It's the 9th of March and the first weekend we have had at home for a while. We are lying in bed reading the paper and of course blogging. The summery weather has gone. Its darker in the mornings, the northerly is blowing continuously and on Thursday the rain came down in buckets. Considering how dry it has been it was a flood type situation which thankfully didn't appear to eventuate.
Mike and Connie arrived on Thursday afternoon and we went round to Don and Judy's for dinner. Their house is beginning to look empty as they move their stuff to the coast. We saw their new home on Saturday when we took Blake out to pick up Connie. A picnic in the lounge thanks to Bakers Delight. Mike has been telling Connie about his happy memories as a child spending time with Grandma Beth. So, Connie was keen to see Grandma Beth and her my Granny's grave. This was after a discussion about Tabby and her ashes in the box on Friday and Saturday morning. After putting hydrangeas on both graves I hear Connie tell Blake on the way back to the car "When you get older you can decide when you die if you want to be buried or burnt and turned to mush". That made me smile and felt good as I was feeling sad thinking how much Mum and my Granny would love to have met their grandchildren. We enjoyed Connie practising her teaching skills with all Grandma Beth's teddies sitting happily on the stairs and enjoying maths instruction. The classroom expanded to the bedroom and I revisited my childhood days where I taught my toys anything from counting to trampoling. I joined Connie in the class with the teddies and am sad to say I didn't get the prize for being the star pupil.
We have done some nice walks recently - around Mt Vic and Plimmerton.
It was rather a busy day as we then drove over to Makara to see Jenny and John, their dog, ducks and eels. We fed the animals, and then Jenny and John fed us afternoon tea. Mike enjoyed talking to them about owning a lifestyle block. It was Mike and Becks 7th wedding anniversary and we stopped on the way to Ohariu Farm where we took photos and remembered that special day 7 years ago. Miss the bride - on that occasion tho!!
We had fish and chips and with Blake and Rebecca lazed around watching Mary Poppins. No dressing up this time but lots of singing and dancing.
Friday 15th dawned and no one would have foreseen the awful circumstances of that day - etched in the mind of New Zealanders for every. 50 people losing their lives in Christchurch. The country is in mourning and most of the world is with us in saying how deplorable that the unspeakable could happen in New Zealand and to so many refugees who came here to escape pain and suffering in their own country. It is a time for reflection and I think many others felt the same. I decided to go to the memorial service at the Basin Reserve on Sunday evening. I am glad I did. With 10,000 or so others, we covered nearly every piece of grass and grandstand and stood united in our desire for peace. It was confronting seeing police wearing guns, something I guess we might need to get used to in the future.
This week evidence of the heightened state of security is everywhere. Work has a security guard standing (what a job - standing all day, doing nothing except looking for suspicious looking people) and parliament is guarded by policy - again with guns. Confronting and disturbing.
I have walked home 3 times this week so far, it has been good for me to climb hills, reflect on what has happened and to try and find peace in our lovely blue harbour, green hills, blue sky and very balmy weather. Harry's back is on the mend and he is starting to walk to meet me again. Great - return to normality.
Travel club was on - a talk about touring Iran. It reminded me so much of Spain - the landscapes, buildings, architecture. I asked Harry if he would be interested in going "no way" was his response. Might be another trip sometime with a friend.
We finished our vertical gardens - the big one looks great but the small ones has the plants that should grow upwards deciding to grow downwards. That's nature for you.
Mike and Connie arrived on Thursday afternoon and we went round to Don and Judy's for dinner. Their house is beginning to look empty as they move their stuff to the coast. We saw their new home on Saturday when we took Blake out to pick up Connie. A picnic in the lounge thanks to Bakers Delight. Mike has been telling Connie about his happy memories as a child spending time with Grandma Beth. So, Connie was keen to see Grandma Beth and her my Granny's grave. This was after a discussion about Tabby and her ashes in the box on Friday and Saturday morning. After putting hydrangeas on both graves I hear Connie tell Blake on the way back to the car "When you get older you can decide when you die if you want to be buried or burnt and turned to mush". That made me smile and felt good as I was feeling sad thinking how much Mum and my Granny would love to have met their grandchildren. We enjoyed Connie practising her teaching skills with all Grandma Beth's teddies sitting happily on the stairs and enjoying maths instruction. The classroom expanded to the bedroom and I revisited my childhood days where I taught my toys anything from counting to trampoling. I joined Connie in the class with the teddies and am sad to say I didn't get the prize for being the star pupil.
It was rather a busy day as we then drove over to Makara to see Jenny and John, their dog, ducks and eels. We fed the animals, and then Jenny and John fed us afternoon tea. Mike enjoyed talking to them about owning a lifestyle block. It was Mike and Becks 7th wedding anniversary and we stopped on the way to Ohariu Farm where we took photos and remembered that special day 7 years ago. Miss the bride - on that occasion tho!!
We had fish and chips and with Blake and Rebecca lazed around watching Mary Poppins. No dressing up this time but lots of singing and dancing.
Friday 15th dawned and no one would have foreseen the awful circumstances of that day - etched in the mind of New Zealanders for every. 50 people losing their lives in Christchurch. The country is in mourning and most of the world is with us in saying how deplorable that the unspeakable could happen in New Zealand and to so many refugees who came here to escape pain and suffering in their own country. It is a time for reflection and I think many others felt the same. I decided to go to the memorial service at the Basin Reserve on Sunday evening. I am glad I did. With 10,000 or so others, we covered nearly every piece of grass and grandstand and stood united in our desire for peace. It was confronting seeing police wearing guns, something I guess we might need to get used to in the future.
This week evidence of the heightened state of security is everywhere. Work has a security guard standing (what a job - standing all day, doing nothing except looking for suspicious looking people) and parliament is guarded by policy - again with guns. Confronting and disturbing.
I have walked home 3 times this week so far, it has been good for me to climb hills, reflect on what has happened and to try and find peace in our lovely blue harbour, green hills, blue sky and very balmy weather. Harry's back is on the mend and he is starting to walk to meet me again. Great - return to normality.
Travel club was on - a talk about touring Iran. It reminded me so much of Spain - the landscapes, buildings, architecture. I asked Harry if he would be interested in going "no way" was his response. Might be another trip sometime with a friend.
We finished our vertical gardens - the big one looks great but the small ones has the plants that should grow upwards deciding to grow downwards. That's nature for you.
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