Strava App

I downloaded the Strava app to help me monitor my movement throughout lockdown. It gives me information such as kilometres, time, calories and elevation.

In April I managed to walk 152.3km. How many marathons would that be?? I am pretty proud of my efforts because I didn’t want to become a couch potato during lockdown. It definitely helped having Nala to walk. Have you used any applications to help you get on the move?

Bubble Teacher

From tomorrow onwards I will be a ‘Bubble Teacher’ at school. I volunteered to go in to support the essential worker’s children. We have strict Protocol and guidelines to follow. The two most important guidelines to follow are hygiene and social distancing. I will be team teaching with Mrs Levick.

Have you got any ideas of activities of what we can do? Bare in mind we can’t play games like tag, infected and so on! 

Check out the photos...

The Bubble Teachers having our first bubble meeting.

Our tissue station with hand sanitizer.

Our classroom set up with 1m social distancing rule measured out.

Lest We Forget

Walking around the neighbourhood, it has been great to see people’s creations to remember. It is important to remember those who fought for their country.

What makes you proud to be a New Zealander?

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

2 cups self raising flour

2 cups finely grated raw carrot

3 eggs

1/2 tspn salt

1/3 tspn bicarbonate of soda

1/3 tspn baking powder

1/3 tspn cinnamon 

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl, mix well

2. Line 2x9” round tins

3. Cook at 300oF (gas 3-4) for 30-50minutes

Icing

5oz cream cheese

10oz icing sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine 

1 1/2 tspn vanilla essence 

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl, mix well

2. Add the icing to cake tops when cool

What have you been baking?

Cookery Books

As you have probably guessed from my other Blog posts,I love cooking! I recently received this Nadia Lam Cookbook from my PT Kirsty. 

I just love spending hours Reading through recipes and finding new cooking trips.

This recipe below is delicious and nutritious!

What type of books do you enjoy reading?

Spider’s Web

Description

A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey.
Check out these beauties from our walk this morning...
What do you think?

DescriptionA spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey.

16,000 Steps

Yesterday I walked a total of 16,902 steps by the time I went to bed. I took Nala for a short walk in the morning to get some fresh air then a longer walk in the evening to stretch the legs after work and before dinner. I definitely feel grateful for the area I live in during Isolation because I have the opportunity to take a number of routes for a walk. 

What have you been doing for exercise and fitness?

Washing OCD

When hanging out the washing I always have to have the same coloured peg on an item on clothing. It doesn’t have to be always pink pegs for t-shirts but, for example, a t-shirt gets 2 pegs of the same colour. It is something I’ve always done. Do you do anything like this?

 

Holy Guacamole 🥑

Holy Guacamole Recipe

So here is my recipe for Guacamole. The ingredients you need are:

Essential ingredients:

3 avocados, 1tablespoon lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, bunch of coriander, salt&pepper

Additional ingredients:

1 tomato, 1/2 capsicum, 1-2tablespoons jalapeños, 1-2tablespoons light mayonnaise,

Step 1.

Half the avocados and score.

Step 2.

Mash avocados to a consistency that you like.

Step 3.

Add all other ingredients. Tomatoes and capsicum chopped into cubes, coriander chopped, garlic crushed,  jalapeños chopped.

Step 4.

VOILÀ...Holy guacamole made! Yum!

You could also add in: Sweetcorn, Black Beans!

Enjoy!

Family groups

Did you know...

SWANS

A female Swan is called a...pen

A male Swan is called a...cob

A baby Swan is called a...signet

DUCKS

A female Duck is called a...hen/duck

A male Duck is called a...drake

A baby Duck is called a...duckling

GEESE

A female Goose is called a...goose

A male Goose is called a...gander

A baby Goose is called a...gosling 

Choose an animal, name the female, male and the baby put your answers in the comment!

Groupings

Groups of animals along the river...

Do you know what a group of geese are called?
It’s a gaggle of geese. (If they are in flight it's a skein, team or wedge.)

Do you know what a group of ducks are called?

It’s a flock of ducks. (If they are in flight it's a skin, string or team.)

Do you know what a group of swans are called?
It's a flock of swans. (If they are in flight it's a bevy of swans.)

Can you find out some other animal group names?

In the picture below there are ducks, geese, and swans.

Whitebait

I got a surprise today on our walk along the Avon river ... someone had cleaned the Whitebait life cycle information.

The most interesting fact I read was that the eggs develop over 3-6 weeks. This doesn’t seem a very long time to develop considering a baby human takes around 40 weeks to develop. What fact interests you the most? Ka kite ano!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

What is your favourite type of chocolate? Easter time is always a period where we are lavished in chocolate. My favourite chocolate is Caramilk. When it first came out in New Zealand I could not find any anywhere and now it is readily available!! Luckily I just bought a small packed so I didn’t go crazy on the chocolate.

I hope you had a lovely day!

 

Team Work

Today, Sene and I set a task of cutting down this hedge. It’s very over grown and blocks all of the afternoon sun from getting into the living room. Sene and I decided to do this job as a team because “many hands make light work”. Sene sawed the branches and I created a ‘rubbish’ pile with them. So thankful to be able to do this job as a team, for one person this would be a challenging task. What do you think of team work? Why do you think it is good?

Little’s Treats

What treats are you allowing yourself during lockdown? To be honest, if I didn’t allow myself some treats I would go crazy (even crazier than I already am!) I love cheese and crackers so that is tonight’s treat. Laughing Cow cheese triangles, water crackers and gherkins!! Delicious! What would you choose as a treat to eat?

Beautiful Walks

What beautiful views to you get in your neighbourhood? Tonight Nala and I went for an evening walk. Check out this beautiful view along the Avon river. We should be forever grateful for where we live. What are you grateful for today?

Thistle: Scotland’s Flower

Today on my walk I noticed a thistle. It is Scotland’s National flower.

Do you know what the National flower of New Zealand is? Can you find 3 others countrie’s National flowers? Post in the comment of what you find out.

10,000 Steps

I set myself a target of 10,000 steps a day to keep myself active. A week has gone by and a week of reaching my goal. This has included a 5km daily walk, home workout and general walking around the house. I am posting photos for accountability. What goals have you set? Have you achieved any yet?

Shuttle Runs

I’ve been using the street poles to help me increase my cardio fitness. I planned this activity for myself yesterday...

I did 20 of the exercise then ran to the furthest pole for my first lot of exercises. Then to the 4th pole, then 3rd and finished there. Here is my street - handy spacing of poles...

What have you been doing to keep fitness? Have you been going out daily to get fresh air?

Whakatauki

Here is a whakatauki that I found on the internet today. It says to me that if I look after myself and  follow the guidelines in avoiding Covid-19 then I am in fact looking after you as well.

Is there a whakatauki that you think relates well to this time in our lives? Please post it in your comment.

Have you got a collection?

After cleaning out my wardrobe, I seem to have accumulated quite a few pairs of Nike trainers. They are now all washed and ready for walks. I could even use one pair of trainers for each day of the week - what do you think?

I must say I do prefer Nike over Adidas, Puma and so on, however Sene likes Adidas. 

Have you got a collection? If so what is it? Why have you collected them?