Wow it's hot. Have you melted yet????  

At  5.30pm  the temp outside was 31.4 degrees C in the shade and inside it was 30.5 degrees C.  The clock on the Post Office in town was reading 28 degrees. The TV weather man reckoned we had 27 today.  Summer has well and truly turned up and it's great, even if it is too hot to be outside doing anything.  Mind you it's too hot to be doing anything inside as well.  I'm not complaining though because when the weather turns bad we'll be wanting this lovely hot weather again.

So January is almost over and a busy month it's been too.  I have started back at work and it's great to be back there.  I now work 3 hours on a Tuesday morning and 2 hours on a Wednesday morning.  It took me a bit to get used to just doing 2 hours on a Wednesday though.  I'd get home just after 11am and think it was lunchtime - lol.  Next week I'll do Tuesday afternoons as there is a 9 week training course starting for new volunteer tutors and it's a bit hard for me to get work done while David (my boss) is busy teaching.  I have also had some extra days look after Noah as Aimee has been very busy with wedding cake orders what with this being wedding season.  Tomorrow I'm off to Palmy to pick Noah up and he's coming for the weekend as Aimee and Richard have an all day work do on Saturday.

Besides working and tripping up and down to Palmy I have also been busy down in the office where it is actually relatively cool so lovely to work in.  This week I had another cull of the stuff waiting to go on TradeMe.  It has been sitting down in the office since the last cull which was probably over a year ago so it was time to go through it again.  I got rid of a good portion which has been added to the growing Op shop pile. The rest has finally started to put on TradeMe.  I have also been selling off some of my fabric on a fabric de-stash page on Facebook.  What doesn't sell there will eventually go on TradeMe.

I have had visitors as well the last few weekends.  Sister in law Joc came for a weekend which was really, really lovely and then the following weekend my sister Carolyn came for a long weekend which was also really, really lovely.  It was so great to be able to spend time with these lovely ladies and reconnect. I felt truly blessed being able to spend time with them both.

There has been progress on the woodshed too this month and it is now at the almost done stage.  I promised you photos so here they are.

Before

After

All that is left to be done is a mowing strip and putting down the pavers.  My Dad and my brother Ron have worked really hard to get this built for me and I am in awe of their handy-work and appreciate their effort immensely. It is a really sturdy shed.  Next week I hope to move the load of fire wood that is currently residing in the car port into it's new home. Exciting!!

The rest of the outside is looking pretty good - the  veggie garden has started to produce a crop.  I have been able to harvest snap peas and lettuce so far.  The spring onions are growing into leeks and I had to replant the beans as the first lot died.  I have also planted corn which is looking pretty good.  I try to make sure I water the garden and the pots every second day as the plants are struggling in this heat.  The strawberries are also starting to produce and the passionfruit plants have finally taken off and are making their way up the trellis.  I just need to spray them before they totally become infested with passionfruit hoppers and fluffy bum aphids which suck the life out of the plants.  Thankfully the lawns have finally slowed down a bit, in fact most of it has stopped and is looking brown except for the couch grass which is terrible stuff and just keeps right on growing.  I've just done a quick read up about couch grass and the only way to really get rid of it is to spray the lawn with glyphosate until the grasses are fully killed. Then the area can be dug over and prepared for re-sowing or re-turfing.  My lawn is pretty big so that just ain't happening, I'll mow instead.

The applying for jobs has started again too this month with 3 applied for so far.  Two are actually based in Palmy, and although the thought of travelling that distance every day doesn't really appeal I think that maybe it is wise to look in that direction.  My preference would still be to find something in Levin, but there just isn't a lot available here at the moment.  It will all work out I'm sure when it's meant too.

This week I went and got a hair cut.  I've gone short, very short as in no more curls.  I'm loving the new look esp in this heat.  The curls will eventually grow back - they always do.  Did you know that it's a known fact that people with straight hair want curls and people with curls want straight hair!!!!!  I've always loved my curls, but I'm happy to be without them for a while.

Well I think that about catches you up again on the goings on in my life.  The Lord continues to be my strength and He blesses me richly everyday. The very fact that I wake up every morning feeling refreshed and ready to face the day is a huge blessing in it self and one we so often take for granted.

Well I'm off to make a cup of tea and close some windows and doors so I can turn on some lights.  I don't want to be invaded by bugs so I'll just have to put up with the heat. Either that or leave everything open and sit in the dark which isn't a bad plan as long as I don't have to type anything.

Until next time.

Wishing you Gods blessing wherever you are.

Much love and hugs
Jolanda