September is racing past.

 I have been in the house four and a half weeks now and after a very quiet week this last week has been quite a social week. The groups that Christine introduced me too plus the U3A study groups meant every day I had an activity. I enjoyed getting out of the house. 

First I had a weekend away in the campervan. Saturday  I went to Eketahuna to meet up with a solo female motorhomer i had met a couple of years ago and spent a couple of interesting hours chatting to her. Nice little camping ground there - apparently safe and well looked after - stream running alongside the camp ground and plenty of sheltered space. 

Eketahuna Camping ground

Then I drove throuh Masterton out to Castlepoint. It was quite a nice day when I got there which was better than the last time I was there when it was very windy and wet. Very lovely spot and Tui and I did a really good walk along the ridge line and then down to the beach. Bit tough on the legs and I was a bit unfit but great walk. The lighthouse is in a very picturesque setting. I decided not to stay the night as it was getting windy and the forecast for Monday was for gale force winds. Just about blew me over walking up to the lighthouse.  And coming back the van rocked a few times so glad I had made the choice to come home.

                                              Deliverance Cove

The walk up to the lighthouse

I walked along the ridge and then down to the  beach. 

Then when I got home I mislaid the house and car keys so had to phone Jonathan to bring around the spare keys to let me in! felt really stupid. (I found them two days later). 

So on the Monday I was runnign round getting the spare set of car keys a new battery so that I could use them until I found the old ones. That evening I drove Annabelle to Cubs.

Tuesday I went to U3A book club - they are nice ladies and we discussed some books written by NZ authors. Then after I gotback I picked Jonathan up from worka nd dropped Cordelia to Keas.  Amy cant do everything especially when all three children at there. Everything in this town is pretty close together so it is not big deal to drive out to the University and back again. My last full tank of petrol lasted three weeks and likely to last even longer this month. 

Wednesday I went to lunch with the U3A organisation - it was their 20th anniversry since their formation. Met some interesting people - men as well as women although most of the men looked considerably less well preserved than the women.  I am going to try and go to more of their study groups. Some very interesting. like the Science group..

Thursday I had a TV technician come round and sort out the TVs and aerials. I now have three functioning TVs. Probably way too many conisdering I dont watch Tv that much but Netflix and Youtube work on two of them and they both have some really good movies and shows. 

Friday was Garden Club again - met up with Katherine Broadbent ( husband a plastic surgeon)  who had been at aschool at the same time as me at AGGS. She went to Bayfield school with Susan Adams and was in class 3A2 to my 3A1.  Apparently she was Games captain. i dont remember her so think perhaps she was the year after me. NZ is a Small world!  The speaker this week wasnt very exciting but they re nice people and I think it will be good to keep going to this group. 

Then in the afternoon I picked the kids up from school as Marcus was quite sick and Amy needed to stay with him. Jonathan had a four oclock lecture so after the kids came home here with me for afternoon tea and we watched a movie on Netflix we went out and picked Joanthan up from  after his lecture. 

Saturday  has been quite busy  - Took Callum to football this moning and he had a good game - he got a good  goal - pleased with himself. Then drove to the farm - swapped kids and took the girls back into town to a birthday party. They had fun. Everyone coming here for dinner tomorrow night.

Meanwhile I have been sewing a project I started ages ago - not my usual colours but it should look Ok when it is done.  The paints I ordered from helen Godden havent arrived yet and I havent found where I packed the samples I did at Charlotte Scotts workshop - I am looking forward to finishing them. 

Also been working on the next issue of Vision magazine. Unfortunately the USb  stick with photos that I need to do a 60th anniversary publication for the School of Philosophy hasnt arrived yet, so that is not on track but there is no one hounding me for it so guess I will make my own deadline. No panic. 

Hopefully tomorrow will be a nice sunny day if the weather forecast is right. I am going to a concert given by the local Palmerton North group called the Renaissance singers - they are singing  Keats poems put to music.. that should be a new experience. Might go out to the farm in the morning or else do some gardening.  All good. Then in the evening the family is coming round for dinner!

 

Been here four weeks now.

 Well I have definitely settled in -  I now have the landline arranged, the new cat door  ( dog door) installed and now all I need is to wait for the TV person to get my other TV hooked up and I think I am all set.

The sun is shining today after a week or two of on and off rain, so I am glad to see Spring might have arrived. It was a busy weekend with pick up kids on Friday afterschool as jonathan had a meeting and I broght them home to fresh muffins and then saturday I went and watched callum play soccer. his team played more cohesively this week and they beat a previously unbeaten team> They passed well and it was a pleasing game to watch although one of their members apparently did a naughty tackle just about at the end which left a bit of a sour taste for the other team. Then it was a quick drop off and take Cordelia up tot he school where she was particiapting in a Jump Jam competition. Jump Jam is a kids aerobics team thing and the teachers deserve gold medals for the work they put in setting it up. Cordelia's team was very well practised and although not perfect they were clearly totally enthuiastic and enjoying themselves. Cordelia is in the second row between the boy and the tall girl. Huge grin on her face. The facial expressions ( told to smile a lot) were hilarious. Lots of teeth showing with Cordelia. She came back and stayed the night with me - a very chatty little one to have around but helpful and very cuddly - 7 years old is a lovely age!

Friday I had a trip out to Ashurst with Christine and the Garden Club to a place called Edible Gardens - the owner Sarah is a real fruit tree expert and it was very interesting. she propogates as well as sells and has had years of training.. Knows all the best varieties too which will be fun! Nice group of ladies and afterwads we lunched at the Cooperage Cafe - nice food although if i am going to be eating out two or three times a week this is going to be interesting for the budget.

Last night we had our Sunday night family dinner - not gourmet - this week I did Cottage Pie and Amy brought round a lovely Fruit Cake topped pudding. All good - fire going well and jonathan brought his guitar and the Backgammon game. They dont stay late as the kids need to go to bed but it was lovely. Going to be a nice tradition to start I think. 

Today I have sewed on a quilt that needs finishing, planted some seeds, did washing and some sketching and then some painting... Nothing exciting - just a daily challenge the Travel sketching class was given - today was the leaning Tower of Pisa so here is mine. 

Pretty basic but it would be good enough for travel sketching - interestingly I have seen this one. My  tutor in the class i used to go to in Auckland is setting two per week for us to try out and even though I am no longer there I can still practise - be good for me!

So all well here - tonight is Cubs and Keas so I need to do my pick ups and drop offs. and tomorrow is my first Probus meeting. They have a good speaker coming so I am sure i will enjoy that.