A Mix of Both.

A mix of both good and bad things have happened in the last week. I guess that's a balanced life. The bad things were I had to go to another funeral. Many of my quilting friends who are just slightly older than me have had husbands die recently. 

That same day,Friday the weather deteriorated and by evening the rain was torrential. The neighbours, who live out by our front gate rang to say their house was flooding as the culvert under our entrance was blocked. R raced out with the truck to shine the lights on  the problem. The younger guy from next door was down in the drain trying to clear a large rock( see photo )  that had been washed into the pipe.He had to stand down in the drain and had water rushing to fill up the gap as quickly as he cleared it. Meanwhile the water washed across our drive and edging bed, down the bank, across the concrete and into next door's garage.  After about 10 minutes a large rock was extracted and the water got away.

 R is away with the truck now getting metal to repair our driveway /entrance. 

 Next door had to water blast their concrete and the carpet is wet about a foot in from the doorway.

 This all happened because the drain at the top of the road was blocked and water poured across the road to our side and was so great in volume it dislodged rocks and washed them down. The County Council pays some other company to look after drains now so we will fix it ourselves rather than wait for anything to happen there.

 The other sad thing that happened was losing the netball to Australia after our Silver Ferns had played so well all last week.

 To balance that some pleasant things happened. We went out for a meal on Thursday night to the Post Bank Restaurant at the Mt.  A friend had given me a voucher for a meal  there, back when I had my Birthday in June and it was still unused and soon to expire. We went here .

 The walls are lined with books ( an easy way to decorate I guess ). It did use to be a Post Bank. The menus come in a stamped envelope and many old artefacts are displayed.

 We both enjoyed our meals . Mine started with a drink called " The Wind in the Willows." R had a Bloody Mary.

 We are back to lovely warming sun today. Every fine afternoon I have been working in the kiwifruit vines listening to National radio with Jesse Mulligan . I really enjoy the programme.

 Over the week end I did 2 stints in the garden. Bright Spring flowers are encouraging signs that Winter will soon be over. I picked the first 2 small vases of Freesias. That scent is divine! 

 There are now daffodils .

And Magnolias Campbelli . ( Charles Raffill )

Magnolia Stelata King Rose  Stellata below.

 And Pieris.

 The area with the most activity was this Rosemary patch.

 It was abuzz with bees.

 Even a large Bumble bee. It decided to fly as I was taking the photo.

 Meanwhile inside there has been more knitting and I have been working on  my next  Felt Embroidered ball # 26 - for a very special little person arriving soon. (photos about that in the next few posts. )