...when every feijoa tree in New Zealand decides to drop bucketfuls of the things. I went over and filled a bucket last week. You wouldn't have noticed - there must be another 10 large bucketfuls turning to compost everywhere. Last year I made some guava jelly. Guavas are the same family as feijoas, so I tried making some feijoa jelly. Two and a half jars. I also thought I'd turn my hand towards making some feijoa chutney. The recipe called for lemons, but there was apparently a shortage (they were back in the shop today though!) so I tried limes. I made 15 jars. I took one to the in-laws, and they gave me two jars of 2019 guava jelly in return, since they haven't been able to use it. So now I have a box full of jars. Feijoas have a bit of an acquired taste. So do limes. I'll have the stuff coming out of my ears for years!

Guava season coming up soon. Unfortunately I'm running low on empty jars!

I'm alone in the house. Sarah has gone to Easter Camp with the youth group, and Bronwyn and Rachael have gone to the intermediate e-Camp. Piles and piles of stuff taken down, and not sure how it's going to get home. Bronwyn went down with Rachael on Thursday, and left her there. I took Sarah to her bus in the afternoon, and another parent dropped her daughter off to spend the night and set off early Friday.

I haven't been idle. It's Sarah and Rachael's birthdays next month, so I've been sorting through photos. Church on Friday morning, and hot cross buns in the afternoon. Dug some gorse, thistle and blackberry (I'm still finding more!) Cleaned the chicken coop and helped out at a friend's house to spread some earth. Need to sort out my sermon for two weeks time. Zoom call to England tomorrow followed by church again. Might get some spare time by Monday.

Rachael passed her driving test! It's only for her restricted license, but it's a full hour. Unfortunately, the car she was planning to drive has broken down. Actually, it goes perfectly well forwards, but does nothing backwards. So she was really upset, and was going to cancel the test and try next year instead! But a very useful friend lent us her car, and she got a couple of extra lessons in it. She did make a couple of mistakes but recognised them, and did the manoeuvres fine the next two times. And passed. So now she has a license but no car. Unless she can work out a way of only going forwards. Bronwyn's brother Allan has insisted on fixing it. Knowing him, that could take a while. But I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be willing to buy a cheap car that doesn't go backwards!

I remember my twenty minute driving test. It included the theory as well. Possibly harder that way, because one little mistake and you fail. Sounds like the lengthy system here is better, but there are still plenty of idiots on the road. Not all have licenses of course!

Rach has been buying plants. I suspect it's some form of therapy. She's gone for some cacti and succulents, plus a pitcher plant and a venus fly trap. The tiny cacti are on the window ledge next to Larry. Larry also used to be tiny but is now huge, and can be difficult to repot. The future will be interesting!

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