8 days without internet access can feel like a long time, it went quickly. I will not bore you with details, but will offer some observations:
This is "Horse" when he was a kitten I named him "Fergus", the kids changed it to Horse (from Footrot flats) there were 3 of them, I was outnumbered.I have lost the long and protracted battle with my parents to retain custody of my furchild, he will be staying with them (sniff)
Oil painting of my daughters, by artist Heidi McCulloch, hangs in my parent's formal lounge (excuse the photo)
We all take photos of our children's "firsts" and display them with pride...Holly's first grapes, I would say her first vintage...but this is all there are!
Christchurch has many wool shops, there were 3 within walking distance of my motel in Riccarton, Hands Ashford was a 2 minute drive away (loved this shop - they along with Knitworld and Masco's in Auckland sell Opal for $13.95 a ball) and I bought some wool dyes...Ballantynes in the city was a lovely experience, a wool dept. in an old fashioned department store, wonderful, friendly service. Most of the stores stocked NZ naturally, Touch and Rare Yarns (good marketing job!) I didn't buy any yarn (with the exception of 6 balls of Opal and some hot pink banana silk) but I did buy some lovely fat 1/4s from Ballantynes, kiwiana prints and some Amy Butler fabric. I also ended up with a number of knitting books, vintage patterns, a couple of old Rowan magazines, and some old knitting needles (15c a pair) so if you are in Chch, go scour your Op shops, they seriously are treasure troves, while you are at it, pick up some old jumpers and make a felted bag, or the blanket from Alterknits, I saw so many machineknit fairisles in shetland wool, but couldn't fit anything more in my suitcase.
Holls and I took in the sights - Christchurch Cathedral and a cool sculpture
wandering in the Port Hills (lunch was a toasted sandwich at The sign of the Kiwi)
Home away from home for at least the next 3 years, lucky this is only half the room, she overlooks a tree studded lawn, formal rose gardens,and an avenue of oak trees, and will likely be snowed in at least once this winter.
