

Only 3 books today, yes I love cowboy books I never said I wasn't a little strange.

Went home to look at the housework and then set out for the market. As it was raining last week they didn't turn up, so I was happy to see it was open, but very few stalls, but I found a few things. Then on the way home saw a garage sale sign and I stopped, something I very rarely do and found something cute for a $1, I'm not a garage saler, never have been and I don't know why, just like the market atmosphere I think. It's Sunday morning here and it's raining, I have to remind Aj to get up for training and then Tom and his mate Ginge are going to do some training as they have joined a JuJitsu club and are trying to get fitter as they both could only crawl around on Friday after a 3 hour session on Thursday. Apparently weight lose of up to 7 kgs a week is not unusual doing the training, yes I did think about it for a nanosecond and then it went to a place were all stupid thoughts go, out of my head.I shall now go to the living area couch with a hot cuppa and my cowboy book as the warm living room has a ginger haired young man asleep on the couch. Sorry about the lazy men moan but it really drives me nuts when I see them jump up of the couch when I drive up. Love to you all Aunt Bee.
P.S. Basil got a letter last week saying our driveway is going to be fixed, we both thought that's wonderful, I told everyone at work and they were to hear someone at last was getting some repairs on their quake damaged home, till Basil rang to tell me he had read it wrong and yes we will get the drive done but after the house is fixed sometime next year.You have got to laugh, but at least we got a letter, we have had no confirmation that the house is going to be fixed anyway. then to rub salt in to the wound the people over the street got their new drive finished yesterday. Keep safe that's what people say in Christchurch to each other when parting it's almost the city's motto.

A bit of this and that and the other .

2011-06-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

A typical Friday lunchtime at work, Roast Lamb cooked my me and Linds and Trivial Pursuit.

More knitting needles, someone please stop me.

Tray cloth I have an idea for this.

Tray cloth, very pretty and cheap ( such a ugly word.)

Treasure from Mare's travels scarves, earrings , a thimble and a small mask from Venice. Lovely

Way outside my colour comfort zone here.

Yarn from Spotlight for my blanket inspired by Peacock Blue.

Dear Spotlight was having a sale, how kind of them.

This is on the way to work Friday morning very cold and pink due to the ash cloud from Chile.

This is my new tea carrier, so much nicer than a metal one, so me in fact.

Forgot to say this was taken at 8am. and is the Moon.

This is a quick pop in and out, with things I bought last week and indeed received as a present this week. The tray clothes were a bargain, the knitting needles, I'm worried these are a obsession, were from the cat shop. The morning shots may note the word may look better if you click on them. The tea mug is so lovely, china with silicon accessories and so me, the ladies at work are envious, the men are amazed I spent money buying it, I don't care it's more styley than those metal ones and tea drinkers are styley people. Fabric ribbon and yarn from good old Spotlight it was hell when Spotlight was closed for weeks after the February earthquake, there is a rumour afoot they may move I hope it's closer to me. Lazy woman that I am. And lastly gifts from Mare from mostly Italy, how thoughtful my friend is she has 10 siblings plus their children, 2 children herself, 4 step children and numerous friends and bought back something for everyone as well as showing us some wonderful photos of Britain and Europe. Love for now Aunt Bee.

Not a good idea to be in the axe and garden implements aisle on this day.

2011-06-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2WNYdW8vEo
If you want to see what last Monday's 6.0 earthquake was like, this is a now famous video from Aj's work, not my Aj's work-place no, but where my baby Aj (yes he is 19) works, Dyer's Road ITM a building supplies firm. One of the young guys put it together it the earthquake at 2.20 pm. one hour and twenty minutes after a 5.5. Aj wasn't there he had a exam for Uni. Thank-God. Love Aunty Bee. I'll be blogging again soon as I've been shopping and finding a few treasures, well treasures to me.

2011-06-14T23:07:00.000-07:00

Ready for work, no heating, no drinkable water and no hot food, but we are open

I had to soothe my jangled nerves, all May of course, plus BBC Good Food, yum

Yes that's me, ready for work this morning, we opened yesterday I not sure if we are mad or just stupid and only on one client turned up.He was from out of the city, were they don't really have a clue what's going on and we told his staff ( we had no drinking water, no heating, or electricity for the fridge and microwave) and they took him back Thank God! so we all went home at 10.am. I really din't want to be there. Today we went in under the same conditions and 15 turned up, it was cold as you can see but I was prepared. Heaps of after shocks some very large and the liqufaction is bad but not as bad as Feb 22nd, the roads are munted again, me little car has met some holes which could swallow me whole.Love Aunt Bee. The quakes on Monday are from a new fault not previously known, how lucky are we to have so many new faults, at this rate we will have earthquakes till next year. All I can say is "bugger".

Two decent earthquakes in one day and lots of little ones.

2011-06-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

Just popped in to say that this afternoon at 1pm. we got hit by 5.5 earthquake and then 1.20 minutes later a 6. It was terrible I fall off my chair and hurt my hip and knee as I scrambled under the table, all but 3 of our clients went under tables or went straight to the floor. We got straight back to work and I stayed in the workroom as I didn't want to go back to the candle room. Just as I went in to turn on the vat for tomorrow, another hit, a 6 I couldn't get under the first table as it had stuff under it (must remember to move that) and so I threw myself under the other table hurting my shoulder...........hell's teeth. Basil got thrown out of bed and Aj was in a local mall where everyone ran out screaming, we immediately outside after the 6 and stayed there till our clients were picked up, it got very cold, but everyone was calm. Basil is tidying up our room which looks like a bomb has hit it, I'll be going to work tomorrow, because what else can you do, but I'm terrified, no-one killed although we have injured. Please, please let it stop soon as we are so over it, everyone cried (staff and clients ) at sometime today, we don't try and be brave any more. Sorry had to get it off my chest, it's so cold and some people have no power or water, bugger this for a joke. Love Aunt Bee.

Nurse Hatchett and my BP.

2011-06-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

First I must apologise for not posting this week, and for the lack of photos, but it's been one of those weeks. I shall bore you to death with an explanation. Last Friday week I had a long time coming appointment at the Women's Hospital that's probably all I need to say isn't it. I got there and a frighteningly efficient nurse took me into a room to weight me, (not good), and take my height and blood pressure. There in hangs the tale, I have high blood pressure, I'm on medication and it's recently been increased, when Nurse Hatchett took my BP all hell broke loose and the upshot was I had to put my feet up and calm down, I was calm until she scared me.She said I could have a heart attack or stroke at any minute, that will make any one's heart beat at 102 beats a minute don't you think.
My GP was rung and all sorts of things said including me going there after I'd left the hospital. I actually went after work, I had felt fine till then, the specialist came in and told me to lose weight he did say more( but I'll keep that to ourselves, need I say large baby), what a surprise that was and after 2 hours in the place I was allowed to go. By the way they were tearing down the old nurses home which is a landmark building in ChCh as it was damaged. I thought I would throw that in as an aside. So I'm on a diet plan, have appointment with the dietician and have to see the practice nurse every week plus I have another med to take each day. Have been running, walking and beating the hell out of the punch bag in the garage. I have made a decision not to bore you with the saga of losing weight as it's my battle and I have so much support from "the men" and the people I work with, I'm going to carry on with the things I love to do but spend more time getting fit and healthy. So I did go to the market and I did get a bargain or two, actually got lots of fresh veges as well. I shall post the photos tomorrow, sorry I haven't done them yet. Love Aunt Bee.

I will do the Tag thing................be kind it's taken an hour to do this.

2011-06-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Susan T. from theviewfromheresusan.blogspot.com tagged me and I've never been tagged so I have finally got it sorted, sortoff.
If you could be any historical or current character who would you be?
Always difficult, but probably Mother Teresa, because I'm her opposite I don't think I could ever be as selfless and gutsy as she was, but I do share her sometime doubts and that makes her more human and admirable. But don't worry I could never be her in real life I'm far to materialistic and selfish.
Name an interesting fact about yourself?
I worked in and lived in Wapping London in the 1970's at a pub called the Town of Ramsgate, and it was often full especially on Sundays with celebs like the crew of The Elephant Man, Bob Hoskins, Acker Bilk( who remembers him) and Rula Lenska and Him from Minder popped in, Charles Dickens great grand something and one night The Clash and one of the girls with them had a rat running around her shoulders (yuck) there were enough rats in Wapping as it was. And I have been outside Dr Who's front door, the gorgeous Tom Baker ah! my brushes with fame don't just end there, served Vanessa Redgrave (very tall) and famous for that time politicians drinks as well, I don't think they understood a word I said because they always asked if I was Irish?, Australian ? how dare they!, Canadian ? and as a last resort I would put them out of my misery and say I was a Kiwi.
If you could go back in time and change one thing what would it be ?
Difficult one this, I would not change anything because I'm off the opinion that if I changed one thing I would have no control over all the other things that would happen possibly making things worse.

Name one thing that you would change about yourself?
I would like perfect eyesight please, I'm so sick of being as blind as a bat.
What do you consider your biggest achievement?
My sons, after been told we couldn't have children we had Tom and then we were told he was a miracle and don't expect to have another, and we had AJ. I include Basil in this as well, he being their father and all and 27 years of marriage isn't to be sneezed at either.

It's Queen's Birthday Long weekend....... probably the Queen has no idea.

