#stupidityhasit'scost

“Life's hard. It's even harder when you're stupid.”

Tuesday 30th, 7.13am, 12.6dg forecasting a fine day with possible showery bits this evening, and tomorrow a thundery weather pattern. We shall see!! Yesterday was a beautiful settled day but I did not do all I wanted to do. My stupidity caused me to have to make two trips into Bludenz, the first to take a television back to the Hofer, hopefully for repair, as the local electrical retail supplier said that they would not fix it. The supervisor at the Hofer kindly accepted the television but I needed to give them the till docket which was at home in the guarantee drawer.... Cunningly I thought OK, go home, collect paperwork, and return on the same train ticket... a thinking girl. The rail journey only costs €3.60, but €3.60 is still money. Quick lunch back at home and dashed off to get the 2.03. Red face, as on inspection the TV was purchased from the Spar Supermarkt not the Hofer... Oh dear, back to the Hofer to uplift it and take it to place of purchase... Idiot. What a waste of a day. I did get a haircut while I had to wait for the supervisor to appear from lunch break as it needed all sorts of paperwork done, so there was a bright moment in all of it, and the hairdresser indulged me with a glass of bubbles as I sat and had the cut done... very nice thank you Sprenger Friseur. Back home on the 17.00 train, so no opportunity to do the outside things I was hoping to get done. Fire lit, gin poured, few quick texts and I have organised to be Caddy for the morning today... This could go one of two ways... very orderly or a complete mess as I am going onto the Schruns golf course with my buddy in all things good, bad and very disorderly... And it is my first trip up to the golf club this season. I have not touched a golf club since the knee op in March, hence the offer to caddy rather than join in and play. Watch this space.  Incoming Tuesday Conversation girls at 18.00 so I have time :)

#Justsaying

Gosh they are good, another trophy in the cabinet !! .... The mighty AB's

#Forwardmotion

The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

Good Morning Monday...29th, 6.05am, 9.4dg, forecasting another bright sunny autumn day today and tomorrow. This is a little like that summer that wasn't, so lovely that I can do a few turns on the sun lounger through the day... Blissful. My weekend has comprised of noisy, dirty, necessary jobs that leave you smiling at the end of completion. Saturday morning I cut the roadside hedge in preparation for the Gemeinde and their footpath snow ploughs they use in the winter. The hedge was so hairy after such a wet summer I knew they would be grumpy with me if I left it like that as it impedes their passage to clear the snow.  Break for lunch time aperitivo and peppered salmon fillet on salad... truly scrumptious. Quick sun soak on the terrasse and then back into the garden... stripped the summer picking garden of all growth, removed all the wild strawberry plants and all the whip growth on the two wisterias on the fence line... that was serious growth to untangle, follow lead and cut back. Garden sacks filling quickly. Sunday is a day of rest here in Austria, so I rested quietly in the morning giving myself a manicure and pedicure in the brilliant sunshine, then took my bicycle up to the Friedhof, collected the big planter that had been put there by an old friend of Paulii's and dismantled it to bring three of the plants home for re planting. Aperitivo time before lunch... big fail. Thought I would try the Frexinet Cava I had been given last week. Either my taste buds were off or it is the strangest tasting thing that has passed my lips in a ling time, note to self, stick to what you know and like. Life is too short to waste it on things that do not please you. More sunshine soaking on the terrasse and then I thought time to go back out to the garden. Organised the small wood stacker up  by the dining room door in preparation for daily fires, kindling sorted and stored in a handy position for easy collection, and wood stacks re-jigged. When my two Besties from New Zealand were staying here, unsupervised by me, as I was visiting New Zealand, they cut, split and stacked my wood for me. What a fantastic job that was, and I have now re- organised some of the stacks and found that quite a bit of the wood is way too big to fit into my little fire box opening. Sunday, a day of rest, no noisy outdoor jobs, stuff it I thought. I turned on the wood splitter and spent three hours splitting and restacking the biggest bits, all of which I hope to finish today / tomorrow. No one came and complained to me, hopefully I do not get a knock on the door this week from the Polizei !!! Last job is to prune back the big climber roses, trim some of the shrubs, mow the lawn, drain the water storage tank and close off the downpipe, get rid of the garden rubbish and I am winter ready, out behind the garage at least. No tuition today, a quick trip into Bludenz early this morning to do something for my Poppet, then back out here to roll up my sleeves and keep organising in readiness for winter snow. It is never too early to start this process as it is a lengthy one,  and as the weather is so glorious it pays to keep moving in forward motion. 

