Times Up

Friday 17th March - significant for some, especially if you are Irish. But for our family, the significance was that this would have been our last day in New Zealand had Spouse not found a job. Yes, it is hard to believe but we have been in this green and pleasant land for six months now and our visitors visa expired on the 17th. Thankfully, with work permits and student visas clearly stamped in our passports and our residency application progressing, we have not had to up and go. I was trying to imagine what we would have done and where we might have gone but found it too depressing and decided not to go there.

So our wonderful new life goes on. It has been another balmy autumn week when the sun hasn't stopped shining and the temperature is still hitting 24 degrees. I am still trying to get my head around us being in Lent and the approach of Easter at harvest time.

Baking has been the theme of the week since fils 4 had a scone entered in our local A& P show and received a Highly Recommended prize. None was more surprised than her mother who is often made to consume these interesting lumps of dough with her afternoon tea! Anyway with a Sunday School scone competition on the horizon for fils 2, the gloves (of the oven kind) were on. English scones served up by Mr Tumnus of Narnia this time were on the menu and a practice round all available for the family's Tuesday dessert. Having thought that the given recipe was slightly odd and unsure when asked by fils 2 as to what shortening was (I had a vague idea it had something to do with butter), I should never have doubted Mr Tumnus' baking skills as they were absolutely delicious. Fils 4 was not be outdone however and managed to produce some extremely tasty fairy cakes in a hectic 15 minute period, whilst I was busy multi tasking, with a delightful navy blue icing! Isn't it so tempting to add just another drop of food colouring? Fils 1 is looking forward to making macaroni cheese at school on Monday - funny how she'd never touch it before. But hey if she likes her own, she knows where our kitchen is. I might get the evening off!