Matthew 1992 -2010 

You die

and we write you letters

We tell you how completely

ferociously you were loved,

That even though we see the sun

And recall your smile,

We hear the rain

And the waves thundering to shore

And strain to hear your voice,

To look now is to see nothing of what was.

We talk to you again

And again

With no words tossed back

No whys or wherefores

Nothing for us to know

Except the emptiness

This silence of sorrow

And those damned ifs, buts, and maybes.

You die and all we can do

Is write you letters   
(c) A. Stephens

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Just dealing with some personal issues, will be back soon!

Tuesday Tipple

The start to my day goes like this....This is our front yard and even tho' I know it's nowhere near as bad as in Europe, it is still annoying trying to get my dainty dry boot-clad feet across it to get into my car.

And then when I got to my car, there was all this freezing cold stuff over it......

But 5 minutes down the road, and look - a double rainbow! It's going to be a good day after all eh?

Let's have a Frozen Daiquiri anyway....

45ml Bacardi

30ml fresh lemon juice

15ml sugar syrup

2 scoops of ice (get it off your car if you're missing it from your freezer!)

Pour all ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth and then pour into a champagne saucer. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

One of those weekends....

It was our 15th wedding anniversary this weekend. It's Queen's Birthday weekend here so we get the Monday off. The weekend started magnificently - we even had sunshine for 2 days, although the easterly wind here is a chiller it was still fab to see blue sky and sunshine after weeks of grey and rain. You can imagine our thrill today (our day off) when it dawned cold, wet and windy - and yes, the weather!

We had two of my best friends in the world here for the weekend to help us celebrate. These guys visit us every year for this weekend, all the way from Sydney. It was so much fun, hardly noticed the weather and the headaches....So, 15 years. My own parents were married for 40 years (and would probably still be married if Dad hadn't died). The Stud's parents are still married 60 years on. Out of the group of neighbours when we moved into this wee area, there are only two of us couples still married. My older brother is still with his wife, but my younger brother is onto his second wife. My mum's brother is onto his second wife. The Stud's two brothers are not with anyone now, and of his three sisters only one is still with her husband (of 20 odd years)....What makes a good marriage? Is a marriage good just because you're still in it? Is it too easy to leave? Is marriage part of the throw-away, just add water type society we seem to be edging towards?

This is actually the song that we got married to....(yeah, and YOU try walking down the aisle to it, carrying  a 3 month old baby...)

Silent Sunday

Tuesday Tipple

While up in Blenheim last week, for work dammit - there are so many vineyards up that way I truly felt cheated to have to work! However, while there, I saw this! I am told the coffee at this place is best enjoyed without a cigarette....

And, fittingly, our tipple this week is a.............

Grand Marnier fireball

30ml Grand Marnier

30ml Cognac

orange wedge

Pour ingredients into a warm brandy balloon, ignite and add orange wedge. Let flame for about 15 seconds, then extinguish and inhale fumes while the glass is cooling.

Adjust your eyebrows and make another...go on, you know you want to!!