Winter's not so bad after all.

I had a long lunch today - 2 hours off, the perfect amount of time to bake a cake. I chose the Continental Apple Cake from Edmund's - I had to take it out of the oven before I dashed back to work, but I had time to take this quick snap - you can even see the steam rising from the cake if you look closely. I spent all afternoon looking froward to trying it out when I got home from work, but alas, I had managed to burn the bottom half which tasted stale and was crumbly. Oh dear.

And although I have been a bit down about winter, last weekend we visited our friends' winery - Black Estate. It was such a stunning day, and the view was amazing:

Brrrrrr...

Ok, we have definitely had enough of the cold. Last week our fire actually broke. I didn't realise a fire could break, but apparently if you don't get it maintained by a chimney sweep for over 5 years it can effectively break. It just stopped working. Plenty of smoke but no fire and therefore no heat. It came to breaking point on Saturday when it started snowing. Even with the fire blazing our house isn't quite warm, but with nothing at all it is truly freezing (literally). So we were very relieved when friendly and agile Adam (he clambered up on to the roof even) showed on Monday to clear things up.

But really, the cold is only enjoyable if you are warm. At this time of year it really starts to get us down. I am working on an awesome winter project though which involves 5 gifts for the 5 women I know who have either just had a baby or are due in the next 2 months... I wanted to make a few before I published a photo, so keep posted.

Brrrr.

Sundays

I have never had two consecutive Sundays be so different. This Sunday (today) I woke with a horrendous hangover and vague recollections of singing The Carpenter's "Top of the World" at Christchurch's best karaoke venue - "Christchurch Idol". The whole day has been dark and queasy, and focussed around my favourite hangover cure: Nourish the Nausea - basically eat as much as you can. I had 2 pieces of toast, scrambled eggs with toast and salmon, 1 flat white, 1 pain au chocolat, 1 jumbo vanilla milkshake with ice cream and I still have a steak pie and a cookie time to come. 

Compare with last Sunday when it poured and poured with rain. I awoke fresh and energetic and accomplished so much...

1. I finished off the quilt I had been working on for the most part of two years....

2. I baked some gingernuts for the boys at the office (they only lasted 3 days).. note the jerusalem artichokes and rosemary on the left of the photo - they went in with the roast chicken that I cooked for dinner....

3. I made yet another cushion for our lovely Hans Wegner couch. I have had to ban myself from making any more cushions for the house unless we buy more furniture...

I was going to end there, but then Boo ran up and asked if I would please put up the picture of her in her coat - it snowed (again!!) in Christchurch yesterday so she posed for this (slightly fuzzy) pic:

More cushion action...

Matt and Tim have started their new business (Sons & Co) and I had a hand in the decorating. There were two items which I gave them of which I am particularly proud. Firstly is this cushion I made them:


But I am most proud of the controversial office plant I found them. I bought it off trademe - all I had to go by was a photo which gave the impression that the plant was pretty hefty - possibly about 1m wide and 1m tall - not bad. And after some fierce bidding I picked it up for.......$6! So we went and collected it and it turns out that it was actually 2.5m by 2.5 m ie bloody huge.

We had to fold it all up to get it in the back of the 4WD we borrowed, but it sits perfectly into the little alcove in the office where reception used to be:


It is truly a monster - a little less high after it's folding up, but no doubt that will sort itself out. Everyone who shows up comments on it - it's a bit of a love it or hate it thing - I am definitely of the former category. It looks like it might eat us all.

For more photos of their cool cool new pad visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timkelleher/sets/72157605666126594/

Beached as...

What I did when it snowed, by Boo.

The day after it snowed Matt went for a ride on his bicycle (yikes!):

...and while he was doing that Lil and I went to the dog park.

The dog park is really fun, there are heaps of other dogs there. I am always a little shy when we first arrive - I generally stand on the edge and watch the other dogs for a while before getting up the courage to go and play.

The day it snowed I met a dalmation who called herself Spotty-dog. First we did a lot of sniffing.

But after a wee while we played chase. It's my favourite game, first we run in one direction with me in front, then we turn and I chase Spotty-dog.


It was a very busy day. Matt finally turned up at the dog park on his bike - he was very cold (what a stupid thing to do).


Signed: Boo, queen of the gumboot.

Winter

Last night it snowed here. It started while we were still in town and on the drive home Christchurch looked like this:

It was dark when we got home, Boo was scared to come out, but in the morning she had a change of heart and decided snow was pretty fun.

Pot, on the other hand, spent a long time looking at the white stuff before taking the plunge:

At first she was very tentative;

But with some words of encouragement she was off to the vege patch to sit in the sun.

Stupid Matt is about to bike into town through the snow...chilly billy.