OFF WE GO AGAIN, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

 Well, we are making a fairly early start to our day today.

We are heading off to Wanganui, with the plan to stay with Stew's sister, Khady tonight.

We are going down the west side of the North Island.  Stew has never done the 'Paraparas' before, so that will be an experience for him.  The Parapara's is a local name given to the road between Raetihi and Wanganui.

I've driven on this road many times before.  Many years ago I must admit, but still, I have not forgotten the road.

Many twists and turns.  And from memory, the trees in autumn are gorgeous down that way.

The Paraparas were closed in 2019...

ABOVE:  There was a huge slip!  But I've checked and it's open again now.  Yaaa.

It is a moderately long trip (it is 322 kilometers, or 201 miles), so we will just take our time and stop a few times along the way.  As the road is inland and rural all the way, we get no lovely sea views sadly.

Let's see if we can find some lovely scenery anyway.

ABOVE: There's a map of our route. 

I will endeavour to keep you up to date on where we are during the day.

 HAPPY 84th BIRTHDAY MUM, our first without you here. You are loved.  You are missed.  You are irreplaceable.

...10.58 am. We are at Taumarunui... its FREEZING! Seen the mountains with snow on them. We walked down the main street of Taumarunui..  our faces froze! Can't believe how cold it is. SO THANKFUL we packed warm clothes.

12.27 pm: we are now in Raetihi having a toasted sandwich for lunch. 

It is just the most PERFECT Autumn day. Cool, frosty with not a cloud in the sky.

I'm taking HEAPS of photos. 

You poor buggers are gunna get a shit load to view

 tonight! 😂🤣😅 

3.47 pm: safely in Wanganui. Yakking with Khady. Lovely log fire going. Nice and cozy.

ABOVE:  The beautiful Waikato.  Taken out of Te Awamutu.

ABOVE:  My 'photo of the day'.  Countryside somewhere past Otorohanga.

ABOVE:  OMG it was bitterly cold in Tauramanui!

ABOVE:  Just before we came up to this lookout I glanced at my phone... it was reading 11.11.

I told Stew we had to stop to see what the view was at this particular lookout because Vern was telling me to.

ABOVE: And wow, a gorgeous view AND there was a train passing as we stood there.  

ABOVE: Just so pretty.

ABOVE:  So cold!  But the mountains are so pretty. They look even better with more snow, right now they just have a dusting on them.

ABOVE:  Another interesting view.  In the distance we could see Mt Egmont/Taranaki.  

ABOVE:  Raetihi.  Very busy.  NOT.  

Two cafes to choose from.

ABOVE:  We asked at a local shop and got directed to 'the one on the left'.  And it was very nice indeed.

ABOVE:  Raetihi felt.... sad.  There was a shop playing very melancholy trumpet music.  It kinda said it all.

ABOVE: That's where the huge slip was in 2019.  There is a new road now, but you can still clearly see the slip.

ABOVE:  We saw so many amazing Autumn trees/colours on our travel down the island.  Just stunning.

ABOVE:  Finally driving into Wanganui.

Did you know... 41 years ago I gave birth to Lacy in Wanganui?

She only took 2 hours to arrive.  Cord around her throat two times too!  

We both got thrush in the hospital.  Wasn't very nice. 

The things ya remember eh? 😜😚😊

ABOVE:  We checked out the main shopping street of Wanganui.

I spied this shop, told Stew we had to stop!

FABRIC!!!

😡😠😞  Nope.  Not one single piece of fabric in that SEWING shop.  Buttons.  Notions.  Sewing aides. Sewing Machines.  NO FABRIC...  I walked in... then straight out again.

ABOVE:  Khady has an amazing view from her home!  A huge deck to sit on and just enjoy looking over the town... and the Wanganui River in the distance too.

And that's it for today.  We have just had dinner, which was delicious.  Time to just relax and enjoy spending time with Khady and Stew.

11.11

There is a LONG story behind the time 11.11 am/pm for me.

That time always makes me think of my brother Vern, who died 22 years ago.  Whenever I see that time on my phone or a clock, I feel like Vern is 'with me'.

I know, it's weird.  

Anyway...  things have been very 'rocky' the past few days but what has helped me tremendously is 11.11.

I have seen that time on my phone and clock at least once every day!  And I can assure you, I'm not clock watching!  It just happens.

So, I am positive my brother is watching over me.  That certainly helps me get through these rough times.

Just like seeing butterflies makes me feel like my Mum's spirit is around me too.

Do you ever have that sort of thing happen to you?  Does it help you, or freak you out?

DOGSTARS:  you asked how my jig saw puzzle was coming along yesterday.

ABOVE:  It's kinda scary how much there is to go!  But, I'm just plodding away at it, most days I am happy to have found 5-10 pieces.  Some days I only find 2 or 3!

BTW:  all the pieces inside the Outside Edges are in, more or less, the right place. 

But I am enjoying it very much.  It is certainly the hardest puzzle I have ever done.

My main job today is to get all the washing and housework up to date, then lay out everything we need to take with us tomorrow.

I'm sure I will overpack, who doesn't?

Catch ya later.

10.55 am:  So.  I'm getting clothes out to pack.

And I get to me tights.

And like...  WHO hasn't had tights ride up and leave a damn cold 'gap' at the ankle?

It happens to me all the time.

Then I remembered these from way, way back in the day:

ABOVE:  I can remember wearing some like this as a teenager!

