Time to celebrate so many things!

By the end of the year most people are over it, what it is I am not sure, but what ever it is, people are over it!  I think everyone is tired and stressed out, and sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and get on with it.  Or if you have a mate in the country you go and visit her!!

Off out to Karakariki I drove to catch up with the other Sue as it was the only chance we would get this side of Christmas.

We chatted and drank tea, wandered the garden and laughed a lot.  We didn't solve any world problems or family issues but I for one felt better for having been in the company of a bloody good mate!

 

Ever faithful companion Maximus Giganticus, Sues foxy followed us everywhere.  He leaps over the box hedging as if he is in the Grand National.  Then goes looking for baby birds that fall out of the tall conifer trees that the adult birds have nested in.  I rescued a dead baby and put it on a post to save it being a foxy sized snack.

I picked a bunch of the gorgeous purple lavender and my car now smells heavenly!!

Some will look at these photos of us two having a laugh and think we are mad, nuts, have far too much time on our hands etc.

I say, SO WHAT!!  

I thank my lucky stars that I know enough people as mad as myself that I can let my hair down, and have a bloody good laugh at myself. 

If you cannot laugh at yourself then you cannot laugh at others.

Life is far too short to take it too seriously and especially at this insane time of the year.

Enjoying life is what it is all about, letting go of negative sad arse people in your life and moving on to happier times!! 

I'll drink to that!!!  And I don't even really drink.

So thanks Sue W, you are a good sport, a top bitch, a class act, mad as a snake, and I love ya for it!!!

This time of the year I miss two people, well one person and one pet.

Our beloved old Dog Ben, a hard act to follow and with two dogs, one cat, and ten chickens he is still never far from our minds and always in our hearts.  Dressed as an Angel one Christmas, and this photo is on our Christmas tree.

 

And this man, my dad!!  This photo is on our Christmas tree also, and I love seeing his smiling face at this time of the year.  Hard to believe he has been gone for 10 years next month, I miss him no less than I did the day he passed away.

I found this old card from him that my sisters and I and our mum got one Christmas, there was cash in the pop out glass.  I am thankful to actually have this, something so very personal.

I made this and it hangs on the wall in our dining room.  I believe that family is forever.  Be them animals, relations or close friends.  Be they alive or dead.  Sometimes there are members of your genetic family that you don't see eye to eye with but at the end of the day, they are still your family.  I no longer get together with my mother and eldest sister as we are not close anymore.  It was my decision to walk away from them and live a kinder calmer more positive life. I will always love them no matter what they think of me or how they treat me, they are after all Family.

ANYWAY.....moving right along as there is no need to focus on the negative things in ones life.

TOF had a birthday yesterday, no special number but getting closer every year.  I had a go at making him his favourite Irish potato bread that will get tested out tomorrow morning for Xmas breakfast.  I baked him a Banana and Almond nut cake with a Lemon Drizzle icing, with chopped Almonds on top.  I even made a smaller cake which I took round to my friend Vicki who has had a couple of foot operations.

Hey gorgeous wave to all the lovely people!!!  Vicki is another of those lovely friends I have made over the years, tons of fun, and has the biggest loving heart ever.  FAMILY!!

Me, the Heir, the Spare and the Spares girlfriend took TOF out for dinner last night.  We went to a really nice restaurant but made the mistake of sitting outside where we nearly froze our bits off.  The menu was Tapas and an entirely new experience for the blokes, a laugh a minute and the most enjoyable time out.  Sorry forgot to take photos but trust me it was great.

BACK TO YESTERDAY.....after waving TOF off to work on his birthday, baking treats, taking cake to the cripple, I mooched at home for the afternoon.  I took full advantage of the peace and quiet of a holidaying primary school next door and the glorious weather.

 Tex and Oscar mooched about with me.

 Oscar unsuccessfully and noisily chased a BEE....silly dog!!!!

I watched this Starling feasting on the Flax flowers. There was a Wax eye joining in but moved to fast to snap a picture of.

 

I added white bobbles to some new to me pants to give them a boost and wore them with my hot pink Birkies and the lightest cotton top ever.

TOF and I discovered that our Walnut tree down in the chicken coup has finally gone and grown itself some NUTS!!  Yay for the Walnut Tree!!

