Wednesday, August 1st

Good God its August already, where is the year going, I wish it would slow down I am getting old to quick - waaaaa.

Well I am being spoilt, I have had Michele staying here helping us out and she has been a gem. Bear and Karl have been helping out working around the farm, but since the weather has been so bad there isn’t a lot to be done apart from feeding out.

Either today or tomorrow Pop and Sandy are coming out to stay with me and Michele will go back to staying at Bear’s place. Pop and Sandy have to move out of their place as repairs are being done there, but Bear in his great genius has decided he will go and stay in the sleepout at the back of their  place while they work on the house. He says he needs to be in town for about 4-6 weeks for his job which is a “on call” situation. Normally he would have simply stayed with Pop and Sandy but as the Gremlins rule the very month he needs to be there EQC finally get their act together.

Sandy and Pop are very happy with it because they were worried about the stuff they have stored in the garage, so with Bear living out the back they feel better about security.

I am especially happy as it will be great to have them here, it also means Sandy can catch up with old friends she hasn’t seen for years.

Michele and her daughter get to stay at Bears farm on their own, so they will have lots of peace and quiet. Having Michele here has been a huge blessing, she has done so much for us and nothing has been a problem. Sadly she heard from her partner who has been working in Australia and he has decided not to return, he has meet someone else. She was very stoic about it and I think having a month on her own will be good for her so she can sort out what she wants to do. She is adamant she wants to stay in the area so she can be part of the gardens. I have suggested she talk to Bear and see if she could stay there, but I don’t know if she will or not.

Well we are all home now after that disastrous weekend. My arm still hurts and having the plaster bandage on is really annoying, but it is more just the encumbrance of it that gets me down. Jason is home after his stint in hospital, the poor hon has massive bruises on the side of his head and he has a neck brace on. They were concerned about a hairline fracture on his skull but have since decided that it was an old injury, funny thing is Jason can’t recall when he got it, go figure.

I have kept the girls home for the last two days but they are ready to go back to school now, so its good to see them get over the whole bad incident. We have heard from the police and the man who went through the Give way sign goes to court very soon, what really annoys me is he got away without a scratch, jeez if I could get my hands on him I would give him a scratch or two.

Well I best go now, this one finger typing is annoying and I have a huge backlog of work to catch up on.

Monday 30th July and I am sore.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon in Hospital. Jason, the girls and I went into Rangiora for a afternoon off the farm, on the way we were hit by a car that didn’t stop at a Give way sign. It smashed into Jason’s side of the ute and I would think our car is written off. I have a broken arm and Jason is still in hospital with severe concussion, thank god apart from being absolutely shocked the girls are fine. All I can say is thank god for seat belts, though we all have bruises coming out where they restrained us.

They kept Jason in for observation and I expect he will be home today. Bear, Kyle, Emmett and Speedi went hunting all day, so they were out of touch until last night; Poor old Pop had to run around after us, he was frantic with worry. Thank god we leave Bears old car in town as Pop had to use it to come to the hospital and then run the girls and I home. The girls are still in shock and are very nervous.

Bear is going into town to pick up Jason, there is no way I am putting the girls in a car for a few days, they are just terrified; but we are working on it.

As a side note the boys came home with a deer and 3 rabbits, thank god I had a broken arm and could claim with good conscience I would be unable to gut the animals, fortunately Speedi took care of it all for us.

I have just rung the hospital and my darling man will be out later today, he also has whiplash so has his neck in a brace, so that means the farm work will be out for a while, I have rung Bear and he says he will organise some help on the farm for us. Of course Bear starts his new job sometime this week, so we won’t see or hear much from him either.

I hate one finger typing as well.

Baaaa Waaaaa what a weekend.

Saturday July 28th

Beautiful day here and I am heading outside to clean up the gardens, lawns etc. Jason is drenching sheep today, I offered to help but I think it’s a case of “the little lady getting in the way”. So Bear is coming to give him a hand for a while.

Well it’s a hive of activity on the gardens, it seems they have a full turn out and they are working on the old shop that Bear used as a potting shed, but is now to be a communal room for the workers, with a “NEW” second hand toilet bowl and hot running water.

Bear has been offered a job for 2 months working for a group of lawyers who have clients that need someone to “troubleshoot” their earthquake claims through the multi layers of officialdom and inefficiencies “Bears words” not mine. He is happy to get it because there is not a lot to be done on the gardens for 6 weeks now, so its good timing and the pay will no doubt go on the gardens anyway. Sadly it means we won’t hear much from him as he is going to stay with Paul and Sandy during the week and come out here on weekends. I know the girls will miss him hugely as indeed I will. However I think this break away from the gardens and his farm is just what he needs and the way he feels about CERA (Earthquake recovery) and Insurance companies I could almost feel sorry for them; almost.

