Author Archives: Ian

Peter Offenberger again kindly ferried me to and from Free Thinkers which todaymostly talked about the emergence of the BRICS and associated countries that intend to establish an alternative power base in the world, breaking the hegemony of the USA and partners in Europe, namely “The West”. The central question was whether NZ had to take sides, it being firmly on the USA side at the moment for defence and military protection but having China as our largest trading partner. My hope is that we can be steadfastly independent; we shall see.

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A wet day the showers being intermittent but heavy. Bridget took the dogs round the orchard just before 8:00am and they all got soaked. We all went to Ocean Beech via the Red River Coffee Café soon after mid day and, as luck would have it, the sun shone brightly as we drove over to the beech but then once we were on the sand yhe heavens opened. By the time we were back in the car of course it stopped raining. We refilled with more coffee at Red Bridge on the way home.

Rain Sleet, Or Spray, The Dogs Love It

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Intermittent rain showers led Mark to stop work at lunchtime. I had a quiet day; Bridget and I went out for coffee at lunchtime and took the dogs for a walk at the regional dog park late afternoon.

Got an email confirming that insurance will pay out over $10,000 of which I’ve already received $7000. The work to repair the end of the ha-ha wall is included although the work has yet to begin.

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Just the usual Thursday tootle into town to pick up the MYLK meals for the rest of the week.

Mark has finished the painting in the middle bedroom, the large one adjoining the main bedroom on the east side. He has now finished putting on the dark rimu stain round the edges of the room at the top of the stairs.

Bridget and I took the recycling to the Henderson Transfer Station. We then took the dogs to the regional dog park.

Marcus has set the homestead water supply to be essentially bore water – at least until there’s a decent rain to refill the #1 rainwater tank. Mark said the water tasted good and was quite clear.

Refixing Split Handrail – Top Bridge In The Regional Dog Park

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Rosie drove me in to Stortford Lodge for my late morning appointment with Tony Snell, physio. Later Bridget drove me over to Summerset and we picked up Karola and took her to Milk & Honey in Ahuriri, next door to Kim the hairdresser. Bridget had her hair cut, as planned, and Karola and I shared quite a good omelette.

Sent off Karola’s GST that was overdue but as we didn’t owe the IRD anything this time, they owe us $1500, I doubt they’ll be concerned it’s over a week late. Also sent off the quote we’ve accepted for the wood burner and the deposit.

Walked the dogs round the orchard; Bridget had already walked them round this morning, before 8:00am.

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Iain quietly breakfasted and was on his way back to Wellington soon after 9:00am.

Finished my bottle of dandelion supplements today. No obvious change in my mood or brain fog or general health. Still have Morenga and Lion’s Mane supplements so will carry on until the run out as well.

Marcus came round at lunchtime and spent the afternoon tracking down the source of the smelly rainwater in the homestead supply. He cleaned out the primary rainwater tank himself having inspected he other two and believing that neither of them were smelly. The primary tank did have quite a few bucket’s full of sludge on the bottom so Marchus got rid of that and sluiced down the walls and we’re hoping that this combined with refilling the primary tank from the cottage bore will solve the smell problem.

Shopping driven by Rosie; the usual Tuesday rounds. Another walk with the dogs and Bridet as darkness drew near. Two eggs today from my chooks. Thye were looking very bedraggled for the last few weeks as the moulted but are perking up considerably now. I haven’t had two eggs in one day for months.

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Iain Middleton went to his day of meetings with his forestry people, 25 investors who have shares in one of a score or more forests managed by the Forestry holding company

As I suspected, the Eye Institute lost my records in the change over from retiring Dr John Beaumont and Dr Baswati Sahoo so I haven’t had a checkup for over a year. It was my first appointment with Dr Baswati Sahoo today. Expensive tests before I saw her and her analysis was that both eyes had worsened. However when I look at the diagrams it seems that the left eye is still pretty normal and the right eye is quite a lot worse.

Baswati suggested surgery and why not do the cataracts at the same time. I said no thank you but accepted a change in eye drops. I expect to see her again in four weeks time.

