R I P Bailey Buttons

Sad day.
After much thought, delaying and procrastinating, we had Bailey put to sleep today.  Her desperately erratic and unsociable toilet behaviour and her food allergies were making it impossible to keep her going, despite her affectionate and loving nature.

I once wrote about her here;
http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2008/09/bailey-buttons.html

She is buried by our front door, under the cat statue... so we will think of her often.

I mentioned to someone recently who had lost their own cat "they leave footprints on your heart".

I will miss her little cuddles and head butts, and her chats.

R I P Bailey Buttons

Sad day.
After much thought, delaying and procrastinating, we had Bailey put to sleep today.  Her desperately erratic and unsociable toilet behaviour and her food allergies were making it impossible to keep her going, despite her affectionate and loving nature.

I once wrote about her here;
http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2008/09/bailey-buttons.html

She is buried by our front door, under the cat statue... so we will think of her often.

I mentioned to someone recently who had lost their own cat "they leave footprints on your heart".

I will miss her little cuddles and head butts, and her chats.

One Year of Blogging

It is my one year blogging anniversary - and 195 posts... I nearly missed it as it was really yesterday! I just reread the very first post.... the ice breaker. The scary thing is that all the sentiments expressed could have been written again today! My first comment was from my friend.. who I have just got off the phone to, although this year she is up in hospital and I have had her daughter here for the night.

Has life changed? Yes in many ways it has, inevitably, as the world would be pretty dull if it was constantly the same. However, I am still in the same job, living with the same man, in the same house, with the same pets, the same children are at home and my parents are near.

Since a year ago, my son and DIL have gone to live overseas for a year, where they are well and happy. You can find them and their pictures on their site - Life in Bangladesh 

This photo was at the airport as they left this year - but he now sports a red bushy beard...
Sorry no photos of that - we just see it on skype!

We also gained Phoebe, an adorable new and third grand daughter in our lives.

Sadly, they have now moved to Auckland, but Phoebe will be one year old in October  and in just five sleeps from now we will fly up to visit them all for a week :) Their blog and latest pictures can be found here: Treacy Travels.

or find her on youtube  - here she is getting jiggy with the push chair we got her...

I guess the other thing I am reflecting on is have I changed? I would like to say yes; certainly I have grown. Until very recently I would have said I felt more serene, happy in my relationship, not anxious. But, as happens, we hit some speed bumps this week which slowed us down for a while and I had to face some anxieties. Challenges often do that.. hit you from multiple directions at once. Guess that juggling it all will mean you drop the ball occasionally. On reflection, I did cope pretty well - I didn't cry, or curl up in a ball, or over react so this means I was able to keep it in perspective and focus on managing it!! Today I feel like I am back to that serene part - growth indeed.

I am still relieved the holidays are almost here as the time with no classes gives us all a moment to breathe, reconsider, prepare and recover. Like anyone involved in education, the frantic pace we have been working at, the high enrolment numbers, the expectation and demands from industry, procedures, technology, staff changes, audits, moderation, assessment and the relentless worry associated with ensuring the needs of the students are being met has left us all feeling battered. We badly need to recharge ourselves. I guess one high point I, and I hope my work colleagues, did get this month was the team spirit we gained from uniting to support each other against a raft of difficult situations. You know, the ones that knock you sideways when you least expect it. It always makes me think of The Suncreen Song:

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

We also know the words of Abraham Lincoln:

"you can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time".

I think this should be engraved on our office doors... the need to discuss the issues and recognising that it is a problem we really are all facing together made such a difference to how it made me feel. I know we will continue to do our best to meet the needs of as many as we can, and try not to hurl ourselves under a bus over the ones that we can never please. To each their own jouney. People are defined by their experiences and their actions will determine their path in life. What goes around, comes around. I have been lucky that nearly all my work brings me in contact with awesome people that I enjoy being with and teaching. Many others are not so lucky. Here are two pix ttaken in our class yesterday... one scenario from the groups, involving many hours work sorting out the right and  wrong ways to handle issues they will face in practice.

Meanwhile, I am enjoying a peaceful and sunny morning, pottering around doing the washing and having some idle thoughts about what I need to pack this week for our holiday.

Life is good.
:)

One Year of Blogging

It is my one year blogging anniversary - and 195 posts... I nearly missed it as it was really yesterday! I just reread the very first post.... the ice breaker. The scary thing is that all the sentiments expressed could have been written again today! My first comment was from my friend.. who I have just got off the phone to, although this year she is up in hospital and I have had her daughter here for the night.

Has life changed? Yes in many ways it has, inevitably, as the world would be pretty dull if it was constantly the same. However, I am still in the same job, living with the same man, in the same house, with the same pets, the same children are at home and my parents are near.

