April moments at Greystone

Grapes and figs being made into wine. The Pinot Noir grapes' juice are already in the anaerobic stage and the 'olde' grapes were 'stomped' well and truly by the expert stomper (see pictures).

The fig tree is laden this year and their time for wine is fast approaching. Fig jam and green tomato relish are just some of the extra items for 09 whilst the myrtle berries have been very prolific and extract now made for balancing liqueur flavours later in the winter.

Greystone welcomes Michael from Huldenberg

Its been a busy visiting schedule for Greystone this summer. Michael arrived Wellington airport after a very comfortable flight from Brussels via Heathrow and Hong Kong on 13 March. The White Swan beckoned for drinkies with the in-laws and friends whilst Sue was working hard in Oman. Picasso and Mike remembered one another - well at least Mike did. A good meal at Greystone, a good sleep after all those miles and Mike was off to Taranaki to see his folks.

Herbie the beamer was beaming and impatiently growling when they left the next day. "Let me at that Manawatu Gorge and I want to see Mt Taranaki again," he was muttering. Mike and Herbie return on 26 March for the return to Bruxelles 27 March. Mike's luggage caught up with him in Taranaki - it got lost on arrival at Heathrow on the way out.

Greystone welcomes the Martins

Kris and Greg spent the bulk of February in New Zealand visiting Greystone and relatives and friends in many other places. Herbie the beamer was kindly lent by Mike and Sue, the other Belgian based Kiwi people. K & G's itinerary was chock full and they finally left after bubbles in downtown Wellington to hasten back to the remnants (hopefully) of the European winter.

Highlights of their trip to Greystone were: taking in the Martinborough fair, riding the Rimutaka incline and fine dining at the White Swan. It was great to catch up and many good evenings were had assisted by attacks on the wine cellar and on one truly memorable occasion savouring Greg's barbecuing. Temperatures were in the low 30's and much persperation resulted. Great company for Evan and Sally and great memories to add to the already bulging store.

PS An excellent day and night by all accounts was had with the McCraws of Port Campbell, Victoria on their way to NZ.

Note: This replaces the earlier blog of 24 Feb 09 which was lost in the internet ether, somewhere between here and there!

A Happy Birthday!

A very happy birthday was had by Evan (alias Sadie, Dad, Farfar, Morfar and a number of others) on 29 January 2009. Sammo and Picasso were on hand to help the celebrations. Sammo and the birthday boy went down to the stonegrill at the White Swan two days before the actual date just to get in the swing of things. Picasso (16 years old now!) allowed a very special cuddle from the birthday boy leaving his summer spot under the kapuka and fig trees.

The Gold Card arrived and it works - no charge to get into Wellington on the train and no charge on the buses - for off peak periods only. You get a free flu shot too when you are 65 or over.

Note: This message and phot replaces the original placed by Sammo - it disappeared into the blog ether.

All messages of congratulations are welcome.

A Little Bird Asked Me.....

A little speckled bird came and sat on my pear tree.
He asked me when Kristina would come to visit thee.
So I looked at him and told him in words of two or three,
She is leaving her home far across the sea
And flying in a big bird just to come to me.

Picture taken by Sammo through the kitchen window - "bird on pear tree."

Summer - golf, bike and PC snake

PC snake has been caught at it! Flogging chocolates that is! But wait, whose hand is that? First prize for the first person to accurately identify said mauler. Strange but no chocolates or licquorice all sorts disappeared whilst Sadie and Sammo were away golfing. Is that a vital clue?

However back to slightly less important things. Four courses in four days! Waipawa, Onga Onga, Takapau and Rangatira. Back home to relax - just doing the gardening and housework! The pictures don't quite show how warm it was. Each course was so different. Standout points were: Waipawa - very dry and in the middle of a drought; Onga Onga - perfectly groomed and parklike (very much like Inglewood but longer); Takapau - the holes were all named after Gallipoli features - eg Lone Pine; Rangatira - on three levels on the side of the Rangitikei river - up from the finish in a funicula - some 200 feet.
The Martins are coming!!! A bike carrier has been installed on the rear tyre of the CRV - the cover has had to be removed to accommodate it. Watch out Rimutaka incline - Greg and Kris are getting closer. Carl's speedy olde bike features once again on the blog. It's a classic with a superannuitant on board, downhill with a following wind!

BUSTED!!!

For many years since all of the offspring left home there has been a major problem with the unsolved disappearance of licquorice allsorts and chocolates stored for future consumption.

Various theories have been tested and 'Whodunit Expertise' from friends, relatives and neighbours has been utilised to resolve the matter, generally assisted with considerable libations of 'Greystoned ' Gin.

Today the culprit has been found - BUSTED!!!

