Monthly Archives: January 2014

SwimGym then quarterly medical check – all still AOK (“for someone of your age with Diabetes”).

As per Karola’s wishes I have changed the cut-out switches for the local electric fence so that there are three switches attached to the fence next to the pump shed; one cutting supply from the pump shed, the other two cutting off one or other of the two branch lines leading north and south.

Oak Avenue Weather:14℃—20℃ 9.4mm rain [83.5]

Karola went off for a hair cut in the morning; I weeded the remaining lengths of the bay tree hedge. I’d been irrigating it for a couple of days and that with the little rain we got a few days ago made pulling out the weeds easy.

The afternoon was spent at the Hastings race Course in a reception room at the top of the stand. We were guests of our orchardist, John Bostock, who invites his many landlords each year to an organic buffet meal at the races. Karola and I were dressed for the occasion, both wearing items that hadn’t been worn for years. The event included people associated with all of J Bostock’s companies and affiliates such as the juicing firm ProFruit, the ice cream people (Rush Munroe), and his squash, maize, and other cropping activities, and his organic apples.

Another day of too much food, the racecourse meal was excellent, we had a light supper and relaxed for the evening – rather like most other evenings.

Karola Dressed For The Races – Just Needs A Hat

Oak Avenue Weather:16℃—23℃ no rain [83.2]

SwimGym

Karola chatted at length with Bridget about the garden at Days Bay; I’m not sure what the plan now is but Karola seemed pleased.

Leisurely odds and ends till after lunch then I took in the tax data and went to the bank to see about getting Karola US dollars for her trip in July.

Janet Scott dropped in for afternoon tea.

Oak Avenue Weather:9℃—22℃ no rain [82.8]

Cool, cloudy day. Just right for doing the rest of the income tax return ready for the accountants.

I tried to log in to the superannuation site but they’ve cranked up the security a great deal so my names and passwords were no use. Having got new accounts for me and Karola – which included typing in 6-digit codes sent to our mobile phones – I found that the first name and password wasn’t the end – the superannuation site has another layer of password beyond that and it involved calling a number for them to send me another code to my mobile. I did eventually get through in a limited fashion, having been brushed off with “All our agents are busy, please hang up and try later” a few times. It’s so hard to get in now that most legitimate users will be thoroughly dissuaded.

Apart from Karola zooming into town for a couple of hours it was a quiet day.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—22℃ no rain [83.5]

SwimGym

Yesterday’s rain and overnight was just what we wanted.

Meticulous Maids came (well, one maid) this afternoon and cleaned the cottage. Of course Karola having spent a lot of time over the last two days in ‘pre-cleaning’, there wasn’t really a lot to do.

Two women, leader: big, plain, white woman, aggressive manner; other, medium/small, sharp featured, indian/maori. asked for money for petrol.

Silver Mitsubishi license BBT306

Unwanted Visit This Afternoon

Oak Avenue Weather:9℃—18℃ no rain [83.4]

Rather nice cool day after the heat of earlier in the week.

Karola hand mowed under the big oak which I think has convinced her to allow the mower man to cut it too as long as we can keep him well clear of the big oak trunk.

Otherwise, it being Sunday, it was weekly chores as usual.

Oak Avenue Weather:12℃—24℃ 10.2mm rain [83.5]

My main task today was to mow the Middle paddock before the forecast showers tomorrow and Monday. The grass stalks were so resilient that I had to mow twice.

Karola is creating more tree guards again.

Before The Mowing

After The Mowing

Oak Avenue Weather:14℃—24℃ no rain [83.6]

SwimGym. Later I went in and had my quarterly blood test, got the GF bread, and bought a shirt – Aertex, long-sleeved to protect the arms rom the summer sun.

Karola spent several hours updating her sheep records.

I read another Camilleri novel but otherwise just lazed around.

Oak Avenue Weather:12℃—26℃ no rain [83.6]

We took Bramble in to the vet where she stayed for a couple of hours. The swelling around her ear and jaw turned out to be an ear infection, nothing amiss with her jaw or teeth. Bramble was sedated, understandably, for the examination and has been a bit woozy all afternoon. She’s now on a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine.

