Scooter madness...

“We should all start to live before we get too old. The " if only ", " what if ", " I wished I had " and regrets may be a part of our lives but it is never too late to change that.”

Good Morning World... Fri 29th, 6.07, 11dg with a patchy high overcast blue sky. They do say rain, heavy at times... we will see. I am sitting in bed this morning trying to muster enough strength to get up and start the day. The last two days have been long, very warm, and extremely strenuous, mentally and physically.... not really for Mum other than the fact that she has to listen to me, but running alongside her mobility scooter, varying between 5-9 kmh on the roads around Wanaka has completely done me in. For we girls it is a 6.3 km walk to go from where we are to Mum and home again every day, then you add the scooter instruction trips in and out of town on top of that....Made a mental note to self after Wednesday to ensure I was wearing flats as you do !!! So, I think we have a good route ridden, discussed and ticked off for safety.. into town and then out of town... yip tick tick tick... then after we returned home from the optometrist and had finished lunch, Mum decided to go out on her scooter to visit an old friend. Fantastic, my plan may be working.. Mum taking the initiative to get out and about and do things.. Mel, Poppity and I are heading briefly same direction with Mum, then we turn left direction our house. Out of Meadowstone Villas, onto road, we turn to go right and Mum buggers off straight ahead... I am speechless, mouth open looking at Mel saying WTF... after all my discussions with the naughty old thing she takes a road that we consider to be a very unsafe route... jeez, here we go round the mulberry bush... sprint power engaged to catch up and yes there was a little calling!! Her reason for the chosen route was it was a shorter way to go rather than heading down the discussed safe route and coming back up the main road to destination.... Do I give up ? I almost did then. My questions to her were a tad sarcastic perhaps. All in all it is a great way to be seen around Wanaka.. running after a bloody mobility scooter on the road... Murphy's Law is there is always at least a handful of people who poop and wave madly at me, just when you would prefer incognito. Today Mother has hair appt day and refuses to ride her scooter as it musses the "do".. fine, she will be in a taxi for this. We will be taking a break from all of it as we start preparing food for the luncheon Monday, and the Poppet can have a simple day here in the house quietly with us. One week left in Wanaka... where has it gone ? I think I am living before I get too old... but too old for what you ask.

Christmas cupcakes to die for....

Luncheon party plans...

“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way.”

Good Morning World... Wed 27th, 6.40, 7dg out with a high overcast grey morning... they suggest a few showers this afternoon.. rats, we have a town excursion on the mobility scooter... practise practise, and we are sorting a new travel route. The last couple of days have been a blur of activity, walking, driving, shopping, cooking and general chores in a variety of weather conditions... and of course the normal night time socialising activities that seem to be a daily part of time spent away from home. Thanks to my bestie for escorting me home cross country with a torch!!! I suggested to my lovely Mother the other day we hold a Villa Luncheon party while we are all still here... Heavens, what was I thinking ??? The invitations, written and hand delivered by Mum have gone out ...total 28. Ummm yes, well there you go, best intentions and all!!. Yesterday afternoon I prepared a large container of dried fruits and nuts soaked it all in enough brandy to have all the little olds on the floor.. Christmas mince pies for dessert. Apertivio for 11.30 followed by finger food luncheon buffet. We will be busy, and Poppity will be in a big girls high chair that day. Today weather permitting we will be doing a road run with Mum and lunch out in town today... a break for me, yay. Otherwise life on holiday ticks along in a happy way and the Poppet is not walking on two feet unaided as yet. I thought she would... we wait. And FYI, yes there are days when I lie in bed and wonder if I will make the day... 

Socialising amongst the responsibilities...

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?”

Good Morning World... Sun 24th, 7.18, Blue sky with a fab Nor'west cloud pattern, 9dg with a high of 22dg. We have been here in Wanaka for two weeks... how time just flies. This morning I am on the " Church Run"... ready to present myself at the door of the villa at 9am and then Mum and I are scootering down to church. Gosh what a good girl I am. Last night was out at Winsloe's new home for a combination moving in and leaving for Europe party... what a fab group of people many of whom were a new aquaintence for me... as I knew I was on Church run early I was on my best behaviour, but lordy you should have seen the dessert table... I went twice!! The last two days have been spent walking in and out of town, backwards and forwards to the Villa in brilliant sunshine, there is nothing nicer than feeling the sun on your shoulders. A good test drive yesterday after lunch with Mum and the scooter on the back road to the main road with no real footpath crossings.. I feel better about that. Mum is a delight when we do footpath letdowns... it is either dead stop in the middle or too much speed. Practise practise, I say it, she knows it.. does she... does she like hell. We left her to make her own way home unsupervised, and we went back to our house on the other side of town. By the fourth telephone call to check that she had arrived, with each successive voice message getting more miffy and Mel and I debating a trip in the car to find her, she finally made contact ... had been visiting on the way home!! Hector Heathcote breathe in breathe out!! As a mature daughter, spending time with an ageing Mother, I wish someone had printed a hand book on how to do it !! Bless all our little old people. 😇
An afternoon with the big girls..