McTavish is a benign looking individual (see picture) - some would say a stuffed toy. By day he (definately not a she! - under kilt viewing has determined that) sits around looking, well, stuffed.





By night he climbs into the jars and scoffs the lot! Sadie the superannuitant housekeeper and full-time gardener (see picture) has been blamed until now. See for yourself and agree that the matter has been finally put to rest. Leg irons for McTavish the Scottish chocolate/licquorice allsorts midnight phantom muncher.

No comments to this blog entry will be taken as agreement with McTavish's guilt!


You can see that it is McTavish since Sadie couldn't get into that jar!

Penultimate day of 2008 at Greystone

It is summer at Greystone and the gardens are showing the effect of warm temperatures and sufficient rain during late November and December.

Picasso has taken to his summer position for sleeping underneath the fig tree. He loves the new stone wall for the odd foray into the orchard garden to check on the birds feeding and explaining to Evan and Sally that if there is no milk and/or food straightaway then there is nothing more for it than another telephone call to the SPCA.

The pictures speak for themselves!

Christmas day at Greystone

Sammo is hunting for wine in the cellar for starters.

Picasso is suitably attired. The silver fern flag is flying. The table is set. All the offspring have been spoken with so its on with the eating and consuming the bubbles. A lovely sunny day and a lovely Christmas Day with just Sammo and Evan and the magic of Skype.

Teachers! Teachers!! Everywhere and not much of a drop left to drink!

Yes! The teachers of Greytown School descended on Greystone to salivate and celebrate the holiday (non-class contacat time) break. Following the full assembly at Kuranui they arrived at 1330 hours and the last stragglers (leaving one vehicle behind) left around 2030 hours.

Much good-natured hilarity was the theme and was well practised and also well-oiled. The Secret Santa presents' participation was the higlight and Picasso the cat loved all the attention. It was a warm, sunny evening and Greystone's orchard area lent itself well for the occasion. Sadie turned her(him) self into the official photographer. Liz, our immediate neighbour on Kuratawhiti Street served the repast provided by "Trends" of Greytown.

The photos give a good indication of the level of frivolity - just as well the students couldn't see their lords and lordesses frm school behaving in such a very different manner to what those students are accustomed to see.

For those blog followers who pride themselves on persipicacious insight - guess which photo shows Sadie the photographer's feet!

Kristina's birthday today

Yes, that's right its birthday time again for Mrs Kristina Martin. Great for Mum and Dad to talk with her again today and congratulate her for coming into our lives all those (not too many) years ago.

The picture shows Mrs Kristina at left with one of her sisters, Mrs Suzanne Dawn at their Mum's knees-up in August 08 at Greystone.

We are looking forward to her and Greg coming down to Kiwiland in February 09 for Greg's 20 year graduation celebrations with class mates at Massey and his Mum Andrea's 70th birthday. It looks like the Rimutaka Incline on the mountain bikes is on the cards for them and taking in the wineries at Mrs Martin's Borough in Martinborough.

Time certainly flies since it is now two years since we celebrated Kristina's major birthday in St Martin with friends from Washington DC and Switzerland plus Master Isaac from Brisbane.

Best wishes from Greystone Kristina Anna-Marie!

The Class of 08 and Sammo at Greystone for sausages and presents from Secret Santa

Sammo's class of 08 from Greytown Primary School walked up to Greystone via the Soldiers Memorial Park (for games) and ate sizzled sausages, bread, muffins, cake and all sorts (not licquorice all sorts though!). Following lunch and cuddling the ever available Picasso the big fat cat they settled down for waiata (the singing was delightful) and karakia before opening their SecretSanta presents. After some two hours (was really only two hours?) they toddled off back to school walking two by two.

22 happy little souls, filled with food, orange juice and with their presents AND "doing what teachr told them to do (mostly anyway)' they got back to school just in time to be 'let out.' Five parent helpers were on hand to assist. A happy occasion and well worh the adults' efforts.

Greystone Christmas Update

The lights, trees and general paraphernalia for celebrating Christmas are being installed. Just wait for the photos to be taken once the decorations are complete. Sammo's class are due at Greystone tomorrow for their Christmas function, since school finishes this coming Friday the 19th. On Friday evening the teachers will be celebrating school's finish, Christmas and the impending summer vacation at Greystone. 'Trends' owner Mr Peter I who provided Kristina and Gregs wedding breakfast (1991), Evan's 60th (2004) and Sammo's 60th (2008) will be providing the comestibles.

Greystone have a new BBQ, first run yesterday! This will provide the sizzled sausages for the children tomorrow. The old 'steam driven' BBQ that saw so much action from 1987 is in an advisory position round the back of "Lillehus.' "Just call me if you need me!" he croaked when told of his retirement. Greystone now has a retired cat (name of Picasso), a retired BBQ (never was named) and an somewhat older male person, retired, (alias Sadie, Morfar, Farfar, Dad, Darl, Evan and sometimes???). Of course every menagerie needs a Boss. Sammo does sterling work in this area and even set up a licquorice all sorts rationing system yesterday.




