Double Garden Ambling

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 Our week has been bookended by garden ambling. On Monday, Wellington Anniversary Day, we had volunteered to help run the Arthritis Amble around some of Whanganui’s gardens. Nicky was on kitchen duty all day up the road at Frances’s where the refreshments were being served. I was on afternoon gate duty at a working farm a further few kilometres up the road. All went well and we finished a little earlier than expected which was just as well, as Steve arrived a little earlier than expected. He was staying overnight on his way to the South Island, and kindly took us out for dinner at the Spice Guru.


Today Nicky collected Frances and myself after church so that we, along with most of the other Arthritis Amble garden owners, could do a tour of most of the gardens. Fortunately we didn’t get wet and, as ever, enjoyed to gardens:




We were however pleased to get home has our tired legs had had enough.


Nicky and Steve had three of games of Scrabble during his short stay. Steve was on his way to Wellington mid-Tuesday morning to catch the ferry. After doing the shopping we had a quiet day as the weather wasn’t sparkling. In the evening we went to the cinema to see Hamnet, which was a bit of a slow burner but had a brilliant final act.


Wednesday was wet. We went to see a local lawyer to move our wills to Whanganui and make some changes. Nicky’s new lenses had arrived at the opticians so we dropped her glasses in for fitting. In the evening we came 6th at the quiz with 84 points.


After taking Nicky to Aramoho library on Thursday I washed the towels. Shaun the sparky came and fitted a new spotlight for us at the front of the house. We collected Nicky’s glasses after she had finished at the library and enjoyed smoked fish pie for dinner.


Friday was mild and dry, so I got the grass cut in the back garden and did some weeding. Nicky did loads of washing and delivered edibles to Unity Foods. In the afternoon we had some torrential rain. At one point it was so heavy that we couldn’t see the corner of the river, and the rain was coming off the roofs without using the gutters. We played Mah Jong and very much enjoyed watching the film The Terminal after dinner.


On Saturday I finally felt I was over my cold. It didn’t stop raining until early afternoon, so we started the jigsaw which Nicky gave me for Christmas. We had finished the one that Ros gave us at Christmas (a photo of the Clyde river) earlier in the week. Telly followed the pancakes which Nicky made us for dinner.


We are having hot cross buns for tea shortly as we are both jaded with having enjoyed ourselves touring the gardens today.


Take care, Rick and Nicky.

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