I got back from my Christmas trip to Palmerston North yesterday and the topic on everyone in Auckland's minds today is the weird colour of the sky as we are covered by a smoke cloud from the Aussie bushfires,. It is overcast but from 2pm it has been a weird yellow grey. It is good that my family are safe but I am aware that they are vulnerable. The images we are seeing are horrific and I think everyone fears fire. What will be, will be, and I am not sure that prayers or rain dances will bring on the rain, but I do hope they get some relief soon.
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| One of my ex students Kirstine and her lovely family who live round the corner. |
Before Christmas I had a few lovely visits with friends, family and Christmas gatherings. I had made some self imposed deadlines like deciding to make dresses for the girls and home made fabric Christmas cards for some local friends which kept me rather busy, but I did get the fruit cakes made for essential people like brother Gilbert and the local motorhome company who look after me when i have queries or little problems with the campervan.
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| Walk at the Botanic Gardens with Sculpture in the Park exhibition with friend Karen and her mum |
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| Dorothy and Alfie |
I left in the afternoon of 22nd and my trip down to Palmerston North was in beautiful weather. The time spent down there was busy as usual. Nana duty is 24/7.
We all camped out at the farm for Christmas Eve and although it was very basic camping, no fancy amenities, at least I had the campervan to sleep in and a toilet. The kids thought it was great fun which was the best present Jonathan and Amy could have. Presents on Christmas Day were a success and so was our fairly straight forward Christmas Dinner ( Jonathan did get his Turkey).
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| Amy on her new favourite toy - a borrowed bulldozer/digger - she made good use of it for the week! |
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| Camping with the bare necessities at Bush Lane on Christmas Eve |
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| The Team! Jonathan, Annabelle, Cordelia, Callum, Amy and her son Marcus |
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| Marshmallows always go down well |
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| Callum decorated the pavlova for Christmas night |
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| Cordelia in her new skirt and top( I made) |
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Annabelle chasing her new drone in the dress I made.
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Other activities included me taking the kids down to Waikawa Beach to Boat Day where the hit of the day was friend Kurt's blow up water slide followed by a dip in the spa pool.
I took Cordelia for her promised overnight adventure in the campervan and we went to the Woodville Ferry Reserve by the Manawatu river - spacious, lovely camping and surprisingly empty for the "busy" season.
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| In true Godfrey tradition they rebuilt a dam on the river. |
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| Donkey rides through the bush track adjoining the farm |
We made several batches of muffins and biscuits, as I took fresh bread rolls, muffins and made hot coffee for the workers out at the farm each day. They rode the donkeys a couple of days including on the community walking track through the bush reserve adjoining Jonathan's property at Bush Lane,Mt Taylor - about 5 minutes out of Feilding. The kids enjoyed cooling off in the little river that runs through Timona Park in Feilding, in all their clothes ( but I had a change of clothes and towels in the car)
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Everybody helping fill in the hole
with little stones and the dirt. |
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| Digging out the residual soil in the hole |
When possible Jonathan had Callum helping although Daddy proved very capable and was hanging gates, fixing worn out valves on water tanks and in this case putting in a fence post - using a powered post hole borer.. I guess I shouldnt have been surprised when the fence post proved to be perfectly vertical!
I did fit in a couple of visits to friends, and was amazed as usual by the talent of my friend Griet - she is so creative and talented with her "textile art"
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The Rangitikei River - if it had been warmer
I might have gone in for a swim. |
When the kids had returned to their mum's I packed up and started the trip home. I overnighted at Vinegar Hill Domain on the banks of the Rangitikei River - one of my favourite spots. Then an easy trip home the next day although lots of wind. All well when I returned, and my garden is not very tidy but it had beans and courgettes in abundance.
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| Our spot beside the river |
We made several batches of muffins and biscuits, as I took fresh bread rolls, muffins and made hot coffee for the workers out at the farm each day. They rode the donkeys a couple of days including on the community walking track through the bush reserve adjoining Jonathan's property at Bush Lane,Mt Taylor - about 5 minutes out of Feilding. The kids enjoyed cooling off in the little river that runs through Timona Park in Feilding, in all their clothes ( but I had a change of clothes and towels in the car)
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