tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44505723855211302622024-03-19T21:48:43.850+13:00All Points of the CompassNancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.comBlogger717125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-14338672171860013042023-10-06T11:46:00.000+13:002023-10-06T11:46:12.250+13:00Bags, bags, and fabric for more bags<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was once again a chosen tester for Brianna over at Sew Cute and Quirky. Her patterns are a delight to test, and at my age a huge honour to be given this task, but it wasn't a task at all, a wonderful time selecting fabrics and putting the pulls on zipper tapes. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It was a treat to see the other bags from the other testers, every one was different, and stunning. Check out Brianna's web site. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The last one is for myself, green and pale mauve, it was the first one I sewed, and 2 mistakes, all my own fault, So I made sure the next two didn't fall into the same pit. I now get zipper tape by the metre, and can choose pulls to suit the bags. So much better in choice and price here in New Zealand. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnqXyIXUJwIiNoUAB-EaILzYeW9bV-U_77oSmJqH6u0JZT4W_pDs6hn13xb4euN2DdW-zUHKOBXslB8upvuX5OiLmA-n8WuYt0XGl0zQK912Goa3yRuo2Gg899KzW5mfHKnhgjGIHsijrCsJyChd1-pu_7yG3tpLLkyBsT4Z7nn-hGhwLNZ5HDPesuHpR/s2532/Tabitha%20Tote%20%234.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1617" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnqXyIXUJwIiNoUAB-EaILzYeW9bV-U_77oSmJqH6u0JZT4W_pDs6hn13xb4euN2DdW-zUHKOBXslB8upvuX5OiLmA-n8WuYt0XGl0zQK912Goa3yRuo2Gg899KzW5mfHKnhgjGIHsijrCsJyChd1-pu_7yG3tpLLkyBsT4Z7nn-hGhwLNZ5HDPesuHpR/s320/Tabitha%20Tote%20%234.HEIC" width="204" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXaSsIklI7QlPoCuiczmRIBegTqAyPsFCPKYE9hoQ1ljffmYQdwQRfuCt5aEEnszGdDO6NRFYKLcJeUbwjTZN6U4EFLduHcWLsIMcnWp9wLaFjdtJKNv7AV3wJsPBsvT9fv0dBpkQNIqwb-YaPpQx00NlL1Xwx76UilSWhGB3rIIV5cR4PAQKbjkvMjig/s3284/Sew%20Cute%20and%20Quirky%20tester%20bag.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3284" data-original-width="2587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXaSsIklI7QlPoCuiczmRIBegTqAyPsFCPKYE9hoQ1ljffmYQdwQRfuCt5aEEnszGdDO6NRFYKLcJeUbwjTZN6U4EFLduHcWLsIMcnWp9wLaFjdtJKNv7AV3wJsPBsvT9fv0dBpkQNIqwb-YaPpQx00NlL1Xwx76UilSWhGB3rIIV5cR4PAQKbjkvMjig/s320/Sew%20Cute%20and%20Quirky%20tester%20bag.HEIC" width="252" /></span></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEnmwdsWf3eT_nkAHpvTdJtKpoXiCAaO-nM-9CmkbLsBVLRQvuvsYeYtEl9hMHslQeJSpVZICsDIvwY9vKdME_i7uGMVGTedY40BQYcbUGM5KeKKkHLlKA1GKI_BDtVYFZ4pywgco6alnY3krqjxQ-zEPic_LzQ5g59oluLI8cclT4R9xW57ORJiEhf75/s2885/Tabitha%20Tote%20for%20myself.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2885" data-original-width="2060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEnmwdsWf3eT_nkAHpvTdJtKpoXiCAaO-nM-9CmkbLsBVLRQvuvsYeYtEl9hMHslQeJSpVZICsDIvwY9vKdME_i7uGMVGTedY40BQYcbUGM5KeKKkHLlKA1GKI_BDtVYFZ4pywgco6alnY3krqjxQ-zEPic_LzQ5g59oluLI8cclT4R9xW57ORJiEhf75/s320/Tabitha%20Tote%20for%20myself.HEIC" width="228" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Next up, some owl applique blocks and bright fabrics for some more bags, own pattern, with boxed corners and probably a velcro tab at the top for little hands to manage more easily. The beautiful tapestry fabric, bought in Whangarei years ago, and a lovely reminder of when we visited my cousin. They will be for myself too, with some lovely zipper pull attachments, a surprise gift.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB457yAGMVyHPa55vYBRKI_NcN0Mlm6i364gjEjfH2fBZgoIFf8wD6U8EmoUsDJq4Fj-mPwxpZUrinFNqa1HN_ArYf3-5wczQCMrIbjsIh8avo1MiE1D5ldbhsKQr_YDffjU-0wXw0OCpdi85lOtvWBJtsQ3uLnqUmy5tryYqhV4Bk0gEimOkW2eysumO/s3024/owl%20appliques%20and%20fabrics%20for%20bags.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="3024" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB457yAGMVyHPa55vYBRKI_NcN0Mlm6i364gjEjfH2fBZgoIFf8wD6U8EmoUsDJq4Fj-mPwxpZUrinFNqa1HN_ArYf3-5wczQCMrIbjsIh8avo1MiE1D5ldbhsKQr_YDffjU-0wXw0OCpdi85lOtvWBJtsQ3uLnqUmy5tryYqhV4Bk0gEimOkW2eysumO/s320/owl%20appliques%20and%20fabrics%20for%20bags.HEIC" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Spring has arrived here, daylight saving has started again, and we have had rain, a late frost, sunny warm days, and a last load of firewood, I hope, that should surely last until the real warmer weather arrives. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day from Albert Einstein,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" The measure of intelligence is the ability to change"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings to all, Jean</span>. <br /><br /></div><br /></div></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-37269766532230857752023-06-30T06:19:00.002+12:002023-06-30T06:19:47.889+12:00Josh, our Grandson , Happy Birthday.<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Today our Grandson celebrates his birthday, I remember that first day so well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We are so proud of all you have achieved, and hope you have a wonderful day, with workmates and friends down in Wellington.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A few memories.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJTiva-DqfdbKp7ZcTXrG_DVXdFrcajrWe4KdPSXgWcvk_4oxqILZtUSN7iaEAY2Q20ZdtTAaOokz8Mch9IOdn8wfGanSctNKoDpUcK5Fq4_7M9pLHMvHtYZU6SfjYIbfwJkKHVeAe7WDZ7Uxj589FvW-AN7TE6VAApksWE25E17w2Tzsl0wPQqpV0Lr9/s1800/290372506_630937961777649_1107816863683151319_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJTiva-DqfdbKp7ZcTXrG_DVXdFrcajrWe4KdPSXgWcvk_4oxqILZtUSN7iaEAY2Q20ZdtTAaOokz8Mch9IOdn8wfGanSctNKoDpUcK5Fq4_7M9pLHMvHtYZU6SfjYIbfwJkKHVeAe7WDZ7Uxj589FvW-AN7TE6VAApksWE25E17w2Tzsl0wPQqpV0Lr9/s320/290372506_630937961777649_1107816863683151319_n.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyPBca0GBazbAjktnzoPLh4nkZgzJqrR89kOlWVh4Vy9MJrs9glF0wZuHZ-xS_29S-j-7XV_R7eKDYMAmvuXwp8wgpjY4zgKoDKmLLlMG5FWnjrAM-c10BkID3NrmH7veV8qKPrwP7_CPr-HMXFcTUhtfjmOIW0LxnS1wdTG9CjUcNohqScE2mrqjPWFs/s1080/243560040_3003771773220917_5211337066957870445_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyPBca0GBazbAjktnzoPLh4nkZgzJqrR89kOlWVh4Vy9MJrs9glF0wZuHZ-xS_29S-j-7XV_R7eKDYMAmvuXwp8wgpjY4zgKoDKmLLlMG5FWnjrAM-c10BkID3NrmH7veV8qKPrwP7_CPr-HMXFcTUhtfjmOIW0LxnS1wdTG9CjUcNohqScE2mrqjPWFs/s320/243560040_3003771773220917_5211337066957870445_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0J3fy9xUGf3ZxmTfYmaB0AYPurv7hO8Yc4NL5ts09N94q7ccwuL98TcLK-47GvPW-JcHpwhq5mKTs7PsfyQVbAXuuOtGHhHCKSbeJzESSRJ5RO9g0baGbMPxVZw-E_sjvu-_DktTm93gv-oVMPVxPg7foIMKCRUlkRrgtqO9ZcUPYTrBOJAMz-bX_Esm/s1080/272241410_302850911865784_6618165506362203445_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0J3fy9xUGf3ZxmTfYmaB0AYPurv7hO8Yc4NL5ts09N94q7ccwuL98TcLK-47GvPW-JcHpwhq5mKTs7PsfyQVbAXuuOtGHhHCKSbeJzESSRJ5RO9g0baGbMPxVZw-E_sjvu-_DktTm93gv-oVMPVxPg7foIMKCRUlkRrgtqO9ZcUPYTrBOJAMz-bX_Esm/s320/272241410_302850911865784_6618165506362203445_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc0Y14qvN67W9iCEk-O45ecAHqQKKNw6j7xkA8Ef1MVehCaSo0PpCVON9SHVQ4mcximW0mtEk5jL731gGgzzZyl-tV3FhpZ9Ej_R71HluDReDJKMuaJetf6gFBG14wLNmaD2vpigBWTA_rRUs48HoYy_z6Oq6C9fFrQwnNoRZ0B3QbxAa8SqYA7b7hKmY/s3596/Josh,%20Tararua,%20October%202022.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3596" data-original-width="2599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc0Y14qvN67W9iCEk-O45ecAHqQKKNw6j7xkA8Ef1MVehCaSo0PpCVON9SHVQ4mcximW0mtEk5jL731gGgzzZyl-tV3FhpZ9Ej_R71HluDReDJKMuaJetf6gFBG14wLNmaD2vpigBWTA_rRUs48HoYy_z6Oq6C9fFrQwnNoRZ0B3QbxAa8SqYA7b7hKmY/s320/Josh,%20Tararua,%20October%202022.HEIC" width="231" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">You can see he loves the outdoors, high mountains, and trout fishing. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Many Good Wishes for today and every day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">" Grandparent Graduation is the best degree of all "</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><br /><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-5858985076557594042023-04-05T12:15:00.001+12:002023-04-05T12:15:45.245+12:00It must be time to post some news. <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Hello everyone wherever you are in the blog world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Down here, the floods have left huge damage, bypass roads have been constructed, and today I heard on TV that some insurance claims might take until the end of the year to be settled. Guess none of the insurance people were in that dire situation, where they lost their home, vehicles, income from the land or buildings, and family members gone forever.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I have been sewing some batik bags, searched for a special pattern, went through so many boxes, then there it was in the box with all the batik yardage, under the scrap box.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was recently a pattern tester for lovely Brianna over at Sew Cute and Quirky. She asked for testers for a new bag pattern, and after my previous experience with pattern testing, where the 7 or so of us world wide had to consult with each-other with problems, I had vowed NEVER to do this again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hop over to her site at quirkyb.com and see what other goodies are there. Wonderful patterns, helpful tutorials and more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Luckily I was tempted beyond my will power. The pattern arrived, and I decided to make 2, in case I had any problems. NOT ONE hiccup at all, they went together like a dream, even a welted pocket, a new venture for me.The pattern was written so well, no adjustments needed, Brianna, you designed this in perfection. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One bag has gone to a dear friend,her birthday was the 4th, and according to NZ Post, the parcel should have been delivered yesterday NZ time !!! I am still waiting for an update on delivery .We celebrate our birthdays a few months apart, but were both born in 1940, and next year, will get together and celebrate in big style 60 years of friendship.Starting in 1954 at Papakura High School. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The second bag will also be a gift, just the right size for phone ,a few coins or notes, and a double strap to go over your shoulder. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This is the second bag.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbChGXWkuZ4zn0H47RmSrlSmPyEFz45J97A_cjQejScBpe7LPJAy5zo65ig2pK8giDh3XxmX-IS-qenIBbRs3lfUIb8XoY2PYWqiC9z7dfspEIa-XJu5IzFjRDVt-E_lwpkSn-sWYP5nmJ_J72GOzZlpoFjCWeUQNZnxpv8yOQLzpwJhd4pLC_h0PGmg/s3611/IMG_1104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3611" data-original-width="3024" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbChGXWkuZ4zn0H47RmSrlSmPyEFz45J97A_cjQejScBpe7LPJAy5zo65ig2pK8giDh3XxmX-IS-qenIBbRs3lfUIb8XoY2PYWqiC9z7dfspEIa-XJu5IzFjRDVt-E_lwpkSn-sWYP5nmJ_J72GOzZlpoFjCWeUQNZnxpv8yOQLzpwJhd4pLC_h0PGmg/w326-h389/IMG_1104.jpeg" width="326" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Phone and charger all ready.This one was posted last week.