Up to my elbows...

... in oranges, sugar, limes and weddings.  Is anyone surprised I can't break my coffee habit? 
The weekend flew by in a blur... Friday was the wedding of my dear darling flower girl, Loretta. 
Here we are at her 21st:

She's all grown up and made a truly beautiful bride (sorry, I was not organised enough to take my camera and actually photograph the happy couple!).  Oh to be young, slim, wrinkle-free and freshly nuptialed!  I just made that word up.  Nuptialed.  It sounds better out loud. 
This September we will have been married 14 years.  My lovely husband had not much to say about that, other than, "man, that's a while".  Immediately after Loretta's wedding, I sat down to watch the royal couple smooch on the balcony.  Very chaste and regal.  And English.  And chaste. 
But I digress.  To explain the recent lack of posts, I would like to address the fact that it was Easter, and I made some significant achievements, including a 10 metre x 4.5 metre curtain.  There were others.  I covered myself in gold paint.  I gave a few people black eyes.  All in the name of the Easter Event - an annual production at my church.  We did have some highlights on the website, but I notice they've been taken down already.  We don't sit still for long.
Monday we whisked up to Kerikeri for a spot of r&r with my parents.  I mean, who wouldn't find this relaxing?

Unfortunately, it's no longer summer, so the jacaranda doesn't quite look this... purple.  But it's still a great place to go and chill.  We came home with a gazillion tonnes of oranges, mandarins, limes, guavas and feijoas.  I've been applying myself diligently to making marmalade, bottling and preserving.  I've gone through 10kg of sugar so far.  My kitchen cupboard doors are sticky.  My tea towels are sticky.  I am sticky.  And I had to go back to work today... making marmalade in the slow cooker tonight.  My house smells fresh and orangey.  Bliss.