And Another Day

Last Saturday Janice and I, Robert and Jennifer drove to Napier to stay with Jan and David Brock and see Brocky perform in a professional production of Roger Hall's new play "Four Flat Whites in Italy". True to expectations it was a great laugh and a wonderfult study in human relations - as stressed by travelling together. Brocky was magnificent.

After the show we were given the tour of the theatre and joined the party back stage. It was all a great experience. Unfortunately we weren't able to watch more than the first half of the recorded rugby match between NZ and Wales before falling asleep. The morning told us the inevitable result as NZ won by a landslide.

Sunday was a leisurely day....after spending a couple of hours helping the production team "Pack Out" of the theatre (this wasn't in the contract Brocky). After a great lunch out we drove sedately home to Wanganui via a tree nursery and coffee shop.

Of course after all the indolence of the weekend I just had to have a run on Monday and after all the careful build up of the past three weeks a calf muscle just had to decide to give up the ghost after about 4k, in the rain, leaving me to walk, nay, hobble home. Arrrggghhh!!!!!!!!!

That was two days ago. Back to biking tomorrow I think.

Bugger

Lots of good thinking and planning work done today. Plus I bought a great blue spiky wig for a Rotary changeover party. Cool.

Cheers

Terry

One of Those Days

Today was always going to be something of a washout as far as work was concerned but I really did want to get at least half a day of useful work done. Ha!

After a dentist appointment at 8:30am I had about an hour down time in town before a massage at 10. Nothing much I could do about that as I needed the dental check-up and wanted the massage. And a cup of coffee in between and an errand or two needed doing as well. Back home by 11:15 and at 11:30 I hear sounds up at the nursery (all staff away today) so I investigate and find my neighbour has been to do a ploughing job but has broken the plough (well, a bolt anyway) and had to go back for a repair job.

Back home I tidy emails etc until lunchtime after which I can get on with writing some business strategy stuff and check up on how we are doing against "The Plan" This will take me until 3pm and time for a run - I wish! The only problem with this strategy was that after assembling all the hard documents I needed and moving to the computer files I find that they are now archived. That's ok. No it isn't. I can't access the exterior hard drive for the backup - neither can Janice on her pc.

Much gnashing of teeth. I decide to go for a run.

The run was good.

The hard drive is still inaccessible.

I putter around while Janice addresses the computer problem and finds that the back-up drive is accessible from the laptop. Phew!

For various reasons (other symptoms too) we reach the conclusion that Janice's pc, now ageing but virus free, just isn't coping any more. The back-up drive is also ageing so we decide to back up some files from the backup drive to the laptop. I decide to call work off for the day and get dinner ready. I can hear a tractor ploughing.

We decide to investigate a new pc for Janice.

Dinner was nice but the pantry is bare so J and I have a quiet shop for groceries in town, come home, read and hope that tomorrow delivers what today did not.

I'll let you know.

Items achieved: dental check up; massage; ploughing (not yet checked); a few Emails answered; mail and business housekeeping dealt with: some advertising sorted; 5.5krun; grocery shopping; blog

In The Long Run

Sorry no pics, just links, try following them.

A few years ago I kept fit by working outside in our delphinium nursery but since then, due to allergy and the commitments of an expanding business, I've gradually reduced my time in the nursery until it is now virtually nil and my fitness has suffered.

I first started riding in 2007 and continued this sporadically until March 2009 when I eased off and then stopped.

On 7th April this year I decided that I had to start getting fit again. That meant getting on my bike, which I enjoy, doing some hard pedalling, which I enjoy and learning to take it slowly, which I do not enjoy. As part of the reason I stopped before was because of continued small injuries I was, and am still, really determined to ease back in to this gradually and properly.

So, from April 7th when I began with really slow paced riding over just 9k until May 18th, I gradually built up to 15k at a moderate, but definitely not speedy pace. It was more difficult than I imagined. I must be getting older than I realise although at 62 surely I should not be significantly slower than at 58? Then, maybe I was really unfit at the start. Whatever the reason, it was hard work.