#Endoftheweek

If you think you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around.

Friday 26th, 5.40am, 5.3dg, forecasting a fine weather pattern through until the middle of next week.... brilliant. I have outside things to do as winter approaches, and I need sunny calm weather for that. Yesterday was a day where you needed an umbrella briefly, but was mostly dry. Perfect day for a journey by train to distant towns....it is one of the best things about living here in central Europe, the rail system is so fantastic and runs to an exact timetable, the need for a car is not a necessity for me to move around. It is what you are used to, I imagine, that determines if you have one or not.  A car was always necessary when living in New Zealand as there is no real rail system any more, but here I travel everywhere by rail and bicycle. Perfect. My search and find was done in two parts, success in one and a sensible decision not to in another. Home by mid afternoon and up into the office to prepare for a full day of tuition today. I have so many parents ringing to request English tuition for their children and I no longer have suitable times. I am not inclined to take children after 17.00 as they have no concentration left after a long day, and it becomes a waste of my resource and the parents money. The big problem seems to be when the children reach the age 9 + and they are faced with proper English classes in school rather than the early introduction of singing songs and simple games... they are not prepared for the full immersion that the curriculum demands. Time will tell for all of it. My Friday conversation group want to discuss the question of the vote that was for Scottish devolution so I have downloaded some papers so we can read and have a discussion for the hour.  Saying that, I will have to include a page with dictionary / thesaurus explanations for some of the more complicated words in the text. I like that they are constantly pushing themselves to keep current... this group of women are wonderful... the oldest amongst them being 83 !! End of another week. 

#StillLearning

“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.  I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.  I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. 

Thursday 25th, 5.30, 10.dg, 7.8ml rain overnight, forecasting light morning drizzle clearing for the afternoon, with an improving outlook for Friday. Thankfully that part of September is now finished and packed away for another year. Yesterday was another lovely autumn's day perfect for the quiet reflection of what was. A trip to the Friedhof in lovely sunshine with a bunch of red roses tied with a ribbon.. no water vase for my, and a candle lit. Apertivos before lunch was not wise, but a nice way for me to celebrate a fabulous life that stopped three years ago. A quick nana nap before an incoming little for tuition at 14.30 so all was well... he appeared at the door carrying a chilled bottle of Prosecco with his school books... bless... a gift from his Mama for my nerves !!! My Wednesday conversation girls were as lovely as always and we shared a fine bottle of bubbles before they departed rising 18.00... what a day.  :)  Today is a free day for me, so I will jump a train and go off to Dornbirn to do some work that has been waiting for completion for a while. A good day to be on the train if it is miz weather out, and hopefully not back home too late as I have a bit to do in preparation for a busy Friday with conversation and two new littles for English tuition. It is good to be busy.

#ElectronicFrustration

Every day, man is making bigger and better fool-proof things, and every day, nature is making bigger and better fools. So far, I think nature is winning.