2011-06-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Queen's birthday weekend always the first weekend in June so we can have the Monday off, and very grateful we are to her because we don't get another holiday weekend till October. So we go through winter with no long weekend and only the dream of a snow day to keep us going, and to be fair we have only had two snow days in the last 14 years, so we are always hopeful but resigned to full winter of work.
No market for me this week, trying to not go every week, trying to be find a home for all the things I have got, which I know many of you struggle with, in that we need larger houses, to be honest even if my house was larger it would soon fill up, I have a better chance of more room in this house when one or both of "the men" go flatting.

I love honey.

trying to be more adventurous in my fabric choices

Miss Marple, perfect for a long weekend

I have had a ordinary week, but bought myself, o.k. disregard what I just said earlier, I bought myself a very cute honey pot and yesterday bought 2 pieces of fabric and 2 small pieces of felt, the fabric was on sale and crying out to me "take me home", I always for sorry for crying fabric.
Miss Marple I enjoyed it in a I wish they didn't put her in stories she never appeared in books way. I love the acting and the clothes of the era and Julia McKenzie is fine, I see there is a boxed set out but I didn't get it as although I'm Agatha Christie mad I wasn't sure I would watch them.
I've been tagged as I don't quite get how to do it yet, I'm leaving it till tomorrow, I'll have to think, (which always hurts) about my answers. Love Aunt Bee. It's just got very dark and windy and colder, so they did get the weather forecast right, we will have to send them some flowers and encouragement so they can get it right again this year. It's only 10.00 am here.

I want to Accessorize

2011-05-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

OH, had to drop in before bedtime, you know that purse, which amazing is above, it was new never been used with tags and the tags said Accessorize. I didn't have a clue who they were, though I knew they had to be English because of the 2 pound coin, and while looking at Helen Phillips blog I saw her mention them and I looked at their site and found not exactly my purse but one similar for 7 pounds. Yeah I didn't spend anything like that and it's so nice, although it must be my latent other Northern Irish genes showing through, being a UJ and all. Ha ha, but it is so cute and I like the web site as well, oh to be in England or Britain and with the Irish bit thrown in, with a huge credit card loaded to the hilt, oh what fun I would have ...........dreams are made of this, soul less little capitalist wench that I am. Must remember if I ever win the Lotto not to tell Basil my plans for spending it. Love Aunt Bee, just had to share my discovery, pathetic creature that I am.

You know the photos will be out of sequence, but I know you can cope.

2011-05-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

lovely filmy black/roses scarf

Isn't it wonderful, a cute UJ purse, it did have a English 2 pound coin in it ,but the stall holder kept it.

All these buttons, I've put them in a bowl I had previously thrifted.

See we have a sense of humour . So clever to paint a portaloo as the Tardis.

The Grand Chancellor is the tallest building in Christchurch and its so damaged it's to come down.

This is the Sumner RSA the building at the back is wrecked unfortunatley people died here.

This is a huge rock which fell down the cliff face

This is the main street of Christchurch, Colombo Street.

3 books, including the very good American cook book, I love American cookbooks.

As I sit here I smell the delicious aroma of Brownie baking in the oven and it's Monday. Whoa what do you think is wrong with me? Monday is washing day not baking night, well it's 5.30pm. So the photos are from the Tiki Tour of Destruction and my great finds at the Market. Bloody blogger wont let me up load anymore photos, just as well, I need to taste the Brownie in case it's poisoned, the things I do for my family, what a wonderful person I am. I'll try and up load or down load the photos, someone did explain it to me the correct terminology, but I wasn't interested and promptly forgot. Need to make dinner before "the men" become wolves, it's not a full moon around here that makes my hairy bunch turn Lupine it's lack of food.Love to all Aunty Bee.

Food food glorious food an eating kinda of week.

2011-05-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

Yummy with a crisp NZ white which I found luckily in the back of the cupboard.

Coffee cake to die for ,I kid you not.

I did it again, came home from work Monday and got baking, cheese and chive biscuits and coffee cake, I love coffee cake but hate to drink coffee, odd I know but that's me. The cheesy biscuits we had with a bottle of wine, I mean we, the Contessa (ConT) and the Yorkshire terrier (YT), who had come down from the North for a visit, and Basil and I. I asked them to stay for dinner and that was nice but not truly great, then we had the coffee cake for dessert which was even better. ConT and YT had bought cakes on their way down from the North Island via the ferry which goes from Wellington to Picton, they stopped at a highly recommended store and bought 6 pieces of various yummy things. They (the cakes) lasted till Friday, which was pretty amazing in my house. I have to down load some photos of their week and I don't think I took one photo of the ConT and I, so that's a bit sad but we did have a great time. We went out to dinner on Wednesday which was fabulous, they had dinner with us Monday, they went out to a top restaurant Tuesday and then so you don't think we are all about food we, ConT, YT and moi went out to Oxford to a well known cafe for lunch on Thursday, which was disappointing and poring with rain, but the town does have a wonderful book shop which was great to browse in. I shall have some photos to post tomorrow, of our Tiki Tour of Destruction which I took them on, on the Thursday morning, we also took our 92 year old Auntie as she hadn't seen any of the city properly, well in daylight, so that's all to come tomorrow and I'll also include my thrifty/market finds which even If I say so my self was pretty good. So tomorrow it is. Oops forgot to say we had individual fish and chips for 40 people at work on Wednesday as it was the Trust's 14th birthday and lots of fizzy drink (no I mean fizzy drink not champers) and heaps of orange cake, shades of dear Enid there I think.It'a wonder I can push my portly frame between the chair and the computer. Love Aunt Bee.

The Fat Hen comes back from the the market

2011-05-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

the estuary at 8am this morning

the incredible hand woven blanket

nice English tray

some books, lovely murder and mysteries

two prints

pillow cases

An oil painting which I'm going to hang before Basil sees it.

pretty cushion

Winny for Basil

The fat hen (me) went out this morning after dropping Aj at work. She got some great photos and some great bargains, well she thought they were. Sorry talking in the 3rd person or the 3rd hen will stop it now. I had noticed the local Anglican church, St Giles were advertising a Garage sale for this Saturday and I know the world is about to end according to that crazy American pastor, starting with a big earthquake in New Zealand which would trigger eartquakes all around the world, ( mmm, he must have missed the memo we have had our earthquakes in Sept. and Feb. but I thought I'll take the risk and go. It was good and I bought some white pillow cases, very useful, one 70,s purple/lilac pillow case and a purple flower one, an oil painting for $5, it's lovely and a pretty pink cushion vaguely Indian and I love anything vaguely Indian. Now I'll attempt to place them in the blog, and you know it's not going to go well, but here goes.Then I went to the market at English Park and again I did well. Books, handwoven blanket, floral tray and a cheapo clock, that I need for work. The boss took the candle room clock out to replace a 'you know what " damaged one and I've been late for lunch everyday this week without a clock to check the time with, we can't have that can we.So that's it for now, I'm off to the League with a client, we are going to watch Linds a co-worker play, he's 53 and is very fit, he has got sick of soccer and has returned to League, Presidents grade of course, for this season, he hasn't played for 20 or so years. It should be fun. Or not as I have the most recent Red Cross certificate I prepared for anything, or I'll yell for a nurse or doctor, or possibly grab Maggie and hastily leave. The 3rd option looks the more likey. Bye for now, thanks for all the comments on the last post, I can tell you I'm fully recovered from my baking after work breakdown and Basil has a clean bill of heart health from the hospital. So all is right with the world for now. Bee.

Baking on a Monday.....very odd.

2011-05-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

Returned home from work at 3.45pm.

Entered house, no-one home.

Husband at hospital for Cardiac check-up.

Son's at Uni.

Have complete brain explosion what if I baked before they came home.

Result Basil and Tom walk in the door as Ginger Loaf and Lemon Drizzle Cake are taken out of oven.

This is very unlike me, to bake on a Monday..........what can it mean. Please note bigger font only learnt to do this, and now I can read my own blog with ease, did I tell you I get the large print books from the library. I'm such a tidy baker, yeah go on, you believe me don't you, I found the clean-up vaguely therapeutic............what's happening to me, I don't know myself but it's a little like spring cleaning in the last days of Autumn.

Busy at work and busy doing nothing home.

2011-05-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy at work at the moment as one of our co-workers is swanning around Europe, Vienna at the present time and I'm doing her job and mine. This is never a good idea and I know other bloggers have been under the same pressure in their jobs and at least I know when Mare comes back it will all go back to normal. I haven't done much, although it's pouring with rain and I have towels on the line as I type this, bugger, I shall continue on and put them in the dryer later, see I just don't want to go out in the cold. The weather has been lovely, but today is the start of winter apparently, cold winds, snow down to low levels and general misery.
Down to low levels reminds me the East side of the city has sunk 30cm lower than before" the you know what ".

plus CD's and a really good crossword book

We are feeling the pain of the people of Spain, bloody earthquakes. We had a decent 5.3 last week, but it seems just rumbles and small shakes since, people are really quite down now, with winter upon us and no real improvement in the state of the place, we are hearing day after day of people leaving, it's a little depressing, the paper said that the school system has lost thousands of pupils. The flow on effect of just that will affect the whole city less teachers needed, less schools, less buses it's all munted, actually we don't use that word anymore we use a word more connected to our Anglo Saxon heritage. A insurance man came to our work building and said it wasn't good and it might be best to tear it down and start again but it's in the lap of the Gods, so who knows. On a bright note the Contessa and the Yorkshire Terrier are coming down for a holiday, yes some people like that sort of thing, well to see us and the city so that's something to look forward too. I've been reading a lot and knitting, not much thrifting except for the book fair, if you desperately need a copy of the da vince code and lets face it you would have to be desperate I can get one, they tried selling them for $2, there was probably 50 on display and more in the other hall, and then he started begging us to take one, not pretty seeing a grown man beg. Love to all, Aunt Bee.

