A New Year for posting

I have been very busy over
the last couple of weeks

Life went a little pear shaped on Christmas day evening after visiting some friends I was reversing out of their drive when a large tree decided to get in my way.... this caused rather a lot of damage to the rear door of our camper van ..but hey! it is just metal and glass and is only a vehicle after all and no one was hurt, but it is awaiting fixing as all the panel beaters are on their holidays till after 5th January.

Immediately after Christmas Eric went off to China for a couple of months, I then spent time finishing off the sorting of the house, I think we are just about there now, there are no piles awaiting a home, just a large mound in the garage ... a garage sale will be not far away.

I have spent a few day with Kathryn and family at their caravan by the sea, the weather was just beautiful and it was great to spend time with the grand kids 3 and 5 yrs, to see them so independent on the campsite, their parents not really knowing where they were, although they knew they were safe. It was amazing to see them thinking for themselves. Ben 5, became very helpful with filling the kettle for Grandma's tea.

I also met up with Alison (and Roger )a fellow blogger from Quilting Bloggers, I got to know her via blogging while in Bharain and Dubai. They live on a Kiwi Orchard try her blog for some very interesting info on Kiwi fruit http://anorchardistquilting.blogspot.com/ and quilting.

I called on them on my way to the Caravan site they live half way between here and the campsite so it worked just great.

It was great to put a face to a name. I had a lovely lunch with them eating avocados picked from their orchards, I came away with fresh avocados and as I eat them I remember the pleasant time spent there.

Alison received a voucher for Cottage Flair Quilting Shop which is just in my home village so we hope to meet up again so I can help her spend it.

The sea at Whakatane from the top of the hill

I have also spent some time walking with a neighbour.

Shirley called me fairly early Saturday morning to go walking, I had visions of somewhere in Rotorua.. but no wrong.. she had planned to walk from Whakatane to Ohope across the mountain that separates them... well it is not quite a mountain, but it might just as well had been. So we duly set off and started walking when I realised I had not packed an inhaler, now I used to suffer with Asthma in UK and also in Dubai but here in NZ it seems to be dormant until I climb hills. So every 10 to 12 steps up the hills I had to stop and try and breath, but we managed it, the only good bit was the downhill was a breeze for me. Afterwards we walked almost half the length of Ohope beach, there was a gentle breeze and there was cloud but it was so warm and walking in the waters edge all the way was just great. So I feel I walked off all the Christmas fare that I have eaten over the last couple of weeks.

Ohope Beach from the hill

Today has rounded of the Christmas and Holiday period with a BBQ at a neighbours house, where the last of the Christmas fare was eaten, now it is back to the diet or healthy eating.