26 December 2019: X-mas down south

And so this is christmas. Always a weird time for us. For weeks you hear nothing else on the radio as christmas songs, talking about christmas, planning of holidays and copious dinners. The radio presenters usually start by saying 'so many days to christmas'. Yet for us, even after 13 years, christmas has a whole other meaning. It's the day we lost our beautiful son Tristan. The memories are still so fresh and the wounds deep, but we manage and continue with life, because we won't get our children back whether we weep or laugh. But they will be part of our lives forever.

And that's why I will let you know what happened around here the last few days. My car was a bit rusty when we got it back from our 'car-sitters'. My friend from the local garage was shocked he said. Time to do something about it. Got a few spray cans of rust converter and the good old fashioned tectyl and got to work. Drove my car onto some wooden blocks, covered the floor with cardboard and dressed up for this toxic job.

Then I remembered we had all these planks in our garage.You don't think that is a pit to work under a car.... So I got the planks out and discovered some long deceased mice under a decades old layer of cob webs. There were even 3 old crates (empty unfortunately) enabling a man to climb in. I got rid of all the rubbish and managed to squeeze the car between the garage doors. They had smaller cars in 1970. Had to leave the car via the rear door, but it worked. Spent about a hundred dollars on chemicals, but it looks OK again. Postponed the mercy kill Nienke suggested. Being the climate change manager she is still struggling with the fact that we drive two 1996 diesel powered monsters. She's eyeing a PHEV, plugin hybrid electrical vehicle. Birthday is coming up and I know a great dinky toy store!

December is the month of parties. After a year of absence we picked up the Sinterklaas tradition with our Kiwi friends.

Everybody a bit nervous in anticipation.

Some struggled with the poems, but all but one managed to produce some sentences on paper, good enough to make people laugh.

We even had the help of Derene's grand daughter who like Dutch kids quickly enough displayed the Sinterklaas excitement.

And then there was dinner. Topping up your glass won't work this way Cam!

Nienke with Jane and Janet.

What a lovely couple...

Weird month weather-wise as well. We had some beautiful days mixed with horrible weather. Not the best period to be a painter. In weather like this you're stuck at home doing chores. Working the list my 'other' boss left on the kitchen bench. A long one since we've had two cleaning ladies here who both left after the first day on the job.

How a bit of bad luck can turn into a happy occasion. First the scope of my rifle died. So I ordered a new one online. Next day the rifle died. I figured the repair was going to be as much as a complete new one and I was right. With so many rabbits laughing their heads of (I wish) I had to drive to 'Hunting and fishing' to get myself a christmas present.

Meanwhile we finished our painting job on the beach for this year. We'll finish the rest in 2020.

How's this for recycling, or maybe 'upcycling' is a better word. We saved some milk bottle caps for a vague art project. That never got of the ground. In order to keep the flies out of our garage I designed a fly screen made of bottle caps. Since we drink 'lite' milk, most of our caps were blue. I only found out after finishing the thing that flies actually like blue. And they hate yellow. So if you want to do something similar, drink calci + milk.

One of our older chickens died and now her remaining friend is alone. So I looked for a soul mate for her on TradeMe. Found one, but with 6 chicks. Some great questions some people ask, one person asked the seller if that chicken still lays eggs. I would have answered that the chicks were made out of her ribs. Heaps of people believe that anyway! Ah well, we'll solve the chick problem later, so I just bought them. Got 12 chickens running around our property now. Only one is producing a daily egg...

Yvo dropped in again as he does every now and then when he is in NZ. My old tennis team mate. Still thinks he can beat me. Gave him another chance but he will have to wait another few years. Was great to catch up.

He got the hang of shooting pretty quickly.

Our neighbourhood organised an open air cinema to collect money for a CPR course. After a couple of years they finally realise that have a AED in the village is quite useless if you can't perform CPR. I told them so about 8 years ago. Nice evening though, although maybe we should start a bit later when it is darker...

Some stormy days as well. Caused some damage to the trees and the neighbours fence. Dick helping me out cleaning up and getting some more fire wood. Eh....., yes, this is perfectly safe as it is Dick in the tree and not me....

The wind was so strong it knocked a brand new chair over against the table breaking one of the spokes. I complained to the seller about the quality of the wood, but he said he can't control nature.... I think he means the wind and not the wood. Anyway, some clamps and wood glue and it looks as ..... repaired!

BBQ master at work at the Friday Drinks Club. Not sure if Lloyd is full of confidence though.

Noor and Livia visiting us, the daughter of my sister Murielle. Livia has been travelling Australia and New Zealand with her friend Noor. Exhausted from the hard life of a back-packer they were welcomed by us with fine wine, heaps of food and a good bed.

And of course, an evening around the fire with some good music.

We did a short walk over Makara beach where Noor and Livia could see how Kiwi's celebrate christmas. You put on a red christmas head, throw the barbie in the truck and head for the beach.

After that we had a very nice christmas lunch at Liesbeth and Guy.

That's where the ladies were introduced to shooting practise.

They liked it and were actually pretty good at it. Maybe I'll let Livia do some rabbit killing....

Mah Yong, what else.

Noor was unfamiliar with the game, but I think she has the virus now.

Nienke, feeling pretty guilty about this months calorie collecting activities got up early, dropping the girls of at the railway station for a visit to Welly and then heading up the mountain herself in order to feel better. A nice view from the top.

And this is her current view. From the hammock with a new book.
OK guys, you're up to date again. I'm going to mow the lawns (has to look perfect for the New Years eve party. We'll keep you posted. Best wishes for the new year.