More visitors but time to move on

Friends Colin & Ed came to stay for the weekend, it was such a relaxing, uneventful weekend that I forgot to take any photos. The talking was non stop, we ate well, we played Rummikub and we taught Edwina how to play 5 Crowns. She was hooked.

A few days later I received this image from Ed…

A purchase had been made

It’s lovely how you can just pick up with up good friends where you last left off as if you had only seen them yesterday. It was a lovely weekend all round.

Our last week housesitting passed very quickly, not much to do except remember to go and vote in the NZ General Election, a special vote for us as we are out of our electorate.

Jacky and Chris returned from their wonderful holiday and we stayed on for a couple of days before heading back to Auckland to collect the van. But first we paid a visit to fellow full timers John & Gaylene at their base in Ruawai. And this time I did take a couple of very unflattering photos (sorry, not sorry 😜).

Gaylene

John

We met these two many years ago when we shared fishing stories at a Matata, we were also very intrigued with the name on their bus “The Sad Bastard & his Mrs” and just had to meet the poor sad b….! However, John would have to be the very antithesis of anyone sad, we always have a good laugh with these two. And since then we’ve met up at various locations around the country and shared the odd tale or two.

It was soon time for us to head back to Auckland, sort out the van, that is, give it a good clean and tidy and get a few things done. The most immediate task was for me to get a medical so I can renew my drivers licence which a medical is required for a Heavy Traffic licence which I have along with my car licence. That’s now done and out of the way. But before that was done, we went to check on the newly installed toilet and the new floor, what’s this? A leak? Hmmm….back to the Repair shop where it was quickly sorted. Fortunately the repair shop is just 10 minutes away otherwise we may have been a bit cross!

We spent a few days enjoying Peter & Wendy’s company along with some other motorhoming friends of theirs Graeme & Yvonne. A few enjoyable happy hours were had, but then Graeme & Yvonne were off and the following day was time for us to leave as well. We cannot thank Peter & Wendy enough for allowing us to have the van at their place and for all their kindness, help and assistance given to us over the past few months. We really really appreciate it all. So much so, they are going to join us for the long weekend but more on that in the next post.

Puzzling

It seems to be our “thing” when we housesit here at Whakapirau that the local charity shops are frequented, looking for jigsaw puzzles. And yes, we have done a few, some have tested our patience, others are done within a day or two.

Four very different puzzles

And another four.

Just about every jigsaw has one piece missing, my theory is one person who “helps” with the puzzle, pockets one piece so they can be the one to put the final piece in, however, they forget about it after a few days, the washing gets done and they wonder what that smudged up piece of card was in their pocket!

The worst one was on the bottom left, it had 5 pieces missing.

Some are just straight ‘what you see on the lid’ type of puzzles, others are wasjig puzzles that are what the box picture is looking at, future views or what happens next. I prefer the wasjig style of puzzles as you just don’t know what is developing in the scene before you and test your skills. However, that’s our puzzling done for a while, until our next housesitting stint that is.

Up & down then repeat

Life seems to have settled into a semi routine of sorts. A few weeks ago on a Friday we headed down to Auckland for the day to pick up the van from RVRepairs and return it to its Albany park up. The resealing of all the joints had been done, the roof cleaned and the new toilet installed however a new problem had been highlighted. More on that later.

It was an early start to the day and we were back up at Whakapirau by mid afternoon. However, someone who shall remain nameless, took the house keys out of his pocket and left them in the van, so guess what? Another trip down to Auckland and back up again!! That was a very long day!

We watch the tides come in and out, fishermen come and go, all things to watch. We’ve had a few days where the day has started without a view, the fog descending to block all in front of us, but it’s usually cleared by mid morning to leave us with a beautiful day.

The fog starting to lift

Same view but after the fog has lifted

Another trip to Auckland, we are giving Antony a hand with a few things around his house before we again deliver the van to RVRepairs to do the last job that they didn’t have time to do on its last visit. A very busy weekend was spent with Antony before we were off to pick up the van on Sunday afternoon then deliver it into the workshop. Roy spend the night in the van whilst I headed back across the city to spend the night with Antony. Early Monday morning it was back across to pick up Roy and head back to Whakapirau doing the grocery shopping along the way.

We had been told that the van could be a week or more, depending on what they find. What was the issue? When putting in the new toilet it was discovered there had been a bit of a leak around the base which had made the floor rotten in places around the toilet. How big was the problem was anyones guess, it could be a major job or just a small replace and repair around the toilet. There was also another potential problem noticed with the black tank but that issue will be fully explained in a separate blog post at a later date. Fortunately the floor wasn’t such a big job and on Wednesday morning we were back in the car heading to Auckland to pick up the van and return it to its parking spot at Peter & Wendy’s.

