Last night I caught my foot on my laptop power cord as I was leaving the study.

I hit my ankle with considerable force on something very hard.

It hurt

 

As it was teatime & I was busy I carried on despite Tim hassling me about putting something on it.

I elevated it for a wee while after tea and then had a spa and went to bed.

Then it started really hurting.

So when Tim came in and I told him he went and got some frozen tomatoes (the first frozen packet he could find) and some towels and ice-packed it for me.

Of course he was hassling me majorly (with a self suffering grin on his face the whole time) for not letting him do this at the beginning and for being so silly as to soaking it in the hot spa etc etc, but he did put the tomatoes away again once my foot had gone numb from cold

The ankle was very sore and it wasn't comfortable sleeping.

This morning he got another ice pack for me so I lay in bed & read my book trying to keep warm with a frozen foot!!

I am reading a few books by Deborah Challinor.

I am really enjoying her books.

I read 'Band of Gold' last week.

I had already read 'Kitty' and 'Amber' but really enjoyed rereading them and cannot wait for the 4th book to be written.

And have just finished 'Isle of Tears'.

They are historical novels based on early NZ life.

Very entertaining and educational.

 

Then it was time to get up and shower etc.

I had a busy day planned.

 

Pat Eising and all his boys had arrived down late late last night.

Tim headed off up the hill to do some fence fixing so Pat came up and sat and chatted with me while I had breakfast & iced my foot again.

It has been ages since they were down due to his wedding last year and the boys getting older and busier.

 

Azzan enjoys Dillon's company and they were soon asking to go kayaking.

They went out for a while and then were in the spa so I guess the sea is not yet that warm

 

Jesse and his friend Chris came up to ask if they could use the kayaks and they went out and Chris went diving.

But there is not a lot to catch in the bay apart from Kina so they were not that thrilled with their trip.

 

While I hung out the washing Mahalia carried all the boxes of school stuff I have had stowed in the hallway out onto the kitchen table.

I have to go through them all and price the things I am selling and box everything up ready to take out to town on Monday for the curriculum fair on Tuesday.

 

We seem to have a menagerie in the house again.

Tinga the sun conure, Alice the pukeko chick, Hershey the lamb and a Skip the schiperke!

Alice is doing very well.

Shanni has moved it from the shoe box into a larger cage.

It's incessant chirping can be heard throughout the living area!

 

Azzan is heading off to camp on Monday.

He has been planning a costume for ages now and despite me saying not to leave it to the last minute, he did!

But I managed to get him started on it after lunch.

He knew exactly what he wanted it to look like.

He just didn't know how to do it.

So I have interpreted it for him.

We raided Tim's work shirt drawer and found an old shirt to use as a base.

Then we got a heap of old maps and I started him off showing him how to tear and glue them into place.

Dillon got stuck in and helped him which made the job much more fun for them both.

As I had the table covered with school books I set them alight down on the floor with pva glue and brushes.

I was very impressed, they didn't spread the glue all over the place like I was expecting two small boys to do!!

The shirt hanging to dry with the fronts glued on.

Mahalia came back in and was able to take over from my supervisory role which was a huge help.

We found it easier to progress further once Azzan actually put it on.

Soon the backs and sleeves were glued and the collar was being sorted.

Dillon had to go home for dinner, so Mahalia & Azzan finished it and hung it above the fire to dry.

Tomorrow we will get it all finished.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen Shjanni was baking.

She had already made a huge gluten free quiche, now she was making Azzan a birthday cake.

We will be away for his birthday and one of his presents he really needs before he leaves so we decided we will have a wee party tomorrow night.

He doesn't know this yet

We had roasted a chicken in the slow cooker and Shanni did all the vegetables for dinner while I carried on with sorting the books.

Dinner was delicious.

While Tim put the children to bed I skyped with Jesika.

So good to hear the news that she has a new job and will be starting it soon.

 

The other news of the day is that Graham has now left the hospital and is recuperating with friends in Motueka.

I heard from Leanne tonight and she said he is not going to be going to be keeping fairly quiet for a while, he is on pain meds which are making him a bit spacey and he can't walk far yet either.

He is using a walking stick and another special picker-upper stick thing for reaching things he needs.

So keep him in your prayers - he has a long road yet to travel to return to full health.

