Long Weekend at Kaitoke

Last weekend was the three day Labour Weekend, always a busy one on the camping calendar as it signals summer is coming up fast.  Our caravan club held a rally at Kaitoke Regional Park, a lovely natural area full of camping areas tucked here and there amongst the trees and down by the river bank.

Most of our caravan club members arrived on Friday afternoon, and we soon settled in to our chosen area.  There were plenty of other groups enjoying this camp too, caravans motorhomes and plenty of tents were erected, we noticed.  Lots of kids on bikes and plenty of dogs too, sadly many of the owners were not obeying the rules and were letting their dogs run free.  Our cat Gemma was only allowed outside for short periods and under close control with her harness and lead, with me keeping a close watch out for any dogs sneaking around our caravan.

There was a fun filled weekend planned, which certainly kept us busy.  The weather was very good, good enough for several of us to get a touch of sunburn, the first of the season, with just a few light sprinkles later on.

Weekend plans

A first for us was a visit to Brewtown in Upper Hutt on Saturday afternoon.  There were crowds of people everywhere, all wearing their masks thank goodness, and we followed the crowds to where all the action was.  With six craft beer establishments as well as an ice skating rink, paintball and ten pin bowling, there is plenty to keep young and old busy.  Instead of beer, it was such a hot day that we opted to enjoy an ice-cream instead.  Helen and Owen arrived on Saturday afternoon, crossing over on the ferry after a couple of weeks away traveling “down south”.

All masked up at Brewtown

The Saturday evening bonfire on the river bank was the highlight of the weekend, I thought.  Pat had arranged for a fire pit to be built out of large river stones, and had brought along plenty of firewood to keep it burning.  And what would a camp fire be without marshmallows to toast?  So delicious!  And ours certainly wasn’t the only fire crackling away, there must have been a dozen or so right along the river bank.

Pat getting the fire going, and Robin toasting marshmallows

We were all up bright and early the next morning to drive to Aston Norwood for Sunday breakfaast.  Very tasty it was too, bacon, eggs – cooked as required, toast and the best hash brown I had ever encountered!

Sunday breakfast at Aston Norwood, Upper Hutt

It was so nice to welcome Kath and Selwyn to morning tea after we had returned from our breakfasts.  Selwyn was looking vey well indeed after his recent surgery, but he did need reminding to keep taking things easy, it’s early days after all.

Dave had prepared a quiz with a difference to keep us occupied on Sunday evening.  We were put into teams of six, and instead of finding an answer,  and had to come up with a question that others would have to answer.  This certainly took a bit of thinking about.  And……. our team was the declared the winner!

Monday dawned wet and drizzly but wasn't cold, time to pack up and head for home.  Most of us anyway, two couple were continuing with their long weekend and weren’t quite ready to go home just yet.  Many thanks to Pat, Thelma and Dave for organising our weekend rally.

Local Goodies

It’s asparagus season once again so we took a trip to the Lewis Farm property to buy a bag of these tasty goodies.  After all, what could be nicer than freshly cooked asparagus dripping with butter, or perhaps smothered in cheese sauce?  The factory was in full swing, clattering away as the asparagus traveled along the lines as it was washed, sorted and graded.  Then packed into bags waiting for the happy customers to come and purchase.  I believe a lot of the crop is also sent overseas.

Fresh asparagus

Asparagus is not the only crop grown here.  Recently the company has added several huge tunnel houses to grow strawberries and raspberries.  And with some of that fruit they make and sell soft serve fruit ice-cream.  Just what Robin fancied!  I decided on a lovely barista coffee instead.

Enjoying his ice-cream

On the way back through town we stopped to have a look at a huge cat mural which had appeared a while ago.  I walked over to take a photo but couldn't see a name on the painting.  Mind you, there were cars parked in front and a container down the far end, so it could well have ben covered up.

Cat mural in town

I asked Mr Google and he gave me the answer.  This amazing 5mt by 20mt mural painted on the side of the Novus Glass building in Oxford St was  the work of SwiftMantis of Palmerston North, and took three weeks to paint.  Commissioned by the Horowhenua District Council and the funding for the mural comes under council's recently adopted Community and Social Development Action plan.  The star of the artwork is local cat Niko, a rescue who now lives on a feijoa orchard just out of town, and the perspective of the Tararua Ranges is from directly above his home near Potts Rd.

When can we go?

We waited with baited breath for the Monday afternoon Covid Update to hear when/if the Waikato will go down to Level 2 thereby allowing traffic to and from the area.  Sadly, it was not to be because of Covid cases, which means our trip to Hamilton to get work done on our caravan has been put on hold again.

PM Jacinda Adern giving the daily update

Consequently, Robin moved our caravan from the carparks in front of our home, back to the designated parking place around the back.

Back where it belongs

All is not lost though, as we have a new booking at the Leisureline  factory for our service in early November, and Motorhome Solar have said they will do all they can to fit us in during that week.  Dependent of course on us being able to travel by then, fingers crossed! 

We went out to lunch the other day to the local Cossie Club.  The chef was offering a “Covid Lunch Special”  three courses for $16.00 a head.  Excellent value, we thought.

Later in the evening Robin spent some time getting close and personal with the dishwasher, which had decided to stop part way through the cycle and beep softly at us.  Now, where was the instruction book?  He pulled it to bits, gave everything a good clean, then put it back together again.  Success, at least partial success, as it certainly started going again, but stopped part way and needed the button pushing again to resume the cycle.  “Built in Planned Obsolescent” came to mind, as we have already had to replace the heat pump after being in this house for only 7 years.  Appliances don't seem to last long these days, not like our original chest freezer which chugged along for over 40 years (and a former marriage) before giving up the ghost and dying. 

Plans Change

Robin had done a great job of organising work to be done on the caravan up in Hamilton this week, 430kms away.  The caravan was to have it’s annual service and recall work done on our water heater at the Leisureline factory on Wednesday.  Then moving on to Motorhome Solar the following day to get a new battery and another solar panel installed.  All these plans came crashing down last Friday when we found out that Hamilton and surrounding areas had been placed in Level 3 for the next 5 days due to Covid cases appearing in the area.  What a bummer, the caravan had been moved to the car park outside our home, packed up and ready to go.

 

As the days are rolling by, and numbers of community cases in the Hamilton area keep rising, it appears unlikely that Level 3 restrictions will be lifted at the end of the week.  Which means, of course, that we will be unlikely to drive up to Hamilton next week for rescheduled appointments.  

On a happier note, I have some good health news to report.  Last week I attended  my follow-up appointment at Palmerston North Hospital with the neurosurgical team after my spinal surgery back in May.  I had been for a MRI several weeks ago, so they had an up-to-date picture of my spine.  Things are progressing well, I was told, so well that they won’t want to see me for another 12 months, and will order a further MRI prior to this appointment.  They showed me a picture of my spinal cord prior to surgery, and I could clearly see the fistula snaking forwards and back across my spinal cord about six times in a row, this was putting pressure and squeezing causing me all kinds of problems.  I am just so thankful this condition was finally diagnosed and the surgery was so successful.

At Palmerston North Hospital