Out and About

There’s always things to do and places to go, isn’t there.  And we are lucky here in New Zealand that we can get out about, especially as many places around the world have gone into a second round of lockdown.  Hopefully with border security in place we can keep this virus out – or at least restrict it to incoming citizens who are placed in quarantine.

Spotted this sign on the back of of a Mainfreight truck the other day.  Guess there is a message in that statement!

How far can you go?

Planning ahead, I went to make a booking for a reasonably Big Birthday coming up, (more about that later) just as well I did get in early it seems with already a few bookings made on the date I wanted.  And look what I spotted in the car park, a trio of rather nice looking sports cars.  I’m sure the mechanically minded would know exactly what breed they are, but not me.  Talking to the owners, they are a group of enthusiasts called the “Topless Six”  who get together for an outing each month.  Seems they can just about manage to climb in and out of their low slung sportscars OK as they are getting older, and while they can, they will keep on enjoying their road trips together.

Three sporty sportscars

Gemma also had an outing recently.  It was time for her annual WOF and she was not a happy cat at all.  First she got manhandled  into her carry cage – oh no, she didn't want to go in there at all.  Then in the car and down to see the vet.

A visit to the vet

The vet gave her the once over, then the indignity of a thermometer you know where, a cat flu vaccination, and a worm tablet.  She didn’t like all this medical attention one little bit  Everything was fine, Gemma is a beautiful cat we were told, keep doing what you are doing with her, she is in excellent condition.  Once we returned home she took herself into time out for a while, and by evening was back to her normal self.

Caravan Capers

Although we have not been away in our caravan the last couple of weeks, we took a car trip back to Manawatu Caravan Club grounds on Saturday to catch up with our friends from the Wairarapa Caravan Club.  Just as well we could remember the code number so we could drive through the barrier arm.  Our arrival was planned for morning tea and we met in the hall.  Originally, I had plans to get up early in the morning and do some home baking to take up with us.  But that didn’t happen, sorry about that, Wairarapa friends.  They had the pleasure of our company instead of home baked goodies.

Wairarapa Caravan Club members

We caught up with all the news, and then were invited to check out Debbie's new motorhome.  She had recently downsized from a much larger one, and this little beauty suits her very well.

Debbie nd her new motorhome

“While you are here”, Robin was asked, “could you have a look at the water filling point?”  Debbie couldn't get it unlocked, and neither could any of the men from the club, so she had to resort with carrying extra water with her.  Believe it or not, Robin’s magic touch had it opened in a jiffy.  Seemed everyone was trying to turn the lock the wrong way!

Finally opened

On Sunday Robin attended our caravan club committee meeting to set the Rally Schedule for the new season.  Not quite finalised yet, but good progress was made.  Seems we will be returning to some old favourite camps, plus a couple of different places thrown into the mix.

And not to forget the help we received a week or so ago when Bill and Val came calling.  After lunch, Bill helped Robin replace the sliding mechanism on our Cvana awning.  The original plastic fittings which can break – ask Bill how he knows, have now been replaced with metal ones.  The first side went on easily, and the other needed a little more encouragement, it seemed.  Val and I were keeping well out of the way while all this drama was taking place.  Thanks so much for your help Bill.

 

Replacement fittings

The builder and the apprentice

So what’s next on our caravanning agenda?  A trip to Hastings in a couple of weeks for Kate’s 21st birthday celebrations.  Goodness me, I’m Kate’s Great Aunt, doesn’t that make me seem old!

80th Birthday Lunch

With an 80th Birthday to celebrate with our Super Leisure friends, we set off on the 160km (round trip) journey to Silverstream.  Road works on the top of Haywards Hill held us up  - thank goodness for cell phones to be able to communicate with our hosts so they didn't worry about our slightly late arrival.  After a meet and greet, and a cuppa, it was time to head out for lunch, to Luanne’s Bistro in Trentham.  This establishment has had many guises over the years, as a Cobb and Co, and the Game Keeper, and now as Luanne’s.

