Is this a weed I see before me?

 I have continued with my studies this week for my Under Gardener Diploma in Weeding. Even though it will be a couple of years before I progress to Unsupervised Trowel Use, apparently I am already showing promise. Assisting my tutor we have completed clearing the second of the three main curved beds in the back garden. I then used the last of our mega mulch to cover some of the cleared areas. In the front garden, the amaryllis is starting to flower:

We brought our living Christmas tree in from the garden on Monday, decorated it, and set up the nativity scene. The shepherds are on a shelf above my workstation, the host of angles are on the bookshelves opposite, and the three wise men are milling about on the kitchen bench by the fruit bowl.

Jacqui called in on Tuesday. She has returned to marketing her section privately, and had a good amount of interest. One couple who appear particularly keen, have been amongst the viewers. I did some MacOnSite work and Nicky made asparagus rolls to take to church with her for the Bible Friends nativity play in the evening.

We came third in the quiz with 98 points on Wednesday. Thursday was very busy with Nicky at the community library, and then both of us attending the Community Meal in the evening. Nicky started making ginger biscuit star biscuit dough before going to the Aramoho Library, and continued rolling, shaping and baking, upon her return. I made Christmas Pies (chicken, bacon and cranberries soaked in brandy, because we didn’t have any sherry) in hot water crust pastry) during her absence. The meal was very well attended, with queues for the food stretching all the way down the main area of the marae. This also made it very noisy so we didn’t stay as long as usual.

Friday was another long day with two sailings on the Waimarie river paddle steamer for me in the lovely sunshine. Nicky finally had her mammogram and then afternoon tea with Fiona down the road. She also did lots of laundry and ironing making our fish and chips dinner even more enjoyable.

Saturday was an even longer working day on the boat for me, again with lovely weather. The morning went well, but the late afternoon/evening charter for a local craft brewery (who brought beer and a portable bar with them) had challenges caused by miscommunication and over consumption of alcohol. Lessons were learned as we hadn’t done a cruise quite like it before.

The weather was not so pleasant today and deteriorated after Nicky dropped me at the wharf on her way to church. The wind was getting up and forecast to become too strong for us to sail, so it was cancelled. However, there was quite a bit to do on the boat to tidy it up from yesterday, and we had to get steam up so that we could turn it round to enable the portable bar to be removed.

Some of the passengers who had booked to sail came along to have a look at the boat while we were turning it. I got talking to a couple from Sheffield who are visiting their daughter who lives in Wellington. The husband was born in Hillsborough (where my maternal grandmother lived), and his wife worked as a rent collector in the 1980’s on The Manor. This was the housing estate where my mother lived as a child. They also knew Wales and Wales Bar where I lived as child, so we had a good few minutes exchanging memories. It’s a small world really.

Take care, Rick and Nicky.