Bringing in the count

By -

Even though autumn has now officially started, it has been a largely sunny, warm and sometimes hot week. This weekend has been particularly good, with two days of blue skies and very little cloud. At around 4pm this afternoon as I was sunning myself on The Ratigan, it was 28°C in the lounge (with all the windows and the ranch sliders open) and 41°C in the roof. I guess it was somewhere in-between where I was.

Nicky has been pretty busy at work as usual. The new medical centre and car park next to the library is now almost complete. MacRay Way, which runs between them, was officially opened yesterday, and I think the car park too. The medical centre should open in April, and the retail units look like they are ready to be filled with tenants.

Jancis and Sandra came over for dinner on Tuesday, and it was not quite good enough to BBQ so I grilled the steak. Jancis went to house group with Nicky on Wednesday, and Nicky took Sandra to see the lights of Auckland from the top of Mt Eden on Thursday evening. Apparently Sandra was captivated. Nicky was working late on Friday so I had made her a doctors appointment for first thing to get her regular medications renewed. He says she is doing well. I have certainly noticed that she can hear better with her glasses on and see better with her hearing aids in - and I would have thought it would have been the other way round, but that's librarians for you.

Tuesday was also eventful for me as I had a full dental examination (with multiple X-rays) which revealed I need another filling replacing, and my passport arrived!!!!! I can now get out of the country and back in again! Just like a real Hobbit, though the passport doesn't mention Warner Brothers.

My week has been dominated by census work. We had collection training on Monday, and then checking of vacant properties on Tuesday (census day). Since then I have been collecting. About 28% of the people in my area have done their forms on-line, which is great for me because I don't have to go and visit them.

I did a modelling job at Helensville on Monday evening, and was very touched when Pauline, the organiser and I suspect driving force behind the group, gave me one of the pictures she had created during the evening. It is now hanging in our hallway. It is the first time any one has offered me one of the pictures they have created of me, and I am very pleased to have it.

Yesterday I did a Mac job in the morning, then more census collecting in the afternoon. Nicky popped over to see Ruth and cooked a meal for Elaine and Rodney. Elaine is a member of her house group and is very ill with cancer at the moment.

Ruth insisted that Nicky brought home the cream doughnut and custard swirls which she had bought and they didn't eat for afternoon tea. We thoroughly enjoyed finished them off with a cup of tea on The Ratigan after it had gone dark, because the wind dropped and it was a balmy evening for sitting and watching the Milky Way. We turned the lights of in the house and had 20-30 minutes just gazing at the sky, munching swirls and sipping tea. Wonderful.

Today I have done a bit more census collecting and the ironing, while Nicky has been to church and delivered the meal to Elaine and Rodney. She also delivered a repaired top and binder to Claire, and Scrabbled too. I have been lazing in the sun this afternoon, and we have just come in after having tea on The Ratigan as the wind is quite cool and the sun is getting lower.

That's all for now,
Take care, Rick

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Challenging week

By -
Image
 It has been a challenging week. At the beginning of the week Nicky was still getting worse, so she arranged an appointment with the GP on Tuesday afternoon. The GP confirmed that Nicky had bronchitis and sinusitis, but that her chest sounded clear. With the infection being viral, there was no medication that could be prescribed, but some additional painkillers were in order to manage the symptoms and assist with the pain caused by congestion, coughing and vomiting. As the week progressed Nicky started to improve slowly. The periods of incessant coughing and coughing induced vomiting started to subside yesterday. She was able get a little more sleep and keep a little more food down. The washing machine has been very busy with regular changes of PJ’s, dressing gowns and bedding. Some of the laundry has been dried outside but the winter weather has deteriorated over the last couple of days. While Nicky has been unwell she has cancelled all her commitments. I have been running errands...
Read more

Tea and Tissues

By -
Image
 We have had a quiet week at home, doing jigsaws and listening to Harry Potter. Nicky seemed to be getting better at the beginning of the week but it was short lived. As the week has drawn to a close she has actually started getting brighter and felt like doing some things round the house. Nicky got dressed for the first time this week on Friday to go to the hospital for a blood test, and we did a little shopping on the way home. Yesterday she made a couple of lemon cakes and delivered one to Eleanor for her birthday. Nicky found the few minutes walk there and back exhausting. Meanwhile, I gradually got worse through the week until Friday. On Wednesday and Thursday I ploughed through a whole box of 240 tissues, and most of a packet of throat lozenges. Paracetamol helped with the general aches and temperature fluctuations. This weekend is the first time I have done my morning exercises in over a week, and I even managed a short amble this morning in the lovely (almost spiring-like) ...
Read more

Easter

By -
Image
 Steve continued his convalescing with us at the beginning of the week, and continued to improve each day. He decided to start the journey home on Tuesday by driving to Te Kuiti. As Monday was going to be his last evening with us he provided another take-away dinner from the Spice Guru, which we enjoyed as much as the previous one. Steve and I were a little early collecting it, so while we were waiting I was having a look at the buildings at the bottom end of Victoria Avenue and spotted this: I think Whanganui rivals Napier for the quality of its Art Deco architecture. Before Steve left on Tuesday morning, he and Nicky went to the Splash Centre to have a wallow in the thermal pool. This had been recommended by Nicky’s physio when she had seen her on Monday. Nicky had a short swim too and they both enjoyed their time. We were very pleased that Steve felt sufficiently recovered to start his journey home, as it was not good seeing him in as much pain, as when he first arrived. It was ...
Read more