Time for lunch

What to order always involves lots of pondering and discussion, and we all seemed to pick a different dish.  From belly pork, to lamb shanks, corn fritters, beef and Guinness pie and an open steak sandwich.  All very tasty indeed, and it certainly quietened our table down while we were busy eating.

Sign in the restaurant

Fully sated, we then went back to Helen and Calvin’s home for coffee and birthday cake.  How delicious it was too, a yummy Black Forest Gateau.  Helen blew the candles out, and it was remarked that it was just as well she didn’t have to deal with 80 candles, as she probably wouldn't have managed!

Blowing out the candles

All too soon the afternoon was over and we had to think about traveling home.  Spotted a sign on the road leading over the Paekakariki Hill which is narrow and winding, telling truckers to “Ignore Sat Nav, road unsuitable for long vehicles”.  This would apply to motor homes and caravans too of course.  Obviously trucks had been taking tis road and got into difficulties.

Never seen this sign before

We turned onto the Pauahatanui Inlet Road then drove up the coast along SH1. Kapiti Island was covered in haze, so it wasn’t very clear at all, and the sea was running a little rough.

Kapiti Island

We made much better time returning home, with no hold ups along the way.  There are always plenty of roadworks happening, including this ramp being built to link up eventually with an over bridge.  These things take time, as they say.

There was no need to cook a big meal after our hearty lunch, so it was something light to eat while we sat and watched the evening news.  It was a lovely day out, catching up with our SLG friends, and wishing Helen well on her Big Birthday.

Manawatu Inland Port

Driving past the sign to the Manawatu Inland Port on our trips to Palmerston North was driving me crazy.  Just what is an inland port, I wondered?  So today, we took a small detour to check it out.  What we discovered is that the Manawatu Inland Port offers commercial import, export and warehouse services in the central North Island.  The services offered are impressive and include MPI inspection, cross-dock facilities, dry storage, pack and unpack facilities, fumigation, container repairs and more.  So now we know.

With our curiosity satisfied, we continued on our way to Palmy to tick off a few items on our list.  Lunch was at the Chinatown Restaurant, always good value for money.

Lunch at Chinatown Restaurant

The main reason for our trip was for Robin to have a knee review at  done at The Palms to see if he is eligible for a future knee replacement.  This facility has been selected by Mid Central Health to make services more accessible.   Poor Robin has had very painful knees for quite some time now, and finds it difficult to walk.  Probably not helped by playing rugby in his earlier years, that certainly takes a toll on joints.  After answering a raft of questions, and a knee examination, the physio took him along the corridor to watch how much difficulty he had with walking.  Luckily he passed the criteria for a future operation, and a referral will be made to the orthopedic surgeon, so now it will be a matter of waiting to be called up.  Within four months we were told, which is the standard time here for a hospital appointment to see a specialist.

AGM Rally at Foxton

Like many clubs and organizations, our AGM rally had to be delayed a couple of months due to Covid 19 putting a spanner in the works. Our caravan club AGM took place this weekend at the Manawatu Caravan Club grounds, at Foxton.  Just as well that Gemma is a cat, no  dogs allowed at this site.

At the Manawatu Caravan Club grounds

We arrived a day early, as we often do.  This gave us some free time to travel into Palmerston North and tick a few things off our list.  Such as collecting our BBQ gas bottle which was “out of time” and needed to be certified, and refilled.  It’s good to go now, and is legal for another 10 years.  And then we went looking for a new rubber mat to use outdoors, as our old one which we had owned for years was getting a bit past it.  Luckily we got a discount from the shop, as we are members of the NZMCA – much appreciated, as every little bit helps.

New mat – just the thing for squelchy conditions

It’s been rather chilly this weekend, cold enough to have another dumping of snow on the Tararua Ranges.  It always looks so pretty in the sun shine.

Snow on the ranges

Gemma was happy checking out the campers and the wild life through the front window.  There were birds hopping about on the grass, and a black cat going about it’s business – all very interesting, she thought.

What’s happening outside?