Cottage Dining Room Chair Seats Recovered

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Knowing Iain Middleton, driving up from Wellington, would not arrive till late afternoon, we took advantage of the sunshine and gentle breezes to go again to Ocean Beach and walk the dogs. Again we stopped at the pop-up coffee shop near the road branching away from the TukiTuki river and red bridge, on to the Ocean and Waimārama beaches. There were lots of people at the Ocean beach but widely spaced so it was by no means crowded. There were animal tracks in the wet sand of many dogs and several horses.

We got back a while before Iain arrived. It took longer than he’d hoped because he says, his car has a broken head gasket and quickly overheats. Iain had to refill wiht water several times on his way up.

As planned, we met up with Peter and Charlotte at Allessandro’s, the pizza place in Joll Road, Havelock North. Got a good table inside and it wasn’t too noisy and the food adorable. I have meat balls rather than a pizza, this dish is as close to Gluten Free as their menu goes. As usual I finished with a chocolate brownie dessert, with ice-cream which ihas way too much sugar for a Type II diabetic; but we only go to Allessandro’s very infrequently.

Not only is the homestead upstairs cold and has a lingering smell of drying wood stain and polyurathane but we’ve now got a pronounced bad smell in the water supply so we set up a bed for Iain upstairs in the cottage.

Daisies Above The High Tide Mark – Oean Beach

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Late afternoon Bridget took me and the dogs to Ocean Beach again and again we stopped at the little pop-up coffee shop nearby where the Waimārama road forks with the Ocean Beach rood. Cold wind but bright sunshine at the beach and it just started to close in again when we finished.

Got back in time to give chooks their evening meal before they’d gone to roost.

There’s a small lamb that’s very ill in the Front Paddock down near the eucalypt grove. It is so light I do wonder if it starved to death, there were no other obvious causes.

Bangle & Tux Find Friends To Play With

Angry Sunset – Karamu Orchard

Cyclone Mangled Gate Next To Its Replacement

Frosty Fence Post

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My malaise which has haunted me for months is, possibly, a “long Covid” experience. I may have been affected with Covid earlier and been asymptomatic perhaps. Drugs and time are, possibly, gradually improving things. However I have another explanation for my restless nights this week and that is as the after effects of my Covid booster on Tuesday. I am sceptical that my supplements: Lions Mane, Dandelion, and Moringa, are making any difference and I will just finish the jars of capsules and stop.

Bridget is taking the dogs for a walk once or twice round the orchard before 8:00am every day – which is much appreciated. She and I then usually have at least half an hour’s walk with the dogs late afternoon.

Mark came early today and by lunchtime he’d applied the first coat of polyurethane to the perimeter stained floor; one more to go.

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Rosie not available today so I drove Bangle to get the MYLK meals and go for a walk in Tainui Reserve.

The reserve bush tracks were closed for month after the cyclone there being to many slips and fallen trees to make it safe. A few weeks ago they reopened a lot of the tracks so our usual walk up from the end of Keith Sands Road (at the end of Joll Road), along the Mangarau stream to where it meets Keirunga road was open for another ⅔km into the Tainui bush.

Mark has put stain on the perimeter of the second big bedroom. The fumes are rather overwhelming so he’s left windows open.

Regional Park walk with dogs. We went via Stortford Lodge so that I could correct the credit card error from yesterday where I was accidentally charged an extra $300 at ProActive, the physio’s.

Repairing Damage In Tainui Reserve From Cyclone Gabrielle

Fallen Trees Removed And Replanting Underway

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In the morning I saw my physio, Tony Snell, again and with his counsel my minor back pain is slowly disappearing.

Rosie then took me home and we picked up the sixth chair seat and took it to the place ding all six cottage dining room chairs.

After that it was time to pick up Karola and go out for lunch. Last week we went to Miss Brown’s in Ahuriri. Today we went to Maina Café in Havelock MNorth – just opposite our accountant’s, BM Accounting. Karola had a “half” salmon salad and I had a “half” mushrooms on toast. Really good food. My real mushrooms in a bowl with bacon and a hash brown on the side was delicious.