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhflE_T3DT72Je4TmTL92SjscWbj4oVjqJmOJTd6SEBcErMtYNzwhGHHAOIdWpCUXMPjYhNR71B-KHzlpS8LHoQFJSxfL7idjGql-PzpobWWwotXmTWldIQ-idAdwQcci0tUXbYIo9jz9XtBs8_9vTFbRHVCIWnTdosfc3QNFUYgh64CjjwXaWMJAI3Q/s6016/DSC_0080.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4016" data-original-width="6016" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhflE_T3DT72Je4TmTL92SjscWbj4oVjqJmOJTd6SEBcErMtYNzwhGHHAOIdWpCUXMPjYhNR71B-KHzlpS8LHoQFJSxfL7idjGql-PzpobWWwotXmTWldIQ-idAdwQcci0tUXbYIo9jz9XtBs8_9vTFbRHVCIWnTdosfc3QNFUYgh64CjjwXaWMJAI3Q/s320/DSC_0080.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Autumn is here, mornings are colder, firewood is ready and we have had several fires, one or two kept going all night.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from myself to younger daughter in 1976!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was told " Life isn't fair". My reply.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><u>" Yes, and as you get older it is even less fair".</u></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><br /><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-33721057171451605122023-02-18T17:11:00.000+13:002023-02-18T17:11:18.439+13:002023 in New Zealand, January and February<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The New Year started as normal, but in January,Hugh had a bad fall, nothing broken, he is fine now, I had one visit to ED with angina, not too serious, home after one night, life continued. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Early February, Cyclone Gabrielle was north of New Zealand, tracking her way south. The met office kept a close eye on her travels, and gave an estimated arrival here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The cyclone was downgraded to an ex-tropical cyclone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The rain came, gale winds, Northland and Auckland received deluge after deluge, on the West Coast two volunteer firefighters lost their lives, attending to a callout.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">12 February, a National State of Emergency was called. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This gives Government the power to call on so many other services to assist. Further resources can be used and priorities set in support of a national level response. Army,Navy, Airforce, and more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The cyclone travelled south, and caused incomprehensible damage. Flooding, homes totally destroyed, the Hawkes Bay region, where my Mum lived for some years when they travelled here from Scotland, has been hit the hardest. So far 9 lives lost, stock gone, roads destroyed, homes filled with silt and debris and harrowing tales of loss and survival.No power, no water, no cell phone coverage, the Navy ships are arriving at Napier Port and a little further north with supplies, generators, food and water. Helicopters are delivering food and medical supplies to places further out that have no way of travelling.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One family lost their 2 year old daughter, a man lost his 3 precious dogs, as he assisted another family to move horses to a safer area. Many more stories that are way too sad to read or post.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYgXNFOhpemkwSPUae-0p2g1ckk39jJI6Z_JFv4lkN-24buJFfh6_ptNs_fEnRnCmxJGlxINWR_GdsLNRYT68AsUW6rVm4Cnq45Q4xtgV-5P4MguMeyaa0x602JfFbL_-P02lgo6IDq4XCvkmRDv90cPu6yOf5TgHb3ngfJJbBRQnGD_hbYXpMo_Mkw/s4032/Napier%202023%20%234.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYgXNFOhpemkwSPUae-0p2g1ckk39jJI6Z_JFv4lkN-24buJFfh6_ptNs_fEnRnCmxJGlxINWR_GdsLNRYT68AsUW6rVm4Cnq45Q4xtgV-5P4MguMeyaa0x602JfFbL_-P02lgo6IDq4XCvkmRDv90cPu6yOf5TgHb3ngfJJbBRQnGD_hbYXpMo_Mkw/w245-h295/Napier%202023%20%234.HEIC" width="245" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCNXVhZA3M8MwKzJRzVIyYth3QCy6Sb5LTZk8bMhP8pKitOqRxl5sQSkCuem1dc7IK6rN42PV23OgkPii6wutMwb8Ellt6zXD0OonBuQX4TPjlERXnhOr1_Gtd0fzjkUwGpdW8ScY0kmKcclhZ60-t_Cy1gMyBRp8eETesuQnhdjK0jphnp3tjSa9qA/s4032/Napier%202023%20%231.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCNXVhZA3M8MwKzJRzVIyYth3QCy6Sb5LTZk8bMhP8pKitOqRxl5sQSkCuem1dc7IK6rN42PV23OgkPii6wutMwb8Ellt6zXD0OonBuQX4TPjlERXnhOr1_Gtd0fzjkUwGpdW8ScY0kmKcclhZ60-t_Cy1gMyBRp8eETesuQnhdjK0jphnp3tjSa9qA/s320/Napier%202023%20%231.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Some photos from the Internet. My friend Maureen in Auckland and I talked this morning, and know how fortunate we are to have had no damage, we can look out our windows, talk to our friends,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One friend has just sent me a txt to say he is safe, another posted on Facebook that he was safe too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Amid all this our 61st Wedding Anniversary came, and went. I truly could not bring myself to celebrate in the current situation elsewhere.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from lyrics in " The Living Years "</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> by B A Robertson and Mike Rutherford</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>".... I just wish I could have told him in the living years ...</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Say it now, say it loud, say it clear,..."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-32320429712430537082022-12-29T08:53:00.001+13:002022-12-29T19:11:53.688+13:00Garden Flowers<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> I am so thankful all my northern friends are safe after the snowstorm that has surpassed all others. So many have lost their lives, emergency services stretched to the max, and travel disrupted all over US and Canada.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Meantime down here, the garden has provided some lovely blooms. Recently our Doctor and the rest of the staff were given Lilies and Callas, along with some edible goodies.We are again so thankful for all the care they have given us , but during this last year especially. I didn't get photos of their flowers, one bunch for each , but the tall white lily continued to bloom. Then Google gave me handy hints to preserve Hollyhock flowers. It seems you cut the stems on a slant, then sear them. Hugh had his handy gas blow torch and did the task so quickly, but it also burnt the tinfoil dish I held them over, and his workbench has some marks too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The mauve petunias have flowered so well, I need more to fill in the whole bed there.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVmXlgP2VlFjj0Sl0iSglB5nq2irH_njcmrn6Oj5oBZn2Y8_YaeBH_PfFa8kxUGsH2RdfVLD_pQMNXwxQNS3VeWaj0fygRglCfmNq1UyMqgNpyyvq4HftwphI1Se_dRZw_A43z7MMXviMbeltwrra-P6bWEPbJp1Z5avh9HPG7obZICyUlUyx0nnZ6Q/s4032/Petunias%202002.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVmXlgP2VlFjj0Sl0iSglB5nq2irH_njcmrn6Oj5oBZn2Y8_YaeBH_PfFa8kxUGsH2RdfVLD_pQMNXwxQNS3VeWaj0fygRglCfmNq1UyMqgNpyyvq4HftwphI1Se_dRZw_A43z7MMXviMbeltwrra-P6bWEPbJp1Z5avh9HPG7obZICyUlUyx0nnZ6Q/s320/Petunias%202002.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And after some helpful advice from younger daughter, I added more foliage to the lilies and here is the result. Nowhere near as beautiful as some of her displays. I need some floristry lessons !!!<br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk55YHJhi4iXAbQSE_tfNPC4_Qx0SHvWL3carUNFGSRNv3FmC1Xvi7pSsVvYRUF229p-nmshcLf-ayO3WmcKnj0x808Hi2fdsMffbWhOorsqYLdBbNjjSihSVzQ54q9X-O4QgCoBkT7yHVZW7G97Uh8op1bYkRYOmhY-M0aGIEeBwymCgaxs4TYQp59w/s4020/Lily%20and%20Hollyhock..HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4020" data-original-width="2897" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk55YHJhi4iXAbQSE_tfNPC4_Qx0SHvWL3carUNFGSRNv3FmC1Xvi7pSsVvYRUF229p-nmshcLf-ayO3WmcKnj0x808Hi2fdsMffbWhOorsqYLdBbNjjSihSVzQ54q9X-O4QgCoBkT7yHVZW7G97Uh8op1bYkRYOmhY-M0aGIEeBwymCgaxs4TYQp59w/s320/Lily%20and%20Hollyhock..HEIC" width="231" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">These are all from her own garden, in the far south, I think this was one of her arrangements for a friend's husband's funeral.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYKzz_E60ctNx1HQvQazEYXM1eh2aX6pP8xaYwMan6n7knLiDrQoaTBsnJiF9OSvIlBQ01JV8509xECQZaDt0lJHhLivUaPizPbhjJ7k1KBWXO6cQxoc9m7pSmBOUBnAZyG5xgDJT5wKnlnTCNvL4Xdny662kR1LCgj2v1BxMkF8NDkImKxqrC-Oxbg/s4032/Kaz'sflowers%20%231.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYKzz_E60ctNx1HQvQazEYXM1eh2aX6pP8xaYwMan6n7knLiDrQoaTBsnJiF9OSvIlBQ01JV8509xECQZaDt0lJHhLivUaPizPbhjJ7k1KBWXO6cQxoc9m7pSmBOUBnAZyG5xgDJT5wKnlnTCNvL4Xdny662kR1LCgj2v1BxMkF8NDkImKxqrC-Oxbg/s320/Kaz'sflowers%20%231.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Another display of a southern floral arrangement, summer blooms from Otago. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NWPvhpVuyrEmKdUKQx7sbKU6DKAkiHFKZLeI120MkY8PdskBJlp5qYh6DgnrmI-iNmXNDyGOj6rIayV2yuDj00istLsiGMqiJTAPG4oT2ubBFgjNnYugxV7KhxGKKBUr5QnywxPOp0n-wQ-mKwvjXfAuGL1GWeypTvdzGQyxxna88def1LjVobhO-Q/s4032/Kaz%20flowers%20December%202022.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NWPvhpVuyrEmKdUKQx7sbKU6DKAkiHFKZLeI120MkY8PdskBJlp5qYh6DgnrmI-iNmXNDyGOj6rIayV2yuDj00istLsiGMqiJTAPG4oT2ubBFgjNnYugxV7KhxGKKBUr5QnywxPOp0n-wQ-mKwvjXfAuGL1GWeypTvdzGQyxxna88def1LjVobhO-Q/s320/Kaz%20flowers%20December%202022.heic" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So we continue to the end of 2002, looking forward to 2023, hoping to get some unfinished "stuff" finished, given away, or discarded as in the too hard basket now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from Rudyard Kipling,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" Gardens are not made by singing </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" Oh, how beautiful" , and sitting in the shade."</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-618672407149492202022-12-25T05:57:00.000+13:002022-12-25T05:57:14.752+13:00Season's Greetings to you all<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The Christmas Season seems to be so different this year, summer here seems to be late in its arrival, , and in the US and Canada, the storm has taken over everything, travel disrupted, plans cancelled, power outages, the last update was 1.5 million without power in Canada, with bad weather from B.C. to the Maritimes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And while you will undoubtably have a very white Christmas, this morning we have a clear sky, today with a temperature reaching 20C, or 68F.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Golden Lilies with red hollyhocks showing in some places, from earlier this year last summer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ecVJnJGUmBOdp_utmZBb95ufxNISrAt5ttR6Pr925_RzKyNtubtim23KuctD9itG1Cb6QihTif68hNsmsq067qtIbv107SWOB3uyCiLk-9GIlMMt1ybTMwhbWpz7NPq1jOq-xpYQENGjZ02PIOqgNBVshG9tDrt6-BpKG5R98Oo_oXy2I5z6o5P0Kg/s4032/Lilies%20in%20fulll%20bloom.