Time to pack away the shorts and jandals...

...well  until the weekend anyway.  Can't really turn up to work so casually attired can I, not that any of the lads would even notice or mind.  So today it was back to work after three glorious weeks of sleeping in, (yes I actually did) reading books, catching up on recorded programs, visiting, beaching, and generally faffing and chilling.  It's been grand but the time has come to return to earning a living.  The op shops are open and there are bound to be bargains to be found so a bit of cash in my wallet would be helpful.

TOF and I went and collected these huge pavers, 600mmx600mm on  Sunday that I purchased via Trade Me.  There are 41 of them in total and the plan is to lay them out the back in an area we did ages ago that needs to be redone, and made bigger. I scored the lot for $80. I was useless at helping as I couldn't even lift one.  Good old TOF and the dude we got them off loaded the trailer we had borrowed twice as it took two trips.  Huge round of applause for the labourers.

Last week I found this cute little old chair at Habitat for $3.50 and it is perfect for Joe to use.  I love the battered and lived in look it has so it will be not getting any pimping.  Joe says THANKS!

My friend Diane came in from Raglan on Saturday and we went to the Gordonton Country Market.  Not many stalls, I guess they are doing the beach circuit.  But I did come across this gorgeous plant.  A Bromeliad to be exact with the name of Aechmea Gamosepala.  Just look at that awesome flower!!  $6 and there are three plants in the pot and apparently it will produce more.  I like the idea of this popping up around my garden.

Speaking of my garden, finally Maggie the Magnolia has flowered.  Only one at this stage but I'll take it!  This tree was planted at least four years ago and I had almost given up on ever seeing flowers.

 My garden buddies.

Or is that

My watch dogs!!

We have had plenty of rain to help the garden grow of late and it also makes everything look rather magical in my eyes.  I love droplets clinging to plants for dear life before they slide gently to the ground.

The rain has buggered up plenty of holidaying peoples holidays, but you cannot do anything about the weather apart from accept it and deal with it.  And then get your camera out and take pics!!

 

Mind you, I haven't been in a tent.

I'm pretty sure I'm a glamper not a camper!! 

 

My Pohutukawa is at the end of it's flowering now.  The major burst of red is all but over but I quite like what is left once the red falls away.

Thanks to Sue W we had a tasty little feed of peas from her garden.  Don't they look gorgeous all tucked up in their pod?  I planted a row of peas and ONE has grown.  Thinking not many peas will be picked off that.  Sigh!

Thanks Leeane for the gorgeous card (mwa, mwa).

The fragrance of Carnations has lasted well.

  

On the subject of cards, this lovely one from our Vet Clinic arrived today.  All part of the service with our vet and pretty nice.

 Waiting for dad!!

Time for some words of wisdom accompanied with flowers from my garden.  I do not know the name of these but I have been saving the seeds.  Nancy J some will be heading your way soon.

The last of my Poppies have unfolded like tissue paper from their pods, and same with my Gladdies.

The plaits, shorts and jandals are on hold but my breakfast compliments of my girls will continue to be the same each morning.  You cannot beat a fresh free range egg on fruit toast and an old enamel pot of tea!!

 

I have something to say....

To all of you lovely blogging friends that left your kind words of comfort and support on my last post. And to all those lovely friends of ours that phoned, text or face booked us, letting us know how much Tex meant to not only us.  Our big beautiful boy.

I visited Dawn yesterday and I think you will all love these two bird baths.  The mask in the middle is wall hung and based on her Brother Pots.  I am going to make some colourful clay headstones for Tex and Ben to go on their plots in our garden.

Her latest works are this huge Hare and the beginnings of another block Totem.  Darling Taz joined us in the studio.  I had taken all Tex's food out for her two cats as I do not think Tex will be replaced.  He is after all irreplaceable!!

 

How beautiful is the Lilac tree, well I think that is what it is, it was smothered in lilac coloured flowers, so lets just call it a Lilac Tree.  I would love one at home but they do seem to grow awfully big and tall.

 

Dawn gave me these dudes.  They are supposed to be for a bird totem but the tall part is too thin for her poles and slightly bent so no good.  I said they would make wicked candle holders, and she said, take them home, they are no use to me.  I hope I have convinced her to make some solely for candle holders because I think they look pretty amazing. I have used colourful honey comb candles, two squeezed together and gently pushed into the top part.

My garden and the daily gifts from my girls continue to bring me pleasure, so they to deserve some of my thanks.

Likewise with these three!  My ever faithful companions, Sheba, Oscar and Joan.  Oscar is coming up coming up 12 this year which concerns me.  I always thought Tex would live forever, and I just know will be worse than useless when my little Oscar's time is up.  I shall not even think about it yet!

Today I visited Sue W as her lads are busy building the most amazing huge deck on their home.  The deck is totally a WOW moment and I cannot wait to be able to sit up high in the sky with her and enjoy the day and the views.  If you want to see the progress posts she is doing then click here.

