Is it white or am I going blind???

Well little cherubs, Jeeves and I have been very busy since our last blog, but have managed to have a few days off, we tripped to Akaroa, where we stayed in an awesome little house called the Tree House, which is surrounded by you've guessed it Trees, and had an awesome view over the harbour. We had three fantastic nights, sleeping, reading, eating, and exploring banks peninsula, then we heard about the weather coming, on sunday in bright sunshine we left akaro to meet the storm at little river, by Monday morning, the snow was coming down thick and fast and hasent really stopped yet, its suppose to be a once in alife time affair, but I am now a little cabin feevered.

Did help sarah and tom move their bed, thanks for the hottie, to dry out neils socks, and nice to see various kids as they came to see us and eat our food.

Tomorrow I fly to brisbane i hope,,,,,, har to believe it will be hot there ...............

Mushrooms and other little joys

Wandering along the path, and gathering mushrooms whilst talking to Flynn, the highlight of my day.
Destroying all the frustrations of yesterday, and reminding me that there is more to life than just the
normal.
Tonight we will fry the mushrooms with butter and enjoy a bit of free stuff that is also organic,and grown with out any work by us.

I am lacking energy to do anything creative, its a little sad but did walk about 4kms today....

Sunday, Plums, and other things.

Plums, and Pigs, Plums, and Pigs, go to gether like a horse and carriage. la la la

So many plums, that Father N is making chutney and other delisious delights,

Today has been rather strange, I slept in, and felt guilty , then got up and ran out of steam, then had a bath and went back to bed, then when the others came back from church I got up again for a wee while, but felt so cold I went back to bed for a little time, then got up again,  I felt like a jack in the box........Hmm I had a jack in the box morning.

 We have been collecting our poetry books to put in one place, we have quite a few, and rather varyied. Awesome,      we have also decided on the new deck and where that is going to hang out. Good when 2 minds think alike.......aroha Sue.

Funerals, rain, creativity and other stuff

Went to a funeral today, there is a difference between a funeral for someone who has no faith in any afterlife and someone who has a belief in something. There seems to be some sort of strength.

The weather has been perfect for doing not much, but being a little creative, I have so many plans for all sorts of sutff, but am taking painkillers for the last 2 nights, so when I wake up what I think and what I say are two differrent thing. Its like its raining in my brain.

Reading an excellent book at the moment, callled "An afternoon in Summer" doing nothing, gaining everything, is alll about a woman who has a sabatical on Rarotonga island. She is from America and finds early on that life on a pacific island works at a very different pace to that back home.
She begins to see little things like butterflies, lizzards etc which she would never have seen or looked at for long in her previous life.

Its a good reminder that to stop and just be, brings into focus all sorts of things, like this morning I looked at an apricot sitting on the bench (not for long!)
Its not all orange at all but has many colours in it from red to yellow,,,,why have I never done that before I ask myself.....
Could be that Chris is off at work, and we slept timm 11.20 when Alice and Daniel Arrived to find us leaping out of bed to see who had arrived.

This afternoon is the end of the pantry saga, it has taken a week to sort out and label and repackage stuff in the 2 pantries. Tomorrow we start on Chris room to make room for E,K and F to come and live in it!!!!
More to come,,,,,,,love some comments xxxx

A new year and a new me

Reading other peoples blogs makes me think that may be I do have somthing to say to the world,
Things like for example Craigmore valley road, a winding road, with deep grey tarmac and white lines, and there in the middle of the road in what was once a pot hole is a luscious clump of green grass just sitting there sort of saying " Look at me" . I wish I could paint and then this is what I would paint.

The decision not to please people this year, to say no to people, and to spend time meditating and taking time to smell the flowers.

To take Christophers balls away from him, so he does not contstantly play with them, When the cricket is on he has a cricket ball and when its rugby its a rugby ball.....being constantly thacked against the wall, the chair, the anything......thankfully Iggy eats them as fast as he can find them.

The decision to be sociable at least once a week, with interesting people, not necessarly church people, but people who have bright and interesting views of the world.

No to worry about what other people think of me,,,,,they can go take a jump. If I want to wear stripes and patterns together then I will.

To relish my family, my abilities and my talents, and to make the appointment to have a tattoo.....