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ecVJnJGUmBOdp_utmZBb95ufxNISrAt5ttR6Pr925_RzKyNtubtim23KuctD9itG1Cb6QihTif68hNsmsq067qtIbv107SWOB3uyCiLk-9GIlMMt1ybTMwhbWpz7NPq1jOq-xpYQENGjZ02PIOqgNBVshG9tDrt6-BpKG5R98Oo_oXy2I5z6o5P0Kg/w312-h416/Lilies%20in%20fulll%20bloom.HEIC" width="312" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And an archive photo of Hugh and myself on my birthday some years ago, July 25th, mid winter here, we drove up from Ohakune to the southern side of Mt Ruapehu, where the Turoa ski field is. This is just to show all my friends in the North that we do get snow here, and I actually have been in it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiaRhXAGDrc6o-bEq41-5C4QPAFRE44ikUUL7fQQYcdlXJ8JIX8Sz5kFonCMq5KZmHxURqfn-yYEuyF6zqYidErodZ3rfpTZ4RhM1nxY4CArLPmU9p49kQ-YsLpcD6wsBAbemt1P-4dLECCRn06AqKzQuQvv5QgCIKec6Z5el7NW0oq3BgeMvCYP0bQ/s2963/Jean%20&%20%20Hugh,%20July%2025th.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2386" data-original-width="2963" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiaRhXAGDrc6o-bEq41-5C4QPAFRE44ikUUL7fQQYcdlXJ8JIX8Sz5kFonCMq5KZmHxURqfn-yYEuyF6zqYidErodZ3rfpTZ4RhM1nxY4CArLPmU9p49kQ-YsLpcD6wsBAbemt1P-4dLECCRn06AqKzQuQvv5QgCIKec6Z5el7NW0oq3BgeMvCYP0bQ/s320/Jean%20&%20%20Hugh,%20July%2025th.HEIC" width="320" /></a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So this is to wish you all, my dear friends here and far away , a Joyous Christmas, stay safe, stay warm, or down here, enjoy the sunshine, sea or lake .</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>" Christmas is a season of great joy:</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i> a time for remembering the past and hoping for the future.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>May the glorious message of peace and love</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i> fill you with joy every day"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-30841750054627712542022-12-16T17:39:00.002+13:002022-12-16T19:09:15.809+13:00While we were in Rotorua this happened<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> We recently had a few days in Rotorua with our older daughter. Meantime at home the flowers bloomed victoriously !!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hollyhocks reached for the sky, translucent petals .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Last year, this was the beauty , the same colour in this year's plants, all self sewn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtLAG8_k9o0isCtdQUMpwxA23eiYm_SLGIZX_KgPQ9btNhgpBJ-vkaxVvv0JGf58sPbG2Bux4PJsQ7lEz9hw3cu1RAfNxua6rXuXAP2GE4o0S3Eq9DU29kxjWzZyVOKwfmMB19UtYhnzP-DxVVQAEJr1-ebLlGJzvits9uXqjxl6MholhPr7ieKk8UA/s2129/Hollyhock%20December%202021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2129" data-original-width="1520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtLAG8_k9o0isCtdQUMpwxA23eiYm_SLGIZX_KgPQ9btNhgpBJ-vkaxVvv0JGf58sPbG2Bux4PJsQ7lEz9hw3cu1RAfNxua6rXuXAP2GE4o0S3Eq9DU29kxjWzZyVOKwfmMB19UtYhnzP-DxVVQAEJr1-ebLlGJzvits9uXqjxl6MholhPr7ieKk8UA/s320/Hollyhock%20December%202021.JPG" width="228" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This year.!!!</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdWgG1le0jtBFjesWxKwz1-V1JrrTrIIX89RwaLZdSHhYXQ7mBeOX7URD2A7LbGVvwpOKrfynlobGUIQjEAxuFtY_ehaJKYP_vVDLfBJLPLHg4zkiEhfGF2hvh13FCwmgMHe0aMi12gL0_Aq_a5e_JSVrHS74GXcO1LSmwALFvrOfBfuUb5Qy4debGw/s4032/Hollyhock%20%231.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdWgG1le0jtBFjesWxKwz1-V1JrrTrIIX89RwaLZdSHhYXQ7mBeOX7URD2A7LbGVvwpOKrfynlobGUIQjEAxuFtY_ehaJKYP_vVDLfBJLPLHg4zkiEhfGF2hvh13FCwmgMHe0aMi12gL0_Aq_a5e_JSVrHS74GXcO1LSmwALFvrOfBfuUb5Qy4debGw/s320/Hollyhock%20%231.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The lilies that grow shorter and in pots all bloomed.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez-gLaPdRoldh3XCV036MGMhFKeIdYawDMLlWWeuqx59oq4kHblkqP3vxnxLohMvcvINEp0l8aIoHfpew2OVjFdoJJSTCvmeOrQhevZ8S7yawQjnscunWNyUZCHCzsCQRs94SmY18tSWGboVCOuTgSbqF12gRkZZEbvLivMFjAyHs0fNP_axTF8gIaw/s2708/Short%20Lily%20in%20pot%20%231.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="2395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez-gLaPdRoldh3XCV036MGMhFKeIdYawDMLlWWeuqx59oq4kHblkqP3vxnxLohMvcvINEp0l8aIoHfpew2OVjFdoJJSTCvmeOrQhevZ8S7yawQjnscunWNyUZCHCzsCQRs94SmY18tSWGboVCOuTgSbqF12gRkZZEbvLivMFjAyHs0fNP_axTF8gIaw/s320/Short%20Lily%20in%20pot%20%231.HEIC" width="283" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>The the Japanese Iris flowered , I thought this was lost, the flowers do not last long but are so beautiful. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL7nPTBoE8i8PYeQOEElNT6pXf2xz34K70vZCANHp4SyU3Huq5zud9VYsuvYZksF3K13tjdJvDPOtDM-t8dMMJF9fzdEhmKkN-LU8lf5P_gb7lIqunYMy8xdMnfkU2__a10-6LLd6KFwwleYRInFHCQIsfmbkJExLosrN_YloUa-S5tTWgbvvAkCQXQ/s4032/Japanese%20Iris%202002.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL7nPTBoE8i8PYeQOEElNT6pXf2xz34K70vZCANHp4SyU3Huq5zud9VYsuvYZksF3K13tjdJvDPOtDM-t8dMMJF9fzdEhmKkN-LU8lf5P_gb7lIqunYMy8xdMnfkU2__a10-6LLd6KFwwleYRInFHCQIsfmbkJExLosrN_YloUa-S5tTWgbvvAkCQXQ/s320/Japanese%20Iris%202002.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Rotorua feline family, Ruby, Wally, a possible Maine Coon, and Milo, a very recent ginger lad. Milo at the back, obviously, Ruby at the front, and Wally with his tail hanging over the deck.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLoj-UY5H1WARKs6QWLBQEss9Aj9aCX5NCKgdinApyW4MFhedpoGCnDgRY2jBYq4R9yGpZjmro_lFpn0dPZ7SSlCE_sG85OTRxTGh6KW56DparTFwjDbPsTKsg7iYdHXeUjphtvZpIqIRiX6eENMCpbDrQ76Eut4Ht11OC5iPdcNEaK4OpnXuo2OxrQ/s1764/Rotorua%20cats,%20all%20strays.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1764" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLoj-UY5H1WARKs6QWLBQEss9Aj9aCX5NCKgdinApyW4MFhedpoGCnDgRY2jBYq4R9yGpZjmro_lFpn0dPZ7SSlCE_sG85OTRxTGh6KW56DparTFwjDbPsTKsg7iYdHXeUjphtvZpIqIRiX6eENMCpbDrQ76Eut4Ht11OC5iPdcNEaK4OpnXuo2OxrQ/s320/Rotorua%20cats,%20all%20strays.HEIC" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The lawn needs mowing again,, the passionfruit vines have died, maybe the roots got waterlogged this spring, however we can always plant more.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Enjoy your home, it's always a joy to return.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div></div></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-39816218693078589652022-12-05T15:31:00.000+13:002022-12-05T15:31:13.495+13:00Pre-Loved Lily Sale.<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> This has to be the best sale I have ever been to.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The NZ Bulb Nursery at Feilding had their lily bulb sale on Saturday, Hugh took the trailer and we arrived at about 7.30 a.m. I promised him a cafe breakfast afterwards, but we decided to go straight home, so today had a lovely morning tea at Whanganui. A small way to repay him, but did go shopping afterwards, to a BIG store.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The gates were to open at 8 a.m. by that time the cars were arriving so quickly, and when the gates were opened, the first lot of people rushed in, like it was a BIG store Boxing Day Sale.<br />I strolled in, according to my mature age, was given a sheet with flower colour photos, and names, and this was printed in a map form.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There were pallets with crates piled high, and a lot of customers seemed to know exactly what they wanted. Staff were so helpful. Photos courtesy of NZ Bulbs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96I5MkSJMtPbXtrcG56x9vng3SzdeYblLlmrJYbXDgym5bm_bsUjzAppf1T3Byvu3LyZ-kxGriOsz-c8O_hZ_VTPYVvriUbCaCQDS4AtjVN9tLXPUKOAHbEBmozQcz23JboiTFsapulbmUljoLxSSTxwcMbxDxBlTkI_ddZgMYFnyl8Y0cmJInGrfLQ/s3024/IMG_0935%202.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="3024" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96I5MkSJMtPbXtrcG56x9vng3SzdeYblLlmrJYbXDgym5bm_bsUjzAppf1T3Byvu3LyZ-kxGriOsz-c8O_hZ_VTPYVvriUbCaCQDS4AtjVN9tLXPUKOAHbEBmozQcz23JboiTFsapulbmUljoLxSSTxwcMbxDxBlTkI_ddZgMYFnyl8Y0cmJInGrfLQ/w409-h210/IMG_0935%202.heic" width="409" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This was a screen shot of the time-lapse video, can you see the man with a brown jersey holding a crate high up? I think I am at the back of that lot of crates,White hair and dark purple jacket, but then, I could be mistaken as there were so many there.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aLuvhNBvPoKz-S8sjaK63pZLOdQ24lVHOYn-MHL_0fBao2Aribjnt35E6l5g0olpLZBsWhWFadlYmZ68svIJd7DioS6m38jIcsJ06smsso8Be3Kni3gL-OQS2pUWbSrN-Nz02UG7ldgn7Q8YtgXv5hkxmXvg5H0DgbbjQFFFJqJ3ILLzc1fWj2mPTA/s4032/Lily%20Bulb%20Sale%20%231.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aLuvhNBvPoKz-S8sjaK63pZLOdQ24lVHOYn-MHL_0fBao2Aribjnt35E6l5g0olpLZBsWhWFadlYmZ68svIJd7DioS6m38jIcsJ06smsso8Be3Kni3gL-OQS2pUWbSrN-Nz02UG7ldgn7Q8YtgXv5hkxmXvg5H0DgbbjQFFFJqJ3ILLzc1fWj2mPTA/w366-h488/Lily%20Bulb%20Sale%20%231.HEIC" width="366" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> After I had chosen 14 crates, the young gentleman and lady staff members loaded them onto a trolley, manhandled that out to the road and loaded them into the trailer. The young couple from near Hawkes Bay who had loaded their little car to the top...had already said they would help, as they knew how difficult it was to steer the trolley over the metal.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So we, and others, will have White Christmas, deep red, deep yellow, pale pink and deep pink flowers next season. I left the orange ones for everyone else. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And... they have another sale in January. Hugh said, " No, once was enough" as he waited so patiently, a friend wants more, so we will go in her huge wagon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Some stay here, some for my friend, and some going to the far south next year, with a drop off to a new friend in Waimate.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" You will miss the sale bargains if you stay safely at home"</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-91515642860557326172022-10-25T06:40:00.000+13:002022-10-25T06:40:12.631+13:00Spring flowers<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The lawn has started to show lovely growth, not quite needing a cut every week, but looking good after winter. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Spring flowers are adding some colour to the garden now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Cream Bearded Iris, flowering early, a few pink Ixia, almost finished their display.The small lemon tree in the background is fruiting !!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkgehwfU-FNLwNT7B4_yVzsDnnx9yG_zjYoO5KGp_66GpzqUAf6NSanj7MbpHzEJjHsPwUArl-ZS-0dkFnRpPYYBEIART9r4Hq0wT-C_D3G0Td6Wxr8NMVEbPAhFmMbngEoC3E6z5NTtuPKCTvC87X8UPgaooE7raLcjrDSZLY_Rjzat-sWIbC-jEUQ/s4032/Bearded%20iris%20cream.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkgehwfU-FNLwNT7B4_yVzsDnnx9yG_zjYoO5KGp_66GpzqUAf6NSanj7MbpHzEJjHsPwUArl-ZS-0dkFnRpPYYBEIART9r4Hq0wT-C_D3G0Td6Wxr8NMVEbPAhFmMbngEoC3E6z5NTtuPKCTvC87X8UPgaooE7raLcjrDSZLY_Rjzat-sWIbC-jEUQ/s320/Bearded%20iris%20cream.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Moxie's daisy bush has started to give lots of pink flowers.