Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

 My apologies Dear Reader but we have had a very busy day and I'm just to jaded to write this evening. I will hopefully get finger to keyboard in the next couple of days.

 Our week started sufficiently windy to prevent sailing on Monday morning. Instead, after dropping Nicky at church to clean with Dale, I took Luna (our car) for a run out. I’m trying to do this once a month as I don’t think the short journeys that we do around town do anything for her long term health.   It was also the twelfth day of Christmas so the decorations came down, the tree was returned to the garden (in its pot) and the floor was swept. Nicky and I had the last of the Christmas cake with afternoon tea. Earlier in the day, Paul and his son Jason (friends from Blockhouse Bay) texted to say they were on their way to Whanganui and would we care to join them for dinner. Eating at The Rutland Arms was arranged and we had a good evening and natter. Nicky and I had planned to see the new Paddington film, Paddington in Peru, on Tuesday, being the cheap day at the cinema. Nicky had a morning hair appointment and Covid vaccination booked. However, the vaccination didn’t happen ...

 It somehow doesn’t feel like 25 years since the Sydney Olympics. I can still clearly remember Nicky, Claire and I watching the triathlon and getting an arial tour of Sydney as the athletes ran and cycled. January is the time of year when our household routine is a little different from the rest of the year. I’m scheduled to be sailing on the paddle steamer 6 days a week, and most of Nicky’s commitments are on their summer break. This means that Nicky gets a much greater amount of peace and quiet at home, and I get to drive the car. The one commitment that does continue for Nicky is church cleaning which she does after dropping me at the wharf. Monday started dull but delivered a sunny afternoon, during which we had a good chat with Maria on WhatsApp. Nicky harvested sweet pea and poppy seeds while I cut the berm. The strong overnight wind and rain continued into Tuesday morning, but started to ease off by the time I had finished the supermarket shopping (typical). I had a good cou...

 Christmas comes but once a year, along with a bit of an increase in the waistline and time spent connecting with others. The regular question preceding the 25th of “what are you doing for Christmas” elicited more responses this year of “Oh, just having a quiet one” from the people which I asked. We had both a quiet time and connection. The week began with Bob and I shifting another 120 bags of coal down to the wharf for our upcoming sailings while Nicky cleaned at church. The showers of rain made the laundry a bit of a challenge. Nicky cleaned wax out of a mountain of ramekins from church while I made mince pies, shortbread, walnut bread and a cheese soufflé.   Christmas Eve dawned dull with a bit of rain. Nicky and I braved the supermarket and Nicky made a brilliant find. We keep our “in-use” nuts and dried fruit in the pantry in plastic containers that once held “bottled” fruit. We also have a few dedicated storage containers that over the years have given up the ghost. As ...

 Summer has gone off in a huff this week. It has been significantly cooler, and wet and windy at times. The kitchen has been working hard. On Monday while Nicky was at church doing the vestry cleaning, I made mince pies, shortbread and lemon curd. I rounded this off by making a smoked fish pie for dinner. It was Nicky’s turn on Tuesday - Christmas cake and more shortbread. Most of the mince pies and shortbread have now been given away. Some went to collection and delivery services (recycling, wheelie bins, DX Post and the lovely lady from Havoc coffee who delivers my pre-ground beans for free). Some also went to neighbours, our fellow quiz team members and some to visitors. While Nicky was out and about on Monday she returned the hospital visiting bag to Diana, only to find friends of ours from Blockhouse Bay (Phil and Joanne) at her home. They called in on us later in the day for tea, and a catch up. Phil was a member of a Friday night group who used to meet up for a beer once a m...

 As usual with the approach to Christmas, our days are just getting busier. Also as usual in mid December, there are very important birthdays. Nicky had two Christmas celebrations to attend on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. I trimmed the berm and garden. On Wednesday we both had a chat with Claire to wish her happy birthday. We also had the pleasure of Clem, Pat and Phil calling in late morning. Phil is over from the UK so the three of them were doing a road trip. After a couple of nights in New Plymouth they were on their way to Hawkes Bay. It was lovely to see them and catch up with Phil.   After they left Nicky zipped off to the last Book Club meeting of the year with a plate, for a shared Christmas lunch. Meanwhile I made her birthday cake and did some MacOnSite calls. Her next stop was hospital visiting, then home for dinner before going off to the quiz. Somewhere along the line she picked up or ate something which her digestive system didn’t like. As a result we didn’t l...