Friday 31 January 2014

January 30th Fun Pun City

Seeing the below notice on our daily walk, always has me in silent giggles with all the possible puns.


Imagine the scenario if this resulted in a prosecution of a body part

The Head:   He realised Your Honour that he should have quit whilst he was a head
A Leg:        He has no idea what happened Your Honour. He was legless at the time
An Arm:     Yes Your Honour, my client is (h)armless
A Knee:      This was the result Your Honour, of a real knees up
A Butt:        Your Honour, in life he has had a real bum's rush and is the butt of many jokes
A Toe:         Your Honour, I promise my client will toe the line from here on in.

I think I had better stop now!!

Wednesday 29 January 2014

January 29th A Letter to God

Dear  God of Weather

Please let this beautiful weather continue. OK I confess I am not doing much apart from walking the dog (and chasing the almighty $ of course), but just having these beautiful days puts me in a totally different frame of mind.

The sky is blue, the grass is green, oh let it continue until 2015. Ok that's asking a bit much, but please keep those grey, windy and wet days away from me.

Oh and thank you for sending our wonderful neighbour over. I loved their gift of homegrown tomatoes.

With warmest (take note of the word warmest) regards
Irene






January 28th The Seamstress

Damn!!  I missed a perfectly good opportunity to bring my mending with me.


Tuesday 28 January 2014

January 27th Happy Auckland Anniversary/Australia Day

Well how is that for a coincidence? Auckland Anniversary and Australia Day both celebrated on the same auspicious day. However, I do  not live in Auckland and neither does practically the top half of the North Island of New Zealand - and yet we celebrate Auckland Anniversary Day. If it didn't fall in summertime and culminate in a few concurrent short working weeks every year, I may just be inclined to protest.

As I am an Australian (confession time) but raised in New Zealand, I am a bit of both.  So I thought I would get a couple of furry buddies together for a photo op. The Koala is a typical Australian - one eyed :) He has been keeping me company for 51 years now.  As for Cool Kiwi... just a teen and been in my presence for 14 years, gifted as a travel mascot to me.


And it was such a beautiful, sunny, summery (yes summery, can I repeat summery) day, it was perfect for a walk in the park






Monday 27 January 2014

January 26th Bags are Packed

Well his bags are packed he's ready to go
We are both sad don't you know
He's leaving on a jet plane
I know I will see him again

It feels strange George is venturing overseas without me. This will be for the first time ever




Sunday 26 January 2014

January 25th Basil and an Iron

Basil has been getting out of hand (the botanical variety folks) and it was time to harvest

Yes I know you love the sun, but it's time to come inside


Bit cooler in here - don't get too comfortable

Chop Chop, don't go nuts

Basil Pesto

The most hated appliance in the history of man made an appearance

Friday 24 January 2014

January 24th A Friday Frolic

Selfie with a best friend. The most hilarious part about this photo? I forwarded this to George at work, not realising that he was in an important meeting. Apparently all was very serious in his meeting until it was interrupted by a very loud musical drumroll, and a voice screaming ''Text'' - someone forgot to mute their phone!


January 23rd All Sorts and a Duvet Burrito

That heading got your attention didn't it?  What a mish mash of a day. Yesterday I was bemoaning (a very rare occurrence for me to bemoan - cough cough) how hard it is to put a duvet into a duvet cover. I wondered if our silk duvet was too light for the envelope method, as it always looks like me - lumpy and bumpy with panties in a bunch!  I decided maybe it was time for a new duvet, and surprise of surprises, Briscoes had one of their 'very rare' daily sales - 50% off Well if you tell this girl 50% off, there is no stopping her. I emerged with a wool duvet, two European pillows as ours had sagged and bagged, and a duvet cover set.

I had googled easy ways to insert a duvet inner or something similar, and lo and behold there is an easier way.  The method is known as a Duvet Burrito http://tinyurl.com/c6nepr6 and believe me this works. I was that excited as to how easy this was, that I have to share the final result with you


It also gives me a chance to show off my elephants that recline on our bed. Speaking of elephants - a pleasant surprise in our mailbox today. I have never met this wonderful lady - her equally wonderful daughter works for friends in Timaru. She is aware that I adore a certain species of animal and has sent me various elephants she has chanced upon. Here is her latest gift and it certainly made my day. Who's a spoilt girl then?



Wednesday 22 January 2014

January 21st Oh Summer Wherefore Art Thou?

Oh Summer, Oh Summer, Wherefore art thou?
You have brought weather and a wind most foul
I am wanting a hot summer's day
to sit outside with my wine, and  toast to life, and to know that all is okay
But this Summer has left me wondering
Are we about to catapult into Autumn and the frosts it will bring
Oh Summer, Oh Summer, Wherefore art thou?
I speak not in jest, but with a scowl!

And on that note - the highlight of my day was doing the artwork for George's current brew


Tuesday 21 January 2014

January 20th Home Grown

Two Courgettes and a Cucumber, home grown - but not by me. Always a pleasure to receive a gift from someone's garden.


Monday 20 January 2014

January 19th You Know.....

You know you are at a Party/BBQ in Auckland when this is your view. Actually this was Fine Travel's Annual Get Together - and I hadn't seen anyone since last years party (maybe I should change my deodorant?).



Sunday 19 January 2014

January 18th First Birthday Party

It was my wonderful granddaughter Samara's first Birthday party and she is turning the big ONE this Thursday, 23rd January. Fortunately Raglan decided to turn on a summer's day for us, as we celebrated the occasion.

