Earth Hour

My earth hour picture. If you look closely you can see the black cast on my broken ankle, with my little white toes peeking out.

Today's Daisies #80

Today's daisies were a kind pressie from Robyn, one of Peter's nurses.

Today's Daisies #79

Today's daisies were a lovely suprise from my next door neighbours.

Keriann and her mum came around on Tuesday with some treats for me. Lovely scones with jam, chocolate brownies and a couple of jars of homemade jam. Yum, yum, yum. In fact the chocolate brownies were so yummy my youngest and I had stuffed our faces full before Keriann's car had reached the bottom of the drive. Thanks Keriann

the small things #4

Not really a small thing, but it gives me a good feeling. Driving back to Hawkes Bay from Taupo the moment we go past the native bush my spirits rise. I love the mix of plants, so beautiful.

Time for a bit of a strop

Just like everyone else I have a great respect for anyone who has to live their live with a wheelchair. But since a recent trip to Auckland, that has increased hugely. Two days in a wheelchair and I was turned into a stroppy annoyed person. I was fed up of the restrictions put on me. I was fed up of people in the street almost standing on me because they did not notice me, or expecting me to get out of their way. Off having to be parked outside shops because I could not get in to the shop, though I must say the shops in Devonport were great at letting my hubbie bring things out for me to see. Off being unable to cross the road to get to the shops I wanted to visit. Off ending up like a bit of a shopping trolley.
We all think that the recent changes to increase access and mobility for disabled people are a great leap forward. And I am sure they are. But when you are actually stuck in that chair, the reality is not that good. Take for one thing pavements and the lowered kerbs to enable access to cross the road for wheelchairs. Good idea, until you actually look at them. The ones that I encountered were frequently cracked or steep or unlevel or all three. I was almost tipped out of the wheel chair on a number of occasions. Now maybe there is a knack to getting over roads, but I could never have managed with out my family. My independence was removed from me, and I hate it.
Disabled toilets, great you might think, there are lots of them all over the place. Again there are major problems. Two main things - First of all heavy doors, if you are on your own, how do you open a heavy door while in a wheelchair. And all disabled toilets seem to have them, apart from Snow Planet. I either had to drag a family member with me or stagger around on my crutches trying to open the door, stay upright and push my wheelchair through. I have the choice of using crutches, others don't. Again a loss of independence. Secondly, the level of cleanliness! McDonald's in Huntley were using the disabled toilet as a gents toilet, because the gent's toilets were out of use. It was yuk.
I am a lucky person, in six weeks time I will have my mobility and independence back, others won't. I think what I am trying to say is that all of us should be pushing at every oppertunity to make it easier for everyone to get around, for everyone to have their independence. Not to assist people, but to put in place the facilities so that those of us that have to use wheelchairs can do everything that the rest can do, without assisstance. And not just because it might one day be us, but because for some it is already that day and things need to be changed now.
Oh and if anyone can tell me, politely, just where you put your crutches when you are using the wheel chair? Roll on the next five weeks.

Slowed down watching the world go by

Usually I am an active person, not sporty, just busy. I don't like to sit around, I like to be doing things. Now I am having to slow down. Having a broken ankle is forcing me to sit back and watch the world go by. I went to have my hair cut last week, because I can't drive I was at the mercy of my middle son. I had to sit and wait for him to come back and take me home. Very frustrating.

My Garden Trip

This weekend I have got over my nasty cold and am feeling so much better. My youngest wanted to build a den in the wood. So I cleared some of the undergrowth for him. Being me I got a little carried away and ended up trimming quite a few trees. While I was clearing up the tree trimmings I notice a few potholes where my youngest had been digging. While I was thinking to myself - better fill those pot holes in before somebody really hurts themselves - I fell in one of the potholes and my ankle gave a bit of a crack as I fell. You can see in the snap below how hard it was to see the pot hole. After lying on the ground groaning, among the mosquitos, I realised I had to get myself back up to the house somehow.

Crawling on my hands and knees I set off while my youngest ran off to get the first aid kit, so he could bandage me up! Peter went to get some pain killers. Peter did offer to help but it was just too painful to hop, and he would have dropped me if he carried me.


I dragged myself up the hill.
And up the steps, and across the wet lawn, while the family looked on giggleing. They giggled even more when I insisted that before I went to hospital I had to wash my face and hands and apply some makeup. I am a girl after all.


In the waiting room at the hospital my ankle developed a very large egg, just above the ankle bone. The emergency department was full of motor bike riders who had had accidents at a local Motor Cross meeting. And there was I with a broken ankle from gardening.

If you look closely you can see the bottom of one of my shin bones has been snapped off. All that fuss for such a tiny break.

After only 4 hours at the Emergency Department I was home again, complete with plaster cast, crutches and demanding chocolate. The next 6 weeks are going to be interesting, I am a very active person and hate sitting still. I won't even be able to drive! Work is not a problem because I can work from home. But sitting still, I will have time for sewing perhaps. Mind you the family have already started playing tricks on me, which should if not keep me on my toes, at least will stop me from being bored.

Comfort Food

This last couple of weeks I have had a stinking cold and have been feeling miserable. For the first week I did not want to eat at all. Then as the cold started to shift all I seemed to crave where Avocado's. Soooooooo I thought you might like to see my favourite lunch being prepared. I make up a bit of a guacamole with lots of chile to chase away the cold on a toasted Bagel.
Then some of my favourite micro salad. Which is very, very young salad greens from the organic salad stall at the market, and tastes amazing.
Some tomatoes and lovely creamy danish feta from the Strawberry Place to finish it off.

Stormy sky

Last weekend the skies went from blue to stormy in a matter of minutes and we had a bit of a thunder storm, which really cleared the air.

Farmers Market or Supermarket

I know that I do keep blogging about our local farmers market, so if you are bored don't read on.
We are very lucky here in Hawkes Bay to have a farmers market every week. Last Sunday while I was staggering around full of the cold, it dawned on me how much I enjoy the whole market shopping experience. What would you rather do, go to the supermarket or wander around the farmers market. There are wheelbarrows to use instead of trolleys.
Live music instead of supermarket music.

Friendly, helpful eftpos facilities. Organic produce at a good price direct from the grower, instead of the supermarket inflated organic prices .
Avocados sorted for me, I buy some that are ready now and some that will be ready in a few days.

Organic plants for my garden.

And lots and lots of lovely stalls full of delicious produce.

The day after the night that never was

This was the beautiful sunny weather the day after the Mission Concert. Pity they could not have changed the day and gone ahead on the following day. Instead they have refunded our money. I wonder what will happen next year? Who will they come up with next? I don't think it will be Lionel Ritchie.