Veggies!

The plot has been doing well after (6 months and 10 hours) preparation involving mustard seed, horse poo and extensive weeding I was told 'it's important to have good soil' and 'you have to get nitrogen in the soil' and I thought that was to turbo cars.
We have planted onion, leek, potato, spinach, lettuce, tomato, carrot and we have lettuce, climbing beans, cucumber and more lettuce germinating. Strange world gardening. Potatoes have flowered and bloomed, carrots haven't emerged and if I wanted to I could weed the plot 3 times a week. I can see how people get satisfaction when I realised how delighted I was to find I have a tomato growing that is about the size of a Smartie. The spinach has made two meals and I am looking forward to the potatoes that have bloomed above the soil.
N had her xmas do though last week and I had a tour of the hosts garden. It was very similar to mine although no weeds and everything seemed to be three times bigger - story of my life!

Merry Christmas!!!

M and B arrived mid December and we thought before xmas we would book some time away in Wanaka. The cottage did not disappoint with views of the clear blue lake and snow capped mountains. It was good to catch up with them both whilst we were there and enjoy a walk into town by the lake side and some nice food whilst watching the world go by.

Christmas day was forecast nice weather so we prepared ourselves for a bbq and went into one of the local parks. M and B were impressed with the facilities and had to keep reminding themselves that it was xmas day.
W thoroughly enjoyed the day and is now far more aware of xmas than he was last year. Sightings of Santa prompt a point and the word 'christmus'. Thanks for all of his lovely presents he got lots! and is playing with them all and reading his new books.

We are looking forward to next xmas when we will be four!

It's Christmas

School is out, the tree is up and we have sent all of our christmas cards last week. Apologies to anyone who receives them late or not at all for that matter! At around a quid a card for postage consider yourself lucky to get one.
W met santa this week (there's a pic on flickr). I don't think that he was too impressed, but he is far more aware of xmas this year than last. We're looking forward to xmas day and we'll post some pictures on here of the little fella.
N is pondering the new arrival. She was checking out her hospital card this week checked the computer to see how much 65kg was in pounds thinking that this was the weight of jnr! ha ha - initially horrified, but then relieved.

On a different note there was a story in the local press that I wanted to share http://tinyurl.com/yccwyw8

D&B down under

After a mammoth journey, stopping in Dubai to recharge batteries - D&B arrived on Friday 13th!. Excellent to see them in good health and after more than a year - fantastic in fact!!! They got a good nights sleep the first night and were not jet lagged on the second day, in fact they were full of enthusiasm covering lots of activities in the first day... so we gave them swine flu - this slowed them down! William was a big hit! Tekapo and the Big Tree at Peel Forest were great days out - and we all had lots of fun at the vineyard and down at the bay! Plus D & B discovered the South Island for themselves on a real roadtrip - checking out Christchurch, the Hamner hot spring (luuurvely!), Nelson, Kaikoura and the wineries - didn't spot any whales, but chatted to several seals! Its ACE having them here!

Row Row Row Row Row..........

W has a new favourite song; Row Row Row Your Boat. He only gets as far as Row Row Row Row, but has taken to getting in anything that resembles a boat and singing it for a while whilst rocking. (I think that he gets this from N)
I heard him this afternoon and looked out to see him singing in the washing basket and thought that I had to share it with you.
The bump has started to be more active this week with more kicking and growing! I'm thinking even bets for a ten pound baby.
Names for the baby have also been a topic of conversation for the passed few weeks to the extent that most suggestions are now followed by a sigh and are pretty inconsequential.

Mr Prime Minister

I managed to get a moment with the PM today on his visit to TGHS. He came to open the Admin block so we had a formal morning assembly with himself and his armed guards. He then joined us for morning tea where I managed to speak to him, but before I could ask him for a pay rise and about social reform he quizzed me on Manchester United and my intentions in NZ. An opportunity missed to influence la revolucion, but hey maybe next time?
I'm now also 2 degrees separated from Barack Obama - that's just how I roll.

Peel Forest

Went to Peel Forest today for a walk in the wilderness. It is a reserve just on the other side of Geraldine, about 35 minutes from here. We did the Fern Walk path through the forest which brought us out into a village called Blandswood. Here there were hidden houses and winding roads into the base of the mountain - it was a hidden gem.
W was shouting at lots of things that caught his interest. I gave him a fern to feel and found that he was still carrying it about 30 minutes later. Have a look at the video that shows our trek. Did we manage to get the fantail on film? and did N find sasquatch looking after the cub?

Peel Forest from Peter Potter on Vimeo.

Brocco-flower!

Recently found this in the supermarket and had to buy it. Not too sure what we are going to do with it, so if you can give us any suggestions? brocco-flower cheese maybe? As you can see W is quite amazed by it too. I used him so that you can gauge the size of it.

Chicken Pox

W has had chicken pox for the past week with 25 spots at the last count. He's still been very lively although his sleeping has gone completely upside down and now even that he has recovered he now has a cold.
Spring is in the air and with it we have enjoyed temps up to 27! what a change. W is picking the new flowers as fast as they are growing, it's nice, but wearing thin; fast. I spent the day sorting out the garden yesterday and even managed to get a bit of a tan. The veg plot is coming on nicely with all of the mustard seed turned over and miniature horse poo has been mixed in. We have some seedlings ready for the summer and seeds ready to plant - go us! We are definitely having a go at 'the goodlife' here in timaru!
The little man has been a great help to me in the kitchen this week - he has his own ideas about using all the pans for putting bottles tops and potatoes in and stirring them about, then sorting them all out again in different pots/pans/boxes - very busy! We have also done every park, duck pond and farm animal cafe going this week - in an effort to keep chickenpox boy away from other kids and have actually had a really fun week with lots of fresh air! Back to music and movement, then daycare today though and very busy straight away, so am sure he's pleased to be with his friends again ACE! Click for pictures.

