Time is shooting by very fast! How do I know this? I am a grandmother yet again! From nothing to 2 in 5 months, who would have thought!
My new grandson Spencer Edward Gilbert was born in Auckland on 31st August. Wow he is already over a month old, see what I mean about time passing. He was in such a rush to get here too, didn't think about his Nanma having to do the end of month rollover before racing up to Auckland and ending up driving over the Bombays when he burst forth into the world. What a quick delivery.
I was lucky enough to be able to stay the first almost week with Laetitia and Mike to help out, that felt really wonderful. I'll have to have a deeper think about that but I just know it was really great to be able to potter around and do the motherly things in the house and feel like I was allowing them space to adjust and catch up on sleep. Nice to be needed I guess.
So now I have two beautiful grandchildren. Katherine Mary is now nearly 6 months old and such a cutey with big chubba chupp smiley cheeks that you want to smooch. Haha, you can tell I am smitten can't you.
Back to life in Rotorua. We have at last been having some fine days and even some warm days though not always fine and warm. The wind seems to have an edge these days that bites. We have dug the garden and bought some vege plants which will go in today. It's a new garden that was previously a raised bark garden, hopefully it will work well if we get a summer this year.
We have had a bit of bad luck with our bikes, Kent was riding down to the shop to get a new rear tyre and a car pulled out across the road in front of him, not dangerously but annoyingly close, he swung out around him on the two lane road and hit a painted arrow as he was on a lean and braking for the upcoming intersection and down went the bike. I was following behind in the car and watched it all happen. I stopped to help him of course but I wish I had thought to get the numberplate of the idiot who caused the accident or followed him and beat him up (not really). His bike has been away for repairs and is back again ready to ride.
Then it was my turn. We were heading over the back road to Tauranga late one afternoon and as I came around a bend heading uphill the sun caught me and I couldn't see. I slowed right down but the camber of the road carried me off onto the gravel and I dropped the bike in it. So it is away being assessed. I have to say it has all shaken me up a bit, I will have to see how I feel about riding once it comes back. I have had a bike license for about 35 years an only had one accident in that time when I was about 20, bit of a shock having it happen.
We have lost our flatmate Phearet, she is off to Auckland to further her desire to become a flight attendant. We have friends staying from England/Czech Rep staying at the moment. Mel's dad is Kent's dad's best friend from when he lived in England and we based ourselves at their home when we were in England. Now we are able to return the compliment by having Mel and her partner Martin stay with us. We also continue to have couchsurfers stay a few days at a time so the house is warm and busy.
The saga of Kents sore gut is continueing, he is having physiotherapy and they have found his back is a bit stuffed. Apparently it is from his accident when he lost his leg years ago. They were probably so busy sorting that side of things they never addressed the shock that would have stressed his spine. It's showing up now. After they sort that, if he is still having issues with his gut they will take out his gall bladder. One thing at a time, I will protest once they get to his brain...
Sadly last week Gordon Eddie Pascoe, the childrens grandfather (their Dad's father) passed away. The funeral was in Paeroa on Tuesday and I went up to it. All that side of the family was there and Corrin flew in from Oz, it was lovely to see everyone again but also sad. Another step taken towards us now being the older generation.
Other than the above life is grand! We have been lucky enough to get some new (secondhand) furniture for the house off TradeMe (similar to EBay) when we bought the house we were really low on funds so just got some el cheapo stuff to tide us over until now when we have been able to get some really cool stuff and at an extremely reasonable price too. We are very happy!
