Merry Christmas y'all

Just to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy (and safe) New year.

I'll be back ina few days, if I can get near the PC. We're going to my mother's for the break and she hasn't got a computer. The kids are in melt-down...how will they cope?? hahahahahahahahaha says me.

Tuesday Tipple

For a refreshing tipple let's have a Sidecar!

30ml brandy
30ml Cointreau
30 ml fresh lemon juice
ice

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, shake, then strain into serving glass and garnish with a lemon twist. I use a martini glass for this one.
Actually, if you triple the recipe you could make a wee jug full.....

Oh and I found this clip, sorry it's one of the photo-flashing kind but I haven't heard this song for years. I used to listen to it all the time when I was a lot younger.

Silent Sunday is late

An hour down the road

Just an hour down the road is a work site I visit. In the space of the hour it usually takes to drive there, I decided to photograph the road-side reminders of lives lost. This trip took me longer than an hour because of the stopping (safely) and the photographing. It made for a sobering drive.

When you set out to start the day...

full of hopes and plans, things you're looking forward to, people you want to see and hug....

and your loved ones are at home waiting.....

planning what they will say to you, what you will have for a meal....

the kids excited about something great they did at school, about something ordinary they did at school but they know you will think it was great.....you start the day not planning for it all to....

STOP.

nb no Tuesday Tipple this week, another funeral to go to.

Silent Sunday

Town and country

The 12 year old is really getting into photography. Part of this means that I rashly promised her we would go on a 'night shoot' around the city. We dug out my Dad's old tripod for her and she has been having a ball. I took this shot of the Catholic Basillica here in Christchurch, was about 9pm from memory. To me it looks quite exotic at night when it's all lit up and empty!

Back to Kaikoura briefly, the Ice Cream van can still tempt children out to sample their wares! And then there are the not so young children who also ventured out.....

On the road again...

This is a the view of Kaikoura from the Look Out, which is on top of the towns water tanks. We spent the weekend there with family and friends. It was a great get away weekend, and at just 2.5 hours drive from home it is not too hard to even get there.

Once you get there, what do you do? Well, some people go whale watching and hiking, fishing, relaxing was on the top of our list. Plus, we're cheapskates and tend to go for the family-friendly free stuff!

Don't forget to embiggen the photos to click on them. I shall take my giggles to another room.

We wandered about until we found some seals to take photos of. You might recall an earlier post I did on visiting Kaikoura, well here's another obligingly posed seal.

We also took time out to look for a holiday home for Owen over at the Magic Lantern Show. I think he would like the indoor/outdoor flow of this place....

On our last evening there, after a few bottles of Veuve and some red wine to boot, we had decided it would be grand to haul ourselves outta bed to watch the sunrise. Great idea at the time, but 3 of us managed to do it. 5.30am saw us down at the Seal Colony, and the promise of a sunrise in the distance.

A few fishing boats were also up and about and I think you will be able to see one of them in the photo below...breathtaking, I really should watch the sun rise more often!

Of course, once we had watched the sun come up we were on quite a bit of a high so I dragged my friends off to the local cemetery for the obligatory tomb shot. This one was already trying to shake off it's overnight shawl...

On the way home, passed a place where holiday makers store their caravans. And this cross for Chris, who won't holiday again.

We also visited the old Fyffe House. This place was great to visit, the kids were NOT impressed by the out house but it was a good way to show them how things have changed over the years. I also thought it would be fun to do this...

Tuesday Tipple

This week I am recommending this! Safety goggles optional but recommended if you're anywhere near my house! Salut.

The morning after the night before

Well, aside from being hit in the eye with a flying champagne cork, I appear to have weathered yet another birthday.
The Stud outdid himself in the kitchen - we had Rare Roast beef and Butterflied Lamb with a wonderful gravy and mushrooms, as well as salad, fresh carrots from the garden, purple asparagus, new potatoes also from the garden, and couscous! Dessert was the double chocolate cake made by my two darling daughters, with whipped cream and ice cream.
I rather think that all that nosh contributed to my slow gait which in turn meant I was unable to dodge the flying corks with my usual agility.

