OFF TO MATAMATA TODAY

This morning I am driving over to Cambridge, to join up with a group of FBG's for a trip to Matamata.

ABOVE:  We are walking to the Matamata Tower, then have lunch in MATAMATA. That should be a bit of fun.  

While I'm not doing the Urban Challenge this year due to the price of petrol, I am still staying involved in the FBG group, cos I really don't want to lose touch with so many of them.  They have become such nice friends. 

I have no idea how long we will be out and about, but I'll no doubt do an update at some point during the day.

Catch ya later.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: Well we are here, and there's quite a few old buildings to explore. There's little 'exhibitions ' inside most of them. 

We have a GORGEOUS DAY, SUNSHINE AND NO WIND.
4 pm.  Phew what a long day that was.  But ever so nice to spend time with my friends.

The Matamata/Firth Tower and it's surrounding buildings were neat to see.  It is run by the local council and is open for visits most days.

We got  a private talk about the history of the Estate/Tower, then we could wander around the buildings.

Most of the additional buildings on the Estate, apart from the original Home and Tower have been brought on site many years ago.  

I thought the tower would be a water tower, but no.  It's just a 'folly'.  Or in other words, a rather flash garden ornament!

ABOVE: In the little school, I spied this school desk  and OMG!  I can remember having a desk just like that in Primary School!

ABOVE: An original telephone box.

ABOVE: An incredibly old sewing machine, used to make leather goods.

ABOVE: This made me laugh, the little metal/cane seat?  We had one exactly like that when I was a kid.

Does that make me old?

ABOVE:  We had lunch at the J Swap coffee shop, which is on the J Swap industrial site.  This display of vehicles was pretty neat to look at.

ABOVE: The entrance to the coffee shop.  It was a very nice coffee shop.

The trip lasted quite a bit longer than I anticipated.  But all good.

Happy to be home now, and having my lunch at 4 pm!

Because my digestive system cannot be trusted, I can't eat if travelling, when I don't know where the next loo is likely to be... when you have to 'go'... it's an immediate thing with me.   Unfortunately, it's one drawback of having your gall bladder out.  I hope Bex doesn't get that side effect.

ABOVE:  A fun photo, we all held a 'mask' up of one of our walkers, who was celebrating a very special birthday.   Yaaa, one photo I didn't have to put 'faces' on . 

10.16 pm.  I'm praying for a really good night's sleep tonight.  I've had some really shitty nights lately, what with Coco doing Zoomies in the middle of the night, and Stew dropping farts strong enough to knock out an elephant!  I swear, between the two of them I'm a wreck.

And on that note, I'm outta here.

Catch ya tomorrow.