Bridget took us all to the Regional Dog Park late evening.

From The Summerset Palms Notice Board – Karola On An Outing Earlier This Week

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Gosh it’s shopping day again, so soon. The usual – Seawater Seafoods then BP Wild Bean Café then Dry Cleaners. Extra stop at O’Connor Furniture Specialists to arrange for six upright wooden chairs have their seats reupholstered in linen French blue fabric. MYLK to lodge Thursday order, Tainui Reserve short walk along the bottom edge, with Bangle, and had our lunch sandwich. Then back to New World and to BNZ, final stop at Harris Pumps to discuss smelly homestead rainwater.

As part of our shopping trip I went to Bay Plaza Pharmacy, where Karola and I have been before. It does walk-in Covid injections and again today it was efficient and fuss-free.

Mark has put the first coat of wood stain on half the perimeter of the large bedroom.

Bangle and Tux had ther usual 7:30am walk round the orchard with Bridget. Bangle then had the short Tainui Reserve walk and Bridget took Tux a short walk downstream from the Ngaruroro Carrick Road access point. It was raining so Bangle and I stayed in the car.

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Last evening Bridget and I set up the big bedroom (not the main bedroom) and the one at the top of the stairs ready for Mark to begin work today on re-staining the perimeters and polyurethane-coating them prior to putting down the new carpets. Mark sanded off the white paint drips and spills round the windows and doors and washed down ready for tomorrow when I hope he’ll begin the staining.

Quite chilly but we had a good long walk with the dogs at the regional park.

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Bridget took me and the dogs to Ocean Beach which I haven’t visited before as far as I know. We had good walk on the sands and also saw a man attempting to get aloft in a paravane using a small propellor on a knapsack on his back. He spent at least half an hour setting it up, set out for about half a minute before something broke and he packed up his gear and went home.

Northern End Of Ocean Beach

Probably The South-Eastern End Of Ocean Beach

The Strange Contraption – Man Carries Propellor Powered By Small Petrol Engine and Pulls “Wing” Behind Him

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Liz, husband Tom and son Dom(inick) entertained me and Bridget for lunch at their delightful lagoon-side house in Haumoana. Liz had asked me if I would talk to Dom as he is interested in what the IT industry is like so I took Bridget with me who obviously has a much more up to date view of IT. Liz cornered me at Margery Cobbe’s lunch a couple of weeks ago.

Bridget took me and dogs for walk downstream on Ngaruroro stopbank, starting at the Carrick road access point.

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Restful day and Bridget invited me and Tux for a long walk along the Clive estuary and then the wetlands – up to the place where I spy the handful of Shaver brown chooks living amongst thickets of salt-tolerant shrubs and lanky grasses.

Interesting thing, that when I moved the main chook food trough inside their house, because of the rain dissolving the pellets, they have hardly touched it. So maybe they eat sufficient wheat from the outside chooketeria or maybe they have a taboo against eating food next to their night perches, or maybe it’s another sort of creature that eats a whole trough-full of maize and chook pellets when placed outside in the run.

Rained off and on so not a great day for the Matariki fires etc. We hardly noticed it was Matariki until some fireworks over at the sports ground reminded us – the dogs barking away at the loud bangs.

Looking Up And Down The Clive Estuary On A Calm Day

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Rosie drove me into town, with Bangle, to pick up the shortened bed sheets and pick up MYLK meals for the rest of the week. Flat (not fitted) bed sheets for my double bed come only as DB/Q, actually fit a queen, so are too long for my liking so I had them shortened by 200mm.

Raining on and off but eased up when Bangle and I and Rosie had our sandwich and coffee in Tainui Reserve.

We took landrover and big trailer to Farmlands and picked up the galvanised 2.44m farm gate replacing the one comprehensively mangled by cyclone Gabrielle.