The Birthday Girl

Gosh, I wonder who bought this card?

The perfect cake

Minnie hanging around wondering where Mickey is





Minnie has had a growth spurt


Saturday 18 January 2014

January 17th Floral Displays

One thing you have to admire in Hamilton are the lovely flower displays at traffic islands. They are always a mass of colour - it almost makes waiting at traffic lights a pleasure


Friday 17 January 2014

January 16th Victor's Place

I wonder why Peking Duck has never had a name change? Peking changed to Beijing, which was enforced by the Chinese Government in the 1980's. But Peking Duck has remained as Peking Duck. You must admit it sounds much better then Beijing Duck, which sounds very Beige and almost 50 shades of grey don't you think?

The reason for these thoughts is because we were dining out at a fairly new Chinese restaurant in Hamilton, called 'Victor's Place'. Having never sampled Peking Duck before (don't ask me why, but the occasion has never arisen for either of us), we joined friends for an evening of authentic Chinese cuisine and Peking Duck. What a lovely meal. I am so glad we chose to dine here and yes just like Arnie, I'll be back

Let the puns begin. OK you can duck for cover now and this place is all it is quacked up to be.
With Purple being my favourite colour, I think we made the right choice here

This isn't all the meal - still more to come

Duck for cover - yes it's a beady eye. I spy with my little eye, a head of a duck not in the sky!

Thursday 16 January 2014

January 15th Oh Yeah

Only planted last summer, and our Kaffir Lime is doing well with an abundance of fruit. It survived the Waikato winter. I am sure being wrapped in frost cloth was a great help - who doesn't like to keep sheltered in winter?


Wednesday 15 January 2014

January 14th The Blooper Edition

When things don't go right, you can always go left. As you know, I take a daily photo but sometimes my finger clicks at the wrong time or I have no idea I have even taken a photo. Here is a selection of bloopers from the past couple of days


Possibly the result of me huffing and puffing as I climb our driveway?

Somewhere up there is a bunch of raspberries

Still puzzled as to the when and where

A Skin Flick perhaps?

Tuesday 14 January 2014

January 13th What I Like About Summer

'Well, that is if it ever happens. We have had teaser days and late Spring was more of a Summer, then Summer has been so far. I also read an excellent quote yesterday, which resonates with me 'Let's replace all this sand with snow - said no one ever'

Here is one of the reasons these Summer months are a firm favourite


Monday 13 January 2014

January 12th The Poser and The Nonchalant

Well it's me, Minnie coming to you again today.  I don't know if you remembered that I mentioned last time that I hadn't seen that Westie, quite a few years my junior, for a while. Well I am not sure what to think right now to be honest. He has been staying at MY Doggy Motel. I mean the cheek of it - that is mine! I know other dogs stay there, but they are just brought in when I stay. A bit like Rent a Crowd - however in this instance it's Rent Some Company for Minnie, whilst the she and he human are off cavorting.

Anyway back to Benny the Westie. He visited yesterday. So not only does he frequent my doggy motel, but to rub salt into the wound figuratively speaking, he turns up unannounced (to me anyway) and drinks my fountain of youth dry, and then demolishes all of my food. No please, thank you's or anything. Naturally I showed my disdain.

The evening wore on, and lo and behold guess what happened!  He stayed the night. Sleeping on the bed with the she, he human and myself. Fortunately by that time he finally knew his place and went to the foot of the bed immediately (amazing what a glare can accomplish) and I remained up the top. I thank my lucky stars he didn't try any nudge, nudge, wink, wink, let's do it anywhere but in the kitchen sink. He remained at a respectful distance throughout the entire night.

I wonder how long I have to put up with him for? If this goes on for much longer, I may just have to raid the wine rack to the left of me.


Sunday 12 January 2014

January 11th The Upside of Being a Fishing Widow

The boys reached their limit by lunchtime amd here is our share of the catch. When you have fresh Snapper for dinner, the only way to cook it is to pan fry it in butter




Thursday 9 January 2014

January 8th Swimming and a Selfie

Here's Little H having her swimming lesson for the week


We decided to follow up and play ladies at Jam Cafe. How is this photo for an unintended selfie?


Wednesday 8 January 2014

January 7th Oops I Did It Again...

I have to admit it tasted alright though. Thank Goodness it was 'Best Before' and not 'Use By'. Does anyone else have this problem or am I the only bad housewife in existence?




Tuesday 7 January 2014

January 6th It's Peanuts

I am so glad my Peanuts bag contained Peanuts. I would have been devastated otherwise


Monday 6 January 2014

January 5th The Art of Tea

On the outskirts of Hamilton lies a Tea Estate. I was aware of the presence of Zealong Tea, but unaware it had a restaurant attached. One can enjoy a High Tea or a Lunch. This is the only Tea farm located in New Zealand. So we decided to head out and check out Zealong for ourselves. You will note on their website  http://zealong.com/camellia-tea-house-restaurant/ it says bookings are essential, and we did not book, and were very lucky to find a table. It is true when they say 'bookings are essential'.

Here is a selection of photos from our visit.

Just a small portion of the Tea plants
The signature tea cups are amazing and there are 4 types of tea on offer
I'm not such a little teapot, yes I am

Yes, I think my Oolong is brewed now and ready to drink
These were the best Scallops I have enjoyed in my life. For once in a restaurant, they had a decent roe attached. These Scallops are to live for!

Feed the Man Meat! Cooked Medium Rare apparently and much enjoyed

Zealong tea infused set custard with a toffee crust served with tea and pistachio biscotti