Spring Fever

dobegoo
Spring is here in NZ in all it's glory - blossoms and daffodils, longer, warmer days.
Grandson Ashton is due to arrive from Canada later this month. Lots for him to see and do here in Auckland.
June saw us in Singapore to celebrate 32 years of marital bliss.
Nose op in August should hopefully see me breathing easy now.
Bowling season opened at our Remuera Club with Rodney HIde making an excellent speech and charming a few more voters I believe. Talking politics there seems to be more time spent on political wranging and in fighting than actually running the country. Oh for the days of honesty and integrity that we should be able to expect from our politicians.
Off to the beach today - dentist tomorrow as someone lost half a tooth thanks to the sugar coated walnuts she made for a special salad.
Recipe given to me by my physiotherapist Pip Sail (this is delicious)
heat small amount of castor sugar and water till it just starts to change colour - pour over walnuts set out on baking paper. (Do not make it too toffee like or you could lose 1/2 a tooth like I did)
Gently cook some fresh pears with a cinnamon stick (or just some ground cinnamon) and sugar. Cool. MIx rocket lettuce with pears cut into 1/8ths & chunks of blue cheese sprinkle walnuts on top. I used some lemon juice as dressing but you can choose your favourite. Enjoy.

Spring Fever

dobegooGoodness Spring is here and I see my blog has gone unnoticed except by some nasty person advertising stuff I would never recommend.
So much has happened since March 17th. Emily and Ryan are happily married and due to visit NZ in December which will be exciting.
A trip to Singapore in June was fun - warm climate helpful friendly people.
Our grandson arrives from North America in 19 days to spend the next 9 months or so in NZ with his family.
Be fun to have an 18 year old in our midst again.
Us oldies are busy bowling and helping in church activites - learning to play Bridge is also a new challenge. Had a septoplasty and turbinoplasty on the nose recently so hope to be breathing freer soon!!!
Robert is busy in the USA and has managed to sell some real estate and do his upgrade exams for his realtors cerificate online. We miss him b but will enjoy time with him in December.
Will write again soon.
Abundant Blessings Beryl

Spring Fever

dobegooGoodness Spring is here and I see my blog has gone unnoticed except by some nasty person advertising stuff I would never recommend.
So much has happened since March 17th. Emily and Ryan are happily married and due to visit NZ in December which will be exciting.
A trip to Singapore in June was fun - warm climate helpful friendly people.
Our grandson arrives from North America in 19 days to spend the next 9 months or so in NZ with his family.
Be fun to have an 18 year old in our midst again.
Us oldies are busy bowling and helping in church activites - learning to play Bridge is also a new challenge. Had a septoplasty and turbinoplasty on the nose recently so hope to be breathing freer soon!!!
Robert is busy in the USA and has managed to sell some real estate and do his upgrade exams for his realtors cerificate online. We miss him b but will enjoy time with him in December.
Will write again soon.
Abundant Blessings Beryl

Spring Fever

dobegoo

Weddings & birthdays

dobegoo
Tomorrow the 18th March was not only my Mums birthday but will be the wedding day of our granddaughter Emily to Ryan Kehn. Congratulations to you, we hope the day is very happy one for all the family. Robert will represent us as our "down under" family member.
Doug was excited to get a congratulations certificate all beautifully done with gold seals from the new Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper. Turning 75 is quite a milestone and good health is such a blessing in your "twilight years" (birthday is due 4th of April)
Today Doug is bowling with 2 younger Chinese men in the Champ Triples at the Remuera Club. Go Dougie, Alan and Vincent!!!
The NZ dollar is down and investment interest rates around 7 - 10% if you have money invest in NZ!!!!!
Go NZ at the Commonwealth game we got our first gold in swimming beating the dominant Aussies who excel in this sport.
Well done Moss. Our Rugby 7's have also given us gold - their unbeaten record is just exceptional. Time to watch the Games.

Summer days on the wane

dobegoo
Autumn is making itself felt already in the mornings and evenings & an early walk around Parnell calls for more than just a tee shirt & shorts.
Halina came from Adelaide for 2 weeks and we enjoyed catching up on our "flatting days" of over 30 years ago. She is still the angel she always was.
Doug and I are taking part in a weekly Bridge game at the Parnell Community Trust (old Blind Institute building) on a Friday afternoon. Great group of "non threatening" people. I am about to start lessons though so we can be more knowledgable on the bidding process. A fascinating game.
Auckland Domain shone last night for the Starlight Symphony that annually attracts many 1000 people. We can hear the singing and music from our apartment - a nice bonus of living in these parts. Jazz in the Domain this afternoon.
Time to head to Newmarket for garlic etc from the Chinese fruitiers.

Home from the amazing South

dobegooWhat a way to celebrate the big 60! Memorable, challenging and exciting. Tuatara Tours deliver the best accomodation - food & wine and all this over Banks Peninsula beautiful hills for three days. The third day was a little daunting as we got "clagged out" and could not see where we were. The guide was new to the job AND the farmer had suggested a different route as there were bulls in some paddocks that needed to be avoided. We ended up atop French Peak in the fog. To cut a long story short - we made it to Akaroa (just a couple of hours late) and enjoyed an excellent meal at La Maison the renown French restaurant there. One of the highlights the next day was meeting Mrs Hoppy an 102 year old lady who was sitting on her verandah as we walked by. Go Hoppy!! If you have a reasonable level of fitness I recommend this walk.

Walking the Walk

Today we did a 1 hour walk in our tramping boots down Ayr Street, up Brighton Road, along St Stephens to Galdstone, down Gladstone then up St Georges Bay Road & home. We are off to Christchurch on January 9th to do a 3 day walk from there to Akaroa. Longest day is 19 ks - 39 ks in total over the hills of Banks Peninsula. We arive in Akaroa on the 12th which is my 60th birthday. Hope we have energy left to celebrate! Akaroa is set around a beautiful harbour, has a French influence and is famous for its many walnut trees.
We had our apartment blessed by Dr Bruce Patrick on December 4th 2005. A happy time with old friends & new.
Been to see The Worlds fastest Indian with Sir Anthony Hopkins. One of the best movies we have seen in a long time - if you get the chance see it too.
Off to visit some elderly friends in rest homes today to wish them Happy Christmas.
Talking of Christmas I have been helping Jinny pAtrick with the Christmas Xtravagnza at the TAB (Baptist Tabernacle) and arranging with media to film etc. We are meant to be featuring on TVNZs Breakfast Show on the 23rd December. 1700 school children have come throught the displays which include a walk through of Narnia - The lion, the witch & the wardrobe. They all seemed to love it. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 20th to 23rd of December - top of Queen Street - parking at rear of building.
See you all there.

dobegoo Eye Contact

dobegooHad an exciting time last night. Trialing contacts and thought I had not removed right eye lense - at least I could not find it. Ended up at Ascot Hospital then Auckland Hospital till 3am this morning - too many ambulance cases so went home and at 8am this morning went to Greenlane Hospital emergency eye clinic. No lense to be found. Sore eye now and an early night is in line. Putting up our Christmas tree in the Lobby at St George and it is starting to come together. Where did 2005 go? House Blessing next Sunday.
Time for bed.