But he is a tough rooster and determined and he has God on his side!

 

I was really weary when I hit the pillow.

Daylight saving starts in the morning.

That is okay for tomorrow but Monday morning it means the kids and I will have to be up and hour earlier to leave for town - that doesn't sound okay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was up early but managed to only move from my bed to the study for the first half of the day.

I got caught there!

I was planning on heading to the spa and then having breakfast but all of a sudden I was overwhelmed with business calls and emails and stuff that had to be done.

Then once I got through all of that Ross called up and we spent the rest of the morning on the phone and internet getting the gst sorted.

I've been doing this job for over 25 years and he is having to learn it in a few weeks/months.

Quite a bit to get his head around.

He is learning fast which is great.

And we also think alike which makes things easier!

 

While I was busy I sent the girls up to to the wwoofers hut - to make beds and sort through all the work clothes.

Shanni did a great job and brought down and large box of throwaways.

'Tardis' arrived mid-morning.

Tim and Noel spent some time getting the wharf sorted - moving bags of ropes around, generally tidying up and making things more orderly.

Mandy ran up to see me.

I hurriedly whizzed through the bathroom and threw on my clothes and made myself slightly more decent.

She didn't stay long as they had work to do.

The day has been very stormy so it hasn't been a particularly pleasant day for working.

 

Ross and I finally got the gst finished and filed - what a relief!

I finally had my breakfast just before midday and sat in the sun in my art corner to eat & read my book.

Or at least I tried to but kept on getting interrupted.

Just needed some head space after the intense morning but I wasn't going to get it so gave that idea up pretty quick

 

Tim and the children had their lunch and then headed out to do some mustering and tailing.

I finally had my lunch at around 4:30pm.

I got all the veges done for dinner and put them in the oven to roast before I sat to eat.

The mailboat had been so I read the papers while I took 5.

 

Graham called to say the hospital is going to chuck him out tomorrow.

Unfortunately it is all down to money and they cannot afford for him to stay in the hospital for as long as he should

He heard murmurings of them sending him to a halfway house so he got onto it fast and found a place with a friend that the Drs were happy with.

He has to stay within close cooee of medical help.

The first place he was invited to stay was half an hour from town and they would not allow that.

Despite the place he is going to now being in Motueka, because it is close to the community hospital they were happy with that.

Just has to give his spleen time to heal properly.

 

I have dinner all ready but Tim and Mahalia have gone off round to Te Kopi to visit Olly.

They seem to be making a habit of this lately so dinner is getting later and later.

I guess once day light saving begins on Sunday dinner wont be late anymore

Well, at least for a week or three.

The southerly is pounding the beach tonight.

There is an incredibly bright full moon shining over the trees at the moment.

Methinks it might be a good night for a spa later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the view from my spa.

Can you see why I love it

I was up at 6am to have a spa before all the world awoke.

It was a rather idyllic morning.

Playing with my panorama setting

Flat calm reflective sea with interesting cloud patterns in the northern sky

 

As it was so calm Tim decided to do some mussel work after breakfast so Jerram decided to stay longer so he could go out too.

So the 3 guys headed out for a few hours to cut off floats.

Jacob had asked Jerram for a ride out so when they came back they stopped long enough to have a snack and then they headed out to Blenheim at midday.

It felt so relaxed once he had gone.

Nice to have company but also nice to have our own space back again.

 

Talked with Graham.

Some friends have offered for him to stay with them.

But the hospital is not happy with him going half an hour away from medical help so they have decided to keep him in there for another 10 days.

He was sounding very relieved.

He is worried about his spleen and knows the risks so is being very cautious.

He is enjoying all his visitors too

 

I ended up busy in the study in the latter parts of the arvo and then ended up having a very very long phone conversation with a close friend who was going through some pretty hard stuff.

I think we talked & cried & talked for 2-3 hours.

The girls put dinner together and they all ate and got themselves off to bed while I was on the phone.

I sat and talked with Tim afterwards while I ate my dinner and then we fell onto our pillows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone went out tailing lambs.

They got in for a late lunch.

Shanni came home with a motherless lamb.

She is feeding it glucose and our milk until I can organise some lamb milk to come in tonight.

 

I had a morning of sorting paperwork and getting things done in the office.

