Frosty but soon to be sunny Sunday.

[dinky]

Good morning everyone. Sorry I haven't posted for a few days Well...... that's not really the case, as I have posted twice but for some reason, my computer deletes the posts before I have a chance to send them. I'm hoping I can manage to send this post OK, as Jared has been round yesterday and replaced the Nuc and keyboard. I think I might have to buy another laptop, as I have had no end of trouble with this computer.Jared has spent hours working on it over the last year and updating everything on it.Anyway, I have managed to read all your posts and keep up to date with everything.

Brenna's mouth is still sore and very bruised. She can open her eye now but it's still black all around it. She's flying to Rotorua next week for a conference and doesn't want to go there looking all bruised and battered, so was off to buy some Thin Lizzie makeup to try and hide it.It really does look quite alarming.She came round with Jared yesterday after competing in her club's martial arts competition and won gold ! She said that competing helped take her mind off her mouth .
My cousin came round yesterday as well, for the first time in a couple of weeks, as she has been unwell. She bought a spinach and feta quiche for our lunch, which was yummy.. She has her first covid vaccine next Tuesday ,and so she's pleased that she is now feeling well enough to have it. I have my second one a week later on the 26th,and I'll be pleased when that's done.There's been a bit of a scare here that we have covid in the community and NZ is heading for a strict Level 4 lockdown, which the government has totally denied. I hope they're right. I don't know much about the UK, but here ,we can't get a lot of grocery items and many of our supermarket shelves are bare.I'm not worried about myself, but I worry about my cats food, which is very scarce. It's a pity my cats are so fussy. I just can't get their favourite cat litter at the moment and Snoddy won't use the one I have got. You can imagine the rest ! The others will, at least ,use it, but hang on until the last possible minute to do so.

On a better note, I finally have an appointment for the groomer on Tuesday. I'll take Dickens, as I think he's the worst one for matts, and then I'll take one cat a week. The groomer had to stop work due to a bad dog bite from one of her "clients". She's OK now, thank goodness. I look at poor Dickens and feel so guilty letting him get like this and knowing that she's going to have to shave most of his fur off and he's going to be terrified.At least I can stay with him, although he can't hear what I say to him.I will NEVER let my poor cats get into such a state again.Snoddy still has a lot of fur left, although he is looking a bit shorn in places, so I'm praying that Dickens will still have some fur to keep him warm. Next in line will be Frederick, then Betsey May who isn't too bad.Miracle doesn't need to go, thank goodness, as she has shorter fur and doesn't matt.

My son ,Paddy, arrived back in NZ yesterday with his family, and is now quarantined in an MIQ facility in Auckland for 14 days.He texted Brenna when he landed in Auckland and told her to tell me that the flight back was terrible. Not sure what he meant by that.I probably won't see him for a while as he has rented a house in Hamilton for a few months while they look for a place to buy up north.

I'm doing a load of washing at the moment and then I'll wash the cats blankets and hang them all out. The sun is starting to shine although it's still cold, but hopefully they'll dry.

PAMELA,that's really strange about the pipe in your pond Yes, it might be a good idea to invest in some netting for the top. Surely it must have been some bird or animal. Are your fish all OK ? Good for Steven for finishing his old job on Friday, and I hope he enjoys his new role. Jared, Brenna's husband, was also an IT consultant but he has now stopped working entirely to work on their new house for a while and be home with the children. This will allow Brenna to travel more for her job as well. Pamela, I hope you are enjoying your few weeks off work, and trying to relax a bit You should go and have a few games of bingo - you seem to be lucky there. I told my cousin about your win, and she was jealous. She loves bingo/ housie. Congrats also on your super purchase of the 3 potted dahlias last week. What a find !!! It always makes you feel so good when you get a bargain, doesn't it ? I bet they look lovely in your garden. Sorry about the show last weekend. At least you sold 3 mats and you have some all ready made up for next time.

SHELLEY,I bet you're enjoying having Howard with you now, and your cousins. It's always more fun when family get together. I hope your meal last night was better than the one you had last week when you had such a long wait for desserts ,then had to leave without them.That's so disappointing. Fancy seeing an adder on the beach. You're lucky your pups leave it alone.I hope you were able to fit in a bit of kayaking and body boarding yesterday, if the sea wasn't too rough.That research on your great aunt sounds really interesting. Hope it's going well and you're finding lots of info about her.

Well I'm off to hang out that first load of washing. Once the cat blankets are all washed and outside, I might have a go at cutting some matts off Freddie if Janna can hold him for me.. and then clean a couple of windows in the back conservatory. Or then again, I might just sit out the back and read a book. (all the while feeling very guilty of course !!!)

Have a great Sunday everyone and thank goodness this post hasn't disappeared like the others !

[Shelley123]

Hello everyone,
Good to hear from you Dinky, gope your laptop is OK now.
On occasion I have written a post and then accidentally pressed something and it dissopears.
Sometimes I rewrite it, sometimes I can't face it.
RE the adders, we tend to know where they hang out and our dogs are never offlead, we don't let them go scrabbling in the undergrowth.
When I spot them I tell myself how lucky we are to see such a shy creature but all the time I'm thinking how scary and dangerous they look.
Research on my aunt not good, needle in a haystack springs to mind.
Her life up to later years when I knew her has to be a few facts mixed with my imagination.
Our meal out last night was lovely.off on a long walk soon through woodland and passing by several little beaches.
Drizzly weather, what's yours like Pamela?

[pamela81]

evening Dinky and Shelley,

Dinky lovely to see you posting
Thats great that your son has arrived in NZ, hopefully you will get to see him and the kids soon. No plans to go to bingo this week. Will maybe go in a couple of weeks.
SO glad you have managed to get an appointment for the groomers, you will be so relieved!

OUr supermarket shelves havent been great recently tbh but its apparently down to staff shortages for putting it out.

Shelley the weather here has been dry the last couple of days which has been good. Glad you are enjoying your time in teh caravan

I had a motorbike lesson today, last one before my first test which hopefully i will pass this time! I then went for a walk and a coffee with my friend Sam that i run with, nice 4.5mile round walk!!

I have a meeting with my manager tomorrow so will see how that goes!

Have a lovely evening everyone