Warming to the Awning

Couldn't get away to Ohiwa until Saturday afternoon, but got the awning up before drinks that night. The instructions were translated from Spanish. Several key areas seem to have been omitted. Velcro straps weren't there. We were introduced to fitons, which is a bit like a piton for scaling icy peaks. However, despite these sticking points we were so pleased with the functionality of the awning, and lots of options in the cool wind which plagued the weekend. There was a huge crowd in the camping ground, but no one we knew. Many with dogs.

I washed the sheets and blankets, but didn't risk the bedspread as the weather was quite cloudy. Duncan did some good runs, spurred on by reading the Kerre Woodham "Fat chick in Paris". I had quite a bit of marking to do, so all in all a quiet weekend. I took my togs - as a child, first swim of the year at Labour weekend - but didn't use them!

Back home to Gisborne and hot dry norwester.

Wet wet wet!

I was just preparing to do a blog about the joys of spring when the weather changed. The rain has not let up, and we are approaching a very worrisome night. This is the racecourse quickly filling up. Millie suggested it should be called Lake Gisborne

The weather has been made worse by the strong winds, and before that the hail - but I havent ventured over to the Back Block to investigate the damage yet.The water will make it very hard to get the sprayer around the vineyard, so we will be wide open all all the mildew diseases.The racecourse drains out through our property. The drains are getting very full. The ducks next door are loving it.Still the rain is pelting down!!! Wet, wet, wet!

Summer, here we come

This last week has been all about getting the caravan ready for summer. We took it up to Tauranga to get the freeview TV put on. This caused our first problem as the firm - that we had been recommended didn't have a plug to use with a caravan point, so, since we hadn't unhooked the caravan from the car we went for long walks while they completed the job. Then we trundled on to Ohiwa, and set up in time to watch the six o'clock news. The statellite dome finds the station itself and the reception is brilliantly clear. On Wednesday we did a bit of tidying up. I'm changing the loo system from liquids whose perfume was almost as overpowering as that which it is trying to mask, while Duncan de-spidered the nooks and crannies. Then we went for a game of golf at Opotiki. I played extremely badly. When we got back Duncan went to try the dea of using anchovies for bait, which wasn't successful. Nor was trying to teach his cellphone to swim.
Up bright and early on Thursday to go to the awning place in Taupo. We decided to get walls on our roll out awning, but the lady warned us that this would need to be taken down in stormy weather - which is not what we wanted. So after vowing and declaring we wouldn't get a proper awning for this caravan we came to the conclusion that for the christmas break, it was the best solution.
Duncan had a go at the hole in one at Lake Taupo. He managed to get one ball onto the pontoon, but it rolled off the back. I was amazed to read later that there is one winner every fortnight! Decided to pick up a case of European wines from scenic cellars, and had a lovely lunch there before heading home in rainy conditions.
On Friday it was up and over to Whakatane to get the old awning off as the new one will not operate with this on. More driving and walking around. Did the big circuit of the beach estuary when we returned - saw one godwit. The wind was pretty cold - it might have thought it was still in the artic.
That night as I went to the loo, my Crocs suckered into a patch of mud that I did not see and I landed on my knee, then skated forward getting mud from top to toe. Next morning I could not use this leg. I think I have related most of this in an email, so here is the picture: