Wednesday and more rain!

Totty is getting fed up with these short, wet walks! Will it never stop. Poor school children.

I had to go into Tauranga today as my library book is overdue and as I have renewed it twice online I can't do it again so now I owe $2. I also needed to buy a get well card for Rene and a birthday card for Jane and collect the key I have had engraved for Heather's 21st - all in the pouring rain. Th car windows kept steaming up and were difficult to clear.

We had a tsunami warning today because of the quake near Samoa. Lots of idiot people went out onto the beaches after being told not to. Some even took their children to the beaches. There were swells up in Auckland and on other beaches but nothing much thank goodness. Many people went up onto the Mount to watch but saw nothing. The devastation in Samoa is awful, it is one of the places we were considering for our holiday in January.

Malcolm sent an email with his flight details and he will only be here for 11 days. He arrives the day Jane leaves so they will see each other for a couple of hours in Auckland. I asked him why so short a time and he says he did not want to outstay his welcome! I was expecting him to be here for three or four weeks, such a long way to come for such a short time. Nothing we can do about it now as he has booked the tickets.

I spoke to Fran last night and she told me Rene had sat the chair for two nights and would not go to hospital until Fran insisted, what a stubborn woman she is. Hopefully she will be home in about a week but is saying she doesn't want home help. I feel bad being over here and not able to do anything to help her. Fran told me she is always saying how much she misses me.

I am going to stop now as my keyboard is playing up and missing out lots of letters andI am having to go over every word!!!!

Tuesday

The weather looks a bit better today.

The hall where we normally have our keep fit class is booked for something else today so we had our class up at Greerton Hall. It is a much bigger hall and our group was little lost in there. There are no facilities to make coffee so the class was over early.

When I got home I changed and went out to GatePa shopping area an had a coffee sitting outside. I went up there as there is a kitchen shop I needed to go to. I wanted a grapefruit knife, as we are eating them every day now, and I also needed a parsley grater, we are growing so much parsley at the moment I can't keep up with it. Fortunately I found both.

I then went to an area, near here, to which I have not been before. I was asked to collect some books for the Lions book sale. I found the house with no problems and got the books. Nothing interesting in them - all about wars!

Jon had a sight test today and needs new glasses. He ha ordered two pairs one are sunglasses and they are much the same as UK prices.

I had a letter from Fran, Rene's sister, to tell me that Rene had a fall and is in hospital and not very happy about it. She also sent me some nice photos of her 90th birthday. I will give her a call tonight as she is living at Rene' house in Centre Drive.

First day of the school holidays and it is raining.

Well I am glad I got most of my washing done yesterday as the weather is not good today.

I managed to get Totty out but we got caught in a shower and were very wet when we go back.

When we have days like this there is not much I can do other than housework, read or watch TV.

It is nice to have the longer day and an hour has made a big difference.

Golf is getting better

After taking Totty our for her walk we went over for our golf lesson. Jon is doing really well and Andy says I am much improved but then I really don't think I could get worse! It was lovely and sunny and after our lesson we went and had a coffee - surprise, surprise.

We went home and had an early lunch and the weather was looking a bit dodgy to go on a long walk so we decided to walk around the Mount. It was really windy when we set off but by the time we had got around to the other side it was lovely and sunny and more sheltered and there were lots of people on the rocky beach at the bottom of the Mount. We actually saw a seal basking in the sun on the rocks.

After our walk we bought an ice cream and went and sat looking out towards the bay.

We went out with Totty in the afternoon down to Rotary Park and it was so peaceful down there, nobody about but us and so calm.

We had a nice dinner followed by a lovely trifle I made - well I have to use the sherry up on something!

The weather should be better today.....

but it didn't start well and was hit and miss for most of the day with showers so we were put off from going too far.

We did manage to get out for coffee to the garden centre and sat in the lovely sunshine before we had a downpour - it is the equivalent of April showers.

We then took Totty over for a DIY bath as she smells.

After lunch we watched a film and then took Totty out.

Jon went over to the range to hit some balls but I didn't want to.

In the evening we went to the cinema to see 'Up' and really enjoyed it. We decided to have a Domino's puff pastry pasta bowl which was OK but not as good as their pizza but I least I didn't need to cook and there was very little washing up!