Tuesday 23rd, 5.38am. 5.2dg, 18.1 ml rain, forecasting a clear sunny day but the temperature only going as high as 15dg. There is certainly a chill factor here now and very dewey mornings.   Yesterday was a day with late Autumn sunshine but a very lazy wind that went right through you. I spent the morning being creative on the sewing machine and the afternoon taking the train to Bludenz to do some return, pick up and a little search and find. Relative success with most. My late afternoon was spent ducking and diving between the three floors here in the house trying to re-organise the television, dvd, vcr and digisat boxes.... heavens, a technician I am not, but the complexities of the setups on all the TV's here in the house had me baffled. I come from New Zealand and was taught that there is always a way around a problem, first try to do it yourself before you resort to the professionals !!! The whole issue kicked off on Saturday just before the start of F1 qualifying from Singapore, one of the machines that all the cables pass through went dead, really dead, and consequently no TV at all. Circumvented the problem but then went to record and couldn't... circumvented that problem with a change around of machines from various other locations and disabled the system down in my little exercise room... Ekkkk, I will not do exercise without television to occupy me. Upshot finally three hours after I started shifting things around I think I have success, fingers crossed, do I understand the system, no, but I may have winged it. One dead VCR recorder going to the re-cycler today and one dead television going back to the shop where purchased for refund, hopefully. Today I will travel by train on another mission looking for something I have been unable to find closer to home or on the internet, purely in a fashion sense.  Any excuse... :)  Late this afternoon I have my Tuesday evening girls incoming for conversation so a full day to do as I need. Littles tuition filling fast now that school is back and parents realise that the school curriculum is not going to be sufficient for their children with English... win win. 

#HardWorkStarts

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
Sunday 21st, 6.19am, 13.9dg, 4.4ml overnight rain forecasting a clear sunny morning with afternoon evening showers. Yesterday was in the most clear, I was travelling to other places by train so there was no impact on me from the showery bits as they came through. There are elections being held everywhere seemingly... here in the Vorarlberg they have the regional elections today, Sunday. New Zealand went to the polls also this week, with interesting results. Big big numbers who did not even bother to use there voice...No surprise there with "Mr Kim Dotcom" thankfully. It will be a pleasure to move around here with out the party hoardings and the party representatives stopping you every two minutes... what part of " I have no interest in this " do any of them not understand. All in a days work I suppose. Yesterday I had very good search and find results, and even better, home in time to watch F1 quali from Singapore. Not happy with the pole sitter result but good things come to those who wait. I am waiting. Today I have my morning mentally sorted, now I just have to make sure it happens. I will then be chairside from 13.00 for the race. I know the result I want but the Singapore circuit normally favours the pole sitter... Darn.. good things come to those who wait.. I am waiting !!  Today I start to reign in the chaos that has ben impacting me for some time. Good luck with that you say ....

#Hangover #OverIndulged

Friday 19th, 5.30am, 15.0dg, forecasting a sunny morning and possible showers coming later in the afternoon. Yesterday was a beautiful weather day, but my good plans for the day did not end up in a bright sunny way... at 10.00am I met up with my buddy in all things good, bad and downright ugly, and that was my day sorted, in a fashion. Hilariously funny, entertaining, soul soothing with great discussions but the end result is " OMG, I am never drinking again " And I had my bicycle for the latter part of the day.....In heels.... OMG. Today is guaranteed to be beautifully quiet, and very carefully organised, thankfully she is going to London for the weekend, and I do not have to be Mother in Charge!! Not sure how I got out of that one. My only must do task today is my Friday Girls incoming for 10am and then it is a relaxing sort of afternoon. If I was a good person I would cut the hedge, I may not be a good person today, and anyway, it might rain. Scotland sits on a knife edge as the votes come in... too close to get a good indicator. I imagine there is a lot of furrowed brow and nail munching going on up and down the country. The F1 circus is in Singapore this weekend so that is my television time sorted, Singapore Airlines offered me VIP tickets for the race but the invitation came too late as I had done my bookings.... maybe this time next year as I pass through Singapore. I am determined to do at least one live race in my lifetime, and there is also the Austrian GP on my doorstep to consider also... perhaps I could do two live races . I know I will have company  In the meantime I am set for a very low key Friday.

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#IfOnly

Some people are like clouds, when they disappear it's a beautiful day.... if only.