On Friday night we walked the short distance next door to the Bowling Club for a meal.  They do good, basic meals here at a reasonable price.  We had a large table booked, ready and waiting for our group, and we all enjoyed a nice dinner, with most of us having the roast beef.

We are very grateful to have use of the hall during our stay at this venue.  It was all business on Saturday morning as the AGM got underway.  A new committee was elected, or re-elected as the case may be, club business as discussed, annual fees set, and nothing contentious was brought up.  The committee will take it from here, set the rally dates and venues, and allocate a rally to each couple  to run as they see fit.

At the head table, President Barry, Secretary Dianne and Treasurer Geoff

It’s always exciting when someone turns up with a new caravan.  This lovely new Swift belongs to Don and Pamela, and there has been a steady stream of admiring visitors checking it out.

New van in the club

There was a quiz with a difference held on Saturday evening in the hall.  We had to guess/decide when a list of items were first invented.  Some items went way back to BC, such as tweezers and combs, and it was just a matter of a lucky guess when I wrote down the correct dates for the can opener (1850s) and spring clip tape measure (1860).  Don and I came first equal in this quiz, and gratefully received our chocolate treats.

Then we were asked to relate what was the best advice our parents ever told us.  That was interesting, and ranged from “Never let the sun go down on your wrath”,  and “Look after your pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”.  Most of us had trouble remembering any good parental advice, probably because, at that age, we weren't really listening to our parents much!

Sunday morning brought rain, so after Morning Tea we packed up and headed for home.  Robin was keen to try out his new acquisition, a Dump Mate, at the Dump Station. 

This is a plastic tube which comes in it’s own zip up carry bag.  The idea is that the tube goes into the waste hole, the toilet cassette is then lifted and rested on the top, and all the waste goes exactly where it should without making a mess.  Robin’s verdict?  Well worth buying, anything which makes this job easier is a bonus.

It worked well

Then it was homeward bound, unpacking the caravan while dodging the showers, have a late lunch, the settle down to a relaxing Sunday afternoon.  Robin was happy, he found some rugby to watch on TV, and I kept busy sorting out the laundry.  Gemma settled down for her afternoon nap, and all was well in our household.

Scratching Post Refurbishment

Our beautiful Birman Gemma has two scratching posts – a biggish one in the house and a smaller, lighter one in the caravan.  The caravan scratching post was badly in need of repair, as it had been scratched down to the bone, so to speak.  Or in this case, down to the cardboard cylinder.  It was looking rather sad and  sorry indeed.

Oh dear, there’s a hole

Robin decided to take it down to the Menz Shed and hopefully repair it.  The cylinder was unbolted from the base, and both pieces recovered with carpet.  Bang, bang with the nail gun, and it was soon completed.  Thank you Derek for saving us some carpet scraps, just what we needed.  Now it looks as good as new, and ready to go back into the caravan for our next trip away.

As good as new

This particular scratching post is rather light and could easily be pulled over by a cat focused on the job of sharpening her claws.  But Gemma has worked out how to make good use of it without tipping it over – what a clever cat!

Where has this week gone?

Here we are, and it’s Sunday again, just where did this week go, we wonder?  It’s been rather a cold, miserable week, as far as the weather was concerned.  Just as well we now have a brand new Heat Pump, so we are warm and cozy inside.   Robin has recently purchased a “Minimum Maximum Thermometer” and makes a point of checking it each morning.  So far the coldest temperature recorded here overnight  this week was –3.

New thermometer

The cold conditions brought  a dumping of snow on the Tararua Ranges, it does look pretty in the background.  Snow closed the Desert Road for a while, fell on the Rimutaka Hill, and plenty more down in the South Island, the ski fields in particular where certainly pleased.  And we were so pleased that we had traveled home from our trip earlier in the week and were not caught up in snow and ice on the roads.

Snow on the Tararua Ranges

Traditionally, our Sunday mornings start with a bacon and egg breakfast, cooked by Robin.  Always nice and tasty, especially on a chilly morning.  And talking of cold weather food, the crock pot is simmering away with some tasty pumpkin soup for lunch.  It’s a hard life being retired, and we certainly never seem to go hungry, either!