Second Winter.

New Zealand is experiencing a very cold patch of weather. It is Spring here but suddenly Winter weather returns. In some places there is snow where they hardly ever get snow...like Te Aroha where R's brother lives.

This is the top of Mt Te Aroha for those of you who know NZ.
The Desert Road and the Napier Taupo Road have noth been closed with snow.  Where we live it has been cold but not that cold. ( about 3-5 dgrees centigrade with a nasty lazy wind....you know one that goes through you not round you. ) It's  better today but still unpleasantly cold.
 We have just had 5 days of visitors.( 6 adults ) Of course the first thing that happened - Murphy's law...was the 2nd toilet mal functioned so couldn't be used...but we managed. The weather here was appalling so mostly we were all inside. My sewing machine has been shut away in the cupboard for that time ( withdrawal syptoms ) as both the bench where I sew and the big table were in constant use. ( for food! ) So no sewing (except a few seams  by hand ) to show. Yesterday after lunch the sun was back but still very cold but out to orchard work..... late in the afternoon some more friends arrived, ones we enjoy; but they were just passing through.( there are 365 days in a year why do all our vistors turn up at the same time ?   )
Today I am still in the house putting rounds of washing through, but will return to the orchard after lunch. But it never rains but it pours ( as the old saying goes ) ....I got a phone call to say the oldest member of our greater family had died aged 96. He just stopped breathing...what a wonderful way to go...no pain, not sick -  just old. So now sometime in the next few days we will have to travel down country ( about 4-5 hours )to his funeral in Patea, South Taranaki. It will be a great family get together, but we are quite busy, but we WILL be going. So if I am quiet again for a few days that will be where I am.