Chemo free week

Small things matter. After several months of being ill, it has been wonderful to have a week without chemo and to feel “normal” again. I wake up and think “what should we do today?’ instead of “how do I get through today?”

I’ve managed 2 lunches, an evening drinks party and a game of a golf. Sarah said I had turned green (after my first 18 holes for 5 months) and I had to have a lie down after the golf but it was worth it. Just to get out, to breathe the fresh air, to walk at a reasonable pace instead of like an invalid and do the social chit chat with golf ladies; life is almost back to normal. Well, apart from the rest of the drugs.

Needless to say, Sarah thinks in terms of what exercise shall we do now. Today, we went to Moke Lake for a fabulous still, sunny 0C walk  around the Lake with many of the surrounding peaks covered in brown grass having lost their snow to the sunshine.








We started off driving through a winter wonderland of iced valleys and rapidly removed layers of clothing as we walked around a lake that mirrored all the beautiful surrounding scenery.

All of this is within 15 minutes drive of our home.
Most of the Land is owned by Lomond Station (a big farm) but there is also a camp site by the Lake (no one to be seen today). Many golf ladies we know used to be farmers but have sold up to housing developers and moved to Arrowtown.



One of the joining farms to Moke Lake is for sale and it is only a matter of time before the road in will become full of housing development. Get yourselves to NZ soon!




This week we experimented again with a low cholesterol recipe book. The apple and couscous desert was interesting was the fish pie, but the stand out was breakfast.

Baked mushrooms with Five forks strong cheese, pine nuts and pancetta on Sarah’s home made sourdough.

Not exactly low in cholesterol but it hit all the taste buds. Ok, so I adapted the recipe a bit!









There is still very little snow in Queenstown. Whilst the rest of the country seems to be getting bad weather, we have had very little. Maybe that will change soon otherwise the ski season here will be a disaster.

Coronet peak ski resort snow is in retreat.

Only one rainy/snowy day this week. Lots of frosty mornings and frosty walks. This is us, rugged up well around the river walk at Arrowtown.










The sun on the Lake creates an inversion layer and as you climb up over the Cardrona Range, you can get out of the clouds and survey the scenery around you.

The airport is down there somewhere.

A long walk by the Lake always ends up in me plane spotting as they come in to land in Frankton.

I was hovering near the Boat house (an old NZ Railway shack) coverted to a café. There is always a good excuse to stop on a walk

It is a fantastic approach to Queenstown.

Nearby is a huge willow tree, preserved by the local council as it is so big (all others are chopped down as weeds/non native)

We experimented in our garden by hanging a bird feeder in a tree over the courtyard. After a week, no birds had found it. Spot the birdie?

This week we have been inundated by them. Of course they are too quick to take photos of (zoom lens still not appeared from its hiding place) and the down side of many birds is the shit they leave behind.

Now the bird feeder has been moved further away from the house.

The week ahead will be more of the same I hope, as Marti and Robbie arrive to keep us entertained and cheerful.

I count down to the start of my next treatment stage. Injections are in the fridge ready to go and hotel for Dunedin is booked ready for the day of high dose chemo.

I am happy cheerful and count myself very lucky to have had a fun week.

Here I am modelling a Norwegian merino top; very colourful. Thank you Kjersti. It is a strange world to think that this sheep originated in Spain, was domesticated in NZ and Australia; the top has probably come from sheep in NZ, the wool been exported to Norway to be made and sold and is now back in NZ again keeping me warm.  Spotted Merino lambs on our walk today.

They looked happy too.

Love Jo
xxx