The other morning I took this photo of one of our roses, I love the yellow ones and this one is El Dorado. It has the most wonderful scent and it looks so pretty after the rain (when the scent is even stronger).

The best day of the year

Tuesday Tipple

Owing to having been ill for the past few days, the Tipple this week will be on a the medicinal side. And we have suddenly reverted back to winter it seems, with southerlies blowing and rain for Africa! I'm sure you will understand the following low-key refreshment...

WATER, add ice (and paracetemol) - collapse on the couch with either a great book (with big print if head ache allows) or put on the DVD of Harold and Maude....

Silent Sunday was very silent this week

I missed Silent Sunday - was it silent enough that way?

A blast from the past

When I used to live in another city (in another life ago) I didn't have such a broad music interest as I seem to have now.

My ex used to like being out and about without me, and being young and boring I would often find myself home alone with nothing but a bottle of red and some melancholy music for company. Mostly I didn't mind that, in fact nowadays the idea of being home alone for more than half and hour at a time sounds positively ideal! Anyway, I think one of the real tests of one's music tastes in when you find that old CD, or (gasp) vinyl album years later and replay it and find that you either get a third of the way into the first track before heaving it out the nearest window - or whether you can still enjoy the music. To be honest, there were all kinds of emotions playing along with that music too. I doubt the same emotions come into play with melancholy stuff years and happiness later!

I stumbled across my old Julia Fordham vinyl album, tucked away behind my Matt Bianco record but far away from my Quiet Riot record.....to this day I really love this track!  I always wanted hair like hers, and blue eyes and those long legs and.....however I digress.....How has your music taste weathered over the years?

Tuesday Tipple

Gloom Chaser

30ml Grand Marnier

30ml orange Curacao

30ml Lemon Juice

7ml Grenadine

ice

Pour all ingredients into shaker, shake then strain into serving glass. (I'd use a champagne saucer).

And the reason you will need a Gloom Chaser is because of what I am about to tell you.....(drum roll....)

IT WAS 26 degrees at 9.15pm LAST NIGHT, I got to sit on the deck and sip a cold glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - summer is finally on it's way.

Silent Sunday

Did you find at least 37?

Song titles in italics.

It was a Hot August Night.




She got out of the Big Yellow Taxi and shimmied across the sidewalk. Of all the crusty juke joints in town, she had to shimmy into mine. Seeing her again here at Club A Gogo, Something got a hold of my heart.



“Baby, it’s you!” I hugged her close but couldn’t help wondering why she was here?



“Yes, it’s Li’l ol’ Wine drinker Me.” She purred



“What’s New, Pussycat? I haven’t seen you since that Rainy Night in Georgia.”



She smiled slowly. I knew I was a Sharp Dressed Man. She sat her well-rounded Tush on a bar stool. She was a Long Tall Woman in a Black Dress. I’d known Victoria since we were Oh, Very Young. I never could forget that time in the Summer of ’69……….whatever she wanted I knew I’d do. Even after all this time she could still Play Me.



“Do you wanna dance?”

“No”

“Wine?” I asked but she was a Hard Woman to Please.

She wanted One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer.



Seated at a table by the window, I watched her with her drink.

“There’s something on your mind –you know with me you can Tell it Like it is.” I smiled at her encouragingly. She didn’t answer right away then She said Yeah.

I had another long drag on my drink. I was becoming Comfortably Numb then she finally spoke.

“I fought the law and the law won. Help. I’m not cut out for a Chain Gang.”



She explained the shoot out in detail.



I didn’t know how I was going to help her. Victoria started to Shake.

“Little Girl – I Can’t Believe it” I stared at her for a long time. Was she teasing me? I was Undecided.

Suddenly three men resembling underworld thugs burst through the door, they were obviously Searchin’.

“We’ve gotta get out of this place”, I whispered then grabbed her hand and I ran.