A busy day for a change.

As it was raining first thing this morning Totty only had a quick walk around the block before I went off to Red Cross.

It was only Bianca and I this morning and we were very busy and so didn't get much time for a chat OR a coffee. I really miss my coffee mid morning. I was very good again and didn't buy anything for me.

I then went on to do my supermarket shop and then rushed home to get lunch. I had volunteered to do a collection for the Arthritis Association outside one of the supermarkets. It was only 2.00 - 3.00 but when I got there to take over I was the only one so thought I would have a very boring hour on my own. But the Kiwis are very friendly and I had a lot of chats with some very generous people and the time soon passed. The coordinator arrived to pack up and I had a long chat to her. She worked in England for two years and met her husband there and they have been back living her for 15 years so that was interesting, she gave me her card to get in touch if I want to.

I then went home and took Totty out for a proper walk and then was happy to sit down with a nice cup of tea and a read of my book - I am getting through lots of books here.

We had snapper fish and chips for dinner and it was very good.

I have been having lots of headaches recently and I think it must be due to the decreased dose of HRT yesterday and today was horrible. I didn't even have a glass of wine with my dinner tonight!

Well what can I say.....

it is still raining harder than ever.

I spoke to my friend in Spain for an hour on Skype this morning which was really nice, had a quick chat to Heather on Messenger before she went to bed and for the rest of the day I watched TV, finished my book and that was it.

I did manage to get Totty out and met Viv in the park and had a chat and was lucky to get back before the rain started again.

It is now 10.00 at night and it is still raining. It could be worse if we were living further south we would have had snow and in Auckland they have had thunder and the forecast is not much better for tomorrow.

Oh dear! It is really raining hard today

The forecast was for heavy rain all day and I did intend to go into Tauranga but couldn't face going out in the rain.

I did manage to get the dog out for a short walk in between the rain but for the rest of the day I stayed in, did a bit of ironing and a lot of reading and listening to the radio and that was it.

Oh I washed Totty's feet in the sink as they were really smelly!

Dinner was nice tonight we had fish coated in mayonnaise and then ground almonds mixed with flour and baked in the oven and it was very good.

Where has the sun gone?

It was raining quite hard this morning so Totty didn't get a walk.

I had a quick chat to Heather on Messenger and she told me she had got back to Derby OK and Jane was back home in Newmarket.

I went to my keep fit class and by the time I finished the sun was out again. She is really working us hard and I so admire these old ladies who manage to keep up.

In the afternoon I did the ironing I should have done yesterday!

I got Totty out for a walk this afternoon and it was warm and sunny.

We had a horrible dinner - it was a lasagne that I had frozen but it didn't freeze very well.

Housework all day .... or is it?

I had lots of washing to do today, most of it brought back by Jon, just as well it was a good day for drying.

I put the BBC radio 2 on the computer and got stuck in to cleaning the oven and doing my housework. I am very aware this is not our house and would hate the owner to turn up and not have things as they were when we first moved in so I am forever cleaning out drawers and washing things down and as long as I can listen to the radio I don't mind even if it is from the day before.

Jon came home for lunch and then I carried on with the cleaning.

When I took Totty out Bronwyn saw me and invited me over for a glass of wine about 4.00. It took me all of three seconds to decide that I preferred the wine to the ironing!

When I got over there Alison was there, too and we sat in the garden and had a lovely time and Peter filled my glass far too often and so by the time I crossed the road to go home at 5.30 I was feeling quite squiffy, just as well dinner was a casserole from the freezer!

Alison said when we have finished the grapefruit from Bronwyn's tree we can start on hers and the tangelos are just about ready as are the lemons so I won't be buying citrus for a while. A whole lemon tree! That's a lot of G & Ts.

A very tough climb

It was a lovely day today so after taking Totty out I got a picnic ready. Bronwyn came over to pay Jon for the whisky he brought back from Oz for her as I was making sandwiches she didn't stay long.