Thursday 18th, 5.56, 12.4dg, forecasting another clear and sunny day for us to enjoy. Yesterday was such a lovely autumn day, so lovely I did some rotisserie hours, after an early lunch, on the sun lounger. Perfect. The morning was spent upstairs. Jackets sorted apart from the light and multi coloured rack, sad face at the ones I have to get rid of, but now with a smaller frame, a jacket that swamps it is so not a good look. My work in the dressing room is coming to an end, now the perplexing task of getting the mountain of stuff to Bludenz. I am resourceful. My new 10year old came in for 14.30 and we spent a happy hour doing some real basics... this is one little soul who has not benefitted from early English in the school system so it is down to me to enthuse and excite him to try. Twenty mins to clear the table and hose the terrasse stones of all the numbers we wrote in chalk and my Wednesday girls were at the door... how wonderful to see all the familiar faces again. No session down at Josef's Platz for me afterwards, way to tired.... I am not finding my feet so quickly after this trip. Today is a free day and I will in all likely hood try to move the mountain of clothing to Bludenz and then I have to get onto the handle end of my hedge cutter and tickle the roadside hedge before winter... it is way to hairy after all the summer weather for the Gemeinde to ignore. Darn. Good results from the first Bonham's auction, now I wait for the November sale.  As for the clouds in my sky, well I do not see those ones ever disappearing as they are far too close to home. Now that is really and truly a shame. If only.

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#HealthyJuices

If you like it, they don't have it in your size... If you like it and its in your size, it doesn't fit anyway.... If you like it and it fits, you can't afford it.... If you like it, it fits, and you can afford it, it falls apart the first time you wash it.
Wednesday 17th, 5.15, 12.3dg, forecasting another clear sunny day.... problem is, the weather man is a fibber. I dressed for a clear sunny day yesterday and we got a cloudy cloudy cool time for most of the day, so I am not inclined to believe him about today. We are in a weather pattern almost unseen for a while.. there is no rain in the forecast until next Wednesday. Yesterday I was busy with the hairdresser for almost three hours, so just home in time for lunch. The afternoon was spent in the dressing room, again, this time skirts and dresses. I did try them all on to make the decision stay or go, you have to really. And so the weight of the bags grow. I am not sure how I will get them all into the Caritas shop in Bludenz!! I still have trousers and jackets to do. Back into conversation yesterday evening, what fun it was to start it again, we did laugh over some of the discussions we had. Today I have a new 10 yr old starting mid afternoon and then incoming my Wednesday Girls to round off the day. I am having green and coloured juices in the evenings at the moment, I feel I need a little re-balance... My apologies to the gurus watching the ozone layer, heavens who would have thought cucumber, spinach, lettuce, pear, apple and ice could be so rowdy.

#HairdresserTime

To walk only on sunny days is to never reach ones destination.

Tuesday 16th, 5.14, 13.4dg, forecasting another sunny clear day...we are being spoilt. Yesterday was such a lovely sunny day, so nice I took a prone position on the sun lounger after lunch. Very nice. There is something quite decadent about lying in the autumn sun, I always feel a little like a pussy cat on a window sill must feel. My morning was spent in the office, tuition prep, bills, emails, photocopying... I think I am good to go. Heavens I have been home almost a week and only just finding some energy to do... I honestly think I have suffered with burn out from the time in Wanaka and then up in Kati Kati... no offence to anyone in the frame but the work load has obviously taken it's toll. Flip side of that is as you age your ability to "do" diminishes, sadly it takes the brain and body a while to acknowledge that small change !!! Bonham's auction is today and then another one for November...  I just wish in all those years someone had taken a photo of the model railway as it was set up in the house upstairs. All I have is the masses of boxes it is now packed in. Today I have an early appointment with the hairdresser and then me time until incoming Tuesday Conversation girls at 18.00. And yes they do talk to you, but the biggest problem with that is it is always when they have the hairdryer going !!! Go figure.

