Monthly Archives: June 2013

Mike Edmonds and his son Tony came, as arranged by Henare, to take some old logs off the builders heap. Turns out they didn’t think any of it was worth taking – probably it’s too old and rotten but Henare had warned them.

We worked on the heap and have finished except for carting way some rubbish. In the afternoon while Karola continued on the heap I hosed down the concrete aprons outside the big shed – they were used as an evening camp by the 20 lambs and were very smelly.

Henare and Scott called in as dusk fell and helped Karola move an old small fridge from the big shed down to the homestead garage.

Hosing Down The Concrete

Oak Avenue Weather:-2℃—15℃ 0.2mm rain [82.9]

Midday we went to Maggie & Colin Nagel’s 60th wedding anniversary lunch at the RSA rooms in Napier – we were not the youngest there, quite.

Mid afternoon Ross Sweatman came to see Karola – a man who delights in recycled wood (Waipureku Road, 06-870-0888). Karola showed him the heap and the work we are doing to separate out reusable pieces of Kauri.

We spent a couple of hours with more sorting of the heap until dusk.

Oak Avenue Weather:-1℃—12℃ no rain [83.3]

SwimGym

We all then went into town so Karola could have her eyes checked and I could get some weekend shopping.

Rest of the morning indoors or in Karola’s case in the cottage garage and later the kitchen repairing tree guards for her 17 Willow Oaks.

Rewa, Henare’s niece politely asked for some more firewood and negotiated with Henare to pick it up. We helped Henare load the big trailer and he and Karola and Bramble all went off to deliver it.

Riwa, Henare’s sister’s daughter is Riwa Nielson. She has three boys, teen-age, oldest to youngest: Ormond, Rangitira Nielson, and Carlton. Not sure about the surnames of Ormond and Carlton.

Oak Avenue Weather:-1℃—10℃ 0.2mm rain [82.9]

Most of the day I spent on the changeover to the new computer and also improving my passwords. Karola outside preparing to plant her new Willow Oaks, planning exactly where to put them. Mid afternoon she went to Napier for a specialist to test her hearing. As expected they recommended very expensive hearing aids for her mildly impaired hearing. Hmmm. Late afternoon I did a bit of wood pile sorting. “JB” Bostock dropped by to say they’d be burning the uprooted peach trees next week – which means we’d better get a move on in sorting through the heap.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—11℃ 0.7mm rain [82.8]

SwimGym I then went in to Hastings for a haircut and some farming requisites while Karola received her postal delivery of 17 Willow Oak bare-rooted metre-high trees. Karola spent the rest of the day in preparation for planting these and providing them with tree guards. I mowed the cottage lawn despite it being still quite wet. Then more work on converting to the new computer. Karola went out to a Federation of Graduate Women (HB Branch) dinner in the evening so I took Bramble to the last Dog Training class for this term.

Oak Avenue Weather:2℃—14℃ no rain [82.2]

Cold start. Late morning Shane Hay came to mow the lawns even though they were still quite wet and of course covered in autumn leaves after the recent gales.

I spent much of the day beginning the change-over to my new Apple MacBook Pro laptop. Wimbledon is on so Karola watched some of the recorded matches from overnight. We went out for lunch at Pernel’s – they do a budget roast on Tuesdays – and then shopped for some food and the ingredients for Bramble’s next gourmet mince and rice meals. When we got back Shane had gone and we first took a small trailer-load of unburnable rubbish from the heap down to the Transfer Station off Omahu Road. Karola continued sorting a bit more while I retired inside to light the fire.

Oak Avenue Weather:-1℃—13℃ 0.1mm rain [82.4]

SwimGym and the start of another week.

Frost and only a few degrees above zero so cold but very sunny all day.

My new replacement Macbook Pro arrived today – unpacked but not yet turned on.

In the afternoon Karola and I started the huge task of sorting through the large pile of rubbish left after the cottage renovation, looking for pieces of Kauri, for useful offcuts of weatherboards and other planks, for treated timber that should not be burned, and for rubbish that is not wood and needs to go to the tip.

Karola suggested new names for some paddocks. We’ve lost the goose enclosure now, (aka the ram paddock), and we shall lose the Island paddock once new sheep yards have been built at the south-western end of the Middle paddock. The new paddock between the new fence and the Scott’s boundary is The Drove. The Front paddock becomes the Sports Field due to its size and aspect. The Totara, Middle and One Acre paddocks keep their names for now.