Karl came earlier than expected but had his lunch before shearing the hoggets and dagging the ewes and lambs that needed it.
Karola spent the afternoon moving her sheep around and setting up fences.

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—24℃ no rain [83.4]

SwimGym

Rest of day spent relaxing.

Oak Avenue Weather:16℃—19℃ no rain [?]

Karola took the old TV to a recycling centre catering specifically for TVs obsoleted by the change to digital-only transmission – somewhere in Lower Hutt. She then filled the car with bags of rubbish and I took it, in the rain, to the landfill near Porirua – a round trip of 90 minutes.

We finished packing up and set off after lunch stopping at Penny’s place in Buick Street in Petone to give Bridget back her laptop. It’s still school holidays and Bridget was at penny’s and their children were playing together.

We had a meal in Masterton. It rained off and on all the way from Wellington to Dannevirke but was dry from there on.

It was dusk when we arrived and all seemed well.

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—23℃ 1.2mm rain [?]

Karola took some paper and plastic for recycling somewhere in Lower Hutt.

While she was out Willie Davis, a builder (027 294 5543 and 04 562 8842), came to see me as arranged. He looked under the house and we discussed the project we’d like to have done. Next step is for Karola to discuss it with him and if she agrees we can go ahead with getting plans and building consent.

All afternoon Karola cleaned and tidied so that everything was ship-shape for the Hugheses on 29th Jan, I did a little weeding outside.

I had delicious fish and chips from the Eastbourne shop, Pirana. The woman there batters it with the rice flour I provide.

Oak Avenue Weather:15℃—24℃ 22.6mm rain [?]

Bridget, Natalie, and Alex joined us for brunch at Chocolate Dayz in Days Bay. Afterwards we went in to Wellington and saw Mary. At last I made her TV cable a bit straighter. Bramble came in as well.

Bridget lent me a Macbook Pro laptop for couple of days to test Roger’s Internet connection at the Days Bay flat. The Internet connection and phone for Roger & Anne’s visit came alive mid-day and I was able to test it out and get the printer working a day early.

Karola went in to Wellington again early evening and babysat for Bridget until 1:00am.

Oak Avenue Weather:15℃—31℃ no rain [?]

Karola took Bramble for a walk over the hill. Bramble then had a day of R&R in the flat while we went on our bus trip and, later, out to Kilim in Petone for dinner with Gill & Ben and Felicity & Geoff. Bramble did get one quick walk over the hill between the bus trip and the dinner.

We caught the chartered bus, one of three!, at the Settler’s Museum on the Marine Parade in Petone at 11:30am. The bus took us through Eastbourne, passed the Bus Sheds, through the locked gate and round to the beginning of a narrow ATV track up to the lighthouse. The wind was gusting fiercely from the south. We walked gradually up to the lighthouse and had our picnic lunch in the sheltered site of the lighthouse keeper’s ruined cottage.

The lighthouse is no longer active. Instead shipping is guided by the Baring Head Lighthouse (1935), further east round the coast and higher up and by a newer Pencarrow lighthouse at sea level below the original lighthouse. This newer light can be seen underneath the frequent fogs that swirl around the hill tops. Ann(e) told us of the local history of the lighthouse on the bus trip out; Helen Beaglehole, who has written two books on New Zealand lighthouses, spoke on the return trip. We arrived back at the Settlers Museum late afternoon.

Baring Head lighthouse was built in 1935 on land was donated by Mr. Eric Riddiford. The original Pencarrow lighthouse began transmitting in 1859; its complementary tower below in 1901. Both were lit until the original tower was decommissioned after the Baring Head light was established in 1935.

The Start of the Walk Up To The Lighthouse

Path Leading From The Lighthouse – Iconic New Zealand Hills And Coast

Karola On The Observation deck At The Top Of The Lighthouse With A View To The West

The Narrow Fast Track Up From The Road Known As The Goat Track

Looking South-West – The Outer Harbour Entrance

Looking West – The Infamous Barretts Reefs

North-West – Seatoun, Miramar Peninsula and (Faintly) Soames Island

Oak Avenue Weather:7℃—23℃ no rain [?]

