Christmas Past, Chicken Future

It's always a relief to get Christmas over and done with. I have no idea why we all get so het up about the whole day but it seems most of us do. My Christmases have been extremely low key for the past few years with me usually spending the day alone apart from a visit from my brother and his wife. However this year I had been invited to spend the evening with Gaye and family down the road. Preparing for this meant that I had two sleeps in the morning complete with wheat pack on my back and Demelza on curled up along my front. After 11am Di and Rich called in on their way to her sister's place in Tikokino before they went to lunch with her mother in Waipukurau. They brought with them all my left over work from Creative Hastings Christmas Sale. My worst year EVER! I only sold one pendant, five brooches, one stone and some cards. Hopefully I've done better at the galleries but won't know until later this week.

Christmas lunch consisted of cheese and crackers and chocolate (I have my priorities right!)with another rest in the afternoon before I fed all the animals and had a soak in a hot bath. My friend Pete from down south gave me a call late and I was busy chatting away to him when Gine arrived. I had decided to give her one of my hand painted pendants but didn't know which one she'd like so I let her choose. In the end she chose one with a lop bunny on it.

Alhtough it's meant to be summer here it was chilly and grey outside but it was much warmer down the road at Gaye's so we ended up sitting outside until 9pm when it began to get dark. There were 12 of us there including Gaye, Gine and Gareth, Rachel, her husband Korbus and two sons, Gaye's sister in law, Gaye's other son and his caregiver and a man caleld Cedric from the village. First a pile of presents appeared on the lawn and we watched while the boys opened their gifts from Father Christmas. I also received gifts including a lovely home made tea light holder and candles from Gine, chocolates from Rachel and chocolates and a stuffed tiger from Gaye. Although there was a barbeque for all the carnivores Gaye and I had a selection of vegetables followed by icecream and watermelon. During the evening Cedric pulled out his piano accordian and accompanied Gine on her violin playing old folk tunes. When we later went inside they continued playing with Gine playing the piano and Cedric the violin. After a cup of tea and homemade Christmas cake Rachel and I hopped into the car and she dropped me off home at 10.30pm after we successfully missed hitting various bunnies, hedgehogs and a frog who was making his way home across the tarseal. It was the loveliest Christmas night I have ever had.

However next morning Gine rang me to say that one of our friends from art group had died of cancer on Christmas Eve. This so saddened me as I had only met Kate a few times but always looked at her farm when we passed it down the road and wondered how she was faring. Her funeral was held on the Thursday afternoon and most of Tikokino and many out of towners turned up for the lovely service.

Friday was a drizzly day which of course is very welcome at this time of year. My little chicks are growing fast and look as if they're all going to be speckled like their Dad "Noodle" aka Chicken Noodle also known as THE BIG NOODLE. Another hen is hiding at the moment- have no idea where or when she'll appear or what with. I have decided to put a sign out on the mail box advertising free range eggs for sale. Hopefully that will help pay the feed bill for the increasingly geriatric flock.