Invaded by Jaffa’s

Please accept my apologies Dear Reader, for posting so late this week, but we have been out. It has been a week of socialising.

The Jafa (Just Another Friendly Aucklander) invasion began on Monday, with the arrival in town of the Williams tribe, (Paul, his son Jason and his mother Daphne) from Blockhouse Bay. They were staying in a motel in town and came over for dinner. We were joined (due to an impromptu invitation) by Lyn from over the road, and had an enjoyable evening (Christmas pie, salads, Christmas pudding and custard, mince pies and peach cakes).

Nicky was up early on Tuesday making four types of bread in order to cope with gluten and dairy intolerances, as not only were we joined by the Williams tribe for lunch (breads and cheeses), but also Judy and Rachel Thurtell (also from Blockhouse Bay, both customers of mine, and Judy was in Nicky’s quilting group). The morning sunshine gave way to rain in the afternoon, but Paul, Jason and I managed to keep dry on our way to and from The Rutland Arms for a beer in the evening. Nicky kept Daphne company back at the motel.

The Jafa's from Blockhouse Bay

A text from Paul on Wednesday morning saw us join them at the Yellow House café for breakfast, and then Nicky took Daphne underwear shopping. Paul and Jason dropped me at at home so that I could start getting ready for our next lunch visitors, Paul and Jenny, Nicky’s brother and sister-in-law. They were staying on Ohakune for a couple of days and took some time out to come down to see us, which was lovely. They arrived with lots of goodies so in exchange we have them a tour of our new home (first time they had seen it in the flesh) and lunch. It was really good to catch up with them and hear their news. The Williams tribe joined us for dinner again (wraps with choice of steak, bacon, onion and smoked tuna) before returning to Auckland on Thursday morning.

Thursday was a lovely clear start with the forecast suggesting the rain for the week was behind us, so we dusted the cobwebs off the washing machine and set it to work. Nicky had brought her Covid booster vaccination forward (I hadn’t changed mine) with the recent government announcement that we could have them four months after the second dose, not six. However, when the nurse noticed that I was with Nicky she said I could have mine too so that was good. We both felt somewhat lethargic in the afternoon so were only on light garden and ironing duties, and rounded the day off with a FaceTime chat with my sister Gill.

New Years Eve was a booster-induced gentle day, as I was feeling tired and a little achy, but Nicky wasn’t too bad. Nicky got more laundry dry in the sun and the breeze, and I did some major photo management restructuring on our technology. We headed over to Springvale early evening for a BBQ with 30 or so other parishioners, and had a good evening. On our return we sat outside (under blankets) armed with Bailey’s (N) and beer (R) and watched the stars come out. We managed to sleep through the turn of the year.

While retrieving the laundry Nicky got something in her left eye, so on Saturday morning (New Years Day) we popped down to A&E to get it looked at. A small scratch and infection were diagnosed, treated and antibiotic drops prescribed. We spent the rest of the day quietly reading, enjoying the sun, and our first year anniversary of living in our new home. We still love it and still feel extremely lucky. We had planned a light tea followed by Christmas pudding and custard and some bubbles, given to us as a house warming present. Elaine from 414 dropped in late afternoon to invite us over to their home (up Durie Hill) for a BBQ today so the bubbles got opened early.

Today started cool and clear, and it quickly became apparent that it was going to be a warm one. Nicky went off to church and then afterwards collected me before heading off for a shared lunch. Each Sunday in January one of the parishioners at her church hosts a shared lunch, and this year we will be one of them. We went to most of them last year in order to get to know people. Even though most of them are still quite unfamiliar to me, it is a more comfortable experience than it was last year.

Upon our return I made some Eccles cakes to take to Elaine and Mikes, which we enjoyed after the BBQ’d lamb and lovely salads. The view from their home is quite something:

Our second year in Whanganui begins, and while I don’t think 2022 will be like pre-Covid times, I hope that all of you have a very good New Year.

Take care, Rick and Nicky.