Lazy Monday

The weather is grey and rainy. What a perfect day to stay at home from work.
Nah...I haven't taken a sicky, just a couple of days off work to stay home with our dear four legged bundle of fur. She is fine though but a week ago life was tough with a collar and body band and a very unhappy cat that had to be hand fed the first night.
The next few days she went back at the vet's day care and they took care of her while the stitches were healing and we were at work.

She is now a lot happier. The body band is off and she can walk again herself, but a lot of time is used for rest and she is spending hours in the beanbag by the heat pump. I can't blame her. Who wouldn't after such an operation (spayed)?

A couple of weeks ago we started on project "heighten the flower boxes". Extra planks were added, and later more dirt and new plants / vegetables will be added to the boxes. We are not there yet though.
Work is keeping my hubby away from the garden project and the weather is not always on our side either.
But one day I will have more pictures for you all.

Project "heighten the flower boxes"

Temperature has been down to +5C here and it is cold in kiwi land.
Have a nice day and stay warm. Another day by the heat pump for me.Bliss.

At the vet

A week ago, little Bella had to visit the vet to be spayed (it is part of the contract and this way she would be free to roam around outside during daytime). At the office, the vet asked if they could do a few tests and later had to take even more tests as they were abnormal. Serious illnesses could be the result (liver and bone diseases) and we were all a bit worried what would come next.

A whole week went by with worry and a few tears.
However, on Friday we got the good news. Bella's tests were fine but she has to do some new ones in a months time. Just to be sure everything is fine.
On Monday she will be back at the vet to be spayed. Hopefully it will be fine and she will be a happy cat who can run around outside, spy on the birds and catch flies and other insects.

..and we are happy again...

Bella on the sheep skin

House & garden *April*

 Hello again!

We haven't had a lot of activities around the house and garden the last couple of months (hence no updates in February and March). Most of the hours have been spent at work. Yeah. I know. It sucks... :)
One thing has been done though and we are very, very happy with it.

During the Easter weekend all three handymen (husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law) in the family turned up to work in our backyard.
The cobblestones were moved so it could be leveled and a patio made.


Luckily, they all knew what to do. The machines were running for a couple of days, a lot of noise and dust, but hey! it looks good.

The next job will be the plant boxes along the walls.

Here are some photos:

The backyard after its face lift

Bella

For several years I have been wishing for a cat. A little cat that could sleep on the couch, who is purring happily when it is getting patted and who would meet us in the door after a long day at work.
Previously, it has been impossible due to all the travelling, but now that we have settled a bit things have changed.

Last Saturday this little lady moved in with us. Her name is Bella and she is a 9 week old seal pointed birman.. She has now been living with us for a week and seems to handle being on her own during work hours. She has just started being outside in the backyard (while we are watching from the stairs).
There are a lot of new things to research.

Isn't she lovely?

Bella is testing the scale. Only 700 gr so far, but sure it will change fast.

Over the rainbow

It is quite a while ago since I added another commercial to this blog. Previously, I have added commercial from the power company Genesis Energy who is known for their ads with the pukeko birds charming us with their funny little ideas.

This time it is from the New Zealand we like to think we are living in, a bit idyllic with beautiful nature and good people. The musician Tiki Taana has made a remake of "Over the rainbow" song and all the profit is going to Starship Hospital which is a hospital for children and young people....and this ad is also for a power supply company, this time Mercury Energy.

Just beatiful. That's what it is.

Friends visiting from home....

It is two weeks ago since my dear friends left us to go back to Norway after 10 days in Auckland. Yes, we had only 10 days but wow! did we do a lot of things while they were here!

We did sightseeing in the harbour of Auckland, Devonport, shopping, trip to Rotorua, saw the sheep show at the Agrodome, Wai-O-Tapu geothermal sculptured after vulcanic activity thousands of years ago, Taupo, Huka Falls (even saw a couple of young rafters going down the falls), lunch & dinners everywhere, visit to the farm & the in-laws, Matakana & concert, Omaha beach etc.
Lovely days with lots of laughs.

Here are some pictures:

Auckland on a very sunny day!

House and garden *January*

Hello to you all!

As usual I am a bit slow with my house and garden updates, but as the summer finally has arrived the time is running away to do other things. Very sorry :)

Anyway, here are the last news:

The garden is growing as ever before. Some plants have lost its flowers (ex. bougainvillea plants) and some have had their second blossoming. I cut the tomato plants down quite a bit a few weeks back and thought I had killed it. This also made the access to the tomatoes for the birds a lot easier. Clever little things! However, it made the plants grow even taller and wider and the tomatoes are having a second harvesting. Good fun. The tomatoes are deliciously sweet and are mainly used for salads.

The tomato plants are taller than me now!

Red and sweet