New Wheels

Today I bought a bike. I already had a bike, but it didn't fit me very well - so A has that bike now and I got a new one. It was on sale and they only had one left - and it was purple. Woohoo. This is what it looks like, except not the same colour.

I also got a women's seat as well - which is gel padded and wider and quite comfy. I ride it home from the bike shop and was quite knackered, even only having to go up the smallish slopes that are the roads up to my house. I am planning to ride it to work and also go on some of the cycle tracks around Nelson - which I did a couple of times when I moved to Nelson, but haven't done for a year or so. Hmm.

We had a lovely holiday at Okiwi Bay. A couple of snapper were caught. Yum.

I am looking forward to this long weekend - although already I have to do a bit of pooey schoolwork for a trip to Blenheim on Monday. But hopefully if I have a dedicated hard bottom day tomorrow, it won't be much.

And of course, I hope to get out on the new bicycle - and test drive Flynn-pup next to it.

Travelling

I have no idea where the last few days have gone - it has all been a blur of heat and tennis and work. I am already getting irritated with some people's attitudes at work - some people just can't see the big picture and have zero vision. Sigh. But I have resolved not to bust a gut this year as the lack of response makes it hardly worthwhile.

Luckily for me, I am already getting a wee holiday break. On Thursday A, his son and I are going to stay in Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. It is a friend's birthday and her and her hubby and kids have rented out a house to stay in. So we are going too - only for one night, but we will have the afternoon on Thurs and most of the day on Friday to enjoy the water, etc. My friends parents are coming for a couple of nights and they have a boat, so we are taking some rods and hoping to catch some snapper (yum) and scallops (not so yum for me, but yum for others).

Then it is a long weekend because it is Nelson Anniversary day on Monday. A is working Sat, Sun and Mon, so I will just potter around myself.

And I am also working on an Australian holiday for A's birthday in July. At this stage, after taking in a few suggestions, we are going to fly to Brisbane, train up to the Sunshine Coast (where I've never been), spend 4 nights there in Mooloolaba probably and go to Australia Zoo, the Oceanarium and possibly Fraser Island.

Then we will train down to the Gold Coast (where I have been several times) and stay for 2 nights in a cheap double room backpackers in Main Beach. Then we'll go to Seaworld one day and Pacific Fair and shopping the next.

Then on the 3rd night, I think I will try and book us a treat night at Jupiters (although I'll have to be quick as it is already flippin' expensive), so we can maybe go to a show and spend a bit of money on the pokies, etc.

The last day/night, we will train back up to Brisbane (stopping at IKEA on the way) and have our last night in a reasonably nice hotel.

Rightio, just a quick update type entry. Of to make dinner.

Secret Swimming Surprise

I managed to walk to work today - even though I had a shitty, night before the first day back at work sleep, and was quite zombie like when I got up this morning. I managed to leave at 740am and get to work by 815am though - which I thought was a reasonable effort.

I also managed to bring decent food to eat for breakfast, lunch and snacks. I cannot face breakfast when I get up first thing - wish I could. And, most amazingly of all, I drank a 1.5litre bottle of water - which was really heavy to carry to work (as I was using an Olga Berg tote bag, not a backpack). Granted it was flavoured with diet raspberry raro type of stuff as I am still hopeless at weaning myself on to flavourless water. But it was water nonetheless.

I didn't have an especially productive day at work, but I don't care (I will probably care in a few days if I don't pull my finger out though).

After work A, who had the day off, came and collected me as we were going to take Flynn for a walk up the Maitai. Very thoughtfully, he had brought togs, towels and even a cold can of diet coke (thinking I may have been deprived at work). So we went to the secret swimming hole - this time the sun was on it and it was quite warm. Flynnie had a great time paddling around after his ball. Then we came home and A had already prepared dinner (pork schnitzel, coleslaw, peas and potatoes grown in our garden). It was delicious.

Now I am just relaxing and watching the tennis - although Survivor is on soon.

No photos of today's events, so here is one of Flynn with what remains of a toy on his mouth.

Beautification

Well, sort of. Today I went to the hairdressers. This is a very nerve-wracking experience for me as I am paranoid they won't listen to what I want and I'll come out with a Blackadder bowl cut! I am ridiculously protective of my hair. So, when I got a call this morning to say that the hairdresser I'd booked had called in sick (I have been to her once before and no disaster occurred), slight panic set in.

So I set upon the Yellow pages and decided to give a little salon I've often passed a go, as it wasn't too far from my house. It looked a lot better on the inside that the outside (which was boring). Very nicely done up with lovely decor and couches and a deck out the back. The woman who did my hair had only recently moved up from Dunedin, so we had a bit of a chat about that. She did a really good job I thought. I got about 10cm cut off and lots of layers cut in - to lighten my hair up and enable me (on lazy days) to actually brush it without having to deal with 15000 knots and rat's nests.