SwimGym then we packed for Wellington and set off mid day.

Stopped for picnic snack at the little native bush reserve just before Norsewood. Drove down on state highway #2 and then through the Wairarapa.

Set up the new “Freeview” TV and got the DVD player working. All most satisfactory with bright, sharp pictures. I just plugged in the old TV aerial and it worked.

Had grilled fish from “Go Fish” in Jackson Street Petone. It was good.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—25℃ no rain [?]

I trimmed the border between the bay trees and the lawn in the cottage garden. Karola had her hair done.

Otherwise mainly getting ready for our Wellington trip this weekend. Part of this was to buy a new TV for Days Bay now that New Zealand has gone completely digital. Another Sony Bravia like the three at Karamu, except that this is only 32-inch. I could have got a better model for the same price but it was 40-inch which at Days Bay would be just too big – in Karola’s eyes.

The gales have been savage most of the day; it’s surprising there haven’t been more fallen branches.

Gill’s Damson – Flourishing And Fruiting

Karola Tidying The Coprosma Hedge Project

Oak Avenue Weather:14℃—32℃ no rain [83.0]

SwimGym – a little later today at Karola’s suggestion – less crowded in the swimming bath. And Karola upped her SwimGym swim from thirty to forty lengths today.

Karola put up fence and let her sheep onto another big swathe of the curtilage – behind the homestead garage and round the back door. Karola also continued with her pruning and mulching project. I spent an hour or so chainsawing up fallen branches suitable for either firewood or mulching – oak and apple branches need to be cut up because they’re strong and have strong side branches impeding mulching. Yes, today the chainsaw started first pop.

I mowed cottage lawn as we’ll be in Wellington at the weekend. Also got tickets for an Historic Places Trust tour on Saturday to the Pencarrow Lighthouse – bus from Petone then 15 min walk up cliff to see it.

Booked Kilim restaurant in Petone for Saturday night for six – us, Gill & Ben and the Rashbrookes.

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—23℃ no rain [83.5]

Using the tractor bucket I scooped up the lawn clippings dumped near one of Karola’s “bund”s and heaped them on top. In the process I forgot to check the bucket and so dumped my tractor swaybar up onto the bund too. When I realised I went back and prodded with a fork until I found it.

I then started up the mulcher and, intending to tidy up some of the fallen branches from the gale-force winds yesterday, tried to start the chainsaw. No joy.

Meanwhile Karola had straightened up her electric fence round the big oak and let the sheep in again. They are certainly making some inroads now and doing the clean-up we’d hoped for.

I set the tractor and mulcher up for Karola and she spent the afternoon mulching prunings from the Karamu hedge that stretches north from the cottage to the ha-ha.

I fossicked around getting ready to attack the preparation of our 2013 tax return.

Karola’s Sheep Under The Big Oak

Oak Avenue Weather:7℃—25℃ no rain [83.1]

SwimGym

Slept until noon. Very windy with violent gusts. A few quite large branches torn of trees.

Did Karola’s GST in the afternoon. Now we’ve decided to be very cautious in what we include as allowable expense it’s a doddle.

Used the new vacuum cleaner upstairs in the cottage – it’s good but still just a vacuum cleaner.

Both our Aaron computer chairs have broken sponge lumbar supports so I’m trying to find a local agent to get us new ones. It’s happened before.

A View Onto Gill’s Garden in Seatoun

Oak Avenue Weather:13℃—27℃ no rain [83.0]

I pan fried the four little kahwai fillets and we had them for breakfast.

Mid morning we went out fishing again, the fishing web site said conditions were favourable between 10:00am and noon. It was absolutely gorgeous out on the river bank – warm sun, cool breeze, exhiliarating smell of sea and surf. And best of all, although we saw several fish we didn’t catch any so no need to kill, clean, and cook them. Cooking bit I don’t mind so much.

