I'm still here, Folks

I have been busy with things like making ginger beer (the photo below is of a Mickle ginger beer "bug"). But also with some changes - I'm back working part time at the job I love as it really tests my brain, and keeps the grey cells ticking over.




I became well enough to work again late last year but unfortunately my workplace had truely nowhere to put me as they had a team in processing claims for the Earthquake Commission from the September 2010 Christchurch quake.

So I did some baking .....


These are sante biscuits (cookies), basically a chocolate chip biscuit but made using chocolate chopped from a block (the recipe originally used chocolate from sante bars, hence the biscuit's name).

Poor Christchurch had another rumble on December 26th, and then the really damaging aftershock on February 20th. In March I tentatively approached that place I had worked in previously ...... well ....... I'm back there.

In between times I also came across a very easy recipe for plain bagels. These are super delicious both warm from the oven and munched upon the next day.




And, of course, I continued to share my life with Zebby Cat, tending to his needs that include covering him up fully coz of his inability to get all of himself beneath his battered quilty.



The recipes will follow in later posts but, you know, I didn't have to share the any of the results with meat-eater Zebby at all!

Equinox Looms

Sun & Moon hours 23 March 2011
Sunrise - 7:26am
Sunset - 7:29pm

Ah well, you get a bit of that every year!

While I find my way.....

.... around this newer laptop here is a pic of "his rotundity" enjoying the late Summer sunshine (ssshhhhhh, we haven't noticed his generous tummy surplus resting to the right of his lion-style self, honest!).

This is Zebby's "Elsa - Born Free" moment.

All fixed

I just needed to tweak a server name. So I'm back in full-on blog and email mode at last!

As if Zebby cares - he's happy just as long as he is fed and watered,
cosily warm, loved and cuddled,
and has clean kitty litter.

Hello, Hello .......

...... its good to be back, its good to be back,

Hello Hello Hello

It wasn't me - the modem was a dud!

I'm reconnected now for blogging but still have some work to do to get email functioning as it should. The old laptop has died but this newer one from Dad is great (except for its shiny screen which shows my reflection - not flattering).

Zebby continues as usual - eating, purring, sleeping, purring, whacking His human awake in the morning while purring .......

Laptop Unwell

Iwont be blogging for a wee while as this laptop is unwell.

I have a replacement already, just have to convince it to talk to the internet (the problem is with Mickle's brain, not the newer laptop).

We felt an earthquake here in Wellington about 25 minutes ago - nothing unusual or to be concerned about. As usual Zebby Cat slept through it all, he didn't even stop purring!

We pray, we hope... yet we know

Dear Christchurch*, city of my birth and home for the first 3 1/2 years of my life - that earthquake "whallop" was so harsh, fast, violent and brutal.

We stay hoping, hoping so very much for further rescues, while we so fearfully know the list of fatalities will grow.

We are enormously grateful for the speed with which they have got here - and for the work of all the overseas specialist Search and Rescue teams that have added to our own. NZ's Urban Search and Rescue squads were soon there- humans and their very special trained dogs. Next up our cousins, the Aussies had their teams in action here, soon followed by those from Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and California,USA. The highly skilled UK team landed in NZ on Thursday afternoon, with more incredible UK backup following .

The help, support and care is so incredible. I cannot come up with the right words to express my own thanks. I'm humbled by the international help that arrived and has been deployed so very swiftly. Help that is so gratefully and appreciatively accepted and received.

(*I may have been born in Christchurch and the Canterbury district, however I am strongly, staunchly and most stubbornly a Wellingtonian - Wellington has been my hometown and chosen place to live since my 4th birthday. 42 years on and I wouldn't change it - I'm so used to walking up and down steep hills that my legs would fail on an alluvial plain!!!

Sending so very much love, hopeful thoughts and special care to you dear birth-city Christchurch, from Wellingtonian Michelle)

Postscript : There is also a rescue team here from China.

And 326 Police Officers from Australia arrived after a request for help from the NZ Police Force Senior Bods. These Aussie Police Officers arrived at Chch airport to receive a spontaneous standing ovation from all the NZers present


Sadly the death toll is now at 145 and is expected to grow. We pray