Week 3

Monday 14th January. We woke to grey skies, quite a surprise. By mid morning it was pretty windy and we had a decent downpour. Probably not enough to fill the water tank but enough to add a fair bit to it. By afternoon blue skies and scudding clouds were in evidence. A day of pottering and jigsawing. I cooked a piece of salt (corned) beef for tea. Always a treat when we are here to be able to buy this. It’s unheard of in France and I have never seen it in the UK either. Quite different to the stuff that comes in tins.

Tuesday 15th January.
Morning at home. Finished the jigsaw! Warm and windy.

In the afternoon we went exploring. Went to Long Beach the other side of the peninsula from Russell. We got the chairs out of the car, sat in the shade of a Pohutakawa and relaxed for a couple of hours. A beautiful beach just 10 minutes drive from home. Lots of people in the sea so I shall come prepared with my cossie next time.  

A quick stop in Russell but decided to return home as it was beginning to rain.

Rain soon stopped so we explored Okiato which was the seat, briefly, of the first government of New Zealand. All that remains is the original well. A short stroll took us to a seat overlooking the bay. A stunning view of both the bay and a rather ornate house, Castello Bach, that looks to be empty. Next to that is Clendon Hotel which looks to be deserted but must still be in business as it is on Trip Advisor albeit with some very bad reviews.

Wednesday 16th January.

Went into Russell in the morning. Took the wasjig jigsaw back and we were delighted to find two

more.Had coffee and a muffin at the cafe next door before strolling along by the beach. Pretty windy 

today so not a lot of activity. A few youngsters though were having great fun jumping off the jetty into the sea time and time again.Oh, the energy of youth!

Thursday 17th January.

Big day out! Caught the ferry to “civilisation” and drove, 40 minutes, to The Warehouse at Waipapa. First people we saw, they were coming out as we were going in, were Anne and Tony from upstairs! Such a popular place! Had a good browse round but nothing took my fancy just bought a few odds

and ends for the kitchen including a sieve.  I’d cooked rice on Wednesday evening and discovered I didn’t have a sieve so we had soggy rice! Not to be recommended!

Then drove into Kerikeri, always a challenge to find parking there. Had lunch and then shopped 

New World. The layout there is exactly the same as the one in Warkworth where I have shopped on 

previous visits so it all looks so familiar.It’s getting hot again so we were pleased to get back home by mid afternoon after our exciting day in

the big, wide world!

Friday 18th January.

A day at home in preparation for a big weekend! My grandchildren, Danni and Jonny are driving up later today. It’s quite difficult for me to get my head round the fact that Danni is now a car owner and driver. She texted me at 4pm to say that she had just picked up Jonny and was leaving Auckland. So started 4 + hours of worry ! Rob had assured me that she’s a good driver but grandmothers like 

mothers do tend to be concerned when their chicks start driving. Rob and I were standing on the 

terrace watching the ferry crossing and at 8.30pm we had a text from Danni to say she was waiting for the ferry to arrive. Sigh of relief. It’s only 2 years since we have seen them but what a difference 

those 2 years have made. Danni is 18 and seems to have transformed from a schoolgirl to a working 

Woman in the blink of an eye. Oh, and she never stops talking! Jonny, on the other hand, says very

little but then of course it would be very difficult for him to get a word in when Danni is with him!