</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWKcEJOOxSXBlzLeQiev_RZ4YVSqFnsxvvQnpkhigLVWGx9I_AhVUQdynowhDd-fYHF4ThDtnWZ3wr-PnAict5BlvvK8CqjTu8vgbJSWF37rt26BU4mzIBN3JvdlgqvTlGwFePZd3awFS3JfX0ElCFxZFuRUJ2YN7S8Vn5f-433wKLYLi9XNTdeh9qQ/s4032/Moxie's%20pink%20daisy%20bush.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWKcEJOOxSXBlzLeQiev_RZ4YVSqFnsxvvQnpkhigLVWGx9I_AhVUQdynowhDd-fYHF4ThDtnWZ3wr-PnAict5BlvvK8CqjTu8vgbJSWF37rt26BU4mzIBN3JvdlgqvTlGwFePZd3awFS3JfX0ElCFxZFuRUJ2YN7S8Vn5f-433wKLYLi9XNTdeh9qQ/s320/Moxie's%20pink%20daisy%20bush.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCc_NChEZRiXalHx_jutOfFHa8-3pjjX-F1m9B9zY0Qv7_-Wit9oXZsNM8M5Y7XGZCg1vml4DV4F9EeFxjAHztFi6zPtXe4KF4NvJYN0PPlqsEBipyWKvhHI9zY6uKEXKdxqkEpeY5f-6ok57IABAhSx5eD3PfGduMCPeEOqrJfyg_0tWFjKhvizyCQ/s4032/Granny%20bonnet%20flowers.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCc_NChEZRiXalHx_jutOfFHa8-3pjjX-F1m9B9zY0Qv7_-Wit9oXZsNM8M5Y7XGZCg1vml4DV4F9EeFxjAHztFi6zPtXe4KF4NvJYN0PPlqsEBipyWKvhHI9zY6uKEXKdxqkEpeY5f-6ok57IABAhSx5eD3PfGduMCPeEOqrJfyg_0tWFjKhvizyCQ/s320/Granny%20bonnet%20flowers.HEIC" width="240" /></a>Purple Granny Bonnet showing through the Japanese Maple shrub.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Two Mauve and purple Cineraria plants.</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA7SYOSuXMBWdp_ijm6FLRjHaqJIJ9S1L4A1t65c0ecE6SHq_xQPCm48TR91fV92skOZkCp_IASPsqhIUsUVoM_gzhQxyVCSjp4KxCMJLFLaOfiWF2vfnzuLcsVywdJYvpMFpKuBWGLlEtHH-Yf-gi6yyZyd_asxRO0hYvdcDx0_P49gQeuyCjXkG0Q/s4032/Cineraria%20mauve.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA7SYOSuXMBWdp_ijm6FLRjHaqJIJ9S1L4A1t65c0ecE6SHq_xQPCm48TR91fV92skOZkCp_IASPsqhIUsUVoM_gzhQxyVCSjp4KxCMJLFLaOfiWF2vfnzuLcsVywdJYvpMFpKuBWGLlEtHH-Yf-gi6yyZyd_asxRO0hYvdcDx0_P49gQeuyCjXkG0Q/s320/Cineraria%20mauve.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXx_H51IRpMDs2YwLF_xXZbKiHCeWCuLEODMOpxPmedcN9O1Gndvod6qe12oIPWNukVbUSm3UTAGW-swIM73XnqRWdZEXjwPqxugW6IpzQ4eZOTaM8QHAK604HnEYg8mgKNuZD-s9U2ABPnVSt1hSK1-VlCN8jzGb9SqWFJHspc1uWOBFT7G3jftQJxA/s4032/Cineraria%20purple.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXx_H51IRpMDs2YwLF_xXZbKiHCeWCuLEODMOpxPmedcN9O1Gndvod6qe12oIPWNukVbUSm3UTAGW-swIM73XnqRWdZEXjwPqxugW6IpzQ4eZOTaM8QHAK604HnEYg8mgKNuZD-s9U2ABPnVSt1hSK1-VlCN8jzGb9SqWFJHspc1uWOBFT7G3jftQJxA/s320/Cineraria%20purple.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br />The Rays of Hope wall hanging is coming along slowly, last week I found in a fabric shop two spools of black bias tape fusible, what a great way to do the stained glass strips. This is the lower part, similar shorter sections will be added to the top, the strips are fused to the thin interfacing, then the black bias added and sewn down, even though it is fused, stitching makes a better finish, a gift for a friend who doesn't see my blog. I just have to figure out how to do the words, Faith,Hope, Love in applique and fuse them to the centre cross. Out of all my batik scraps, and they are in MASSIVE supply, the red was the only one I had trouble to find. The right hand block has yellow topped pins still there. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJiuAu4iDOuT2y9lPsoPlFeXZx0XW-br-In29m9govfLorS8WcoSYKWqNfWDSZMp4KWlq8YV0-zGa2flvDdw6GfLZnPdX30AMosnGErKqMAZOSsbgIgGi6j0W4AjnmWp0EfvC2_cGDa4VKpgGIg-93e8ke4jV-LMVBuN_bNqGFKz8kuU57ZeU7vfVvA/s3024/Rays%20of%20hope%20partly%20done.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="3024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJiuAu4iDOuT2y9lPsoPlFeXZx0XW-br-In29m9govfLorS8WcoSYKWqNfWDSZMp4KWlq8YV0-zGa2flvDdw6GfLZnPdX30AMosnGErKqMAZOSsbgIgGi6j0W4AjnmWp0EfvC2_cGDa4VKpgGIg-93e8ke4jV-LMVBuN_bNqGFKz8kuU57ZeU7vfVvA/s320/Rays%20of%20hope%20partly%20done.HEIC" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the finished wall hanging, courtesy of the internet, a pattern from Carolyn Morris, if you Google her and the pattern, you will find the story behind this beautiful quilt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg768lEwaWGI09rMg8cCPdXyzuXYu5BBlJGpLhCC3ddxT-77yoHqF8H-Frlhc2r_kNWHkOrgjhuBsXKEsSnR1w4absQK9VfDns8LOBo51b-UpjQUeu-aaZkLGEQwQ_2f0KqSAHx75ew5qDr2LWsU0QexnZ1h6nev4ac6qFkaQ-QPJgh3N2EQPUlCy9mWQ/s760/Rays%20of%20Hope%20Carolyn%20Morris.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg768lEwaWGI09rMg8cCPdXyzuXYu5BBlJGpLhCC3ddxT-77yoHqF8H-Frlhc2r_kNWHkOrgjhuBsXKEsSnR1w4absQK9VfDns8LOBo51b-UpjQUeu-aaZkLGEQwQ_2f0KqSAHx75ew5qDr2LWsU0QexnZ1h6nev4ac6qFkaQ-QPJgh3N2EQPUlCy9mWQ/s320/Rays%20of%20Hope%20Carolyn%20Morris.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Days continue to be warmer, the firewood is handy in case of a late cold night.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Thank you all SO much for comments after the quake, we are a long way from the epicentre, and no damage, here of further south. It was deep and out in the water off the top of the South Island.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from John F. Kennedy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" Change is the law of life.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future"</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-29495070016175571762022-10-14T20:45:00.002+13:002022-10-14T20:45:36.400+13:00Early morning wake up jolt!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This morning just after 3 a.m . Boris leapt off our bed and raced to safety in the guest room. Next thing we had rumbles and a shake, the quake was centred over 160km km in a straight line from us, north west off French Pass, the channel between the mainland at the top of the South Island and D'Urville Island. The deepest colour is where the quake was felt the strongest, then medium orange, palest was where it was felt lightly. The small circle in the blue is the centre of the quake. Courtesy of the Internet. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">According to Geonet New Zealand, the earthquake was 5.7 magnitude, a depth of 146 km, and 65 km northwest of French Pass. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">French Pass is the channel between D'Urville Island and the mainland, there is a whirlpool there, and the current races through.Treacherous waters, all boats need to be aware of the danger.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9Ja4eMoL6DMlD-y2q8jwboNelE28OGLMUGksIFGRCEGWgsmIn3sCrn0ss5sBr2S0dRTU8HsjTiepV-GOFOkn0wvwHqBI5wOcKx6i5yhNePLZ-Wjf5m7OFP-vuVserSexeUQqdPyjUgXhTKByYg4_VSLBCJ_41TbcCd8O9PtyR9X77c-_NpRDSRgMn6A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1420" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9Ja4eMoL6DMlD-y2q8jwboNelE28OGLMUGksIFGRCEGWgsmIn3sCrn0ss5sBr2S0dRTU8HsjTiepV-GOFOkn0wvwHqBI5wOcKx6i5yhNePLZ-Wjf5m7OFP-vuVserSexeUQqdPyjUgXhTKByYg4_VSLBCJ_41TbcCd8O9PtyR9X77c-_NpRDSRgMn6A=w594-h334" width="594" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5_Q_n0s8y80M7oUdmRN3QqOrx0Tu1S_0kYok6Tp1OuwA5X-kr5_1-1dkIaUEg8KnHFC1wX2Frzrv-OzVFV0iiXlE6Kelv_KuQGsbtc325XDBa6op2KzpNK-f3qx66U_aitLLbvdDudoBIUFDAsbqsbVexLU7Igv0nB2xAPxZjylAGoMng8zeIhwphg/s1280/French%20Pass%20aerial%20photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5_Q_n0s8y80M7oUdmRN3QqOrx0Tu1S_0kYok6Tp1OuwA5X-kr5_1-1dkIaUEg8KnHFC1wX2Frzrv-OzVFV0iiXlE6Kelv_KuQGsbtc325XDBa6op2KzpNK-f3qx66U_aitLLbvdDudoBIUFDAsbqsbVexLU7Igv0nB2xAPxZjylAGoMng8zeIhwphg/w401-h226/French%20Pass%20aerial%20photo.jpeg" width="401" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This is the road from Havelock, through Rai Valley, out past Elaine Bay, Waikawa Bay and finally there. Vehicles are warned of extreme gusts, and to be aware of this, many years ago a van was blown off the road!!! There is a beach there, a jetty, and a small camping area.The small school, a one room building built in 1913, was closed in 2006.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We stayed there in 1986, at the almost end of a year in the South Island with our caravan, went for a few days, that turned into 3 wonderful weeks.A small community that welcomed us with such generosity. A meal with the then District nurse, Peggy Young and Alan, wild venison, so yummy, the school pupils who came to my rescue to help pull down the caravan awning when a gale blew through, while Hugh was taken to D'Urville Island with a local man, on the mail run.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Memories to last my lifetime.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Southern Hospitality at its very best.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" Earthquakes are an unpredictable hazard"</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-19805103593632982562022-10-04T15:59:00.004+13:002022-10-04T15:59:55.131+13:00Weather warnings for both Islands<p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The following is courtesy of the Internet, with Niwa( National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) giving dire predictions and warnings.</span><span style="font-family: "Stuff Sans", "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Stuff Sans", "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><i>--------------------------------------</i></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Niwa is warning there would be a real hypothermia risk for people and livestock from an icy cold snap forecast to move up the country.</i></span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Nearly all eastern and southern lowland areas of the South Island will have an “effective temperature” between -5C and -10C around 1am Thursday, the agency is forecasting.</i></span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The effective temperature includes factors that contribute to how the temperature feels to a warm bodied creature. So along with the normal air temperature, that can also include wind chill and humidity.</i></span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>A pulse of freezing air is due to spread over the country in the next two days, starting from the south on Tuesday evening. It brings with it the chance of heavy snowfalls to sea level in some parts of the South Island, and the possibility of some snowfalls in the lower North Island, including a chance of snow in downtown Wellington.</i></span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Stuff Sans", "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;">--------------------------</p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We live in the North Island, in the lower half, so snow might just travel around, or it might send some flurries our way. <br /> We have stocked up the firewood, looked out some late season thermal gear, and will wrap up warmly, if we dare to venture outdoors.</span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This was in the far south, one May, a very early heavy snowfall.</span></p><p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy61oC1psLVFu7AixyY5O_viLY7_o2-izix4XWf0rH_D8DqDSGcHIOUxQmrd8gmJ10sgCN9BUcSdJvaRVaVYgC9CTS-Afyfp9VV6q3yU1g8BTMoOFoImQGtI9BqmRYkbKcJnrU10mhJ0KhOED06Mr8XTKFjsECvnknt-0R9ANSolWLFIALYorCjUVJA/s2428/Snowmen%20on%20the%20Farm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="2428" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy61oC1psLVFu7AixyY5O_viLY7_o2-izix4XWf0rH_D8DqDSGcHIOUxQmrd8gmJ10sgCN9BUcSdJvaRVaVYgC9CTS-Afyfp9VV6q3yU1g8BTMoOFoImQGtI9BqmRYkbKcJnrU10mhJ0KhOED06Mr8XTKFjsECvnknt-0R9ANSolWLFIALYorCjUVJA/w444-h261/Snowmen%20on%20the%20Farm.jpeg" width="444" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Weather the storm and sunshine will brighten your day"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-90488955415959858182022-09-09T07:58:00.002+12:002022-09-09T07:58:51.801+12:00Queen Elizabeth <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Today we received the news that our much loved, admired and respected Queen Elizabeth had passed away. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Her family will grieve, but they must be so thankful that she had lived a full and long life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I so value the card sent to us for our 60th Wedding anniversary, this was the photo on that card.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoW7J11ivvh7SeVNDTx6nSxfn-xhPWlqCmWIIUlT0hrf9UxBseSq6mOqEk_Ox-z4ZRyrFRJZbEKez2aOZvYWN7ICM8R9NoJAZe-sViJn8jhpfasPndraT-Z8V-T79oZbkK1-I4hZfT2cA9sE3MuDxSMSTQ05gdO9tRVdwObY2gj7K3r51FRPFSq6Y8w/s3500/Wedding%20card%20from%20Queen%20Elizabeth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2415" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoW7J11ivvh7SeVNDTx6nSxfn-xhPWlqCmWIIUlT0hrf9UxBseSq6mOqEk_Ox-z4ZRyrFRJZbEKez2aOZvYWN7ICM8R9NoJAZe-sViJn8jhpfasPndraT-Z8V-T79oZbkK1-I4hZfT2cA9sE3MuDxSMSTQ05gdO9tRVdwObY2gj7K3r51FRPFSq6Y8w/w274-h397/Wedding%20card%20from%20Queen%20Elizabeth.JPG" width="274" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This is how so many will remember her, gracious, smiling, our Queen .</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from the Queen's 21st birthday broadcast, </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> from Cape Town, South Africa, 21st April 1947.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" I declare before you all that my whole life, </i></span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">whether it be long or short, </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>shall be devoted to your service</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong "</i></span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-55304421217551792472022-08-03T15:25:00.000+12:002022-08-03T15:25:22.395+12:00Something New<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The last week was a short holiday, just 3 days, all meals provided and excellent care every hour of the day and night,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Thursday I had angina again, after months of no episodes, then Friday, at the supermarket ( One cheery Doctor suggested it might be the price of food that brought it on)!!! So had to resort to the sublingual spray right there, find a chair, leave Hugh to struggle with the 2 trolleys full !!! Home, and further pain, and rapid heart beat.Off in the green and yellow courtesy car, with two lovely ambulance officers taking great care of me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Two nights in ED, it was so crowded, all staff run off their feet, and seen by various staff, doctors, blood taken, and the X-Ray machine brought into the cubicle. New tablets, and home on Sunday. The care I was given, as was the same to all the others, was outstanding. My thanks in huge amounts to all in the ED at Whanganui Hospital.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The quilting has taken a back seat lately, and I thought a new project ( not that I don't have so many to finish) might tempt some enthusiasm.I have a little booklet a friend made years ago, and with a stationery voucher, managed to find some card, paper, and today some linen thread.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The inside papers, that will be sorted into sections of 12 pages with assorted colours , all A5 size, so one A4 sheet will do 2 double pages. I have a super duper guillotine to cut them accurately.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksYpzfNIveGb2hkhL7H7ukzDvT5g2Lf7gtFpaPhF06qorDzuuazJt3FKbfIMvQalfBgS1Hd2ij61BIOigDF3OsFmntzEZ6V91Nr7bPa1x8-t8Vd7429NF_F6NYzMKXJzPRl0ipv_vligcoAZHUs3QFE_R-u7KAjeWBXPrcPl6cW0rWM_0mF1REcbbbQ/s1941/Book%20inside%20papers.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="1941" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksYpzfNIveGb2hkhL7H7ukzDvT5g2Lf7gtFpaPhF06qorDzuuazJt3FKbfIMvQalfBgS1Hd2ij61BIOigDF3OsFmntzEZ6V91Nr7bPa1x8-t8Vd7429NF_F6NYzMKXJzPRl0ipv_vligcoAZHUs3QFE_R-u7KAjeWBXPrcPl6cW0rWM_0mF1REcbbbQ/w229-h192/Book%20inside%20papers.HEIC" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then the outer cover papers, slightly heavier weight.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynj73okXyQSbdnl7PbGRxdxKvkalWEfuaY22PQQ5HEqFcqsmrWfOLHsWq_L2DduJWpfOQYJxEXMLyN5jMwCcg6e1qnJvnnYg8QUjSMqd_BbMXKg5xLAszefs-YDRfQTj9iZW8uozmxzyHeo_KclpVUabQNjJfcFSs_Nlp8psfVNBxlLnKG8OmBZ6Gbw/s2272/book%20outer%20papers.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="2272" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynj73okXyQSbdnl7PbGRxdxKvkalWEfuaY22PQQ5HEqFcqsmrWfOLHsWq_L2DduJWpfOQYJxEXMLyN5jMwCcg6e1qnJvnnYg8QUjSMqd_BbMXKg5xLAszefs-YDRfQTj9iZW8uozmxzyHeo_KclpVUabQNjJfcFSs_Nlp8psfVNBxlLnKG8OmBZ6Gbw/w243-h232/book%20outer%20papers.HEIC" width="243" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then the binding, I struggled to find the same method on Google, but finally found it at veterokforbooks, a lovely lady in Finland, and a handy tutorial and diagram for threading the sections.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-KVfx6VNQe_vVPYADEKEWNzAxbn1vtKsaceNFC9kdf7ahhuBWMOtrG21dD-FAWI9kdWzHbjKfOmrrpQI6YHwymXeFN3-ghKHOT-1rWblRCMLkGeTq1FOPoAu6IsV6y8Tf7GaImXD0upTTZE2cnE1TPY5YnX_FzgyruzoZJ8NKwKs9d7IIJYbiU6llg/s3614/Book%20binding.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3614" data-original-width="1577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-KVfx6VNQe_vVPYADEKEWNzAxbn1vtKsaceNFC9kdf7ahhuBWMOtrG21dD-FAWI9kdWzHbjKfOmrrpQI6YHwymXeFN3-ghKHOT-1rWblRCMLkGeTq1FOPoAu6IsV6y8Tf7GaImXD0upTTZE2cnE1TPY5YnX_FzgyruzoZJ8NKwKs9d7IIJYbiU6llg/w175-h400/Book%20binding.HEIC" width="175" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Here you can see the different coloured pages, and the darker grey covers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So wish me luck, I hope this ends up like the elephant motto.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPvsuXJ7qA6XR9jIF6K8IH0mxVEKXLB3eP_7J6C_wy19GxxQn_GW13pwwNgKySRvUVBPXrBi1smqJQ3FA-N-1x5GrIf6WeBfbNHtMad1FCtSyI_8ZRrE19FIB4Ii2JSHlhnmmpRiRzHJfQeQ7QnlggBPzynAJzYLn-YfQuWdSk8rxkp33l04VoW90HQ/s3534/The%20willing%20words.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3534" data-original-width="2794" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPvsuXJ7qA6XR9jIF6K8IH0mxVEKXLB3eP_7J6C_wy19GxxQn_GW13pwwNgKySRvUVBPXrBi1smqJQ3FA-N-1x5GrIf6WeBfbNHtMad1FCtSyI_8ZRrE19FIB4Ii2JSHlhnmmpRiRzHJfQeQ7QnlggBPzynAJzYLn-YfQuWdSk8rxkp33l04VoW90HQ/s320/The%20willing%20words.heic" width="253" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, slightly edited for publication. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">from the same friend who sent me the above words,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" Be careful whose toes you tread on today, </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>they might belong to your boss tomorrow"</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-63411316297332107812022-07-09T15:22:00.001+12:002022-07-09T15:22:47.457+12:00The Finishing Line. !!!<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> At last I can focus on my laptop, and see letters more clearly. New glasses left side lenses will make this even better in about 6 weeks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Thursday began with a very early breakfast, who wants to eat Sultana Bran and have a smidgen of coffee at 6.a.m.? It was a very wet windy start, and we decided to leave home at 6.45 a.m. giving plenty of time in case of road problems. Just one lot of road works , so we arrived before the 7.30 scheduled time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Into the Day Surgery Unit, all particulars taken, and into the room with the Lazyboy chairs, red non slip socks, a blue hairnet, and of all colours, a yellow plastic cape with long sleeves. This goes on over your own clothes. By this time the eye drops had really worked and everything was a blur.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The lovely surgeon visited each of us in turn as we waited. Next thing, I was wheeled off into the theatre. An additional 5 theatre staff I think, position your head on the rest, get it fastened tightly so you cannot move, and a tube with oxygen and air under the blanket, blood pressure cuff and oxygen meter on one finger. Then the anaesthetic drops started. A second lot, then some pain.By this time I should have not been able to feel anything.More drops, I could feel them on my eye.Then another type, 2 lots, and total numbness!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My surgeon talked quietly as she said what was happening, a small slit, then a hum, then a bit later, " That's half the cataract out " . Did I mention that she is from Spokane, Washington ?? We were all so fortunate to be seen by her before an extended leave to see family. A little later, with some water dropped in, more humming, and looking at the light all the time, orange and yellow blur, I was ready for the new lens to be implanted. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I didn't know that the lens had little "wings" guess there is a proper technical term for the side pieces, and each eye has to be measured in width, height and also depth before the lens is made.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSop3KdlMHXobopw4lY547jwpfIhAsGqwTRxkS5Q7wMzEn7dmK13FAtGxLbKOlXbQe-ZNxjotQU384OCv3iytpR7JxbCARYBnWKnw-N8RsOD88wj_FOOL_mzCZb49xSXvQ6627TVU6WqPj2AsxoMdcj3JB1G9--lLQgxScFm6B5KFizxT1YBbke_Aeg/s471/Intraocular%20lens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="471" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSop3KdlMHXobopw4lY547jwpfIhAsGqwTRxkS5Q7wMzEn7dmK13FAtGxLbKOlXbQe-ZNxjotQU384OCv3iytpR7JxbCARYBnWKnw-N8RsOD88wj_FOOL_mzCZb49xSXvQ6627TVU6WqPj2AsxoMdcj3JB1G9--lLQgxScFm6B5KFizxT1YBbke_Aeg/s320/Intraocular%20lens.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The cut had to be sealed, then all done. The theatre table was titled, so it sat me up.Warm blanket, back to recover with coffee and biscuits.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lots of instructions, and home with 2 lots of drops. No bending, no sleeping on that side, no lifting anything heavy , so I have abandoned our bed and am sleeping on the sofa in the lounge, where I cannot turn onto my left side. Even our cat Boris knows something is strange, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Friday, I returned to the Opthalmology Clinic to have my eye checked, and behold!! The pressure is too high, so another type of drop for 3 days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">NOW, I am only the second person in 18 years that my surgeon said that type of local anaesthetic didn't work.How odd is that!!! So if I need anything else in either eye, Lidocaine is the #1 and only choice. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Next check up in 4 to 6 weeks, by which time I should have my full driver's Licence posted to me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">New left lenses in both distance and reading glasses in 6 weeks, then Hooray, I will be back to sewing again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Whanganui Hospital, your Day Theatre staff , from the front door and all others, are all truly wonderful, so caring, For those in the theatre that I did not see, a huge thank you. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> " You do not miss the water until the well runs dry" </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-78135362172263458672022-07-05T16:22:00.005+12:002022-07-06T07:04:29.909+12:00I leapt over the penultimate hurdle!!!<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Hi Folks, I am not sure what happens in other countries, but in New Zealand when you turn 80, you have to have a medical examination, every two years, an eye test, and at our surgery, also a cognitive, memory and recognition test.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So today was the day. It began with me being given a name and address, yes, it was here in NZ, repeat 3 times, and remember it after about 15 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then draw a clock and the time at 5.10. Identify 6 road traffic signs. Name the day, date month and year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then list as many animals as you can in one minute. I astounded both the practice nurse and our GP with some weird and wonderful overseas animals ,. Needless to say, after the minute was over, I remembered a lot more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But I passed 30/30. Hooray!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Blood pressure, weight, and all good for the next part of the process, off to the local Automobile Association for a photo that is put onto your licence card. I was issued a temporary paper one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Then the ultimate part of this journey, second cataract surgery on Thursday.After that, a few weeks healing time, there should be no stopping me with photography, at the moment I struggle to focus the lens correctly.Quilting, I am hoping all the seams will line up effortlessly.Well, maybe that is hoping for a bit too much.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So no photos today, but belated best wishes for all USA 4th July Celebrations.And more for those friends in Canada for 1st July.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day. author unknown</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" Celebrate today, as tomorrow it will be left behind </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>and a new day will be dawning"</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean,.</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-70915105346403488812022-06-30T10:45:00.000+12:002022-06-30T10:45:33.504+12:0030th June, 1997, and 25 years later<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Thanks to you all for the love and care and words. I am improving at long last, and by next Thursday should be good for a half hour cataract surgery.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today is our Grandson's birthday, , born on a very wet, stormy, ferociously windy day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today is sunny and warm after a cool start.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Moving right along to the last few years, Victoria University, Bachelor of Science, then a Master of Science with First Class Honours, employed with WSP in Wellington, and enjoying the mountains, rivers, and treks up to the snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMAR3zQwR1OETZSlW-g8kZVvtkOmQjVT48n_GQTxfYPj6EYGLxea6sjgJya4M2-t6Vzp3olz1nPLE264gMCqCM-f4zjFluf2Dc5dTpJTaIy_r0iMxq1rjTnnnQCT-qIMtV6KoafTpolgOpiplA24EDYwTIGueDHGu8iaqG9SCPU4lYjvdb5aXVwmjQw/s1043/43A43E79-6174-4524-906F-2279664B1FC9_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="824" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMAR3zQwR1OETZSlW-g8kZVvtkOmQjVT48n_GQTxfYPj6EYGLxea6sjgJya4M2-t6Vzp3olz1nPLE264gMCqCM-f4zjFluf2Dc5dTpJTaIy_r0iMxq1rjTnnnQCT-qIMtV6KoafTpolgOpiplA24EDYwTIGueDHGu8iaqG9SCPU4lYjvdb5aXVwmjQw/w316-h400/43A43E79-6174-4524-906F-2279664B1FC9_1_201_a.jpeg" width="316" /></a></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hoping you have a wonderful day.Josh, we are so proud of you and it is an honour to be called Nanny and Poppa.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" The memories we have with our family are everything"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-17393990526142567922022-06-05T10:14:00.000+12:002022-06-05T10:14:16.958+12:00When a Shingle is not Shingles<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Firstly, thank you all so much for your lovely comments, caring words and prayers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The weeks have passed, and the pain increased.No new blisters, in fact, not one single blister.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So late last Tuesday evening, I gathered my usual hospital gear, including the large crossword puzzle book. Crawled, well, walked with great difficulty to Hugh and said " Ring the ambulance" The wonderful men in green arrived, gave me what they call the " Green Whistle" , a combination of Methoxyflurane, in a volatile liquid for inhalation. Hold your lips to the tube top, breathe in, then out.Several times, and I felt able to walk with a trusty man either side.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Back to the ED, more blood tests, ECG's, X-Rays, and that wonderful IV pain relief.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The same Doctor saw me , and he said there was no appearance of a shingles rash. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lots of painful examinations, and the conclusion, Costochondritis, inflammation of the rib cartilage</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhs114tiFzR2HQob-LMtHPesuUDN4PL5LPH2-cMHPf8VUbvVz9M_xFKNDwTmct3Wjx3_SZQ1FfZLnuM1iJW8Xs9-izxfGUAHkpQcRTlHjou-IMQLetwJYj3Z-2RdxTV-l3DwqYySTVwse4OepsnTkTjB45bslds2xuCt_E5mJdks__bfpsRwaje9ZQQ/s1000/Costochondritis%20photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhs114tiFzR2HQob-LMtHPesuUDN4PL5LPH2-cMHPf8VUbvVz9M_xFKNDwTmct3Wjx3_SZQ1FfZLnuM1iJW8Xs9-izxfGUAHkpQcRTlHjou-IMQLetwJYj3Z-2RdxTV-l3DwqYySTVwse4OepsnTkTjB45bslds2xuCt_E5mJdks__bfpsRwaje9ZQQ/w400-h240/Costochondritis%20photo.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Home the next morning, with more pain relief, and a determination not to try and make Roman Blinds by leaning over the fabric on the floor for 3 days in a row. And this could last, maybe another 2 weeks. So if my comments are scarce or non-existent, I will, for sure, have eagerly read all your news.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> There is nothing exciting to write about, or even a single photo to show.Life continues, at a slower pace, the fire is lit, a friend stacked enough firewood for a week on the verandah, and TV is on, we have been watching the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from William Arthur Ward,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to change;</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>The realist adjusts the sails . "</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-65679386816913346292022-05-24T10:10:00.000+12:002022-05-24T10:10:18.978+12:00X-Rays and CT Scans<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The last week has seen me laid low, intense pain in my ribs and round the back at armpit level. Finally after one day and night of it overtaking anything I had before, rang the trusty ambulance crew. They were in total agreement, off to hospital, after putting in an IV line, and dosing me up with Fentanyl and anti nausea meds. Blood pressure was too high, but not because of any heart trouble.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Admitted overnight after a chest X-Ray, more pain relief that only just reduced it a little, Monday morning, thought I would be on my way home, then an unexpected sentence, " You are off for a CT scan", thought it would just be for my kidneys, but when the DR came back, said he was very relieved to tell me the Aorta was fine,, no ballooning and diameter was normal also my kidneys were good as well.P hew, what a relief, as in the scanner, I thought it was targeting more than kidney level, back and forth, hold your breath, breath normally lots of times, maybe they didn't want to tell me until the results came in. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The diagnosis as this moment is that I have shingles., the DR could see one </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">" vesicle' and today maybe there are 2 more..</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So if I don't leave any comments, it isn't that I haven't read and kept up with all your news, just too painful to use my right hand and arm .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And as I think no post is OK without at least one photo, here is the Begonia keeping Moxy's grave company.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdpBhrzJBD-4pzWte6NMnxjjtCTSnKeva46FHd5fLd8sukdECwFTnz0Z_QfBmsbY6kGe5XEHRsoCyCkmBL_StWUj-vooSwMqTaVNHPwdCYnfrsacUNy7B_4P-a_3ZGD8Wq3LADDg7V_Cgl6tvjjQrkHJVLzzFluKm4lJhsnpJieGVWK-913uI0f5ZuA/s4032/Begonia%20keeping%20Moxie's%20daisy%20company..HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="511" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdpBhrzJBD-4pzWte6NMnxjjtCTSnKeva46FHd5fLd8sukdECwFTnz0Z_QfBmsbY6kGe5XEHRsoCyCkmBL_StWUj-vooSwMqTaVNHPwdCYnfrsacUNy7B_4P-a_3ZGD8Wq3LADDg7V_Cgl6tvjjQrkHJVLzzFluKm4lJhsnpJieGVWK-913uI0f5ZuA/w383-h511/Begonia%20keeping%20Moxie's%20daisy%20company..HEIC" width="383" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day from J M Barrie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" Not in doing what you like,</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>but in liking what you do</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>is the secret to happiness" </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-970591425429908322022-04-30T05:41:00.000+12:002022-04-30T05:41:57.044+12:00Anzac Day remembered in 2021 <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I saw this on Jocelyn's blog this morning, <a href="https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/">you will find her here</a> , and wondered how I had missed seeing it here in new Zealand. Newfoundlanders were the only North Americans to fight with our New Zealanders and the Australians at Gallipoli. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment marks this event each year, and in 2021, the bands of both forces, one in Newfoundland , and one here in new Zealand, linked up together to make an outstanding video. The piece is " Invercargill", a march composed by Alex Lithgow, and named after his home town , the most southern city here in NZ.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Here is the link to watch and listen to the combined bands perform. Modern internet miracles transform our lives across the oceans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I had to swipe, then open the link,</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ff00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7qXd_izbyw .