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#NewSchoolYearStarts

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.
Monday 15th, 5.33, 11.8dg, forecasting SUNSHINE with possible showers later this afternoon. Yesterday we had glorious glorious sunshine, so lovely I went for a walk to take the large flower planter back to the Friedhof, kicking leaves from the path as I went... true Autumn colours not in yet. Other than my wander, my day was principally spent in the dressing room dismantling my drawers that I have spent years putting together !!!! The hundred weight of "not needed on voyage" things I will take to Caritas in Bludenz, next on the list are the hanging racks...Trousers, jeans, skirts, dresses, jackets and coats. Handbags and hats not... Oh dear it is a massive job as even I will admit to having a few bits n bobs !! He who has just departed for different climes would probably suggest that I do the same with my shoe cupboards... FYI, my shoe cupboards so do not need selective pruning. At all. Today I start back into my routine with tuition and conversation groups... with new children coming through the doors there is a bit of prep required to get all the extras ready for them. I get the feeling the little one I met on Saturday is a tad nervous, I asked if he wanted to come, or is he coming because Mama and Papa want him to come... time will tell. So feet very firmly back on the ground here in Schruns and good to get going.

#TimeToOrganise

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple...

Sunday 14th, 5.33, 10.2dg, 8.1ml rain over 48hrs, forecasting some sunshine today. Yesterday I had an appointment for 10am with a Mother and son to meet each other and talk tuition. Result, although I have to say, I was in the middle of the mighty AB's playing the Springboks and had to turn off before half time... eeek !! Quick trip into Bludenz yesterday to stock up on greens and I did pop into H&M children's department. I did really go in for the greens !!  Second result for the day.  The little handbag is an accessory for her little outfit that I sent out earlier in the year... Cutie boots Poppet. No point in having a Grand Daughter if she isn't the best dressed little style soul on the block... She will love this, one because it has kittens on it, and two because she has the handbag carrying thing on the crook of her arm down to a T. Bless, she is after all mine.  I was spoilt yesterday, we had some sunshine so..masses of laundry hung out on the line, now the house is just in need of more of the same or I will be forced to use some of my beautiful firewood stack to bring the temperatures in the house to a more friendly level. Today will be an attention to drawers in the dressing room kind of day...I am wearing a sensible hat and so if it hasn't been worn in the last 2 years then it will be removed. Oooohhh !! Watch this space, it may be embarrassing. I have lists.

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#TimeToGetToWork

Friday 12th, 5.40, 10.7dg, 9.9ml rain, forecasting broken cloud with possible afternoon showers. Autumn. It is cool morning, noon and night... no socialising on the gin terrasse, no lovely long late summer evenings outside, no real bar-b-que weather, and now the garden is positively glowing with autumn colours already.... I have missed all the summer possibilities, but this season has not been a summer season here, so perhaps I have missed nothing. Yesterday was a day in the office quietly sorting mail and papers while my cherubs from NZ organised themselves ready for early departure today, direction Frankfurt.... after 10.00am I will be quietly alone here in the house...  So, time to organise my adult conversation groups for re-start next week and I have new children coming for meetings about tuition... back into action with no time for navel gazing really. All my winter's firewood has been cut, split and stacked in my absence, how blessed am I to have such wonderful hard working friends. I must say it a huge weight off my mind to have it all done, now I just have to get a heating engineer in to re-set my hot water cylinder/ central heating options and I am good to go for winter guests. Bookings are starting to build so it all looks very positive. If I was a good girl I would do a quick re-topping of the road hedge as the wet summer has meant massive growth on the hedges... only the one that runs along the footpath... the Gemeinde get so antsy about footpath hedges in the winter, so being a good citizen it will be done. There is always something that needs doing. Happy days.

