Saturday in my little world. Wind, mist and drizzle; the polar opposite of yesterday in many ways. I stayed in my sleeping bag, reading a little until it got light and then I was off to go shopping for recycled stuff today in Takaka with Mary. I’m always on the lookout for cheap replacement black woollen leggings as my favourites now all have designer holes and ladders appearing. Thank goodness I have to wear two or three layers, thus saving any embarrassing moments, with most of the holes being in the bum zone!! Mostly from my numerous falls.

Blue chicken eggs for breakfast. Due for a stop to buy some more on the way into town, I head off to say “Hi!” and feed the chickens, making a point of getting dry firewood from the shed when the rain stopped only briefly. Mary arrives on the quad bike and we are off. Cuzzie is now officially the muddiest I have ever seen her because of all of the gravel road driving. We arrive in town to discover that Trash Palace isn’t open on Saturdays (oops!). We head to the hospice store instead. We pick up lots of different items but, for various reasons, return them all to the racks and shelves from whence they came. Zero dollars spent so, not a very successful day. Food supplies grabbed, together with some lunch stuff to munch on, as we drive back to the farm.

As we drove along, we watched the mist drift across the road and the rain become more and more intense. By the time we got to the lakes turn-off, we could hardly see the inlet for clouds and rain. Up the hill to the main farmhouse for a cup of tea and a long chat. I purchased my eggs from Mary today, as her hens have started laying again. $5 for a dozen huge-sized eggs, what a bargain! Then back to my farm cottage to read, to do some knitting in front of a warm, friendly fire and to try transform yesterday’s artwork into something worth keeping. I have a new plan for my knitting. I’m thinking of trying to do this art of "felt" creation while I sit and wait. Spending so much time in such an arty crafty area must be infectious. Maybe I’ll even have time to complete the project!

I was going to go out this afternoon and look at other beach locations on the local farms but the weather is so totally atrocious that the planned trip has been postponed until tomorrow. Nightfall is on its way. The day has been okay. Mary is always such a great person to be about, being full of young and interesting comments about life, about others and about the farm. There’s homemade soup tonight, and I’m at last enjoying the fact that I’m beginning to learn just to sit and rest, at least for today anyway. Whilst the rain is falling heavily on my roof and the huge pine trees are whistling and rocking in the wind that’s buffeting them about, here I am about to enjoy a large bowl of my hot, homemade, chicken soup! I’ve got my comfy ugg boots on to roam about in, it's total bliss!

My smiles today:
Hot, homemade soup.
Listening to life being described through the mind of a teenager.
Cups of tea and lots of chat.
Damper bread, cooked crispy in the oven!!
The amazing art and craft skills in this area.
Now it’s my time to try and be arty crafty!

My thoughts today:
Note to self: relax!
Once in a while, a break is needed, sometimes from everything!

I can almost hear my sleeping bag calling me to bed early tonight.

G’night from Red. Ma Te Wa.