We first went to hit a basket of balls each at the driving range and I was pretty useless today. After that we had a coffee before setting off towards Te Puke and looking for Road No 3 and then Road No 4. After driving up a narrow road and crossing an even narrower bridge we found the parking area we were looking for. The book said it was steep in places - slight under statement! We set off down a sheer pathway and I worried about the climb back up!. We got to the bottom of a very deep gorge and then walked alongside a pretty river climbing over huge boulders and tree roots till we came to a very boring waterfall and decided the walk was not really worth the waterfall as we have seen much better. However it was very peaceful there but all in the shade and not ideal for a picnic so we thought we would make our way back up. In places it was so sheer I was looking at only rock and climbing and it was really hard work and the most strenuous we have done - just as well it wasn't too far and I was glad to be back at the top.

We drove to Maketu which is on the coast and sat in the sun and had our picnic, the wind was a bit cold but it was pleasant. After lunch we had a lovely Hokey Pokey ice cream. this is vanilla with little bits of butterscotch in it - yummy.

We got home and I pulled the armchair to the patio doors and sat and had a lovely nap!

I was very glad I had cooked lamb shanks in a casserole on Saturday as I didn't have much to do and dinner was ready.

I tried the sherry Jon brought back from Oz. I was really looking forward to it (you don't seem to be able to buy it over here) but it was a bit too sweet so it looks like I am going to have to get by without sherry for the next four years.

Where has the lovely sunshine gone

It was really cloudy this morning when we got up and after talking to Jane and Heather on the phone for a long time it was raining by the time we had finished and so had to wait for a shower break to take Totty out and then we only managed to get round the block.

We went over to Bayfair to have a coffee (and a piece of carrot cake) and look for some shorts for Jon. Lots of the shorts have pockets in the leg which he doesn't like or they are too long but we finally managed to find some and then went home for lunch.

The weather still wasn't very nice so we stayed in and watched a film before taking Totty out for her afternoon walk. Jon had brought some whisky back from Australia for Bronwyn so I took that over to her on the way out and asked if I could pick more grapefruit on the way back which I did so we will have some for breakfast tomorrow - yummy!

I made sweet and sour chicken stir fry tonight and we had some lovely NZ blue cheese to follow.

I watched the Cider House Rules with Michael Caine but Jon got bored with it half way through but I watched to the end and thought it was good.

We slept in today......

...... couldn't believe it, I didn't wake up till 8.00 and had to be at the Red Cross for 9.00!

It was a quick shower, breakfast and a quick walk around the block for the dog and off to the shop.

It was a busy morning there but I resisted the temptation to buy anything this week! They are very short of volunteers there but I couldn't stay longer.

I went off to do my shopping and got back just in time for lunch with Jon.

Can't remember what I did in the afternoon apart from taking Totty out for a proper walk.

We had some very good fish and chips tonight, with a really big portion of chips!

Thursday already - where does the time go?

The day didn't start sunny but it certainly ended that way!

Walking Totty this morning was a bit cloudy but warm.

I went out to meet Helen and Janice to do our 'begging' from the shops in Fraser Cove and was really not looking forward to it but as it turned out it wasn't too bad. We got a voucher from a book shop, a small fish tank filled with goodies from the pet shop and a nice gift set from the hairdresser. Lots of the shops said they would ask head office and so we left them with a letter to get back to us but I don't think they will. We stopped for lunch and had a pie which was OK.

I took Janice home and went in for a cup of tea. She lives on the other side of the little peninsular from me and has lovely views over the estuary towards Tauranga and sitting in her conservatory in the sun was very pleasant. Her husband is a director of a travel agency and she was giving me lots of tips on Fiji and the Cook Islands as we still can't decide where to go in January - all the S Pacific islands look beautiful.

The afternoon has been really warm and I have actually been walking round in a short sleeved T shirt today and no tights, never been known so early in the summer for me. The news said tonight that Tauranga was the hottest place in NZ today at 22 degrees.

Had my dinner early and left everything ready for Jon as he was due home at about 8.15 and I went to my reflexology class. Tonight was the last one as only me and another person could make it next week so it was cancelled. The teacher can't understand why so many of the ladies have dropped out! Maybe he should stick to the subject and and give a better class! Seven of us started and three of us finished. Shame really as I enjoyed what we did.

I arrived home just after Jon and he was very tired but managed to watch the end of the recorded Grand Prix. He has manged to remain ignorant of the result by not going on the internet or watching any news!

Haircut Day

Totty woke three times last night and I told her to go back to bed and she did - she has been taking me for a ride! Not anymore!

