Och Aye

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 The weather has started to improve this week. The showers at the beginning have given way to hot sunshine and it has been a lovely weekend. Some poppies which have made camp on top of the retaining wall look very cheerful:


Mark and Krystyna had given us some plums over last weekend. On Monday I used some of them with the last of the Christmas mince to made a pie with shortcrust pastry. It turned out well and Nicky is now converted to shortcrust, while still retaining a strong preference for puff and flaky pastries.


With the improvement in the weather we have been able to spend some time working on the big flax in the front garden. Spears of flowers and unruly leaves have been removed to try and help it recover from the collapse in the recent rough weather. More still needs to be done but hopefully in time it will recover.


Both of us have seen Dr Rose this week. Nicky had a regular prescription update appointment which has resulted in quite a few changes. Some of her medication has been stopped, and she has been moved to having blister packs for her remaining regular tablets. That starts tomorrow so we will see how it works out. I have a cyst which for the moment I am monitoring, but it may need removing in the future.


Jackson, with whom I worked with on the boat, called in on Tuesday and I was able to persuade him to stay for lunch. Just as I was starting to get some bread ready for cheese on toast Nicky returned home from a meeting, so the three of us were able to sit down together. It was good to spend some time with him as his life is going through some significant changes at the moment.


There was no quiz this week as Pete the quizmaster was away, but we did go to the Turakina Highland Games yesterday. Surprisingly enough, they were in Turakina, but with the sounds of lots of pipes, highland dancing on the stage, and lots of Clan gazebo’s with displays and information, it did feel a little like the Trossachs. There were stands where individual pipers and drummers were being judged, and also pipe and drum duo’s. On the stage there was a rapid turnover of dancers performing a set piece for a judge. Field events were available for children, the adult events taking place in the afternoon. We stayed for an hour or so but felt the event was much more for those taking part than the general public. If we go another year we plan to arrive late afternoon to watch the closing events and partake of the BBQ. Nicky had made us a picnic lunch so we headed off to Turakina beach and found some picnic tables by a campground where we ate.


The change in the weather has improved the prospects of good sunsets, and the best of the week was on Thursday evening:



Now that we are into February the summer holidays draw to a close and the schedule of regular events restarts, and we have a November election to look forward to…


Take care, Rick and Nicky.

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