Summer holidays - Part 1 Ohiwa

 It was a slightly unusual start to our camping holiday as we had left the caravan in Ohiwa, and it was a matter of stuffing everything from Christmas trees to bikes in the back of the car. It did mean we forgot a few things, as we would normally pack the fridge rather than the chilli bin. Of course it was a fast trip over, not towing, and we got set up on T12 and the gazebo up before dinner. there was a patch of the site that was very wet, and I had to sacrifice one of my cheap plastic tablecloths to put over the muddy part.

On the Sunday we went for a walk along the beach which was very eroded.

Next morning we were up bright and early and heading via Taupo bypass to Fred Swains funeral in Napier. It was a celebration of Fred's life - made easier by the fact that he was already cremated - no dead body in the room. We went back to the house afterwards, and stayed the night in a hotel. Then we came back on Tuesday.

Picture taken in Jan 2022

There was still some more rainy patches to come, but we managed a couple of swims, did quite a bit of reading and scrabble playing.

We picked Heather up from the bus in Opotiki on the 22nd, after we had bought a lovely outdoors mat at Mitre 10 to help with the muddy patch, and restocked at the Supermarket.

Next morning Heather and I walked up to Bryan's Beach which needed a bit of a tidy up. The bar structure there was also damaged.

We came back via the inland track, and it was lovely to see that young pohutukawa trees are springing up under the older trees. The little grotto there has a good waterfall of water going, and the mosses were enjoying it.

We went to Carla and Craigs for nibbles that night, and the weather was starting to perk up.

They are well set up on E8, and even have the Christmas lights going.

Christmas meals were three courses over the day. The Brunch course was like appetisers - something to nibble at while we had our Champagne. 

The main course had a South American flavour to it, with a spicy quinoa salad , BBQ lamb, with avocado topping. The dessert was apple tarts with a macadamia filling.

One of our neighbours had decorations which featured presents which didn't have a bottom. I kept checking for chocolates, and sure enough, on Christmas day they were there! 

We were up bright and early next morning, and complete with Heather in the back seat headed for Gisborne, to frantically mow lawns, garden and do some washing before Heading South for the New Year part of our holiday. Heather and I did manage to have a visit to the Art Gallery to see a couple of exhibitions - one very focused on eyeballs, and the other botanical in nature.

 

Millie Turns 21

 To be completed soon

Test Run 2022

 The end of October, and it is time to get the caravan out of the shed and have a few days away at Ohiwa.

Lots of pairs of quail at the camping ground this year.

The most distressing thing to see was the state of the roads. The slip between Opotiki and Ohiwa had closed the road for a few days the week before. Todd and Nola told us that the camping ground was cut off for a short while, and hard to get to for a couple of weeks.

We went for a drive around to the boat ramp - the walking track is a mess - and there were big trees that had slid down banks. 

The first of the Pohutukawa blossom at the boat ramp

The ground still looks very unstable.

Even the road cone needed some repairs!

Still, there are always beautiful views somewhere.

We even took a dip in the pool!

A good four days away.

The PlodFest

 Just a quick Blog to record the 70th birthday of Murray Kemp - aka Plod. He had - way before COVID - promised that he would get all the family together in a Bavarian Tavern (in Germany). But a few weddings and several babies had occurred in the intervening years, so he decided he would have to settle for a party in his back-yard. And just as well, as he had a major heart attack and cardiac surgery in Waikato,  a couple of months before the event. But still it was a Bavarian Tavern theme, and even an um-pah band (Gisborne City Brass). All the family was there. Such a pleasant afternoon with live music, great food and wine or beer.

The Nut Trip.

 Next morning we are off to pick up our nuts from Whynut We have just over 70kg from 212kg of Nut in shell. But our recovery rate is extremely high. We would expect about 2.8kg of rejects, but we had 0.63Kg of rejects. Sue at Whynut is extremely complimentary.

This is the total rejects that we can't use.

These have been rejected because of bits of skin remaining, but we can easily scrape this off and use these ones at home.

We head off to New Plymouth where we drop our nuts off to (a very talkative) Bill and Christine at emacadamia who process the nuts into products. They impress on us the fact that it will only be for one year - but  we are no sooner heading on our way home when we get an email saying the nuts are so  good, they would like to be  first in the queue for our nuts next year.

However we have had a long day and stay a night in Hawera, where we sample possibly the only two highlights of the town - the water tower, and a very good Indian meal.

Next day, the long trip back to Gisborne, but feeling quietly pleased with our harvest. We save 8kg for our own use.

But wait, there's more..

  The final day of the wedding festivities is a picnic at "Tickle Park". They have brioche buns which are superb with the bacon.

Claudia does gymnastics with her second cousins, once removed, Freya, Bonnie and Sunday, but there was no one of Theo's age, so he just climbed trees - along with the crows!

We finished the jigsaw back at the Haszards unit  - Claudia squidging the last few bit in. Time for a nap until it is time for dinner at the local hotel. (Unfortunately I have reached my limit, and cannot even finish a glass of Chardonnay - let alone a meal!)

At 1.05am a text floated in  saying our nuts were ready to pick up. Fortunately Duncan and I slept on until the alarm went as we had to catch out airport shuttle at 6am.

Coolum Caprice in the early morning sunlight.

Rua and Jill had to leave Coolum at 4 am. Jill said that if they were out of pastries at the lounge then their plane must have been delayed.

Jill and Rua must have made their connections.

We had put in for upgrades on the return trip, but there was only one available, and Duncan graciously let me accept it so I could catch up on a bit of sleep.

The Big Day. 24th September 2022

 

This is in Jill and Rua's apartment - Claudia getting the beauty treatment!  Their place looked down more towards the swimmers area.

Nippers practice, then the older surf life savers.

The morning was fairly low key and we had to be at the Park where the wedding was by 3.

The one good thing about being 70 now, they usher you to the seats!!

Such a wonderful setting!

Both Robin and Chris walked Phoebe up the aisle. Her frock was a very rich lace, with a hemline which lifted in the front. 

With this ring....

The vows that they exchanged were exceptional - Phoebe's were so tender we were all in tears, and Shannon's - being an early child educator - had the flavour of Dr Suess and had us all in fits of laughter.

The Happy Couple

Otis got a bit niggly towards the end of the ceremony, but just was included  - Phoebe held him till he settled down.

We had a short while to fill in until the reception started at 4, but the setting was glorious, and a pod of whales just started blowing and leaping out to sea - hard to photograph.

Shannon is from a very musical family, and for their original wedding plans, the wedding was more like a music festival! 

It didn't take long for the music to start humming.

The guy in the turquoise shirt, playing the sax is Peter (aged 94)- Shannon's grand-dad. Frank - with Otis above and below in the band on guitar is Shannon's Dad. They riffed and jammed and did a bunch of old jazz classics - Take Five, Summertime - which for some reason I know all the words to, and could sing along.

There were platters on the tables, and hot finger food bought round by waitresses.

Cousin's catch-up

Chris's speech was very heartfelt.

Phoebe and Shannon's speech of Thanks - "Well" said Shannon, "I'm going to leave all this to Phoebe"

The band started to play again - A rocker from Frank's Band did a crashingly good version of Mustang Sally.  I just loved it. All to soon it was time for us to go home and relieve the babysitter - a friend of Jackie's, so she was able to catch up with her on the weekend too.

Just the best wedding.

Family Photos - Our Blended- for the weekend family, and the Bushies!