On my way home I stopped off at the old barn I love.  There are what looks like  gazillions of these plants growing on the side of the road and I love how they look from below.  Okay so they probably aren't plants and more likely to be weeds but, I LIKE THEM!! In the country, not in my garden.

I think I might be a tad sadder than the farmer when this finally falls over.  Some how an empty paddock doesn't hold the same appeal to me.

Old corrugated iron and the odd wonky  fence post, my sort of thing. I like wonky!!  Especially people, possible because I am wonky too.  I don't like order, things in nice straight rows.  I like the natural lived in look, if it is straight I want to bend it somehow and muck up the order.

The greenness is slowly turning brownish and it is only January.

So once again I say thanks to you all...

...but this time from the boy himself.

Texas Whanga-boy

R.I.P

I am fine, I had my weep on the day he left us.  But now I am happy to know he is at rest.  Death is part of the life cycle and something nothing and no one can avoid, so I am happy to accept it and move on.  2016 is another year of surrounding myself with positive people, thoughts, and situations.  I have no room for negativity and nastiness in my life.  I choose to simply smile and walk away and get on with my own life.

Saying goodbye to an old friend is never easy.

As you all know dear old Tex has been slowly declining of late so yesterday early evening TOF and I took him to our vet.  We were told he was in advanced renal failure, and had other aliments that the elderly suffer from.  The kindest thing for our boy was to let him go.  He purred softly while I gave him his final hug as if he knew this was it and I think he was happy to go.  Tex gave us 9 enjoyable years and we were his third owners so we know he was quite old. 

The staff at the Vets were lovely and he was laid in this box for us to bring him home in. He will be buried today in the garden next to out beloved old dog Ben. I know we have done the right thing for Tex by letting him go, for us it was hard but today is a new day and he will never be forgotten.

Us pet owners take these animals into our homes and make them a part of our family, so it is our role as their owners to recognise when the time is right.  If only we could help humans when they are so incredibly ill.  Thankfully I have the dogs and the girls to help me.

These two are keeping close by.

Life goes on for the living, and the garden is the best place to experience life.

 

Yesterday I picked a bunch of Carnations from the garden and the perfume is divine and wafting in the lounge as I type.

The girls were getting about the business of the day and helping eat lettuce that had seeded.

 

Peaches, Plums, Tomatoes, and Apples.

 

 Florence.

One large self sown Sunflower is towering above everything in TOFs vegetable garden.

Sunflowers are happy flowers to me.

I Sueified some white long shorts yesterday by adding POM POMS and lace.

Mrs Wickham was giving me sideways looks.

 

And Sheba watched my every move.

Thanks Tex for being part of our family.

A little bit of rain makes for a cooler road trip.

I managed to stay up until mid night on New Years Eve because I am so hard core and party hard!!  Actually I was hanging washing out on the deck because we were going to Whangamata the following morning.  I may not have been out and about on the last night of the year but I can still remember some bloody good New Years nights back in the day!!

The first day of the new year and we woke to the sound of rain.  Actually it was quite nice as the garden needed a drink, the farmers have been crying out for rain, and it cooled things down a bit.  Super nice to be out driving in the countryside heading to the coast.

Good old Joe belted out his definitive collection as we drove along.  Once at Whangamata we went to my sisters place.  Her house is a full ship as her eldest son, wife, two gorgeous young grandsons, their two dogs, and their cat are staying with them.  It was so nice to catch up with my nephew as he has been living in the South Island for a couple of years.  With a good old catch up had, and me having fun playing with the little lads, we said our goodbyes.

We drove to the top of the hill my sister lives on and the view was smudged with mist and rain.

Still a fabulous sight for me as Whangamata is like a second home.

Even tho' it was a wet day town was busy as, I guess everyone goes shopping when they cannot lay on the beach.

We dropped in to visit my life long friend and her husband that are up from Wellington.  So much easier to visit her at the beach as Wellington is about an 8 hour drive from Hamilton.  Another good catch up was had and then it was time to depart the beach and drive home.

The Marina is TOFs little dream.  These are the boats of the rich, not something we belong to.  Well we are rich in life just not in money, but I prefer our kind of rich.

On the road again!!!  That is the face of 'what the @$%# are you doing woman'!  The rain kept coming down and the world outside looked spectacular to me.  I love how colours intensify when wet.

Paddocks of green and broody skies.

This paddock had hay bales in it but when you are hanging out the window of a moving car it is easy to miss such things.  So I wasn't actually hanging out the car window, but it was moving!!!

Now, three days later the rain is still falling.  ENOUGH I say!!  The farmers should be happy, but all the campers are not.  The Heir and his mates came home early from their camping holiday after getting a good drenching, there is only so long you can shelter in a car when your tent is wet.  Guess that is why I haven't taken to camping.  Apparently we still have a few more days of the wet, and then Summer will be back on.  I must admit to having kicked back and watched a few movies during the last few days, I guess having wet weather when on holiday is one way of making you really chill out.

Hope you all made it through the New Year Celebrations and are now ready to embrace another year full of surprises and happiness.  Remember, life is what you make it!!