Since a year ago, my son and DIL have gone to live overseas for a year, where they are well and happy. You can find them and their pictures on their site - Life in Bangladesh 

This photo was at the airport as they left this year - but he now sports a red bushy beard...
Sorry no photos of that - we just see it on skype!

We also gained Phoebe, an adorable new and third grand daughter in our lives.

Sadly, they have now moved to Auckland, but Phoebe will be one year old in October  and in just five sleeps from now we will fly up to visit them all for a week :) Their blog and latest pictures can be found here: Treacy Travels.

or find her on youtube  - here she is getting jiggy with the push chair we got her...

I guess the other thing I am reflecting on is have I changed? I would like to say yes; certainly I have grown. Until very recently I would have said I felt more serene, happy in my relationship, not anxious. But, as happens, we hit some speed bumps this week which slowed us down for a while and I had to face some anxieties. Challenges often do that.. hit you from multiple directions at once. Guess that juggling it all will mean you drop the ball occasionally. On reflection, I did cope pretty well - I didn't cry, or curl up in a ball, or over react so this means I was able to keep it in perspective and focus on managing it!! Today I feel like I am back to that serene part - growth indeed.

I am still relieved the holidays are almost here as the time with no classes gives us all a moment to breathe, reconsider, prepare and recover. Like anyone involved in education, the frantic pace we have been working at, the high enrolment numbers, the expectation and demands from industry, procedures, technology, staff changes, audits, moderation, assessment and the relentless worry associated with ensuring the needs of the students are being met has left us all feeling battered. We badly need to recharge ourselves. I guess one high point I, and I hope my work colleagues, did get this month was the team spirit we gained from uniting to support each other against a raft of difficult situations. You know, the ones that knock you sideways when you least expect it. It always makes me think of The Suncreen Song:

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

We also know the words of Abraham Lincoln:

"you can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time".

I think this should be engraved on our office doors... the need to discuss the issues and recognising that it is a problem we really are all facing together made such a difference to how it made me feel. I know we will continue to do our best to meet the needs of as many as we can, and try not to hurl ourselves under a bus over the ones that we can never please. To each their own jouney. People are defined by their experiences and their actions will determine their path in life. What goes around, comes around. I have been lucky that nearly all my work brings me in contact with awesome people that I enjoy being with and teaching. Many others are not so lucky. Here are two pix ttaken in our class yesterday... one scenario from the groups, involving many hours work sorting out the right and  wrong ways to handle issues they will face in practice.

Meanwhile, I am enjoying a peaceful and sunny morning, pottering around doing the washing and having some idle thoughts about what I need to pack this week for our holiday.

Life is good.
:)

Winter Beauty, Confusing Christchurch Weather for Queens's Birthday

WINTER BEAUTY: The Southern Alps and Kaikoura mountains with a mirage effect as seen from the Port Hills Friday morning.

Today we braced ourselves for bad weather... but we got it wrong - it must be tonight it arrives.

Although technically winter has not quite begun, New Zealand is in for its second polar blast in two weeks with snow expected to sea level in some areas.

The MetService has issued a severe weather warning of a strong, very cold southerly expected to reach southern parts of the country this afternoon, spread over Canterbury tonight, and quickly spread north tomorrow morning.

Snow showers are forecast to lower to sea level from Southland to the Kaikoura coast and fall to "unusually low levels" on the hills in southern, eastern and central parts of the North Island.

Duty forecaster Oliver Druce said the warning had been issued not because of the amount of snow expected but because of the very low levels involved.

The snow is likely to close many roads and wind chill is expected to be severe.

Instead, we have a perfect, still and warm day of sunshine - so we are making the most of it.
The house is clean...

The washing is done - even managed a load of dog blankets and towels.

The back deck is useful for getting it all dry, as well as being ideal for dog sunbathing!

Lunch in the sun...

I am having a carless day as my daughter has gone out to visit friends in North Canterbury... she has left me her old starlet, mainly because she had her doubts that it would make the distance.... but rather than brave the supermarket in hers, satisfying some basic urge to replenish the cupboards before the snow arrives (stupid as the whole idea seems as I sit in the sun eating lunch), I think I will wait for my partner to return from Bunnings with the new kitchen light fitting... YES it is going to be repaired, fingers and toes crossed as I am sooo tired of trying to work in the half light of the kitchen. It has been sporadically failing for months - a sort of random lottery of will we cook in the dimness tonight or not - and it has now been two weeks of complete failure. Mind you, the main bedroom light hasn't worked for over a year, even two??? Not a complete loss - I am sure I look better in dim light.. but it does make it challenging selecting from my extensive wardrobe of black clothes on dark winter mornings....

