Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Journal. Caitlin

Yesterday Caitlin had to visit the local Coromandel doctor for a painful leg who sent her for examination to Thames, NZ hospital who in turn referred her to Waikato Hospital.

She has an infection from either a bee sting or an ankle scratch visiting a friend's farm. She is on a 48 hour antibiotic drip and is now waiting for a bone scan to check for futher infection.

She is presently in the children's Ward 52. Caitlin was with Gillian and Paul at the beach up towards Port Charles on the Coromandel Peninsula.

Gillian slept alongside Caitlin's bed last night in the hospital.

Anthony visited the hospital this afternoon.

Saturday, December 27, 2003

Journal. Ashlee

Today Ashlee became one of the legions of the pierced ones... her belly button will never be the same again!

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Journal. Christmas Eve

I got up early this morning, had my breakfast of one third of a tin of baked beans and bacon and then proceeded to make the stuffing for the Christmas turkey. I found a recipe on the BBC website for apricot stuffing from a noted chef, it was simple and straight forward. The lady chef will use the stuffing later after it marinates in the fridge. After finishing and cleaning up I was clear by 8 a.m.

We had an email from Ian this morning, he has his laptop with him down in Usk. He said he broke a tooth eating breakfast!?! So I sent him our news back... I had made the turkey stuffing.

Hosing cats and dogs this morning but the rain is forcast clear up later. Enough rain to top up the fish pond... one less job to do before we go on holiday on Boxing Day.

Oh, its heading for our midday and the sun is out once more.

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Journal. An Interesting Site

If you want a good read and straight from the horses mouth try this site "Letters form Iraq"

Who knows when you read the the newspapers or view the TV news or CNN, whose slant is it?

And its usually doomsday stuff!

Saturday, December 20, 2003

Journal PS

Sick of the expense of buying batteries for the digital camera. 4 AA batteries a pop and fade out at 1.2 volts. Bought 2 sets of rechargable batteries and a computer contolled charger.
Journal. Just Musings

I closed the Workshop from today for the Christmas and New Year break except for in hand work. Going to Whitianga on Boxing Day for 2 weeks. We are in charge of 2 teenagers. Lucky us?

Shirley O'Halloran was buried today, a staunch bird enthusiast, a friend of ours.

Took Friday off and went shopping in Hamilton yesterday, I bought another HTML book, good reading over our break. Purchased the last 4 concrete slabs to pave the glasshouse internal and external paths. The last expense? We miss the large station wagon for bulky load carrying. A car carries so little.

Ian and Vicky's Xmas card has just arrived. Yes Vicky, the glasshouse is almost finished, I will send a photo soon.

Love from us all and a Merry Chrismas.

Monday, December 15, 2003

Journal Our bad Weather

For the past 5 days NZ has been trapped between 2 almost stationary high pressure areas and these have been dragging down large amounts of moist air from the tropics giving us in the North Island heavy rain and almost 100% humidity at times with temps in the 26-30C. region.

These highs are slowly dissipating and moving away from NZ. A relief to everyone.

I heard at 5.30a.m. on the radio that Saddam has been caught. I couldn't resist getting up and trawling the Internet news sites. Read one site and the other sites are just an echo of the first one. The Sydney Morning Herald was the best one by a long chalk.

Tuesday, December 02, 2003

Telegraph | News

Look here for The Telegraph Report on Middle Earth and Wellywood renamed by some Orcland

Monday, December 01, 2003

Journal The Lord of the Rings

The 3rd of the Lord of the Rings trilogy The Return of the King world premiered today in Wellington.

The Return of the King is said by film industry insiders to be the best of the trilogy. I wonder if it will not only be nominated for an Oscar as the other were but this time Peter Jackson will take an Oscar? Or is Hollywood still a closed shop to viewed "upstarts"?

Wellington... Middle earth is now known as Wellywood.

Yesterday

Picked more Tangelos, juiced enough for 3 litres of juice and a glass left over. I doubt we will be able to use them all up before they deteriorate. We have taken only the best fruit so far from the top of the trees now 15ft. up. We have a photo of Mrs. Vicky Irving up the ladder during a visit some years ago.