New Years Day - Wellington

For us it was a sleep in - no children - and then we went to the movies after a scrummy lunch at Gordon and Di's.

Harry went to the second Hunger Games movie and Theresa and I went to see Philomena.

The movie is based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee.
It is a true story of a woman who kept secret the fact that she had a baby boy conceived out of wedlock - something her Irish-Catholic community didn't have the highest opinion of - and given away for adoption in the United States.

Philomena Lee searches for her son who was taken away from her when she was forced to live in a convent. In following church doctrine, she was forced to sign a contract that wouldn't allow for any sort of inquiry into the son's whereabouts.

After starting a family years later in England and, for the most part, moving on with her life, Lee meets Sixsmith, a BBC reporter with whom she decides; after fifty years, to discover her long-lost son.

The movie focuses on the efforts of Philomena Lee and Sixsmith and the barriers they come across.

The movie was held at the Embassy Theatre, at Courtenay Place in Wellington. It has changed since the days of old red seats when I used to go there. But some of the interior has been preserved.

The inside has been refurbished and I found the entrance way to the front lounge caught my eye.

The convenience was that Theresa just lives a few doors down so it wasn't far to go from parking the car, which was just as well because by then it was pouring.

Harry got a bit wet running to his film.

On returning to Gordon's I watched some of the native birds feeding from their balconies.



 

A pair of Kaka (New zealand native brown bush parrot) have come to feed. They give them almonds which they are rather partial to.










And the usual Tui's (Parsons bird) feeding on sugar water.





And then we (Gordon, Di and us) were joined by my other brother Stuart and his wife Liz, Theresa and Steven and had a lovely New Years meal and time of family sharing. Relaxing around the table I realized how precious our family are and that we are blessed with good relationships.

Time in Wellington

On the first full day in Wellington I was able to go with Theresa while she had some routine tests for her pregnancy. I considered  this such a privilege as we live so far away I haven't been able to really be a part of all her progress so it was good to just sit and chat while she waited.

We then went and had lunch at a favourite restaurant of Theresa's Floriditas  in upper Cuba Street.

I had scrambled eggs with avocado & tomato on grain toast. There were many egg dishes on their menu along with other choices.

Such a wonderful place to just sit and relax and the service was so polite and unobtrusive.

We were sitting just behind (to the right) of the decor divider in the photo below.

After an hour we were on our way to see a few other shops down in Lampton Quay near where I used to work in the ANZ bank many years ago.

I was looking for a magazine I am keen to get on a monthly basis and I also wanted to have a look at the Christmas window displays at Kirkcaldie and Stains as they are always very 'magical', as well as the Christmas shop.
I have always love Kick's as we called it and in our lunch time some of us young ladies would pop in to the millinery department and try on some of their fine hats.

It is a very fine but expensive store even with a doorman. I always imagined that if the Queen were to go shopping in Wellington this would be were she went.

The window displays were a lot smaller now than the full window displays of yesteryear but they were still displays with lots of moving figures. It was with disappointment that we arrived on the third floor to see some store assistants boxing away the last of the Christmas trees and this only on New Years Eve. I don't know if they had an after Christmas sale but there was certainly no real time to pursue some beautiful bargains. Perhaps that was just as well!

So what to do now.
View Larger Map

We decided to go up to my brothers for the rest of the afternoon and so walked to the railway station to catch the Johnsonville unit to Crofton Downs.

By the time we got to the Station there was just enough time to buy a ticket and find a nice seat on the new Units.

Arriving at Crofton Downs we then walked up the hill to my brothers and had a well earned rest before Harry took Theresa home.

Later that night Harry and I had a New Years Eve Tea with Gordon and Dianne. And talked until the year ticked over.

2014 A new year for Harry and I to step out in our new life of a year after our nest emptied.

View of Crofton Downs Railway from Gordon's

Surprise Visit

For the summer holidays we were going to trip around the East Coast of New Zealand but unfortunately the days we had planned were going to end up rather wet for camping so we decided to head to Wellington, a 460 kilometer trip.

We hadn't told anyone (although I did check with my parents on the morning that it would be alright to stay at their place) and as a surprise we decided to call on our eldest daughter Theresa and her partner Steven at tea time and ask them what's for dinner.

Well with things needed doing before we left we weren't on the road until after 12 (mid-day) and with the speed restrictions tight for the summer break it was a slow trip.

Most of the time it drizzled too so one had to be careful. We made it to Wellington by 7.45pm and I rung Theresa from outside their apartment.

In Theresa's apartment - sorry a bit blurry

She was suitable surprised/shocked and let us park in their parking spot in the building.

She took a pic - us sitting on a couch resting up - and sent it to her sisters as none of them knew we had headed this way.

Fortunately they did have enough for tea and we had a special time just being together, organizing what we were going to do over the next couple of days, sharing and enjoying each others company.


We then headed up to my brother and sister-in-laws place for a well earned nights sleep. We had rung them to get details of staying at my parents and they just invited us to stay at theirs which is always lovely.

This Years Garden Challenge - Part 2

Well I sprayed all around the outside fence of the garden including the hen house. Wasn't sure if the hens would cope but they are still all alive!

But a lot of the weeds aren't! 

Remember three weeks ago

And then to my surprise I discovered something left over from some plantings a few months ago that I thought had all died.
 
Mind you it doesn't look too happy but we will nurture it and see how it goes.