The Completed Fence Between the Middle Paddock and The Drove

Oak Avenue Weather:-1℃—15℃ 0.1mm rain [82.4]

Rain overnight but a sunny day, cold and dry.

Peter and Liz Ormond came for lunch, arriving around 12:30pm and leaving around 4:00pm. Karola cooked a full meal, cheeze and buiscuits for starters then roast chicken and veges followed by creme brulee and baked apple with ice cream.

We’ve had the fire going all day.

Oak Avenue Weather:-2℃—12℃ no rain [82.7]

Cold, overcast, dry and wind has dropped.

Karola was out most of the day at a meeting of the Hawkes Bay branch of the Federation of Graduate Women where they heard about the bird sancturay activities behind the three layers of predator-proof fence at Cape Kidnappers, the tuataras and the stoats and so on.

Just before lunch I pulled up the standards from the netting fence and tidied the fencing materials away so we can say that the new fence is well and truly done although I’ll wait for better weather before photographing it. Bramble likes to cold weather but then she has a thick winter coat to keep her warm.

Much of the day spent reading inside by the fire, warm and cosy.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—12℃ 6.6mm rain [83.0]

SwimGym – cold wind and overcast with very occasional showers.

We had a fire going and I slept and read most of the day. Karola worked on her article about Larnach Castle and popped out for a bit of shopping.

Henare suddenly called to say he’d like to come and finish the new fence – apparently early rain at the orchard he was working in stopped work there for the day. Henare stapled the bottom wire to the battens, the finishing touch, and then worked on deconstructing the long netting fence that used to go from the cottage down to the Scott’s boundary. He dug out three big strainer posts and rolled up 100 metres of netting and associated guide wires.

This evening we went to a German film Barbara (with subtitles) in a tiny little art cinema, the Globe Theaterette in Ahuriri. It was suspenseful and well acted but depressing – Karola enjoyed the Eastern Europe backdrop and themes.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—11℃ no rain [82.9]

Sunny skies here although a crisp cold wind as well. Karola moved her ram and two wether lambs to the new Back paddock and the breeding stock to the Front and One Acre paddocks.

Karola went shopping this morning and Bramble and I went to get a padlock and some keys cut. We also got diesel for the tractor and petrol for the gas-guzzling Landrover. Later, in response to Willie Thow’s email comment about needing to pick up apple bins and irrigation stuff I put the bits and pieces from the pump shed and all his farm warning notices in the little trailer and took them down to Matipou Orchard packhouse where Willie has his office. I explained to Ross, Willie’s orchard manager, that there were no bins left behind and, in response to Ross’s enquiry, no there wasn’t a tractor still in the orchard either.

Rowena came to visit Karola in the afternoon. I began taking down the netting fence that stretched from the cottage down to the Scott’s boundary to the south.

Oak Avenue Weather:2℃—14℃ 0.3mm rain [83.2]

SwimGym – I then slept till lunchtime.

Nice lunch at Black Barn as guests of Peter Offenberger and Charlotte Jackman. They have a brand new car – VW Toureg – replacing their aged BMW.

Late afternoon Karola offered to help put on the remaining dozen battens on the new fence so we can use the new Scotts paddock for the ram and his two wether lamb friends, moving them from the Front paddock and giving that to the ewe mothers-to-be for a while.

The remaining peach tees were uprooted today.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—17℃ 1.9mm rain [83.1]

I zipped into town for some shopping and then Karola and I hung the second gate in the new fence. I then added hasps to each gate. It only remains for Henare to put on about a dozen battens and staple the bottom wire to all the battens and it’ll be finished.

We’re both fairly shattered after our weekend after weekend of travelling round but even so Karola got stuck into her article on Larnach Castle using her new computer. Meanwhile I mull over whether it’s time I replaced my elderly (2009) laptop too.

Before 8:00am Bramble barked and barked, alerting us to a large yellow machine being unloaded in the orchard. It was a contractor who’d come to pull out the peach trees.

The End Of The Peaches

Henare dropped in on his way home from a day’s pruning.

