Just had a go at burning the house down!
I put a big pot of lovely pears on to stew for our breakfast, in my prettiest big pot, I had turned it right down but the element was still going.
Erle and I suddenly decided it was a great time to go for a walk up the hill behind us, its such a perfect day, too nice to stay inside for long, so off we went.
Discovered there has been a new walkway path made that goes a long way up the big hill, it was pretty steep and narrow but a well made path, so we just had to follow it up to great viewing point with a fine view over Picton, we lingered enjoying the said view, without a camera to record it! Then went on further till eventually the walkway came back down again and branched off in several directions, we follow one of the smaller paths till I came upon lots of big bags of potting mix! Never a good sign when your in the middle of nowhere on a small pathway! We didn’t hang around looking to see if there was a small plantation of anything there should not have been, we just turned and raced back down and off the big hill then on home.
As we got close to home we could here this loud beeping, but until we got right outside we didn’t realise it was our smoke alarm going crazy!
I ran in and very quickly knew what a stupid thing I had done; leaving a pot of stewing pears with lots of sugar on the stove- a recipe for disaster, at least for the pretty pot. The whole house was full of thick smoke only one window had been open, but we quickly rectified that, with every window wide open we soon had the smoke dispersing and the red hot pot was cooling in the sink. When I checked the pot it was to discover all the enamel had come off the base, stuck onto what once were pears in the bottom, the pot is totalled kaput, muntered, but I decided it would make a great planting pot, so next spring it will be full of pretty flowers, so all is not lost, and our house did not burn down, but none of our close neighbours seem to have heard the alarm either, which is a bit of a worry I guess, we had better not to it for real next time. Should there be a next time which I certainly hope there will not.
Proves that the smoke alarm is working and that a good thing too.
But...... is this the start of Alzheimers!!!!! certainly hope not.

Misty morning

We awoke to a very misty morning, thick fog everywhere, spotted this big old oak tree with its autumn coloured leaves still on it shining through. There is a big bush covered mountain behind this tree but it can't be seen at all.



And some bare branched Birch trees too.




Thats my World for this week, do check out some more sights from this Meme.

St John's Ambulance New Shuttle Bus.

St John's Ambulance have just got a wonderful new Shuttle bus to transport people to and from the Hospital in Blenheim. It will also be used to transport patients between Blenheim and Nelson Hospital for treatment.


Today is its very first day on duty, and my neighbour Pat Grieve was the very first passenger to be transported, she was taken from Picton to Blenheim for and ECG test
This vehicle will be a real asset, such a help to people like Pat who have no car or any way of getting to Blenheim hospital, there is a bus but it only goes to the railway station not the hospital.
Another wonderful thing about this Health Shuttle is that it is free, a donation is gladly accepted but there is no fixed charge!

White's bay.

White's Bay

We took our caravan over to White's Bay for a short break, only 3 days but it was just so restful, very quiet and peaceful, we woke each morning to the dawn chorus of bell birds and other little birds serenading us..
There were very few others saying at the camp, mainly German tourists in camper vans, we found them very friendly enjoying their time in New Zealand, appreciating the wild remote places like this bay where only one person lives; the camp manager who comes around every evening to collect the fees.

I did a little rock climbing, which is amazing as I have a great fear of heights, the idea was to have my photo taken on the big rock, but then I found I just blended into the rock since I was wearing very pale clothes.
Also did some bird watching just the sort of activity to do when your not feeling very active.
Did manage to catch an Oyster Catcher wandering alone the waters edge. Because it is mainly black it is the Variable oyster Catcher.

Walked around a nice bush walk over a small hill to the opposite end of the bay to get the almost full halfmoon shape of the bay. While we were around here a lady arrived covered all over in tatoos, we were looking at them while she peeled off all her clothes and proudly walked into the ocean as nature intended, just like a mermaid. leaving my Husband and I gaping!!!! Seemed like a good time to leave - to me anyway.
You can see the Life guard building which has recently been renovated, its a very nice building now and available to hire, should you wish to sleep 10 people in bunks in one big room, not for me thank you.


Found a big Karaka tree ( a native NZ Tree) growing in the camp and was surprised to see it with a great crop of big orange berries, which are deadly poisonous in the natural state, but the Maori people do eat them if they are soaked for days then scraped of all the flesh, inside is a big stone with a delicious kernal which I think has to be cooked to be enjoyed safely. Have not tried them myself. I do hope children keep well away from the berries.

We are home again over night then back in the caravan again. We are going to use it as a base for Mum's garage sale, because we have emptied her home so can't really do much in the empty house, though there is still electricity to run the caravan.

Erle and I will sleep over at mums in the caravan to protect all the gear we have got ready for selling at the garage sale. It will be all go from about 6am in the morning! Fortunately my Brother and Sister will be helping too.

Already the 3 wonderful relaxing days at White's Bay seem ages ago! Might have to do it all again!

After working all day, helping to clear out my Mother's home, move her into her lovely new apartment, and prepare for a big garage sale on Saturday, came home exhausted and needing a few days relaxation.
Sooooo......
We are off in the caravan tomorrow morning, the weathers good and we are free for a 3 days so we are off! Would stay away longer but for the need to return to assist at the garage sale.

Christchurch three weeks later.

I was asked how things were in Christchurch after the major earthquake Feb, on 22nd.
Things are not really good there, aftershocks continue, there is talk of moving whole suburbs away to a new location! As many as 10,000 homes have been badly damaged, most of central Christchurch business are too and may never re open. Death toll is about 200, not all can be identified, many are foreign nationals, mainly Japanese children who were in a language school.
Electric power has been restored to most of the city, but, water and sewerage has not been restored, thousands are using portable toilets, and living in tent villages, fine for now but won't be so fine in winter.

One bit of good news; there were no bodies found in the Cathedral, it was thought 20 people would be found there, but it is a minor miracle is that no one died in Gods House. But it. is so badly damaged it may have to be demolished and replaced entirely.
Another wonderful thing is that a gentleman in England has donated many millions of dollars to rebuild!
Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.