I had a lovely grapefruit for my breakfast picked from Bronwyn's garden, I'll have to go and pick some more, she has lots and told me to help myself.

It was a beautiful morning today and really warm and I didn't need a jacket when I walked the dog, the temperature got up to 19.

I went to have my hair cut and was surprised to see my hairdresser has cut his dreadlocks off and he looks soooo much better.

I then went into Tauranga and had a coffee and a sit in the sun before walking round the shops and finding a lovely pair of flat sandals reduced from £40 to £20 and they are lovely soft leather and do not hurt my bunion which is now very painful and I will really have to go and see someone about it.

I came back for lunch - tuna salad. We can't make up our minds where to go for our 30 anniversary in January. We did intend to go to Fiji but I am now looking at the Cook Islands which look lovely so I spent a happy hour, over lunch, looking through a brochure I picked up
this morning. All the hotels look beautiful and I really can't believe we will be going to a place like that.

I took Totty out for an early walk and although it was a bit cloudy it was still very warm.

When I got back I watched a Julie Walters BBC drama which was really sad and I cried loads, just as well nobody came to the door!

I have to go out present begging tomorrow and spoke to Helen to say I would meet her at Bay Fair but she told me they were going to go to Fraser Cove instead - who am I to argue. At least it is smaller so it shouldn't take so long.

Jon called in the evening and he is really tired with all the meetings and the time difference. although it is only two hours and doesn't seem much he is waking on Kiwi time but going to sleep in Oz time so he will be glad to get back. I think he has also got out of the habit of meetings all day!

I found out why I missed the tennis yesterday. It was on THEIR time 1.00 and not ours. They have played all their matches at night and changed this one to day time and I missed it. Dam!

Body and Soul Day

Well it worked, Totty woke up and I was very firm with her and told her to get back into her bed and she did and she didn't move again until 7.00. Why have I spent all these weeks getting up with her. Still one swallow doesn't make a summer as they say, let's see what happens tonight.

I went to my class and she really worked us very hard. I will have to start wearing my cropped joggers as I was so hot again. It always feels too cold when I set off for the class but by the time it is finished I am really hot so next week, come what may, it is short trousers.

I went out for coffee after the class this week as they were doing CPR training again. I went along to Fraser Cove shopping centre and sat outside for coffee, it is so mild today. I don't think there have been many days through the winter when we have actually had to sit indoors for coffee.

When I got back Bronwyn had left a message on the phone to invite me over for coffee. I called to check it wasn't too late and went over and sat in the garden chatting till 1.00 - what a lazy life I lead! They have travelled a lot and we sit talking of our favorite places, where we would like to visit and places we would or would not go back to. Maybe one day we should write down a list of all the countries we have visited between the four of us, I am sure it would be very long - Peter being a sea captain has been to a lot of unusual countries.

I made my lunch and put the TV on and was really disappointed that the tennis wasn't on. I know they are running two days behind but I would rather watch the tennis than rugby, snooker or darts!

Jon called this afternoon from Melbourne. He was very tired after all the travelling and meetings which were very difficult due to people not doing their jobs properly.

It feels a bit strange when I think about the fact that I am in New Zealand and Jon is in Australia and I am here in this country on the other side of the world and no family here with me, just as well I don't mind my own company.

Fingers crossed Totty behaves tonight

Spring Cleaning!

Another lovely day and Jon has left for Oz so I thought I would have a spring clean. There are lots of containers, left by the owner, in the cupboards with cooking ingredients in them and which I will never use as I have no idea how long they have been there. After eight months in this house I thought it was time to clear them out. I also had a bit or a change around in the cupboards where the dishes are kept - Jon won't find anything when he gets back!

Apart from the spring clean I also did my washing and housework as it is Monday!

It was a lovely day again but I watched the tennis final rather than sit in the sun. It was a really good final and I look forward to the men's tomorrow.

The day passed quite quickly and it was very satisfying seeing all my washing and ironing done and clean cupboards.

I had chicken Kiev for my dinner with salad and a glass of wine which I had told myself I wouldn't have but really fancied one with my dinner.

I am going to take advantage of Jon being away to get Totty out of this horrible habit of wanting to go out for a wee during the night!!!