Oak Avenue Weather:9℃—20℃ 4.4mm rain [83.0]

The bed – well two beds actually – arrived mid day. We bought the bed-with-bed-under last time we were down and arranged for it to be delivered today. The two beds replace a single bed to provide for the expanded occupancy during part of Anna’s trip at Christmas.

We packed up and went to see Mary, dropping in on Bridget on the way to exchange reading materials. Afternoon tea with Mary then off in the storm towards Hastings. Walk for Bramble and a meal for us in Masterton. We got home on the dot of 9:00pm. The closer we got to Hastings the drier it became.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—16℃ no rain [?]

Bramble walks in the morning in the drizzle then Felicity’s “Gold Card” 65th birthday lunch: Felicity, Geoff and children Max, Madeline, and Gwen: Gwen’s husband Bolke and Gwen’s two infants Miriam and Sofia; Gill & Ben; Alan and Gill Bagnall, Jude and Bruce Congalton, and a swiss lady who lives in the next bay. Delicious lunch, most of it gluten-free.

Late afternoon we went in to Bridget’s and babysat – well Karola looked after the granddaughters and I mucked about on Bridget’s computer. Bridget went to Karate and then she and Chris went to a school “parents social evening”.

Oak Avenue Weather:5℃—15℃ 16.0mm rain [?]

Packed and set off for Wellington before lunch. Snack and a walk for Bramble in Shannon. Pleasant evening in with a fire at Days Bay flat.

Oak Avenue Weather:5℃—11℃ 2.4mm rain [?]

SwimGym

Karola off to town until after lunch. I continued with Bramble to work on the fences.

Island paddock is now shorter with new end fence completed – which meant putting in three little posts and crimping up the seven wires.

Railings on new fence now have two intermediate half-round posts so they are supported every 1.2 metres.

When Karola returned she helped me adjust two gates and put up a third. The main gate into the Goose paddock near the 121 entrance has been annoying me for ages with its pronounced droop. Now it’s much better, we moved the top gudgeon to a new hole better aligned. The gate into the shortened Island paddock now swings freely – bottom gudgeon repositioned. The gate between the new paddock down the south boundary and the Goose paddock – trough the new fence – is now up and looks straight and even.

Henere plans to come on Sunday and finish the battening. Karola and I have one more gate to hang and the gates need fasteners – then we’ll be done.

Oak Avenue Weather:0℃—14℃ no rain [82.8]

Winter’s day. The Avenue tree work has continued on past the end of Karamu and our neighbour, Janet Scott. There’s a lot of wood taken off the Avenue trees near us; we didn’t realise how much until we saw the size of the branches lying on the ground – Plane trees, not Oaks though. The oaks don’t really dominate until 100 metres or so from our driveway.

Karola did lots of clearing of leaves and stuff and mowed the two small lawns today, anticipating rain tomorrow. I did a spot of fencing. I noticed that my network connection up to the orchard pumpshed wasn’t working so explored and found that the power to the pump shed had been disconnected. Bit of a shame the lessee Alan Ladbrook didn’t bother to tell us but just cancelled the account; now we have to pay reconnection fees.

The camera and microphone for Karola’s computer came today. They work well – I had a quick trial run with Bridget in Wellington. Now, for $550, Karola has the equivalent of my big Apple screen and it’s built-in camera etc – but the Apple cost $1600. Hmmm.

Oak Avenue Weather:4℃—14℃ no rain [83.5]

SwimGym

Mild overcast weather. Karola went into Hastings for a haircut and the usual leaving me and Bramble to snooze through the morning. The arborist contractors are still hard at it in the Avenue and the road is still closed to all but residents.

Karola and I put up the three window blinds she bought a week or so ago and already it seems warmer inside the cottage.

Bridget has persuaded us to use something called Google Drive on our computers and Karola is now set up for that – seems a lot simpler and easier to understand than Apple’s iCLoud which does a somewhat similar thing.

Bramble and Karola attended dog training class tonight. I listened to more of an audio Anthony Price novel in the car before beetling off to get grilled grouper fillets for dinner.

Oak Avenue Weather:4℃—16℃ 0.3mm rain [83.3]

We dropped off the Landrover and trailer at Tamatea Motors and then went on to Napier.

As scolded by Tessa at the recent gathering of the Wier clan in memory of Kaz, I need to wear a new jersey on social occasions and also get some new trousers. Chloe said that Harry wears and likes a brand held by Farmers called “bracks” and suggested I get some. This today I did. Three pairs of trousers, a bushel of handkerchiefs, and a new belt. The trousers are being “taken up” to the correct length at “Top Cut” – only $10 per trouser.

