Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

 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...

 It has been one of those weeks where most of the days didn’t feel like the right day of the week, until now. I have finished sailing for the week and I’m sitting down with a fresh cup of tea to write the blog. It must be Sunday afternoon. The weather has been behaving though, with most days having that beginning of summer feel. We have had a couple of dull starts and a little light rain on Thursday afternoon, but warm temperatures and sunshine too. Our usual commitments have been punctuated with a few extra events. A urology appointment confirmed that I do not have prostrate cancer. While I was relieved, the internal investigation left me feeling a bit delicate for the rest of the day, so I didn’t go to work.   Nicky had a fun evening out for the annual Bible Friends Christmas play. Their nativity play used the structure of a daytime television quiz, and Nicky’s home group helped with the food. Another enjoyable event was a lunchtime Christmas BBQ at Dale and Bob’s home on We...

 I am sitting on the sofa to write the blog this week. Appropriately for the first day of meteorological summer, all the ranch sliders are open. We are currently fly-free now that all the fly screens are fitted. $95 well spent. The gentle breeze through our home is very pleasing as it is a warm and sunny day, like yesterday. The outside temperature in the shade is in the low 20’s, and the breeze is a warm northerly. We are enjoying the gazania's in the front garden: The temperature has risen through the week and we have had a couple of sessions of light rain, particularly on Friday morning. Last Sunday afternoon we had a phone call from Judy, who was in the Blockhouse Bay quilting circle that Nicky and Mary organised. She and her daughter Rachel were in Whanganui for a family funeral mid-day on Monday and she was wondering if we were available for a catch-up. As our only commitments on Monday was Nicky’s church cleaning and Sue coming for lunch, we suggested they came round to us f...