Well I cannot escape my own duties, so I best move on.

Thursday 26th July and Im happy.

I have an awesome day today, most of it was in town. As I mentioned yesterday bear and I went into town, Bear to take Sandy to her doctors while I took Pop to the hospital. We got them home around 11:30am and then took off for some lunch at Northlands. After lunch Bear took me baby shopping and I have a real nice collection of clothes, blankets and a mixture of baby bottles, toys. I have to say bear is easier to go baby shopping with than Jas, at least he doesn’t play with the toys in the shop, but of course bear isn’t the daddy so that may make the difference.

We picked up the girls from school, I went in and had a chat with their teachers just to see how they are settling down; the teachers were very impressed how settled they are, especially Carla. I am so proud of them.

Jas helped a neighbour with his sheep this afternoon and didn’t get home until a few minutes ago. Poor babe is having a soak in the bath, he was sent there post haste owing to the sheepish aroma.

I have been sitting on the bed going over our collection of clothes, I must confess to be rather excited about the whole experience.

I went to see if anyone  has written on Bears blog but I couldn’t get in, a phone call has rectified that as they are in the process of changing the name. The new addy is now

http://camelotfarmyardandmemorialgardens.devhub.com/

Well I best go get the dinner on the table, tomorrow is another work day, I have a lot of work sitting on my PC.

Wednesday 25th.

Its been cool today but that’s ok because I stayed in most of the day and finished my work, now ready for next batch from head office. Jas was in and out working on the farm in between showers.

My two little girls came home very happy today, nice to see and long may it last, but because it was so cold and wet they resorted to city- itis, that is come home from school and watch TV. I had a bit of a job getting them to tidy their rooms, but we got there eventually.

Karl, one of the gardeners from next door came over and gave me some advise on doing my own gardens, he is a fountain of knowledge and Bear has a real gem in him. Apparently Bear hasn’t been there a lot this week, he has been out drumming up some possible customers for their goods, it seems very promising with some of the road side vege stalls only to happy to buy from them and depending on the quality of the veges and herbs, all good news.

Tomorrow I am going into town with Bear, I will be taking Pop to hospital and Bear is taking Sandy shopping and her doctors, it was one of those fluke times where Pop and Sandy had identical appointment times. Then Bear and I are having a lunch together, yes illicit passionate affairs over a salad none the less.

Bear is very different these days, he is very happy but a bit tired looking, we are all worried about his ankle as he now has a permanent limp, and is obviously in some pain; but he just wont take it easy. I really am glad his co-op people are using his blog Bears Work Blog

to introduce themselves. Its nice to get to know them and understand their motivations. Hamish interests me, not because he is gorgeous, but not nearly as gorgeous as my Jason (but he is a close second hon), he has the most hypnotic eyes.

I have been warned of match making him which is a shame because he would be a easy one to match.

Well that’s my news for the day, not a lot but its been an inside day to day so news is hard to come by.

Monday Night and childless

I have had a lovely day in the garden, I have extended the vegetable garden so that it is now 20 metres x 10metres, not big by many standards but ample for us. Much of the ground was diabolical to dig up but I managed to get it done.

Bear is kindly giving me when I am ready for them lettuces, carrots, cauliflowers, onions and a whole host of seeds or young plants. I also have blackberry and blueberry bushes, what I don’t have to plant nor worry about are potatoes because Bear has several hundred seed potatoes fort his organic mounds, he says there will be enough potatoes to feed a small town.

Jason has been busy with the stock as well as getting the ground along the river flats ready for planting trees to help with subsidence in the river banks. He had approached the district council for help in placing large boulders in the worse affected areas but with no luck. However Bear and Jason are going to make large concrete blocks and place them down there, so see we don’t need to pay exorbitant rates for councils that do nothing, pfffft.

The Girls had a lovely day at school, tonight they are staying with bear, just because they can it seems; he does spoil them rotten though. It seems so quiet here without the girls but it has been nice just to have Jason to myself. We had a lovely candlelight dinner, sat on the terrace until we froze and then had a hot bath until we cooked.

The Gardeners over the fence have been busy all day; some go home tonight and will come out on weekends. As I forecast Michele has moved the house bus down to Bears farm at least until they can get decent toilets and hot water down there. The Gardens do have a toilet in the old shop/potting shed area, but it really is beyond being used so Bear is getting a new one this week.

Well that’s all the news, so it’s time for bed. Night all.

Monday here again

It’s a lovely day out here again, and it’s going to be a gardening day today I think.

Yesterday after the house cleanup we went into Rangiora to see Gran and do some shopping. The girls are quite at home with Gran and she makes a real fuss of them. One scrap of good news is the Kyle has been talked out of going into the armed forces by Speedi, instead he is thinking of degree in agriculture which is where both Gran and Jas were hoping he would go. Kelly wants to be New Zealand’s first girl astronaut, I think all that flying with Emmett (he is so cool, seems like Kyle is old news).