Sunday and it is a bit different to last week!

Well Totty only got me up once last night so that is an improvement!

It was raining this morning when we got up an not as nice as it was last weekend.

After taking Totty out for a soggy walk we went over to have coffee near the golf course and then on to our lesson. We went out onto the practice fairway and had a really good lesson - I feel like I am getting better!

After the lesson we picked up some veg from the green grocer and then went back for lunch. From leaving the golf club in bright sunshine to getting home it was raining - ten minutes! This is like April showers but it isn't April.

I read my book which I can't put down at the moment and Jon did a bit of tidying up outside. We took Totty out in the afternoon and then I read some more of my book before I cooked dinner.

We watched the second part of a UK drama with Kevin Whately called The Children and the ending was rubbish!

Jon leaves tomorrow and I have to make sure I keep myself busy for four days!

Saturday

Totty got me up three times last night. I just don't understand how she can wait all day and not need a wee but at night needs to go out every two hours!

It was raining this morning and feeling cold. We did manage to get out for a walk with Totty between showers.

We went down to the local garden centre for coffee and I had a very nice lemon and banana muffin and Jon had a savoury scone.

As the weather was not very good we decided to stay home and pottered about the house.

After lunch Jon went to hit some balls at the driving range but with a very runny nose I didn't feel like doing that so stayed in and read my book. I just wish this cold would go away!

We took Totty out for an early walk as we had to go out for dinner early. We were in the restaurant at 5.30! Jon had a steak which was fine and I had the fish of the day which was called a very strange name that I can't remember. It was on a a mushroom risotto with spinach and should have been very nice but it was, cold and not very nice at all. When the waitress collected the plate she did offer to get me another meal but it is too late then after you have half eaten one. We had a very nice white chocolate and raspberry tart for pudding.

We then went up to the theatre. Our seats were fine but I was sitting next to a rather large lady who overflowed into my seat and had the most horrible perfume on. The performance was very, very good but I have to say Cats is not my favorite musical but it was a nice evening despite the meal and the big woman next to me. We got out of the theatre and as we had parked right outside the door we were in the car at 9.58 and home by 10.07, not bad going!

I called my friend in the UK as it was her birthday and had a long chat to her and then it was bed time.

I hope Totty doesn't wake me up too many times tonight.

Thursday and Friday

My cold is much worse today and I am feeling pretty rough.

After taking Totty out I went into Tauranga and had a coffee and a walk round the shops just to pass the time and my nose does not run so much when I am outside.

I have bought a very nice silver key for Heather's 21st and I took it to the engravers to have her name put on, I am getting a bit ahead of myself!

Jon took sandwiches today as he had a meeting so I had lunch on my own.

I went to my reflexology class and there were only three of us there, Laura, the Argentinian and Gale, the lady with all the ailments. Gale did my feet and the teacher did Laura's feet and he managed to keep on the subject this week and I enjoyed the class. It finished at 8.30 instead of 9.00 and I had a long chat outside with Gale who is a nice lady even if she has got a lot of problems!

Friday morning and I was feeling really bad and all my face was sore as my sinus were blocked. I went along to the Red Cross but it was hard work as it was only Bianca, the manager, and me and it was really busy. Word has gone around that they have all this Aussie stock in and it is very good, we also changed all the winter stock for summer stock. I bought two skirts for summer for just over three pounds each - I just can't resist when I see how good they are. By the end of the morning my nose was very red and sore and I had run out of tissues. However, I do like working with Bianca we get along really well. She was telling me her mum is coming over next week from S Africa to live with her. She is originally from Scotland but has lived in SA for 30 years and as her husband died three years ago and Bianca and her brother now live in NZ she thought she would come here rather than go back to Scotland. Bianca is very excited and I look forward to meeting her mum. Bianca lived in London with her husband and enjoys talking about UK.

I then went to the supermarket and bought some tablets for my sinus so hopefully by tomorrow it will be a bit better - I hope so as we are going to see Cats.

We had our fish and chips and this week had a full scoop of chips but that was really too many, just can't get it right!

My first Kiwi cold

I thought I was starting with a cold yesterday, sore gland and itchy throat and a bit of a runny nose but thought perhaps it was hay fever. However I woke up this morning and my nose was streaming but I think I have done well more than eight months here and I can't remember the last time I had a cold in the UK either.