The balloons look rather flat and it looks as though we will need the grandsons to blow them up again. They are the ones that Isaac and Lisa blew up for Sammo's 60th back in August 08. Either a re-blow or they will have to join the retired ranks as well! Christmas lights and trees' photos will be taken and added over the next few days so all the followers can enjoy a Kiwi summer Christmas.

As you will see the gardens are growing rapidly and the civil (as opposed to impolite) works are progressing well. Note the FSB's (Flexible Sun Beds) - hammocks - for those with less poetry in their souls where the 'waters' * are taken on sunny evenings.

*'Waters' is the euphemism for a long glass filled with ice, a standard quantity (a 'Danish') of greystoned gin and tonic to the top.

Isaac's Loot!

Thanks to Isaac's Dad, Carl we now have a record of Isaac's 11th birthday's loot! Watch out NZ's Black Caps you now have a demon Oz batter to contend with. Isaac, let Farfar know when the mighty bat, otherwise known as "The Kiwi Tamer" gets its first runs. Then we can put that information (as a certificate) with Farfar's bat and Carl's bat both stored in Isaac's Corner at Greystone.

What a birthday it must have been. See all the "loot" pictures. Cool books, games and Duvet (or is it a Dooner?) Can't wait to visit again. Love from Farfar, Bestemor and Picasso (the big fat 18 year old cat).

Isaac is 11 years old today!

Isaac resident of Brisbane in Oz is 11 years old today! Congratulations Isaac from Greystone; Farfar, Bestemor and Picasso (the 18 year old big fat cat!). Yes, you are catching up to us. We vividly remember the day you arrived in this world, such a good looking intelligent child! When you got home with Mum she used to surround you with books - its no wonder you learnt to read at a very early age. Bestemor rang me to tell me of your birth 11 years ago today. I was at the piano being growled at by my music teacher in Lyall Bay who used to say to me, "Evan, now you are going to play this piece in Mozart time not Morch time!"

At Greystone we look forward to hearing how the day went and the 'loot' that you scored from your extended family in NZ and Oz.

Congratulations Carl and Amanda. You are doing wonderful work bringing up Isaac.

Remembrance Day - Norah Osbon my Mum

Today 3 November is my Mum's 31st Remembrance Day. Born in 1917 she and many others of similar ages endured the Great Depression as teenagers. Opportunities that later generations have taken for granted were not available to them. Many did not get the education that would have assisted them and our country to grow. Norah was required to leave school to assist with family finances along with other family members. She was very bright and made sure that her children got the educational opportunities denied to her and her siblings and other friends. She was passionate about gaining education and in the few short years before her early death just short of 60 years she enrolled at James Cook High School as an adult student to study for and get her School Certificate.

Along with many other young women during WWII she was trained as a motor mechanic whilst many others were trained in all sorts of fields traditionally reserved for the men as a necessity for the 'war effort.' They were hard times for that and the earlier generations.

The thrift and steadfast attitudes that she and Svend (my Dad) practised, whilst growing a family of four, has stood me in good stead throughout my working life. In recent months with the major economic downturn starting to bite, many of her and Svend's actions are practical examples for what may be needed to continue to prosper so that we, in our turn, can provide a better platform for our future generations.

A memoir of her life featuring her many achievements is close to completion. She would be thrilled to know how her offspring have developed with all four children achieving much of merit in their chosen fields and particularly in building strong families; now with 7 grandchildren and four great grandchildren covering NZ, Australia and Belgium. She and Svend would be delighted that the Danish family contacts have continued to be strengthened. It was not easy for her to marry an 'alien' particularly in the myopic years following WWII in NZ, but it was typical of her resolve and strength of character (ably supported and demonstrated by Svend) that has lead to the level of prosperity that we enjoy today.

New Camera

At the weekend we bought ourselves a new digital camera. A Sony DSC-H10. It is a very easy to use camera but not a point and shoot. It has several useful aspects, like it freezes the focused shot when taking photos, it has x10 zoom, on screen instructions etc.

This photo is one we took at the weekend of blossom on our pear tree and when I cropped it there was a bee. I thought it looked so cool!

Greystone flowers

The Magnolia campbelli is in full bloom and is a great sight.


The tulips in their barrels have overcome the pansies.





And the kowhai are in bloom with the Mt Fuji cherry the first of the two cherries to bloom. We always wait for the Sakura cherry at the front wall since that tells us it is Carl's birthday. Happy birthday Carl from us and the Sakura cherry.