Speedi and Paula have found a house in Rangiora to rent, they are looking for a place to buy somewhere between Rangiora and Oxford, so it will be brilliant when they finally settle down. We are still concerned that there is no news of Mal.

Bear’s Gardens were a hive of activity yesterday, a young woman Michele and her daughter (approx 3) are living in a house Bus there for a few days until she finds a place to rent in the area.  I would not be surprised to hear that she has moved the Bus over to bears farm before long, or worse she moves in to his house; he is such a softy when it comes to a sad story.

The people have started laying out the beds, and I have to say its starting to look brilliant. Whilst a I was not keen on the idea of a community garden, I have to say I was wrong as they have done in one day what would have taken Bear a week.

The good news (at least from my perspective) is that the people over there are trying to talk Bear into keeping his blog going as its a good way of encouraging informing people and obviously there must be a number who read it if he has 5 members after only a week of suggesting he opens the gardens to be a community garden.

As for my own gardens very small by my neighbours examples I have a large vegetable area already dug over, I have a small herb garden which will have the culinary herbs and around the house I am going to put in a flower garden.

Sunday again

Its been a coolish day here today, a bit overcast.

We have had mostly a day of tidying up after yesterdays little shindig, despite all the work put into it we had a ball and were so grateful for all our friends that turned up.

We had intended having a sleep in but the garden gang arrived next door in some obscene early hour this morning, even before Bear got there.

I see Bear has decided to close his blog, that is a huge shame and I have tried to talk him out of it, but as usual with no success. He is quite happy to let one of the others “do all that C#$P”.

I wandered over there this afternoon and it is quite a hive of activity, there is even a house bus on site, next we will have the gypsy’s moving in. Bear looked better today which is a very good thing. I am very pleased to see they are very respectful of what he wants done, it would seem at this stage at least they are all on the same page, I do hope they continue to stay there.

Well tomorrow its back to school time for my little ladies, they will have quite a tale to tell about their weekend, especially the flight “uncle” Emmett took them on over Christchurch and then over the alps to the West Coast. We even managed to get Cynthia and Gran on a flight, it was awesome.

I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, it all arrived on Friday but because this was a “family” weekend I decided I will let it lie until Monday, so sadly I will have to face up to it.

Well I best be going as not much news to report.

Saturday Night

I have a most wonderful day and evening. A lot of friends called in and shared the day with us and a lot of fun was had by all. Emmett was really good and took quite a few up for flights over Canterbury and Christchurch, so a very big thank you hon, your generosity certainly made the day.

Brenda my very best cousin came over from the coast and she brought her baby over, so being very clucky of late I stole her for much of the day. Naturally a lot of beer was drunk by the boys and they seemed to have a good time, they played touch rugby but I’m not sure who won and in fact I don’t think they know either.

Linda came out and Pamela came as well but of course without Bear here they were left to their own devices.

Bear came for a few minutes but for most of the day he has been busy over at the gardens with his new friends.

Jason was great and he made an absolutely beautiful speech at dinner tonight, it was lovely and he really surprised me because he would tell you himself he is not really a man of words.

I took a pic of me (holding Denise Brenda’s daughter), Cynthia, Jas’s Gran, and Helene one of Grans great granddaughters. (Apologies for the poor shot, the flash packed up then after this photo the camera died).

We started the day around 1:00pm with a BBQ and buffet lunch, originally I assumed it would just go for a few hours in the afternoon but people kept arriving many of whom I didn’t know as they were Jas’s friends; at one stage I counted 17 cars. We had an early dinner again BBQ and Buffet and it all wound up around 9:00pm.

I have a kitchen from hell at the moment, but it can wait until the morning, I just can’t be bothered and as it has gone midnight I’m taking my man to bed.

Love you all.

Saturday and its Party day.

Jason and I are having a small celebration of our engagement today; it’s a very low key family and friends affair. We expect around 20 - 25 people and are holding it this afternoon with a BBQ + Buffet lunch and a laid back few hours.

I have Paula and Speedi here for the weekend which is absolutely awesome, Speedi and Jas are already outside putting up a large tent beside the house. Emmett is on the way in his helicopter I think he has Chris or Colin coming with him (I am sorry Chris/Colin I forgot your name).

I have finished all the food preps and Paula is just finishing her cooking at the moment.

We still don’t have a ring, but we have a picture of the ring we want (LOL), Jas can be such a cheapskate, I hope I don’t have to carry the picture around on my finger.

Bear is still not well but he is having a meeting with his friends over at the Garden this morning to discuss a possible co-op arrangement to help him in setting it up and running it. I wish he wouldn’t because it’s clear to all he is not very well and I think he needs to be in a hospital.

