Hope your road trip is uneventful @Zappa and glad to hear that the repair was relatively inexpensive. May that be last thing that you need to do on the vehicle!
It's beautiful outside this morning. I've walked the cats and after husband rests his feet for half an hour, we will go to the garden centre (postponed yesterday's outing). I am looking forward to that, I'll be curious to see if there are any new things in stock, particularly seedlings.
I'm about to try to book our flights up from Auckland to Northland for next month.
The two carriers are Barrier and Air New Zealand.
Any advice/ info from Shipmates very welcome.
PS I'm getting very excited, it's been six years since we last visited!
Booking things must make your trip seem very close @MrsBeaky, I would be getting excited too! Having not travelled to NZ, I can't provide any helpful suggestions. Maybe @Zappa has thoughts??
Very grey this afternoon and a bit breezy, nice and cozy inside though. Cheery husband has been doing some cleaning up in the garage and has found a heap of videos with no labels. He is in the process of transferring the recordings and has found some fun things like our daughter's 6th birthday party and a local community carols from roughly 1998. I'm shocked to think that's over 20 years ago!!! I'm glad he's been able to get the stuff off the videos so we can keep the recordings digitally.
I have flown to the far north only once and that was about 40 years ago, so any knowledge of the route is waaay out of date. Generally when I go to visit family in Wellington I fly Air NZ because, while not usually the cheapest they are the most user friendly to people who can't hear boarding calls.
Was it actually from Woolworths? Some scam emails and texts are getting quite convincing. I.e. no spelling or grammar mistakes and about something possibly real. EG had email saying phone bill is overdue when I’d paid it 3 days earlier. The only obvious clue it was fake was an incorrect amount.
How is life north of the Hunter Valley?
Flights now booked from Auckland up to Kerikeri- we went with Barrier Air as our daughter says lots of people up there really rate them.
Next job is to tackle all the online stuff to allow us to enter beautiful Aotearoa!
Glad to hear you have your flights all sorted MrsBeaky, that's good news and must make the trip feel very real now that box has been ticked.
How are things on the southside @WormInTheGrass? How was yesterday's cold start for you?
I am wondering if we have any shippies near the earthquake area in Qld, my Aged Aunt is at Beachmere and she heard the sound of the quake at her place.
Cheery husband has begun a new job this week and it sounds like he will be busy for quite some time. I an enjoying the return to my normal routine. Though I am glad he had the few days at home, both to rest but also to do a few jobs around the place. I love our garden, but am beginning to think we need to talk about downsizing.
@MrsBeaky, I hope the "winterless North" as some call it lives up to its name. It's cold here. Someone on the bus was talking about snow flurries on the Port Hills and I definitely wished I'd put on another layer and my lovely knitted hat ($5 at a Church fair and my favourite piece of winter clothing) .
My attempts to circumnavigate the Big Red Western Isle, attempts about which I haven't posted, are so far proving a little unsuccessful.
Having purchased a car I have driven it (and others) myriad (it seems) times between Melbourne's Northern Suburbs. Plus an experimental excursion to Kinglake in the Dividing Ranges. The latter was an attempt to see if said vehicle was working properly.
It was until it wasn't.
The back story to that was that it died 120 kms after purchase, as I headed out to KuruZapplette #5's farm in the Macedon Ranges, ready for departure. The dealer agreed to have it fixed, so I limped back in, warning light on, to a mechanic in Tullamarine. Who gave it a new turbo. At the dealer's expense.
So I drove it back to the Macedon Ranges via Kinglake, but it died, this time achieving 150 kms.
Back to Tullamarine.
Several trips back and forth, between Woodend and Tullamarine. Ensconcements chez KuruZapplettes ## 2, 4 & 5. Currently freezing in Preston (inner northern suburban Melbourne), freezing because KuruZapplette #2 doesn't do heaters. The car is now receiving a EGR* overhaul or transplant - which I told them was the problem in the first place. Sigh.
The circumnavigation is going to be very tight for time .,.. by the time I leave on Wednesday I will have lost ten days. And there's no guarantee there world be more, er, malfunctions. But needs must.
Not least because I'm bloody freezing and need to get north.
* Exhaust Gas Recirculation
A bit late picking up this thread... But will offer sympathy. You car's symptoms sound like an exact copy of those of our diesel VW several years ago, traced to frequent use of what turned out to be poor fuel from one of the major oil companies. Fuel standards have changed here since then, but the remedy at the time was to switch to a brand known to be cleaner. The EGR valve blocked progressively, which had an impact on the turbocharger. With a new turbo and thorough cleaning of the EGR system all was well and it gave no more trouble. Hoping all stays well with yours!
It's a particularly quiet week here, daughter has been on afternoon shift and has now finished for the week. She has a few days off next week.
Cheery husband seems fairly busy in his new job and has an induction program next week.
I have a new pile of books to look at and have hung a couple of small paintings I bought this week. They fit well in the spot that already had a couple of hangers, so no additional damage to walls.
Such a lovely walk around the pond just before lunch. Quite warm outside. I'm not sure why, but I only saw a couple of Ibis today. I suspect they are having an outing on another pond.
I hope everyone has had a pleasant weekend. Ours was very low key, a few jobs done, a visit to the garden centre and time in the garden. I can never have too much of that.
Later this afternoon I'm off to the GP again, to do yet another form to keep my licence. A boring and infuriating story led to this, but no one needs to hear about that.
Cheery son and I had a lovely walk around the pond today. This time I was organised and took a little bag with me to put dandelions into. There is a really awful weed problem in our area and I think stopping the seeding in the first place is part of the solution. I'm leaving a few for the bees though as they need a bit of assistance. I'd prefer to hand pick the flowers, over the city services men coming with their sprays, particularly as there is a childcare centre where there is a particularly bad clump.
It was glorious outside in the sun and just as we were about to go into the house, Cheery son drew my attention to a couple of beautiful parrots who were sitting in our weeping cherry. As I had my phone with me I managed to snap a couple of shots. They aren't particularly good, but it's a nice record of their visit. We also saw a huge group of tiny wrens which flew away in a cloud as we got a bit too close for their comfort.
Yes @Cheery Gardener, it was a beautiful day wasn’t it. Mr WitG got a lot of gardening done. Sadly though it’s back to cool and rainy for the rest of the week, but that’s August for you. Still it was nice to be outside and feel warm.
I am a Vegemite lover. I eat the low salt option which has a blue band around the top of the label. I've been told by a supermarket that it is no longer being made, but I notice that the closest Woolworths has it in stock and the staff member I spoke to said she had no record of it proposed withdrawal.
Have you heard anything about it's proposed withdrawal? Is it still on shelves at your supermarket?
@Huia we bought a new jar of the salt-reduced vegemite a month or so ago. I've not heard any rumours here about it being discontinued. I also couldn't see anything on their website stating that. I was surprised to see there is also a gluten free version available.
I'm glad to hear that Mr @WormInTheGrass had such a good weekend of gardening. I am looking forward to a bit of rain as it seems a bit too dry for my liking. I'll try to get my seedlings planted tomorrow and hopefully they'll enjoy a bit of watering-in.
Cheery husband has risen early this morning, driven up the highway to the "not capital" for a work induction. Seems ridiculous to me, as he's driven for about 6 hours today for a morning seminar. It seems to me that a Zoom would have been far more efficient.
It's been quite a slow day here with 2 phone calls to the Super people to get my paperwork organised. It just needs a final review and then I can submit it!! It has been a bit of a time thinking about this, so I don't make any mistakes, for an amount of money that is certainly not large. Perhaps that's all the more reason to pace myself and make thoughtful decisions.
Thanks @Sojourner and @Cheery Gardener that's a relief. I have been overbuying I go to whenever I go to Woolworths - which I hate doing because the top shelves are beyond my reach and it isn't as user friendly as the smaller one in the other direction. Fortunately other, taller customers are helpful.
I am a Vegemite lover. I eat the low salt option which has a blue band around the top of the label. I've been told by a supermarket that it is no longer being made, but I notice that the closest Woolworths has it in stock and the staff member I spoke to said she had no record of it proposed withdrawal.
Have you heard anything about it's proposed withdrawal? Is it still on shelves at your supermarket?
Coles & Woolies each $5.50 for 235gr, $7.50 for 400gr. Not being withdrawn.
It's nice to know that it works both ways @Rexory!
I saw your note @Piglet about asking staff for assistance, I'll ask anyone if they are the right height and I've never had anyone refuse me. I don't know if it's that I'm a short tubby older lady and they don't want to see me ending up on the floor (or not).
Urk today has dawned cloudy and with a chilly wind. Short haired cat has insisted on a walk, but son has brought her inside as it had begun spitting rain. Long haired cat is smart enough to know there is no point going outside and he's just looking for a warm spot to curl up in.
Having brought the bins in from the road, I don't have much on today. I think it might be a Netflix afternoon, watching a cozy crime and a chimp documentary with Cheery son.
Good news about the vegemite, I didn't realise I'd bought so much when I was panicked about never having it again - it's one of my main food items.
I am in the process of getting a new heat pump, which I can only manage because of the government subsidy and the late payment of earthquake insurance ( due to a successful legal challenge made by a group of dissatisfied claimants). I'm looking forward to not being cold and miserable next winter and possibly richer due to spending less to keep warm. It will be a drawn out process because a condition of the subsidy is
checking there is sufficient insulation under the house and in the ceiling for the heat pump to be of maximum benefit. Fortunately there's an organisation that does this. I already have a sheet of black plastic lining on the earth under the house, insulation under the floorboards and insulation in the ceiling but they may have to add more as regulations have changed since they installed the first heat pump.