Photos of a destruction, excuses, excuses, and the sewing machine from Hell.

2011-05-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

Nice shops in an old wool store building, still standing by the skin of their teeth. Not that they are open.

Many years ago as a department store it had the best cafe in town

This once was a fabulous Country style store.

I've been in here hundreds of times.

This is the Catholic Cathedral, they will be removing the dome in a few weeks .

To be honest I've been a bit tardy with posting, as for last 2 weeks I've had, a hard to shake bout of asthma. But I think it's under control, I don't have it often but since the "you know what" so many have people been having asthma attacks, it's all the dirt, silt and dust. Every little shake brings dust down to coat everything at work.A funny thing happened on Tuesday, while 2 co-workers were telling one of our darling men, who has returned from a 9 week holiday in the North Island, while their house was being repaired, not to worry if a aftershock happens to go under the table, know matter how small it is, and low and behold we got a 4.1 kindly sent from down the road at Aj's (the son's) workplace before the words had left their mouths. So that joins the long list of things not to do to avoid bringing down another quake upon us, like don't buy clocks of Trademe, don't take Paul E. out for dinner, don't say "we haven't had one for awhile",and most definitely say " gosh it's really calm and still, perfect earthquake weather".
I was going to tell about my sewing machine , I bought it from a Aussie company with many shops in NZ, it was the most expensive machine I have owned but not expensive in the way of things. It wouldn't let me machine quilt anything,( I'm useless at machine quilting anyway) all though it's called a Quiltmaster. So I took it in to ******* shop (insert) name of popular brand of machine, and said it wasn't sewing well. The lady who served me looked vaguely familiar, said " Dear, when I sold these at ********* we had many returned because they had the wrong walking foot with them, they aren't a good make". Yes is that's right lady I thought it was you who sold it to me. She was very disparging about the machine and said they are no longer sold by ********* as the were so bad..............lovely. Tried to get me to buy a second ex school machine for $1,300 or a $3,000 machine with all the bells and whistles. I smiled through my teeth, but silently made the decision never to buy one of their machines because if she sold me a machine which she knew to be **** once, I'm ****** sure I wont be trusting her again with even more of my money.
I know I'm sorry it's Mother's Day and I'm moaning, and I did get some shoes and gorgeous socks, of course I'm cooking dinner while the men watch the boxing, at least I'm at the kitchen table sewing without interruption. Now that's a real present. Happy Mother's Day to all Mother's, those who have children whether they are human, feline or canine.Love to all Aunt Bee.

Didn't need my glasses after all.

2011-04-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

Didn't need my glasses to see what a truly gracious wedding it was, the dress beautiful and it's bride stunning, the Prince good and caring, and the guests looking fabulous. I loved the fact it felt like a private wedding not just a State occasion, lovely, lovely day or in our case, night, and well done the police in particular for the moving of people down the Mall. In fact the whole thing was wonderful, but please let's not have repeats for the next 6 months.

A short sighted view of the wedding and such.

2011-04-29T00:20:00.000-07:00

I went all artistic here, but ran back to the car as it was cold

25c Easter Sunday , freezing Wednesday

Styx River swamp or as they call it, recreational area

Jeni from With Needle and Thread, no Aj neither of us were sex slave recruiters

Sticky Orange Sponge from BBC Good Food, delicious

So happy to find these as I couldn't find any Persophone Books here in NZ.

I found 5 John Buchan's, the book God was happy with me.

found Tom some light reading

Quick posting as the "wedding" is about to begin, I went to the Book Fair today, but got these books from the market last Saturday. I have lost my glasses today, I am wearing an old pair, which is a trial as they are no longer my prescription so I'll be peering at the screen to-night. I'll do this while watching the Breakers vs Taipans, the Warriors vs some Aussie team and the Highlanders vs the Blues, I only care about the dress anyway. Ok, all the dresses, but Kate's is the only important one really, as it's not as if Elton will be wearing a dress today..........or will he. Love Aunt Bee.

A lost weekend planned.

2011-04-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

yes please

I hope he remembers me

autumn is here in force, time to be indoors by the fire

I will be busy this weekend, so I won't be posting , will I be out and about.....no, will I be gardening.......no, will I be cooking and baking, possibly, will I be sitting on the couch......YES. UK TV is having a murder and mystery weekend ..............bliss if it's an emergency I'll be eating chocolate on the couch watching Inspector Lynley and or Miss Marple, knitting or crocheting, disturb at your peril. Love Aunt Bee.

Hiding in plain sight and a walk in the Botanical Gardens

2011-04-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

there are 3 trees captured here I think they look amazing

We grow all sorts of plants in Christchurch, reminds me of a Triffid

Outside the rose garden the hedge is ringed by hundreds of Dahlias

the Rose garden, just about finished for the summer

this is where Heavenly Creatures was filmed, Kate Winslet's first film

a very appropriate sculpture

from the bridge

so peaceful, except for a really noisy duck

one of many ponds

I love Dahlias

Please note new header, it's" the mens" Easter bunnies, old family tradition which recognizes no age, that's to say they aren't too old to have a chocolate bunny. But I thought can't be bothered to hide them so there they are hiding in plain sight and no one has noticed. Have just returned from "drinks" at work tonight, I was home at 7.30pm. as I couldn't drink as I was driving, pizza and cookie and cream cheesecake, lovely. I went to the Botanical Gardens yesterday, driving through the city which bought a tear to my eyes, it is so munted or as the Mayor said mega munted, but the gardens have stood firm. Planned and planted by the early settlers they are the biggest and most beautiful public gardens in the Southern Hemisphere, so gorgeous with all their Autumn finery. I should add this is but a tiny part of the Gardens they encompass cricket, rugby, croquet, soccer and netball fields and courts, a helicopter landing pad for the hospital, a pond for sailing boats (small) and the Avon River, plus a nine hour golf course and numerous walking and cycling tracks. It's a large area bisected by a road, many years ago when I was younger I used to run around the two parks, are sweet mystery of youth why can't I do that now..........crook knees, sciatica, bad ears and appalling eyesight shall I go on. No thank-you self ,I think you were enjoying that too much. Happy and Holy Easter to you all. Love Aunt Bee.

In case there has been doubt - I am an Idiot.

2011-04-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

the mornings have been very foggy

Here is a story which unfortunately proves that I am an idiot
Two weeks ago I ran out of one of my drugs, I have two tablets every morning. Drug A and drug B we will call them, and I ran out of drug B, a little unusual as they usually they are exactly the same amount and run out together, in fact I had copious amounts of drug A left. But I thought nothing of it and delayed getting a refill because it would been a $33.00 trip to the Doctor, plus the inconvenience of going to a doctor just 2 minutes down the road. So last week after talking it over with my colleague Mare I decide to ring the Drs. and get a prescription only if I could. Spoke to the nurse who said " Do you need more drug A as well"? I should have lied, but I was honest and said no I have heaps of them. Silence at end of line, "mmmmmm well that shouldn't happen " she said. " I know" I replied "I thought it was odd myself". " How many tablets are you taking a day."
Oh bugger as soon as she said that I got the giggles as I knew what I had done , drug A had been increased last visit and for some strange reason I thought the tablet it self was increased not me upping the number of times a day I took it. By then Mare is in hysterics as she has picked up on what has happened and I can't stop laughing, result one Drs. appointment with the threat of a memory test thrown in. When I saw the Doc I put it down to earthquake brain.........any excuse will do.
Last night we did have a big shake 5.3, had us contemplating the table as it rolling on for at least 30 seconds, yesterday was my birthday and we had numerous little shakes all day, isn't that a nice present.
I did get spoilt, 2 large boxes of Guylain chocolates which are my favourites, and money for my September trip to the Craft fair that comes over from Oz. Next week will be more exciting becos Jeni from With Needle and Tread is coming over to spend Easter with her family and we are meeting up Easter Monday. This is the first time I have met a fellow blogger, I am so excited, of course Aj warned me about the dangers of meeting people off the internet, cheeky monkey.

click to enlarge , a pukeho baby, it's mum must have been confused ,it's Autumn

The pukeho pronounced pookekho, oddly enough photographed in a very marshy paddock next to the sewage works, well it made me laugh. They make a strange whistle noise and love the marshy swampy land, they are cute but not very nice as they eat anything. And of course this is NZ so they can't fly.That's it for now, it's a cold wet day and I'm pulling out the sewing machine, the old one ( will tell the story of the new one next time) to do some sewing. Love Bee

Dogs drool and Cats rule. and other things, I'm rambling again.

2011-04-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

nice old purse, quite roomy considering it's got all my cards and a small amount of money in it.