He is going into town after the meeting to pick up Sandy and Pop for me as Pop is not well enough to drive and I will need to be here.

Friday and its been a busy one

Well it’s been an odd day here. The weather has been fine, a lovely day. Jason has taken me around the equipment that we own and explains what does what and when. I even was allowed to ride the quad bike, believe me that was a thrill never having ridden a motor scooter before let alone a beast like that.

We drove the ewes into a sheltered paddock and moved the cows down from the top end paddocks to the river flats. You see I’m learning all these new names and places.

Also we have tidied up the shearing and implement sheds and that was a huge job. It’s amazing how much you can get done without children underfoot and company you enjoy.

Above are the sheds we have worked on today, the ground in front was covered with trailers, bits of equipment etc, now its all safetly and securely tucked away.

The girls went off to school all a buzz today I am so relieved they are settling in so well. I have heard from a girl friend whose boy goes to the same old school that my girls went to and their class rolls are being decimated by the flu, some even in hospital. Thankfully there is not the same epidemic out here, I am so grateful.

I called into see Bear this morning, he is not well and won’t be on the gardens today, he was cross with me “for blabbing all about him on my blog and has asked me to stop”, so from now on anything about Bear is in passing. He did add he wasn’t bloated, just fat from all his good cooking, yeah right that’s why he is in bed looking like death warmed up. However I am not allowed to say that so I won’t.

Tomorrow we are having friends coming out for a small engagement celebration; I have been baking and cooking in preparation for that. I have also dug the garden over and even extended it as it was not nearly big enough for the number of people I need to feed.

Well its almost time to go and get my angels, so byee and love to you all.

Thursday night

It has been an odd day to day, with some highs and some lows. The high was undoubtedly the baby shopping and looking for an engagement ring, the low was Bear has decided he cant do the gardens on his own; so he has decided to make it a limited co-op. I know how much Bear wanted this to be his dream, but today he has told us he is not well and he expects that he may not be able to see his project through.

Fortunately he has been discussing this possibility of a co-op with some friends and this weekend they are coming out to the gardens to discuss some sort of co-op. When he suggested a co-op last week I was somewhat baffled because he originally was so determined that this was his project and he didn’t want people telling him what to do, and in a week a complete reversal.  I could see how sad Bear was in coming to this decision and he told us in the car on the way into town today and both Jas and I were dumbstruck. Looking back now it does explain the almost suicidal pace he was pushing himself to get things done; he has not and will not tell us what is wrong with him. Last night I commented on how pasty and bloated he looked, today he looked better but he is still quite bloated. I asked him what was wrong and all he said was he was tired all the time and he felt he was losing energy, he said he has been to the hospital this afternoon for tests but he does not know the results yet.

He does not want the idea of the gardens to flounder just because he isn’t feeling the best and he has numerous friends who are interested in helping or joining him. So from that perspective the day has not been a good one.

We have started collecting baby stuff and the first thing is we have a new “pram” though Jas thinks we could motorise it and use it to cart hay. One of the stores had a special on nappies so we all were in there buying up a stock. Jason went mad buying rattles and baby toys; he has spent most of the night trying out to see how they work.

We haven’t seen the engagement ring we want, most are so expensive and I don’t want a flashy one, I just want one that is elegant and simple, so we are still looking.

Tomorrow we have a day working on the farm, so I best get an early night because Jas is going to show me how some of the equipment works, but according to him “my delicate condition” precludes me from riding the quad bike pfffft.

So good night all and my prays out to bear tonight, I know he is not a happy man.

Wednesday night, all is well.

Wow the house looks different now, nice blend of his and my furniture, now I have furniture to get rid of.

Jas had a good day out on the farm, he was out there all afternoon and things are progressing quite well. In the house I finally have everything ship shape and where I want them, it was all to clear that things had been placed by a man and were not where they should be. Rather than convenience it looked as if they were put in places so one could not see them.

We were going to go shopping, but instead decided we will do that tomorrow, we will go into town with Bear and get the weekly groceries as well as baby stuff window shopping and window engagement ring shopping yaaaaaaaaaaaa. Bear will take Pop and Sandy shopping and then we will meet up at sandy’s place before heading home. The girls are being picked up by a friend, they are having dinner at a friend’s place tomorrow.

The girls had a good day at school, they just are so different now. Back in town they would come home from school, want a snack and then either watch TV or play on the PC; now they come home and go straight outside. Most of the time when they come home the first thing they do is  race over to see Mr Bear, he is really important to them perhaps more so now that they don’t see their granddad as much as they used to do and I know he loves them very much.

