Ah, now there's a sight for sore eyes! The Kirkcaldie and Stains buidling in Wellington, with the SALE sign out!!! Of all weeks to be in Welly, the week of Kirk's sale? Oh joy, what luck indeed. I prowled, I poked, I prodded, I elbowed my way to the bins (which in itself can be more bruising than an All Blacks scrum - something I have yet to have the ecstacy of trying).

This was Kirk's as I remembered it and I savoured every jolt, shove and foot-stamping! I left the place in a daze, liberally sprayed with Estee Lauder's "Pleasures" and sashayed to Leuven for a wine (and a whine) with my trusted friend Pixie. What a treat that place is. Greeted by an energetically friendly woman who anticipated our every thirst, I didn't want to catch my flight home. So, I dilly-dallied on the way, we ate frites with mayonnaise and had another Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc until finally, facing the facts, I got a taxi and went to the airport (yes a bit "perky" from the grape juice). Flew home. It was a lovely day.

Look what I found. Took this photo in November last year when we had a weekend away in Blenheim. It rained heaps and there was a lot of flooding. The top of a wooden fence post is on the left of the cross. I later found out more about that cross and who it stands for and I will tell you if you ask me, but what does this photo say to you?

Kakanui Beach, looking back towards Oamaru.

Oh but it is cold here. I think we have had the home fires burning for days on end. School holidays and I had a week off. Fun-tastic time with my 2 gals, we went to visit their Gran. It rained all the time and I got a cold.

Do you see those Wax Eyes? they are surely the chubbiest in the South Island if not Australasia courtesy of my mum and her pet roll and bread feeding. They love the sugar water she makes for them. This container was almost empty by the time we came back from our 1 hour trip to the beach!! The beach is only about 250 metres from Gran's house. It is wonderful to be so close, at night you can hear the waves grumbling up the beach and day break brings the gulls skitting about their breakfast. Big sigh.

I have been out and about! I went to Kaikoura, then drove inland to Hanmer, then over to Greymouth via the glittering Lewis Pass. I hung my head out of the car window and breathed in the coal-dust air of Reefton, overly nostalgic for when I lived Coast-side.

The road home was sunny and cold, peppered with gleaming icicles at Arthur's Pass and snow on the side of the road. I love this time of year too!

We got visited by an old ginger cat two days ago. He was very skinny, old and probably sick. He was so grateful for attention, we loved him and kept him warm at night but thismorning we woke up and he didn't. RIP GingerBoy.

It has been really cold here. Have been off work looking after a sick child and the best place to be has been on that wee wedge of couch between the cushions and the cat...in that sliver of sunlight. Funny how winter sunlight even tho' its watery and opaque can be such a source of warmth when the chips are down!

Today we woke to a very frosty morning, car under inches of ice. I love it, so bracing and soooo pleased that I don't have to be outside in it.

It is cold here today. Colder than the French rugby teams' showers after their abysmal performance against the mighty All Blacks, in fact.
And that is why I am going to share one of my favourite winter recipes with you! You can't beat slow roasted pork, veges and hot, spiced cabbage.

Chop and onion, peel some garlic and fry for about 5 mins in oil and butter. Then add a chopped, peeled apple, grated nutmeg (about a quarter teaspoon), a teaspoon of caraway seeds, raw sugar - 3 tablespoons, and chopped RED cabbage. Then pour in 4 tablespoons of water and 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Cover and simmer for 45 mins, add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. I usually add the pepper after I have dished up the darling daughters' as they don't like it too hot. Namby pambies.

Ah, the wonderful weather continues! Usually at Queen's Birthday wkd you can bank on some crap weather at some point but this year we have lucked out BIG TIME. Sunny and "chocolate box" weather, clear blues skies and stuff all wind. Perfect. Our wedding anniversary too so even more special. We had some visitors from Sydney, so decided to fire up our pizza oven and make our own. We even concocted a Black Pudding Pizza, with (surprise) Black pudding, feta and pickled onions on our homemade tomato sauce. The Significant Other made the pizza base himself. Great night, food washed down with some very cheeky bubblies and forthright reds. I think we even managed a spot of dancing into the wee hours.