Hot, sunny, exhausting

Mary Jane Leuch

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

Good Morning World... Thurs 21st, 6.41, 13dg with a grey broken cloud morning over the lake. Forecasting spotty morning showers... I do wonder what stripey morning showers would look like !!! Heavens, the social merry-go-round is certainly keeping my head in a spin... I said to Mel and Mum yesterday that Thursday is a down day, I am not doing anything, going anywhere, seeing anyone, cooking for anyone, just stopping for the day. Well lies sort of, as I do have a long awaited hair appointment with my fav hairdresser of all time... Smiley face. So, Tuesday was a day to sit down and write a book, with full colour photography. Headed out of the house with Poppity and Mel in tow on a gorgeous gorgeous bluebird day at 9.45 direction Mama's villa on the other side of town. Purpose was to give my Mother some much needed confidence building driving lessons on her mobility scooter. Jeez.. jeez.. what is it with dear little old souls and the full speed ahead button. Got my Mother onto the scooter, adjusted the mirrors so they were used for looking behind L and R rather than admiring herself, and off we all went heading back into the town for lunch. Me walking alongside, at what I felt was a good safe 5 kmh not too fast and not too slow talking her through the operation of the lever control. We had an interesting time getting into town but did make it finally.. problems start when you have your hearing aids turned off you cannot hear your daughter when she is calling you !!!! Lunch eaten at Lago's on the lake front, then Mama decided she had a handful of shopping chores.. fine. Done and dusted, but not without first having my feet run over and being squashed against the stone wall, Bless. Then the time came to head direction home to the Villa. We had decided to try a different route with less footpath/road crossings as Mum does have a little issue with the gentle feathering of the fast and slow hand lever. The trip home was lake front... beautiful views on such a lovely day. Good speed control until she decided to adjust the H / L speed switch and off she shot at which stage I was running to keep up... Mel had stopped as the Poppet had had an explosion and was calling me back to help... Mum was driving off at speed into the sunset, with hearing aids off and I am shouting full voice to stop her and get her to come back. Picture me.. pretty summer dress, little pink open toed shoes running like a lunatic between Mum and Mel in 28dg heat...The Poppet was washed off in the lake and redressed, Mother received a frank discussion about her responsibilities as a road and foot path user and I then looked heavenward. Goodness only knows what the public thought of the show. We left Mother safely in her Villa at 3.30pm and Mel and I headed straight to the nearest lake front bar to steady ourselves. Exhausted... full stop. That evening it was little black dress time for a birthday gathering and re-uniting with many old friends. Fantastic evening... Thank you all. Yesterday was a day back on the pavements to Mum's, lunch cooked. I had hoped we could do a little practise running around the complex, little and often so it becomes second nature on the mobility scooter, umm no. We then headed home 1.00 to prepare for a pot luck in house with more friends... another fantastic evening. Tired. Enjoy the budding concert pianist recital...

Time to have a laugh...

Lace lamp/Doiliy Lamp – DIY

Lace lamp/Doiliy Lamp – DIY

Because the countdown is on... add this to the list

Advancing Quickly

Time flies..

“Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.”
Good Morning World... Mon 18th, 6.31, 8dg, expected high 22dg. Out my window this morning is a beautiful clear Wanaka summer's day dawning... the weather has been so marvellous since we have been here.. I have a daughter with a lot of red on her from all the walking we are doing. The last couple of days have been a hive of activity, starting with a delicious meal with friends on Saturday which required me to go cross country via the paddocks to get there... perfect, but coming back was the challenge without the moon on bumpy terrain and dare I say a tad worse for wear. Nuff said. I took the long way around on the road , cautious rabbit that I am. Sunday we did a small celebration here at our dining table after aperitivos with friends, and it was a happy afternoon evening catching up on all the years since I have been gone. Wanaka itself has grown and blown at the seams, a lot of the new areas of necessity I have not walked to and looked at as yet, but just maybe before we leave. It is a bright bustling place hospitality wise so that gives the town a very busy feel... lakefront especially. Time is absolutely galloping by, we have been in Wanaka a week already... hmmm. Today we will do a little shade for some, me, I am sun toughened, but she will have to have long sleeves. The weather has been sufficiently hot enough in the afternoons when we get back from Mum's that yesterday we created a paddling pool on the terrasse with the washing basket... perfect

Ducks and ducklings...

“Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”
Good Morning World... Fri 15th, 5.48, 8dg with a very purple blue and grey early morning sky.. anticipated high 20dg. Yesterday was another bluebird day.. perfect early summer weather made for strolling outside. It has been so beautifully warm which makes life so easy. I am thinking I must be coming near to the end of running in to old friends and aquaintances while we are out doing our daily hunter and gatherer... I am so blessed to know so many wonderful people, and have so many that want to sit down and catch up. As I talk about sitting down... yesterday I suggested to Mel we take the Poppet down the the lake front to feed the ducks with a loaf of inedible bread.. inedible for humans!! We dropped Mum off at her little villa after lunch and then sorted things for the walk, bread included. Perfect spot down by the log cabin lake front.. lots of people and activity ...See more— at Lake Wanaka

Sunshine unlimited.

Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us.

Good Morning World... Wed 13th, 6.49, 7dg with an expected high 23dg. Yesterday's weather was a glorious sunny Wanaka day, and by afternoon we had a beautifully hot day for toasting in. I am finding being back in Wanaka a process of losing time... with the greatest intentions to go places and do things when you are constantly running into old friends it is becoming a challenge to achieve things.. absolutely no complaints as it is brilliant, but we have timetables that do not have massive flexibility when you have a Poppet on board. Lunch was finally cooked for my Mama even if a little late, poor Mum must feel like she is caught in the middle of a tsunami with the lunch visits we make. Last night a happy time with a special person over an easy meal and some bubbles. Today we will be on foot in the sunshine.. walk to Meadowstone for lunch then back here to our six star accomodation to chill out for the afternoon evening. I see the my skifield back home is opening this coming weekend... I wonder what snow is on the ground there as I sit lakeside in 23dg here...— at Lake Wanaka

Day two... slow mode

Money talks…but all mine ever says is good-bye.

Good Morning World... Tues 12th, 6.54, 4dg and an expected high 20dg. Early morning lake cloud in parts but a lovely blue sky. Yesterday was a day to do the supermarket and sort how to do things. The morning dawned cool and cloudy and took a while to get going but by 11.00 it was a beautiful sunny Wanaka day... exhausted Mel with walking back and forth from supermarket, then back to town later.. she just has to stick her chest out and keep moving !!!! Opps !! Today we are having a slow start and then off to Mum's to cook lunch. Took a little while to re-jig her appartment so it was safe from little pudgies but all in all Great GM and little Grand D did very well together. Small dinner celebration tonight with a VIP and so the day goes, all be it with a slightly grumpy toother. Greetings from a lovely spot.

Wanaka.... feet on the ground for a good while.

“When everything's blustery and you're feeling flustery, remember you have friends who care.”

Good Morning World...Mon 11th, 6.21, 10dg, with rain forecast. it is a grey morning over Lake Wanaka today. Yesterday was a day that started before the birds in order to finish all we needed to do before the drive to Palmerston North Airport. The flight Palmerston to ChCh was simple and relatively ordinary until we landed... A woman on board with food poisoning fainted while we had a super long wait for the doors to open, so problem nr. 1 then there was a young gentleman bent in double, sound asleep in his chair... problem nr. 2 being that he was as pissed as a newt. Airline and ground staff were well miffed with the situation.. me thinks he may well have been in deep trouble as he was finally escorted from the plane.. oppps! The Poppity travelled well, we were busy enough keeping her little pudgies to herself.. the man in front being an attraction as his head was over the top of the seat. Flight two, ChCh to Queenstown was another easy flight thankfully and there waiting were my fab buddies. The trip Queenstown to Wanaka takes you over the Crown Range, long windy road travel approx an hour and we were packed to the gunnels. Here we are back in what was my home town for quite some years, and as I sit and look out the window in our wonderful accomodation courtesy of more fantastic friends, I look across to Waterfall Creek, our old home. Feels very odd. Very very odd. Today is a supermarket then catch up day with my Mum, so we will be once again a four generation luncheon with me wielding my cooking skills in her little kitchen. Mel can be in charge of the Poppet and her busy hands. Then for Moochie ... well I will be doing the start of the catch up that is part of going back to old haunts. Hello Wanaka... wow.

 — at Lake Wanaka

Brilliant First Birthday...