Seem to be doing a lot of shuffling at the moment - most frustrating.

Have set Graham up with a phone plan so he can call us anytime for nothing.

It is good cuz he now just calls for a chat and we can keep up with his progress.

He was sounding more breathless today, they have to monitor his oxygen levels, but he is doing his physio exercises to keep the prospect of pneumonia away.

And he makes sure he thinks up questions to ask the Drs each time they come to visit him.

Gotta keep the brain active when there's nothing else to do

 

Jerram arrived in the afternoon.

He is scouting for a NZ rural tv programme.

He stayed overnight with us and we spent most of the latter part of the arvo and the evening chatting with him as he took lots of notes.

He was a very interesting man so was fun to have him here.

The rain came in and it was a pretty scuddy evening.

Thankfully we had plenty of the mutton & venison stew from the night before so dinner was easy.

Shanni made a butterscotch pudding which went down well.

We stayed up till abut 10 talking.

Later night than I have had in a while!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim & Jacob went out to fix fences over the back this morning.

Graham called me and sounded slightly better.

The physio is working with him already to make sure his lungs keep working and he doesn't get pneumonia.

The nurse was about to get him up for a shower so that should help to make him feel better.

And I was hoping that the exertion would help him to sleep for a while afterwards as he hasn't been sleeping well at all.

 

We had a scheduled power cut today which we all forgot about until it happened.

Tim had left meat cooking in the slow cooker and bread in the breadmaker.

So I had to get the fires going and transfer everything to the woodstove.

Mahalia is not at all well.

I do not know what the matter is.

She is complaining of a sore head and stomach.

I have got her on a huge regime of vitamins and minerals so she should get better real soon!!

She will either improve because of them of because she doesn't want to take them all

 

I started going through all the stuff in the hallway today.

We sorted all the clothes the kids had chucked out recently.

Now I have them all bagged up and ready to pass on.

Next is the toys etc.

Then it is all the school books!

That is going to be a mission and a half.

 

The IRD is changing the way we file our GST now and I had to register for 5 entities.

It was a very tedious process.

I got three done and then hit some brick walls.

Despite the fact that I do all the bookwork I could not register Tim's Trust nor Anson's company.

I spent ages on the phone talking to one guy, he was very helpful and he also spoke Kiwi which I really appreciated.

But despite me sending messages via the kids for Tim to come in and talk to him he didn't and so I had to end that conversation and then start the whole process again once he did finally come indoors.

That took heaps of time again as they had to do the whole security/gestapo check thing to make sure he was Tim and of course because he doesn't do any of the bookwork he had no idea what on earth they were wanting so it was all a real fiasco

Finally though he managed to give them what they wanted and his was all set up and ready for me to process for him once again - as I have always done!

The other thing that was incredibly annoying was that Anson had gone to all the trouble and expense to leave me with power of attorney so I could deal with any of his business matters.

But guess what?

It only covers him personally - not his company!

So I can't do any of it for him and it now all has to wait until he comes home.

I totally lost the plot during all of this.

I understand security but redtape to the ultimate max is ridiculous

 

Tim took Azzan, Jacob & Shanni mustering this arvo.

Shanni came home with this wee fellow.

She found him in the creek.

He is very very noisy but she thinks he is gorgeous.

After some sussing out on the net she has ascertained that it is a baby pukeko.

She now has all the gen on what it will eat and is feeding it weetbix and crushed rabbit pellets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tardis has been in this week harvesting.

It is the first time I have seen it since it's overhaul.

It is looking great.

I was amused to see the emblem on the stern

Tim was up early to go unlock Waterfall Bay for the carpet layers.

On his way home he zipped over to see Noel & Mandy.

He promised to be home by 8:30am but of course that never happened.

There's always too much to talk about and engines to look at, etc

 

I waited until later int he morning to call Graham.

I know hospitals and Drs rounds etc keep patients busy in the mornings.

It was good to talk with him.

Despite it being hard for him to talk he told me what had happened.

It really is a miracle that he managed to get out of the situation - he surely must've had some angels working with him to have been able to release himself.

He says he has no idea how he did it.

He just knew he had to get out and down to the phone.

Somehow he managed to drive the tractor down the hill and get himself inside.