We ventured out this morning and got the last of the food we need for tomorrow and found everyone else in Hamilton had the same idea about going early to avoid the congestion!  We survived, and have everything under control.  I won't probably blog for a few days because I fear a food coma could be on it's way.

My gorgeous friend Denise sent us this card that depicts a New Zealand Christmas perfectly.

SO, to all of you out there wherever you are and whatever you get up to over the next few days.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

May you all be surrounded with people and things that you love and you have a safe and happy Festive Holiday!!

 

Houdini of the Hen house and other things.

As I have totally wound down for the year I am enjoying mooching at home.  My entertainment so far has been provided to me by Autumn one of my little Bantams.  She just arrived here one morning and really doesn't like the idea of a designated area.  She is my Free Ranger!  She has every escape plan under control so I just let her get on with it. Her escape is almost a game now.

"Shit, mums here, and she's watching me, damn'.  Hey Mrs Wickham can you be the decoy, distract her while I fly the coup". 

"Is she still watching, well is she??"  Are you gonna help me out or what??" "Ok, I'm just gonna look the other way and pretend I don't know she is there".

"If I could whistle I would, well gently does it, here I go!!!!"

"Oh, you found me, WHAT???"

So it turns out Autumn has made herself a cosy little nest under one of the big trees and my god what a noise she makes if you try to move her.  She is on the cluck and I have had to remove her in the dark and put her in the coup, much to her annoyance.

Just for you I have just been outside and filmed her.

Yesterday I wore one of my favourite frocks.  Have you got a favourite piece of clothing?  I drag this dress out each Summer, and each Summer some random person will tell me how much they love my frock.  I think I have worn this for the last four or more years now, hopefully it will continue to live.

The Red Poppies continue to flower but after some wind yesterday most of the petals are now on the ground.  There are heaps more ready to bloom and I have a gazillion seed heads to gather seed from.

Our Pohutukawa tree, tree 23, is flowering and looking marvelous, by Christmas day it could be even more amazing. I treated Oscar to a poof and a pamper but apparently being clean is not the thing, and so far I have re washed his face 3 times as chicken shit behind the ears is the best ever!!

Everywhere I look in the garden

something beautiful is happening.

I got an SOS call from Dawn who needed to unload her kiln but she had her darling little 9 month old grand daughter Lily there.  She needed me to entertain the baby, OH YEAH, think I can do that!!  Isn't she a wee doll??  It was very much a hit and run visit as this time of the year is busy busy.  From there I went to the airport to do my weekly advertising work.  I know I am on holiday but I am happy to do the airport run.  It also meant I could stop off at a paddock I have been admiring each week.

Not just any old paddock but one full of flowers, well weeds probably but bloody gorgeous all the same.  Home to some gorgeous young lads too.

I love how they all stop mid chomp to check out me, checking them out!!

I want a paddock like this!

"What? What you lookin' at?"

There was a lovely old Willow tree in the corner of the paddock with an old tyre swing in it.  How fabulous it all looked and it was so peaceful, I could have easily lay in the paddock among the flowers/weeds with the lads.

 Eyelash Envy? Well I don't do Envy so I say Eyelash Love!

Bye lads, nice catching up with you all!!

On my way home I popped in on a couple of op shops that were still open.  Some have closed for Christmas already.  From Looksmart I got the coolest shoulder bag, two wooden puzzles for my Sister Helen's grandsons, and the most divinely embroidered Indian scarf, more like a wrap.

I found this piece of Sylvac at a Salvo for $3.50.  It has a chip in the rim but it is hard to leave a piece of Sylvac behind.

I love the pieces with animals or pixies on.

After all of my out and abouting I came home for lunch and to chill with the pets.  

You may have noticed a slight change in colour to my hair.  I threw a sandy blonde over it the other night so it is slowly getting paler.  It is quite multi coloured in parts due to fading and regrowth, like I care!!!

Because I can I draped festive lights on the dogs, they were stoked!!

Tex on the other hand got his bed pimped out with star lights and given a hat! He is comfortable so he is still with us, even though I can smell cat pee while I am typing this post.

No Christmas humour today, but a message to those that think I should conform to their way of thinking.  I have my own mind, and it is made up!  My simple life I signed up for suits me well thanks.

