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We've been making a desperate attempt to get the house in shape for when Nick and Esther arrive in a weeks time. It's going to be an action packed couple of weeks! Rachael has managed to clear her floor so we now all know what colour it is.
A few months ago I planted about six rather squidgy potatoes. Dug up several kilos today. Plus a few peas. Still some lettuce left, and the carrots and beans are coming on nicely. Sweetcorn will be ready shortly. No sign of chillies yet. I keep extending the garden, and I've planted a few onions as well. There's a particular weed here that looks just like a carrot. Not easy to tell the difference!
Really busy month at work, and I've been doing a fair amount at home too. All the people I begged for work in January are now coming back, just when I no longer have time for them...
Rachael has to work out a detailed plan for her goals for the year. It's quite a new thing for her. She's used to getting by without any effort at all!
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( 3 / 1988 )Coralie was a bit unwell when she left us. Then Sarah had it, and then Rachael.
Bronwyn had a bit of a cough last Tuesday. It still wasn't right on Saturday, after two trips to the doctor, so I took her into hospital for a checkup. She had to stay there for three days until they let her go home. She had blood tests, chest xray, steroids, antibiotics, and this mask thing that gave her large quantities of ventolin. She's back home now, but very tired.
Meanwhile, I was supposed to be playing trombone at the Kumeu show on Sunday, and going to Wellington on Tuesday for work. I was stressing out quite a bit, but fortunately the weather was rather wet, so Bronwyn's dad had no haymaking on, and looked after the girls for me both days.
Tuesday was a long day. I was out of the house at 5am, and didn't get back until 6pm. Quick dinner courtesy of Bronwyn's dad, then out again for a meeting. Didn't get back until 10pm. Not feeling too good today, so I'm going to take it easy...
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( 2.9 / 2060 )Rachael had her first clarinet lesson this week. She's missed three weeks. The first because of some special meeting for the new entrants, the second because she forgot, and the third because they had a special mass right on top of her lesson slot. But at least she can put the thing together. She can play a few notes too. I taught her those. I've taught myself to play the first few bars from Stranger On The Shore, which I always remember my dad playing when I was Rachael's age. Dad never let me play the clarinet then. He'd been told not to let us touch it otherwise we'd rapidly become better than him...
Bronwyn's made a water feature. She did most of it herself, and arranged a little fountain in a sunken trough. It's just outside our window, so it's quite relaxing to hear it tinkle away, unless you need a pee of course.
Looks like we're back on full time at work. Well, four days plus loads of overtime. We've got a lot of billable work at the moment, but no time to do it. So finally they saw sense...
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( 3 / 2088 )Coralie left us on Wednesday heading to Christchurch. Wednesday happened to be the first anniversary of the earthquake, so there were all sorts of commemorations going on. She's stayed an extra couple of days in Christchurch because her friend booked the wrong date, and didn't arrive until Friday. Fortunately Rob organised a bed for her. Meanwhile, everybody else has cancelled, so we've got a free house until April. We're going to miss Coralie, but she's determined to visit us again when she's back up here.
My car passed its warrant check after some creative accounting by our mechanic. But there's a few jobs that need doing in the next few months!
But the vegetables are doing well. Over the last seven or so years I've poured the ashes from the fire out there. Now everything seems to be growing well! Planted some kumara (like sweet potatoes) from some plants raised by Bronwyn's mum, and I've dug out some more ground for the remaining beans and carrots. The lettuce is ready. Might try a salad tonight.
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( 3 / 2081 )Coralie leaves us on Wednesday to go round the south island for a month with a random friend she met on the internet. She had wanted to see the Coromandel, but never got the chance, so yesterday I took her to the Waitakere Ranges with Rachael. We did at least 2 hours walking through the forest, plus a trip to Piha beach and a quick stop at the television mast and the reservoir. Plus a lot of driving! But she really enjoyed it. Rachael was pretty tired afterwards.
Coralie will come back north for another month, so we'll probably see her again before she goes home. Next week we've got a couple to stay for a week, and then we've got two Japanese girls to stay for a fortnight to learn English and go to Rachael's school. We've then got a couple of weeks gap before Nick and Esther arrive, but I'm sure we'll find someone. Had to turn two french women away because they were going to here at the same time as the Japanese.
Big Rob arrived yesterday from Christchurch to stay for a few days. He's the one who took us round Christchurch last year and showed us all the damage. There hasn't been a lot of rebuilding yet, so there's some rather empty spaces there still.
Did five days at work last week because I was on the support roster. Plus the four hours I did extra the previous week, and the four hours extra this week, and the requirement to work a four day week, I've got two days off next week. And two days the next week. Except after this week I can't see it working - we have far too much work on at the moment!
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