Winter summer days

A lockdown weekend of overnight single digit temperatures and inland frosts, daytime blue skies, sunshine and sea swims!

Saturday was planned but took a few detours with some “sorting out” jobs, while George got behind the vacuum and mop. I almost got an afternoon nap in the sun, but the gardening jobs were calling (and so was dad).

The compost got shoveled around the mandarin and lemon trees providing a perfect platform to poke the alyssum in “wherever I felt like it” …. as per Sandys instructions! The pots with dead plants on the deck got hauled by George around the back – another direction from Sandy and random dead plants and live weeds got disposed of, Sue, Al and George tag teaming!

Trudi arrived around 4pm, being alone, she is our bubble extension in level 3, and assisted with round two of the “Hello Fresh” production…Keeping me company while I chopped, diced and prepared (an hourish) for a Sri Lanken chicken curry! George had taken a run around the estuary (11ks) followed by a bath (and a nap would have been in there somewhere) but he was on cooking duties!

Easy Mum! Yes George the hard bit is done…just tip the (already prepared 20 ingredients) into the pan in order! Actually, while I had my doubts that dad could stomach two Asian type meals in a row, we “all” enjoyed this one!

Sunday broke in more of the same glorious weather and our mission today was to wash (by hand) all the cars…so right now that is four! Dads big SUV, the Hyundai i30, the old Punto and the older Merc (who is destined for a new home). So Dads car got moved onto the road, the Hyundai had a good inside vacuum and clean out, then the target of our mission got attacked – the Merc! Vacuum, sugarsoap upholstery and vinyl and pretty much everything – dad bars bugged the windows.  Hand washed the outside paintwork, polished the chrome, tyre shined the bumpers, toothbrushed the rims and rinsed with a sponge and dryed with a beach towel! Let me explain: as many will be asking where is the hose in this equation. Aucklanders will, the rest of the world won’t, understand that we are still on water restrictions from the summer and using a hose is a no-no. Nearly through winter – this does not bode well for summer garden watering. (p.s on the car cleaning….the Punto got an inside clean)

Dad sat in the sun and George and I dropped the old girl (with for sale signs on) down to the roadside, on the busy walkway, to see if there were any bites. Ok, my friends, we are talking about the Merc not me! By this time the Merc was a much more attractive proposition.

Next stop some drop offs to the boys at Waiwera and a mid winter summer day swim….

For George ….. while I took a moment and a social distance coffee with my friend John gazing at the sea!

John is the caretaker of Russell Rose, who is blooming in his spa area. I have so many plants to look after in my current residence and cannot provide the TLC that John can at this time!

After a (very) quick ocean dip and a moment at the beach, we returned to Dad and some interest in the Merc. We collected her off the streets and brought her home in readiness for a social distance viewing. A couple of young chaps, quite keen, but want to swap their car and flick in a bit of cash.. the days of deals are long gone.  I am wanting to reduce car numbers not add to them! We’ll see, we plan to send her out on the streets again today and see if she generates some more lucrative interest!

A glorious (and busy) winter summer weekend ended with a dry pork fillet, mashed potato, baked carrot and beetroot and probably the least tasty “Hello Fresh” so far! But not without the fiddling around beforehand to get it all ready! Three down two to go! Looking forward to “breakfast for dinner”…… eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomato and toast!