Fair enough

 While we at one of the ceramics studios last Sunday, we were told about the Otaki Pottery Club “Festival of Pots and Garden Art”. This is held every January. After we had packed and cleaned the PSA unit in Raumati on Monday morning, and acquired mini quiches and raspberry and almond tarts from the patisserie for dinner, we started our journey home. On the way we decided we would take a short diversion into Otaki (population slightly under 4000) just to see what was there. Roadworks it turned out, but behind the roadworks a row of shops, one of which was a Bendon Outlet. Neither of the Bendon Outlets we had tried to get to in Auckland in September were operational, a little like the state of some of Nicky’s foundation garments. We parked the car so that Nicky could investigate some new unmentionables, but between us and the Outlet there was a bookshop…

On the face of it you wouldn’t think a wee rural town would even have a bookshop, let alone lone a stunningly brilliant one. Along with a fantastic range of books, they sold some really interesting household items, and used Scrabble tiles as shelf labels for the authors in the fiction section. We were there for more than a few minutes.

Eventually we made it to the Bendon Outlet shop, at which point I decided coffee would be a good idea, which it was. While drinking my coffee I wandered further along the row of shops, which wasn’t such a good idea. I came across a men’s outfitter, the likes of which I have not seen in Aotearoa before. It stocked mens clothes as you would expect, but mens clothes with colour! After Nicky had completed a bit of an update to her wardrobe in the Bendon shop, I took her into McAndrews, the mens outfitters. This was where things went a little awry, as whenever I find clothes that I like (a rare event) Nicky is very encouraging. We left the shop with two stunning shirts and a gorgeous pale blue jacket, and a lot less money than we had when we first saw the Otaki roadworks. 

Our next stop on the journey home was Foxton. We parked ourselves on a bench in the sunshine outside the windmill and ate our packed lunch of chicken and cheese sandwiches on kibbled rye bread. I felt like a proper retiree. Monday lunchtime picnic in the sunshine. Lovely.

Reality returned on Tuesday. Lots of laundry done, supermarket shopping and a visit to the hairdresser for Nicky. She hosted Home Group in the afternoon and I cut the grass. Frances and a New Plymouth friend called in to collect a delivery of plants which had arrived to us in the morning. Garden chat ensued and Nicky managed to get some planting done late afternoon and early evening. I finished off the ironing.

A week of cool cloudy starts turning into sunny days continued, so I was able to get the house washed on Wednesday and Thursday. We came 6th with 86 at the quiz.

After Nicky returned from staffing the library on Thursday we did the crossword with a pot of tea in the back garden. Valda (Blockhouse Bay friend) was in town staying with her son and daughter-in-law. We were invited over for dinner and had a lovely evening. The home kill sausages were quite a treat and Dave and Lilly had produced way too much food so we left with arms full.

Nicky headed down to church first thing on Friday to help with the setup for the Parish Fair, and I did some weeding of one of the areas where we have put down mulch. Nicky did more planting in the afternoon, and made crunchy lemon and poppy seed muffins in the evening for the fair. I started reading The Impossible Fortune, the latest Thursday Murder Club book.

I got Nicky to church before 8am on Saturday morning for the Fair. She was on the China stall with Tina from her home group. I did a bit of Mitre 10 and supermarket shopping on the way home. After ironing and washing the car I went back into town to buy some samosas which had been recommended. Unbeknownst to Nicky or I, John from the quiz team was expecting a samosa-based gathering, so I needed up buy some more for him and Mike and meet them at the Fair. Mel and her 2½ year old daughter Charlotte were also there. Charlotte took a fancy to the tamarind chutney which had been supplied with the samosas, and then she took a fancy to my other samosa (I had two). They were very good.

I walked down to the wharf and had a chat with some of the crew of the Waimarie before watching the paddle steamer depart. It was the first time that I had seen it leave while standing by the wharf - I was previously always on the boat. The day was gorgeous. Warm and sunny but not too hot with a pleasant breeze. I took this photo while walking along the river bank to get back to the car:

After collecting Nicky from clearing up after the end of the church fair, we had a late lunch in the back garden. Nicky prepared a dinner of Thursday’s left overs and salads which we followed by a few hands of Rummy-O and a couple of episodes of Lynley.

Today has been another lovely day. Nicky bought some of the unsold fair plants after church, and I have finished reading The Impossible Fortune which I have thoroughly enjoyed. More LOB’s and salad tonight followed by dried fruit pasty and custard.

Take care, Rick and Nicky.