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Photo courtesy of the Internet, The New Zealand Army Band, taken at forecourt of Parliament, Wellington, at the swearing in ceremony of the Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae, 31st August 2011. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCCb46YjAtcqMVJIwvuaJi2xMHMy0rUM72MTdf9YYJ00J5GRh9g0_ba7ZS_TVSrg1rrsVfG9FmWPYt1g5HTo69G6YQr101PDHr7tKQpblbLFKAXm4acePVy9-U3e2qcVN--P9McY4PvoHWnkKbGtE13sLEwblOOs9F3C5MGDhFOAyL_FDpOYaOAXZf-g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCCb46YjAtcqMVJIwvuaJi2xMHMy0rUM72MTdf9YYJ00J5GRh9g0_ba7ZS_TVSrg1rrsVfG9FmWPYt1g5HTo69G6YQr101PDHr7tKQpblbLFKAXm4acePVy9-U3e2qcVN--P9McY4PvoHWnkKbGtE13sLEwblOOs9F3C5MGDhFOAyL_FDpOYaOAXZf-g=w368-h245" width="368" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And an image of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band. Courtesy of the Internet.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwBGVW5qkLfUkgtP3FqywpbuLyJnTyeSDgLU13_kC7CsqPahLID9cLNDEP31-NgqUEkrVsBLW0rwtnHGRqWZAzVtcva7ByPq7gtMhnROOtcxRwfeglcgM29_lc4jkWfkgZ3dWTYpZ7LFBjR0yoZlvJBjUsQ6gkiOo1uopOqLd9H7zRw5LnvwOf7p55VQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1180" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwBGVW5qkLfUkgtP3FqywpbuLyJnTyeSDgLU13_kC7CsqPahLID9cLNDEP31-NgqUEkrVsBLW0rwtnHGRqWZAzVtcva7ByPq7gtMhnROOtcxRwfeglcgM29_lc4jkWfkgZ3dWTYpZ7LFBjR0yoZlvJBjUsQ6gkiOo1uopOqLd9H7zRw5LnvwOf7p55VQ=w377-h267" width="377" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Life continues slowly, no visitors, no going out, a walk to the mailbox is getting easier. and friends and family continue to phone, and do a grocery shop for us. Day 6 yesterday, symptoms still lingering, but this morning I am hoping for a better day. Hugh has been the main chef, and excelled himself each night with dinner served, pots rinsed, I am so thankful, grateful, and relieved that he has been able to do this, if left to me it might be a banana and yoghurt!!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And this morning, after 8 days , coffee actually tasted like it should, even though that delicious aroma was absent .</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from Herbert Hoover ,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" Freedom is the open window through which pours </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity "</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-30455674393705987402022-04-27T07:19:00.005+12:002022-04-27T07:19:49.859+12:00Saying Thank You never seems to be enough<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /> Thank you all for the loving and caring comments.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Day 5, still not feeling any better, hoping each day there will be some improvement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">However, on Monday 25th our Anzac Day, Hugh tested Positive. So he has to isolate for 7 days,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In New Zealand we have an online site, that you fill in with your own personal details, called " My Health Account" .Then enter the test results, this gives those who collect all the data the numbers for Covid Positive people, and the area they live in. I can now understand how so many families struggled to do this, those not familiar with online or internet , those with families not living close by who could help.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To brighten this post, here is the deep yellow Day Lily, that seems to flower almost all year long. A friend who lived near us at Katikati said they were indestructible. Kathy grew so many colours there, all in organised rows, so many to choose from, and I remember watching Murray machete the roots to divide the plants after flowering was done. " Ming Porcelain" was my favourite, a delicate almost translucent pale apricot.I hope it continues to flower at our previous home. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila_bRuwTLikYakhlSUiL_GuTUjjVuUn6rHZQJQB5eZkX3YW3kUWOuxKmJfn7l5G1s2mFgWOOOxZVQDArSz4NZpV5nSUjJwD5ljfQWPR0v1XBq6O2rVaC4TKYEReVppzsYO7LYb7KV2g76CZj0-8xSNqCIeVR9vEfU9SiseuExgoYmOfi38yOpwW0ukQ/s4032/Day%20Lily%20in%20deep%20yellow%20flowers.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila_bRuwTLikYakhlSUiL_GuTUjjVuUn6rHZQJQB5eZkX3YW3kUWOuxKmJfn7l5G1s2mFgWOOOxZVQDArSz4NZpV5nSUjJwD5ljfQWPR0v1XBq6O2rVaC4TKYEReVppzsYO7LYb7KV2g76CZj0-8xSNqCIeVR9vEfU9SiseuExgoYmOfi38yOpwW0ukQ/s320/Day%20Lily%20in%20deep%20yellow%20flowers.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, author unknown</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> "Flowers are friends in the Garden of Life"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-61669927880773623482022-04-25T06:38:00.000+12:002022-04-25T06:38:12.595+12:0025th April 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anzac Day, 25th April, 2022, New Zealand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zlVHfxCkcU4/XMFgFgi5V6I/AAAAAAAAi60/tV1uOTbOw8Memm1lNMUUrsH6QwFI3QRBACLcBGAs/s1600/Red%2BRuffled%2BPoppy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zlVHfxCkcU4/XMFgFgi5V6I/AAAAAAAAi60/tV1uOTbOw8Memm1lNMUUrsH6QwFI3QRBACLcBGAs/s400/Red%2BRuffled%2BPoppy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the going down of the sun and in the morning,</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We will remember them.</span></i></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-41229307607100077932022-04-24T16:18:00.001+12:002022-04-24T16:18:52.698+12:00How Did This Happen????<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> We have all been so careful, wearing masks, hand washing, avoiding crowded places. Scanning in, checking our phones to see if a Covid alert has been entered. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This morning at 4 a.m. I woke, and thought " Oh No ", dragged myself to the bathroom and found the box of Covid Rapid Tests. I didn't need to wait long before the first red line, then the second, showed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I am a Positive Covid Case, so I went online to My Health Account and followed all the details. We all need to isolate until 1st May, 7 days from yesterday when I had one symptom, but didn't link the tiredness to Covid, and no visitors, or doing anything energetic. I am so thankful our friends visited before this . The website told me to consider myself infectious from 21st April.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGstG5vE6pMdlMNSRyqdddBqNOWCcogI0hCezFHhpWR4QMtsWGjMLkwS42Nxk6YHyz7sS8FtDL8fGt8k0zybkjemHDCb83Dz26Nwo_TDQoFZ8Nw8efgkZNKlBogDU2TlmSC8qR2ciqmW73R-PadW24kasWEREfmlUjF4X-q9d8K0IlCmG_KbSlRkHBw/s3581/Covid%20test.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3581" data-original-width="2686" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGstG5vE6pMdlMNSRyqdddBqNOWCcogI0hCezFHhpWR4QMtsWGjMLkwS42Nxk6YHyz7sS8FtDL8fGt8k0zybkjemHDCb83Dz26Nwo_TDQoFZ8Nw8efgkZNKlBogDU2TlmSC8qR2ciqmW73R-PadW24kasWEREfmlUjF4X-q9d8K0IlCmG_KbSlRkHBw/w204-h272/Covid%20test.heic" width="204" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As soon as I had entered my result, was given instructions, and had to enter more information.I can now understand how some people struggled with this side of Covid.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I am so thankful for a wonderful friend who collected the grocery list and shopped for some essentials.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So I might not be doing anything much at all, other than resting.Any quilting will have to wait, Henry, consider yourself lucky to be strutting earlier!!!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day , original words...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>"When you wish to be a hermit, beware, it might happen all by itself".</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-37725397327157293682022-04-17T10:15:00.004+12:002022-04-17T10:15:39.920+12:00The day has arrived for Henry to make his debut<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> As I wrote a few days ago, I answered a post, and was accepted to be a pattern tester. The design had to stay a secret until Friday, and now Lesley over at berry_birdy has shown the pattern Henry can make his appearance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Dresden Points, something totally new to me, I had to Google them to make sure I would be able to do this. There are a few of us who were testers, we shared suggestions, helpful ideas, and progress photos. I needed help to add my photo to the group, and was given the " How to do this" so promptly, in spite of the time difference, as we are in various locations, Netherlands, USA, Washington, and more, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> and as soon as the last one is posted, there will be a parade of the whole flock.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Interesting facts I found as I searched for rooster photos, Roosters are territorial, and look at their hens as " Theirs" . Also the comb and wattle are large and bright to attract the ladies.And the men don't have a specific name for their group, just a flock, like hens and chickens. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKbBl7HI00axx1jPDBtil5Y5sy13Y977XHFYDd3Ylvf920GvSmC-UQuzotyu8NGqCEWPXa6IUHYIp2_xaT8W8pCZ-qZlQf9e4C9uzBZRYQgqTj0Kr2KBi6eHbBatI_OriuSapmhYqbkb6ODq5zLHl95dO_glI7oojAhDKk2gN0IvKYmYrH4DR2LuC-Q/s1966/Henry%20the%20Dresden%20Rooster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1966" data-original-width="1680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKbBl7HI00axx1jPDBtil5Y5sy13Y977XHFYDd3Ylvf920GvSmC-UQuzotyu8NGqCEWPXa6IUHYIp2_xaT8W8pCZ-qZlQf9e4C9uzBZRYQgqTj0Kr2KBi6eHbBatI_OriuSapmhYqbkb6ODq5zLHl95dO_glI7oojAhDKk2gN0IvKYmYrH4DR2LuC-Q/s320/Henry%20the%20Dresden%20Rooster.jpeg" width="273" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He was going to be a wall hanging, but now will be the front of either a VERY large bag or a square fabric, also large, box, for anything to be stored in.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Keep watching for the final parade.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Here is a photo from long ago, Calf Club Day at TeHihi Primary School. I had a huge black rooster, my Dad built a little cart and the doll sat there, towed round. This might have been in 1947 or 1948, summer time, no shoes, I still had short hair, and in the background other pupils, I recently phoned one classmate and we shared many memories of the farming families and more. Lambs, calves, decorated vehicles, usually a bike with crepe paper wound round the spokes,. The calves were judged, and those who won a top ribbon went on to be entered</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> in the Franklin A&P show at Pukekohe. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This was a large event with cows, all breeds, bulls, with a ring in their nose, a rope attached either side, and two men leading them into the judging ring , horses including Clydesdales . then the sheep, ewes and rams , all competing for top place.