We slept in our Motorhome under our carport at home on Sunday night. Monday we went up to Levin and caught up with all the news from our friends Val and Jan and stayed the night on their farm .
Tuesday, well that brought a very cold day with rain and cold winds. We decided to stay in the Motorhome and keep warm and catch up on some reading, it was to cold to do anything else.
5 th November saw John and I go and see the surgeon regarding when they might operate on my knee. We were hoping it would be over and done with very quickly, just by what they said in Janurary.
Yah right. First off I had to go and have a scan done and fluid taken off the knee to make sure there was no low grade infection because of the swelling. This we were told could take up to 6 months,not happy about that, the surgeon told them it was urgent like yesterday . Yah I have a appointment on the 26 th November to have this done, then we go back on the 10 th December to hopefully get a date for surgery.
In between all this going on, John dug a trench in the front lawn to repair a drain that was blocked and replaced it with a new pipe , no more swimming pools when it rains.
Then we decided to give the garden a bit of a prune. 4 trailer loads later it was finished.
Our lovely spring creek running in our back yard
Our local wild life waiting to be fed at the stream on our property
Blue moon it has a beautiful fragrance
Then John decided to dig a soak pit and join a pipe behind the garage. Talk about being busy .
The morning showed black clouds and rain on its way. So John was up early to get it done before it did rain, as 100 mils was expected. He would not come and get his breakfast so it went to him, breakfast on the go.
John it's now giving the BMW a tune up and a new battery. He it so looking forward to going on a ride anywhere he says as long as it's a good ride. Did not get a warrant due to the tyre tread down a little. So we had to get a new tyre $190.00 plus tube $21.00 for a spare.
26th November Marg had her scan and fluid taken off the knee to check for a low grade infection. The doctor said it looked good but still had to have it checked by the laboratory.
After the hospital a we went back to Waikanae and collected the bus and headed off to New Plymouth for 10 days. On our way through Otaki John noticed the clutch very spongy . We got 2 k north of Otaki and the clutch went completely , luckily there was a small area on the side of the main highway that John was able to pull into . Thanks to our service garage Woodmans and a mechanic plus Brian they found us a part. Brian brought it up to us . After a bit of fun jacking it up etc. John was able to remove the slave cylinder and replace it, with Marg shining the touch down on cylinder etc.
Ken from Rahui Service Centre came and help John bleed the cylinder and check it out to make sure everything was ok before we headed off to our next adventure in Uriti on Jack and June's farm .
Kiwikoala bus going nowhere
John is jacking up the bus while Brian is putting blocks under it with a neighbour who lives across the
road from where we broke down in Otaki.
Ken managed to get us back on the road around 9.30 in the morning . We traveled up to Uriti where our friends have a farm and stayed with Jack and June for 10 days. John and Jack had a great time crossing off the list of jobs Jack had written down that needed to be done . ie repairing fences and gates, cutting firewood, shearing, yes John sheared some sheep , got cattle ready for the works , separate cattle and sheep from their young.
Entrance towards the back of Jack and June's farm at Uruiti
June and Jack weighing stock ready for the sales yards
John heading the cattle through to the weighing machine
John and Jack cleaning birds nest etc and fixing the bailer
We had a great 10 days with Jack and June including a afternoon watching the local cricket team win.
Whilst we were there we were able to go and watch Liam play his final cricket game as captain for the day in NZ before they moved to Sydney to live. They lost by two runs 74 -72. It was a good game.
Grandad John and Liam with Grandma Rosyln in the back ground having lunch
Marg had the opportunity to visit one of her favourite stores especially around Christmas. The Christmas shop in New Plymouth. Yes she brought two items one is hanging in the bus the other has been put away until we return to NZ .
Once back in Waikanae we decided to put new bark on the garden at the back of our property . Wow it looks great . Saves Brian doing any weeding for a while lol.
Brian completed the back of the garage for us while we were on the farm. Put some gravel on the top of the soak pit drain .
Our fish pond area where we have 6 good size gold fish
17 th December,
A flat day for us . We have just found out that Marg's knee replacement surgery will now not take place until end of Janurary or Februrary . Even though she was told she is at the top of the list like so many others . It is now a waiting game.
We had a small bike ride this morning to Te Horo for a coffee with the Kapiti Ulysses branch . It was so great catching up with every one again. Merry Christmas everyone and safe riding sunny side up.
John, Karen Thompson, Derek Rivers
A great way to spend the week before Christmas helping our friend Gary put a new ceiling in his kitchen.
John and Gary put gib board up on the ceiling
Gary getting in the festive mood with his red tea shirt on
25 th December 2015
John and I had a lovely relaxing day with Tania and Ross. The weather was beautiful, after a pork roast and good old fashion steam pudding ( requested by John ) . It was time to go for a walk and show John and Ross Tunnel Gully via Mangaroa Tunnel. A rather steep hill walk first , yes we all made it to the top then a down hill grade and through the tunnel. A fantastic way to walk off lunch.
Then we decided to do another walk up to the Birchville Dam . Birchville dam was the old water reservoir for Upper Hutt until the twin dams were built in Kaitoki .
Ross and Riley asleep and John relaxing after lunch, watching a movie
Tania , Ross and Riley
Ross and John walking into the tunnel
John, Ross and Tania walking towards to end of the tunnel
Little room with a view
26 th December ( Boxing Day)
Riley relaxing in our van ( waiting to go on holiday with Nana and Granddad ) lol
I have a great view from here better than Mums car nana
Time for a family get together of the Clark gang from Auckland , Christchurch and Wellington.
This get together does not happen very often as we are from all areas of NZ .
We had a fabulous day of catching up with all the news and having a game of cricket . Plus also met George and celebrated Jacks 8 th birthday Jemery and Joanne two boys. Also got to finally met my nephews daughter Arabella who is 12 , and catch up with Rhys and his family from Auckland .
John out fielding
27 th December,
Today was another one out of the box for weather, stunning. Time to take the BMW out for a ride into Wellington and visit Ross and met Tania and Aaron in town also. We visited the Gallipoli exhibition at
Te Papa museum. Wow it sure is a beautifully done and the figures are so life like .
A close up of the facial expression of the above
From here it was a good time to go for a walk along Oriental parade and appreciate what we have.
My nephew was visiting Wellington for a few days up from Christchurch, so it was a great time for a catch with his cousin Tania and his half sister Meisha he had not seen for many years. This is what Christmas is about family .
28 th December
John has stated another project . Decided to make a lockable lean too off our garage . I wish he would relax but he says I am , it gives me something to do .
30 th & 31st December
John was helping Gary put some more gib on the laundry walls and ceiling. They wanted to get it completed by New Year's Eve. Yes it was done including putting in a new laundry tub and fitting the dryer on the wall . Now it just needs the gib cove in the kitchen and laundry and Gary can paint it. A job well done boys .
31st December 2015
John and I are going around to cousin Maureen's home to have a few drinks and celebrate the coming of a 2016 . May each and everyone of you have a fabulous 2016 and all your dreams come true.