Often I will go over there and find him walking around telling them what is going where. It is such a shame he doesn’t have his family out here, I once did try to get him to try and make a reconnection with his ex, especially now since his circumstances have changed. All I got was circumstances change, people don’t, so I take that to mean “butt out Anne”, so Anne butts out. I cannot but feel that he must have had a job done on him at sometime.

He will talk about old friends, past friends and current friends; he will not talk about his Ex and their children, that is really sad for all I think.

Today Mr Bear has surpassed himself and he has cleared a huge area of land for his gardens, I am a little worried about him though. He told me he was over his cancer issues but he looks very bloated and I know its not over-eating. I want him to go to see the doc, but not much joy there. One thing I have learnt is you cannot push Bear where he does not want to go. He is a pigheaded so and so.

Well I am of to have a very hot bath, then an early night with Mr. Farmer.

Brrrrr its frosty

Oh boy its frost time again, we have been spoilt the last few days with nice almost warm mornings; alas not so this morning.

I have taken the girls to school and happy they are, I have done my shopping at the store, had my gossip in Main street and am home already. This is most definitely the life for me. This morning we are moving furniture in and out, seeing what is practical and what is not. This afternoon Jas has work on the farm to be done and I will do my online work before its time to get the girls.

Bear is already over in the Gardens working, he was there at 7:30 roaring away on the tractor, the poor hon must be freezing over there. I know he wasn’t keen to do clear the paddock, but he is determined to get it done.

We all went around to Bears place last night and told him about Jas and I getting married, his only concern was it was too soon. To be fair that was mine as well but Jas and I feel so right together I know we will be fine. Besides the wedding wont be until Oct/Nov so we have time to sort issues if there were to be any.

I think I embarrassed poor ole Bear last night, I asked him why does he has 1 bottle of hair conditioner and several shampoo bottles in his bathroom, he is almost bald. He was very annoyed with me but says he has had them for ages, odd as they were not there last week; hmmmm. Oh well I know I hear you, none of my business.

Ok Jas says we have to get down to work, so I better get off here, I will write more later if I get the chance.

Love you all.

We have moved in.

Well that’s it, I have officially moved into the farm and Jason the hunk has officially proposed even on bended knees in the middle of the sheep paddock, bless him. Naturally I have said yes, but not just yet. So we are engaged, to be married before the baby is born. Tomorrow we go ring shopping and baby stuff looking, I could really kick myself for throwing all my baby clothes away; but I never for a moment thought I would be having another.

I don’t want Jason to feel trapped and given a few months as a family guy with the two girls and I flustering around he may want to run for the hills, heck I may even want to run away; but I seriously doubt it.

We have all the furniture out here, most of it is in the shearing shed for the moment, tomorrow we inter-change the furniture around. My house in Christchurch will go on the rental market next week; Pops was on for 3 days and was snapped up real quick.

The girls had another good day at school, it is so nice to see them happy and I feel really fortunate to have met Jason and to be able to have the children grow up on a farm. Sitting out here tonight I feel much loved, very fortunate and am very happy.

I have not seen Bear today but I went past his place and the car was not there and I don’t think he was in the gardens, but I could not be sure.

Well I must go and get dinner ready, after dinner I need to spend a few hours doing my work, I have been a little remiss and desperately need to catch up.

Take Care and love to you all.

Monday and its been great.

My Girls had a very nice day at their new school, it all went extremely well and I am so pleased for them. It is one of the very big hurdles I can cross of my list of worries, not that I have many anyway.

Tomorrow Jas and I go into Christchurch to supervise the loading of furniture on the truck, I went in today and packed the last of the things I could bring out in my car.

I went and saw Cynthia, it was a very emotional visit and I know I will miss her very much and I know she will miss seeing the girls, but I have promised I will bring them in regularly. Pop and Sandy came around to the house to help me pack, Pop is not looking too good and Sandy says he is not sleeping well. He has another doctor’s visit this week so I hope they can help perk him up. Pop is not a very good sick person, he can be grumpy and short tempered, but as Sandy says its water of a ducks back to her and she gives as good as she gets. It seems Pop has finally met his match, and better still he knows it.

Bear didn’t get away on his trip, the ute is in the garage having repairs done so its all on hold, possibly till next week. I feel sorry for Bear because he was excited about getting away. He came into town with me, while I was visiting Cynthia and packing he was doing business stuff I think. Later he went and got a trailer load of wood for Sandy and Pop from somewhere, all lovely off cuts. He arrived back at the gardens late this afternoon with a huge trailer load of sawdust, he is getting another one on Thursday; he certainly seems to have the contacts as its costing nothing.

We arrived back in time to pick up the girls, I went and had a chat with the teachers and they are very happy with the girls, so I was very happy about it.

I had a call from Paula tonight, Speedi is back in Christchurch living with her, he moved down on the weekend and I do think that they have one very serious relationship going there. Speedi was all a buzz over me being pregnant, he says he hopes its not catchy. Pfffft men.

