Post covid restricted NZ.
The last blog was sent before Christmas 2022 when NZ was just about to open up. Our first visitors in two years were Karen Richards and her travelling companion Jo. They flew in from Perth on New Years Eve and stayed for just under a week. They did all the usual trips while here......... Hobiton, climbing the Mount, coffee with friends of ours. The weather was pretty awful that week with two earthquakes felt while asleep and then a Cyclone preventing their onward travel to the Coromandel. One day late, they made their way to the west of the Coromandel and then up to the Bay of Islands.
Here they are at the top of the Mount.
After Karen and Jo left our troubled shores..... in the nick of time...... Auckland, Northland, The Coromandel and The Bay of Plenty had torrential rain for five days which flooded houses and the airport. Below passengers wading through the Auckland arrivals.
Fortunately this all happened after Karen left and before Jill arrived from Sydney for one month. We went up to Auckland the day before and went to Auckland Botanical Gardens while we waited for her arrival.
Days were punctuated with coffee stops, lunches out locally and over at the Mount.
Next to arrive was Eileen Rees' baby brother, Andrew, wife Gail and daughter Darcey. They were over for the England Cricket match at Tauranga and fitted us into their hectic schedule for a coffee and cake.
While Andrew was here we had our first visit by our new garden lodger...... a wild rabbit, who remains a regular visitor on a daily basis.
The day after Andrew's visit we drove to Ohope Beach for three nights in a motel right by the beach. Last time we were on this beach we were with Patsy, eating roast beef and horseradish sandwiches ..... great memories. Jill was desperate for a paddle so we were well placed.
While we were in Ohope, Sue Sisam called to see Jill and so too Kathy D R, for wine o clock. The following weekend Sue Longbottom, Canterbury Hockey GK now living in NZ, arrived in Tauranga for the Masters Tournament. We met for coffee and she is unchanged!! She is representing NZ v Australia in an International match later in the year. Amazing.
The other International Masters Hockey player selected is Rob Playford. Congrats to him and of course his mother!
The bad weather continued with Cyclone Gabriel hitting the North Island, particularly Nelson and Hastings on the East coast. Many houses have been red stickered which means they cannot be entered and twelve people lost their lives.
People were rescued off their house roofs in the midst of the storm. Houses are still full of mud and silt one month later. It has been catastrophic for people living here.
Meanwhile more social events back at Kereru Place, ending with drinks at Lesley and Norman's, who live in our cul de sac, but on the other side of the road with a view!
Lynn and I at the Blue Bayou Cafe on a lovely sunny day...... one of very few this summer.
Jill returned to Sydney without any difficulties with travel. We continue to do increasingly challenging jigsaw puzzles in the afternoons.
Finally, I received a call from an admissions nurse regarding an operation date for my replacement left knee at the private Grace Hospital, just around the corner.
This is a state funded operation but they are using the private hospital because of the wait times. How lucky am I?
I have had conversations with the anesthetist, the physio, the pre assessment nurse..... have had blood tests... met with the surgeon Dr James Aoina, a NZ born Samoan who was very nice. I have my operation on Tuesday 4th April and should be in for two days. Will bring you up to speed in the next blog. Annie and Graham called in on their way back from Taumarunui but we kept our distance during their catch up visit. Still currently staying hunkered down avoiding people and not getting Covid before Tuesday.
We have just booked a holiday in the Cook Islands in Raratonga in six months so we have something to work towards. The resort is called Muri Beachcomber.
Leaving you with this peaceful image.