After that, project B, we will work on the repairing of the cat door... which means replacing the glass completely as the dogs cannot seem to realise they are not cats!!!! As the cold weather approaches, I have added a second dirt tray to the house to compensate for it's loss to the cats, but so far they still seem pretty casual about it all and I have been wondering what my next plan of action will be when I catch one of them in the act - can someone remind me again; why do we have six cats??? Anyway, I digress.. Phoebe's dad arranged to cut the glass for us before they went north - today, hopefully, the putty arrives - and next week we might actually get the glass from where it is waiting for us to collect it.

I do have some chores waiting for me - mainly the pile of junk from the rubbish area where the trees were cut down - old bikes and chairs mainly.. so I will have to do a trip to the dump as I am the only one with a car large enough! Love my wee CRV :) This will have to wait until the car gets home.... after the dump closes... ho hum, next week will do.

Tonight, we are off to the town hall to watch men play puppets with selected parts of their anatomy. This could prove interesting, hopefully also amusing, .... but there will be no photos for you all! I will, however, post you less interesting but safer pictures of the snow, if, and when, it arrives - sure many of you saw enough to last you a lifetime last winter in the northern hemisphere... but as you now bask in glorious spring weather it will make you feel grateful for it being our turn to shiver. But not today - today is for warm, barefoot enjoyment for the first day of Queens Birthday Weekend.... bliss.

:)

Winter Beauty, Confusing Christchurch Weather for Queens's Birthday

WINTER BEAUTY: The Southern Alps and Kaikoura mountains with a mirage effect as seen from the Port Hills Friday morning.

Today we braced ourselves for bad weather... but we got it wrong - it must be tonight it arrives.

Although technically winter has not quite begun, New Zealand is in for its second polar blast in two weeks with snow expected to sea level in some areas.

The MetService has issued a severe weather warning of a strong, very cold southerly expected to reach southern parts of the country this afternoon, spread over Canterbury tonight, and quickly spread north tomorrow morning.

Snow showers are forecast to lower to sea level from Southland to the Kaikoura coast and fall to "unusually low levels" on the hills in southern, eastern and central parts of the North Island.

Duty forecaster Oliver Druce said the warning had been issued not because of the amount of snow expected but because of the very low levels involved.

The snow is likely to close many roads and wind chill is expected to be severe.

Instead, we have a perfect, still and warm day of sunshine - so we are making the most of it.
The house is clean...

The washing is done - even managed a load of dog blankets and towels.

The back deck is useful for getting it all dry, as well as being ideal for dog sunbathing!

Lunch in the sun...

I am having a carless day as my daughter has gone out to visit friends in North Canterbury... she has left me her old starlet, mainly because she had her doubts that it would make the distance.... but rather than brave the supermarket in hers, satisfying some basic urge to replenish the cupboards before the snow arrives (stupid as the whole idea seems as I sit in the sun eating lunch), I think I will wait for my partner to return from Bunnings with the new kitchen light fitting... YES it is going to be repaired, fingers and toes crossed as I am sooo tired of trying to work in the half light of the kitchen. It has been sporadically failing for months - a sort of random lottery of will we cook in the dimness tonight or not - and it has now been two weeks of complete failure. Mind you, the main bedroom light hasn't worked for over a year, even two??? Not a complete loss - I am sure I look better in dim light.. but it does make it challenging selecting from my extensive wardrobe of black clothes on dark winter mornings....

After that, project B, we will work on the repairing of the cat door... which means replacing the glass completely as the dogs cannot seem to realise they are not cats!!!! As the cold weather approaches, I have added a second dirt tray to the house to compensate for it's loss to the cats, but so far they still seem pretty casual about it all and I have been wondering what my next plan of action will be when I catch one of them in the act - can someone remind me again; why do we have six cats??? Anyway, I digress.. Phoebe's dad arranged to cut the glass for us before they went north - today, hopefully, the putty arrives - and next week we might actually get the glass from where it is waiting for us to collect it.

I do have some chores waiting for me - mainly the pile of junk from the rubbish area where the trees were cut down - old bikes and chairs mainly.. so I will have to do a trip to the dump as I am the only one with a car large enough! Love my wee CRV :) This will have to wait until the car gets home.... after the dump closes... ho hum, next week will do.

Tonight, we are off to the town hall to watch men play puppets with selected parts of their anatomy. This could prove interesting, hopefully also amusing, .... but there will be no photos for you all! I will, however, post you less interesting but safer pictures of the snow, if, and when, it arrives - sure many of you saw enough to last you a lifetime last winter in the northern hemisphere... but as you now bask in glorious spring weather it will make you feel grateful for it being our turn to shiver. But not today - today is for warm, barefoot enjoyment for the first day of Queens Birthday Weekend.... bliss.