Once indoors he was able to rest and then when he lay down he felt much better so thought it might just be bad bruising!!

It wasn't until the next morning he really knew he had to get help.

He said the morphine and top up painkillers were not really covering the pain.

He has 9 fractured ribs - and they sound like they are very fractured.

Plus a torn spleen, so the Drs are keeping him very quiet and still so he doesn't damage anything further.

They are also saying it could take 8-10 weeks to heal.

 

I tried to get paperwork sorted in the study.

Gst is due at the end of this week.

Am still so jolly tired that by the time dinner is over I am falling into bed.

 

Mahalia is not very happy at present.

She is up and down so much I just don't know if it is real or not.

One minute she is complaining of feeling sick and head-aching and the next she is off running around and out seeing her horse.

It was a lovely day for drying washing outdoors.

I do enjoy hanging it out when it is sunny and a good breeze is blowing.

 

Tim shot back up to Waterfall later in the arvo to put all the furniture back inside once the carpet layers had left.

I am looking forward to seeing the new carpet - Tim wasn't terribly forthcoming about the change in carpet so I will have to assess it myself!

 

I headed to bed before 8pm.

I was so tired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was great to wake up this morning with no aching head.

I was feeling so much better.

I headed out to an early spa and hadn't been in there long when I heard the phone ringing.

Tim got out of bed to answer it.

It was Graham.

He had had an accident the previous afternoon!

I had spoken to him a few hours later and he hadn't said a word to me about it.

Men!

The story unfolded during the day....

He was milling a very large log over the hill, he does most of his milling there.

Peter was up the hill working on his digger.

Graham was chainsawing off some of the branches of this log when something happened and the log rolled and crushed him against the tractor.

Somehow, and I haven't managed to figure this part out yet, he managed to get himself free.

When Peter arrived home Graham was sitting in the kitchen not looking very good at all.

But he didn't think he was bad enough to be getting help

So when I called him at 6:30pm he never said anything about the accident!

This morning however he was in too much pain and finally called us for help.

I got Tim to tell them to call for the helicopter.

Then Tim & Shanni zoomed up and grabbed some clothes etc and took them over.

They arrived at the same time as the helicopter.

This is the very reason why I am an avid supporter of the HeliRescue team.

Out here we have to have fast access to medical help at times and these guys are brilliant.

 

Anyway, they flew him to Nelson hospital.

I then realised that Graham hadn't notified anyone he was coming so I tracked down his son.

I also activated prayer chains among friends.

 

He has now been assessed and admitted.

He is one very blessed guy - luck really doesn't play any part in this!

He has a tear in his spleen and 9 broken ribs.

He is being kept in bed to allow the spleen to hopefully heal itself and to stop the ribs from puncturing his lungs.

Thank you God we do not have a funeral to attend this week

 

Apart from this we have had a fairly quiet day.

I spent the morning sorting paperwork and paying bills.

I have to get the gst sorted this week so need to have all the bases cleared so I can start with a clean slate, so to speak.

 

Azzan spent most of the morning in bed.

He claimed to not feel well.

Funny that when he wants to do something he feels okay but as soon as I suggest piano practice, or cleaning his room, etc he immediately feels sick again

 

Mahalia & Tim went off to see Olly and do some mustering later this arvo.

I made pizza's for dinner.

I made several with the leftover nacho meat sauce Shanni had made and topped them with onions, parsley, mushrooms and cheese.

Then the others I loaded up with pasta sauce, roast pumpkin & parsnip, mushrooms, feta, broccoli, onions and cheese.

They were delicious.

I ate far too much!!

Tim is playing a board game with the children.

Time for my bed now.

My first day feeling better and I am so tired tonight.

Don't want to overdo it quite yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was feeling so miserable this morning when I woke at 5am I scuttled through my bag in the dark to find some Panadine.

Then back to bed to try and sleep of the headache.

Tim and the kids all headed off after breakfast to do some tailing.

They were away all morning.

It was so lovely and peaceful.

I took my book out into the spa and tried to release some tension with the jets blasting on my back.

I pottered around.

Got the washing underway and hung a load on the line.

The sunshine was so refreshing.

Changed my bed sheets - got them washed, through the dryer and back onto the bed.

Thought I might sleep better tonight if bed is actually made properly.