It was another beautiful day today and I was waiting for the washing machine to finish and was watching Andy Murray losing in the US Open when the electricity went off. The trip switch had switched so I put it back on and tried the washing machine and the switch tripped again. It has done this before when I have had a lot of washing in the machine, it seems to upset the balance. I eventually manged to open the machine and move the washing about and then, 'cos I don't know how to work the machine properly, had to put it on for another whole wash so it took all morning to do my washing.

I had an appointment at Spec Savers this morning for a test, they would not give me more lens without a prescription. they were very good, as they are in the UK, and I had my test and there is no change so they will provide me with more lens. It is a bit more expensive than UK but I need to have them.

I had a coffee and quick look around the shops and came back and was finally able to hang my washing out!

After lunch I sat in the sun for an hour before taking Totty out for her walk - the first time without my coat, amazing for me as I really feel the cold.

Apart from my horrible cold I am really suffering with indigestion and don't have anything to take for it, must go to the chemist tomorrow.

Elizabeth has left a message on the answerphone asking me to call her before I go off asking for prizes so I ought to do that sometime. I think she realised I was not happy about it.

Tuesday

It was a bit cloudy this morning to start but the sun soon came out.

I went to my keep fit class and worked really hard! After the class, when we were chatting over coffee I was told of some really nice walks around here and Diane was telling me how Whakatane (pronounced Facataney) got its name. The word means 'be a man' and came about because some Maori warriors landed there in a canoe and left all the women out at sea in another canoe while the checked the place out. Unfortunately, a storm blew up and one of the women, who just happened to be a princess said she would have to be like a man and take charge of the canoe and managed to get them all to the shore safely. The word Whakatane means to be like a man. There is a statue of this princess in the harbour. Nice story. She also told me about the Tui birds. I have seen these quite large birds in Rotary Park and their song is lovely, they look like they have a white beard and their feathers are dark blue. There is a beer here named Tui, I must have a look on the label next time I am in the shops as there is a a bird on it.

After lunch I put my new sun lounger up and sat in the doorway of the deck and it was really very hot. Half an hour out there every day will soon get my colour up.

I went to a Lions business meeting tonight and I picked Janice up and then we changed over to Helen's car and went with her. I really hate driving with her as she is awful. When she talks she looks at the passenger in the front seat, doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference between red and green and although, I believe, she has lived all her life in Tauranga doesn't know her way around that well. I was a nervous wreck by the time we got to the meeting.

The meeting went on for a long time, I really don't know why they need to read out all the correspondence. We split up into our groups and we then discussed fundraising and a long discussion was had as to how many raffle ticket they should have printed and what price should be charged for them and if it would be cheaper for 'us' to staple them into books! Doh! I do find Kiwis are very mean with money and for a few extra dollars I would get the job done by the professionals. My task in the next two weeks is to approach shops and businesses and get three prizes for the raffle, something that I feel quite uncomfortable about doing. Elizabeth, fundraising chairman suggested I go with Janice and Helen and we hit Bayfair together going round all the shops (that will be a total of nine prizes). On the way home Helen suggested we go next Thursday and as Janice is still not allowed to drive said she would pick us up at 11.30 as it is on her way!!!!! I will have to have an 'appointment' at Bayfair at 10.30 I think as there is no way I want to drive with her more than I have to!

Jon told me tonight that he will now have to go to Australia on Monday as he has to go to Canberra, too and he won't be back till Thursday night so I am not very happy about that. He did say he would take Friday off but as I work in Red Cross on Fridays I don't see the point but he says he feels bad leaving me for so long - that's life.

Monday

Even though all I do, usually, on Mondays is take the dog out and do my housework I always enjoy them.

It was a really lovely day again today so I was able to get all my washing dry outside, brought in and ironed and put away by 5.00.

Jon had to go to Matamata to meet someone today and thought he wouldn't get back for lunch but the thought of roast beef sandwiches was too much and he was back just after 1.00. After lunch Jon went over to the driving range to hit some balls before going back to the office.

When Jon got back in the evening he told me he has to go over to Australia again next week for three days. I will have to plan something to do I think.

I can't decide if I am getting a cold or it is hayfever.

