Having time to be waylaid is a luxury I don’t take for granted. Being able to stop and say hello to the neighbours can often be the highlight of our days. For Fortnum that is! He loves to stop and say hello although I am not sure that this neighbour is... I turned around and there is was like a blanket giving comfort. Layers of weather on the layers of countryside. Just as well I had plenty of layers on as the southerly was blowing and I was wet. But wet is nothing compared to what residents of Christchurch have... I’ve had a few nick names in my time that I’d rather not have had. I know they’ve been meant kindly but they’ve put too finer point on those aspects of me or my character that I’d rather weren’t highlighted. I’m not sure... The view from my bedroom window is better than any modern day entertainment device. Just to watch the mist roll down the hills is pleasure enough. It’s hard to know what might be through the window these days – rain, snow, sunshine or just the clouds... The wettest weather we’ve had since I can remember in New Zealand seems to be paying dividends with Spring growth starting to flourish almost everywhere you look. This is the first time we’ve had catkins on our trees so I’m taking it as a good... 