Henare and Scott dropped in for afternoon tea and chat.

Karola put her sheep under the big oak for a few hours which cleaned up the grass quite well but there’s manure thickly over the driveway which is not totally nice.

I tried a spot of weeding along the bay tree planting area inside the cottage fence.

Karola Tucks In

Ian’s Kahwai Fillets

Oak Avenue Weather:14℃—29℃ no rain [83.5]

Slept in so a short day.

Got some replacement hooks and split rings so that I can refurbish the fishing lures I’ve had for 30 years or more. Got advice from the shop assistant that Tukituki river mouth at Hamoana is even better than the Clive estuary mouth for spinning for kahwai.

Karola and I went fishing late evening out at Haumoana – the mouth of the Tukituki river. About a dozen fishermen and families there. We cast for half an hour ending in the dark. I caught the giant one; Karola landed the smaller one.

Karola was using Felix new rod and reel; I was using my 40 year old rod with a new reel. We were using metal spinners.

Karola tidied up the raised bed kitchen garden and it looks very nice – full of foliage and colour but without the straggling bits.

The new vacuum cleaner works very well, allegedly.

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—22℃ no rain [83.3]

SwimGym

Beautiful day. Karola went into town and bought more food for the weekend and a new vacuum cleaner – preceded by hours of research last night and this morning of course.

I sorted out the fishing tackle – my old stuff and the new rods and reels I bought for Felix and Barnaby. I have five serviceable rods and more reels plus a lot of rusty lures and hooks and so on. All now housed neatly in the box that used to hold the shoe cleaning equipment.

Oak Avenue Weather:8℃—24℃ no rain [83.4]

Karola went round the orchard with Bramble and chatted with Peter Fitzpatrick’s son who was doing some holiday work for “JB”.

I had a very lazy morning and in the afternoon went off to look for fishing tackle boxes and get food for the next couple of days. Meanwhile Karola entertained Brien Mahoney (Guardian Trust) who ostensibly came to discuss the remnants of Karola’s Trust but in fact just had a chat and afternoon tea.

We continued our “getting back to normal” by cleaning, closing up, and storing away the table tennis table. We also moved some large plastic bags of batts insulation from the store room into the roof cavity above – you can only get access to the cavity through the office next door.

Oak Avenue Weather:6℃—19℃ 1.3mm rain [83.3]

SwimGym

What a beautiful sight – a dozen little bundles of feathers zipping about on the drive, herded by I think four adult Californian quail. Later I saw another big brood watched over by 3 – 4 adults but these were smaller versions of their parents and could fly.

General tidying and putting things back where they belong.

Oak Avenue Weather:11℃—29℃ 0.9mm rain [83.1]

Whew, its over. The big family holiday for Christmas 2013 has finished. It was quite the best family holiday for many years. We began getting ourselves back into place, slowly.

Oak Avenue Weather:15℃—19℃ no rain [82.9]

After an excellent breakfast in a local restaurant we set off for Hastings via Nuhaka and Wairoa. We stopped at Morere, just short of Nuhaka where the Gisborne road meets the road up to the Mahia, and Karola had a swim – well several swims – in the hot pools there.

Mid afternoon we arrived back at Karamu to find all in order. Karola then nipped over to Meeanee and picked up Bramble from the kennels. Bramble was less enthusiastic about the kennels this time and very pleased to be coming home.

I mowed the cottage lawn which had been neglected while we were away in Wellington and Rotorua

Oak Avenue Weather:10℃—29℃ no rain [?]

The weather was overcast. It’s the last day of the holiday for Anna, Dave, Felix, and Barnaby. However, as their flight from Auckland wasn’t until 1:00am we had most of the day still to enjoy Rotorua.

We packed up and were ready to leave by noon-ish. First stop was “Hell’s Gate” – the best mud pools to be seen around Rotorua, except that “best” was actually spelled “beast” and it comprised mud baths to sit in rather than spectacles of plopping pools and geysers. So we went on to Te Puia, a cultural and educational centre for things Maori, and walks among steaming pools and streams and geysers as well as lots of mud pools going plop plop in a most satisfactory way.