A great job well done by Peter and his crew at RVRepairs, very neat and tidy. Luckily I had a spare length of vinyl that we used in the base of the pass through locker at the rear of the RV which they could use to replace the flooring in the toilet, so it matches perfectly and you would never know anything had been done. Apart from the fact that the floor is now solid and we have a shiny new porcelain loo.

Another successful journey to Auckland and back, I think you can be assured that I know the return journey rather well by now. Our next trip down to Auckland will be to return to pick up the van and resume our adventures.

Visitors

We’ve been busy with friends either calling in or coming to stay. Fellow full timers John & Gaylene came for a coffee one Saturday after we met up with them at the Paparoa market.

Then one Sunday we had two motorbikers come to visit (that should get the neighbourhood talking), it was Bruce & Emma (Rangers from Shakespear) who came for a Sunday ride and for lunch. We had a good few hours catching up with them.

Free range lunch

See those two people on the wharf? That’s Bruce & Emma going for a wander before they head back to the city.

And what did they see?

Can you see me standing on the deck on the far left of the house? No? How about now? See below

I think that’s me waving madly!!

Good friends Helen & Don (from Oamaru) were coming up to spend time with family in Cambridge so they tacked on a few extra days to come and spend time with us. We had a very relaxing few days with them before they head of for a full on couple of weeks with four grandchildren to entertain.

Don, Roy and Helen, relaxing hard!!!

We did play lots, and lots, of 5 crowns and rummikub, and I was sure I took some photos when we were playing but they have disappeared into the ether. It was lovely catching up with Helen & Don and hearing all the news from Oamaru, it’s always nice to hear what is happening around the place. After a few days we bade them farewell. Now, back to doing jigsaw puzzles.

Repairs and a couple of trips

A quick pack of an overnight bag, house tidied, everything securely locked, and we were off. Where were we off to? Not too far, just back down to Auckland to pick up the van so it can be delivered to RVRepairs in Rosedale, for a bit of TLC.

We arrived mid afternoon with a list of items to pick up from the van whilst we are here, including the step stool to aid in my access to the bed!! We ventured off late afternoon to park up outside the repair shop ready to hand over the keys at 7am the following morning.

What are we having done? Well, for starters a new toilet is being installed, the old one has passed its use by but when you think that these things are only meant to be used periodically for vacations and we have been using it full time for 12 years so it’s done pretty well. The new toilet has a porcelain bowl rather than the plastic one we had so it should be easier to keep clean as well.

What else? Well, all the external joints are being resealed, this is preventative maintenance as NZ’s sun is notorious for breaking down sealants as well as being continually outside in all elements, it’s time to treat it to a bit of cosmetic surgery. It’s something we would have tackled ourselves (which we did many years ago, 9 years to be precise), but as we get a bit older and wiser, we’ve decided that we would much rather someone else climb ladders as neither of us want to appear as an occupant of an orthopaedic ward. Oh, and they are going to wash the roof for us as well.

We “stealth” camped in the street in an industrial area ready for an early morning handover. Neither of us slept much at all. I cannot recommend stealth camping due to a number of issues; the van wasn’t level, we didn’t put the stabilisers down therefore the van was a bit rocky as well as being on a tilt, it was very noisy with businesses working all night, it was very lit up area plus we were parked under a street light, and it was cold even though we had the heating on.

We woke to a frost as well as thick heavy fog, no wonder it was chilly! We met Peter the owner as he arrived at work at 6:45am when we walked through all that was needing attention. They will give us a call when it’s completed, no worries, we tell them, we aren’t living in it atm so take your time. By 7:15am we had the car packed with everything that was on our list and we were on our way. But first a quick breakfast stop, followed by a grocery shop then on our way.

I must admit I was feeling rather jaded on the drive north so we stopped in Wellsford for a wake-up caffeine fix. Whilst there, Garry phoned to see if we would like to meet up in Kaiwaka at Eutopia café for a catch up, and more caffeine. Sure, see you shortly, we responded.

Now we have passed this café numerous times but have never called in, what an interesting, quirky, and fascinating place.

Eutopia café

You have to admire the work, detail, and clever use of materials in the many areas that you can choose to sit, be it inside our outside, at the front or the back, there are many, many interesting and quirky things to see. Oh, and the coffee was good too!

It wasn’t too far to travel now and we were back at the house soon enough, unpacked the car and all the bags before having a bite to eat. Shortly after that we may both have had a nana nap, but that would be telling!

First visitors

Our dear friends Wade & Lindsay came to stay for a few nights with us at Whakapirau. They have stayed with us previously here but had their stay cut short due to a tragic event when Lindsay received the news that her brother has died suddenly and unexpectedly in France, you can read about that here. So it was with some trepidation that they returned. But this time things went off without a hitch, we did very little, relaxed, read, cooked, ate, played games and talked and talked.

