While collecting Mum’s watch, which needed a new battery, from Aspiring Jewellers (where the assistant raved about Mum’s tweed skirt – clearly the attention she’s been getting is a fashion thing) we spotted a small number of stalls set up under a spreading tree. There we found beautiful, handmade crafts.

Mum and I each chose a bowl from the work of Invercargill ceramicist, John Kalb. He collects his clay from sites in Southland and travels to various markets to sell his work. I bought one of his blue jugs years ago at the Wānaka Sunday Market. The market doesn’t start up again until Labour Weekend, so it was great to find this mini market.

Earlier in the day we returned to Albert Town and I left Mum in the car while I briefly explored the Clutha Riverside walk which is part of the Te Araroa Trail.

We were delighted by green paddocks full of little spring lambs on the Cardrona Valley Road. We had lunch at the Cardrona Hotel and visited the Schoolhouse Shop.

Arrowtown is as delightful as ever. A passerby asked Mum if she could take her photo. I guess she looked pretty natty with her R.M. Williams stockyard shirt, tweed skirt and rustic walking stick. She’s attracted similar attention before (in the English Lake District) when her little brown trilby hat and ‘Driza-Bone’ oilskin coat caused a Japanese woman to exclaim: ‘Miss Marple!’ and photos were taken.

The Museum was a treat. Mum was dwarfed by a Moa skeleton. ‘Imagine meeting that in the wild!’ she said.

When we’re not saying, ‘Wow!’ to views of snowy mountains, we’re exclaiming at the Spring blossoms.

It’s still a little chilly morning and evening, so a fire was welcome at dinner last night.

Later, we saw the daffodil colours of fire fighters training under pink blossoms.

We don’t need a map to find the way to our favourite places here.

There was a park available right outside Wools of Wanaka and, even more fortuitously, there was a stick beside the car which I barely looked at twice, while Mum instantly saw a use for it.

We returned satisfied with our excursion and with our woolly jumpers.

Mum and I are relaxing on holiday at her pace. We saw ten tiny ducklings at the marina, then stopped here at Beacon Point where people greeted each other (and us) as they walked their dogs.

We explored further than we have before, since walking everywhere is not possible for Mum. We saw lots of subdivisions and something charming on Infinity Drive. (‘It’ll be funny if this ends in a cul-de-sac,’ I said.) The Pembroke Patisserie in Albert Town was a highlight.

Now we are reading and nodding off, relaxing in the sun with panoramic views of mountains sharply outlined against blue sky. ‘There’s not a breath of wind,’ says Mum.

It’s nice to put some order back into my little piece of the world after the scary gales we had on Monday and into the night.

The greenhouse plastic, already sun-damaged, has been shredded. Luckily, all the plants are okay. Mending it is a job for today.