Oh poor Cherry, she has so much to cope with. I wonder if she fell in hospital? I know she was going in for another procedure this week. Thanks ixion for passing on on that news, sad as it is.
Your wise Mum Grammaretto. I'm wondering, with all your many social contacts, if you know a competent person with a chain saw - or can ask if anyone else does?
It might be cheaper than a profession tree surgeon.
You are about due for an upturn in fortunes I'm sure.
You're right NotS Gubbins loves playing in the snow. Daddy has taken her down to the Ruapehu ski fields a few times; she's a dab hand at snowboarding - on her tummy 
In addition, we have Snowplanet nottoo far away:
snowplanet.co.nz
How lovely that you have a favourite beach too. â„
I had a nice surprise this morning, our lovely girl who runs the elders group came to my door with a huge, double-layered box of goodies.
Shssh I think I've finished the book - it has to be edited but I tend to do much of that as I go, so not too big a task - though I really am fighting to see screen and keyboard alternately now. It won't beat me 
Many moons ago, when DS2 was very young and like his daughter, was more intrepid than his Mum liked, I told him he wasn't invincible.
He was too young to know what it meant so I explained.
Ever after, if I'm anxious for him, his cry is "I'm Invincible!"
I wish he were.
He's also a very hard worker and I once told him he couldn't burn the candle at both ends. "Yes I can, just give me more wax."
As requested, report on the new cafe at the hardware/furniture/garden store Bunnings.
It was every bit as good as we hoped. Well spaced tables, not noisy.
Carols were playing in the store but not near us, and quietly, a nice change.
The food was delicious and though my quiche looked a bit dark, it tasted good. The pastry was short, the contents soft and creamy.
Perhaps I would have liked my tea brewed with boiling water (as many cafes still do, with teapot and milk jug ) rather than the bag perched on the lid of a paper mug of hot water but a small thing and there was a generous amount of milk. So all good.
I chose a very lemony Citrus Tart for dessert, as did Aatoa, who started with a Ham & Cheese slice, which was really just rectanglular shaped quiche . She said it was yummy.
I ate 1/2 my quiche and brought the rest and most of the tart home.
It was a lovely break and Aatoa gave me some rose-scented talcum powder as a gift too.
I won't see her again until New Year as my care coincides with the 2 public holidays.
I spent the rest of the morning blanching Silver Beet which I'll freeze. And trying to catch up with emails and other digital annoyances.
Family now in Northumberland. Then (I think) to the west coast, Ayr and possibly Culzean (Cull-ayn) Castle and the beach which 40 years ago was strewn with hundreds of agates and where I spent some of the happiest days of my life.
They will spend Christmas and Hogmanay in Edinurgh before touring other parts of Scotland. I hope the weather allows them to do that.
DS relishes what we would call bad weather: rain, wind, snow so no problems for him. Gubbins doesn't care what it does, she just loves life in all its forms.â„ â„
Grammaretto You are NOT burdening us, you are sharing a part of your life, as we all do here, knowing we are on your side and thinking of you.
When the ceiling falls in, literally or metaphorically, what better place to come?
Gubbins has been trying on costumes somewhere
And Grammaretto - the tree thing us terrible and so distressing...
but to have the ceiling fall in too.. đš
I have no words.
What a difference a day makes!
I was just admiring my new ceiling when 2 men arrived at my front door to tell me a tall sycamore tree in my garden, had fallen on the house of one of them and onto the fence of his neighbour.
Apparently it happened on Sunday in the very high winds we had.
No-one was hurt, luckily but other trees nearby will need to be felled.
I had no sooner said goodbye to them when I heard an almighty crash and saw the new ceiling had fallen in!!
I am traumatised. The plasterer thinks the house is cursed.
I think it's telling me to leave ASAP.
The tree surgeon is being fairly kind when I wept down the phone and says he'll do the minimum of work to make it safe and will charge in installments.
I know it's not life and limb but I am in shock.
I don't know why I'm burdening you with house problems but I am. 
I remember the photo Kaimoana of Gubbins and the elephant. It's iconic!
Despite their light packing DS and family will surely have to endure dark days and heavy traffic as they explore Kaimoana?
You sound so happy and upbeat. Isn't it wonderful when things begin to go right. You are surrounded by good people who outnumber the idiots
The builders are back to finish the job (new ceiling) today. The young plasterer, who is also a new dad and a part time firefighter, says he would love another job (plaster is so dusty) but says it's too late!!!
No, I told him it really isn't.
He said he'd like to be a fireman but the pay is bad.
I will go out soon to be out of their way.
One of Gubbins' favourite places to go Doodle is Auckland Museum. She's been a regular visitor since she was tiny.
So she will LOVE the English museums.
Can I share my happy day with you all?
I woke at dawn feeling really happy, haven't done that for weeks, so a good start.
One of my friends called to bring some wool (for the Marae Slippers), saw I was eating courgettes, cannellini beans, coleslaw and promised me fresh veg from the community garden and was sure she'd seen beans in their foodstore.
They will be delivered tomorrow.
She also gave me her number to carry with me and said anytime I need transport, to ring her (or ask someone else to) and she'll arrange it.
She can too, she's Deputy Chair at Waipareira, as trong, powerful woman and an absolute honey. She asked if I had any spare slipper and was able to choose some from my store
Karen brought me three Ice Plants, all different colours, so I planted them in a trough and will let them settle.
My tomato plants, bought from another community mara (garden) along with the sunflowers are absolutely full of tiny green fruits.
Not sure what type they are but I don't care, they were grown with love and karakia at the mara and will be nicer than any I could buy (as long as I get to them before the birds) .
Ralph our handyman, a retired, very dignified man, came to put up mozzie nets so I can now leave 2 windows and the front door open 24 hours. Bliss.
We had the usual, âwhat are you doing for Christmas?â conversation and he said the family were coming then he was leaving for Carterton.
Carterton is a beautiful farming area but 620km away so hardly somewhere you go on a whim. Did he have family down there? I asked and he looked at me for a full 4 seconds before saying, âIâm going to take part in a Western Quick Draw Competition.â
I was delighted because when DH and I were young and members of a gun club, we too did the very same thing, though just as fun at the club, not competitively.
So Ralph and I swapped info on what kinds of guns weâd used and how we re-loaded all our own ammunition and some of the success weâd had.
His quiet little wife also shoots and I told him Iâd stopped when I was 5 months pregnant with DS2 as each time I fired, the baby jumped.
At the moment, the lawn management team are cutting the grass, so that gorgeous smell I try to forget it's a distress signal is wafting throughout the house.
Thank you for ploughing through such a long post, I know they tend to be skipped if they are wordy (donât blame you one bit) but I moan such a lot so wanted to share this joy.
Have a good day yâall. 
â„â„
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