We had to watch the All Blacks play against South Africa, although it wasn’t such a pleasurable watching experience.

Wade, Roy & Lindsay watching the lacklustre game unfold

Walks were frequent, followed by appropriate relaxation and reading a book or two were completed. Although sometimes the eyelids had to have a rest whilst reading.

The reading gave way to napping

Many games of Rummikub were played, the competitive streak was apparent in some of us more than others, but it was all good fun. We had forgotten to bring 5 Crowns with us but that has now been rectified and we have a pack with us for future use.

It’s so lovely to catch up with good friends in such a beautiful location where the greatest excitement of the day is watching the boats turn with the change in tides! The weather has been favourable too with lovely fine days and with daylight hours stretching out giving us stunning sunsets to sit back and watch. Life is good.

Later Lindsay wrote :
It was a special healing time for me…. I doubt I’ll ever fully recover from Bruce’s death but returning to Kaipara was unexpectedly healing from many perspectives and put life into perspective.

The joys of being vertically challenged

I have taken up a new hobby, actually it is more a necessity than a hobby and one which you will come to appreciate my newfound skills I am sure. I have taught myself a form of a cross between gymnastics, contortionism, mountaineering and high jump. It’s of my own invention because you know what they say – necessity being the mother of all invention – and I needed to invent someway of achieving my goal.

It all comes about because, and you may not be overly surprised to find out, I am on the shorter side of the height spectrum and for some reason I seem to be getter shorter as I age, whereas Jacky & Chris, whom we are housesitting for, are both on the taller side of the height spectrum. I didn’t realise this lack of height on my part may cause a wee bit of an issue until after Chris had left and we moved into the house.

The first evening I realised I was in a bit of a pickle. I was getting ready for bed, got changed, brushed my teeth, you know, the usual things and then went to hop into bed. Uh oh, now we have a problem here, I can’t get into bed! The bed is too high! When I stand next to the bed it comes up to just over my waist height. What am I to do?

Not being as supple as I once was, and I’m purely blaming replaced knees and hips and in particular an avulsion trochanter fracture that still causes the odd issue, I had to come up with a painless methodology to conquer new heights!

Now if only someone had been watching me trying to get up onto the bed, I’m sure they would still be laughing themselves silly as I threw myself at the bed, tried all sorts of contortionist manoeuvres, not at all aided by said replaced hips and knees not bending how I would like them to. Without a small step stool to help in the process – note to self, pick up your small step stool from the bus next time we are in Auckland – I have to come up with a plan.

After much trial and lots of error, Plan A B C and/or D came into being, it’s an inelegant method of getting into bed but it works for me. First I turn my self around and back up to the side of the bed, then I proceed to launch and lurch backwards onto the side of the bed whilst completing a roll manoeuvre at the same time to land fair and square on the bed! Sort of an ugly, inelegant, extended version of a Frosby Flop. Yes folks, it must be hilarious to watch and no, there will be/is no video footage.

After much practise (one has to get up through the night to visit the bathroom) I am now very adept at the method and can get into bed at the first attempt. Getting out of bed is much simpler, I simply just slide off the edge of the bed until my feet hit terra firma.

But as it is a damn comfy bed I’m not complaining at all, I’m just making you aware of some of the trials and tribulations that those of us who are vertically challenged have to face on a daily basis 😂.

Edited to note that a step stool has now been placed at the side of the bed to aid in the facilitation of access to slumber!

Housesitting

Shopping was done, the van tidied and parked up safely, the car was packed and we are off to start another house sitting stint. But first a quick stop to buy a few supplies for a quick and easy dinner tonight.

Dairy Flat pie shop, yes a few pies were purchased in readiness for dinner after our drive north.

And where are we off to?

The route today, not too far at all.

We took our time on the drive north, stopping for a coffee and rest break along the way before arriving at Jacky & Chris’ property in Whakapirau. We have been here many times (click on Whakapirau in the categories list as there are too many entries for me to link) and have housesat many times before but this would be the first time for us to housesit for them in a few years. Our overseas travels have coincided with theirs over the past few years, then there was that other thing that got in the way of international travel, you know, a global pandemic.

We arrived mid afternoon and were warmly welcomed by Chris, Jacky is already away as she left a couple of weeks earlier. The next couple of days were spent with Chris orienting ourselves and receiving instructions and generally settling in. The house has had a major revamp since we last housesat for them and it’s looking fabulous.

Once Chris left for his adventures we moved from the studio into the house and we’re quickly settling into life in a house. We seem to spend an awful lot of time looking out at the ever changing views, as well as the ever changing weather.