There is only one!

We went to Timaru Hospital today to have our first scan. And I am very pleased to announce that there is only one! This is our first scan of 3. The next scan is at 20 weeks when they will be able to determine the gender. The hospital was a pleasant experience with no teenage expectants, a 2 minute wait and we didn't have to load a machine with £1 coins for the images. They were free.
W's response has been good. He said 'Biby' when it came on the screen and this evening we have been able to sit him down and break the news. He's taking it well so far.
The date that they gave us was March 5th, but if N keeps growing at this rate she'll be as big as a Roly Poly - possibly even bigger.

Spring?

William has been a gem this week. He has been practicing new skills like; turning around, funky dancing to the beat, stamping, sitting on chairs and getting everything out of every cupboard. Pictures
The chores of the garden had finally come to a head and after buying a new lawnmower (last years mower was dropped off at the tip RIP) it managed to not start. Not much luck with lawnmowers. A few hours weeding have left me feeling that this garden is going to take up lots of my time over the warmer months. But homegrown potatoes, courgettes and lettuces will make it all worthwhile!
William has been a brave soldier and fought off a fever over the weekend - he has still been busy and smiling through most of it and is completely fresh-aired out now after helping his daddy in the garden and a mess about on the beach with new wellie boots! Fingers crossed he will have a good night's sleep - and then be up for a different kind of day coming into work with me! TTFN

Visitor

Andrew was down last weekend and brought a welcomed Macunian outlook on Timaru and our lifestyle. He reminded me of the things that I had started to take for granted and also of good friends that are still at home. It was good to catch up and we went out in Timaru. I do remember cringing when he chatted up the barmaid, whilst my only though was 'I hope she's not a Girls' High student!!'. He stayed in Timaru for 48 hours and then went on to Q'town for a seasons skiing. I'm hoping to get down there for the weekend in a few weeks.
It has been the Perseid meteor shower this week and I was looking forward to a dazzling display only to find that Timaru was covered in cloud and now rain for the last 3 days for the first time in about 3 months........... typical!

Still bloody cold.....

July has been good. I've had 2 weeks off to chill (literally), re-charge and spend time with the whanau.
We have generally spent time keeping warm. Coal, wood and the fan have been the hot topics around the household for the past few months. The situation is much better now and we are wiser for next year. The coldest May for 35 years and coldest June for 50 years gave us a real baptism of ice. I'm reassured by the locals that it's never normally this cold.
You'll see from the pictures though it's still beautiful during the day getting up into double figures and shades are still a must.

There was an earthquake!!!! 7.8 on the Richter scale and we didn't feel a thing. I remember I felt the rumbles from Beswick a few years ago, but nothing here?!?

William is now a fully fledged member of Creative Corner daycare centre - as I am running the After School sports and crafts programme in Temuka (about 20 mins away) - its good fun for me and william has really settled in now and wows everyone with his animal noises, sand pit skills and bopping along to Old Macdonald - he is definitely more independent these days, a real little toddler into everything - but still ridiculously giddy about sticks and the beach - today's new word was 'clam'!

www.flickr.com pageypotter's July 2009 photoset

TekapoTastic

We ventured out to Tekapo today just an hour from here and a place that we have been many times, although never with as much snow! The drive there was fantastic with each summit and bend opening a new unbelievable vista. WG loved it! firstly just the word 'snow' had him in fits of giggles. We dragged him around and sat with him on some of the slopes in the sledge. He doesn't seem to enjoy the fast slopes too much, but we do.
The cloud came in a little and we went for a cuppa in the Mount John Observatory. It was beautiful up there. We could see 360 degrees of snow covered mountains and to the East there was a blanket of cloud below us. WG took full advantage of the busy cafe and introduced himself to everyone and decided to try out a ladies walking poles.
I hope that you enjoy the pictures.....

Timaru Harriers

Had first race as a 'Harrier'! Came 5th overall which was good, but room for improvement. The good news was that the ladies race before the men so when Naomi realised this she wanted to race too. The weather was good and the property that we raced on was beautiful.
Looking forward to the last week at school and then 2 weeks off!

Dobson Skifield

The ski fields are finally open so we took full advantage and bought a sledge! Our first family sledge expedition was fantastic. Lots of fun to be had and future trips have been pencilled in. The video speaks for itself......

Winter Beach

William is full of beans today after a couple of days with a virus and a rash - he has been doing all the actions at Music and Movement this morning and waving hello to everyone, chatting with nextdoor's cat, the sheep and the ducks.. and has had a brilliant time on the beach!! He gets really giddy as soon as he sees the sand!! Even though he looks so little in his coat he is getting so big, so fast and is so independent walking and running!! everywhere possible!
Wednesday was first haircut day!!! He sat in a special seat shaped like a car and we read a noisy bird book - so he didn't even notice the lady snipping away at his little baby mullet hairstyle - he looks like such a little boy now!! wow he will be 14 months next Thursday! Ciao for now xxx

1st Post (special delivery)

Welcome to our first post...... erm not too sure what to write. Will post an old movie and some pictures from the weekend just gone at Caroline Bay. We have tended to spend more time on the beach in the Winter than in the Summer and it is turning into a ritual of going down to the beach on a Friday after work. The light is nice down there at that time and William loves the sand and especially the abundance of sticks!

Nights are getting cold with -2C reported at night although the local weather station reported -4C last night. I had to explain to my class what central heating was last week and if it was one thing that I never though I would miss it is that. It takes a couple of minutes to build up the confidence to get out of bed. We are getting tough though! :-)