Kia Ora and Welcome to our June news

We started the month by ‘water torturing’ the dogs. Honestly anyone watching would think they really were being tortured, and they don’t seem to appreciate how lovely they smell and how soft their fur is after a bath.

Last week-end we watched Maxie try to chase an Australasian harrier in the paddock which was hovering over our compost bins – searching, we think, for the mice that have made their home in it. We've laid bait around the wood pile and compost bins - and managed to kill a rat - but the mice seem to be impervious to the bait. However Peter has found another way to get rid of them - by driving over them and squashing them flat as pancakes. The only problem with this method of rodent control is that they make a huge mess on the driveway - which pleases the dogs no end - yum!

Peter reckons Ann's an old crock. The other week she walked the girls on her own as Peter was working late. Maxie behaved beautifully until almost the end of the walk – when she suddenly decided to chase down the road after a Ute and trailer – forgetting she was still attached to her lead. Off she went at warp speed, followed closely by Ann flat on her back sliding along the damp, cold grass – with Jaz being dragged along behind wondering what the hell was happening! Thank goodness it was grass and not tarmac or concrete path. Ann spent the next day off work doing a credible impression of the hunchback of Notre Dame. She did threaten Peter’s dog with the dog pound but Maxie took absolutely no notice of her whatsoever. Having just about recovered (bruises almost gone) Ann now has infected sinuses and is on antibiotics. These two events are not related but do show that Ann is an old crock who needs to retire NOW!

Peter gave a talk on bonsai to a garden club in Chartwell at the stat of the month - there were about 50 ladies in the audience (and no men).

The Queens Birthday holiday weekend was wet and cold so we didn't get much work done in the garden but as you can see our Corokia 'Frosted Chocolate' hedge is growing well. The following week-end was much warmer and drier so we cleaned out the shade house, weed sprayed it and put everything back tidily. There's so much more room now!

Peter tested a Honda Insight at work as a possible replacement for the Toyota Corollas they all use. He found it OK to drive but some of the others didn't like it at all. After talking to Toyota his boss Andrew has decided they are staying with the Corolla.

The Ute is still giving us problems. Peter had new glow plugs and a new battery fitted at the end of May but the battery was still going flat. The sparky repaired the alternator and replaced the rectifier - another $450.

Peter gave another bonsai talk to a small group at Whitehall Garden Circle - and received an invite to dig some old hawthorns out of one lady's paddock.

	Someone asked us the other day if we spoil our two dogs. Well as you can see they get no pampering whatsoever!
	There's a Maxie in there somewhere.

News from Home

Jean and John quietly celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Congratulations to Arron (Peter's great nephew) and Carlie on their engagement