The period from May 18th to June 3rd Janice and I were away from home, first visiting relations in Auckland and then our grandchildren in Sydney, Australia. It was while we were away in Sydney that I became even more determined to crack this fitness thing and started walking very briskly for 6 to 10k each day. It worked and by June 3rd I needed to jog a little to work up any sweat at all.

Now, I've never really jogged before, not for any length of time. The reason for this is that whenever I reached about my 4th run I would pull a calf muscle - always, no exceptions. So this time I was very cautious and took advice from my daughter Sarah, who runs, and my physio, who has had a career running. Well, the gist is that I'd been starting off too quickly and expecting to, as they say, run before I could walk. So I tried again.

This is my route so far MapMyRun.com | View To Lillybank Road And Back To Ngaturi Then Home in Wanganui, New Zealand .It is a loop, out and back.

It is now June 14th and I've had six runs and two bike rides in the last ten days and am now able to jog 7k without even a twinge from legs. Please let this continue. Please let me be patient and not run too quickly or to far.

The goal is to run with Sarah in the Wanganui half marathon in December, and in the process, get fit. Wish me luck!

This is the goal for about another month http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/new-zealand/wanganui/588127650517557274

I've no idea if you will be able to see this but it does seem to work.

Let me know!

Cheers

Terry

New Year's Eve

The river trip on Monday has given us the impetus to go for a New Year's Eve Cruise. Robert and Jennifer are coming too and we're gonna bring in the New Year playing cribbage. OK, we'll dance a little and maybe sing. All right, have a drink or two as well, if you like. Yes, I will give Janice a kiss, well, maybe two, if I'm allowed.

As we in New Zealand are the first to bring in the New Year we'll have a good look at it and maybe let you know how it's looking. That way you can take it or leave it, it's up to you.

Before the cruise we'll join R and J for Dinner at "The Avenue", one of our favourite Wanganui restaurants. I have to leave in 5 minutes so no time for images...which I don't have anyway.

So, all of you make sure you lay the foundation for a very happy New Year and let your hair down a little.

All the bast

Terry

Christmas is coming

I took time off today to take a few images of happenings in the garden. We've had wonderfully sunny days lately after some good warm rain and the plants are responding with a good show.

There's a hollyhock flowering now and shows great loss of colour over tha past few generations. Starting out as a deep pink several years ago successive seedlings have become paler.










Our hydrangeas are approaching full bloom and this one looks happy draped with a Kowhai (sophera) hybrid










Hostas are also about to bloom.










Although the longest day has passed already we're still planting native trees as I've managed to extend a hose some 250 metres from the pump shed into the valley beneath our house. The view from our dining room window is now almost filled with trees whereas when we arrived some 10 years ago the area was mostly grass. Must look up some comparative shots!

Janice, Sarah, Aimee and I are all tired tonight and waiting for Chris (son in law) and Jessica (grandchild) to return from the hospital where Jessics went for tests after a particularly bad nose bleed that turned several serviettes at the Rutland Arms Hotel (where we went for "Wedges on Wednesday") bright red - quite a show it was but I'll spare you a photo of it.

More later

Cheers

Terry

Mondayitis

We had a relaxing weekend.
Saturday included some gardening (hanging hanging baskets) visiting mum and dad, playing Catan, Christmas cards writing, exercises, yellow house cafe and crib and simply dropping out.
On Sunday I visited mum and dad again walked around our hills where trees had been planted two days before, more gardening etc. Cooking for Sunday nights has now become a really must do something special occasion so that took a couple of hours. Janice made some really beautiful cup cakes and I managed a fancy lamb chop with finely chopped bacon, crushed potatoes and ratatouille.
Today, Monday, has been one of those low energy days where the work got done despite everything and what a great time 5pm is.

