Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, dear readers, and our best to you and yours. Current news - sung to the tune of "There's a hole in my bucket" - there's a stone in my bladder, my bladder, my bladder, there's a stone in my bladder that won't come out; and, there's a cyst in my left kidney, etc. that needs further study. Will have a CT scan this Wednesday for more in depth (har, har) analysis of the cyst, and will send an update when I have more info. We had a lovely time at Papamoa Beach this past week, and Carrie should have a picture or two to illustrate that visit. My nephew Ross and his wife Virginia and their son Andrew have been visiting since 15 December, and will share Christmas with us. We had planned to have Christmas dinner with a colleague of Carrie's but she had a horse riding accident where her horse fell and rolled over her, fracturing her pelvis, so she is out of action somewhat, though still getting up and around surprisingly well. We see on the web that it has been, and is being, a cold winter for many of you, so I will not dwell on our warm weather. Carrie, Joseph and Emily remain healthy and in good spirits; the kids are eagerly awaiting Christmas. If Santa lands on our metal roof it will cause a clatter, for sure, for sure. I had a good week of beach walking, shell gathering and book reading, and look forward to the new year, when I hope to become a volunteer somewhere in this town, and plan to go out of town more often to see the nearby sites, and hopefully improve my camera skills. We hope to come to the USA this next year. We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New year (I just made that up - pretty good, huh). Keep those e-mails coming - I very much enjoy and appreciate them. Manford

If it's yellow

Hello. Time just gets away and two weeks are gone in a flash. We were pretty busy cleaning/tidying up the house to get ready for a Thanksgiving dinner we held on the 30th of November here - invited a coworker of Carrie's, her husband and their child, our next door neighbors, a friend of Joseph's and his mother and we four. Had a lovely meal - really hard to find turkeys here - and then they are only about as big as a roasting hen in the USA so Carrie bought and cooked two - one in an oven bag, one with no bag, and stuffed with stuffing. I made an apple tart, Carrie a grasshoper pie and did most of the other cooking, and her coworker brought potatoes, white and orange, and we got two boxes of yummy chocolates, and a good time was had by all until the coworker's daughter somehow managed to bang her head pretty hard on a yard swinging chair - my what a yowl!!! But, fortunately she was not badly hurt, and did calm down somewhat. Next up is the annual tree trimming party, on December 14. My computer is getting a low battery warning, so more in a while. Well here I am a few days later, and perhaps you are wondering about the blog title. Well, one of the beach houses we rented in the past had a sign in the toilet room: If it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown,flush it down. I would add: if it's red, you have bled. Which is what I did one day. Apparently that is a common finding when people are taking the local equivalent of Cumadin, but the doctor I consulted about it (my doctor was full up and could not see me) took me off the Cumadin, and I was to see a urologist before going back on it. Well, this consult took place on 27 November and after waiting and trying various approaches to getting an appointment at the local hospital my doctor has referred me to a private pay urologist, whom I will see on this Thursday, two days from today. I am feeling fine, so hopefully he will give me clearance to get back to figuring out the best doseage. I hope so, soonk, for I am off with my nephew and his wife and son to the beach for a few days before Carrie and Joseph and Emily show up - or maybe Joseph or Joseph and a friend will come up with me. It rained heavily last night and this am, good thing, the plants were getting a little parched. Our bathroom make over is almost done. It looks flash as they say here - or sweet - whatever. Emily has a new friend with whom she is spending lots of time. Joseph has a school project presentation this Wednesday evening, while I take Emily to a farewell bar-b-cue Carrie will go with Joseph. He is going to be in the advanced class next year. Hope you are not freezing, and wishing you all a happy, prosperous, healthy holiday season and new year I remain yours truly, Manford