I love it and have promised not to paint it...........yet

bag for work

bought it because it was cheap, not sure what to do with it

And this is a good part of the road

there is always a Portaloo if your caught short on the way home

Church further back the road, it's just holding on since September

On the way home from work, these shops have almost gone today

I have in my own defence been busy, sort of, so I haven't blogged for over a week. The photos above are my buys and some I took going home from work, a little Tiki tour down Stanmore Rd and beyond. The shops above and the ones you can't see around the corner (funny that not been able to see around corners) were almost gone this afternoon when I went passed.These are the shops we use for things required for work, and my special PO shop with the best mags in town. He is still there and operating, people died in this group of shops, how terrible is that to be working in the fish shop and being a customer and then a earthquake happens. We had two decent ones on Tuesday and one of the staff said ( this was at lunchtime and it went on for a few seconds) "Jim ( the boss) Jim should we get up under the tables. Jim we should get everyone under the tables now", and we all said " Hell no, it's not a bad one, and we wont be asking Jim whether we should go under the bloody tables we'll all be there", we were all laughing at this because she lives in the country and doesn't feel the numerous aftershocks out there.

this will remain a mystery till I finish it, it's for the car ????? can't say more

As you can see picked up some things, the bag is a decent size and holds everything that I need in my daily life, I won a prize at a quiz night for having the most things in my bag, which I was proud of because you have to be prepared, don't you. The cute purse has two compartments and I love it, have put my stuff in it as I sat in the car after buying it, the magazine rack came from the same store which I'll post about at a later date when I get some good photos. I think I'll paint it, but not yet, when "the men" have forgotten about it, they like it how it looks now, but I think a little white paint would look good. The wool came from the cats shop and cost $2.00 for 5 balls so I had to give a cat a better life by buying it, what a wonderful person I am..............Actually I do love cat's and I see Britain has become a nation of dog lovers over the dear old mogs, what's wrong with them,( the British, I mean not the cats), I would love a dog but only if Dave was happy with the arrangement. The boys favourite movie when they were young used to say "dogs drool and cats rule", it had Sally Field as the cat and Michael J Fox as the young dog, can't remember the old dog .............(.thinking time there) it was called The Incredible Journey, what a brilliant movie, we all loved it. Dave isn't as agile as he was, poor old man, hope this winter isn't too tough for him or us, it has been cold and wet the last few days, I'm wearing 2 layers so that should tell you something. Have to go and do something vaguely useful..........yes I mean housework.......Love Aunt Bee.

A quite weekend, if you don't count the road of ruin and the checkpoint.

2011-03-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning sunrise

Red/pink sky in the morning, bloody great storm in the evening

The Contessa sent these books to Tom for his Greek studies, looks like light reading.

This mag can be hard to find, so you have to BUY it when you see it. don't you.

thinking of making myself one of these.

I had a wonderful weekend doing nothing, which I find is needed sometimes, there is real pleasure in doing nothing. Took Aj to work Saturday and when I picked him up he said he really could do with drink. Did I cross the bridge to New Brighton, it is the one I showed you a few posts ago? Yes I did, did I hear that voice saying maybe this isn't a good idea......yes I did and did I ignore it? Of course, we stopped for a drink and then went down Beach Rd, it's not to bad I said.............oh Lord it was terrible from the carpark down to my beach carpark, the road was a mess and we saw houses that had just split in two and collapsed inwards..........went around the corner and I knew I'd made a big mistake, I got off that road and got on to a slightly better road and then we navigated our way home. Lesson learnt some areas are worse than they say they are and don't take your little baby Alto on roads with potholes bigger than your car or lumps on the road bigger than said car.
I hadn't learnt a thing from Saturday so I decided on Sunday to see if I could get to work along my usual route, ha! have you ever ended up at a road stop with the army and police manning it, or knowing that they think you a complete idiot for coming down the street in the first place, or you had to do a U turn and then go down a one way street the wrong way to get out of the pickle your in.............No? well come to Christchurch and this experience could be yours.

I haven't had handles on my rolling pin since before Tom was born

Sometimes the only thing a girl can do is stop at the Cats Unloved CS and buy 3 balls of lovely pink yarn and a rolling pin, yikes a rolling pin, I'll show you why in the photos.

I love pink, reaction from having 2 boys I think.

Oh I forgot, Crusaders won this morning yes I got up for it, in London against the Sharks, now that's something to cheer about, I haven't mentioned losing the Rugby World Cup games because it was silly to think we could have the games here, nothing will be ready by September and we need to sort ourselves out, housing, roads, power, sewage and rebuilding before we can have thousands of visitors here, what are we going to show them in-between games, the river of pooh, the holes in the ground, the rocks falling down the hills, and the general destruction...........I don't think so.
After going to the CS went to my Aunty's for a cuppa and met up with two of my cousins and their families, which was great, so all though I say I did nothing, I did have a wonderful weekend and I have been stopped at a checkpoint which is the first time in over 30 years, since that time in Belfast NI...That's a bit of a teaser isn't it, I have lived quite an interesting life in some ways, yeah right I hear you say but I have...........really I have . Love Aunt B.

Feeling poorly, methinks earthquake flu

2011-03-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

might be out of my ability range at the moment but I'll start on something easy

dressmaking is on the horizon I think

never to early

good old Alison, 80 cook books written to date

Love the books, really loved the old TV series

love, love John Buchan

Julien Fellowes to write a Agatha Christie film...bliss

I didn't like this, I know she is popular but I didn't enjoy it at all

I have has two days off work, as I have been poorly lying on the couch with books to read and drool over. My auntie is up with my sister at the moment and now she (the Contessa) wants me to go up there for a week. But I not going I would not be able to go away from Christchurch in case something happened, I would never forgive myself if I wasn't here and another "you know what" occurred. Nothing else is new, Aj's at Uni, well not Uni, a primary school next door to Uni, which he attends in the evening (night school ha ha), 5 nights a week. And yes he has to sit at a kids desk............which caused much laughter, as my boy is very large. Tom's paper's are all on the Net, so he is not that unhappy, he has a tutorial next week somewhere, destination unknown at the moment. Aj has just come home, 2 hours of Biology, he said there is a Russian girl in the class, but out of his class so to speak as she is too good looking, that's my boy, mind on the lesson then.
Time to visit Mr Treadmill in the garage, my walks are to be done in the garage as it is too dark to walk the streets...............bet you never thought I would admit to walking the streets............Love Aunt Bee.

Well you know me by now, a bit of everything

2011-03-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

the crack runs through the base of the big carpark light and down the concrete, next photo

AJ's (son) works carpark , oh! and my feet

two books from the market bought in drizzlely rain, only me and four others there

Two egg cups, I love boiled eggs

crochet blankie in crocheted bag

Dave watching the birds, atop of some unfinished quilts

table runner

heavy weight cotton sheet, crochet edge

only pinned at the moment, I made it out of scraps, no pattern, now there's a surprise

2 sheets, lovely pattern, good quality

It has been an emotional week with the memorial service in Hagley Park on Friday and the Fab Four( that's what our colleagues called us) packing up
Thursday to re-start at AJ's Tuam St on Monday. Prince William came to Christchurch, along with the usual suspects and he was very charming and at ease and he delighted everyone he spoke too. The service was well done, although many people felt it was to soon, I did have a tear in my eye when Hayley Westerna sang, what a beautiful voice she has. The Moon Man predicted a huge earthquake here today and I didn't get much sleep last night, oddly enough I'm so tired I don't even care if there is one today.

old sheet, backing for quilt or a quilt itself ?

Enough of the boring stuff I'm going to bore you with my thrifting and other such stuff. I need to confess something, I gave up chocolate for Lent, but by Thursday I had eaten chocolate it was as easy as Tom saying "do you want some chocolate Mum?" and me reaching my hand out to take it. Sorry I'm weak, so I have given up wine, this will be easier to do as I rarely drink, I know that not quite the idea, but it's not about being sanctimonious or that's what the nuns taught me. I notice some people are throwing out a bag of "stuff", 40 bags for Lent, now unless you have a real wish to de-clutter, then go for it, but I do a clean out a) when I don't have any space for things, b) when the school, scouts or other local are having a garage sale or I give things back to the local Op shop in a true spirit of recycling. One thing I have learn't from the "you know what" is home is where the heart is and I am staying close to home, there has been an up surge in baking, sewing, and general crafting as people stay close to family and friends. I know I'm rambling, but my blog is a captive audience , I know you can zap me away with the touch of a finger, so feel free, you won't hurt my feelings.

now you see me, now you don't

2011-03-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

pasta dish and bowls, two scarves, one pure wool from Scotland and The Railway Children, and a tray cloth

I'm as quick as lightening, in, posted, out. Inspired by Sue at the The Quince Tree blog, potato gratin and meatloaf for dinner, half way through the prep. Not that, meatloaf was on the menu at Sue's, I only felt inspired enough for the gratin. Don't think Elizabeth David did meatloaf. Love Barbara/Bee

Just another Saturday........on the road, and some things to make me smile

2011-03-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

a nice candle lantern, very pretty

old aroc? (spelling) bowl it's nice for beating eggs in

five stalls only at the market today but bought the 4 books

it's a gloomy morning and this is a silt pile from the streets being moved to the forrest

although you can't see it, this bridge is held together with concrete, and light vehicles only

