Unemployed as of yesterday.........

As of Friday 29th we are now semi retired or unemployed depending on how you look at it. It will seem strange not having to get up early on Monday morning but we won't be sleeping in too long as there is plenty to do before Thursday night. All our travel documents are now in hand so roll on Friday.

Just packing......

Next week-end is another hectic round of social engagements before we depart. We are spending most evenings still packing and sorting out what we are taking to the UK. One never realises how many belongings one has until one starts packaging them into as few boxes as possible. We realise that space on the boat is limited so we are trying to pack essential items first & then pack extra's or a few meagre luxuries in the gaps.

Au Revoir

We have just spent the weekend in lovely Otaki at a farewell party from members of the Heretaunga Caravan Club. Yesterday, club members had to build a narrowboat out of anything they could find lying around, these were then tested in the motor camp swimming pool. Two floated beautifully but alas the 3rd sunk like the Titanic. The first was called 'Tipsy Gypsy' , the second 'Derekdot' and the 3rd just plain 'Gypsy'. The evening eventually finished up with a nautical theme for dinner, Jenny and Robin dressed as the Lockeeper and his wench together with several pirates with skull and crossbones and of course the Ships Captain and ships girl. Fun was had by all & we were given a very fond farewell.

The dawning of Spring...............

After a long cold wet winter. Today dawns bright and sunny and the birds are all singing. The last few months of slips and floods are becoming forgotten apart from those that were hit badly. Derek has the garden almost sorted and the house is in an organised chaos of boxes and boxes ready for our move to the UK.
Last weekend I caught up with my friends of long ago over a long lunch and we made big promises to stay in touch from one side of the world to the other. This weekend we are travelling through to Otaki (minus caravan) for a farewell dinner with other members of the Heretaunga caravan Club. Our calendar is full at the moment and each weekend is fully booked catching up with everyone before we leave.
It is hard to believe that we have finally resigned our jobs and head forth into the unknown. Rather scary as it is a complete new life. We have not burned our bridges and have a home to come back to eventually, as my son Richard is looking after our home whilst we are away.
We are both looking forward to our life aboard Gypsy Rover.

The birds & the bees

Our garden is becoming a haven for a variety of birds & Derek managed to get a beautiful shot of a little Wax eye bird cavorting in the one of our Rhododendron bushes.
These lovely little birds are about half the size of a sparrow & are usually found in a group. The other bird is a Tui, which is a New Zealand native & he sits up in the trees singing away for hours on end. We wake up to the sound of our friend most mornings.The plumage is an iridescent black and turquoise green & looks beautiful in the sunlight.

The end of an era................

We went away for the weekend in our caravan for the last time. The weather started off ok but torrential rain fell on Saturday night keeping most of us awake. We held the AGM of the caravan club and followed it with dinner at the local cospomolitian club and most of the men were glued to the TV for the final of the three nations rugby test in Auckland. The All Blacks won again beating Australia although it was a tough game and many were holding their breaths for long periods during the game.
Sunday dawned a lot brighter and Derek and I had the job of packing up the caravan and its contents. We then reluctantly left it behind in Otaki ready for sale.
Well, we won't be using it again while in the UK so, one door shuts and another one opens..........
7 weeks to go.

Going back in time

Somebody is trying to tell me something.
Yesterday morning I received an email from Juleen an old girlfriend that I nursed with nearly forty years ago. She had been reading our website and was catching up. Moving to Australia some 30 years ago we have only met up a couple of times since. There were four of us friends who used to hang around together and the others I last saw at a reunion about 20 years ago, although they live reasonably close. Last night Derek and I went out to dinner, and guess what? We met up with Sandy and Linda the other two of the foursome. All in one day! I hope to catch up again for a coffee with Sandy and Linda before we leave New Zealand in, would you believe 6 weeks? Just shows that christmas cards sometimes are not enough, although keeping the door open.
The same evening Derek bumped into an old workmate of 20 years. Perhaps these things are telling us something, but we are not interpeting them right.