Application for time to slow down

Wednesday passed in a flash. Tractor tyre puncture fixed, seed order to mail order seed company in Russia went out. Checked on trials growing at Bristol's and found oxalis rampant, but the delphiniums that are above the oxalis are doing well. Delphiniums flowering at the Bason Botanic Gardens look great. Will add images when I get a chance. Thinking of putting in an application to God, the Prime Minister, Oprah, Tiger Woods or some other authority to request a slow down of the rate that time flows. I'll keep you posted about progress

Thursday. We have an Internet slow down. I hope that is not a result of my "time" application. No - it appears that our carte blanche to our visitors for Internet use has sent us above our limit. Back to normal at lunch time .... hopefully. Only wasted an hour sorting this out.

Off to spread slug pellets at Bristol's after lunch, still have some spraying and pollinating to do first. more email to attend to too. Christmas is certainly coming.

Note for proof reader...Bason is correct, after Mr Bason. Full stops missed through laziness.

Cheers

Terry

Terry

Backgammon Christmas Dinner

Tonight was backgammon night. All members of the backgammon club, plus wives were there for a Christmas Dinner. That made 7 in total.
Janice had to leave a little early because the quilt club had a committee meeting but quilt club meetings are very efficient so she returned before we'd finished desert.

Just for fun, another day lily image:


I didn't bike or walk today and spent it in quite a lazy fashion doing some pollinating and gardening. This was one of my days off in lieu of the open weekend. I'll have another half day off tomorrow.

Cheers

Terry

In the Kitchen

Here we go, cooking again.

J cooked rissoles for dinner while N made the salad and now they are making macaroons. I really like these two visitors.



Winter returned again today. Firstly we had a power cut and I was woken by the ups beeping until I got up and closed the computers down. Then, as the day wore on the temperature dropped until now when it must surely resemble a cold winters night in Winnepeg - well, maybe not quite.


Plenty of work was done today however. I spent most of it answering emails and writing up new pages for the web site. These are for North Americans trying to find delphiniums that grow well in their region. We need to be more sophisticated when dealing with the regionalism that now dominnates google searches - probably won't make any difference! I've not updated "Terry Says" for ages and the "What are we doing this week" needed refreshing too.

Jason and Natasha prepared some plants for sale at our open weekend in a couple of days and Edita nad goodness knows how many staff were pollinating.

Oh yes, I went for a 40 minute brisk walk in half a gale

Pizza for Dinner

Hi Brenda, Jason's mum. Thanks for leaving the comments. The point about the table at the market is a good one. We will do that next time (which may be spring next year).

Yes, we are really enjoying having Jason and Natasha, they are good company and tonight Jason cooked us a beautiful gluten free pizza dinner, seen here in the oven.




We've found quite a few interests we share, including playing a game called "The Settlers of Catan".



I've been giving Jason "engineering" type jobs such as sharpening the blades on our lawn mower. Natasha and Jason also planted up some hanging baskets.

With any luck we'll be hanging the baskets up at our friends house before our two visitors leave. The baskets are for an electrical engineer and his wife. They get free baskets, we get a free electrician service.

Cheers for now

Terry

Welcome

Welcome to Jason and Natasha from Manitoba, Canada. They are a young, newly wed couple traveling in New Zealand and have come to stay with us, probably for a few weeks.



Great news - they play Catan. We've had 2 games already.

More great news - they love food and cooking.

We're going to have a really enjoyable time together I'm sure.

I'll tell you much more about them soon.


The garden is looking very colourful. Here's some yellow.
















The last few days have been really hectic so the blog has been left and Farmville has had to go on short rations too. For now, just a few images. More tomorrow.

Cheers

Terry

The Visit

Today started well with a bike ride at 6:30am. I hate riding in the mornings but this morning it was reasonably calm (only a 5-10 knot wind) and forecast of increasing to 15-20kts later in the day, so I opted for the early start. My legs ached but the main problem was the sun in my eyes on the way home. I'd forgotten about that.