ANYWAY, I decided that before I do anything else, I was going to put elastic on the bottom of all my tights to stop them riding up.

ABOVE:  One down, 5 to go.

If you found this a damn good idea, you're welcome.  😋😊😉

6 pm:  And yes, I know I've been quiet on here today.

I've been busy.

Packing.

Washing/Drying/Folding/Putting away.

Yakking to friends.

Lunching.

Afternoon tea'ing.  lol

Moving furniture (just rotating lounge chairs).

And other stuff.  You know how it goes.  Just stuff.

Very happy afternoon really.  

Just happy with how life is right now... and looking forward to the weekend, when Stew and I get to hang out with friends and family.

9.50 pm:  Stew and I went out for dinner, then came home and Stew did his packing.

A quiet evening, watching telly.

It's bloody cold tonight!  The temperature has dropped dramatically.  We will be taking plenty of warmer clothes tomorrow, that's for sure.  Thermals even.  Brrrrr.

SORRY

 

HEADACHE

Back later.

ABOVE:  Kinda my mood upon waking today.

But... I decided a few pills and a better attitude might be nicer than being in a funk all day.

So, I forced myself to get up, fling the windows open and do some housework.

I got the vacuming all done and the floors washed.

ABOVE:  Have I told you how BRILLIANT this little mop is!  It's just so, so easy to use.  I LOVE IT.  $49 from Godfreys.  

ABOVE:  Stew had a regular doctor's appointment this morning over our way, so he dropped in afterwards for a cuppa tea.

Can I just say how much I love and adore this man?

He is totally and utterly my NUMBER ONE PERSON on this earth, he is the BEST husband, father and grandfather anyone could ask for.

ABOVE:  After Stew went back to work I decided to go and grab a few snacks for our trip down the line on Friday.

Nice and healthy eh?  lol

AND then I went to Briscoes to try and find a new towel rail for our ensuite, cos the current one fell off the wall this morning.

NO luck with the rail, but I did find ummmm....

ABOVE: Some BEAUTIFUL new melamine trays and a glass trivet!

Someone said I should do something I liked today... so shopping it is.  😊😉😂

ABOVE:  I also got this lovely container for our toothbrushes, toothpaste, nail scrubber etc.  I don't like the one we have anymore.  It's made of wood (bamboo?) and is looking a bit manky now.

ABOVE:  Lastly for now... Brylee I have put that pumice in our pond.  I'm sure the fish will love pushing it around. 

Time for some lunch I do believe.

4.20 pm:  And oh my it's quiet around here.  Maybe I should have stayed away today?  What are ya all doing?

I've been doing me puzzle a bit, and just fluffing around the house.  Not really inclined to do much more today.

6.14 pm:  Stew will be home soon.  We are having Beer Battered Prawns and wedges for dinner.  I had thought about making a little coleslaw as a 'healthy' side salad, but meh.  Neither of us will want it really!

8.38 pm:  Well our dinner was really nice.  The prawns... OMG so yum!  I will certainly be getting them again.

Nothing else is going on now, just our usual quiet evening.

Catch ya tomorrow.

HIGH VIS

 Well, yesterday afternoon I finally got the pockets on my new High Vis Vest:

ABOVE:  I'm really happy with the pockets, now I can just put me phone and keys in them and off I go

I'm hoping I don't get too hot in it! 

Lacy saw my High Vis Vest the other day and tried to nick it.  I told her she wasn't having it.

Then I rang Admin at FBG and asked if there was a spare one in Medium?  Luck would have it, there was.  So I picked it up yesterday.

ABOVE:  She's thrilled to bits with it... cos it's PURPLE!

ABOVE:  It really glows when you use ya flash! 

Now... cos he was so cute:

ABOVE:  Liam dancing in the cutest dress... he's gunna hate us when he's 16 and we show it to his mates!  😂😆😅

I don't have any firm plans for my day.  Tonight I've got cards in Cambridge, so that will be nice.

So.... let's just see what pans out.

10.50 am:  And I've been to the supermarket, just for a few fresh items.  Ya know... lollies, chocolates, cakes.... ha ha, just joking! Bread.  Veges.  Meat.

ABOVE: When I pulled into the carpark at Countdown, I noticed a group of people gathered, looking ready to set off for a walk.

So I steeled my nerves and went over to ask them if they were indeed a walking group?

Turns out there are members of a group called Rebus.  They go walking only about once a fortnight, but said I was welcome to join their group.

BUT... in order to join you had to be retired, or at least semi-retired.

I said, well I'm kinda retired?  I don't go to work anymore?

They then asked me how old I was, cos maybe I was too young to join yet?

When I told them my age they said I could join!  lol

So I'm going to.

It's about time I started making new friends over here, and going on a walk once a fortnight with them will be nice too.

Spreading my Hamilton wings.  

DAMMIT.

I actually have the worst headache right now.

So I'm going to take some pills and lie down, with the fervent hope I can sleep it off.

I would really like to attend Card Night this evening.

The pills didn't work.  

Tried to sleep, didn't work.

Phone kept ringing.

Gave up.

Then Bex and the boys called in.  That was lovely.

After they left I sorted out dinner for Stew, threw some face on and went over to Cambridge for Card night.

ABOVE:  I co-won tonight.  We didn't play too late tonight, we were all a bit tired.

I still have my headache, so won't be long out of bed tonight.