I also got a colour - which has blended in really nicely - although it looks a bit stripey in the picture.

I was very pleased that it worked out well and that I don't have to go back to work tomorrow with ginger hair or similar.

I also had to take poor wee Flynn to the vet today. He has these little scabs on his face and the hair has come out around them. There is also a red rash on his legs. He was licking and itching his face off - he was clearly uncomfortable. This is the only time I've ever had to take him to the vet outside of his annual vaccinations in the 4 years I've had him. He is such a tough little chap and very hardy. But he was suffering, so off to the vet we went. She suggested that it was an allergy and not ringworm, which I was worrying about. She suggested it may be a flea allergy (although I have seen none on him and have fleaed him regularly) or from something called Wandering Willie. Which could be a possibility as we went for a big walk up the Centre of NZ and Walters Bluff the other day - and Flynn was running around like a mad dog all over the ridge paddocks trying to get to the sheep noises he could hear. So the vet gave him an anti-inflammatory injection to help relieve the itching and she thinks he'll be fine. Phew.

I am planning on walking to work tomorrow. Then Andy, as he has the day off, will come and collect me at about 330pm (don't want to work too hard on my first day back - and I rarely take an actual lunch break so don't see why I need to stay any longer as I'll have done my contracted daily 7.25 hours) and we'll take Flynn for a walk and swim up the Maitai - who knows, if it's really hot (as it became this afternoon), we might swim too.

Till next time.

Garden Taming

Well I've spent the last couple of days sorting out the weed situation in the garden. It had been going nuts and needed dealing to. Managed to finish up the worst of it yesterday and get some weedmat laid next to the vege beds. The plan is to put some sand or peashell (or similar) down and then put a brick or river rock surround down around the outside. I will probably have to steal the sand from the beach. Hmmm.

The tomatos are finally starting to ripen. I had completely forgotten what sort I'd planted and was pleasantly surprised to see this lovely one. Yum.

Yesterday A and I went to the rodeo. There was some very exciting bits. Sometimes though I feel sorry for the horses. I'm not sure it's a nice life. Although they seem very strong and healthy looking once they've managed to buck the cowboy off.

I think I've been reasonably productive lately and deserve to relax for the 3 days next week before work on Thursday (yuk) - I imagine I'll be watching a fair bit of the Australian Open. It might help me improve my Wii technique.

Am starving - off to make some vegemite on toast.

Resurrection

Everyone is writing lovely things and taking lovely pictures and it's so inspiring, I'm going to have a go too.

Today's activities have been good and bad. Good - because I attacked a lot of the garden in some manic frenzy and there are weeds strewn all over the place. I will clean them up tomorrow, along with putting weedmat down between the 3 vege beds (I don't know what is wrong with my zucchini plant this year!).

The bad occurence today was that the little white cat from over the road decided to explore where it shouldn't have. Poor Flynn got a bit agitated and protective and the cat jumped on the gate ready to pounce onto the roof - a bad and even more Flynn agitating move, I forsaw. So I grabbed it from the top of the gate and it proceeded to dig it's claws in and puncture and rip various bits of my skin. Not very pleasant. These 2 really hurt. But the little white cat was set on the path to it's rightful home without further incident.

I have done a couple of crafty things during the holiday break, but nothing amazing. Here is a wee example.

I will take some photos of the garden tomorrow, but here is a photo of one of the lovely products of it.

Nature's Fury

I have never seen, nor been in, anything like the storm that is currently lashing down on us.

I no longer have a gate to close in my back yard, my glasshouse blew over to the neighbours (which they kindly tied down to keep it from going further) and the other neighbours alumimium 3x3m shed was uplifted and a third of it dumped onto one of my fences. I should have taken a photo, but we were too preoccupied with securing everything and pushing the shed back over so that it didn't get uplifted again and end up through a window or similar.

One of the houses over the road appears to have narrowly missed a tree through their roof, as a huge one has fallen over and is lying in their back yard. There are several trees in the hilly area across from us that have been uprooted and lying down. Not to mention many broken branches that have cracked sharply from trunks and fallen to the ground.

On the way home from work there were trees lying halfway across the road in a couple of places and lots of debris was flying everywhere. Outside is a nasty place to be. We have been instructed to conserve water usage by 70-80% for the next 2-3 days due to how long it will take to fix a burst water main. The power has gone out 3 times in 4 hours.

I am hoping that there is going to be little additional damage to what has already happened and nobody gets badly hurt.