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.
:)