After the ride I made a huge list of tasks to be completed today and I'm happy to say, managed to complete them by blog time. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the trip to our nursery that the Home of Compassion organised for 7 people, including my mum (rest home) and dad. Dad is in Hospital care in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease and is only able to visit with special wheel chair transport. They came to see all the delphiniums in flower.

Mum has seen the nursery before and remembers but dad's memory has been so far gone for so long that we wondered if it would register. Dad has been a grower almost all his life, growing tomatoes and chrysanthemums mainly, so being round the nursery would maybe catch his interest we thought. Well, it sure did. He was actually smiling and animated for the first time in ages. Twas a joy to behold! Janice wheeled him round while I helped some of the others then I took over the driving. He loved it. Later, in the packing shed, he ate a great afternoon tea and when I moved outside he made a great lurch to follow, which he could not do of course, so he got another ride out to see more delphiniums. It was real cooooooool.


Another item of note in the day was the White Ribbon March against violence upon women.

A few hundred of us males turned up to march up the central street of Wanganui to raise awareness that violence against our womenfolk will not be tolerated. It may or may not make much difference on its own but combined with growing publicity and awareness of how much family violence there is in our society and that it is not acceptable it will contribute to a change in attitude, we hope. So just remember fellas - cut it out! face the issues, be a man and most of all, love your family, they are the best treasure you will ever have.

So, against those two items the rest of the day pales but between the excitement I sure got a heap of work done too, including checking up on our trial delphiniums at Bristol's place. They are doing fine, just like the weeds.

Now I'm going to play a little guitar and wait for some visitors to arrive.

Cheers

Terry

Fun by the river

Friday was a bit of a whirl with pollinating of trial delphiniums to do (see a short white below) as

well as a host of other outside work, a haircut in the late afternoon, fries on Friday at five and a night out at a production of Fawlty Towers (plus meal). The show was great, the meal was very good, the company excellent and the night late. That made getting up at 5:45 this morning to prepare for market a little difficult - but we made it.


Once again there was plenty of entertainment at the market by the Whanganui River and we were especially delighted to see a "happening" develop right behind our stall. A troupe (well maybe half a troupe, what's that, a tro? of musicians, actors, and hangers on started skipping, accompanied by a bongo and a flute. It was a treat to watch them enjoying themselves and inviting the participation of young children and anyone else who wanted to try - no I did not.

Throughout these past few weeks while we have been "doing the market" (my idea) Janice has been a great help doing at least half the work and most of the organising (as always). Thanks Janice, you're wonderful! Only one more to go then we can prepare for our open weekend the following week. Yay!

I think I'll have a lie in in the morning - probably manage to stay in bed till 7am.

More tomorrow I guess as I missed blogging yesterday.

Cheers

Terry

Market Day

Another market day and still we have not been blessed with rain on a Saturday morning since we've been doing it - that's 4 weeks. Cool!

After setting up, having delicious market pancakes for breakfast, a cup of coffee and a friand I picked mum up from the rest home and brought her down to join in the fun. It's great to bring her out with us although she always seems to come grudgingly, then perks up wonderfully and thoroughly enjoys it. I had a great time choosing an outfit for her, something that would keep her warm (It was damn cold at the market) and make her look good. An hour is always enough and I returned mum just in time for lunch.

Mum at our stand at the market.


We had a better selling day than last time as we had several potted delphiniums in flower. They punters really like to try before they buy.

Back from market, lunch and before you know it it's 3 o'clock and lawns to mow. I managed to finish at around half past 6 (taking time out to pollinate some test crosses in the middle of lawn mowing) so didn't get a bike ride in today. Must do it tomorrow.

Cheers

Terry

Here it is, Friday again, always follows Thursday, never late, never early, totally predictable and always appreciated.

If we've done well this week and managed to complete most of the scheduled work then Friday is another good day. If the work has gone badly, there is still lots left and we can't see how on earth we'll manage without working all weekend then a good break on Friday afternoon is essential so however the week has gone - it's Friday and Friday is a good day!

The image is one of an interloper. They just sort of hang around in the greenhouse.