He was very concerned that no one has heard from Mal since he went back to the States to attend some family issue, he has rung friends back there to see if he is ok. Those two certainly do watch out for each other. Not so long ago I was telling Bear how concerned Speedi was about Mal, Bear simply said not to be he is involved in some legal family issues. I growled at him for not telling us he had heard from him, but Bear said he hasn’t, he just knows. I rang Speedi back to allay his worries, I half expected Speedi to go off, but he simply said well that’s ok then; bah I just cant figure those guys out.

Speedi is still talking about setting up a survival type business out here using Mal’s farm, he is just waiting for Mal to get back. Apparently their contract with the Government is finished and they are looking for some work or business to get into.

Well I best go and tuck my little ladies in, so good night all.

Monday and a new start

Well my Girls are in their new school, I stayed for a short while but I really did not need too, they settled in magnificently. Seems odd knowing I live here now and am just not visiting; I have already met some of the mothers and have numerous offers for visits and a chat.

Bear continues to have the same luck with vehicles he always has, he was taking a few days off from the gardens and going down south, he took Pops ute but only got about 30 miles from here when the car started playing up, so he is back on his farm now. I am not sure if he is going to try again or cancelled the trip.

Today I am going back into Christchurch to pick up some more stuff from the house and to see Pop and Sandy, I also want to go and see Cynthia; I am very worried about her now I am just not down the road.

I want to start emptying out the gardens and that is going to be a big task, lot to do so I best get going.

Sunday and a busy one

Well the family and I have had another work day, however this time not around the house but giving our Mr Bear a hand to put the cover on over his tunnel house. It was slow work and a bit awkward at times but we got there.

I also had a chance to talk with Patricia, Bears new/old friend, she came over from Akaroa way to give Bear a hand, a very long way indeed. I must apologise to Pam for the really nasty things I said a few days ago, it turns out she is a lovely lady and a really hard worker. She is indeed thinking of moving back into the area but is adamant she does not want to move in with Bear.

She is about 50, has two children a son about 20 and a daughter of about 18, the son lives in Australia the daughter Katrina lives near here in Rangiora.

We finished the tunnel house around 1:30 and then had a BBQ and a tunnel house christening “may all who grow in her, grow strong and safe”.

Pam has put the bedroom drapes up that I made for Bear, and I have to say she has done the place up nicely with flowers and vases etc, definitely a woman’s touch there now. I would hasten to add, as far as I know Bear and Pam are just good friends, Pam has helped me a lot in filling in the gaps about Mr Bear, if I thought he was odd before I think he is more so now. It seems he has lived a very full life and I can understand why Bear doesn’t talk about his past, no one would believe him.

Odd thing is Sandra and Pamela both were like wives to him (Pamela’s words), though Pamela did have a husband who passed away she said Bear looked after both of them (both financially and domestically) and in return they looked after him by cooking and cleaning his house; they were all immediate neighbours of each other, but the friendship was just that a friendship made out of mutual need;  neither of them became involved in sexual relationship with Bear because there were always other women in his life. Including I gather his last Ex, boy she must have had a minefield to weave, my hat goes off to her for lasting 15 years with ole Bear.

Some of things Bear got up to scare me ( both Pamela and Sandra tell separate but similar experiences), but it all does help me to understand the quiet man who lives over the fence and shuns company. He is indeed our mystery man, and when I asked him this afternoon about his past all he said was “what was in the past, stays in the past, I never go back, nor will I ever talk about it”.  So that is where I leave it, and I am happy too.

Well the Girls are off to a new school tomorrow, you can imagine how the nerves are here, theirs and mine. The good thing is over the last two weeks the girls have met and played with local children that go to the same school, so they won’t be totally alone.

Kyle and Kelly have gone back with Gran to Rangiora, this weekend Kyle floored all of us by informing us he has enrolled as an officer cadet in the army, Jason went through the roof and is still in a really bad mood over it. He had expected Kyle to go to Lincoln University or study agriculture/farm management somewhere, but now it seems he has to run the farm alone. As I pointed out to Jas, Ewing did it for years and WE can do it as well, we also have Bear who I am sure would help if we need an extra pair of hands.

Well we are having an early night here, been an odd day but a very interesting one.

Saturday spring clean time

My goodness we have had a work day here, the house is spotless having been scrubbed from roof to floor. Every nook and cranny has been emptied, cleaned and restacked. The rubbish pit down the farm is choker with waste food and rubbish. It has been a good but tiring day.

The kids were busy as well, they helped me this morning and then they went over to Bears garden and then helped on the lavenders, they came home smelling very aromatic but lovely.

Kyle and Jas helped around the house but escaped this afternoon to do farm work, but all in all I am very pleased with the way it has all turned out.

