Jill's visit and trips out.
Photo thanks to Jane Reed on the West Coast of the South Island.
Feb 11th. Beautiful day at the ODI India v NZ. India 294 and NZ won with a couple of overs to spare... De Grandhomme knocking 52 off 21 balls!!!!! Onto women's' T20 world cup being held in Australia. Pete, our taxi driver had been called to Jane and Terry's hotel for a pick up and it was Virat Kholi and his famous actress wife, Anushka Sharma .....plus a minder. He was made up with his chat with one of the cricketing world greats at the moment!
Meanwhile Sue and David did Driving Creek Railway and loved it and Jane and Terry met up with Longbum down in Wellington.
Feb 12th. Another glorious day. Jane and Terry crossed the Cook Strait and said it was like a mill pond! Photos courtesy of Sue and David who took the boat to Cathedral Cove...... another thing on the to do list and why wouldn't you?
Feb 13th. Booked Eye tests in the City and then out for lunch. More women's cricket on today before everyone arrives in Australia for the T20 World Cup, which starts on the 21st Feb. My eyes are the same thankfully but Lynn has slight change and needs new frames. We get an allowance through our AA Health Insurance.... $200.00 plus a free eye test. Had great lunch out at a Vietnamese restaurant on the Strand. It was gorgeous!!!! We think it was the same one that Terry and Jane ate out at for evening meal on their first night.
Feb 17th. Jill arrived into Tauranga Airport with all travel arrangements working well. Jane and Terry couldn't see their hand in front of their face but did see Franz Joseph Glacier later on in the day
Feb 19th. The day of the procedure for my knees has arrived. The nurse took four 13 ml vials from my right arm and placed them in a Centrefuge. That produced 8 ml of Plasma Rich Fibrin and so had 4 ml injected into each Knee.
So many different experiences for us and our recent visitors.This was Terry and Jane.
And this was Sue and David in South America!
Marshie and Steve are in Hythe outside Mum and Dad's apartment.
Then back in Canterbury, with George, at our favourite meeting place..... except we weren't there!!!!
Goodness only knows how Ian Thomas got to Franz Joseph!!!!!!
I think I got the worst of the days dealings but hopefully there will be progress soon in the knee department.
Feb 20th. Knees still sore though maybe not so stiff. Excused all domestic duties for another day.
Feb 22nd. Had very nice lunch out at Win's in Papamoa. She was interested in my knee procedure as her knee replacement is still not good after 18 .months. Sue and David are back in the UK after a world wide trip. Jane and Terry continue with their adventures. Here is a before and after white water rafting shot.
Akaroa, South of Christchurch.
They are now finishing up in Christchurch before flying home next week. It has been great keeping in touch and lovely seeing Jane so happy.
Feb 23rd. Knees showing a gradual improvement and drove to Pyes Pa for first time since procedure. Quiet day with more cricket to watch.
Feb 24th. More bad cricket news as the girls lost to South Africa having beaten them last week by ten wickets!!!! Good news is Man U seem to have turned a corner, producing some exciting attacking football. New signings look good too.
Feb 25th. Finally achieved phone call with Richard and Rebecca on another sunny morning.
Feb 26th . Jill's first trip to Mount Maunganui this time around. Coffee first stop then toasted sandwich overlooking beach. Hang gliders jumping off the top of the Mount and landing on the beach.
Another beautiful day! Jane and Terry fly out of Singapore later today.......... landing at Heathrow early tomorrow morning, NZ time.
Feb 27th. Jane and Terry landed on time. Lynn got new glasses fitted then to Trinity Wharf for coffee and the Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. Gorgeous day again.
Knees much improved despite more walking at the beach yesterday. Reporting to the Dr tomorrow and back for a review at the clinic, on Monday, before we go to the Coromandel. Bought an electric wok from Noel Leemings using 50% of Patsy's gift voucher. Brilliant piece of kit.... cooked Beef in black bean sauce and Singapore Noodles in a couple of minutes..... gorgeous.
Friday 28th Feb. Knee review went well and have got second injection booked for the 18th March. According to research it is between second and third injections that long term progress is noted so we will wait for that one. Received an e mail from Angie to say Janet Hurn, my ex Headteacher, has died.
Sat 29th Feb. Happy Leap Year. Marked the day with a visit to the market for pork pies and a Welsh Oggie!!!!! It is like a Cornish pasty but with lamb, potato and mint. Mmmmmm! Great lunch. Wall to wall cricket at the moment which we are loving.
March 1st. Heard from Cathy Harris as they prepare to leave Adelaide, heading for Worcestershire-Under-Water! All booked for next year as Adelaide will host the Aussie Open again. Cathy with this year's winner......... Imbee Park....... and boy did she deserve to win!!!!
Had good chat with Marshie re their trip and they are all booked up for Bay of Islands so that is good news.
March 3rd. Travelled to our AirBnB Cowshed in the Coromandel via the Flat White for Lunch.
The Cowshed is lovely except one of the three beds is a bunk bed!!!! Someone is on the sofa tonight. Otherwise we are surrounded by peace and quiet and beautiful countryside. Two pairs of Eastern Rosella's visited last night.
Trip with Jill to Coromandel( click on the link for the slide show, which opens in a new window)
March 5th . Coffee at Talisman Cafe which is at the foot of the Karangahake Gorge. Amazing space and artifacts.
