A trip to Temple View for FHE

After watching Buddy's father's funeral service via Facebook messenger live and then attending the memorial service for Frank all in one day, it was a welcome diversion to head out for Temple View on Monday. The senior missionaries who live close to the Temple have a joint Family Home Evening every first Monday of the month but since we are 3 hours away, we seldom go (even though we're always invited.). However we had been informed that they'd found us some more gospel art for our flat so we decided to combine reasons and make the drive. Deanna and Rivka will be impressed that I did finally make goat-cheese stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates to take to the Monday night meeting and everyone loved them. The next day we also got to attend the temple, always a soul-refreshing experience. Then we loaded up our pictures into the boot of our car, did a little shopping in Hamilton and drove back home. We did make one stop in Tairua to visit Derek Collins in the care center. Derek, the owner of the bed and breakfast where we garden on Fridays, has been confined to a wheel chair for about 10 years. About a week ago he got an infection and ended up in the hospital at Thames for a few days and was then transferred to the care center to see if he could get well enough to return home. Here's a picture of the view from the carpark at the care center:

Today we went back to Whenakite where the Collins bed and breakfast is located, to help in the garden again. Elder O'Neal spent his time moving a huge, rotting wood pile while I weeded a hill. I kept hearing what I thought was 4-wheelers in the distance until I finally stopped weeding long enough to look up and see the actual source of the sound:

The biggest, fuzziest bee I've ever seen! I'm glad he was quite satisfied with the flowers and didn't head after me.  Then tonight we had the Ribets over for dinner. I think Hannah enjoyed the guacamole we made.

It's been a good week. Kia Ora, Elder and Sister O'Neal