"She's left those farkin lights on me hasn't she?"

Sorry, but I have been super busy!

No excuse not to blog really but wholly molley what a week!!

Since I last blogged about the goings on in my neck of the woods there has been....

 ...a drive out to Raglan to our favourite Manu Bay.

The surf was doing it's thing and a surfing competition was happening so we sat and watched for a while. 

 

The Pohutukawa trees are all blooming in flaming red just in time for Christmas.

The sun was out and the day was gloriarse to say the least!!

 

The wharf was a hive of activity, people were fishing, boats were fishing boats were docked, and the fish and chip shop was amping.

The second hand shop had this fabulous little table and chair set out side for sale, so very tempting!!

....a day at the races for sun which resulted in me becoming a taxi driver later on due to a little bit too much consumption of alcohol by the young ones.  But I don't mind, they are brilliant company!

So glad that the spare has stopped wrapping the heir in loo paper and is wrapping his arms around his beautiful girlfriend.....

...and his mum!  He kept saying I had lacey undies on my head, well it wasn't, it was this.

Inspired by a post that the fabulous Vix did on scarves and the many ways to wear them on your head I went for a plaited up do.

....I took up a daily challenge on facebook to photograph nature for a week and had plenty of divine things to chose from as the garden is performing to it's best.

My daily submission was so easy to do  and most enjoyable so thanks Sue W it was fun.

.....this week was the last week at work as we finished on Friday for 3 weeks.  So it was head down and bum up to get everything done before the end of yesterday.  Pleased to say Mission accomplished.

I ended up going in 4 days in a row so outfit preparation in the morning kept me busy.  I could probably turn up in my PJs and the lads wouldn't bat an eyelid, but I do like to throw an outfit together for me.  I dress for my pleasure, no one else.

....Tex kept me busy. 

He has been enjoying ice cream even tho he is still piddling inside.

Our big old boy isn't half the cat he used to be.  He used to be as big if not bigger than Oscar.  As a family we have discussed what to do and I am of the mind that I do not want him to suffer.  At the moment he looks fine but how do we really know? Do we keep pets alive longer than is kind because we cannot bear to be parted with them? Tex has had both quality and quantity in his life and has been much in his very long life. So a difficult decision is probably going to be looked at in the New Year.  But in the mean time I will enjoy his company while on holiday.

....there was a cousin catch up that took place.  I met two of my second cousins for dinner and then we went to 'Trees at the Meteor' an annual event that we went to last year.

With a door entry of $6 we wandered about and marveled at the imagination these creators must have. All proceeds from this event are given to Women's Refuge and Hamilton's Mens Night Shelter.

 

All photos here were taken using my phone so not the best quality but you get a peak into this awesome event.

 

My two favourites were these.  One on the left made completely from crocheted doilies.  The one on the right from drift wood and shells.

The tiny trees were an absolute treat!

This knitted tree took me five attempts to get a photo of as it kept being unintentionally photo bombed by other people at the event.  All apologising while I was beside myself with laughter!

The event is all about 'Compassion not Consumption' which I do think people do tend to forget at this time of the year.

Written on the back of the program was this:

...give time this Christmas
for you,
for your soul, and for others.
'specially those feeling
the pinch
and the punch
this Christmas season..... 


I think we will continue to support this every year for sure.

Kiwi's will get the take on one of our beer brands bill board messages here.

I thought these were brilliant!

....there was another dinner out, this one was my work dinner and it was such a good evening out.  Twelve adults and five kids sat around a huge table at The Good Neighbour a really nice restaurant.  We sat down to a four course feed and plenty of drinks, good banter and laughs flowed all evening.  As if that wasn't enough my awesome bosses gave us all and envelope with cash in it yesterday, four hundy each to be exact. I work with what has to be the best bunch of people ever, we all get on famously and my job is perfect for me. I think I have said it before but I will say it again and again, I LOVE MY JOB!!!

It is now the weekend and TOF is out fishing today so I am having a good old catch up at home.  Hopefully I will not leave it too long in between posts as I am now on holiday. HOPEFULLY!!

I will leave you all with this sign from the Trees at the Meteor.

So very very true!!

Keep it all in perspective people.