Caravan Update Again

We got the call we were waiting for – the caravan repairs have been completed and it was now ready for collection.  Thank goodness for that, we wont have to miss the next rally.

Romany Rambler in the workshop

The caravan repairs were done by Freeway Leisure and RV Centre in their huge workshop.  With new wheel assembles, brake cables and a new axle, the caravan is as good as new again.  We towed it back home today, and parked it up in the allocated RV park, all ready for the next rally.

Behind the Scenes at the Vets

It was too good an opportunity to pass by.  Our vet practise Levin and Horowhenua Vets was having an Open Day to celebrate their 75th Birthday, and visitors were invited to a peek behind the scenes.  We joined the crowds and walked through the doors out to the back area where all the mystery happens to our pets. 

First up was all we ever needed to know about worms.  There were graphic pictures on the walls, and jars with worms both big and little for the brave ones to inspect.  The message was to ensure all animals are wormed regularly, both pets and farm stock. Then we were shown some rather strange objects on the table.  Did you know that cows can suffer from hair balls?  They certainly can, and what a size they can get to!  The ones we saw were tightly packed fat sausages about 6 inches long.  Much too gross to show photos.

The preparation area was set up with an animal (in reality a soft toy) being given anaesthetic before undergoing a procedure.

Prep area

Then it was through to the operating theatre with yet another toy animal showing how things are done.  Ooops, we were told, this one hasn’t made it, there is no heartbeat registered on the machine.

Operating theatre

The x-ray room was interesting too.  We were intrigued to see a row of thyroid shields hanging up, a very necessary accessory in this area, we were told.  Staff were on hand in all areas to explain procedures to the public.

X-ray area

 

Thyroid shields for protection

Some of the staff had brought their own pets along too.  We admired Tim and Tam, twin hand reared Perendale/Pitt Island cross sheep.

Tim and Tam

Goats belonging to another staff member

On arrival we were given vouchers for a free coffee, and gladly collected our caffeine fix, then Robin supported the SPCA Sausage Sizzle tent.

Sausage, onions, smothered in sauce all wrapped in bread please

The festivities were just about ready to take place so we went back inside the building.  The VIP related the long history of the practice, then cut the 75th birthday cake.  After this first official cut was made, the female members of staff took over this very important job, and in next to no time,  the visitors had all been served a slice of cake.  75 years is certainly something to celebrate.

Cutting the cake

As we had purchased a packet of Frontline flea treatment for Muffy, our names went into the draw for a prize.  And would you believe it – Robin’s name was called out as the winner.  We took home a selection of goodies, wondering what we would be doing with it all.

The lucky draw

Muffy is now using the fancy double set of bowls, and the voucher for discount off another packet of Frontline will come in handy.  The other bits and pieces are all for dogs, including a huge dog bed, a collar and lead.  We are storing these away in the meantime.  Grand-daughter Emma has often talked of getting a retired greyhound for a pet, so these items would come in handy.  The dog food has been donated to our neighbours dog Becky, as owner Bruce has been very helpful lately to Robin with building jobs.  Hope Becky enjoys her new doggy food.

Becky is always ready to play ball

Caravan Update

“Where’s your caravan?” one of the neighbours in the village who owns a motor-home wanted to know.  He had noticed that it had been missing all week from the allocated parking area, and here we were at home, so we were obviously not out and about travelling.   The caravan had been taken down to the repairers on Monday, together with two boxes of wheel assemblies which included the brake components, these had been sent down to us from the manufacturers.

Parts to fix the brakes

It’s not going to be an easy fix, we have since found out.  As well as ripping the brake cables and detaching the brake plates, it seems that some damage has been done to the axle.  Oh dear – that sounds expensive!

So the repairer is waiting for a new axle to be delivered to his workshop, and we are waiting for the insurance rep to make his inspection and report back.  Just hope the caravan will be all fixed for our next trip away shortly.

Harvest Time

The days are getting shorter, the mornings have that nippy feel to them, we have definitely had a change of season.  The particular part of paradise where we live in the Horowhenua Region has many market gardens and we stopped to look at one of the farmers starting to harvest his onion crop.  We were surprised when Mr Google told us that the onion industry is the country’s third largest horticultural export crop, with onions being exported to Europe, the United Kingdom,  and Asia and the Pacific Islands. The onions had been pulled out of the ground and laid out neatly in rows to dry with the tops and roots of the onion plant removed.  Once dry, bulbs will be transported to the pack house for  grading.

Tasty onions as far as the eye can see

Grapes are another local crop almost ready for harvest and this lot are growing alongside SH1.  The vines are smothered in netting to keep the hungry birds away from the juicy grapes.

