Porsche's Christmas Present

Porsche got a new Fluoro Catnip Mouse for Christmas. She loves it, it is sniffed, chewed, thrown high in the air, dragged around the house and snuggled in her basket. 

Christmas with the Pastor Judy and Wayne

Wonderful Christmas we had this year, at a loose end family-wise for both of our family's we decided to get together for Christmas Dinner. A week before Christmas  everything changed; Judy and Wayne's daughter -in- law who is expecting a new babe became very ill in danger of loosing the baby, she was ordered to have complete bed rest doing nothing specially not raising the other two little children, so Judy raced up North and brought the two little children back to live with them indefinitely; maybe even after the baby is born. A huge task for two very busy people, but they have coped very well, much better than I would of in same circumstances. 
Church Christmas morning was punctuated by small baby screams, but no worries all of us have had or still have children, eventually the tiny boy quietens and slept and we did hear the Pastors Nativity message.

After Church we Skyped my Daughter in Australia for a lovely long chat then we went to Judy and Wayne's home where Santa delivered the last of the children' s gifts plus a few other things and we settled down with a wine and some nibbles starters to enjoy a really lovely fun Christmas feast with a sweet little girl who only seemed to eat ham and pavlova and a sleepy boy who had a bottle mostly. 
The four of us had a great fun time so much laughter and wine I could scarcely move later when it came time to go home.... no I did not drive! Not that silly.
Bless them both for their hospitality.

My visitors.

It truly amazes me that I have had visitors from 170 different countries around the world, to view my blog, most of them make return visits, some become regulars. Thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog. Though I have yet to get a visit from Santa at North pole, my latest visitor is from Cayman Islands near the equator.  I am only sorry I no longer have the time to visit many other peoples interesting sites, but I do wish you all a very joyous Christmas.

Amaryllis

 My beautiful semi double Amaryllis  have been so lovely this year.

Side-car riding

Dexter invited me to ride in his Side-car from Church to to the Church lunch at a private house up on a hill.

 I just loved it. Was such fun zipping around the town with my ear to ear grin waving at everyone not so fortunate. I just felt so lucky. Lunch was pretty good too.

Lord Nelson tall ship.

Lord Nelson.

A beautiful  Tall Ship, Lord Nelson in Port at Picton NZ.

We were so lucky to be able to go on-board this big sailing ship and have a good look around, sadly not to go actual sailing.

Although there were hundreds of other people on board it does not look like there were many others at all.

I was 

impressed by all the riggings and ropes hanging everywhere, would take a long time before one knew which rope to pull to set a sail.

I photographed the outside wheel house, but there was a much more high tech one inside, with every mod con needed on a modern ship.

To get a chance to go on board we stood in the hot, 29 degree sun for one and a half hours, but it was worth it. There were hundreds of people queued up waiting for a chance to go on board.

Sadly we missed seeing it sail out of the harbour under sail.

New Leather jacket.

It is a public holiday here today, Marlborough Anniversary Day, most shops are closed. 
We walked down town to buy some buns for lunch, spotted one shop open with a rack of special goods out on the street. Among the items was a tan leather jacket quite fancy with all pin tucks down from and back, I looked at it without much interest as specials are never big enough to fit me, but, surprisingly it was my size. Tried it on and although it is a trifle big round waist and neck, and it could be longer I liked it so much that I bought it for the $50 asked! For that price I don't care if it is made in China and maybe any variety of leather, I really don't care what animal wore it first, I shall be wearing it next.... thank you.

Navy Ship in Port

New Zealand naval Ship "Otago" is in Port at Picton.

A dreadful windy rainy cold day in Picton, but still there are also a number of small yachts out on the harbour as well as the navy ship; taken from the lookout.

Coconut Cream pie.

Impossible Pie,   Coconut Cream Pie.

All the ingredients are mixed together and poured into a pie tin, but when it cooks it forms its own crust with filling This has a coconut vanilla taste like a coconut cream pie

Ingredients

2 cups milk
1 cup shredded coconut
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
8 Tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions
Place milk, coconut, eggs, vanilla, flour, butter and sugar in blender. Mix well.
Pour into a greased and floured pie plate. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Kaikoura Highway

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=338613552950601&set=vb.100004058764454&type=2&theater

Click the link above, and come for a lovely scenic drive along New Zealand's Kaikoura Coastal Highway.

another view of the coastal highway.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=334688573343099&set=vb.100004058764454&type=2&theater

Dessert arrives unexpectedly

Erle and I had an unexpected pleasure this evening. We had just sat down to our dinner when there was a knock on the door and  there was  Pastor Judy and Wayne our friends  with a beautifully laid out tray; with dessert for us. Wow what an unexpected pleasure! There were two big bowls with Chocolate Brownie one each, a jug of special whipped flavoured Cream and a Pinot Wine sauce  to drizzle over it all. 
It was wonderful, we seldom have any dessert so enjoyed ever morsel of this great treat.
We feel so grateful for the lovely gesture. Very good friends.