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19lXANZrn5gzrKI_kcgO_PgycOCanRALjWFkuevz8_ob6paRd4BPklCyPAqqSybp-rWLwAI9Nedbpi3PsxZfUMExx2XdceoSsY8RQ5c-f_ypezf5OgafAQRetRJfs0DLw-MekMzbYju8QOHl4Zf9dLx1VeWyDoOUR4dsT0kXvxQ_3TYGTcTZO28k-Bg/s2706/Calf%20club%20day%20at%20TeHihi%20Primary%20School.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="2706" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19lXANZrn5gzrKI_kcgO_PgycOCanRALjWFkuevz8_ob6paRd4BPklCyPAqqSybp-rWLwAI9Nedbpi3PsxZfUMExx2XdceoSsY8RQ5c-f_ypezf5OgafAQRetRJfs0DLw-MekMzbYju8QOHl4Zf9dLx1VeWyDoOUR4dsT0kXvxQ_3TYGTcTZO28k-Bg/s320/Calf%20club%20day%20at%20TeHihi%20Primary%20School.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Meantime, Easter Greetings to you all, I hope your days are sunny, rainy if needed, and health and happiness prevail.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day, from J.M.Barrie,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>" Not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do is the secret of happiness"</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></div><br /><p></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-63703657530997772662022-04-14T09:54:00.000+12:002022-04-14T09:54:16.013+12:00Nothing Much Happening down here<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Hello all blog friends near and far,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Nothing exciting has been happening, I had what I thought were Covid symptoms, almost EVERY one, stayed home for ages, did the RAT tests, and each one was negative.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Finally after much phoning and getting frustrated, Hugh drove me to the next town, the drive-in clinic out at the racecourse no hesitation to give me the PCR test, results back next day and it was negative.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">However my Doctor tells me all that does is to verify I was not infectious at that time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So today I go and have my Cataract pre -surgery anaesthetic appointment, check weight?? ( OK) Height?? ( shrinking!!) and blood pressure ( Okay too) and all medications, ( all blood pressure meds have been discontinued, Hooray ) and then say " You are fit and well " and hopefully the surgery will be within 3 weeks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I saw on a website a few weeks ago someone was asking for pattern testers. Well, I haven't ventured into this before so thought " Let's give it a go" .It was different to anything I have done before, a group of 5 of us from all over the world quickly became friends and offered suggestions, help, and lots more. It is still a secret until Friday Northern time!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Meantime our Daylight Saving has ended, the mornings are already so dark, and a lot cooler, so the firewood box is full and kindling ready.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day from Khalil Gibran</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> " If you reveal your secrets to the wind,</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees"</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean</span></p>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450572385521130262.post-3798582703624612152022-03-17T07:25:00.000+13:002022-03-17T07:25:44.917+13:00March 17th, A special Day<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> St Patrick's Day, March 17th, Celebrated world wide for many reasons. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But to have a Birthday on that day is extra special. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Many Happy Birthday Wishes, Ralph, from all of us up North. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Closer to home, in our hearts, but a lot further in distance, in Otago, is our son-in-law, Ralph. We met him for the first time on TV, with Miriama Kamo and Paul Hobbs, a 20/20 documentary called " Dogged Determination" , filmed on the farm down south and at the dog trials there. Up to that time, we knew someone was somewhere, but WHO???!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This is at an Outdoor Concert, in Otago, in 2009. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdn28Niwyu0XoWzd7Dz9MszqotOscTBTYkeW_rSRQu_3Av6BmwMPSWrDzwR_4tz5LfO23oPFFeqJykF-rJM4v48pPm59x1pD01LgJCbhMe7SSxEb4dH5WxKEEgQ737bOutSGixRGB6fade6y55lYnPEzF-xLfop7E5tlAmVKZPpHuw8eyBhDS3yH5D6g=s278" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="278" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdn28Niwyu0XoWzd7Dz9MszqotOscTBTYkeW_rSRQu_3Av6BmwMPSWrDzwR_4tz5LfO23oPFFeqJykF-rJM4v48pPm59x1pD01LgJCbhMe7SSxEb4dH5WxKEEgQ737bOutSGixRGB6fade6y55lYnPEzF-xLfop7E5tlAmVKZPpHuw8eyBhDS3yH5D6g" width="278" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In 2020 the Waitahuna Collie Club held a surprise party, but the real reason was to honour three former Club Presidents with Life Membership</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ralph Brown with Rogue, then Roger Tweed with Strike and his brother John Tweed with Merv.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Together they had contributed 110 years of combined service. Families and friends had gathered, and then the men thought this was a little more than an ordinary evening when even extended family members were there.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqlFbNjAUssHoOP46P9U6zEb5rJoflUhVdNSoBrKx_j2Ei1Xtak48FcWuIWCOJP4J-j09Afb-4Rgw3uAWKVVtF0CVXJ76Bho5uP-nzWJ8vN_OV1tzaxKAgcqMJ1QeNHxt3-l_JNztooZVC-hOdbsjTeER_gsEZ8ucZ1cz8mj5D8Gy20LHKTj5DK_HuJg=s275" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqlFbNjAUssHoOP46P9U6zEb5rJoflUhVdNSoBrKx_j2Ei1Xtak48FcWuIWCOJP4J-j09Afb-4Rgw3uAWKVVtF0CVXJ76Bho5uP-nzWJ8vN_OV1tzaxKAgcqMJ1QeNHxt3-l_JNztooZVC-hOdbsjTeER_gsEZ8ucZ1cz8mj5D8Gy20LHKTj5DK_HuJg=w467-h311" width="467" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Dogs have always been a huge part of Ralph's life, and he has participated in many sheep dog trials. Indeed, that was where he met Kaz, when he was travelling to the North Island for an event. I think he managed to visit on the return journey to Otago, not sure where the dog stayed!!!</span><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That Irish Pub in Picton , the beginning of their life together.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The next photo was my attempt at trying OOB, or Out Of Bounds Photoshop editing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ralph with one of his earlier dogs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiSctwTHENnYmb7Y5iCCGTtadTHdOVgKHd52-eK910PZUMqrt8wC8tEVQzxgUUiH0BFyLPl6AGba8FDmWvneAhmjzWuNbNDJTj2med0hCKNcNZdDXeLxqrjoWNC1F5uCRr42ZPNtlLpTLfO02WUk8vHCPfudxWq0lylkanvXrXrRlU-wcsOEXz08voEg=s972" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="972" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiSctwTHENnYmb7Y5iCCGTtadTHdOVgKHd52-eK910PZUMqrt8wC8tEVQzxgUUiH0BFyLPl6AGba8FDmWvneAhmjzWuNbNDJTj2med0hCKNcNZdDXeLxqrjoWNC1F5uCRr42ZPNtlLpTLfO02WUk8vHCPfudxWq0lylkanvXrXrRlU-wcsOEXz08voEg=s320" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Life in Otago is tough in the winter, guess the thought of a wet snowy paw on your face is not so welcome.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYZpEnkHqpjIbUOgX5hlJFng9-u2KWrkn040N26DIlbBLq4285PvwRPg8yUL2C6KgW3gDUJljK1tJiHZEICPe0OnvnqDgvYqk6gNEgJtzTEUc_TZZ6jblCfW-a2hsNh5mb5r8l7ujKM7tSMn65WFyRZmlLgJcBl26Lw9f9Oc0PRKatBOaTntQDFNvEvA=s768" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="588" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYZpEnkHqpjIbUOgX5hlJFng9-u2KWrkn040N26DIlbBLq4285PvwRPg8yUL2C6KgW3gDUJljK1tJiHZEICPe0OnvnqDgvYqk6gNEgJtzTEUc_TZZ6jblCfW-a2hsNh5mb5r8l7ujKM7tSMn65WFyRZmlLgJcBl26Lw9f9Oc0PRKatBOaTntQDFNvEvA=w295-h385" width="295" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There was an early heavy snowfall that winter, but it didn't deter the Irish Snowmen from enjoying a drink or two on the verandah.</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLSzLOzlWfRXQV11HGBxQQki5C5rqpfK9P6Uy57DYAQ_JHrO0YYRjYMENeKkciBzUjsjm8PNULuWoaUnMFofIBEbfxhIDSShlVsXhyA7YbzT7wmo9IWPEW17kBFUHA8ibG5H-GTqqz3N0sgkFFu1Lt7lEmKk4hmNZgY92SZ8v4da3_oZzntazgvLV_3g=s2428" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="2428" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLSzLOzlWfRXQV11HGBxQQki5C5rqpfK9P6Uy57DYAQ_JHrO0YYRjYMENeKkciBzUjsjm8PNULuWoaUnMFofIBEbfxhIDSShlVsXhyA7YbzT7wmo9IWPEW17kBFUHA8ibG5H-GTqqz3N0sgkFFu1Lt7lEmKk4hmNZgY92SZ8v4da3_oZzntazgvLV_3g=w472-h277" width="472" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Fast forward to March 3rd, 2018.The day we had all been waiting for, their wedding on the farm. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A wonderful day, typical southern hospitality, and although we knew only the family, everyone else recognised us as parents of the bride. I contributed as standing in for the " Father of the Bride Speech" Hugh was reluctant to stand up there, so I carefully worded and then printed out a short version. I have been told I talk like I write, LOTS, so thought I should carefully limit my time. The night before the wedding, Ralph's brother Andrew read it and replied " I think you can embellish this quite a bit more" So I did ; The Best Man enlightened us with many highlights from over the years, then it was the Groom's turn.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ralph gave the most amazing speech, with all of us laughing so much. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh4PbtoeoGS3TgBCWcFXL9t16i8zaa1fK6Nf5fEVfvxWtPZRUOuSzMF73iyZzVMlqH1HmmwLG7GTMMF5Yeg_o4Bx4s5OYRILGn-DXgdlySM4GOhWDbKqpYb79tp613QOUspuFoXQeTbkSX0ON96kq-NKixB-U2ZsahKM2miDsCCEcWTmFdwoZXQ-ZA4w=s768" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="533" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh4PbtoeoGS3TgBCWcFXL9t16i8zaa1fK6Nf5fEVfvxWtPZRUOuSzMF73iyZzVMlqH1HmmwLG7GTMMF5Yeg_o4Bx4s5OYRILGn-DXgdlySM4GOhWDbKqpYb79tp613QOUspuFoXQeTbkSX0ON96kq-NKixB-U2ZsahKM2miDsCCEcWTmFdwoZXQ-ZA4w=w323-h466" width="323" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Needless to say, we are so happy that on the 17th March, on your birthday, you will celebrate in true Southern Style,</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I think the day is taken up with the local Sheep Dog Trial preparations for the coming weekend, but I did hear a whisper of some beers, and more at the end of the day . </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Enjoy the day Ralph, maybe another year when Covid-free travel is safer, we can join you in the Far South .</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Quotation of the day , author unknown,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>" Families are the compass that guides us.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>They are the inspiration to reach great heights, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>and our comfort when we occasionally falter."</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Greetings from Jean.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Nancy Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11854698513524662527noreply@blogger.com11