Father's Day in New Zealand

We can't believe the weather at the moment it is lovely.

After taking Totty out I made a picnic and we set off to Tauranga to the opening of the new harbour bridge which has been completed ahead of schedule and under budget! We parked in the main car park, which was free today and joined the very long line of people to wait for the park and ride that would take us to the bridge. The idea was you could walk across the bridge between 10.00 - 2.00 today before it opens to traffic tomorrow. There were so many people walking across from both sides. As always in NZ there was a mobile coffee van so we didn't have to go without our morning coffee. It was a lovely atmosphere and because of the good weather a very good turnout. The bridge runs parallel to the old bridge which was opened in 1988 but due to increased traffic is not able to cope at peak times and in the summer when the traffic to The Mount is greatly increased. After walking both ways we got the bus back to the car park.

We then set off to Oropi for one of the walks in our new books we picked up last week. Oropi is a small village in the hills behind Tauranga and is only 20 minutes away. We drove along a sealed road before going onto an unsealed road and found the little car park by the road side. Jon had told me there were toilets there, as indicated on our map. The toilet was a shed with a chemical loo in it and very smelly but I had to go!. Dogs are not allowed in this area as it is a Kiwi conservation area. Poison is put down to kill the possums and it is very dangerous for dogs. We set off up the track which was very steep and hard going in places and it was all through very dense bush and were very glad the track was well marked with red triangles. We only passed one man, who told us it was worth it once we got to the top, and a couple other than that and the birds singing it was completely peaceful. It did take 45 minutes and the man was right, the views at the top from the wooden lookout were wonderful. You could see as far away as the snow covered mountain of Ruapehu ,which is more than 100 miles away and it looked lovely. You could see over to the coast at Whakatane and White Island and Whale Island. It was so beautiful up there and we sat and ate our picnic on the lookout in the sun and you couldn't hear a thing or see a road or a car.

The walk back down was via a ridge and it was much steeper but going down is always much easier! Back at the bottom we really knew we had been for a walk as our legs were very wobbly and our feet hurt but it was a lovely walk.

We thought we had better take Totty out as soon as we got back in case we couldn't move again once we sat down. She had a good run in the park and chased her ball enough to tire her out so we then went back for a well deserved cup of tea and a rest.

We had a nice roast beef dinner tonight, I always seem to plan a roast on a hot day!

Lovely sunny day

We had a lovely walk with Totty this morning it was really sunny again although a bit of a cold wind. On the way back we picked a few grapefruit from Bronwyn's tree.

Andy is away this week so golf was cancelled.

We went into Tauranga and had coffee before taking one of Jon's books back to the library. We also picked up our tickets for Cats next week. We went into Number 1 Shoes and bought some jangles for Jon. His were more expensive than mine at $10.

We then went to Pak n Save which is a big supermarket and we got some really good deals with wine and I bought the Cadbury's vanilla ice cream that I love. After that we went to the DIY store to look for a sun lounger for me and a beach umbrella. We got the umbrella but no lounger. It was then back home for a late lunch and we were really hungry.

We took Totty out for another walk and then went off to Bayfair to Specsavers as I will soon need more contact lens. They would not let me buy them without a written prescription so I have had to make an appointment for an eye test next Wednesday. We then went into K Mart and found a nice sun lounger so we are all set for summer.

On our way back we went to the driving range and hit 50 balls each. I am managing to hit them better now and they make a better sound when I do but they are still not going very far but I felt better about it than I have done.

It was then back for a cup of tea and a crumpet before going out to an early film, we went to see the Young Victoria and it was very good. On the way home we bought a Dominoes pizza - Heather would be proud of us! So it was back home to eat it and enjoy a nice bottle of red. All in all a pretty busy day.

Friday

It was a bit cloudy this morning and colder than it was yesterday. I went off to the Red Cross shop and enjoyed a good morning there, Lorraine was much nicer this week. Bronwyn said she would be happy to buy anything I see for the baby if it is in good condition. However, this week we didn't get any boxes of baby clothes from Australia to put out so I didn't find her anything. I was told the things from Australia were donated after the bush fires but they had so much they decided to sell it in the shops as the people affected had all they need. That is why they have so much new stuff, it was donated from shops. We did put a lot of ladies tops and dresses out and some of them were lovely, I bought two new tops for £3.60 and £3.20 each and a pair of new jangles (flip flops) for £1.20. We had a group of young girls come into the shop and they were there for ages and bought lots of tops and dresses. The clothes from Australia are really good and come in some lovely bright colours, just right for the summer.

