Wow two mountains in one day!

That’s right, this morning while sitting at our dining table enjoying breakfast (with the ranchslider open as it was so warm) we looked out the window and we could see the snow capped mountains of both Egmont in Taranaki and Ruapehu in the central of the north island.  What a beautiful day, the vendors of our new home had told us this was possible but to be honest we were a little sceptical until we saw them with our own eyes.

Oh dear, we've now lost that lovely view.

We are all moved into our new property although not entirely sorted yet.  The story on our move last Friday can be found on our friends Robin and Jenny’s blog here.

There is a lot to organise with a move such as this and it all did not go entirely to plan with settlement not coming through until 4.45pm.  Phew that was close.  We were told the problem was with our purchasers bank not having the paper work completed but who knows. 

Good Bye Lower Hutt.

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Hello Levin

Our phone and internet were up and running with a good deal from Telecom and 30gb data until the end of 2013.  We won’t know ourselves.  After our 5 years in the UK we managed to survive on mobile broadband of 3gb, and since returning  home  it became only 2gb in New Zealand.  We managed to keep within the allocated allowance most of the time.  Whatever are we going to do with 30gb.  Watch or download movies maybe? We converted our on account mobile usb stick to prepay so that we only need to put money on when we are away in Gypsy Rover.

Last night we had a phone call from our kiwi friends John and Elizabeth from Blenheim and owners of Narrowboat Helen Louise who are coming home from the UK in January for 3 months.  We look forward to catching up when they come to stay in our humble abode, if only for 1 night on their way south from Auckland.

Tomorrow we start repacking again for our 2 weeks in Tongariro from Thursday.  More on this to follow.

The latest must have for Retirement Home Receptions.

Interesting Art Deco Napier

While we were in Hastings last week house and cat sitting we travelled to Napier to pick up a parcel for Richard from Mainfreight.  A Tow bar for the Mini!  People have asked why we bothered putting a towbar on my Nissan Note.  But boy has that paid for itself in the last few weeks.  Its work wont be finished until shifting day in a couple of weeks.

While in Napier we wandered around the central of the city and came across these very interesting views.  Nothing anywhere to explain their existence or what they commemorate but they certainly made for interesting viewing. Mostly knitted craft work attached to the palms in the main street.

Jenny made a comment and suggested I check good old google and this is what I found.

A Statue dressed in the style of the 1930’s in the art deco period.

A more conventional view from Napier looking out to Cape Kidnappers.

Yes we’re still here!

Back home after two weeks in sunny Hawkes Bay.  Yeah right.  Some of the time.  We are now are in the middle of sorting what shall we keep and what shall we throw.  We thought we had done this 6 years ago!!  Power,  telephone and internet now sorted for our new home. Now what else is there?

Look Mum! I haven't forgotten how.

Prior to us leaving New Zealand for the UK six years ago Simba lived with us at home.  Often he would bring a rat in and drop it at my feet as if to say”Aren’t I clever”  Many times Derek or I had to yell at him to take it outside.  One night I got up in the dark to use the bathroom and on  getting out of bed I screamed as I put my foot down.  Turning on the light beside my bed I discovered a large dead rat beside the bed. Consequently we locked the cat door after that so if he went out in the night he couldn’t get back in.

He must have learnt because today he came and dropped a baby rat down in front of us with a big smirk on his face.  No attempt to take it in the house.  Unfortunately being very dead it didn’t want to play so he gave up and wandered off.  It was then up to Derek to go and bury it.

Two firsts in one day!

Today the Hawkes Bay became one of the first areas together with the West Coast in the South Island  to change over to digital television on the first day of Daylight Saving in New Zealand.  The number of television sets being recycled and sent to Wellington who don’t change over until September next year is amazing.  In these tight economic times it is surprising how many people are buying new televisions when the cost of a freeview box which does the same thing is so much cheaper.

I know we have bought a new television set  but for an entirely different reason.  The picture and sound on our tv set is great but considering we are shifting and the old set is so heavy we have decided to give it away.

This morning we went into Hastings to the weekly Farmers market and came home loaded with the weeks vegetables.  It was a beautiful day with temperatures reaching 23⁰c. I never seem to anticipate these temperatures and only have winter clothes with me.

Farmers Market at the Hastings A & P grounds.

The site of Waikoko the home of William Nelson who foundered the freezing industry in Hawkes Bay in 1884.

This afternoon we headed off for Havelock North as we had heard that Derek’s best man at our wedding had returned from Australia and was now living locally.  Thanks to the internet and our faithful Garmin we arrived at their home mid afternoon.  What a shame, their house sitter informed us that they are currently down in Christchurch for a wedding.  Never mind, later in the week will do, we will be around for a few days yet.  Returning to Richards following the GPS we saw more of the area as we came back on an entirely different route.

Hastings House and Simba Sitting.

While Richard spends some time down south it gives us the opportunity to house sit and look after my (well he was once) cat Simba.  When we left for the UK in 2006 the big question was what to do with Simba?  We left him with my son Richard who was living in our home at the time before he moved to Sunny Hawkes Bay nearly 3 years ago.  Of course Simba made the move too.   He loves it out in the country and the wide open spaces.

Simba a little fatter these days though. Well aren’t we all?

Coming home in 2010 and visiting we were most surprised to find that he still hadn’t forgotten us.  He is still loving and making the most of his time with us by not letting me out of his sight.  Richard calls him a traitor now he is spending a lot of time with both Derek and I.  Simba was very much my cat originally and only tolerated Derek because he had too.  Now he appears to have mellowed and now settles himself down on Derek’s knee which once he would never do.

Before heading south Richard decided that he had better mow the lawn, he didn’t trust Derek with the ride on mower.  What a shame.