Boris

Today we welcomed Boris to our home.   D.O.B. 31 October, 2012.

Pantry sorted

Sorting the pantry was a mission but I think I have succeeded in getting it manageable.   It took most of the day.

Not flattering....

And at last enjoying my machine, though still only at the straight stitching stage.  It sews so smoothly, a relief after the 830 and the Elna I used at the bach that drove me insane with tension problems.

(shame about the still to be unpacked boxes and upright neighbour's trampoline, runner beans are meant to be flourishing there!)

Happy Christmas to all

The evening smell outside is reminding me of my 15 years living in Nelson.  I am unsure what makes it different from Welly summer air after a hot day, perhaps it is being close to the sea and the stillness which I did not experience in Wellington living in the Northern suburbs then in the bush in Wilton.

It has been a very hot day here today, 33C on the deck, 28C in the house.  Definitely the perfect day for reading and pottering.  We have eaten simply, though my sister and nieces (I Skyped with them in Dunners) did not think asparagus and poached egg was appropriate Christmas Day lunch food.  We had rack of lamb, new potatoes and salad with rice pudding for dessert, slathered in raspberries and cream for dinner tonight.

Lunch (not hollandaise but shaved parmesan)

I have not had the energy to shop or bake for Xmasy food this year along with trying to be gluten free means we are not tempted to overeat!

Today in the heat I did think of my childhood holidays in Nelson when we made the marathon trip from Dunedin to stay with my grandparents.  After lunch on hot days we had enforced time on our beds, we did not have to sleep but could read or draw, then in the late afternoon we would head up the Matai for a,swim and afternoon tea with all the delights that were Christmas baking in our family, green square, German biscuits and choc orange cookes. I miss that tradition.

I have finally done a little sewing, here are some of the squares that I cut out at eight this morning.  They are now sitched and pressed.

 

Christmas Eve

When I lived in Nelson I thought much over 25C was a bit hot for me, so this afternoon when I got in from work and found it was 30C on our deck I was wondering how I would manage this lovely climate.  My partner announced we could use the heat pump to cool.  Such a wonderful device, I may even end up sleeping in the sitting room, would save trying to create a draught but only succeeding in creating open home for the mosquitos.

Before dinner, after wine o'clock, we wandered down to the beach.  At seven there was not a breath of wind, the sea calm and warm.  Paddling was so much fun.  I may have to consider breaking the rule of my recent lifetime and get a swimsuit.

My daughter is having a white Christmas, even though Christmas not the same deal in Japan as here.  She said the official temperture was 1C but she said it felt like 7 or 8C.

The view from her home this morning.

Sunday

An amazingly warm day at the beach, hard to believe town has fog so bad the planes are not flying.  More boxes and sorting again today.

We have just had a Christmas dinner with Olaf and his girlfriend Danna.  I made roast chicken. It was so lovely having sage, parsley and thyme in the garden again for the stuffing.  Followed with trifle, which I had probably not made since I left Nelson some twelve years ago.  Used frozen raspberries and even made a proper egg custard gently flavoured with almond.

Between courses we opened gifts.  The kids are off in the morning, Danna to work and Olaf to work on the MR2 which is currently stored at Danna's house.  They will have Xmas Day lunch with her family before they head off to their respective Tuesday jobs.

Perhaps the sewing machine will get a run tomorrow when I get in from work.

The day that was

I should be dancing with joy that today is the first day of a fortnight's break, but sadly Friday was a huge day in the office (thanks real estate agents for making house settlment dates on the last day of our work year, NOT) so I need to do some tidying up at the office Monday morning.  Some I can do remotely but we are still primarily paper based so the office it has to be.

Saturday has passed no cooking, sewing or gardening even.. Did get to the library for a pile of fiction/browing books, a walk on the beach, some boxes emptied and a lovely chat with Xanthe.

Photos titled "what I saw on my walk tonight."

Not sure whether the trees are pohutakawas or Northern rata, but often called the New Zealand Christmas tree as they flower about Christmas time.  Our garden is full of them, fine now while they are little but not a good tree for a surburban garden.  Will have to learn how to prune them.  Wonder if they flower on old or new wood?

Productive day

We are finally full time residents at the beach, apart from my week day commute to the CBD.  It has been a hectic 15 months, selling my house, the bach, combining the contents (for the seond time in our relationship!)and now finally selling his house in Wilton and all the work that had gone with preparing properties for sale and selling them.

Whilst there is still plenty of clutter to sort and find homes for we are here and that is great.  Already I have had a productive day and Sooziesuzy is back on track to sew and cook and garden.

This morning we went the Bernina shop in Raumati and ordered my new machine.  My Bernina 830 that I bought in 1975 for $375 has served me well but I am keen to have some of the whistles and bells of a later model. It should be able to be picked up on Tuesday.  I am very spoilt to receive such a special gift.

And I have just mixed a brew of gluten free flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, rice flour, xanthan and guar gums.  The pictures in the two new cook books I received this week look fabulous so am hopeful the recipes will bear tasty food.  I baked a date loaf using the flour mix and it is cooling.  I am still battling this oven, a thermometer says the oven temperature is perfect but it cooks so unevenly.  My preference is fan bake but I may try some baking without the fan.  The photo makes the loaf look as though the edges are burnt, they are not but the it is definitely a different colour to the recipe book.

 
 Time to find the Christmas tree and decorations and get a teeny tiny bit festive.