I couldn't keep counting how many trucks were moving on the horrendous roads

A few bits and bobs, I also bought forks, odd I know, but I blame the "you know what", for my sudden loss of forks, nearly all of them. Someone said it must be the boys, Lord they are 18 and 20 not 5 and 6, I don't think it was them, can't blame them for everything, well not everything, but some things, my lingering "baby" weight, my sanity, my wrinkles, you get the idea. To give you some idea about the roads, yesterday we were back at Aj's (work place) not my Aj, and the boss had told people had to be picked up by 2.30pm. This was to let staff get on the road by 3pm, of course we still had clients when I left at 3.20, it took me 1hr and 10 minutes to get home that is driving at 20 to 30 kms, over the worst roads you can imagine.
Right because so many banks and PO's are closed I went back to Bishopdale Mall to do some banking and while there I found the most..............thinking for a good describing word here, unusual.............different..........odd.............amazing............slightly creepy shop. Amend that to a slightly creepy shop owner, it's a crafty, junky sort of place, with patterns, cross stitch, knitting, and clothes all old like 70's and 80's, but not second-hand, some wool, some threads and cotton, buttons for Africa, and stuff.............mmmmmmmm.........can't really describe it well didn't have eftpos, if your going to buy something you take to a hole in the wall and hand it over, unbelievably he had more buttons out the back. He was different, not your usual type of this kind of shop, owner. I will go back just for the buttons and trims, it was very cheap. Also bought a cookbook from a CS, it's a Land 'O' Lakes, Treasury of Country Recipes, I love American recipe books and this is a great book, bring on the cold weather, I need to make a casserole, something with dumplings. Not wishing for cold weather everyday yet, as so many people still have no electricity or water or more importantly loos. Must say something about the Japanese Earthquake and tidal wave, it is so terrible and we hope and pray for them, we still have a Japanese S&R team here and we are sending one of ours to help them. Aj asked is the end of the world , I said don't be silly, it's nature flexing her muscles, but its daunting to think of the destruction almost everywhere around the Pacific Rim, and the turmoil in the Middle East, I guess you have to keep the faith what ever your faith is...........I truly believe in the indomitiable spirit of my fellow human beings..........Love, hugs and prays to everyone, where ever you are...............Barbara

Thank you Lucy from Attic 24, who makes all crochet patterns easy.

2011-03-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Here's the completed blanket,it has already been road tested by Tom
A quick post, we are in our borrowed building, its small, but we have only 9 to 11 people a day, its so light with 2 walls being windows. It's a building in a business park near the airport, it's very corporate and when we went for a walk to the cafe, for Shariz's lunch I felt distinctly under dressed we will have to tidy up if we are going to be there any longer. That alone is reason enough to go back to our building in the town. We know our colleagues are working hard to open on Friday, we are looking forward to see them, its awful being in two groups at this time, we had a wee shake this afternoon and people got a bit teary but we are so far from the epicentre I wasn't concerned.............believe it or not.
See it was quick and I'm off to do the never ending housework. love Aunt Bee.

Why am I going grey ?

2011-03-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

That was the weekend that was, truly earthquake or not, it's the domestic dramas that cause the stress. Aj dunderhead supreme, only checked his student loan, becos I nagged him (I'm quite good at nagging) and discovered it had been declined.............and we were quite rightly furious with him, becos he is one teenager who is not wedded to the computer or phone, and the email had been there for 6 weeks.........yikes no wonder I'm going grey. Seriously I am going grey at a rapid rate of knots, it is strange, or not that strange that my friends have noticed as well, not me going grey they themselves going grey.....another thing to blame on you know what. Basil made him deal with it this morning and he said( Aj) it's sorted.........I know there is no Uni but there will in a few weeks and if it isn't sorted they'll lock the doors on him, yeah right! they want the money too much to do that.
On a brighter note I found a library open in the next suburb, so I went Saturday morning what a lovely library in the Mall at Bishopdale it is, they call it a Mall but having lived in Britain I know it's real a Precint, and it 's shops are open and it's small and everyone was friendly so I might do more shopping there, as our favourite butcher has a shop there and I didn't know that, so that puts paid to any rumour that I know everything.

Lovely books, how I love books and libraries

carrot cake and lemon icing

ok decoration 1.........taste 10

So what happened then, well was in the mood for baking and went wild in the kitchen, made a carrot cake, and some small fairy cakes, I'm with Duff Goldman, I hate cupcakes they are so over rated, there is nothing wrong with calling by the name your mother or granny baked them as. There I stood up for good old baking names and if we don't our baking heritage( which is British, and there's nothing wrong with that) will be lost. Political lecture ended.
Right well yesterday evening the Contessa rang to say Mum was in hospital, she is 94 and an amazing lady, she had been feeling poorly all week, and didn't go to church on Sunday, this is a red flag becos she always goes, she got progressively sicker yesterday and Dad got the Contessa and the Yorkshire Terrier over and they called an ambulance. It didn't look very good last night, had some kind of infection, but she feeling better and we will have to wait and see, poor Dad is very tired and upset but he did a great job, he is so worried, he said after 62 years married he doesn't know what he would do without her.The Contessa has been running around doing all the coordinating for us down here in Christchurch, my two brothers and me, she has been brilliant, we found it wonderful during the earthquake for her to do all the ringing around keeping everyone informed, it was easier for her to do from the North Island than us here..........so we have made her unofficial family coordinator for all family and national dramas, disasters and other important things, too bad we haven't told her yet.
Work has started in a new place for four of the staff including me, we went to one of the residential providers offices and we have set up a small room for some off their clients who access our service, it was just a day of setting up and buying in all the supplies we will need, cleaning products and tea, coffee biscuits etc. We start in earnest tomorrow with some clients arriving for a very short day, we are opening for 4 hours 10 - 2, so it gives the houses a respite, and for us, some work will get to our businesses we deal with..........it doesn't take long for people to get back to normal, not the normal that was, but a new normal and if we are going to stay and rebuild and the vast majority want this, then this is how we have do it a little at a time, a Make do and Mend type philosophy. With a bit of Keep Calm and Carry On thrown in for good measure. The main building in town is semi repaired, I was a bit optimistic when I said they were going to fix the floor, it's safe but the whole concrete pad needs to be re-laid sometime in the future...................Love Barbara, on good days I am still Aunt Bee.. Split personality, that explains a lot doesn't, could Eileen who leaves me lovely comments give her blog address please, I can't find it ............probably me, remember how technophobic I am.

Happy Birthday Tom.

2011-03-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

Have recipe from Sue from The Quince Tree and permission to take some quinces at the end of the month

sorry about the reflection, had to get a photo before fiends devoured it.

The first was Tom's 20th birthday, its tradition for the birthday person to pick their favourite dinner. Tom went for Chicken grillers, salad, green beans and turkish bread with oil and garlic. Chocolate cake for dessert. We had a nice evening, with little in the way of presents, but plenty of money but no where to spend it. The Northlands mall has re-opened and he bought boxing gloves with his money today. Tomorrow we all go into my work to clean out the big room and later that day they (don't know who exactly) are coming in to fix the floor which requires tonnes of concrete............I'll feel better when that's done. Everyone in the mall is having a sale and I bought a new jug or should I say a whistling kettle and a chocolate dipper an essential in this house of truffles. The crochet stripey quilt is looking great, it is strangely soothing to do and I'm already planning another. Love Barbara

A sunny day in late summer.

2011-02-28T22:41:00.000-08:00

we are still standing

Quince jelly if only I knew how to make it

my favourites

the neighbour's rose over the fence

the silk tree

lovely rose in the garden

clearing the liquifacton, silt and the dust

My darling car, with the gunk which is on everything

Went into work yesterday, took me 1hr and 20 mins, one way, normally takes me 15 mins, the traffic is horrendous as there are no direct way across town with the CBD closed. We cleaned up, while we were there 2 aftershocks occurred, the 2 staff from out of town freaked but we kept cool, or coolish. We will be up and running soon, not in the big room as it is a mess with the floor cracked, but we hope to have some of our clients who we know have been badly affected by the quake. We can give them a sense of normality as many of them are living in different homes in fact some have gone to the North Island. so I'm worried but I'll go in and pray it's ok, I wish I could describe the roads, I haven't taken many photos because I just don't need them, we don't watch the news much, we are living here we don't need reminding. Everyone knows someone dead or missing, we are all exhausted, I was doing the washing on the deck in two buckets when the S&R team came to check on us, we said we were ok, they laughed and said that's what everyone says. Everyone we know is ok. the phone is going all the time as we check on our friends and family and they check on us. Post for the first time today, we are still getting bills though, live goes on, and that's as it should be. Love Barbara

People who I visit everyday, and I'm glad they are home.

2011-02-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

People who help you get through a traumatic time
A Mermaids Purse..........Kazzy and her Sweetpea, how I love this blog, what a lovely young lady and talented artist Kazzy is.
Admanento...........Anne, crochet expert and cyclist, our bike rides together leave me puffing but always happy with the company.
Attic 24..............Everyone loves Lucy and it's true love this beautiful blog and especially Lucy way of giving confidence to everyone via her wonderful tutorials and gorgeous crochet.
Bobo Bun..............Lisa a world apart and a generation but we take pleasure in the same things
Cotton/Bluebell...............unbeknown to these two I imagine we belong to the same quilt group and they are actually taking me with them on then quilting and more importantly fabric shopping trips
Curlew Country...........Steph, lovely blog I think being a mother of 2 boys gives a connection, I say that knowing what she has to come LOL
Farm Girl Stitching......Nic a kiwi girl on a farm, I'm old enough to be her mother, but the blog world makes that irrelevant, a country woman at heart I can smell the sheep from my place
Frugal Queen..............she makes me laugh and cry sometimes in the same post, we share much unsaid
Handmade Home............Kelly what a delightful blog by a talented lady
Heart Shaped...............Diane loves "Jackie" and walking ..........what more do you need
Henhouse...............the Hen all power to the Hen, one of the first blogs I visited love the Hen and her family, quilts, and even the husband is interested in their trips back in time to 1940's Britain
Life after Money...........Ilona my slightly eccentric friend I don't thing she would mind me saying that, another of the early blogs I found and what a treasure, ok some of her money saving ways make me laugh, but others I have used, we have traveled England together, her photos are wonderful but her writing is better, history, saving tips, animals, travel and interesting opinion, creativity and most of all fun, Ilona is a jewel
Material Obsession............Kathy an wonderfully creative talented American in Aussie, love the quilts and quilters in her wonderful shop, she has opened up my eyes to what you can do with patchwork, it's taking time for me to really let go with colour and fabric but I will do it. After our lives have settled down and things are semi normal I have promised myself a trip to Aussie for a break, haven't I talked to my sister yet but hope we can go to Sydney, it's one place in Aussie I have never been and to Kathy's new shop I'll go just to sit and watch and learn from her ladies in the back room.
Mary Poppins..............Dear Mary is the very first blog I saw and after months of lurking I joined in, she is wonderful, and her blog still makes me smile and occasionally shed a tear, when I read it. I think of Mary P. as my mentor, such a good person on the other side of the world
That's it not the end of the blogs I love to read but the end for today, the sun is shining and I am in the mood to bake and sew, a cake for Basil's night shift crew and sewing the quilts made for my grand neice. I thought I would not bore you with comments from the zone, Basil is working, Tom has done 3 days in a shop with no water, and Aj had a day's work yesterday and what was a 40 minute trip there and back in the morning took 2hours and 20 minutes home in the evening, only one bridge over the rivers can you imagine that, in a city with 2 rivers. Love Barbara

