A trundler park

I think one of the best places to get ideas to write about that might seem a bit strange to each of us is at the market....or grocery store.  The latest is:  What do you call that thing that you put your groceries in while shopping?  We call them shopping carts, or just carts, trollies, or........

And what did my little eyes spy?

We were out shopping on Monday which is our preparation day tryiing to find this place called Craftworld.  It is one store with all the things that local craftsmen who do things in wood, on canvas, or whatever. We had been told that they had some paintings that have been done by a local members.  His name is David Sotogi.  He has a very wide and diverse portfolio.  You can check him out at desotogi.co.nz.  Anyway, we pulled up into the parking lot and this is what we saw.   Funny things we see all the time.  They were gone when we finished.  Maybe home to the family or who knows?  We really did have a fun time while we were there. I am sure I could have spent a great deal more time there but Dad took his one phone call and then looked at the Sotogi things and we were done.  I think I will try to go back again before I come to the States. Who knows....I might find a fun thing or two for Christmas!

Another "funny"

I picked up a copy of the other ward that uses the same chapel as we do.  On the back was a recipe for white chocolate and raspberry cupcakes.  It looks like a fun recipe but some of the directions were maybe more fun.  In the directions it says:  Fold through milk, melted chocilate and then raspberries.  Spoon mixture into 12 hole muffin tray lined with patty cases.  Cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  It is often more fun to red the directions than to ever make the item.

Happy Independence Day!

It is always a bit strange to have a major holiday that one is used to celebrating not even be recognized where one is living.  We were first exposed to it when we were in Singapore but there at least, at the American Club, all of the major ones were celebrated.  Yesterday, Tuesday, we had devotional at the church office building.  They do devotional every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and I think each main department is assigned a month.  They have announcements, opening hymn, prayer, thought or message, closing song and prayer.  Takes less than a half hour.  Yesterday Albert was  conducting.  He said:  Since the "presy" (meaning the area presidency) are all out of town and since it is a holiday tomorrow in America, there will be no work but a holiday."  Then in the afternoon there was an email that went out to all on the email list at the office building.  It said:

This morning I made reference to tomorrow being the  4^th of July, which is America’s Independence Day and as such this special day is a observed as a public Holiday in the US and not in New Zealand as I had mentioned in jest. I apologize if this has caused some premature planning for some on what to do tomorrow, let me put your minds at ease by confirming it will be a normal working day at the office.

All of the senior missionaries will have an independence day dinner on Saturday at the office were we will eat KFC and have a sing-a-long with the Motab.....Enjoy the holiday!  

The Birds

In 1963 Alfred Hitchcock directed the movie The Birds.  It is about an unexplained series of bird attacks in a small town in California.

If you have not seen it you could watch it on an evening when there is absolutely nothing else in the world to watch....maybe the night of election returns while the world is on pins and needles.  Keep your mind otherwise occupied.

Yesterday morning we had a similar situation out our window.

I think it was because it had rained the night before and all the worms and bugs were up close to the surface but there were hundreds of them.  I tried to get a picture of them in flight but that did not work very well.  For some reason it seemed like there were lots more.  When we were at the office it got very windy, I mean really windy.  It would have blown any of the children away.  It was pretty funny to watch the birds trying to fly from one bulding to another.  I was impressed by those that were really able to do it.

Did you know that 87 % of the birds that are here in New Zealand are only here in New Zealand?

Our flat....

OK, I have been asked about our flat.  Where I am standing to take this picture is the door to our place. To the right is our "dining room" and right ahead is the living room.  We have a recliner and a love seat.  At the end, to the left is our little TV.

This is our kitchen.  It is to the left of the dining room and right inside the door.  To the left of the fridge is my ceramic cook top.  Sink is still very small.  But I really like it.  It is a great one-person room.  We do not share in the tasks in the kitchen.

This is the office that I do not use but that my companion uses.  It usually has much more light.  He likes it!

This is my office.  Yes, it is really that small.  The best part about it is that there is that little window that looks out into the living room.  I have made the observation that the reason I have been given that sweet little room with the window is because I will need to keep it straight and neat.  But it is really very comfortable and I can do everything that I need to do.  I have added a painting on the wall that I will send a picture of later....with a story of course.

This is our bedroom.  It is really just big enough for the bed.  There is a dress off to the left of where I am standing and that is all.  It have a lovely view from the window.

The only things that are left to show are the bathrooms but I think I will leave them be.  They are 3/4 baths with a shower but no tub.  Oh, the laundry closet is in one of the bathrooms along with a closet for the water heater.

And that is our flat.  We really like it!

I thought it would be interesting to show you my washer and drier.  I feel very fortunate to have the two separate units!  In our first apartment I had only one machine although it performed both functions.  It would wash the clothes and then it would dry them....or it was suppose to.  The best it would so was wash shirts...four....at a time.  It took at least two hours to wash them and then they would dry for 45 minutes.  Then I would hang them up and they would finish drying and then I would press them.  I can wash the shirts, again only 4, and then put them in the drier.  After 25 minutes drying I hang them up and although they are still damp they are not wrinkled to the point that I need to press them.  It is a real improvement.  I do the bottom sheet and two pillow cases in one load and the other sheet and cases in another load.  It does take a bit of time to get it all done but it is so nice!  I still use my chinese laundry drier but not nearly as much!