I visited Portland Oregon last August for the Farwest Show (Horticultural expo) and met a few industry folk. One of those, Thomas Johnson, a self confessed plantaholic, will be calling in this Sunday. Meeting people from all over the world is one of the really nice things about this job (we might as well be in tourism) and I love the opportunity to show them round and return a little hospitality. Unfortunately I don't have Thomas's card so have no idea who he is (sorry Thomas). We'll soon find out.

Ok, lots to do this am so must get to it.

Cheers

Terry

On being a Good Day

Today was another good day on a nursery in Wanganui. The sun shone brightly upon the weeds that were hoed up this morning. The wind has added its drying effect to that of the sun and now,
with luck, there will be a little rain tomorrow to wash in the fertiliser that I spread over the newly weeded delphiniums. What more could a grower want? See before and after images.


Last August in New Zealand was a warm and sunny one. Since then although it has been cooler than normal on occasion, many occasions actually, but there has been a great deal of sunshine too. This has resulted in the delphiniums starting to flower about 2 week earlier than normal and it now looks like we'll get all the first flush of pollinating done before Christmas. Yay! We'll see.



One of the jobs I have to do this season is to finally sort out a stable cross for a bright blue with a black bee. We have one that gives blues with black bees but it has too much variety of colour, too many shades of blue. Another cross has a beautiful blue but gives plants that are too weak. This year we will nail it....please. The experimental crosses from last year have only just been planted so we won't know for a couple of months yet, in the mean time I'm making more crosses.



I've really let my fitness slip over the winter and today was the third bike ride of a let's get fit again campaign. I'm not riding far yet (never do) and not quickly either but I reckon that in a couple of weeks I might be ready to time myself without fear of being too embarrassed. We'll see on that score too. Today my legs protested a bit but least I finished without being out of breath.

This evening was an important one. I accompanied a male friend to a Rotary club in town in a bid to encourage participation in a male march against violence towards women. This will be on 25th November - White Ribbon Day. Let's hope we get a good turnout! See http://whiteribbon.org.nz/

Cheers

Terry

Market Day Again

Today was Market Day by the river in Wanganui again and the second week in a row we had taken a stall. The day was fine if a little cool and cloudy and, being the first day of a long weekend there were plenty of folk around.

Janice and I are finding we are actually enjoying doing this. Sure, it doesn't pay much be we're having a great time socialising with all the local folk, many of them friends, the time passes quickly and we get to have a great coffee and breakfast without making it. What more could a man want?


Today, Janice bought a stool, mirror, some soap, a Christmas present, breakfast, a coffee and a newspaper while I managed to score some animal manure, apples, straw, coffee, breakfast, 2 gluten free friands and probably other stuff too. We both managed to sell a few delphiniums.

We also had time to relax and watch others relaxing too and fortunately, the smoke from the PSS Waimarie was blowing away from us.


Yes, we have decided to keep going and except for the week after next when we'll be in Wellington for our granddaughter Jessica's 5th birthday, we'll be at the market until the end of November at least. We'll get investigate getting some decent signage done too because although it's only done for fun and pocket money we may as well do it right!

Another busy day.

Emails to answer at 6:30am, desk-work for a while after breakfast, up to the shed...I need a better name for that. The shed is the covered area between two growing houses that acts as a packing/potting/office/tool and other work area. This type of area is sometimes called a "header house" but that name is oh, so unromantic (so shed is romantic?) and flat and f-f-f-f functional. One growing house is called "Harrod"s" (there's a story there) and the other "The White House". The new growing house is called the "Bee Hive" so what shall I call the shed? Harry? Right. Good idea. Harry it is, after my dear old dad and why not? Mum obviously found him romantic or I wouldn't be here.
So, up to Harry I go to see Edita and Debbie, walk around a little, talk a few things over, walk back down to the house for some tools, back to Harry, do something else and have another chat to the team, walk back to the house, back to Harry, back to the house for more tools - getting the picture? Back to Harry, no, that one was an invention for effect. So was the previous one too, it just felt that way.
Office work until 12:15pm then off to Palmerston North to see people from "Plant and Food" (scientist and business advice stuff). No wait, forgot lunch. Wolf that down then off to P.N to see P&F. Back home by 5:30pm office stuff til 6:30ish, watch Masterchef sans ads do the blog and off to backgammon....which is now - See Ya!