View from the side deck looking across to Pahi

A closer view of Pahi across the water

View looking west from the kitchen bench

Looking to the kitchen and scullery

Time to settle in and enjoy the peace and quiet.

A reunion

As mentioned in the previous blog post, there was another get together on the horizon. We’ve been planning to get together for a while but it just didn’t seem to work out until now. We headed off to Whakapirau to Jacky & Chris’ as our mutual friend Judy was coming up to stay for a few days.

A bit of background here, we all lived and socialised together when we were all in Auckland. Judy & Pete’s two daughter went to the same school our children went to and we’d met Jacky & Chris through kindergarten, so we all go back a few years. We all had a passion for good food and along with that goes good company as well as the odd vino or two which brought us all together at various times.

Although we’ve met up with them individually, it’s only now that we’ve managed to get together as one group. Judy’s husband Pete sadly passed away a number of years ago.

Jacky had invited Jude up for a few days which coincided with our stay at Uretiti which made for an opportune time to get together.

Great food was eaten, stories told, much laughter ensued over our time together, and shock horror, I took a couple of photos!!

The view from the deck looking across to Pahi

The tinfoil hats came out to protect us….you had to be there!

The new outdoor pavilion area where we sat in front of the fire in the early evening.

Cheers! A toast to Pete. L-R Roy, Chris, Jude, Jacky

And another toast.

Reflective views in the morning

Looking across to Pahi on a calm morning.

Nothing more really needs to be said, as you know what they say, what goes on tour stays on tour. However, I can say we all had a great time with one member of this touring party having over indulged slightly! It was so much fun that we plan to meet up again soon to carry on from where we left off.

Final countdown

Eek, one week to go until we head off on our next adventures and there is still so much to organise, I don’t know where the time has gone.

This last weekend we were expecting to have a relatively quiet one with no guests due for the weekend, however, that was soon to change. On Saturday evening we were quietly enjoying dinner with Grant whilst waiting for the rugby to start when I got a cheeky text from my brother John asking what was for dinner tomorrow night as he and his partner Jude were thinking coming to stay! Sure enough they arrived on Sunday afternoon, quickly settled in and then went for a quick tour around the area.

That’s them across the harbour at Pahi….can you see them?

No, we couldn’t really either until we got the binoculars out. Here’s a closer view, you can just make out their grey car parked near the end of the wharf!

It was great to catch up with them and all their news, even though we do keep in contact regularly via a monthly family email, it’s always nice to meet up in person.

We had another visitor this week as well, this cheeky fellow came and sat on the rail just outside the kitchen. We are sure he was eyeing up all the skinks that bask on the warm concrete during the day.

The hens have been keeping us in good supply with eggs and we thought that we had a good lot of ducklings hatched with 12 ducklings swimming on the pond, although at the next count it was only 10. But what do you call a group of ducklings? A clutch? A flock? Well, according to Mr Google, he tells me that ducks in flight are called a flock, ducks on land are a brace or balding (I think I will stick to calling them a brace as balding sounds …..well, just bad!). And ducks on the water are called a raft, a team or a paddling. Who knew?

So here is a picture of a paddling of ducklings.

However, today we discovered that there are actually three distinct groups of ducklings in, on and around the pond ranging in size from very new to a few weeks old with each brace numbering around 10 which means 30 ducklings in total. That’s an awful lot of ducks! I tried to get a picture of them, here are some of them on the bank, can you spot them?

They are hiding on the bank under the shadow of the cabbage tree nearest the pond.

A closer view, there are the two groups here but the tiny newly hatched ones are hiding under a flax bush. They will be a nice surprise for Jacky & Chris on their return. As well, there are a pair of herons nesting in one of the macrocarpa trees, and the tuis, wood pigeons and rosellas have been very active over the last week or two as well, anyone would think that it is spring.

Meanwhile we are busy making lists of things we need to get done before we leave, like making sure all our affairs are in order and up to date, inform those that need to know that we are heading away, getting prescriptions sorted, make lists of what we need from the van to pack, oh and have we got suitcases suitable for the trip?, money is organised, passports, insurance, travel plans are all done, the van is sorted for whilst we are away so hopefully we have thought of most things.

After a bit of a fright the other week when it was pointed out to me that I had misread the date and time of our flight 😳 (Well, it is easy enough to do isn’t it?). I read that our flight departed at 0055 on Wednesday so I just had it in my head that we left Wednesday night just after midnight ……..oops, it actually means Tuesday night check in for an early hour departure on Wednesday morning NOT Wednesday night.

I have checked and rechecked the tickets to make sure we will be at the airport on the right day at the right time, now we just have to hope that the air fuel situation does not impact us to badly. Keep your fingers crossed folks!