We won't mention the rugby

 Gosh, it’s been an exciting week, though I admit that could depend on your definition of excitement.

Clem and Pat had been in New Plymouth for the weekend and came over to us for dinner on Monday night. We discovered some time ago that Clem’s best man at their wedding (Bob) now lives in Whanganui. So we invited Bob and his wife Dale (who does church cleaning with Nicky) to join us. We all had a very enjoyable evening. Dale has some food intolerances so I modified our apple crumble recipe and it turned out well. Dale was pleased to eat the same as everybody else.

Clem and Pat stayed at the Top 10 Holiday Park just up the road and took Nicky and I out for breakfast on Tuesday morning. Pat had requested the Funky Duck Café again, as she enjoyed their corn fritters so much last time. Pat also wanted to buy a cake to take to Wellington for Milly’s 50th birthday. In order to try and find the sort of cake she was looking for we went to Stevo’s, a local food wholesale outlet. Nicky and I hadn’t been there before, but we had been told about it by a number of people. It turned out to be a wonderful place. Pat was able to find a suitable cake, I bought pumpkin seeds at $5 per kilo cheaper than in the supermarket, and I will back again next week for a large jar of Tuscan Seasoning. It was a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of bulk supplies, primarily for the catering trade but also available to the general public. I was thrilled.

As Clem and Pat departed for Wellington, the weather started turning cloudy and soon afterwards wet. We hung the laundry inside and I made fish pie while Nicky was at Home Group. The rain lasted overnight and was, according to a report in the Whanganui Chronicle, a significant downpour.

The weather improved on Wednesday while Nicky was in town getting a new form for standing for vestry (and once again getting it completed). I had an amble and in the evening we quizzed, scored 109 point to come first equal, and then took the top prize with a tie breaker.

Thursday began overcast but quickly turned into a lovely sunny day. Nicky staffed the Aramoho Library, but had no borrowers. I pottered at home, doing laundry and cleaning some of the fence. I took some photos of the current status of the garden while idling on a bench or two:

I have been reading an excellent book “The Ship Beneath The Ice” by Mensun Bound, the director of exploration who led the team to find Shackleton’s Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. The wreck was found 3000m deep in March 2022, and the account is both fascinating and engaging. This week Nicky has been reading and enjoying the Australian Holly Throsby series which I enjoyed a few weeks ago.

I have had a busy weekend: three sailings yesterday and one today. We had a member of the local Coast Guard team as a a temporary skipper so that we were able to sail. Our eleven and a half hour day yesterday consisted of a public sailing, a charter and a special, which was a 1920’s Speakeasy with live band and Papaiti Gin tasting from our local boutique distillery. 

Nicky spent most of yesterday working in the garden. She dropped me at the wharf again this morning on her way to church, and then collected me afterwards. This evening we have had Phil (ex Waimarie Manager) and Kristina over for dinner of lasagne and lemon delicious, which is why I am posting this so late. We have had another good evening, but we are both quite jaded so are shortly off to bed.

Take care, Rick and Nicky.