Another Softie

It has been another relatively busy week by our standards. Our new found plumber, Rob, was as good as his word and installed a water softener for us on Wednesday. Our preferred location was not the easiest one for installation, as the unit needs both power and drainage, and even though they were “available” near to our chosen location, there was concrete path in the way. In the best traditions of The Great Escape, tunnelling was required. Ginger would have been proud too (anyone who grasps the tenuous link can feel suitably smug). Rob also installed another outside tap which feeds directly from the main so that we don’t have to water the garden with treated water. He also introduced us to Hayden the Sparkie, another personable and capable young chap. We are pleased to have found a couple of good local tradies.

Thursday was a cool and damp day, so we stayed inside and started downsizing the contents of the IKEA dinning room storage furniture. We have had it for about 30 years, and it has served us well. Even though it is still in reasonable condition, it was never really in our original plan for Tiramaroa, and is in a spot which we want to use for other things. We also knew that our use of some of the kitchen storage was not ideal, so reorganising began. Some items are off to the Church Fair next week, some have been moved into the kitchen storage, and more will follow if we can get some more shelves for a couple of the cupboards from Pace Modular (who built the kitchen). Our hope had been to store all the crockery and glassware in the kitchen, and I thought I had succeeded in my first draft of the plan for it, but that all went awry when accommodating access to the services in the “island” unit.

The Christmas present that we have bought for ourselves arrived on Tuesday. The majority of “things” that we have bought for the house during the year have been practical items, like the rotary drier for the laundry, the wheelbarrow, the hose pipe storage, the shed, and the power tools. We did treat ourselves to an Apple TV for our wedding anniversary so that we can watch internet TV. Lyn (across the road) introduced us to some brilliant planters, made from recyclable plastic and available in different shapes and sizes, and in a good range of strong colours. Our chosen ones duly arrived, have been positioned and planted with Scirpus Grass:

Monday was a public holiday for Labour Day and the mild dull start perked up while we were in town. One of the things that we had been looking forward to doing on the “postponed until next year because of Covid Whanganui Heritage Festival” was a guided walking tour of the old part of town. I saw in the Whanganui Chronicle a few weeks ago that some walks were going to be happening during the long weekend if we were still in Level 2, so I booked us in for Monday. Our tour guide, Murray, was a long time Whanganui resident and shared some lovely and amusing anecdotes as we ambled round town for a couple of hours. We lunched al fresco when we got home and had a gentle afternoon (it’s hard work enjoying ourselves).

Nicky had a busy day on Tuesday, starting with baking lovely savoury muffins. She then went off to Seniors Fellowship Lunch at the Baptist church, then Life Group, and after a brief visit home, Alpha in the evening. I dropped her there and collected her after attending the Science Forum lecture on over-medicalisation, which was as interesting as usual.

I have had a bit of MacOnSite work this week, but also been informed that I didn’t get the Deck Hand job on the paddle steamer. I may join their volunteer group at some point in the future as it looks like a fun way to enjoy the river.

Yesterday was an out and about day for both of us. Nicky drove over to Viv’s Kitchen in Sanson to meet up with a fellow Dio old girl, and initiate the Manawatu-Whanganui chapter of Diocesan Old Girls. They had a very good chat and throughly enjoyed the cream horns, for which Viv’s Kitchen is justly famous. Meanwhile, I walked up to the road to the café in Upokongaro (at the other end of the new pedestrian bridge) and had pie and man salad (chips) for lunch. We spent the evening at a 75th birthday celebration for Liz McLay, a friend of Nicky’s from church. It was an at-home with lovely food and great conversations. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Today Nicky went to church for the first time in ten weeks, due to Covid restrictions and being under the weather. The day started very wet, but the strong wind soon moved the rain clouds on and gave us sunshine. However, sitting outside for lunch was not comfortable in the wild wind.

Today is our first Halloween in Whanganui. We are yet to see if we have any trick or treaters visit.

Take care, Rick and Nicky.