Visit by Ida Bang

Ida is the daughter of Jens who was a Rotary student with us when the boys were in college. We had a pleasant weekend with her did a trip to Kapiti, after we put her on the bus for the South Island. She was a joy to have in our home.

Thursday Bridge

Today I went off to my usual Thursday Bridge game with David determined to do my best and not make him dissappointed. I looked about the room after there had been a spate of awful coughing an spluttering spotted all the old men who do this without thought for others. There were three who seem to think it is their right to do this and the rest of us can jolly well put up with the products of their diseased lungs being coughed all over us! Why is it that women seem to be more discreet and try to be more well mannered!! Pat came to our table we haven't seen her for a while we were chatting and she told us that she waslosing her vision and might not be playing in the foreseeable future. She is a nice woman whilst her husband seems to be a tad selfish so I hope he will look after her. Then we had Graham who has recently retired from any work with his rental properties and orchard. He appeared to be sunk in gloom and getting worse as the weeks roll on. This made me feel quite sad we are all getting on in years and old age is starting to take its toll. Thank goodness David and I had a good result that will make him happy. I was pleased to get home to Graham and the hole I mad venison snitzel and salad with Kumara chips followed by peach tart yum

Catch Up Late February

A lot has happened since I last wrote, so here i am again hoping to write more regulary. Steve, Millie and Carmern came for Christmas which made the celebration a family affair. I even made a Xmas tree!!. Their stay was too short as they had to get back for Carmen's school year to begin. She is a dear wee girl very mature for her age but I guess thatis what children are like now. I remember fondly her asking me where do NZ children go to shop for clothes? Gosh it's a long time since I have done anything like that

Friday - Last day of the week

Looking out tonight it is grey and windy the days are getting longer which is nice. Last day of the week, went to sit down excercises run by I think the Stroke Foundation, quite energetic. Makes me think of Nana who would not go to any activities at the senior citizens in Walkane because they were all too old. Good to do something in a group there were three others there from the Bridge club so it was quite social. Got some Cliff Kidney potatoes to chit will have a tyre crop again. Caught up with Janice later this afternoon she had bought some greens for the chooks. All the streets seem to be blocked with the road works for the water pipes I think and of course the bike lane! Jaunting off to have lunch with Julie in Whitby then popping over to see Mary and Paul for a visit tomorrow. Still watching the Vikings which I am enjoying even if it is the 2nd time!!

Cold and Grey

Looking out today after coming home from Bridge with David. Briefly we saw the sun shine out the window but now it is cold and grey. I had coffee in the greenhouse before I went to bridge which is always pleasant. My two tomatoes are coming along slowly, am also hoping to get some seed started. In reality it is still a bit cold. Yesterday was a bit nicer I went down for a sneaky lunch at Harrisons while the sun shone. It was lovely to see the little fat sparrows hopping about waiting for crumbs. That will have to be my latte lapping spot now Ruth Pretty has closed. Not much to write today Graham is chopping up steak then going to Rotary I have a frozen roast dinner to have. Not much sign of Pat-a-Cat she is truly wild

Books I am Reading The Garden of Evening Mist which looks promising

Out of Control

Winter is striking now the days although we are past the shortest days are grey and gettin colder. When I look out my window this afternoon it looks grey an cold. Went up to the village earlier it did not seem to be so cold but now later in the afternoon it is getting colder. Took Normas dog Ali on my morning walk around the block, she rarely gets a good walk, it is times like this I miss Max badly

. Seeing a picture of him still brings tears to my eyes. Poor Charlie just did notcut the mustard but I do hope he finds the home he deserves. I feel sad about him too. Now I am trying to befriend Pat the cat but I I have little hope of that being a success. Winter is cheerless Denyse is coming for a visit perhaps that will buck me up. I am going to try and write more not that it willbe very exciting at the moment

Snippet and Snicket

I have just finished a book set in India and was reminded of a snippet of info about Pearl and Daisy too. Cant remember how old I was but I recall Pearl being asthmatic. I guess maybe in the late 40's or early 50's Pearl had these asthma cigarettes that were used, she also had some medication that left yellow dribble on the pillowcases. When I checked the cigarettes out they were made from Belladonna, Strontium and Atropine all supposed to help with breathng.I don't think she found one. Its funny how the memory gets jogged but I clearly recall Daisy tearing the place apart one day looking for one of theses cigarettes when she was desperate for one. I don't think she found one. Don't know what happened but suddenly Nana didn't have asthma any more. I don't recall her going to the Doctor for medication or saw her taking pills of any sort. Sutherland Road was a small white timber cottage built at the front of what I saw as a longish thin piece of land. It stepped down to a lawn with a clothes line behind the cabins then stepped down to a henhouse and vegetable garden at the very end there were dwarf fruit trees. When you stepped out the back door on to the path it took you along the lefthand side of the property to an empty piece of land that lead to the Dairy on Queens Drive. This was called the snicket not sure if it was the path or the gate. Tis word is used a lot amongst the Maddocks to mean a variety of things that are small. Anything from a gate to a sweet. A word about the neigbours, on the left hand side was a large double section that belonged to the Ravens, they ran a trucking business and had built large garages to store the trucks in. On the right was an ordinary dwelling where Elliot ran a cattery business Denyse worked there in her school holidays. According to Nana the previous owner had put her head in the gas oven and ended her life. This probabaly was result of the depression maybe. Across the road lived the Newtons thats where Harold came from beside them was Nanas friend Audrey and 'The Bull' probably called this because he drank I don't recall ever meeting any of these people.