Grapes almost ready for harvest

We are still trying to find our way around the local area and discovered a previously unexplored road today.  Where will it take us, we wondered, as we trundled uphill along  the narrow windy country road.  Driving past rural properties and small holdings, we came across a paddock full of alpacas.  Continuing on our way, we drove around a few more corners before joining up with  SH1 again and headed back to home.

  Alpacas in the country

Daylight Saving ends this weekend so the clocks will be going back one hour.  Our lovely long twilight evenings are coming to an end.

Rally just down the road

We were invited to attend a small alternate NZMCA rally just down the road from us, held at “Summerset by the Ranges”.   But our caravan is currently in hospital getting the brakes fixed so we were unable to attend.  That didn’t stop us from popping in for Happy Hour yesterday and meeting up with lots of people we hadn’t seen for some time.  The setting behind the villas in the Retirement Village is lovely, a nice grassed area with plenty of shady trees, just enough room for the 15 or so vans taking part.  The plan for this small rally was mooted as there is no area rally planned as a lot of members will be travelling to the South Island for the big Easter Rally at Mosgiel.

Motor-homes parked up at Summerset by the Ranges

Being seasoned caravanners, we remembered to pack our folding chairs in the back of the car, plus a cool drink or two, and we joined in the happy circle.  Some of the residents joined in too, just to see what these people who spend time driving the highways and bi-ways get up to.  Summerset management provided dishes of hot cheerios, tomatoe sauce and bread and butter, which went down a treat, especially with the men.  Most boys, whether big or small, will not say "no" to a hot sav and sauce!

Happy Hour

There seems to be quite a full programme set for this mid week rally, and no doubt there the Summerset sales team will be making their pitch to the attendees as well.  We wish them all a Happy Rally!

Allison,  Rally Organiser, handing out the last of the cheerios

Flying the Flag again

Raising the New Zealand flag at our home was not quite so clear cut as we had hoped.  Attaching the base of our telescopic flagpole to the support post of the wooden fence was frowned upon, so we had to remove it.  The suggestion was made to simply add an extra post in the yard.  This was finally achieved last week, and the cement holding it in place now deemed hard enough to support the weight of the flag pole.  The brackets were screwed in place, and the telescopic flagpole was put in the bracket. 

Just peeping over the fence

With a flourish,  Robin  extended the pole to it’s full height. ran the flag up the pole, and it spent the afternoon fluttering proudly in the breeze.

Flying the New Zealand flag

Weekend at Himatangi

It’s not too far to Himatangi from home, just a short 40km drive away, so we arrived at the camp on Friday in next to no time.  The small coastal community at Himatangi has a population of about 600.  The coastline was once a seasonal gathering place for local Maori who caught fish and shellfish there. Leaving the shells in piles (middens), they inadvertently created an archaeological record of what the area once looked like. The oldest known middens can be found near a series of lagoons 4 kilometres inland, indicating where the beach line was 500 years ago.

With twelve vans arriving for the weekend, the numbers boosted by visitors and prospective members, Bill as Rally Captain was kept on his toes getting everyone safely on a suitable site.    We spent the afternoon sitting outside soaking up the sun as the caravans rolled in, and several of us had red faces and sunburnt noses to show for it  by the end of the day.  The boss lady Margaret of Himatangi  Beach Holiday Park welcomed our group to the camp, thanked us for coming, and then presented the group with two bottles of wine.

Some of our vans on site

We had the use of the hall for our get-togethers, which was most appreciated.  As usual, Friday night was Joke Night, and the jokes came thick and fast, as did the guffaws of laughter echoing around the hall.  During Morning Tea on Saturday we welcomed new members.  The cooks all did themselves proud as a huge variety of tasty dishes were set out on the tables for our Saturday evening Pot Luck meal.  That kept everyone quiet for a while as we all sat eating our dinners, with some going up for seconds.  It was all so delicious, there was very little in the way of leftovers, we noticed. 

A Housie Evening kept us occupied  later in the evening.  Barbara had raided some of her huge collection of buttons at home, so we could use them as markers, and Bill was the caller.  Guess it was a matter of luck, but we noticed that some had several wins.  Not us two though, as usual, we didn’t manage to win anything.  But it was good fun, and everyone joined in enthusiastically, ribbing poor Bill as they waited in vain for their own particular numbers to be called. 

Barbara with her button jars

There was the usual mixing and mingling during the weekend, and although there were no new cars or caravans to check out this time, Selwyn's “water hog” attracted quite a bit of masculine attention.  It was dripping, he said, and as trying to find out why.  Quite simple really once he had a good look and pulled the hose off, he discovered that the valve had been put in up-side-down. 

Checking out the dripping water hog

Bill and Barbara had found this humorous tea towel tucked away in a cupboard, and it spend the weekend taped up to their caravan window, giving us all a laugh.  Another fun weekend, spent in good company with friends, we certainly enjoyed ourselves.