“That's right," said Eeyore. "Sing. Umty-tiddly, umty-too. Here we go gathering Nuts and May. Enjoy yourself."
"I am," said Pooh.”
Ahhh... Friday evening, 8th, 21,33. We are all in bed... how does a party for a one year old exhaust adults??? Possible something to do with helping her push the boat out around aperitivo time. What a fab day yesterday, it all went beautifully, really, even the jelly wrestling, although I was a little horrified at the state of the dress, but an overnight soak sorted that. If the Poppity could talk I am sure she would have said it was brilliant. It was a rather unusual situation as I was staying with my first husband and his partner but we had such an easy happy time, so a big thank you to them both for hosting the first Birthday. Today we have been driving back to Taihape, gosh we seem to spend some time doing distances. Called into Rotorua so Mel could catch up with a special friend that she has not seen for many years, and we lunched there with her. A lovely sunny drive thankfully. Stopped in Turangi for a leg stretcher, nappy change, and supper in the park. Home here by 20.30. Tomorrow we are visiting Mangapapa, Paulii's old farm, just to sit for a moment, then it is cases open to pack for the trip, direction South Island, Queenstown then Wanaka.
Enjoy....

First Birthday ... 7th November

“When I was your age, television was called books.”

Good Morning World... Thurs 7th Nov, 7.22, Cool, grey, blustery out the window and a forecast high of only 19dg. Today is our beautiful Poppet's first Birthday. A year has slid by at such speed, it is quite breathtaking. Her Mama spent last night making the Rainbow Cake, and today I will see the result of her hard work... I imagine we will all spend the afternoon cleaning up the aftermath... I believe there will be a few under threes to help Poppet celebrate, so it will be a busy day and an inside day !!! Yesterday we left Taihape late morning and drove the 4 hours to Tauranga in very wet torrential at times weather. I was only nav man so the responsibility was all on Mel. Last night I stayed with an old friend here in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, and also with us were the Western Snotts... Paulii would have just loved it, but we did all the" do you remembers" for the absent ones. We had a beautiful evening meal at the Harbourside Restaurant... oooohhhhh fresh Hapuka, this girl was in seventh heaven. I seem to be always on good behaviour bonds when I am away from the girls, so in true Moochie style I behaved beautifully, probably a little too tired to do much else. It was a fab evening, and I am blessed to be able to move around New Zealand and do all this fantastic catch up with old friends. Today I have to present myself at the Birthday Party house for 10 am, and dress the Poppity, and yes, there will be photos I promise. Today will be a day of surprises for everyone... Happy Birthday my little one  

Start of week two...

“All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.”

Good Morning World.. Mon 4th, 8.15, 7.8dg, forecast for today fine with possibility of showery things later. Yesterday morning we set off to walk Taihape in the sunshine and it was a walk down memory lane. I am rather impressed with what we saw... Mel had constantly warned me I would be surprised at the downturn in the town since we had left back in 2008/9. Yes there are some empty shop windows and a lot of food outlets but all towns have that.. it was a perfect day to do the tour.. town was humming with the Targa rally all gathered down by the showgrounds and pit crews doing work on cars in the side streets. Fab cars with wonderful engine and exhaust sounds. Then the helicopter from Ravensdown was spraying just on the bottom side of town.... It quite gave me a wobbly lip and I know for a fact that there was a third person walking with us looking at Taihape... we were surrounded by all the things Paulii loved to do.. a fly boy and a race boy. Home in the sunshine for a lunch out on the little terrace and a super glass of the French white Burgundy for aperitivo. The afternoon was spent out at Mel's wonderful friends.. her initial bolt hole... we drove out to Waiouru, direction Ohakune into the back side of Mataroa, P's former location to their farm.. garden walk and talk, and a marvellous meal. Today we have a tired Poppet, up for breakfast and then straight back to bed. Later a meeting in town with real estate agents and a meet and greet with the bank. Lunch out with some special friends of Paulii's and then hopefully a relaxing evening and a little routine for Poppity. As long as the sun is out all is well.. I have to be honest I am finding New Zealand cold. Happy Monday 

Sunday, really a day of rest.

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”

Good Morning World... Sun 3rd, 7.52, Taihape..high overcast and cool, but dry. Two days in Palmerston North after leaving Auckland... An fantastic rowdy evening with old friends with 9 at the dinner table. Gosh, where have the years gone... we all started life together in Christchurch many years ago and it was really just like yesterday, just with more wrinkles and grey hair all round!! Yesterday Mel arrived into Palmerston with the Poppet. Fabulous.  Photographs all round and then time to head off. It is amazing how much you can jam into a little Toyota. The drive back from Palmerston North to Taihape was another trip down memory lane through country that hasn't really changed at all... Paulii's old territory. Last night Mel and I enjoyed some bubbles, probably more than we should have, but you only live once.Today it would be nice to blow some cobwebs and go for a walk to see how Taihape has changed, but at a gentle speed. I loved being in Auckland with Bor, Ber and Blake but am so pleased to be away from there... a very unsettling place to be. Now we can just sit and chill, catch up and do not much more than play and enjoy. 4 days until the first Birthday....