Another Monday

Sunday was cool and wet but I set the fire on Saturday night so when we got up at around 8am the house was warm and friendly. Played Farmville for a while, attended to a little Email and then drove into Wanganui for coffee and to do a little grocery shopping, stopping off to visit mum and dad at the Aubert Home of Compassion before returning home for lunch.

Dad had just been shaved and generally tidied up for the day when we arrived. He has a lovely room overlooking and atrium with flowering geranium and cineraria and soon to be flowering roses. It's hard to know what's in his mind but I'm sure the flowers would please a lifelong gardener. It was time to move dad into the lounge as we were leaving so I gave him a great ride down the corridors in his chair. He seemed to love it and we didn't knock anyone over!

Mum and dad in happier times:


By mid afternoon the rain eased and I was able to get out into the garden for a few minutes, which of course developed into a few hours, before coming inside for a shower just as Robert and Jennifer were arriving for our usual Sunday dinner date (our place this time). Tonight Janice was on main, Jennifer cooked the veges, Robert brought the ingredients for desert (Janice and Robert prepared it) and I had the real easy job of squeezing the juice out of about 25 oranges. We thoroughly enjoyed our chicken paiella and manzanas asadas.

Today, Monday, saw me into Rotary by 7am, back home and then to Bristol's to check on the newly planted delphinuim trials again. All was well today (3 days since the last visit and 5 days since planting) with only a few plants and labels pulled up. The pukepos are certainly losing interest! Some roots on the delphiniums have now grown from the plug at least an inch into the soil so they will be becoming difficult for the birds to dislodge soon. Then a little weeding of my trial beds at home, some roundup spraying ready for trees, more weeding and before you know it, 5pm and hungry by 6. Right now, a blog, a little more work and Farmville again!

See you tomorrow.

Cheers

Terry

Market Day

Today was market day in Wanganui and we decided it was about time we participated. The group that run the "markets" are called the River City Traders on account of the market being on the banks of the Whanganui river and stalls are available every Saturday morning, year round. There are about 60 stalls all told with vendors selling all maner of crafts and produce from 9am until 1pm. It's a community occasion, a place where friends meet and share the local gossip as well as making a few bob......... which tends to get spent on other stalls, as one does. Today we sold maybe $250 of delphiniums and bought maybe $75 worth of gooddies.

There's a special atmosphere at the River City Traders. It's a blend of friendly conversation, business like banter and riverboat smoke from the PSS Waimarie as she fires up her boilers to take a load of tourists for a ride. Something all tourists the world over expect and are duly delivered no-matter where they are! You can buy yourself freshly brewed coffee (New Zealanders know how to make real coffee - not like that Starbucks rubbish) and there's a couple af ladies making fresh crepes with gorgeous fillings. Or is that gorgeous crepes with fresh fillings? I'll go no further. For entertainment this morning we had Wanganui river, replete with a fresh of fast flowing, muddy water from recent deluges transporting a hungry seagull, complete with a meal of an unfortunate sheep that recently, but not too recently, must have lost its footing somewhere up stream - gripping stuff!

PSS waimarie catching the early morning sun

Back at home I unload the unsold delphiniums and restore them to the irrigation system and then come inside for a late lunch, planning to return outside to plant a couple of trees and an iris (from the market). Of course, just as I'm changed the visitors that I'd arranged some days earlier turn up and we spend the afternoon talking of cancer fighting apple trees, biodynamic farming (I'm a skeptic), plant breeding and cider tasting.

Now the blog.

Then Farmville!! Actually I cheated and did Farmville first.

What a nice day!!!

Cheers

Terry