A Dozen Stumps Gone

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Another physio appointment in the morning. The reason it’s so inexpensive is that most physio problems are considered caused by accidents so ACC is picking up most of the tab. Not sure how I feel about that as my back pain was likely caused by me lifting something too heavy like 25kg bags of chook food but also it’s just part of getting older.

Rosie picked me up at 1:00pm and we went over to Summerset Palms, picked up Karola, and went to Miss Brown’s Café in Ahuriri for lunch.

Bridget took dogs and me for walk in the Regional Dog Park; it poured with rain some of the time and, despite appropriate rainware, we got rather wet.

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Bangle had an appointment today with her groomer, Emma so Rosie drove me over to drop her off at 9:30am, we then did the shopping and timed it well so picked up a shiny, clean Bangle at about 11:30am.

Marcus came round in the afternoon and we wandered round the homestead pointing out the furniture Bridget and I would be taking away.

Rain is persistent, all night and all day, which is good for replenishing the aquifer and for my sleeping. Chooks and dogs not so convinced and the sheep seem not to be bothered.

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Matt from over the road called to see if I wanted to take advantage of the big stump grinder he’d contracted to get rid of the stumps on his property after the cyclone Gabrielle clean-up. I said yes and there are about a dozen stumps that will be eaten up with the stump grinder meaning that we’ll be agle to graze and drive over the area later.

Walked dogs upstream from Carrick Road access to Ngaruroro stop bank.

Bridget and I moved her special height-adjustable desk from the room at thre top of the stairs into the corner of the main bedroom – warmer and sunnier.

Stump Grinder Working On Eucalypt Grove Stumps

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Bangle and I had a long walk around the Regional Dog Park while Bridget drove up from Wellington for the next few weeks.

After Bridget and Tux arrived; they had a pit stop in Waipukurau to pour a little more energy into the MG’s battery; Bridget and I screwed the three shelves to the brackets thus finishing their installation.

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Long lie-in today, possibly reaction to yesterdays activities. Late afternoon Bangle and I went for an hour’s walk along the Clive wetlands. I spied the spoonbills all clustered together and around a dozen black swans, mostly in pairs, cruising around the main waterway.

Spoonbills Cluster In Wintry Conditions – Clive Wetlands

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In the morning Mark and I moved the furniture back into the main homestead bedroom after laying the large carpet square. We then disassembled and moved the “king” bed out into the corridor then lugged the “queen” from downstairs up to the main bedroom which faces west. I think it is in optimal feng shui position.

As arranged earlier a mechanic came this morning and gave our three garage roller doors their annual checkup.

Rosie picked me up at 12:30pm and we went over to pick up Karola at Summerset Palms. I hadn’t seen Karola for several weeks at Jodi’s request. (Jodi is the lead memory care unit supervisor at Summerset Palms). The three of us then went to Copper & Hues in Ahuriri where Karola and I had our scheduled hair cuts and also a coffee from Milk & Honey next door. I think it was a successful trip; Karola and I looked a lot smarter after having our hair washed and cut and blow-dried.

I talked to Bridget and the Jodi and we agreed I would come and take Karola out for a coffee or light lunch every Wednesday. While Karola was with us today she was a bit frail but smiled a lot and went along with our trip to the hair dresser’s (Kim) contentedly. She certainly recognised me. It is hard to see her behaving so normally, bright and cheerful, yet knowing Karola has her down moods when we just couldn’t look after her safely here in the cottage.

Main Bedroom In Homestead – Needs Wall Hangings

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Rosie drove me into town this afternoon to pick up the MYLK meals for the weekend and take Bangle for a short walk in the Tainui Reserve and lunch with coffee at the bench under the walnut tree,

Main bedroom had another round of being heated up then windows open to try and get rid of the fumes. I finished screwing the shelving brackets to the wall in the homestead laundry; as soon as Mark finishes the third shelf then I’ll screw the planks to the brackets. Bridget says she can sleep in the Bee room if the fumes are still bad.

