Wood and babies

Friday 2 August 

Sometimes I wonder where my brain is at! I mean, how could I forget about Monday 23rd June! It began as any other Monday with Boar heading off to work. He has been working for the same guy nearly 27 years.They used to do renovations in the main until all the regulations began changing. A few years ago the boss bought The French Door Factory and began installing double glazed windows This is what Boar does in the main, the installation of the windows and doors.

Monday is the day Brains has Ballet at L Dance Studio and then Hip Hop at Pump Dance. We were on the way into the city and heard on the radio about a fire in Newtown that had closed roads. Gosh, that's not good! Poor folk! I thought. Dropped Brains off and headed home. Boar was at the computer. . .but not on Trade Me as usual.

"Come and look at this, dear!" he said. This is what he showed me. . .it was their factory! I was very glad to know that no-one was harmed. Someone had gone to bed in the flat above but got out. Their flat was gutted though. Only one of the guys was at the factory so he raised the alarm. There were around 12 appliances there at the peak of the fire.

Over the next few days we found out that their jobs and pay were secure as they would be covered by insurance. The machines are being re-conditioned in Auckland. Temporarily the joinery is being done in Stokes Valley at a factory they are leasing from a joiner who has to have an enforced three months rest due to ill-health.

We started off the winter with quite a stack of wood, but it has dwindled to nothing. Boar has still been bringing some home, cut up window frames that have been replaced in the main. He used to get a lot of the rippings and off-cuts from the factory. Beautifully dry cedar that is great for kindling and burns well. Alas. . .not so much now!

The other day he said that we needed to buy some wood to keep us going. The fire is our only main heating source. Pa has a heater in his room to keep the chill off overnight. I don't think we've bought any wood for years! I tried a few places but most of the wood is not dry. One person just said that.. . .sorry we have no dry wood. The next place I tried, Firewood Direct, got back to me next day and gave me the number of the only guy he would trust! So I rang A Grade Firewood He answered and asked to call back as he was tied up, I think at a weigh station. He duly called back and arranged delivery of 4m3 of pine, macrocarpa and blue gum. It was delivered the next day :)

So yesterday (Friday) morning just before 8am it arrived. And it was beautiful and dry. After the truck drove off I went inside to rouse up Brains and Locket to help with the stacking. I'd warned them the day before :) We've always expected the children to help, from when they were tiny. . .there are always pieces small enough for wee hands to help.

I had some brekky to give me a bit of energy, put my walking boots on, in case I dropped any big bits, and down I went. I think Pa thought I was going to leave it for Boar to do! Pa mentioned the wood would get wet. I hoped to beat the rain!

I expected Brains and Locket to appear any minute. . .but after around 15 or 20 mins it was Pa who appeared with his jacket on!! I was touched, but it's not his job. However, I got him to get the sacks from the wood box. While he did that I went up and said to Brains, who had dozed off, in a very stern firm tone, "Your 87 year old grandfather has just appeared in his jacket to help stack wood!" "S**t!" uttered Brains. "Exactly! So you better get yourself out of bed and down there in 5 minutes!" Then repeated the same to Locket in her room next door.

I got Pa to hold a sack and filled it not too full with little stuff. Then he took it up to the front door and stacked it. Then he took the next one. By then I could tell he was tired, and Brains had appeared. I got Brains to take up 2 or 3 more sacks and then suggested Pa have a rest. He did :)

I'd done around a third by myself and Brains and I got the rest done by 10am. Locket did not appear and so Brains threw the last of it, the smaller bits, up over the fence. And, yes, we beat the rain :) Locket stacked hers later on. It had been rained on.

Later in the day Brains and Locket had a troupe pracitse. Just before I had to pick up Pa and then take them out to Tawa I had a call from OPSM I'd finally had my eyes tested after noticing small print was fuzzy, more so in my left eye. Yup, I was right and needed prescription lenses. I'd only been examined on Tuesday and they were ready! So I popped in to pick them up. Never having had them before I found them weird to say the least.

Then it was pick up Pa and drop him home, then out to Tawa. I took a Threads magazine with me. . .and my new glasses. After around 30mins my eyes were ok but I was feeling ever so slightly nauseous. Just getting used to them I guess.

Brains and Locket finished their class around 5.45pm and we headed home to dinner and wait for Mr Magoo to arrive. He was spending the night and most of Saturday with us. He had already had his dinner. We had a bit of play time and then by 7pm he was in the bath and soon after into bed. Jester had forgotten to put the formula in but Mr Magoo can have cow's milk now so I said I'd just give him that. We popped him in the portacot, he seemed as though he was going to settle, then made a bit of a protest. I picked him up and cuddled with him on my lap for a little bit till he was drowsy then popped him back into bed. He went off to sleep peacefully this time.

We had a yummy tuna pie for dinner. Very simple:- A layer of tuna, I use two large cans, drained and broken up with a fork; saute a chopped onion, add a bit of garlic if you wish, then a can of diced tomatoes, a bit of dried basil. Reduce a bit and layer over the tuna. Top with mashed potatoes.Heat in the oven. Voila. Boar prepared pumpkin and carrots to go with it while I was busy with Mr Magoo.

I wasn't long out of my bed as I was tired from the wood stacking. . .requires more energy than it did 20years ago!

I found out that I don't need my glasses for the computer! Strangely the distance is too far!