I haven’t seen bear all day, he has been busy on the gardens but Jason was over there and says he is doing very well. He has the frame work up for the building he is working on and then I gather he and the girls went and tackled the Lavender paddock.

Tonight Jas and I are kicking back relaxing, it feels strange thinking I am having another baby, it certainly wasn’t where thought I would be, but now the fact has settled in I am quite pleased. Even Kyle is excited and that surprised me, he has just asked me to ensure I don’t have another girl, far too many around now apparently, Jason agrees; he needs a strong pair of hands to help out on the farm. Lovely isn’t it, men and their wish lists, wonder if anyone considered I might like girls, oh well one must do what one must do.

Kyle turned up with a model helicopter that you fly using a infra red controller, it even has a little searchlight on it, I didn’t know until I saw this little light buzzing around the kitchen window, I can tell you here and now if I had been any further pregnant I would have been having the baby right there and then. The good thing is apparently the boys thought it was funny, so that’s ok.

Well maybe girls would be better, at least they don’t play with damn helicopters, do they?

Well I must go find Jas, I need a cuddle but if I find them outside with that helicopter the rubbish pit will get another piece of scrap.

Love to you all.

Saturday and its spring cleaning tme.

It is 10am and already I am back from packing the ute up with stuff from my house in Christchurch. Apparently we farming people love getting up in the dark, gulp. I can say despite the iron resolve on my face each time I have walked passed our bed this morning I have looked longingly at the comfy warm blankets, arrrrrrghhh.

We are not going back in to the city today, we have all the things we need and the movers arrive at my place on Tuesday so I will be there to supervise them.

So today it is rearranging the house here, chucking out what doesn’t fit and working on what needs changing. The main problem we have is we are not going to have enough bedrooms so the idea we are tossing around is either adding two rooms to the house or a two bedroom granny cottage.

At the moment we are ok with 4 bedrooms, but when Kyle and Kelly come the girls have to share, and now with a baby on the way though not immediately it does mean we need to look forward to more room.

Both Paula and Jason really told me off this morning about my remarks on yesterday’s blog, he says he hopes Bear doesn’t read it, but quite frankly I hope Bear does. He knows I am only concerned for him, if he wants to make mistakes then he is welcome too, I can’t stop him and this woman who I have learnt is called Patricia really had my heckles up. I can’t explain it but she just didn’t feel right, it’s not jealousy because I would be so happy if he could find the right woman, but this lady was more interested in the material things around him rather than Bear himself.

If Bear takes exception with my remarks then I will deal with that, but I don’t think he will as he has often told me he appreciates my honesty.

Now then for the rest of the day, we are reorganising things here in the house, including a really good early spring clean and scrub. I can already see people heading for the far reaches of the farm to get away from housework, well that’s ok; then I do it my way.

Friday and we have started moving

Been a busy and full on day here, we have been in town packing stuff and have brought all the clothes and valuables out to the farm. Pop is paying for a removals company to come in and pack our furniture and bring it all out here, the one good thing is out here we don’t lack storage, even though implement and shearing sheds are not ideal, they will do for the short term.

Jason is all a buzz as are all the kids, the big kid Bear took it in his detached manner and I guess I was feeling a little deflated, I half expected him to be very excited for Jas and I. I guess he is but sometimes it can be so hard to tell.

Jas is already showing signs of early fatherhood, wanting to go shopping, good god 1 day and he is like this now. We have cancelled the ski trip based on the expected rough weather in the mountains tomorrow and the fact we are moving house. I have at least another trip to get the personals which we will do tomorrow, then the rest can come out by the movers.

This last two weeks has been a life changing one for me, when we came out I expected there would be a lot of pressure from Jason for me to stay, but in the end it was the girls and I that wanted to move, and once we had news of the baby, then we definitely wanted to be here.

Bear has had a chap from down south visiting all afternoon, so we haven’t seen much of him, Jas and I went around to see him tonight and lo and behold if there wasn’t a female visitor there as well. My heckles went up, grrrr a woman around Bear and it wasn’t my doing.

Jason says he knew her that she was an old friend of Bears and Sandy’s when they lived over on the other side of Oxford many years ago (sometime I will explain the rather complicated and convaluted relationship between Bear and Sandy, as soon as I fully understand it myself).  Being the nosey “B” I can be, I rang Sandy and asked about her. Sandy says she expected this because the woman called in to her place about 2 weeks ago and in between polite conversations kept asking about Bear.

Anyway I was dragged away by Jason (grrrrr) so now I just don’t know. She certainly was giving the new house a going over and all I could think of was “GOLDBRICKER”, bitchy I know but Bear wouldn’t see one coming even if he had 4 eyes. Still Jason has told me to sit on it, so naturally I will listen to my man, until the morning.