Then I saw some large fins cruising around the wharf so I went down for a wander.

I knew there were orca around so thought I would go check them out.

They were not orca, just large dolphins.

They were cruising leisurely, enjoying a languid spring day like I was.

No jumping or frolicking so no pictures of them except for a small glimpse of fins as they circled between the wharf and 'Vision'.

And as they cruised towards '88 South'.

Perfect day

Then I pulled a chair out to the back porch and sat a while, eating my breakfast, reading my book and enjoying a quiet peaceful soak in the sunshine.

I went for a walk on my tredmill too.

I have had two restful days, pretty much curled up in a fetal so decided I needed to make myself face life again.

So with some fresh air, exercise and sunshine things have improved.

 

The troops arrived back for a late lunch.

Tim was thrilled with all they had gotten done.

Mahalia went to sleep on the deck.

Tim sat out there enjoying some sit still time.

He was actually waiting for these guys to surface again.

The orca finally did arrive back in the bay.

This photos was taken with my telephoto lens - they were right over in the channel heading into Te Kopi.

 

I started feeling a lot better this arvo.

Headache finally abating.

I made stuffed sausages for dinner with leeks in a white sauce and carrots.

Shanni made Ambrosia.

Jacob went out kayaking for the afternoon.

Tim & Mahalia went out to check the horse and do other stuff and didn't get back home till 7:30pm.

I was just heading out to look for them when they arrived back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stayed in bed and read my book for a while.

Then it took me a while to feel slightly functional.

The two youngest were being rather difficult so I gave them things to do and then went and had a very very long hot shower.

I was feeling just slightly better afterwards.

 

Tim & Jacob went over to Waterfall Bay to clear all the furniture out of the living rooms.

The carpet is being replaced soon so he wanted to get that job done while they had time.

My neck and head was getting worse so I rested and read my book and generally tried to relax for most of the day.

I could feel the muscle knots in my neck and shoulder that were making my head ache.

 

A friend from town had arranged to send me some of her fresh parsley so I asked Shanni if she would do some baking for the mailboat driver to say thanks.

I walked down to the mailboat with Shanni - it was nice to get out in the sunshine for a wee while.

A lovely photo of Skip - taken esp for Cat & Leeann

When Tim saw the mailboat approaching he tore down the wharf and he and Jacob headed off at a rate of knots!

He didn't want to get in the way and he had mussel work to do.

Shanni had wrapped the baking up in a container and then with newspaper and adorned it with bright decorations.

A quick chat and away they went again.

 

The children were enjoying the day.

Azzan was sea gazing - rather like these photos of him.

The southerly had brought in a lot of driftwood.

Mahalia checked out the bigger pieces, she said she was looking for some interesting bits for Cat's garden.

 

 

Shanni cooked dinner again.

I brought out the present I had gotten for Tim's birthday.

It was just something small but fascinated the masses

Calendars are so hard to get into!

Tim couldn't undo the plastic wrapping so I had to help

It is the 2013 M*I*L*K Love calendar.

I just love the pictures and quotes and this calendar was very appropriate for my special man

 

I had been struggling all day with the aching head and consequential fuggy brain & fuzzy eyes so I asked the kids if they would give me a massage.

Mahalia started with neck & shoulders but then had to go have her pudding so Azzan finished.

He ended up with a foot massage.

It was lovely but not enough to get rid of the problem.

So I ended up heading to bed quite early to try and sleep it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim had a lot of mussel work to get done so he took Jacob out for the day.

It wasn't a particularly nice day to be working out there though.

There was a brisk southerly blowing in the bay.

After lunch they went around and split logs near The Croft.

 

I suggested to Mahalia that she go spend the day with Olly as I wasn't up to anything much.

She packed a picnic and went round to him.

She was quite rapt cuz she managed to get him near a fence and was able to hop onto his back.

She rode him bareback home and then spent the rest of the time riding him around the local area.

I unpacked and got washing done.

I was not feeling great.

Started my morning off in the spa once the guys had gone.

Shanni was a big help.

She did her traps & gardening, helped around the house and cooked dinner.

I was so incredibly tired, managed to get a couple of hours sleep in the late arvo.

My neck etc is beginning to pay me back for all the traveling over the last couple of weeks