Wow - where have the days gone?! I can't believe it is February already.
More sad news this year. My cousin Susan's husband Peter died recently. He has been battling cancer. Our thoughts are with her.
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| Susan & Peter on their wedding day |
Jan has been very busy down in the gully putting in irrigation to the orchard, which is awesome. I have been busy pulling out pig fern again. I have also been waging battle on couch grass. Three months of daily attacks now, and I am finally starting to feel like I am making ground.
The tomatoes, courgettes and cucumbers are going ballistic in the garden. Once more it is that time of summer where you leave a courgette on the plant over night because it is just a tiny bit too tiny to eat, to find by the next day it has turned into a stonking great marrow. But at least we some great marrow recipes!
Speaking of marrow recipes, dice the volume of marrow/courgette with a half measure of diced mushrooms and a half measure of onions, liberally dose it with Maggi green herb stock and whirl it about on the barbecue. Delicious!
We have had Lara & Otto here to stay for a few days, just as Tina left to go to Germany. We had a great time, taking them to the Sarau Fair, Rabbit Island, shopping in town and to Founders. We had lunch with my folks at Founders Brewery (where Otto & Lara sampled the fruit juices, naturally, not the beer!).
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| We all took a trip on the train at Founders |
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| Lara beside a sculpture at Founders |
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| Otto & Lara outside the Horticulture exhibits, eating the old welcome to Nelson sign |
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| Otto & Lara at Founders |
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| Otto, Jan & Lara (distance) at Founders |
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| Otto & Jan at Rabbit Island |
Jan dragged out his old Märklin train set and he and Otto had lots of fun on the dining table. Maintenance was done. Switching was sorted. A very educational time was spent by both chaps. Lara did some baking, while I rode shotgun. She made a peppermint chocolate cake which was consumed very quickly - so can be considered a triumph. They also re-read all Jan's Tintin books, watched some movies and managed to get quite a few real fruit ice creams during their stay.
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| Otto with the train |
While at the Sarau Fair they both got a henna design on their hands:
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| Lara's henna |
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| Otto's henna |
It was just a pleasure to have them here, and we are looking forward to them coming again. The dogs also loved the company and the extra attention. Perhaps in the winter term break... we will see what works out for Jeremy & Tina.
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| Otto & Bonnie, Lara & Coco |
Tomorrow there is a family gathering in Germany to remember Oma Friedel, then Tina comes home on Sunday. Hopefully it is a healing time for everyone.
Jan has announced to the NSO Committee that he is stepping down as Chair at the next AGM, and stepping off the Committee. I was at the meeting, and there was lots of disappointment from the other committee members. They may persuade him to stay yet - it would make sense if he felt that he could do a 'Past-President' year. But we will wait & see.
The first two of our Niles speakers from the US have arrived, and Jan has installed them. They look fantastic. Only four more to go, and three sets of string lights, and the lounge is finished!
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| Two Niles speakers in the ceiling |
We caught up with Sharon & Ian last weekend for a BBQ at their place and went home feeling like
pâté geese. We were both so full we could hardly bend, and it was all our own fault. The food was just lovely. We had also had a fairly big night the night before at our place, as there are some German engineers visiting from Anthon in Flensburg. They came to dinner at our place along with Steve & his wife Linda. Jan barbecued, I made salads and bread, and we finished with a Cointreau chocolate mousse (Gerhard's recipe), shortbread and melon. We took the table outside and ate alongside our wilderness - and I guess tackling that lot will be our next job! A big weekend.
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| Eating al fresco at Roses Road |
So, speaking of food (!) we have booked for the annual Suter Dinner which is a fundraiser for the Bishop Suter Art Gallery, and for the Kahurangi Long Lunch (where we will catch up with Alex & Caroline Peckham, as well as the other usual suspects).
I had a couple of days up in Auckland at the end of January, catching up with my AUT compadrés. It was a great couple of days. Learned and shared lots.
There will be a birthday party on May 24th at the Boathouse for my father. He turns 80, and we hope to make it a real trip down memory lane for him. There will be lots of people here (including our rediscovered cousin Kim and her family). If any of you can think of someone we should contact from here or overseas, please let me know.
Right, better get back to the thesis writing.
Jan & Sam