First we had a rather good lunch in the Te Puia cafe, then the walk, including a stroll through the kiwi house.

We said goodbye to Anna, Dave, Felix and Barnaby as they departed for Auckland, Singapore, and London. We said goodbye to Bridget, Chris, Natalie and Alex as they went back to Lake Okataina for one more night – before going to Chris’ uncle at Katikati for a few days. We set off for Gisborne having booked a room in the Portside Hotel for the night. We stayed there when we went to Gisborne on an IDS annual trip a couple of years ago. The road was quiet and wide but much of it wound through mountain passes and river gorges.

Oak Avenue Weather:15℃—33℃ no rain [?]

The lake water was warm and swimming and kayaking were the order of the day for the grand children.

The youngsters went off in the morning for a jet boat ride on Lake Rotorua and sight-seeing. Karola and I followed later and wandered round looking for nice places to eat in the evening. We had lunch and then contacted the others who were already on their way back to the lodge for more frolics in Lake Okataina. They suggested having a fish-and-chip meal at Lake Okataina rather than driving the 35 minutes back into Rotorua so we went to the central Rotorua information centre and asked for the nearest open fish-and-chip shop to the lodge. It turned out that there was a good shop only 15 minutes from the lodge.

We had fish and chips for dinner, sitting on the lawn at the water’s edge.

Oak Avenue Weather:20℃—30℃ no rain [?]

Karola and I were up in good time. I walked over the hill as exercise would be infrequent on the drive up to Rotorua. Felix got up before 8:00am. We’d packed the night before so by 8:15am we were on the road. We stopped briefly at More Wilson’s in Tawa and picked up coffees and some gluten free bread of the sort I prefer.

We arrived at Burleigh as planned at 11:00am. No sign of the others who had taunted us that we would be last, as usual. We had an exuberant morning tea with Chloe. Harry, Tessa and Ashleigh and Jimmy-James, and Laura. Yvonne also came overfrom Ngaio Glen. There was a special gluten-free chocolate cake, there were meringues and other delights.

Karola carried little Jimmy-James out onto the lawn and cuddled him for an hour.

The rest of the, far from beating us and being on time, were about 90 minutes late. Felix elected to stay with the party just arrived but Karola and I left and continued on towards Rotorua. We had lunch at Taihape at a French-style cafe. We bypassed Taupo on the new bypass, went on to Rotorua and from there down route 30 to Lake Okataina Road, turning right onto several kilometres of narrow winding road to the lodge on the lake. There we checked in for the party and then returned to Rotorua to meet the rest of the party on the waterfront.

Bridget’s family had eaten en-route because it was getting late for them. Anna and Dave and the grandsons joined us for a steak restaurant meal in Rotorua in the restaurant precinct near the waterfront.

Back at the lake Anna and Dave chose the hotel room overlooking the lake; Bridget and family had one studio, and Karola and I hosted the grandsons in the other studio.

Oak Avenue Weather:16℃—29℃ no rain [?]

The others came out to Days Bay late morning and we had lunch together at “Chocolate Days” followed by a group walk up and over the hill behind the flat. It was too windy and rough for swimming or kayaking so games were played inside and later we had pizzas at the Days Bay flat which we brought up from The Pavilion.

Felix and I watched some more episodes of Callan in black-and-white.

Oak Avenue Weather:12℃—26℃ no rain [?]

Felix spent another night with his grand parents (us) at Days Bay.

We all converged on Te Papa museum in Wellington for lunch and exhibits. It was at one of these, a room of short thrills and spills films with moving chairs that the infamous “Alex Incident” occurred, requiring the whole shebang to stop and restart after Alex had been carried, shrieking, out of the room.

I and Anna, Felix and Barnaby and, a little later, Bridget and Natalie and Alex visited Mary at Sprott House.

Bridget, helped by Dave, gave us all a very nice chicken dinner.

Back in Days Bay, Felix and I watched some more episodes of “Callan”.

Oak Avenue Weather:12℃—28℃ no rain [?]