‘Take it easy” she panted, running to keep up with me. We ran out of the Green Door, across the street and into the lobby of the Hotel California.

“We’ll be safe here.”



We looked at each other. I desperately wanted a cigarette but I knew she hated it when Smoke gets in your eyes.



“I’ll never be safe again.” She uttered quietly. At that moment, I just wanted to be Seduced.

Thirsty Thursday

The grapes got their revenge on me and I missed the Tipple on Tuesday (should have missed the tipple on Monday shouldn't I!! - still, old enough to know better and young enough to do it anyway)...so, if you're thirsty this Thursday here's what I'm having:-

Poinsotta

20ml cointreau
40ml cranberry juice
sparkling wine or champers

Pour Cointreau and juice into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine (or champers).

Now, I'd advise you to quaff this with a good ol' friend, which is what I'm going to do. My friend of a long time (she hates being referred to as an old friend) is jetting in from Sydney this arvo (see, I speak Aussie) and we're going to have a good old fashioned catch up! I can't wait. And when we have polished off the Poinsotta we will probably get into some red wine...

Its only words

Ok, so here is a very short story written by me...mostly made up of song titles. How many song titles can you find....there is a part 2. Play if you want. Just comment with the number of songs or list them by title. The winner who gets all the song titles, gets to help me finish this one! If they want. Wow. Gee. Thanks. Rol probably has a head start???

It was a Hot August Night (c) Amanda Stephens (and there ends yet another mystery)




She got out of the big yellow taxi and shimmied across the sidewalk. Of all the crusty juke joints in town, she had to shimmy into mine. Seeing her again here at Club A Gogo, something got a hold of my heart.



“Baby, it’s you!” I hugged her close but couldn’t help wondering why she was here?



“Yes, it’s li’l ol’ wine drinker me.” She purred



“What’s new, Pussycat? I haven’t seen you since that rainy night in Georgia.”



She smiled slowly. I knew I was a sharp dressed man. She sat her well-rounded tush on a bar stool. She was a long tall woman in a black dress. I’d known Victoria since we were oh, very young. I never could forget that time in the summer of ’69……….whatever she wanted I knew I’d do. Even after all this time she could still play me.



“Do you wanna dance?”

“No”

“Wine?” I asked but she was a hard woman to please.

She wanted one Bourbon, one Scotch and one Beer.



Seated at a table by the window, I watched her with her drink.

“There’s something on your mind –you know with me you can tell it like it is.” I smiled at her encouragingly. She didn’t answer right away then she said yeah.

I had another long drag on my drink. I was becoming comfortably numb then she finally spoke.

“I fought the law and the law won. Help. I’m not cut out for a chain gang.”



She explained the shoot out in detail.



I didn’t know how I was going to help her. Victoria started to shake.

“Little girl – I can’t believe it” I stared at her for a long time. Was she teasing me? I was undecided.

Suddenly three men resembling underworld thugs burst through the door, they were obviously searchin’.

“We’ve gotta get out of this place”, I whispered then grabbed her hand and I ran.

‘Take it easy” she panted, running to keep up with me. We ran out of the green door, across the street and into the lobby of the Hotel California.

“We’ll be safe here.”



We looked at each other. I desperately wanted a cigarette but I knew she hated it when smoke gets in your eyes.



“I’ll never be safe again.” She uttered quietly. At that moment, I just wanted to be seduced.

To be continued................

Silent Sunday

Old and New

I took this photo about 17 years ago, my mum and my niece. My favourite part of the photo? My nieces wee hand grasping at my Mum's neck.
This niece is the one who made time speed up for me, until she was born time seemed to drift along days felt like days and a week was a week nothing more or less and then suddenly our family this wee 'marker' of time and I realised the value of a day, a week or even a minute and how quickly they were all ticking past.

Now of course my own kids have added to that and with the passing of years (and friends) I'm starting to think I'll never get all the things done on my list. That doesn't mean I won't be trying to get through the list tho'. When I was 23 a c,lose friend died of a vicious rare breast cancer. I know she will never get through her list and in some ways I feel obliged to make the most of my own time in honour of those friends and family who have had their's cut short. Is that odd? I still do things I want to do, I'm not trying to live those lives as well but it makes me even more keen to not waste time.