:)

A rare day

My office colleague and I have both been fighting off some lurgy this week, and the headaches were getting to us... so we rearranged a class today and both stayed home. Such a treat and I have made the most of doing very little... skimming around some housework and getting the washing dry in the sunny breezes. I refused to submit to guilt. I heard a lot of "shoulds" playing in my head, but tamed them into "I will" and "I wont's". Needless to say, I have gone nowhere, felt relaxed, a lot better, managed to catch up on lots of blogs, and am halfway through the sixth Harry Potter so that I am all ready when the film is released! I have to admit that I have also dozed off on a regular basis, mainly because I am warm and comfortable, lying on the couch with my soft pillows and a faux fur blanket. Bliss.. I don't even have to cook as I managed to put on a big slow cooker of minestrone yesterday... comfort food today.

Quite sure I would get bored with doing this everyday, and certainly don't want to do it because of pain, as many people do, but I have enjoyed it for one day :)

A rare day

My office colleague and I have both been fighting off some lurgy this week, and the headaches were getting to us... so we rearranged a class today and both stayed home. Such a treat and I have made the most of doing very little... skimming around some housework and getting the washing dry in the sunny breezes. I refused to submit to guilt. I heard a lot of "shoulds" playing in my head, but tamed them into "I will" and "I wont's". Needless to say, I have gone nowhere, felt relaxed, a lot better, managed to catch up on lots of blogs, and am halfway through the sixth Harry Potter so that I am all ready when the film is released! I have to admit that I have also dozed off on a regular basis, mainly because I am warm and comfortable, lying on the couch with my soft pillows and a faux fur blanket. Bliss.. I don't even have to cook as I managed to put on a big slow cooker of minestrone yesterday... comfort food today.

Quite sure I would get bored with doing this everyday, and certainly don't want to do it because of pain, as many people do, but I have enjoyed it for one day :)

Wisteria Wars..... and taming the garden

I needed to take my car for a warrant today, but thought i would just weed the vege patch before I went as it was such a lovely afternoon. Such are the joys of being on holiday... there are choices. So I weeded the veges; and swept the path and made it all look lovely. Then I thought that I might just see if I could get the Old Man's Beard out of the camellias... it is growing from our neighbour's side of the fence and is a noxious weed here - going to have to say something to them but their English is limited! So I did it, and then I pruned the camellias, and the rhododendrons, and a few other plants on the back fence... Here they are "before".... which is a pic I took of them last year but gives you the idea.

Meanwhile my partner trimmed the clematis that is threatening to take over the roof of the house, in between scraping and filling and sanding and painting the window trims on the garage.....

This is all familiar to him - here are two pictures of the back garden of the house when he bought it...

and here - after extensive hacking back, with the vege patch and the clematis in flower in spring

After enlisting some of his extra muscle to sever the bigger branches of the camellias... I looked at the wisteria.....and suggested we thin it a little. You might remember it; I have put pictures up of it before...

in spring:

in summer after we oiled the deck...

So we thinned it... and thinned it some more... and then evened it up, and before we knew it....

It will regrow, and at least it will let the afternoon sun into the sleepout for the winter, but I wonder if next time I should just go and get that warrant!!!

Wisteria Wars..... and taming the garden

I needed to take my car for a warrant today, but thought i would just weed the vege patch before I went as it was such a lovely afternoon. Such are the joys of being on holiday... there are choices. So I weeded the veges; and swept the path and made it all look lovely. Then I thought that I might just see if I could get the Old Man's Beard out of the camellias... it is growing from our neighbour's side of the fence and is a noxious weed here - going to have to say something to them but their English is limited! So I did it, and then I pruned the camellias, and the rhododendrons, and a few other plants on the back fence... Here they are "before".... which is a pic I took of them last year but gives you the idea.

Meanwhile my partner trimmed the clematis that is threatening to take over the roof of the house, in between scraping and filling and sanding and painting the window trims on the garage.....

This is all familiar to him - here are two pictures of the back garden of the house when he bought it...

and here - after extensive hacking back, with the vege patch and the clematis in flower in spring

After enlisting some of his extra muscle to sever the bigger branches of the camellias... I looked at the wisteria.....and suggested we thin it a little. You might remember it; I have put pictures up of it before...

in spring:

in summer after we oiled the deck...

So we thinned it... and thinned it some more... and then evened it up, and before we knew it....

It will regrow, and at least it will let the afternoon sun into the sleepout for the winter, but I wonder if next time I should just go and get that warrant!!!