Birthday Boxing Day

We've had a great day around here. The men have shared their opinions on everything from rugby to what tool I should get Johnny for Christmas (a table saw apparently). Here they are conversing with the lovely Scottish neighbour. After plenty of bonding they unloaded a whole lot of wood from Dad's ute and we now have a lovely big pile again.

Of course Monty made the most of the sun coming through the living room window. He has his head snuggled on the pillow I like to snuggle on too.

Not to be left out, Miss Dog, Dad and I took a prowl around the neighbourhood. We visiting the cemetery, the nature reserve and took a look at a house that Mum and Dad coveted when it was for sale on the internet.

I got a wonderful parcel from Meg, Ryan and Henry today. Look at the fabric on this gorgeous skirt they gave me. Clever Meg made it. Under it is the jersey Meg sent (second hand but perfect). Looks great on.

Here is my new book. It is just lovely. I've been wearing these beads together- coral chips (a gift from travellers to Hawaii) and reddy/orange glazed pottery vintage beads.

Of course, my birthday wouldn't be the same without a treat from Kersten's in Nelson. Yum, mint and cherry/strawberry.

I wonder how Meg managed to get in and out of the bead shop without Henry grabbing everything in sight. Two gorgeous boxes of beads.

Here is the very fancy plant frame that my darling chose for me.

And here is the functional one. I've popped this one over a big clump of self-sown sweetpeas.

This is the daphne I got with my birthday money last year. It is smothered in deliciously fragrant creamy-white flowers. Gorgeous! The two pink ones I have got a just showing colour now.

These are the first daffodils out in my garden this year. Dear wee seedlings bred by my Mumsy. They are delightful little poppets.

Bad photo (it was very cloudy) but this is the front border showing a lot more colour. There are some sweet pansies and polyanthus making me smile. The first yellow is showing on the plump double daffodil buds I showed you last week.

Today we went to Animates, where I chatted with the lovely fish expert about an extraordinary long fish that he said grew huge and requires a 600 litre tank. Its body rippled in waves as it propelled itself along. He gave us a demo of feeding. I wouldn't put my finger in the tank if it was any bigger. The lads had a good look around Bunnings. I was slightly hampered because a muscle in my leg decided to act like it had suffered a cruel injury. Weird, because it doesn't even hurt now. I had a slow look around the plant department. They've got lots of standard apples but they are only a 90cm standard, and I need two taller ones. They are miniature growing ones. Very suitable for next to my potager, but I need more drama. We went to Terra Viva after that. I wanted to see if they had the newer varieties of English Roses to spend my birthday money on, but sadly, no. Serves me right to be a Country Living fan, where they are advertised in all their glorious colour. I'll have to wait years probably.

We were going to go up the hill for a birthday tea with our friends, but poor Mrs CT is sick. So we're having a traditional chicken roast for tea. No pavlova though- we're trying out the new Memphis Meltdown Rocky Road ice creams for pudding. Then watching two suitably violent movies to please the men. Should be fun.