Morocco meets Yorkshire

Last night, starting around 5pm Wellington was battered by the worse storm in over 40 years. In some parts there were 200km/hr winds. The destruction this morning was all too evident. Our suburb had intermittent power over 17 hours, and I listened to trees around our house creak and groan most of the night. Currently there are 30,000 people in the city without electricity. All flights and trains have been cancelled.

On the whole, our part of the suburb where we live came off "lightly" and our house only lost electricity for about 10 minutes. A blessing on such a terrible night.

We are due to fly to the S. Island tomorrow to view some houses. The winds may delay or cancel flights, we aren't sure at this point.

So, what to do after such a night? Make a lamb, chick pea and vegetable stew in the slow cooker. I decided at the last minute to top with mashed potatoes - a tribute to my Yorkshire heritage. A perfect finale to the Polar blasts of the last 24 hours.

Weta catching 101

Cumin has taught Ruppin to catch wetas. This evening's quarry required a jumbo sized jam jar to protect it until we could distract the cat. The weta was duly deposited outside in the dark night. THREE minutes later, tabby cat brought in the cousin and hit it under the bed. Jam jar in the bedroom was then utilised. I feel like I live in the middle of a biology experiment!

Weta Family 2 Tabby Cat 0

Curiouser and curiouser

You see the funniest things. Volunteering for a charity this morning at a local supermarket, I was in prime position to see the contents of the trolleys exiting. One tall chap in a lumberjack shirt swaggered out carrying a very large bag of oranges and two cans of lager.


Sossled Satsumas anyone?

Ruppin's bedtime routine

Every night he jumps onto my computer table for a smooch. Then he curls up on the furry cushion pad for a purr and stroke, then he puts himself to bed (on our bed, dead centre).
Last night he was fascinated by an episode of "Simon's Cat", nose to the screen, following the animation!

buttonaholic

A few weeks ago, I had a bit of an epiphany. I love buttons, and there are several million people on planet earth JUST LIKE ME! Why not ask people to give me their buttons to sell for charity? So that's what I'm doing. Here are some of the items I have listed currently on NZ's auction site Trademe.

Back in the saddle again

I'm back! Hubby is home after 5 weeks away, so I'm smiling again. So, just a few photos from the last weeks. I have started to make my first Matryoshka doll cushion cover (it's in progress in the photo)

Cumin having a meditative moment on the ironing board, 

Otto telling my husband in no uncertain terms that he is not allowed to go away again for SOME TIME

Ruppin recovering from anaesthetic after 4 biopsies. Poor Lad!

Milestones and memories

In four hours time it will be my mother in laws funeral. I will not be there because it is on the other side of the world. When my husband went to be with his mother for the second time this year, he didn't know that three weeks later he would be leading her funeral. It feels so wrong to be so far away. All our friends have been very kind and supportive. It is difficult to explain that I want to hide away and not talk. Life is expected to go on, and it should, it has to, but of I'm really honest, I am living emotionally in a dark cave at the moment, and I would quite like to stay there. On the outside I am still engaging with the world, but it is a pretence. On the inside I have holed up in a secret compartment, and I'm not coming out for a while.