#Homeagain

Wednesday 10th, 5,23am, 13.7dg forecasting patchy cloud with possible showers this afternoon. Back home in my own bed, with coffee at hand, and the start of normal routine. I opened the cases yesterday afternoon took out the absolute necessities, you know, like duty free, and then closed the door and walked away. It is quite the worst aspect of travelling, the unpack, wash and sort. I was sad to leave Singapore so quickly, but my mistake with the timing... dunce's cap !! Seamless trip back thanks to Singapore Air and another seamless rail journey thanks to the OBB Railjet. Just love that service, two and half hours to my village from Zurich main station, brilliant. I missed my connection in Zurich HBF so had to cool my heels in a Bahnhof cafe for two hours.. la la la, as you do after a 12 and a half hour flight. So home again. I have resident besties here in the house which is so lovely to come home to company, although one of them is moving like a geriatric old fart after a small issue with his feet and the stairwell. Sad thing about feet and stairwell issues is the stairwell always comes out on top, so we will be quietly catching up and going slowly all round for a while. The weather is certainly not overly summery here... I was a two wool cardigans yesterday, and the surrounding greenery certainly tells the tale of the massively wet season it has been in my absence. Today is laundry day, and all that is associated with unpack. A note to my sister, those two coats you forced me to buy in Auckland will not fit into the hanging space in the dressing room for coats so I am now forced to have a sort out there also !!! On the whole I have been very frugal with retail since I have been away, a handful of "things" in Singapore on the in and out, and a modest session with my sister in Auckland, but the best bit was no overweight charges !! Result.

#Mooncakes #Singapore

Here in Singapore it is the Moon Cake Festival.... I am sitting out at Changi in the Kris Lounge feeling very miffy... I miscalculated my flights and mine leaves at 1.20am tomorrow not late tomorrow the next day as I thought... I have a face a little like thunder at the moment as I wanted down time. C'est la Vie. So plan two, come on in Mr Gordons while I wait. A girl should always have a back up plan.
Today marks the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities all over the world.
Taking place on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, it is the second most important festival to the Chinese after the New Year.
The celebration dates back over 3,000 years to the Shang Dynasty (1600 to 1046 BC), when emperors worshipped the moon in the fall because they thought it would lead to a bountiful harvest.
Moon worship
Moon worship took the form of sacrifices to the lunar goddess in the succeeding Western Zhou Dynasty (1045 to 770 BC) and the practice has continued to the modern day. Offerings are also made to a deity called Chang'e, known as the Moon Goddess of Immortality.
Mooncakes
Making, sharing and eating Chinese pastries called mooncakes are a tradition of the festival. In Chinese culture, a round shape symbolises completeness, and sharing the mooncakes signifies the unity of families. A rich thick filling is usually made from red bean or lotus seed paste, but they can also contain fruit, chocolate or savoury foods.
Lanterns
The day is celebrated by lighting and display lanterns. In Vietnam, children participate in parades with lanterns of various forms and colours, and one tradition is to write riddles on the lanterns and have others guess the answers.
Traditional foods
Other foods include lotus roots, which symbolise peace, and watermelons cut in the shape of lotus petals. Cassia wine is the traditional choice for the "reunion wine" drunk on the occasion. In Vietnam, cakes and fruits are elaborately prepared as food displays and animals are created out of glutinous rice flour and rice paste.
Romance
The Mid-Autumn moon has traditionally been a choice occasion to celebrate marriages, and in some parts of China, dances are held for young men and women to find partners.
Mongol rule
Messages smuggled in mooncakes were used to facilitate the overthrow of Mongol rule, according to folklore. Mooncakes were used as a medium by the Ming revolutionaries in their espionage effort to secretly distribute letters in order to overthrow the Mongolian rulers of China in the Yuan dynasty.
Not always a full moon
The Mid-Autumn Festival does not always occur during a full moon, contrary to popular belief, but the full moon will likely occur within two days of the festival.

#TimeToGo #ThanksNZ

Sunday 7th, 9.41am..... Oh Dear Oh Dear.

