A Happy New Year!

View over Wellington on Christmas Day.

Thanks to all the visitors, the followers and the lurkers. It is nice to know you read my blog and I feel connected with even those of you I don't know. Wishing you a happy, healthy and blessed 2011.

2010 Round up

If you are new to this blog, here are a few of my favourite posts from this year

January all-rather-obvious-really
February degrees-of-separation
March lost-in-translation
April history-back-to-front
May beware-of-those-who-own-stamp-albums
May German-invasion-of-NZ
June shortest-day
July brown-sugar-cafe
July what's-in- a -name
August three-thousand-years-and-counting
August funny-thing-happened-on-way-to
September storm-and-what-to-do
September great-yorkshire-sayings
October conversations-with-cumin
October spice-travel
November touch-of-tiggywinkles
December things-that-go-click-in-night

Happy 2011!

Blossoms, Bears, Tern again Tern again

Early morning and geraniums are smiling

as was the bear dog overlooking the sea

White chested terns gathered together, like birds of a feather

Preening and gleaming and gossiping about shopping


A boat shed nearby winked at the tree

Others stood silently waiting to dance

Wellington jewel set at 41 degrees.

Odd stuff in the freezer

I have got to that certain age when I have to wear my reading glasses more frequently - when I remember that is. I had an "oh no, I should have put my glasses on" moment this morning.

We recently had a couple of guests for dinner and I cooked a large chicken. I saved the stock in the fridge to separate the juices and fat for future use.

This morning, I proceeded to decant the fat into one tub in the freezer and the stock into another.

I suddenly did a double take and realised I'd put the schmaltz (chicken fat) in with some frozen condensed milk.

OK, anyone got a recipe for chicken fat and condensed milk?

An evening with friends

We were invited yesterday evening to a spit roast (lamb, venison and chicken) at the house of friends. They live in "Dingly Dell" - (my name for their place, not theirs), at the end of a VERY long road which eventually runs out. They have a stream and beautiful garden, and rooster called Ralph.
The amazing spit was built by the friend in the picture (and no, his name is not Heath Robinson). It involves scaffolding, bicycle wheels, and other interesting bits and pieces, and works like a dream.
The meat was fantastic and so was the company (a modest gathering of around 60 family, friends and neighbours!) Thanks Liz and Roger.

Be safe

Thanks for your support and comments this year. I have 17 days off work, and look forward to hearing that you are all safe and sound in the New Year.

This part of the year in New Zealand is notorious for the road traffic accidents, so be careful! I will be keeping a watchful eye on you.

Cumin Snoozin

I don't often get to see our kitten in repose. She is either charging around the house / garden, or playing at warp speed with insects and leaves. So when the weather turned grey this morning, and her whiskers had got wet, the most important place to go was bed.

Flat foot lament in the key of F minor

Sandles, jandals, zapatos, tackies, trainers, slip ons, pumps, courts, flats, heels, wedges, jesus boots, desert wellies, gladiators, nude heels, clogs, crocs, kitten heels, platforms, peep toes, uggs, brogues, deck shoes, loafers, sneakers, plimsolls, stilletoes, Doc Ms, Birkenstocks, mocassins, slingbacks, mules.

Don’t care what you’re called, or what colour you are, where you were made or how long you will last.

Just so long as you blooming well FIT!

To dream the impossible dream

I seldom procrastinate. I would rather complete something I dislike and move on, than have it glare at me, stalk me and generally haunt my living hours.
One task however reduces me to a quivering heap; an overstuffed filing tray. Since when did staring at an inanimate object reduce it to sub atomic particles, cause it to vanish or to organise itself, Poppinesque, into terrifying regimented orderliness?
My tray is full of items that I won’t read again and should have thrown away last year. The Christmas letters are last years, the newspaper cuttings and interesting pieces of card “to make something with” are dog eared, and the cats have successfully chewed two of the plastic folders which are trying to hold “things of similar ilk” together.
Coupons have expired, and the vet’s paperwork and notes are long irrelevant. Recipes, ideas for stories, stationery and camera cords vie for supremacy.
I can’t bear to throw anything away or organise the chaos. So, my question is why can’t we rent black holes? That way everything could be conveniently thrown into one until required in some other universe or dimension. But knowing my luck, I would choose a malfunctioning black hole, without a warranty, and have all of my unwanted filing from the last 25 years dump itself just as I was about to serve a soufflé.
There’s a lot to be said for just leaving it there in its menacing, accusing heap.
Meanwhile I shall dream about a desk that holds just the iMac and a coaster.

Ms Philida Laterly likes to keep busy

She's looking for a Penny Red
To match her head, to match her head.
Instead she finds an Aussie Roo.
Sigh, what to do, what to do?

Things that go click in the night.

Our kitten was very busy overnight. She brought my knitting and wrapped it around the bed legs, then we found the cleaning cloths from the bathroom all around the living room. She is a busy girl. Now if only I could teach her to dust and clean the windows!

Knit one, Purr one, knit one, Purrrr one.

This afternoon, after finding the umpteenth dead insect on the living room floor, we have imposed a Cicada Tax. For each chirping creature she abandons, she has to iron a shirt or unload the dishwasher.

Redheads and heat

.......just don't mix. She looks how I feel today.
Doesn't help that I have tonsillitis and would like to remove my head as it hurts top, bottom and sides.
Wiltingly yours,

Channukah lights

Tonight is the first night of Channukah, but this year, I am dwelling on other lights; the kind that sit on a helmet and light the way in a mine.

Tomorrow 29 lights will sit on 29 tables to commemorate those lost at Pike River Mine. The nation will stop at 2pm and remember.