After that Bramble and I had a 20 minute walk along the stormy Napier foreshore while Karola got some food. On the way back home we had lunch at “Pernel’s”.

The Landrover and trailer were both given WOF and the Landrover additionally had a split joint where the exhaust pipe joined the engine. Heath Goldfinch had tried to fix this joint when it leaked before. This time it was worse and so he’s welded the cracks shut and he’s sure we won’t get that particular problem ever again.

Returning from Tamatea Motors with the Landrover along the road to Fern Hill past EIT then left across to the expressway I was held up at a very dangerous intersection for 10 – 15 minutes. The expressway traffic was never-ending, going at at least 100kph. We were at a Give Way sign trying to turn right towards Hastings; traffic from Napier trying to turn right down the cross-road had priority. We might never have got across until after the homeward rush was over but for a kind large truck driver with the priority waving us on when a gap appeared. Did I say it was dark and there was a light drizzle. The SUV in front of me hurried across and I followed post haste. Blaring horn from the oncoming car but I and the trailer made it across only to be overtaken at speed on the left by a large truck and trailer also speeding towards Hastings. Whew. I know to avoid that intersection around 5:00pm in future.

All day there’d been a tree trimming contract team in the Avenue following the instructions of the Hastings District Council arborist officer to tidy up the avenue. The road was closed to all but residents all day. The trees are being given a serious trim back – a high pruning plus the removal of any branches overhanging the road that look a bit rotten. In addition they’ve felled the clump of Tasmanian Blackwoods near our front gate – most of which were on our property – and knocked over the railings – presumably nudged by a falling branch. In practice Karola wanted those Blackwoods taken out anyway and the railings were only standing upright on a wing and a prayer so no harm done.

Oak Avenue Weather:13℃—17℃ 0.9mm rain [82.8]

SwimGym – showers and heavy falls at irregular intervals. We took Landrover and trailer in to Newport AutoElectricians to fix the fused lights and replace bulb on trailer. On from there to my appointment with the dental hygienist while Karola did the shopping. Back home then out again straight away to pick up the Landrover. Unfortunately by the time we got it home the lights had fused again. Otherwise a quiet day; Karola filing papers in her office; Bramble pottering around indoors and out despite it being quite wet underfoot.

Oak Avenue Weather:11℃—15℃ 29.5mm rain [83.3]

Sunday but Henare TXTs to say he’s coming over to do battening because rest of week he’ll be pruning.

Henare comes and gets on with it. I work on temporary fence across the end of the Island paddock, digging a deep hole for a small strainer. Now I understand why Henare was not so quick to dig the 28 posts for the new fence. The ground is dry and very hard just two feet (600mm) down.

Karola, with some erratic coaching from me, created a short document with photos of the memorial gathering yesterday. Then, after giving us lunch, she went outside and planted a dozen trees/shrubs that had been waiting for a while. Lilac, autumn raspberries and something else.

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—16℃ 3.9mm rain [82.9]

We set off for Feilding around 10:00am and arrived around 12:30pm. Small gathering comprising the Burleigh tribe, Yvonne, her children and her sister Janeve, Karola and me, Hilary and Rosemary Haylock, and Mary Wilson.

After a light lunch we all went over to Rola, Kaz’ family farm now owned by Mary Wilson, and his ashes were spread on one of the highest paddocks. Geordie (Mary Wilson’s son) drove a quad-bike with Francis on the back and Francis scattered the ashes. Janeve then read a short poem. Glorious sunny cool day with very gentle breeze. Ideal.

I drove to Dannevirke where we got a couple of coffees, then Karola drove the rest of the way and all the way back.

Oak Avenue Weather:5℃—15℃ no rain [82.8]

SwimGym

Took both vehicles to SwimGym and then left the Subaru at the garage (which is in Stortford Lodge) to have its front passenger side wheel bearings replaced.

Karola put her sheep under the big oak.

Itinerate worker Keith came as planned and washed the homestead garage – big improvement.

We went to Taste for lunch and picked up the bread from Cornucopia next door, then collected Karola’s car and I took Bramble home in the Landrover. Karola did the weekend’s shopping. I fixed a few lights.