I did my supermarket shop on the way home and arrived back just before Jon.

The sun came out in the afternoon and Totty and I had a lovely sunny walk.

Fish and chips were not so good tonight Jon bought hoki and it tasted quite strong so I think in future we will stick with terakhi and we will have to go back to having a full scoop of chips as the half measure is now very small - someone new on the scoop I think!

My first dose of sunburn

Bronwyn called me this morning just as I got back from walking Totty to invite me over for coffee.

It was really lovely sitting on her patio in bright sunshine, chatting and drinking coffee. As it was so sheltered I got quite red down one side, I'll have to be more careful! She has a big grapefruit tree in her garden which is loaded with fruit and has told me to help myself when I want some as they can't keep up with them. Her daughter isn't managing too well with her new baby, she is worrying too much but that is what you do with first babies, by the time she gets to number three it is fine! She is coming down to stay next week so it will be lovely to see the baby.

It was nearly lunchtime when I got back but as Jon had meetings all day he wasn't coming home for lunch. I managed to get two seats for the Rhythm's of Ireland show in October - it is a bit like Riverdance. It was only for one night but they have now put it on for two and we only just managed to get seats. It is on the same day as Jane's birthday, 13 October.

The rest of the day was really warm if it carries on like this we will be having our first BBQ soon.

I went to my reflexology class and did my first massage on the lady who has every ailment ever. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. However, it did take a long time as the teacher would not keep on the subject and kept going off talking about his wife going on holiday to South Africa, crime in South Africa, food, drugs, alternative therapies, education and so it went on and I was getting really fed up and the woman's foot was getting really cold and he kept forgetting where he was up to. The idea is that you go through the massage in a certain order which helps you to remember what you are doing but it all took nearly two hours when normally it only takes 45 min to one hour. He says he is going to start the full course next year but there is no way I would go on it as he is pretty useless as a teacher and too full of himself and it he tells us one more time how wonderful he thinks women are I will scream and then he might change his mind! Three more lessons to go!

Wednesday

I called my friend, Roz, in the UK this morning and she was very surprised to hear from me and we chatted for about an hour which was nice.

I then took Totty out and met Viv and her dog Poppy so Totty had a good play with her and we were out a long time I then came back for my breakfast.

I decided the office downstairs needed a clean today and there is a big bookshelf full of books left by the owner which was very dusty. I set to and cleaned it all and had a good look at the books. Some of them are a bit strange and not my cup of tea at all but I did find a lot that I would probably like so I think it will be some months before I need to go to get books from the library.

After lunch I took Totty out and when I got to the park the little boy I met yesterday was there and came running over to me and said 'Hi it's me again, I have a ball for your dog' and he gave Totty a ball he had found and she loves it as it has a squeak in it and so they spent ten minutes with him throwing the ball and Totty bringing it back to him before going back to play on the swings. Totty now has a new squeaky ball which I have had to take away from her as she was driving me mad!

Tuesday

I went out to my keep fit class this morning but quite a few people didn't turn up but it was still a very good class and I had very wobbly thighs afterwards.

After coffee at the class I went to post a parcel and some, well lots actually, birthday cards - I know lots of people with birthdays in September!

We had crab salad for lunch and Jon went to hit some balls at the driving range - I caught up with the past episodes of Neighbours that I missed last week.

I met a little boy along the road when I went out with Totty. I have seen him before and he always wants to stroke her and is really chatty, he must be about three years old. Today he said he would come with me on the walk and ran off to ask the lady who, I think, must be his childminder or maybe a relative. Of course she said no and came over to have a chat with me, he is really cute. I met my neighbour, Linda when I came back this afternoon with Totty and I commented that I hadn't seen her out walking with her friend in the mornings and she told me that her friend has just been diagnosed with cancer of the uterus and ovaries and is not too good. She looks really fit and well so it is very sad.

Another Weightwatchers recipe tonight, chicken with capers and lemon juice - it was OK but I don't think it will become a favorite.