It's a beautiful day

2011-02-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

It is a beautiful day, all those I have talked to today have said this in a lovely weather way, everyone got a good nights sleep and that's makes such a difference. Things all though terrible, don't seem so bad and I think it's becos today we are doing something, Basil and Tom looking for a way to get my car, Aj's off clearing muck with his mates.........they will be with the Uni students tomorrow doing what they can. Big thank-you for stopping in, lovely to hear from you, thanks for the thoughts, hugs and love and prays so kind and it does help too know you care. My brother is well and safe, my cousin the fireman is in the CBD, my godson the policeman( who is not meant to start as a policeman till monday) is in the CBD...........we know what a hard and horrible job it is, we are proud of them doing what they are doing. Went to the local supermarket, great people that they were they opened, only letting a few in at a time, everything but bread and of course I want toast so I'm making some, I can't make good bread so it could be interesting. Rationed milk and water but we are ok , we have water and can boil it on the hob (gas),no water to be used, toileting is ok , for some people (men) glad I had a wide bucket is all I say...........you know when the green nuts got rid of plastic bags from supermarkets dumb, dumb, dumb not good thing, a supermarket bag is very useful for some toilet jobs so to speak...............say no more. Bathed in my large salad bowl, well you know what I mean, nothing attracting me to the" lets get back to the way our ancestors lived brigade" about this yet, but we have to do it, the water waste and sewage isn't getting to Bromley the huge Sewage plant which also took a big hit in September.The
power and internal structure people are amazing , although this earthquake was smaller it was so deadly and a millions more times more frightening. My work place is a huge warehouse type building in the city, we can see the Grand Chancellor from our place with a car park for 8 cars outside. My job is to work with people with an intellectual disability, working at Aj's and providing recreation access for them also. We have a website www.ajs.org.nz which although the newsletter is old, enalbles you can see us at work and get an idea of our work space. This is our home away from home, we are a staff of ten and a client base of about 45. We have for the most part known each other for 30 odd years as many of the staff worked with the clients (friends) at Templeton Centre, a large residential unit outside of the city, for many years and the almost 14 years AJs has been in existence. the building was wrecked by the earthquake. Tuesday while under the table I saw the 2 large cracks coming down the floor of the building, the noise was horrendous as everything fell but the roof held, when it stopped we literally pushed everyone in the dining area, please note, the staff were playing Scattergories when it hit, (I think I was comfortably ahead don't tell the others). 15 mins later the 5.7 hit, the floor beneath us just cracked, there was already water/gunk/liquidfaction coming up through the cracks in the main room. We again pushed everyone out ( Basil is home, got my car, have to walk back and pick up his car, he got as close as possible, they looked in to AJ' and were amazed at how we got out.) But we did get out and we sat for 5 1/2 hours outside ,offering water and biscuits to those walking past with the liquidfaction which dries to a powdery dust blowing down the street. When the last clients were picked up, we hugged each other tight and went our seperate ways to our families. So we are alive, we are the lucky ones, it is such a huge thing to take in, so many people dead, so many buildings gone. That's it for now, not much fun to read, but I feel better writing it down, it makes it feel less terrible somehow..........Love Barbara.....I've decide to use my real name, you might as well know my name, I feel much closer to you during this time out there somewhere................hugs and good thoughts to you all.

Brother found

2011-02-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

Brother found had been in CBD walked home, had no phone power or money left, went home to no power no water so went to a friends. Idiot could have told someone but no one has power or water etc, we have interesting toileting facilities at the moment , ok for the men but not for me, you got to laugh, and it's raining again. Our next door neighbour is to be buried Friday so I hope it will go ahead I know that's sounds funny but it would be terrible for Ada if it all delayed. My car was to be registered by today but a) I haven't got it, b)there's no PO open to do it and c) I don't really care anyway. What a rebel..........I am crocheting like crazy and watching Miss Marple and drinking tea so I'm ok, will be staying in the lounge as we are still having large aftershocks. Love Barbara

reporting in from the zone.

2011-02-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

I'm leaving my car where it is till the weekend, hope it's still there. Cleaning up the house and keeping in touch with family as my oldest brother is missing, last seen in town centre yesterday, but we are trying to stay calm becos if he was it's like him to help, so just waiting for some contact. Haven't had a proper sleep but will go soon probably not sleep though, brain is in overdrive..............love Barbara

Message from the earthquake zone.

2011-02-22T06:56:00.000-08:00

It's 3.49am I must have slept, becos I'm up and going to make a cuppa, the aftershocks have kept on coming. I can't believe this has happened, yesterday I got up and went for my usual walk, went to work and while sitting at the lunch table playing scattergories our world turned upside down. My boss is amazing and I know we will get back into a work place at sometime but our clients( who did really well under the circumstances) may never recover. I haven't watched too much TV, but I did hear we are going to this time accept help and Thank God for that, so that's it I off to have a cuppa. Love to you all Aunt Bee............real name Barbara.

the earthquake

2011-02-22T01:11:00.000-08:00

Quick post to say we are ok, Basil and Aj were at home, tom at Uni, got out and walked home, me at work. Unusually for me I have no words, so terrible our workplace is destroyed...........it is wrecked no jobs for us, no place for our clients to go..........outside in the cold for hours waiting for our clients to be picked up took the vans up to 4 hours to get to us, we are in the city. Left my car at work, Linds gave me a lift home via the rest of the city. I am exhausted...........I'm very emotional I love my city and this is a disaster of untold magnitude, yet as we drove home so areas look untouched and had power, its just come on here. Basil has gone to work he is an essential industry (a prison officer) of course he is out of the city and I know he'll worry. Sorry to be a pain, there is too much to tell, so many dead.........thank God we are ok, it is of course raining just what we need but not right now. Aunt Bee

When $40.00 means $80.00

2011-02-20T09:48:00.000-08:00

Haven't had time to look at it yet

another quilt for Ava, more for everyday use

start of quilt for Ava

Trusty old machine with wonderful mat a chrissy swap present from Jeni

Stripy blanket a la Lucy at Attic 24

Miss Marple only No.1 to get now

This is a long story so I'll to be quick. Whitcoulls a large national book shop chain is going down the gurgler so to speak it's in receivership since Thursday and the news said if you have any vouchers to get in quick and use them . They also mentioned some shops will only honour them if you match them dollar for dollar. Of course Baz had $40.00 worth, I gave him as a Chrissy present, so we went to the mall on Saturday, as so did many other people to spend them, and yes we did have to spend another $40.00, I find this morally wrong akin to theft as I told the girl behind the counter, which I said I realised wasn't her fault, but I felt I had to say something. They the Aussie owners are in the poo in Aussie and have blamed electronic books and the internet book shops for this situation but truthfully they have been putting up there prices continually for years and of course you are going to go for the best deal, but a shop is always more appealing to people than the internet, no worries about internet security, instant gratification not having to wait for a book and the price shouldn't be a problem in NZ, we buy more books per head of population by far than any country in the world, but being a captive market, book shops have always charged through the nose. A few metaphors and colloquial sayings in there, but you get my meaning, it is criminal to hold vouchers for ransom in this way. But of course we paid up, as did the older couple with a $100.00 voucher. So we got 2 DVD's one for Baz after all it was his voucher, Dad's Army, one for me, Miss Marple, the Country Living mag and a Veggy cookbook.
I spent Sunday sewing, two quilts for Ava a "good" one and one to put down on the floor when she's having a stretch or in her buggy. I'm quite pleased, had to work on them, then have a cuppa, do some more work and then another cuppa as it was so hot and windy.
The "men" are off to Uni today, TG am over having to large brutes lying about the house, bring on the assignments and study I say, that'll keep them out of trouble............sure that will work they are students. Love Aunt Bee. Stripy blanket coming along nicely.

What idiot gives way to a pedestrian crossing that isn't one ?

