Passed it

Not just our age (and resulting disabilities) but our second building Code of Compliance inspection. Bert visited on Tuesday to explain that the outstanding issue from the first inspection was no longer an issue, but there was a different issue which needed to be addressed. This concerned the space between the exterior cladding and the “gullies” around parts of the house - the areas in which we had placed flat black stones. The requirement was for 175mm between the cladding and the ground. The inspection was booked for 10.15am on Friday, so Bert arrived early in the morning and dug out all the gullies to the required depth. We had removed the black stones a couple of days prior. The inspector was happy with this and passed us. Bert can now apply for the Code of Compliance Certificate. We should get it in 3-4 weeks. It will remove the Sword of Damocles hanging over us about having to repay the government for the First Home Grant that they gave us at the end of 2019. It is a great relief and a major step forward.

Interestingly, it is also two years ago this week that we started our tour of New Zealand to find somewhere with affordable housing to set up home.

Our first gas cylinder (we don’t have piped gas) ran out this week so on Monday I had to figure out how to order a new one (using an iPhone app it turns out). It arrived on Wednesday and the delivery man gave us a quick tutorial on the monitoring system which reinforced what I knew but was very helpful all the same. We had our first garden Flexi-Bin collected (for bulk garden waste) and Nicky set up the new one which we had purchased. Making use of the recycling centre in town for the first time was also a positive experience and enabled us to reduce the collection of cardboard boxes on the driveway.

We have had a very pleasant week due to the high pressure system, so many lunches on the north patio outside the sewing room. We had a video chat with Jancis, have done a couple more tours of the house for passers-by, and chatted with a prospective purchaser of next door (414). I have done a little work this week, made much easier by the fibre broadband installation.

Friday was also eventful following the building inspection. As Bert was packing up to leave, an 83 year old pedestrian fell on the pavement across the road. He alerted us to the situation while he called for an ambulance. Fiona’s face was bleeding and she was very shaken so we covered her with blankets and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived, about 45 minutes later. A couple from round the corner (Carol and Trevor) who we have met before, also stayed with Fiona, and loads of people driving by stopped to offer assistance, not knowing that we lived just across the road. I think hardly anybody didn’t stop to check.  A sign of the nature of the Whanganui community in which we now live. It was very reassuring. On Saturday Fiona’s granddaughter called round with a thank you card and gift of a freshly made warm loaf of wholemeal bread, which turned out to be just lovely.

On the other side of the river from us, a little way up State Highway 4, is a wee village called Upokongaro (much easier to type than pronounce; Oo-poko-naro). On our second of early visits to Whanganui we had to stop there for Nicky to use the pub facilities. We noticed that a bridge was being built across the river, and that next door to the pub was a café. It turned out that the bridge was a foot and cycle bridge, and it opened on December 1st last year. From our home we though it would be about a 5km walk to the bridge which would be quite pleasant so we planned to do it sometime. We finally got round to it yesterday, and a very pleasant walk it was too. It was neither as arduous, or as long as we thought it might be, with the good wide path of cinder and then cement being nearly entirely on the flat. We made it to the bridge in an hour, enjoying views of the river and the autumn foliage on the way. Twenty minutes later we were seated in the café as our tea, coffee, date scone and passionfruit cheesecake arrived. Our return walk was a little warmer and just as enjoyable. I suspect it will become a regular jaunt for us when we fancy a good stretch. Here are a few photos:

In the evening we went into town for the Lantern Festival. This was a much smaller affair than in Auckland and the main focus was a series of performances on the stage. All of these were unpolished and delivered with enthusiasm. There was not a wide range of food stalls so after sitting for about an hour and a half we headed home for soup and toast (Fiona’s lovely loaf).

This morning was warm and sunny. Nicky went to church and I did some admin. As we started our lunch, Frances and her daughter Amy (up from Wellington) called in for coffee and a catch up. It clouded over this afternoon and showered as Nicky worked outside.

Our TV viewing highlights this week have been Guilt, a UK series about two men in Edinburgh who accidentally knock down and kill and elderly gentleman with terminal cancer. It had many layers and strands which keep us watching. The other, we have been starting to watch, is the series with Michael Palin reviewing his travel programmes, all of which we have enjoyed over the years. The different perspective is refreshing.

Take care, Rick