Working Girl

There are going to be a few little changes in our family home starting this week, as I now have a new job!
I will be away during the day, working for a lovely family run company called Wheaton's. I believe I have mentioned Wheaton's on previous posts, it is not only a wonderful store but has a great cafe too, one of my favourite places to have lunch with my friends :)

Following a phone call last weekend, an interview on Monday, and then a job offer on Tuesday to start on Friday! It's only early days so I am still in the process of 'settling in' and learning the ropes. An exciting change for me after doing secretarial work from home and helping children with learning difficulties at elementary school. Not forgetting my sewing business of course. I am in a way, stepping out of my 'comfort zone' the time feels right. Saturday was spent in the Christmas room at work (frighteningly early I know) getting familiar with all the gorgeous products, unpacking, stocking up and meeting some lovely people in the process, both work colleagues and customers. It was incredibly busy, with many customers getting a head start on Christmas shopping, so the day seemed to fly by!

With a resourceful husband and two capable teenage daughters (please do take note if you read this girls!) I am sure our 'new' family dynamics at home will work out, with the word 'delegate' featuring a little more in my vocabulary from now on. Being a great one for list writing and planning, it is a challenge I shall relish (I hope?).

My little shop will continue to remain open. I intend to catch up with my 'stitchery' on Sundays, along with all the other jobs around the house. Luckily there is now a descent stock of felt animals waiting with optimistic anticipation of a busy run up to December.

Here on the farm, there has been a lot of 'apple activity' in the orchards this week. Huge piles of crates have been strategically placed ready for the harvesting season. I am sure that both the local and Mexican pickers will soon be swarming among the trees and we will hear that familiar hollow sound of apples hitting wood as well as laughter and chattering, while the crates get filled, ready to be shipped off to various places.

The leaves are turning golden and starting to fall at a rapid rate suddenly. Today there is such a gale blowing that it almost knocked me off my feet early this morning. Despite it being of the warm tropical variety it was incredibly powerful, with a headwind going up the hill and a tailwind practically blowing me home again, just in time to see Craig leave for his day in the office.

Well I shall have to dash now, lists to write and a quick load of washing to hang out, making the most of this perfect laundry weather....

Til next week, I hope you have a good one :)

Hazel xx

Long lost friends

Hi there!
Not sure why, but I just haven't been in the mood for blogging recently (two whole weeks have gone by since my last post).
All is well up here on Blossom Hill mountain, after several days of glorious sunny weather the wind arrived yesterday with a vengeance and blew thousands of golden leaves to the ground. Now where there was lawn there is a carpet of red and gold, still soft but soon to become irresistibly crunchy underfoot!
I have been dabbling on facebook a little and came across two long lost friends. Well, actually I found their children who were able to put me in touch with Sheena (who I last saw about 11 years ago in England) we took National childbirth trust classes together while expecting our first babies, and Marie in Norway, going back even further to my wild early 20's! The wonder of computer technology :D
Mid week I had a lunch out with some girlfriends, something I haven't done for ages, not since I lived in New Zealand where I used to meet my friend Keriann for coffee after swimming, or in Napier at a wonderful cafe called 'port o' call'. Here in Berwick on the other side of the village is a lovely cafe called the 'cider press cafe'. Tina, Kathy and I had the yummiest curried carrot soup and fresh salads. They also serve great herbal teas (I had pear) and Tina indulged in a lemon chiffon type desert with whipped cream.
All the local apples are pretty much stripped from the trees now with just the 'drops' on the floor to be picked up and put into crates to be used for juicing (backbreaking memories of last year!) There are quite a few varieties surrounding us; Honey crisp, Golden del., Red del., Spartan, McIntosh, Empire and Gravenstein. I am now finally getting to know the difference after living here for my third apple season.
I was glad yesterday that the weekend had arrived as I felt we hadn't spent much time together as a family. Craig has been working long hours, the girls both had extra mural activities after school which involved lots of driving around and during time at home we seemed to all be doing our own thing. A family discussion was called at the dining room table last night to go over some 'issues' which I think have been pretty much ironed out now. We used to have family meetings on a regular basis and even had a suggestion box to put ideas into, but the girls have grown up so quickly recently and we just got out of the habit.

I don't imagine I will get many comments on this post as it is mainly family orientated and I have no diy, sewing or decorating projects to report on (still working on the chest of drawers).
Bye for now
Hazel xx