So after pulling out all the dead weeds and finding the edge of the garden, Harry helped to spread out eight bags of stable scrapings (Horse poo) over the area I had cleared for the first plantings. Not the nicest of jobs as the bags were well and truly starting to "mature" and the flies were thick. We had added this to our veggie garden for years now and find it so good, not just for fertilizer and mulching but for just building the garden up.



Then comes the hard part. It took forty minutes to dig it all in and rake it over, taking care not to destroy or disturb the little seedling that might grow. Sounds a bit like the little engine who could.

I rescued the seedlings from my kitchen window box that I had grown from seed and the lettuce seedlings I had recently purchased and then got to work planting out.




Tomatoes, lettuces (fancy and heading), bell peppers, cabbage and broccoli (or were they cauliflowers - only time will tell!), a zucchini and a row of carrots and a few radishes.

I also had two pumpkin plants I planted down the other end of the garden.
 
I found my old slug and snail bait holder (the frog) and set it up. I know it looks silly but it holds the bait as well as little reservoirs for the slugs to die in. It's covered so animals can't get at the baits and stops the rain making the bait soggy.

And all this in a mornings work in the garden as the weather report predicted rain in the evening and more the next day. How ever the rain didn't come that evening but it certainly did the next day. In fact over the ranges there was flooding.

So I may be late in getting the garden going and there is still an awful lot to be done to restore it to a thriving plot, but it's a start and little by little it will improve.

I miss not being able to pop out to the garden to gather fresh veggie for meals, or to preserve or bake with.

Christmas 2013

The year of 2013 saw Harry and I experience the empty nest syndrome.

OK it happens to every Mum and Dad who have children when the last one leaves home. Now unlike my parents (My elder brother left home when he was about 40!) it was a long time for this to happen to us. We have five grandchildren already with another on the way, but Christmas this year was the first time in 33 years that we have woken on Christmas morning with no children - what ever age - in the house - and it was odd.
In fact I didn't like it.

Some will read this and think, get over it; I've had that for years; Its not just about kids; I can't wait for it! What ever you response, for us as a family of five children we felt a little bereft. My other brother once said that at Christmas he wanted to be where ever there was children (he hasn't any of his own ) and that often meant our home as there were always some children around.
I now know what he means.

I had known this was going to happen and had even contemplated not putting up the tree (also because the last few months have been so busy and full there just hasn't been time) but in the end I did. In fact I put up two. One with my usual gold decorations and Angel theme and another in reds with a children theme.

But there haven't even been any grandchildren arrive so the candy canes and chocolate still hang uneaten.

I didn't even do any baking apart from my Christmas Cake and Daniel's favourite white chocolate clusters.

But God has been gracious. Harry and I have enjoyed time together and I was blessed with four boxes of mini Christmas mince pies, shortbread, coconut ice, chocolate, nuts and other treats, just for us to munch on. Harry's not into sweet treats really and so if I make any and there is no-one here to share them, I end up eating them all myself.

We have also had the freedom to do what we want, when we want and not having to check if others mind or need to come with us. Harry only has a couple of weeks off and then he is back to work so - like the rest of the year - we are learning to live Christmas as a "couple" again.

I 'asked' a question in our church newsletter:
"When you look in the manger what do you see?"

Little did I know that it was really a question for me.

No matter what your situation, where you are, the 'arrangement's' around you, the people you are with, the question still remains...
 
"When you look in the manger what do you see?"

The birth of Jesus and the fact that this is what we celebrate each Christmas is the reason for the season. 

I txt all my family on Christmas day "Happy Christmas" and Jason txted me back to say that my grandson Jacob had just blown out the candle and sung Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Sometimes it takes the beautiful innocence of a child to bring it all home to us.

Edited to change what Katrina said on facebook "Yo, you need to correct manger. You've spelled it as manager so everyone is looking in the manager and trying to see something."

24th December

The white Candle in the center of the Advent Wreath is the Christ Candle.
It is usually lit on Christmas Eve to symbolize the birth of Jesus.

Advent comes to its glorious fulfilment this day as we celebrate the coming of the King of Kings. It's a wonderful time to relish Christ's final victory and the hope that victory brings to the entire world.

The white Christ candle is a reminder that Christ brings Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, and wise men still follow Him.

Even the tiniest flame can dispel darkness and fear.
What ever is happening in your life right now - whether good, bad or indifferent - focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

Luke 2:11-12
11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Find a white candle and in a quiet place light it and focus on what Jesus means to you in your life... Maybe it is a time to give Him your worries, disappointments or concerns.
Maybe it is a time to give Him your life and ask Him into yours.
Maybe it is a time to just relax and thank Him for the goodness He has done for you.

22nd December

I know this is late but...

The fourth Sunday in Advent is when the candle for love is lit.

Jesus was the way God showed us how much He loved His world and everyone single person in it. The birth of Jesus was good news for everyone, not just the important people. God's greatest promise was that He would send a saviour, and this saviour came wrapped up in God’s love. Christmas is about celebrating the best gift ever! Like the angels and the shepherds before us, we sing “O come let us adore him”. Faith Box

Jeremiah 31:3
I John 4:9-10
John 3:16-17
Jude 1:21

The true meaning of Christmas is Love.
It's only because of God's great Love that we even have Christmas.
With out it there is nothing to celebrate at this time each year.
And because of that great Love from God in sending His son as a baby we can receive it and in turn, give to others.
Come and give the gift of Love.