Ladies Luncheon

Went out to a Ladies Luncheon at Grove Arm Queen Charlotte Sounds. Six of us drove around to Diane and Micks lovely House for a pot luck shared meal. Lovely sunny day, great scenic outlook, great hostess and great food = Perfect day. Whats more I didn't have to drive, was able to sit back and enjoy the pretty drive around the Sounds.

Grandson Kayne

 kayne. and I.

While is Nelson I took my lovely Grandson out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant of his choosing, I ordered the banquet for 3 people and thought we would have a feast, but the food  thogh really nice and tasty, was really skimpy and just the 2 of us didn't have very much, however it was adequate specially with the fried bananas for dessert.... the most delicious part of the whole meal. very much enjoyed the evening out with Kayne.

Altrusa House Nelson.

My husband Erle has just returned  from a weeks stay Nelson Hospital, where he had his big bowel operation to reverse the previous operation when he was left with a bag. He now has it all rejoined and he is normal again. A very big long complicated operation, he was treated really well while in the hospital and has made a reasonably good recovery, though it will take time to be really back to normality. A long recuperation

is planned.

I was fortunate to be able to stay in Altrusa House at Nelson Hospital, as it was within the hospital grounds I could visit Erle 3 -4 times a day after he had his operation. The is a wonderful facility, it is fully air conditioned so is always cosy, there are 6 rooms and people came and go frequently, all of them nice caring people who have a loved one in hospital. We all gave each other support and comfort as needed. Cost only $30 a night, and some food is also supplied, mainly for breakfasts. Very peaceful restful home away from home, a God Send for me and many others.

More shuttle stories

A Passenger asked me to to take her to a garage sale to pick up some items she had already bought, she suggested I might like to come in and have a look at what was for sale, so I went in.
There was nothing I really wanted to buy so I just wandered around having a look when I spotted a big freeze/freezer in great condition, it had the freezer at the bottom and fridge on top. People only wanted $200 for it, so I said hold on to it and I shall come back with my Husband and we may buy it.
After delivering the passenger to her home with her goods I went and got Erle, who measured up the gap we have for putting the fridge into in our kitchen then we went straight around and bought the fridge/freezer. A very quick deal. It fits perfectly and gives us so much more room for storage.

Blue nose

A very grateful fisherman passenger in my shuttle, gave me a whole kilo of fresh Blue Nose Tuna, a really prized fish. We cooked up a big meal of it with chips for dinner and there is still plenty for tomorrow nights dinner. What a lovely bonus, it is so worth while to be nice and helpful to my passengers.
I plan to take some of this lovely fish and cook it up for my old Mother's dinner, she will also love it.

River waterways cruise Surfers

Nyle, Erle and I had a really nice cruise along the river and canals and waterways at Surfers.

 The cruise came with a great sausage sizzle to nibble on as we drifted along the waterways lined with very expensive homes of the rich and famous and a huge Marina full of wonderful yachts

Plenty of money floating here!.

Nyle's camera has a panorama feature, she took this photo.

We were given vauchers to get two for the price of one Churros and Chocolate to dip them in. We had never seen these before and we just loved the new experiance. We ate masses of them and a lot of rich sensational chocolate........ so much that none of us were able to eat any dinner that night

.

Beach erosion

We were shocked to see how badly the beautiful Surfers beach had been damaged by very high tides, the great crashing waves have eroded a long way into the banks and dunes, even to the extent of damaging some properties that back on to the beach,  and just taken the lovely white sand out to sea. There is now quite a lot of dirty oily looking, black sand where the good sand was washed away. There are now steep banks to climb down to get to the beach. Going to be a huge job to repair the beaches even if it is possible.

Such great views

Great views all around from our apartment in Ipanema Building - Surfers Paradise. Australia.e
We were on 13th floor.

Surfers Paradise Australia 2013

We went to Surfers to stay in same apartment as Nyle and Shane - daughter and son - in - law.

Nyle welcomed us with some of her muffin tarts for lunch. So yummy.

Off to Surfers again...... Great.

We are off to Surfer's Paradise tomorrow!

Soon we shall be wandering along this lovely beach in the sunshine with my Daughter Nyle.
And actually living in one of those big high rise  apartments.
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