Do you have a list of things to do, you know "Bucket List" stuff or is your life like seaweed - drifting in and out with the tide, going with the flow?

Tuesday Tipple

Today we're having the RED EYE.

Chilled beer (yes, that may be hard to find if you're in the UK....)
tomato juice
Pour equal quantities of ingredients into beer glass.

In you go!! Now the following was a favourite drinking song when I was tad younger, the drunker people got the faster we tried to sing it. Chaos. Pure chaos.

Baffling stuff for Friday

you know when you buy those 3 packs of potato peelers....why is it that the only one which works properly is the green one? The white and the yellow just don't have the same appeal (ahem).

OK, so this clip has NOTHING to do with potato peelers but it's been yonks since I have played my precious vinyl version of this chap, which I actually 'borrowed' from an old boyfriend who worked for a radio station in a small West Coast town. I doubt the station has noticed it is missing after all this time! However, it's sunny today and not too bad if you can get out of the wind...perfect for listening to Bobby and sampling a Tuesday Tipple!

Tuesday Tipple

Brandy Crusta

30ml Brandy
15ml Maraschino
30ml fresh orange juice
dash Angostura bitters

Rub the rim of the glass with an orange slice then dip into sugar to coat the rim.
Pour all ingredients into shaker, shake, shake, shake (your boooooty) then strain into a serving glass.

What type of glass you ask? I'd use a champagne flute and decorate the glass with an orange slice and a cherry!
Cheers, Tony and God speed.

Gone

Tony died today at 3.30pm.
And the sun shone on the trees as he headed off for his next adventure.
RIP.

Clinging to life

See how this tree is clinging not only to the cliff but to life, despite having most of it's root structure exposed the leaves are green and the tree still upright.

This old winch lies dormant in Lyttelton, by the shoreline where boaties still come and go, their yachts bobbing about on the waves waiting for their next adventure. The winch a mere forgotten bystander to the past...

Around the other side of the winch, and providing shelter for a dandelion.

Any port in a storm?

A close family friend of many years is lying seriously ill in hospital. He was diagnosed with leukaemia last Monday and the specialist tells us there is no point in providing chemo, he cannot eat or walk or move without pain....the nursing staff are keeping him comfortable and have told his wife to gather the family round.

Even tho' the sun is out today the weatherperson is saying to batten down the hatches as rain, hail, sleet and snow are on the way this evening...a good night to sit by the fire, gather close those you love and just breathe...I like this song:-

Tuesday Tipple

This was a very nice drop which we consumed during the Wild Night Out.

The cocktail for this week is this:-

PERFECT LOVE (but I warn you, it does look like Meths on ice....)

30ml vodka
15ml Parfait Amour
15ml maraschino
ice

Pour ingredients, one after the other, into serving glass filled with ice. Serve with a twist of lemon in an 'old fashioned' glass.

If 7 is your lucky number, watch out for this

The weekend that was...

As we had friends visiting from Sydney we decided to head south and show off a part of the country they had not seen. 3 hours south, we spent the night at my mothers in Kakanui. It was raining and so we had to stay indoors and tipple.

I can tell you're all with me so far...

The next morning dawned dull and grey and raining, so we headed even further south to the beautiful city of Dunedin. I do love Dunedin but there are lots of hilly streets and so on, my youngest decided Dunedin was too "up" for her!

We visited the old Railway Station Building, the floral display outside was great, and as I love blue in gardens I chose this photo to show you!

From there we wandered about and took even more photos, the kids were delighted to be able to use their own cameras rather than 'borrow' mine. The entranceway was enticing, indoors is a sports gallery and and art gallery. This is one of the side entrances.....with a rain puddle (incase you're wondering, it was not me)!!

I could tell you about our wild night out on the town, but that may be the subject of another post. Suffice to say - we had a wild night out.