2011-02-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

A full moon, so beautiful but bringer of oddness.
What a day, first I gave way to a pedestrian crossing, when it was no longer a pedestrian crossing and it had now got traffic lights. Did this cause problems Aunt Bee ? Only an inconvenience to the cars behind me waiting for me to move as the lights were green. Then I went to a local craft shop to buy thread for work and they didn't have any, passed me form pillar to post, I maintained that we had always bought it there, but they couldn't find and when I returned to work, haha, wouldn't you know it, we had orderedfrom our usual suppliers from up north. We have never ever bought our thread from Spotlight, no always bought it from from a wholesaler in Wellington. I will say the noise level at work was manic and we had tears and the odd yelling and swearing outbursts and that was only the staff..........no, no joking it was our clients we do that stuff behing closed doors. Managed to drop the ham I had bought for Basil's dinner as I went up the deck to the door. Dave just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and probably doesn't need his seafood delight tonight for his dinner. I think I'll have an early night, found two books at the library, by a author unknown to me Rebecca Tope, they look good.

A mish, mash and a motorway.

2011-02-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

A few things I found, well bought , the felt, fabric and pattern I picked up when I went to the bank and popped into the fabric shop which was having a sale, only to look, haha. It was a 25% off everything sale and it would have been rude to leave empty handed. The market had some new stallholders there and when I saw the Cadbury funnel measure I was sure I couldn't afford it as I was down to my last $5.00, when he said $1 and then $2 for the lemon squeezer I was was delighted, but felt a bit mean because he could have sold them for a lot more. He had an old baby's bath which I thought look good with plants in and an old mixing bowl/jug thingy which of course I had to look lovingly at and leave behind, with my luck he'll never be seen at the that market again. Dinner out last night pot luck BBQ out in the country, I got lost, but it was a good night, very warm, the kids (not mine) were in the pool till 9.30pm and then I made the long trip home, well it took me 1 hour to get there and 35mins to get home, the roads were very quiet, it made me realise I would like to live in the country again, but the fuel bill for coming into work would be huge. Basil actually works further out than MM,s place and its so expensive each week just to run his car. You probably tell I'm over summer, it has been a long hot summer and it would be nice if the weather started to get cooler, I love Autumn and Winter and I am ready for the change of seasons, even if no-one else is..........I am a little worried not just for us but for all those with damage to their homes what the approaching bad weather will do, we can't do anything like thousands of others because someone else control's the timetable for repairs and in some cases complete rebuilding. Life is always interesting isn't it, and that makes it never dull............Love Aunt Bee.........and I haven't told you yet about the motorway........yes let's build a motorway when the city needs billions of dollars worth of repairs. The motorway that'll will mean we will be hemmed in by two motorways and unable to turn right into our feeder road oh bliss...........I shall be going to the public meeting, God help them if I get the microphone.

Now get away from the computer and feed me.

I have coveted these from afar, nearly died when he said it was S1.00.

glass lemon squeezer, old $2.00

market shopping

Oh God I am turning into my mum, but I love the EWW, and GF is the best.

Latest mag, remember it takes time to get to NZ, when I was young mags took 6 months by boat.

when I impulsively bought the felts I also bought this, cute for winter I think.

gorgeous felt squares and pretty fabric, impulse buy

Tartan throw on couch ready for the inclement weather, ok it's 31c today

It hasn't all been a walk in the Park.

2011-02-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

This is one of the nicest places in Christchurch.

Our prevailing summer wind the norwester at work

Basil surveying the duck pond, it had been drained and cleaned.

Sorry I haven't been around the "dear computer" would not let me write anything let alone publish and so much has happened. First Aj's hand, is out of plaster and unwired, swollen and puffy it is at least attached to his arm, the day he got that done a letter from Canterbury Uni arrived offering him a place there which would be in his preferred degree and is the same Uni as his brother. It would mean he could bus and be with his friends, of course he had accepted a place at Lincoln..........aargh! set in motion his loan application and all the tedious enrollment stuff. I tried to jolly him along with Lincoln is a good fit for you etc but I know he wanted UC, so he has changed everything over to UC and said sorry to Lincoln, what a parlavar but it's done. He also starts back at work on the 19th Feb, in the shop, so his hand doesn't get hurt or overused. So that is all fixed, throw in the quake we had just 30 minutes ago, my health issues, yes I to am on a low fat diet due to my cholesterol which oddly enough is lower than 3 years ago but the Dr. has made me go on a low fat diet now..........he must have missed the higher reading in 2008, I'm on a waiting list (semi urgent ) for a specialist, so that's a 4 month wait, not that I care as it's one of those things I would prefer to put off .I blame Aj he was a massive baby.........which explains the baby weight I am still carrying. Ha, he's 19 in May, but that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Have done some market shopping , some nice skirts, it's so hot here Sunday was 36c, hell's teeth that's hot and so hot at night no one is sleeping well and I actually wore one of the skirts which made me look like a large hippy with a attitude, no peace, love and beads for me when it's hot, I just get grumpy. I had a load of young men here, 15 of them watching TV, in the heat in one room, oh the aroma, they stayed for 3 1/2 hours and I has strict instructions to make myself invisible so I went for a haircut in the mall, very cool and not busy and then a iced chocolate in a cafe, still to early so I sat in the garage reading the paper............I must have been out of my mind.

Hagley Park, a beautiful day for a walk.

One week, the good, the quakes, and the weather.

2011-01-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

OK where to begin, the weather has alternated between too hot and wet, and indeed hot and wet together, now it's settled on cool and wet with earthquakes. Yes the earth has moved numerous times in the last few days,
Thursday morning I had just turned the alarm off at 6am. and we were hit with a 5.1, she was a goody, rocking and rolling for what seemed like ages, close to the city and not deep, if you hear of earthquakes that are more than 20 kms deep, these are truly not real earthquakes to get the true meaning of a earthquake it needs to be shallow and close to your place. As indeed the quake in the morning at 11.10am which was just down the road from work was, the clients screamed and cried, the staff gave the appearance of calm, but we were all rattled (attempt at humour).
They continued all day and I started humming the Crowded House song" Four Seasons in one Day", but I changed the words to "14 earthquakes in one day" as that was the count by then, try it yourself if you know the song it goes together well.Of course I couldn't get the song out of my head for the rest of the day. We did have an earthquake while I was in the car in the garage, as I left for work Thursday morning, what to do, I hear you say or not, by the time I wondered a, do I get out of the car, it was moving and I didn't have the engine on or the brake off, or b, get out of the car and garage which was swaying and creaking or c, drive the car out of the garage, of course the quake had stopped before I had made up my mind. I bet your thinking I would like to be with her in a quake she knows what to do............
The better things of the week, went out for dinner at friends place 6 of us for a meal, yummy food , great company, and wine, but it was a Tuesday, I may have had a headache at work the next morning.
Got home on Wednesday to find Basil in the pouring torrential rain clearing the guttering, in shorts and T.shirt, I went down to the corner of our street to unblock the drain full of leaves as it was causing flooding, didn't make much difference but I felt I was doing a community service, soaked of course.
Started an Attic 24 crochet blanket, Lucy is the Queen of Colour and I can't claim to be even a Princess but I'm happy with it so far.

Basil clearing the guttering in a downpour.

Very large CK mug, it is very large, I think people buy things for me in relation to my size, its not always needed.

I'm using this for a face cream as my skin is so dry this summer, it's very nice , sweetly smelling ,like me.

That's about it included some more snaps of my Christmas CK haul, when I started blogging I knew about CK from the British bloggers and it was hard to find here, now it's everywhere and very expensive and everyone is buying it, I hate to say it and call me a snob or what ever, but I did like it when I was the only one who collected it.................yes I know I'm terrible but that's me..........best news of the week I'm a Great Aunt for the first time Ava Marie Nicholson born yesterday, lovely news but that makes me feel old. Love Aunt Bee, or Great Aunt Bee.

Two posts in one day..........I so good to you all.

2011-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

Leg one, the other was just as bad, they bled to 11.30am.

Aj's update, he has been enjoying his time off, watching TV all day, although he is in some pain, so there is some justice, as I don't want him to have too good a time of it. I'm back at work, oh dear there is nothing to say really, straight back into it, no rest for the wicked. Thought I show you the hideous leg injury that occured on Friday morning, not as I told everyone at work, bitten by midges as walked through a field of gold,( thanks Sting), no I wore shorts to work and felt the need to shave my legs in the shower, a dangerous thing to do at any time not just when you are late for work and have to be out the door in 10 minutes. I'm am strangely comforted by the fact I'm still an idiot at nearly 55years of age, it makes me so glad that I'm not totally grown-up yet. Love to all. thinking of all those of you all over the world caught in weather extremes, hope all of you and those you love are o.k. Aunt Bee.

Saturday morning finds, I had to find these in extreme heat, what martyr I am

2011-01-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

the scarf was so pretty I put it in twice, ok I'm useless

5 hand painted glasses, I really love them for some reason can't resist

very pretty scarf, my favourite colours

two retro sheets, quilt backing I think

I'm in love with Flosmaron, and I know nothing about it except it's beautiful

cute little jam dish

Gorgeous Alfred Meakin platter

A vase I bought yesterday

A saga of a hand, an idiot and his mother, it's not pretty.