Well now that seems like all the gossip from the farm, so I will now go and curl up on Jason, night all.

Friday and I am moving in.

It is a beautiful morning here today, no frost and high cloud; it seems all the world is up bright and early.

Yesterday was a rather long day but I have made progress in a lot of areas, more in some areas than I would have preferred right now. I am definitely pregnant and I am a little concerned about a lot of things, yeah bit late now but then I was taking precautions for all the use they are.

Jason and I have had a huge talk as have Pop and I, the end result of which is the girls and I are moving out here to live, starting from today. Jason wants us to consider getting married but I have slowed that idea down as I don’t want to rush into anything or to make another big mistake for him or I.

I have been down to the school and yes the girls can enroll so they have as off yesterday, so as from today we are now permanent farming family. I am both scared about being pregnant and happy, my main worries are that this is my 3^rd child and I am in my forties, the good side is I am fit and reasonably well; I really hope that we have a boy, for Jason that would be so important.

I have not told Bear yet, its not really his concern but I will when I see him later today. I don’t have a lot of time to write this morning as we are getting ready to go into town to start moving stuff out of my house. Pop has suggested and I agree that I rent the house out, that will give Jas and I an off farm income as well as providing fall back security for the girls and I should things go wrong. I hate thinking like that but I was badly burnt once believing the world is all roses in relationships, it won’t happen again.

Well I best go but I will write more tonight.

Love to you all.

Thursday, yet again

Its quite fresh this morning, thankfully no frost but we had a very damp fog earlier.

Last night I went up to see Bear and measure the drapes for his bedroom, I have finally got that job done. Bear has come up with the suggestion that we all go up to Mount Hutt skiing on the weekend. I think this is an awesome idea; though the girls and I have never skied it would be great fun to learn. I spoke to Jason about it and he agrees it would be a great idea, so that is now the plan, weather permitting we are off skiing this Saturday.

Last night Bear was on a high, he had a successful day arranging the business side of the gardens, but he is adamant that it’s not the commercial aspect he is after; it’s the creating something out of a dream. In fact he said he would like to get a manager in to run the business side of things so he can enjoy the place, but as that aspect is many months away its not a concern yet. He has his application in for a permit for the gardens and nursery so that is another huge step. It is so hard to believe that just over a month ago that end of the farm was wasteland that had been over run, now it has been cleared and new buildings going up, plus man made mountains LOL and 95% of it has been done by Bear alone, mind you to see him today you could believe it. He says those old war wounds are playing up. I think the only wars Bear has been in are from angry women and annoyed husbands and that was way back in his younger days.

He is now considering a web page, I have suggested some people he should talk too but I feel there is resistance there, not sure why and perhaps it’s because he feels I am pushing to hard so I will step back a bit and see how he goes.

Well I think Bear is in town today, he is taking Pop to the hospital, as dad has a few tests to be done, then Bear is taking Sandy shopping as usual for a Thursday. He will also be doing my shopping for me, as I cannot get into town today.

Today I am off to the doctors for a checkup, I have a few issues that I wanted cleared up, Carla, Talia and Kelly are off to spend the afternoon at one of Kelly’s friends place learning how to ride horses. Kyle and Jason are working around the farm, tonight they are rabbit shooting along with Bear.

As for me its finish the last of my online work, not much there just what has arrived overnight and then I am making drapes, also doing some urgent repairs to Jason work clothes and if Bear arrives home in time with the ingredients I am baking.

Wednesday and its been warm

Its been a glorious day out here, too good to be stuck inside working but sadly the bills to be paid ensured that I stuck it out. The good news as far as I am concerned is that now I have finished earlier than expected I could get outside sooner.

The girls and I went for a walk down to the river this afternoon; it is just glorious weather and I had to take time out with the little princesses. When we arrived back at the house Kyle and Kelly were here, they have come to stay for a few days so needless to say the girls are over the moon.

Jason has been working on the cows today and Kyle will be helping him out tomorrow.

I did not get over to Bears place to measure his drapes, Kyle and Kelly’s arrival put paid to that, I haven’t had much of a chance to talk with him today. I did hear noises coming from over at the nursery/Garden area so he is about.

Tonight is DVD night, K & K brought some out with them, so while the little kids and the big ones are watch movies I might escape to bears and get those drapes sorted.

Tomorrow I am getting stuck in organising the garden area, we need a lot more than we have at the moment, so Jason whether he knows it or not is helping me extend the garden area. Also tomorrow I am off to see the doctor, I am now very late for my period so rather than keep doing tests I will go and have the check up I am over due for.

Jason keeps hoping I am pregnant but I have to sit on his enthusiasm for that, he can be such a lad at times like this. I have pointed out to him were we having a baby I would expect things to change in our relationship. That soon cools his ardor for babies.