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#Jobdone #Conroysremoval

Friday the 5th, 5.33, 15dg, forecasting a showery day and brightening weekend. Same for Auckland. My work here is done, yesterday was a massive day as I started at 3.30am ...no point in lying in bed when you can't sleep so I started with the inside things that needed to be cleared before little inquisitors got up. Conroys, the company contracted to do the removal from Wanaka to Tauranga, did a brilliant job and we had three very nice young men unloading and positioning through Wednesday evening. We sent them off with a hearty bacon and egg pie to munch for their endeavours with a job well done. I do have to say Mel and I were a little gob smacked at the amount of boxes facing us for the unpack and sort for the next day!! It never looks so much when it is all neatly in drawers and cupboards....All but one garage box unpacked and everything homed... I stopped last night and climbed into bed by 22.00 with a weary body. Her little house looks like a home, shiny halo and pat on the back... job done. Today we head to Auckland, signatures to get in the central city... cannot say I am looking forward to the search, find and park for a consulate building, but hopefully all before lunch time. Then it is onto my sister and family for an evening with more family catch up with a new great nephew and my nieces... best bit... I do not have to cook.. Ohh Yay !!!  A couple of rats and mice to sort before the end of the working week and then I am finished here in New Zealand. Soon homeward bound.

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#❤

Wednesday 3rd, 5.27, 11dg forecasting a fine day with possible afternoon showers late this afternoon. Yesterday was a clothes line full day in lovely weather and showers late afternoon... really perfect winter sort of weather. She and I went walking in the morning to meet Mama on her way back from work.. so we jumped, skipped, ran, studied daisies in the grass, smelt flowers, held up our stop hand at oncoming cars, talked to the cows who didn't want the offered grass, ran up sloping berms, and sat on all the bus stop seats we could find... it was a huge morning on little legs. Needless to say the sleep after lunch was a big refresher. Late this afternoon we have the furniture trucks arriving. :0 so it is sleeves rolled up and running shoes on, please rain stay away. I am hoping we have two lovely strong burly removal men who we are going to feed/bribe with the classic kiwi bacon and egg pie in order to get all the furniture moved into place and then that just leaves us with the tweaking in position and then all the boxes. And the Poppet ! She is such a good helper with the best intentions in, out, back, thieve, hide, so sadly tomorrow she will spend the day at day care in order to allow us to have uninterrupted unpack and put away time, she is such a good helper. Bless her little socks, she thinks that by lying on top of what ever it is she has taken, with her face very firmly pointing down, knowing full well it is not Poppet appropriate things she has in her hand, that we cannot see her. Ohh to be little.  Please note when collecting oranges with Moochie before our walk, the brilliant position of the bucket action... practising for handbag work .....

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#Onepercentofnaughtiness

Monday Morning...1st, 6.17, 10dg, forecasting max of 13dg showery all day but the birds are singing so it cannot be all bad. Yesterday was a day of ducking and diving to the washing line, in amongst the job of "doing" the chest freezer rotation. ...upshot of that was a massive thaw and cook up of all the forgotten bits that needed to be used. Unexpected drop in for help with furniture removals and lunch ..tick, one out of the freezer dishes demolished. The three seater bed settee suite taken out to the garage waiting for pick up after a good trade me result.. next to go is the large change table another three seater bed settee and what will become someone's beer fridge. The lounge is looking very bare, it will be interesting to see the Poppet's face when she arrives down there this morning, her little couch is still in the room but all her toys have now been packed away in the garage for three days and seemingly not missed. This is now my final week here in NZ. Am I ready to leave, not really, but know that I have to. I go home to Autumn, after a terribly soggy cold European summer so I have not missed anything being away, the bookings are already coming in for the Dachboden for the winter and I know that there are people waiting for my return so we can all pick up where we left off in July. I am going to do something today that I hope I do not regret... a trip to the local hairdresser. This could be interesting !! I am nearly out of gin so a quick trip to the bottle shop for a half should do it... Naughty naughty one percent !! 

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