We left for our trip to New Zealand today. What a fabulous trip it ended up being.
We arrived in wee hours of Thursday morning as flights do from Australia and was met at the airport by Manie and Tania and our granddaughter Maisie Margaret Pretorius whom we had we had not meet before. She was 6 weeks old
Nana’s first cuddle
Granddad's first cuddle
The following Sunday we had a family lunch with Ross and Liz coming to Tania’s and Manie’s home. John decided to surprise both kids with telling them we had decided to get married as we had been together for over 18 years and the time was right to do it whilst we were over there on holiday as we wanted both our kids to be witness on our special day . Both said a yes and big hugs all round was had.
As we were going to be here for two month we decided to get the Motorhome up and running and use it whilst we were there . First things first we had to get a COF for it . Upon taking it to Levin vehicle
testing station we were told that the breaks needed to be sorted out. Also the window washer motor
was not working and it needed to be replaced. After a few phone calls we found one in Taranaki. John decided that a day trip would be good for the Motorhome so off we went to Taranaki early one
morning. On our way up there the motor started to heat up . This ended up being long day up and back from Taranaki . The wreckers checked the motor to make sure it was not a gasket. Thankfully it was not . Our local garage informed us it was the radiator that needed replacing. This sure was not on the budget. But it had to be done . Over $2,000 later it was road worthy
John and I decided to visit a few of our friends up north in Whangarei area before we got married just incase a few of them would like to come to our wedding . It was important for us to visit John’s old boss Irwin and Jill whom he had worked for many years for them. Sadly Irwin had not been very well and was diagnosed with cancer and could not make it to the wedding . We visited Steve and Heidi
Pope and stayed with them for a couple of days. We were told they would most definitely be there to
help us celebrate our special day. This we were very pleased to hear they could come down. We then went and saw Jack and June Davis at Mokau. They both said they would come down for it.
From here we went to Opunake to visit Margarets brother Bob and his wife Glenys and inform then of our up coming marriage. They also were so pleased about it and said yes to the invitation. My youngest brother Ian and his wife live in Alexandra which is down the South Island was also able to come up to the wedding . This would be the first time we had all been together for a few years in the North Island.
My cousin Maureen offered us her lovely garden in Waikanae to get married in. She has a lovely home at Waikanae beach that looks over a reserve. We had a small wedding there with 27 people . We got married on the 18th May 2019 . My brother Ian told us when we told him the date he said it was also the date that our parents got married in Island Bay in 1940 . So this date made it even more special for us. We had Paul Jackson ( a friend of Tanias ) who is a marriage celebrant married us.
Flowers from Chris and MaryAnne
Cutting of the cake
Ian and Glenis Clark, John and Marg, Bob and Glenys Clark and David Clark.
Margaret brothers
John, Peter and Lexie Clark , Margaret, Bob, David
Val and Jan Windleburn, John and Margaret
Brothers Ian and Bob Clark having a chat
Maisie (Thrupence) and Nana
MaryAnne and Chris Cooke, John and Margaret
John , Sheryl Patterson, Margaret
Margaret, John and Brian Walton
Liz , Ross and little Maisie
Sherelyn Maureen,Marg, Jamie
Whilst we were back in Waikanae at our house we decided to have the garden by the house removed. This was a big mission. We hired Quiney a local contractor that removes garden rubbish etc. It took him 2 and a half days to break the garden up and remove it. Wow what a difference it has made . We got him to put 2 loads of small chip on it so it can be used as a parking area. We went and got our trailer from Peter and Lexie’s place and parked it up at home finally. We have 2 more care parks now for visitors . Very pleased with it.
John built the wall around the garden many years ago
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Breaking up the garden |
Our trailer all parked
John and Ross have been busy putting a shed together at Ross’s new place in Haitatai . It took two full days to assemble it. A great place for storage of the garden stuff.
Our happy Thrupence
Sound asleep
Maisie and daddy chilling out
Grandad time
Gollowog Dolls Hand knitted by Anne Nicholson especially for Maisie
Margaret John and Liam grandson
When we returned from New Zealand John brought a Biltong dryer. Manie showed John how to make Biltong. John loved it so much Hence here is his first batch very tasty .
Biltong drying
Biltong dried and cut up ready for eating
Sadly on the 3 rd of August 2019 Johns Dad passed away peacefully at Cairns Hospital . We were all present except Glen and Anne who has to go home to milk.
Anne John Mum Glen taken on the 13th August day of Dads funeral
Dad (Don Drury)
John and Paul then Anne , Kathryn then Keith and Glen carrying Dad
Henry, Hilda , Joyce (Brother and sisters )
Since the funeral both Glen and John have been very busy building another shed between the shed they build a few years ago and the tool shed. This shed is going to be used partly as a worm farm
and the rest of it for storage of farm machinery.
Margaret had her left knee finally operated on the 26 th August at Cairns Base Hospital . She was in hospital for 9 days due to a reaction to the glue they used. It burnt the skin either side of the cut. Not pleasant for it made the recovery a lot longer than what it would of been . Also at this time she went from working part time to causal at Bunnings. Once her knee has repaired and is able to drive we are going to leave Malanda and travel to Perth where we will met up with and Anne and Keith and spend Christmas with them and holiday around Perth until we fly out to England in May .
Margarets knee reaction to the glue used
server reaction to glue on knee replacement
John and Glen have also been building fences and sorting out irrigation on a property that Glen leases . The boys are trying to get this completed before we leave at the end of October and that will be the last of the big projects Glen has to do on the farm .
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| Glen and John rolling irrigation pipe out A few photos below of family and folkart painting done recently . 
Alan and Bev Brix Sadly Bev passed away 3 days before we fly to New Zealand. Johns Auntie.
 
Blue jay
Country Living
Christmas ornaments for sale. All sold except 3
   
Cheese board
Maisie visiting her great grand parents ( names sake)
3rd November
Today we finished packing up the truck and sorting out the caravan ready for our next adventure.
Perth here we come .
  
Drivers side of truck
Passenger side of truck
Front passenger side
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Our convoy of vehicles has left Malanda on our next adventure Perth here we come .
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