Remember that its better not to look back, otherwise you may fall over what the future has to offer you and break somthing.....

so long and thanks for the lobsters

So its back to the land of the long white cloud, and the feeling that nothing has happened and the trip was a dream. But back to the beauty of Spring in the south island, and the vibrant green of grass growing at such a rate that we have decided to buy a new lawnmower. Ah one with a drink holder, so important in the summer!
Since returning we have had a number of adventures, today was a great example. I travelled to Christchurch to pick up Lady Minnie, and to see Lady Verouka at the same time. Lady Minnie had a interview with a view to a change of career, and Lady V and Master Pottleswaith and I wandered the streets of the city which has been called the most British of Cities outside of Christchurch. We passed Rangi Ruru, a private school for girls, and took in the beautiful presbyterian church, (wooden) on the way. Ah to see that young ladies are still being taught in bastions of the past is heart warming. We then made our way to the exibition of Ron Muche (sp) a sculpture who works in plastic//hair/ and uses these to amazing use, in that the sculpures are lifelike to the zeneith. The first to be seen is a 1/4 sized model of his father (in death) amazing, the body hair, the colour of the features, are just right for someone dead. He manages to bring a authintisity to the thing which is a little scary....one expects them to move or breath at any moment. We then had coffee and dropped Lady Verouka at her work place. We then proceded to muck around for some time and then we went to the cinema and watched Made in Dagnanam. A film set in the 1969-70 in London at the Ford factory. Amazing to see how recently woman were seen as second class citizens, and how hard it was for them to voice their opinions. A good film, although we still have a long way to go with womas rights, as we seem to have dropped the baton along the way, disinfranchised men, and stuffed up our children. Anyway a good night our, especiallly with the curry to follow, although the resultant indergestion is leaving somthing to be desired.
It is nearly 2am and I feel sleep ariving.......tomorrow is another day, and a road trip back home is looming,
Aduew.........

Bats and the descendents of the Keith Clan

Its not well known that Bats have a special place in England. Seen at dusk (sometimes) they generally mess around squeaking and defaecating. When we were in Kirdford, Sussex we heard the story of the local church renovations. These repairs and changes are allowed but must accomodate the local Bats. These poor creatures seem to have a forlorn life flitting around the country side looking for somewhere to live. It appears it must be a church. No doubt you have heard all about bats in belfreys - in Kirdford it is Bats in churches. The rule is, if you are going to renovate you must leave holes for Bats. Any new structure you build or renovate must allow this pooh machines in. Tough on the congregation that comes to church in raincoat, sporting an umbrella. Bat pooh is uniquely acidic so chews through the toughest macintosh. Church is struggle with a more or less continuous rain of faecal material. Make sure you don't tell the local authorities about the bats in your shed!

Another useful fact about bats. The recent Ignoble awards featured the habits of bored bats. Apparently it involves fellatio. Professor, Sir Hamish Parkinson of Glasgow University was awarded an Ignoble for his gratuitous research into the rather sordid habits of adult bats. He demonstrated the actual physical techniques at the award ceremony using hand puppets. Buckets were handed out for vomiting.

Edinburgh is a special place. Burgh is an old word for castle so it appears the place was originally Edwins Castle. Edwin sadly has long since died and probably wouldn't recognise the place anyway. We walked to the castle from Waverly station having dropped the car off at Newcraigdribble and taken a 10 min train ride. Lady McHoots was very brave although her ankle is giving her gyp. Despite the rain we enjoyed the castle and even heard the gun salute at 1 pm. Lady McH managed to find a toilet to clean herself up after the rather loud explosion.

We visited (in no particular order), St Margarets Chapel (12 th century), A large gun, Lang stairs, Crown jewels, prison for prisoners of war, Scottish war memorial and Mary Queen of Scots chambers where she gave birth to James VI of Scotland (also James I of England), We were captivated by it all.

Also got close to the Stone of Destiny - British monarchs sit on this when crowned. Scottish crown jewels are much older than the more famous German stuff owned by Liz and co.

While Lady M visited the royal mile and more specifically the Hub. I visited Greyfriars Bobby. This was s story told to me by Mum and Dad when very young and I enjoyed finding the place. In an old graveyard in front of Greyfriars Kirk is the grave of Old Jock (the owner) and Bobby. Outside the gates and further down the street is the famous statue. A nice moment for me.

Dickson clan - from what we have read is a sub clan of the Keiths. Richard Keith (at some stage) named himself son of Dick and hence the name was formed. The clan operated around East Lothian (where we are) and around the Border districts. There was quite a lot of rat bags amongst them and their main claim to fame seems to be stealing neighbours sheep. One little point that Grandma and Grandad would have enjoyed. One William Dickson born in 1960 in Brittany (France) had a Scottish Mother related to the Lauries of Maxwellton in Dumfreisshire. You may know the song:

Maxwellton Braes are bonny
For early fa's the dew
And twas there that Annie Laurie
Gave me her promise true.

They would have enjoyed that.