Lynn and Jill had " a bucket of Cappuccino, " which required two hands to drink it!
Karangehake Gorge ( click the link if you want to see more images of the trail and the gorge)
After coffee we went on to Ohinemuri Winery for lunch. Complimentary Cider and Honey Mead, made on site, which Lynn and Jill tried. Very nice relaxed lunch......lovely people.
Bought a bottle of the cider to take back with us. So peaceful and relaxing here...... however, home tomorrow. Sad news about the England Cricket Girls who couldn't play their semi final due to rain in Sydney. It is India v Australia in the final on Sunday. Cannot believe the ICC refused a request from the Aussie Cricket Board for a reserve date. Don't think this will ever happen again.
March 6th. Headed for home this morning via Katikati Bird gardens for coffee and The Orchard at Bethlehem for lunch.
Guess who ate all of the Pavlova?
March 11 th. early start for us heading down to Whakatane to meet Sue and Rick for lunch. Went via the Beach Cafe at Maketu where the Chief who led the voyage of Te Arawa landed and settled from Hawaiki. We haven't been there since we took Karen and Janice last February ....... cafe still looks like it could do with a makeover but it is in a beautiful spot.
Jill, Sue, Rick and Lynn outside Roquette Restaurant where we had a lovely lunch.
March 15th. What a day. The first anniversary of the terror attack in Christchurch and all gatherings cancelled due to the Corona virus. Jacinda announces that NZ will be in lockdown from midnight and all people entering must self isolate for 14 days. This will be monitored by the Health organisation and these people will be regularly checked on to ensure they comply. Failure to do so will lead to enforced isolation in a medical facility. Didn't take long for the Aussie PM to announce same measures which means Jill will be self isolated for 14 days when she returns to Sydney a week tomorrow!
The NZ cricket team flew back to Auckland in the nick of time with the ODI series v Aussie cancelled. England cricket have left Sri Lanka and flown home and virtually all sport planned for April has been cancelled. NZ won't have any cruise ships dock until after 30th June...... I mean wow... this is like a sci fi novel!!!!
March 16th. Lovely lunch at Dave and Vrons. Much chat about the Corona Virus and different countries plans. Boris seems way out of step!!!
March 18th. More depressing news about the Virus and its ongoing destruction of people and events. Jill will get back to Aussie before all Virgin flights for Aussie citizens are cancelled but at least she will get home. Richard and Rebecca's holiday in Majorca has been pulled as most countries apply the most sensible advice re travel, staying away from public spaces and self isolating if you have travelled or have symptoms. In terms of planning for the future all very worrying so Noosa in September and Marshie and Steve's trip next December........ who knows!!!! On the plus side we have toilet rolls as they are manufactured in the Bay of Plenty!!! Here is Jill showing off!!!
On another plus side had my second Plasma Rich Fibrin treatment today and all went well. Will keep you posted! Also cousin Jacquie and Roy have got home before border lock down in the UK. They will self isolate in Windsor for two weeks.
March 22nd. Checked Jill's booking reference for flights tomorrow. Tauranga to Auckland at 12.10 and Auckland to Sydney at 4 pm only to find the 12.10 had been cancelled and she was flying at 3.10 pm which gets in ten minutes before her flight to Sydney!!!!!! The 12.10 has been cancelled and we will have to drive her to Auckland to catch her flight. I am on hold now waiting for someone from the emergency flight centre to change the ticket as it is booked all the way through and she needs the ticket changed to leave out the Tauranga /Auckland flight!!!!!! What a mess!!!!!!!! All done now and need to leave for the airport at 10.00 am tomorrow. The staff at the Flight Centre in Australia have been very good in pursuing this matter.
23rd March. Jill's re issued ticket came through in the middle of the night so with the knowledge that only passengers were going to be allowed inside the airport...... we set off in the hissing rain!!!! Three hours later we arrived at Auckland International expecting it to be very quiet..... NOT...... Jill had her walker and crutch and Lynn had her luggage on a trolley. Queues of people outside being interviewed by officials so Lynn put on her assertive hat, walked up to the official who was letting crew members through and said she needed to assist Jill as she couldn't use her walker, crutch and push a trolley at the same time. Eventually they got in and found a priority check in for wheelchair assist and she got taken to the Business class lounge. Breathing a huge sigh of relief that she has got out of NZ the day before we heard we are to go to Alert Level Three and then Four in two days time...... lock down for four weeks...... wow that was a close call! Knees are improving each day and I drove to and from the airport with very little distress in either of them.
March 25th. Good to catch up with folks last night and see how everyone if fairing in these strange times. It is important that we look out for each other and keep in touch with everyone close to us both here in New Zealand and across the world. We are still struggling to come to terms with this virus and how it has spread so quickly across the globe.......... so hopefully this blog will fill a few minutes out of your next four weeks. For those who face time us......... when the UK clocks go forward next weekend we will be 12 hours time difference for one week until our clocks go back the next weekend when we will be 11 hours apart for your summer time.
This may be the last blog for sometime as you won't want to read about our mundane lives and how may pieces of the jigsaw we have managed. Our next trip was due to be in September to Queensland, Australia..... if that goes ahead the next blog might be October which will be two years since we left England's pleasant land.
I will leave you with this picture so you can imagine us doing this jigsaw for the next four weeks! Keep your news coming and look after yourselves.