Arranged for the garage door people to come and do annual maintenance tomorrow morning. Also expect Bayscape guy to come and look at the job with the ha-ha wooden wall tomorrow morning too.

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Mark did the second and final coat of polyeurathene on the wood-stained perimeter border in the homestead main bedroom so it’s got a couple of days to get rid of the fumes before Bridget and Tux come up at the weekend.

I touched up the homestead laundry wall where I’d made marks laying out the new shelving brackets.

At Bridget’s insistence I have been to the physio for my mild back pain which is a real nuisance when I’m trying to rest or sleep. As with my last visit many years ago, he gave instant relief to my lower back pain plus some exercises. He intends to see me again next week to assess progress. Too much sitting down is the diagnosis and if I don’t assiduously take steps now then it’ll become not a treatable stiffness and pain but permanent, says Tony Snell.

The exercises are not too onerous; each stretch position being held for on;y five seconds or so.

Five Exercises For Lower Back Pain

Nose To Knee – If That Isn’t Obvious

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After discussion with Marcus and Bridget Marcus and family will begin organising themselves ready to take occupancy 1st August. Meanwhile Marcus and family and Bridget and I will work through what to leave in the homestead and what to sell/store/rid. The main bedroom (Rosie has bagzed it apparently) is almost finished ready to lay the carpet. There’s one last coat of polyurethane to paint over the wood stain.

I put up the brackets for the kauri plank shelving in the homestead laundry; Mark did the plank preparation and painting.

Today was shopping for the week so Rosie drove me into town as usual.

Iain Middleton plans to come up for 7th – 9th June to attend his annual forestry AGM.

I cleaned both drainage plugs in the upstairs homestead bathrooms; they were heavily blocked with human hair.

Polyurethane First Coat Applied

Shelving In The Laundry Almost Done

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Jenny & Noel came for lunch today and we had a very pleasant catch-up until late afternoon. Then I took Bangle round the orchard and, after supper, settled into another evening of TV.

Spoke to Jodi at Summerset Palms today and she was enthusiastic that I do try to take Karola with me for our hair appointments this Friday. I haven’t seen Karola for several weeks and apparently she told Jenny, who visited her last Tuesday, that she’s a widow now which I suppose means she’s reconciled somewhat to me not being around. Bridget thinks that from Karola’s point of view that’s probably a good coping strategy.

Talked to Harry last night and he’s sent me various videos about Altzeimers, the causes and ways of slowing its onset. No real comfort to me because I think Karola has for mny months gone past the point where slowing the onset would make much difference. But Harry points out that we should all be paying attention to the causes and steps to reduce the risk of dementia because it’s now apparent that dementia is quickly becoming the dominant cause of death in the western world, beyond cancers and heart disease.

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Highlight of the day was a lunch for eight of us with Margery Cobbe at her house at 1 Ranmore Lane off Duart Road in Havelock North. John Timpson was there along with Julie O’Regan and husband from the Friendship Club.

Unfortunately Peter Offenberger couldn’t attend.

Those at the lunch were, clockwise round the table from where I sat:

• Ian Brackenbury
• Liz Remmerswaal
• Paul O’Regan
• Gail Martin
• John Timpson
• Julie O’Regan
• Ton Remmerswaal
• Margery Cobbe

Bangle and I trotted round the orchard and then I had a second big meal of the day.

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A bright crisp clear day after much rain in the night and strong winds. Winds were good at blowing leaves off the grass and I noticed most leaves had now fallen off the big deciduous trees so maybe the grass will decide to start growing again. Temperatures are not impossibly low for some growth.

Bangle and I did the long upstream walk on the stop bank from the Carrick Road access point mid afternoon.

Watched an excellent film on NetFlix, Operation Mincemeat, recommended by Gill.

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Mark came and spent his time picking up the fallen branches all over the place, mostly quite small.

It was so cold in the homestead that I put off Mark starting on the polyurethane painting of the perimeter in the homestead main bedroom until next week. Need to get two coats done before Bridget comes up in a week’s time.

No walk today for Bangle – she’d just get wet and muddy.

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