When I drew the curtains this morning, I saw this:

A few blackbirds were hopping about, bamboozled by the lack of ablutions this morning. Perhaps an albatross landed on it in the night. Or a flock of seagulls. Or, perhaps a dodo bumbled out of the bushes and pushed it with its strong beak.

Felix is saying nothing.

I re-glued and repositioned the top of the birdbath, noting gaps between the saucer and the pedestal. I’ve used a glue which has proved successful in fixing terracotta pots and it seems to be expanding to fill the spaces. The water is not level, but the birds – and insects – may appreciate a deep end and a shallow end.

Nearly every Sunday is a beach day for my friend and me, but on this particularly hot day thousands were there: toddlers with cute hats and buckets and spades, older kids body boarding or training for surf patrol, adults carrying beach gear and setting up shade tents, a couple on a tandem, many swimmers, and lots of people with their dogs.

And there was me, wearing my legionnaire’s hat (or mullet hat as my nephew calls it) for the first time after suffering sunburn to my neck while at Wānaka. My friend wore her sensible wide-brimmed hat, with matching top. We were impressed by one little girl’s outfit; her tutu, sandals, and hair tie were all the same shade of lilac.

While I was in Wānaka, texts would go round suggesting coffee at 10 am at Edgewater. This was the perfect opportunity to order the famous ginger scones with rhubarb jam. There are other flavours, but this is the favourite.

This morning I had a go at recreating the experience.

Nice, but lacking the conversation and banter and, of course, the lake view.

Fallen cabbage tree leaves, long grass, flowers that need dead-heading, and ripening tomatoes, courgettes growing, beans beans beans… I was into the garden almost before I’d unpacked. Today, I feel flat and tired as I fall back into the old routines. There’s a lot to do. Being on holiday forces you to stop. I miss it!

A beautiful day in Wānaka and we’re leaving! There is time for breakfast on the patio, but no sign of rabbits for the first of the month. Perhaps they are put off by the sprinkler.

It is a beautiful day. The lake is blue and glistening in the sun. Lots of people were picnicking and swimming this afternoon. Now I am on my patio enjoying the warm air and the view down to the lake as I read my book and snack on cherries.

It was a day out today to Arrowtown, Queenstown and Cardrona.

We were back in time to watch the yacht race held each Thursday, weather permitting, on Lake Wānaka. I could follow it from my patio with binoculars as the boats appeared between gaps in the trees.

It’s a warm evening. I can hear the ‘pock’ of tennis balls on the court below.

Actually, I’m attempting a gallery of postcards today as I couldn’t choose just one. After a showery start (improved by scones with morning coffee) the weather cleared. I beat all previous personal records by walking 22,730 steps from Edgewater to Beacon Point and back.

At times, where there was little shade, I felt like that turtle on the nature programme walking purposefully across the desert. A smoothie at Scroggin cafe gave me the energy for the last push home along the lake where people were sunbathing and swimming in their thong bikinis. I had a cool shower and washed my sweaty clothes.

I’m having a day on the couch. The door is open letting in a soft breeze, the sound of wind in the poplars and the sight of waves on the lake. I’m listening to my “Make me Smile” playlist. Fat Bottomed Girls* by Queen is coming up, appropriate for a person on the couch all day. I’ve walked over 11,000 steps in the last two days however. I’m reading the NZ Gardener, getting inspiration for gardening when I get home.

• In NZ Gardener: Rugosa Roses have big hips that look fabulous in autumn.