2011-01-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

I'm back, I haven't posted because the tale of Aj's hand has been complicated and long and the darling computer is being naughty, must be male. Aj's hand , broken but not fixed till Wednesday the 5th as none of the teams in the hospital would take responsibility for him, the orthopaedic and the hand team were fighting over him, not that they wanted him, no they didn't. We had two apologies from doctors in the hospital as Aj had spent over 12 hours A&E without anyone taking him on, this is some sort of record apparently. They sent him home on NYD, although he needed an operation, and said they would be in touch later that day, no they didn't, rang the next morning to say so sorry but we are still working things out, rang Monday with a apptt. time for a CT scan that morning, so we shot in and Aj had the scan and we went to ortho outpatients for a apptt. Wednesday. Hospitals are really quite creepy when its a public holiday, nothing open and a skeleton staff, Aj said as we walked down a empty corridor "Just like a horror movie", I didn't need to hear that, I was in a living nightmare with the boy's hand as it was. When we got to the outpatients Aj was greeted with" Oh the famous Aj", not because of his stupidity with his hand, but the fact he still hadn't been seen by anyone. Wednesday at outpatients we waited with at least 60 people and it wont amaze you to hear that most of the people requiring treatment were male, 99% I thought and 1% old people from rest homes who had had a fall. Anyway Aj was taken in quickly, hand still in plaster, and they asked if he had had anything to eat or drink, no he hadn't and they processed him there and then and he had a operation on his hand that afternoon. Picked him up on Thursday and he's living the life of Riley here at home, it's amazing how many times that hand has been used as an excuse for not doing anything. As you can imagine I'm knackered and a little stressed, and I start work on Monday, tomorrow...............fill in the blank yourself, I feel aggrieved my holiday has been ruined by the idiot. Yes I love him dearly but he is a idiot or not as completely as on Friday he received an acceptance from a Uni for this year.So he's shocked and we are happy, I feel the trauma he will have to face trying to set up his student loan and allowance is punishment enough for the pain he has caused me.I have much to tell you but the computer isn't playing nice so I'll finish until it starts working better, I received more CK over the holidays which was very nice, Love Aunt Bee.You might have notice Basil had no part in the proceedings, well no I am the mother aren't I.

Happy New Year, but mine has gone to plan

2011-01-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

A quick post I hope everyone had a great New Year, we had two parties to go to the "men" were out, and we had a great time. Got home at 1.00am had a catch up with Tom and then to bed, Aj rang at 3am to say he had a broken hand. I wont go in to detail as I'm still cross, but it is a story familiar to other parents of teenagers. I have spent most of New Year in hospital, and we are still on standby to go back in for a CT scan and Wednesday or Thursday are penciled in for surgery. There has been added stress as hospital politics meant AJ was in A&E for over 12 hours waiting for someone to take responsiblility for his treatment...........I refuse to let this be a sign of another bad year, instead hopefully Aj is going to take this incident and make some changes to his thought or lack of thought patterns. Ironically he had applied for Uni that very morning. At least I thought as I sat in A&E, with children/teenagers life is never boring, stressful, yes, boring, no. Love Aunt Bee.

A little bit of Christmas passed.

2011-01-01T02:07:00.000-08:00

2 CK books but they came as one, how good is that.

My CK covered hanger.

Cherry jam made on Boxing Day, was I insane probably it was 31c.

Even Big Ted is over Christmas

KC hits NZ, but it is expensive.

Shaking all over.

2010-12-26T13:54:00.000-08:00

The computer is sick, using sons laptop oh fun!.Wonderful Christmas, will post later when I can add photos,but yesterday Boxing Day from after Midnight on was one after shock after another, the one at 10.30am was a shallow 4.9 coming from Opawa a close suburb, yikes I threw myself in front of the china cabinent, not that would have done much good. Went to bed at midnight and the world moved but not in a good way so sent a sleepness night worrying about "the big One". Sorry to moan but not only is this Christmas but also my holiday I don't have to go back to work till the 10th, I am not liking this at all just think I could be in a mall and the quake happens, I might have to leave without spending my vouchers "hell's teeth that would be a disaster.! love Aunt Bee.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Thank-you for being you.

2010-12-23T18:56:00.000-08:00

What's that under my tree, yes, dear readers a Cath Kidston hanger, well a hanger covered in CK fabric. My dear friend Mare gave it to me, she actually listens to my ravings. So Merry Christmas Everyone, It's been just over a year of bloging I was going to mark the occasion but an Eartquake got in the way. I want to say how much I pleasure I get from reading the over 100 blogs I keep on my favourites, and there are so many, I'll just say to the British bloggers thanks for reminding me of my 4 wonderful years in Britain and the kindness of the British people I met there, Aussie bloggers you are undoubtably some of the best craftswomen in the world and to my fellow Kiwi bloggers, one day I'll pick up the courage to arrange a meeting becos it nice to know I'm not on my own, loving the things I love, not to forget the Americans who always are so interesting to read and though thousands of miles away it so nice to see we share the same likes and the same stresses know matter where we are in the world. And that's the rub isn't it we are so alike we have so much in common and we are spread across the world sharing with each other our own personnal but oddly familar lifes. There we are, have a Merry Christmas and New Year, lots of lovely things and more importantly lots of lovely people to spend time with. Aunt Bee.xxxxx

I have finished work for 2010, start the merry making and blogging catch-up.

2010-12-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

Taken on Tuesday morning on the way to work. 7.30am and already 26c.

Lovely red toile pillow cases, and paper mache bowl for my eggs it's very deceptive as it holds easily 2 dozen eggs. A candle holder which is beautiful and 2 nice tins.All bought last weekend at the market and CS shop.The weather has been stinking hot with a hot NWesterly wind yesterday doing so much damage to the trees and gardens.On the way home from work there were trees down over the road which makes for interesting driving for me and my small car with avoiding the trees and trying to keep the car on the road in over 100km an hour winds. The large glass jar which does have Cookies on the other side, I wanted to put my flour in this after watching Ina G (I love that woman in a cooking sense), using large glass jars for her flour, sugar etc. And a linen hat to ward off the sun, which has been beating down on us without mercy.

sorry, sorry I blame the heat

2010-12-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

There was a post, lost forever in cyperspace perhaps Julien can find it, but I can't. Doing this at 6.55 am as the temperature rises to 31 today, actually wearing shorts today for the first time at work in 13 years. Very busy, with Christmas "do's", and still working till Thursday lunchtime. I'm off to work with Aj, will do a post tonight, with photos of my thrifting finds and other things of interest...........ok interest to me.

Baking and a tale of a harried woman.

2010-12-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

First time I have made Julie le Clerc's Christmas cake, secret ingredient condensed milk, looks good.

Vanilla and white chocolate cake.

Tom made this years ago and I still love it. Its eyes light up alternately.

The tree and new lights on bookcase.

I have been truly busy this last week, because my job entails taking people out to community activities Christmas is very busy in the eating and drinking department. This week our Dance class finished, not a nice mental picture of me dancing but it does allow me to be a big kid and dance as if no-one is watching, no party in the real sense here, but my 2 clients always make things interesting. Friday was the end of Exercise class very laid back, and always fun, we always go for a nibble at the cafe in the Leisure Centre with other members of the class, unfortunately one of my "men" lost the Christmas card he had been given which caused some grief until I thought of giving him mine. Then back to work to change into "good " clothes and grab some money, then down to a local Working Man's Club for lunch. What a palaver, we had to go in pay and then straight away get our lunch, one of my men could do this independently and the other 2 need help. I asked the cook a large man with numerous tattoos who looked like he had learnt his trade" inside" or on a tramp steamer of dubious origins, if I could have less than the half a chicken he gave me, but he said that's what you get, a request for more gravy as my men need their food soft elicited the same reply. The plates were to hot for my guys to hold so I had to put my plate in a corner, take my men to the buffet, get them things they could eat, seat them and then go back to my plate get my vege, all while juggling a glass of orange juice and a jug of beer and two glasses. Good thing we woman can multi-task. I sat down cut up to plates of food and mashed one up to baby food consistency and as I took a gulp of juice, some-one asked if I needed a hand. Don't you just love that, and my colleagues at work thought I was having a cruisy day. Then to cap of a perfect day I had to leave work early to have my yearly Mammogram, which I checked to see if I had the right day, yes I did so off I went, needed to take a ticket from the parking machine I don't know how this happened becos I do remember seeing the ticket, but between taking the ticket and getting a carpark I lost the ticket, this would have been all of 25 seconds. I hate when I'm so dozy, so I thought ****** and went to the building , I've been there before, but not for 3 years I couldn't find the ****** building , I DON'T BELIEVE IT! could this be the day from hell, am I going mad. So after walking around, I asked a very nice lady who said I'm going there myself, so she took me in a door and up in a lift and there we were. I said to the receptionist I'm sorry I got lost, and she said we moved 2 years ago and I see you haven't been here since the move. Told the X-ray lady what had happened and she laughed and said to tell the men at the parking booth what had happened and they would let go through, she said they were nice guys. So I approached them with my tale of woe they didn't look fazed and let me go, the parking was free if you were there less than 30 mins, and I was so I don't feel guilty just relieved. Thank god for the weekend. Have been baking so I shall show you the results, plus the Christmas decorations are up. I did the decorations on Tuesday night with absolutely no help from Aj and Tom and when they came inside and saw the wonderous beauty of the lounge they said " See what a clever girl you are you can do it on your own, don't you feel all grown up now for achieving that". See I know it's wrong to want to beat your children and the defence of provocation is no longer allowed, but sometimes it would feel good too. LOL in case anyone thinks I'm serious. Two of Aj's friends have walked into the house this week to say wow the house looks great, your mum must love Christmas and I assure you it is just basic decorations but I do love Christmas. Sadly they said we don't have any decorations up, our parents/mother thinks it's a waste. What a shame, the boys both loved our house and I told them they could do something at there homes but sadly don't thing they will and I wonder if this is common and in the future will the joy and anticipation of all the traditional rites of Christmas will be lost for many. Love Aunt Bee.