All week stuck inside behind my computer screen the sun beat down…perfect painting weather!

I can’t understand how the weather forecasters are finally getting it right! A weather forecast of fine weather used to mean Rain, and thunderstorms probably meant it would be sunny!

Saturday’s forecast said a 60% chance of rain at 2.pm and that’s what we got!

That meant the morning was the only time for outside work, which are all my jobs as leaving the inside to the experts!

I had to drive down as the bag of sand was a little heavy to carry the 600meters! My first job was digging, leveling, filling with sand,compacting and throwing a couple of heavy pavers on top making a pad for the heat pump motor thing!

All relatively simple, but under house, on hands and knees with a meter height restriction added a little more complexity (and agility)

Then it was off for kitchen/bathroom supplies for both Dan and I, and of course Floyd…

Battling Saturday shopping traffic is almost worse than workdays, first stop McDonald’s breakky!

Last stop at Bunnings on the way home around 1pm for some more paint (I swear a big expense of renovating are the bunnings trips as an extra brush, roller, drop sheet usually gets thrown in for good measure).

And yes it rained, but that doesn’t deter a gal on a mission!

One uses what nature (or in this case man) has provided…Eaves and the sheltered west side! Good to know wet drop sheets still contain the paint!

Yoga workout exhausted by 5pm and a few patches sporting the colour of choice. When your house has a backdrop of trees the green is obsolete!

Back to the cottage for showers, dinner and preparation for the 3rd All Blacks (rugby) test!

And it’s Halloween, killing three birds with one stone! Skincare, rugby support and a face to scare the children who come knocking for sweets!

The rain has passed and Sunday morning is presenting a great painting day! It is back into it for me and maybe a helping hand! But first a coffee!

While the weather gods have produced a perfect long weekend marking the start of summer, and the fishermen are fishing, boaties boating, foodies eating and relaxing….the Bonnici’s at waiwera are putting in a big working weekend. After all it is Labour weekend…

Saturday morning 8am, saw Dan on site at his mates digging and landscaping back yards…payback for work on our houses. And yours truly was climbing under the house, clad from head to toe, clearing out 30 years of past inhabitants rubbish. There really was everything but the kitchen sink, which is a shame as I do need a new one of those!

The find of the morning, and only thing kept, a piece of old tin turned out to be a national treasure! (Maybe from a dubious source), and will find a place of pride at the new abode!

Thank goodness I had Lexi to help me stack and toss filling up the final skip, as I was aiming to showered, dressed (actual dress) and make uped by midday, for a celebration of our dear family friend Joys life. A wonderful lady who died 10 days into the first covid lockdown and was two weeks off her 95th birthday! A select few had lunch at the surf club and reminisced about this gorgeous lady. I knew only the son and wife, from Wellington but had a few more friends by the time I left! Then the mahi(work) continued, planter boxes to fill and paint and a shared bbq to throw together as all the workers needed a good feed and early night!

Sunday bloomed with a visit to Russell Rose who is flourishing at my friend Johns house, then off for another painting day! Clad again from head to toe to minimalise the body paint. Inside wardrobes, interrupted by dads arrival and a leaky bag! So it was off to unload, repair and reassure at the cottage. All settled, dad having a nap in his car (his choice) I raced back to finish the painting before my paint set in the tray…by now it was nearly 4pm and Dan still working on his house, I had promised the crew a Roast! Time to get the tea on, and set dad up for the night! Had to give up my double bed and sleep in the lounge! But he seemed to manage with the cottage comings and goings!

Sheets, cottage clean and more bits to be done at the house before packing up and heading back to suburbia! Dad is tootling back this morning and waiting for me to get back later to cook tea I’m sure! What does one say, give a busy person a job and it will get done!

Meanwhile, the gerbra is loving its ice cream container full of water! George had been concerting it up on the East cape and Jaxon been entertaining in-laws and looking after a sick wife. The waiwera crew have been ticking away at job after job, every bit gets us closer to our goals and we are grateful for the hands that open and help in any way! Sometimes just a chat is good!

So here I am sitting at work, waiting for the unlocking person to arrive, having slept for five hours after a productive weekend…

Angels come in many forms, and if we open our hearts they are all around us. A week of activities has provided me glimpses of the angels around me.

George learning a new skill painting my deck, the beginning of yet another renovation.

To the ongoing support of Dan, who is up every morning with a mission in mind; fixing, painting, laughing, providing the music and a cold beer at the end of the day. His friends who come and do the odd jobs in their weekends and listen to the ideas of an old lady! (Not so old but 60 is getting there). My dad who appears while I am on the roof painting, to offer a helping hand (bless him) and make sure I have eaten! My friends who hear me out when I have a heavy heart and tell me to take care of me! (I guess jiffing my legs to remove the paint on a weekly basis is not ideal for old skin – however effective)

Then there’s George (again) and Jaxon, making sure I take time out to hold onto the things I enjoy! An all blacks test on a sunny Sunday afternoon and a young man “Caleb Clarke” providing the standout performance, the beginning of a promising rugby career!

The little things…the dove that jumps onto my foot when I am sitting at the cottage and talks to me, letting my know the connection to my loved ones is never broken.

We are lucky to live in a relatively Covid free country where we can attend sports events with 46000 others (while I missed the donut opportunity as the queues were too long), where we can hug, where we can still laugh and be human as know it! Whilst travelling to far off places is on hold, we fill our lives with activities, canine cuddles and human kindness. I just want to thank the angels in my life and hope I can add wings to theirs from time to time!

Two weeks since the mini break and our world has been spinning, back into the reality of daily routine.

We celebrated my 60th on a Thursday evening, with a baked cheesecake, and Australian sky news!

Last weekend saw the big shift, with one offspring move out of Waiwera. Followed by a week of frantic work stuff, battling the broken harbour bridge traffic to hit meetings and appointments, catch up with friends and yes it’s Friday again!

George and I hung out with Dan and Lex at the bach, for Dans birthday, home made pizza and baked cheesecake (again).

So in this crazy world, birthdays are kind of a non event, just spending time with your nearest and dearest!

I’m going to really try and keep my Gerbra alive, Until she has a home.. homelessness is becoming not so attractive! Covid life is definitely not the time to enjoy being a Gypsy!

Spring is throwing us cool fast winds, the odd sunny day and very little rain…last night George and I thought we would end up in OZ with the wizard! As the neighbours door slammed all night and the tin on the roof rattled and the wind whistled around every corner of the cottage! Think it is with us for the weekend, but we have activities to do so just be mindful of the windburn!