The next day dawned BRIGHT AND LOVELY! So we went to the Cadbury Chocolate factory, and had a mini tour owing to the fact they don't process at the weekends. It was great seeing all that chocolate, sadly we weren't allowed our cameras during the tour so I can't show you the giant chocolate-fall, but their website might have it if you follow the link. This is a photo of a Crunchie Mountain...

Then we went to Larnach castle, NZ's only real castle. Fantastic place but if you're used to seeing castles it may be rather smaller than you're used to. Can you believe it, but even tho' I have lived here all my life I had never been to the castle before. I am so glad I went as the gardens were beautiful and walking through the bush to get there was magical - birds singing and trees whispering, sun shining...kids laughing in the distance.

All through the grounds there is an Alice in Wonderland aspect, apparently there is some alleged relationship between the Larnach family and Lewis Carrol that suggests "Alice" may indeed have been based on the Larnach daughter of the same name. The link will fill you in!

Poor old Mr Larnach didn't have much luck with wives, they seem to have died all over the place and he himself eventually died by his own hand - he was quite an important fellow in our Government circles and he shot himself in Parliament.

The view form the front of the castle back towards the city can be seen from the next photo...

If you (hahahahahahaha) 'imbiggen" the photo you should be able to glimpse the city across the water in the background. Just lovely, but isolated and no wonder one of his wives felt left out up there (he built her a smaller house in the city but she died of apoplexy not long after).

From there, having had a wild night out, we were all in need of a greasy lunch. Why is that? You have a night on the turps and suddenly you need a shot of grease to feel better. Or is that just me? In the old days, I used to have poached eggs with brown onion gravy the morning after the night before...if you could get past the fact that the eggs looked like Marty Feldman eyes your hangover would go in a matter of hours! I digress,

Anyway, we knew there was a fish and chip shop in Portobello just round in the next bay so off we went.

Of course, I got sidetracked by the 'cemetery' sign. Dunedin was settled very early in our history so the scattered grave stones are very old indeed. There were 2 that caught my attention.

This one, which entombed a husband and wife...

 No idea who is sleeping on which side but SOMEONE is hogging all the moss!

And this one, which is somewhat self-explanatory....

Come on...out with the 'stiff dick' jokes, I dare you! Actually, for the record there were quite a few Dicks buried  here, apparently there was a large family of them who worked on the Castle as stonemason's....to the left behind the gravestone above was another family plot whose name (in equally large lettering) is 'ARNOTT'.

And that was the weekend that was!

Something about being in the cemetery made me think of this song...

Tuesday Tipple

A touch of Zam

22ml Sambuca
22ml Benedictine
22 ml Glayva
30 ml orange juice
15ml fresh lemon juice
ice

Pour all ingredients into shaker, shaaaaaaake, then strain into a serving glass, garnish with orange and lemon slices and there you have it, a drink worthy of swilling politely from a glass slipper near you....

Just another night

Just another night  (c) A.S.

(as observed at Molly Malone's, Wellington late one night …)

She’s a faded red head

Sitting at the bar

Perched up on a bar stool

Where the boys are

Sometimes, she smiles all night

Other times she’s sad

Hitched up on that bar stool

Looking for a lad

And when the lights

Are all switched off

And it’s time to go

You can see her in the streets light

Unsteady - still no beau

But

She’ll be back tomorrow night

Propped up at the bar

Hair still faded, heart more jaded

Still searching for

Shangri la.

Its funny what you can find...

Lynx likes the warm sunny spot in the glasshouse, hiding behind the Xmas spuds...

Not sure who named this stream, and equally unsure of it's accuracy....

But look who dropped by for a cuppa and a cuddle...

This guy arrived too and since we hadn't seen him for so long he had his name tag on.....

Uriah Heep was shocked to see him, after waiting for some time for him to arrive....

 It was cold outside but Paul was protected.........

Another supreme visitor!












Can you tell we had a fun weekend? Or do you think we need to get out more? :-)