I cannot find a broken fuse in the Landrover although the instrument panel lights, and the tail lights, but not the clock nor the radio nor the internal lights, are dark. I’ve booked the Landrover in on Monday at Newport Auto Electrical hoping they can fix it before the planned WOF test at Tamatea Motors on Tuesday.

Did a little fencing and then it was dark.

Oak Avenue Weather:4℃—15℃ no rain [82.7]

Quiet day, bit of fencing but light drizzle made indoors a better option mostly.

Took the two white floor-standing cabinets from the homestead kitchen to the cottage garage. Also the vet cupboard and the Internet connection cupboard from the office to the cottage garage. Karola has plans for them.

Rowena came to see Karola. Also the Lime Rock Winery proprietors from Waipukurau dropped by to give Karola couple of bottles of their wine, from 2007 rather than 2009 which is what we were given in error when we went to their place ot get them a while ago. So now Karola has a brace of their best and their very best Pinot Noir.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—12℃ 3.2mm rain [82.3]

SwimGym

Almost stopped raining. Henare came round mid morning and borrowed the Landrover to go and get a new TV he’d bought that was too big to fit in his car. Later he came back and we spent the afternoon on the fence. We joined up the wires using special crimps, we put up railings on the end nearest the avenue and Henare stapled the wires to all the running posts. Henare will put the battens on when he has time over the next few weeks and I will hang the gates once the fence has had a chance to settle down. I’ll also need to put up a bit of netting at the far end until I build the new sheep yards.

No Dog Training tonight, rain stopped play.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—11℃ 2.1mm rain [82.9]

Overcast but no rain until lunchtime.

I left the headlights of the Landrover on last night so we jump started it from Karola’s Subaru.

Henare came at 9:00am and worked on the fence, putting up the seven wires and the two strainer stay posts.

I pretty much finished setting up Karola’s new computer in the morning. Around lunchtime Karola, Bramble and I went into Hastings briefly.

Afterwards I kept Henare company in the constant drizzle as he put in the stay posts and strained up the wires.

As evening fell we had an unannounced visitor, a survey man who quizzed me of 15 minutes on driving in New Zealand – the effectiveness of the policing of drunken or fast driving and so on.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—15℃ 35.1mm rain [83.1]

SwimGym on a cold, bright morning.

Henare came and spent another day on the fence. All posts now in ready for the wiring up and adding the strainer stay posts.

Karola has moved the ram and his pair of ram lamb friends into the Front paddock; the breeding ewes and replacement ewe lambs are in the Middle and Totara paddocks (for the acorns), and the rest of the lambs are in the orchard.

I spent the day between sleeping (a two-day trip to Wellington including two gatherings is quite exhausting) and setting up Karola’s Mac Mini.

Oak Avenue Weather:3℃—16℃ no rain [83.3]

A blustery overcast day in Wellington. Karola and I had breakfast at The Pavilion then packed up and went into Lower Hutt where Karola bought a bed kit for the Days Bay flat. Unlike the bed currently in the small bedroom, this bed comprises a single mattress with another bed on wheels stowed beneath it. At Christmas when the whole family is in Wellington, including all the grandchildren, we’ll now have two beds in the little bedroom.

We then went on into Wellington and mucked about until it was time for Alex’s Birthday Family Lunch at the old Tugboat restaurant – it’s been renamed “The Boat Restaurant” now.

After lunch Karola drove all the way home up the west coast route and through the gorge, arriving around 6:30pm.

Henare has been hard at work; all 28 running post holes have been dug and four posts have been rammed in.

Oak Avenue Weather:1℃—20℃ no rain [?]

Bramble was bundled off to kennels for the weekend; she seemed keen to go in and meet the other dogs.

Later Karola and I set off for Bulls via route 50 in the Landrover. The Subaru has front left-hand wheel bearing problem so best not to take on long trips until it’s fixed.

We arrived just in time for the feast at Burleigh which was Tessa’s daughter Ashleigh’s second birthday. A great meal and good conversations with the Ransom’s – parents of the woman who sold her social media management company to Google for $50 million.

After lunch we set out for Wellington getting there in time to visit Mary and share a fish and chip supper. Then out to Days Bay for an early night.

Oak Avenue Weather:2℃—19℃ 0.1mm rain [?]