Coal paranioa and why I hate canaries

Karl and I returned from our whirlwind tour of the North Island and have moved into the Vercoe house, which we love. However, there are challenges and chores of the sort I have not been previously responsible. For example there is a coal range in the kitchen which is not only for cooking, it also heats the water and the floors. Heated floors are nice but I am paranoid of burning the entire house down. Constant coal fetching, fire stoking, and temperature controlling lend themselves to pyromania. I am only slightly embarrassed to admit that I had never actually seen coal before. Let me tell you something about coal, it shatters like glass when dropped on tile. Take my advice, keep your gas and electric ranges. Maybe give your stove a little kiss today for being there for you when you push start or bake or whatever.

Here at the Vercoes' we also have Louis and Neko, the cats, around 30 white doves, and Alfie and Baxter, the canaries to look after. Baxter thinks he is Frank Sinatra. I think he may make a good snack for Neko. Neko brought me a gift this morning letting me know that he may indeed be interested in helping me with the Baxter situation.
Karl and I have been reprieved from tending the sheep which is good thing. A ewe and her lamb escaped yesterday into the front yard. After chasing them in circles for around 10 minutes I decided to just lock them in the yard. Karl managed to heard them back into their proper paddock (or "field" to you city-folk). Of course the sheep in that paddock were also interested in getting out at the same time, making it a bit challenging for him. (The grass is always greener...I know.) He got the two renegade sheep in without any further escapees just in the nick of time. Perhaps we should get a sheep dog.
While I've been indoors plotting the end of Baxter and maintaining my barely healthy level of obsession with the coal stove. Karl has been trying to get to work and back again alive. There have been tropical storm strength winds, hail and rain. Lots of rain. Three large trees fell across our driveway Monday night. Karl had to take an ax to them and drag them away before we could get a car through. Did I mention it is about 4 degrees Celsius in the afternoons. We won't mention how beautiful the weather is at 7:00 am.

I was about to go to the grocery store, but the hail has picked up again, so I am sitting in my coal heated kitchen having a glass of wine. Hey, Baxter don't you know any other songs?!!
Oh I forgot to tell you about the grocery store! It's called "Count Down." Count down to what, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's count down to better prices. Produce prices and quality vary and are not related in any way that I can detect. Last month Parmesan cheese was $3.00, this week it's $8.80. Why? Asparagus was $3.89 for around 6 pieces bound when I arrived at the market which, of course I did not select (highway robbery!). At the end of my shopping I realized I had forgotten to get olives, so I went back to the produce department only to see that the price had changed to $1.89. Interesting.
Checking out was interesting too. The cashier inspected all my produce individually and then gave me discounted rates based on her personal opinion of their quality. You start to question yourself. Do I really want these limes at all? Are they as bad as she says? Why is she making that disgusted face? What does she know?

See more pictures of: The Vercoe House