Also this is the first day of spring, so the weather should be improving (well I can hope)
Definitely a nice day in this part of the world, which is a nice change after several cold and windy days last week. However, after dropping Mr WitG at the train station this morning, I spent half the morning getting a flat tyre sorted out, which was not the most enjoyable start to spring.
It really is a glorious day today, perfect for the first day of spring! It follows on from a productive day yesterday, clearing a worm farm tray and planting new seedlings into a pot I got at the Swedish shop. It felt really springy being out in the sun yesterday
Mind you, at ours there was a heavy fog this morning, so I sent Cheery husband off in the car rather than on the motor scooter. I really don't like him riding on foggy days.
The other reason for sending him the car, is that someone tried to steal the scooter and hotwire it while he was at work last week. Not the best start to his new job, so sympathy to you about the flat tyre @WormInTheGrass, those pesky surprises can strike when we are least expecting it. I hope the tyre is now sorted for you.
I'm surprised not to have heard from my sister yesterday as she is a big fan of our local Green Team which is doing so well in the NRL this year. She was planning to come over to be in the stands for their home game at the weekend, perhaps she is still recovering from celebrating!!
@Clarence is having a sisterly week away (with her sister) in a cottage in the Bunya Mountains where it is ccccold. But fine, and they have a 🔥 around which they can natter sisterly while they swig the evening's 🍷 after the day's tramps around the National Park. Meanwhile, @Zappa has turned up (here, not in the Bunyas) in the verrrry dirty 4WD in which he is circumnavigating our wide brown land. Clarence lands back late Saturday, Zappa is with us for another 10 days or so.
I'm marrying a couple tomorrow whose daughter I shall be baptising on Sunday. Yes, I am retired 🙄
We'll all catch up with our erstwhile Shipmate Dangerous Deacon while Zappa is here. They served together in the same Northern Territory diocese, before going their separate ways across The Ditch/Dutch and across the NT border.
Thanks @Foaming Draught and also @rexory for letting the crew know ... I was largely out of adequate internet access except on occasions when I exhausted (but happily so) collapsed into motels in Derby, Katherine and Normanton. What can I say. One other minor car issue when its battery dropped a cell, hence the stay in Katherine, but that gave me the unexpected gift, unscheduled gift of a return to my old stamping ground in Darwin. Slept in a church there!
I haven't done the maths yet but I think about 18,000 kms. I don't hang round partly because of cost, partly because I could do more leisurely explorations in another lifetime, and partly because, well the driving is the thing. That said some 10% of those kilometres have been on back-breaking, corrugated red dirt roads. The worst was the Oodnadatta Track just after my last post. Ironically the one of which everyone said "OMG are you sure you want to try that," from Borroloola to Hells Gate and on to Normanton was a cinch.
Since then it's all been sealed. Got up to Cooktown yesterday and then down here to Clarence and Draught's place last night. I hope thy put up with me because my car needs a service and I can't get it booked in for another 2 days.
Error - one last night in a motel was at Ravenshoe in the Atherton Tablelands ... that was my motel budget expended as the Katherine and Normanton ones were twice what I budgeted (Normanton more so - four times more, because I stayed two nights).
Friends, rellies and my trusty swag, or the front seat of the Triton, from here to Melbourne.
Glad to read your update and hear of your adventures @Zappa and thanks to @Foaming Draught for keeping us in the loop as well. I have to admit that I was having visions of you trying to thumb a ride on a remote road and your car misbehaving. Glad to hear that hiccups have been kept to a minimum. Have fun catching up with good friends!
I too love the sound of @Clarence's holiday, just what a girl needs!
I think I'm having an early night tonight, up since 5 and lots of jobs done today. I think I'm declaring tomorrow a slow day in advance!
Mr WitG returned from an enjoyable visit to his Mum and sister in the big smoke, while I had a couple of quiet days at home, although I did achieve some tidying up and some cooking.
On Friday we will be off to Newcastle for a few days, hopefully enjoying some less chilly nights and warmer days. @Zappa glad you are safe and having a rest from rocketing around the country.
Hi Piglet, I was thinking about @Zappa covering nearly 900 kms a day without a copilot. In my book that’s definitely rocketing rather than sightseeing, regardless of the quality of the chariot.
However I think he’s probably mostly been around his favourite sort of weather.
😂😂😂
basically I target sight see ... oooh look that's interesting ... in the vague hope that one day I'll come back and spend more time in each place (which would take about 3491 years). I could spend a month in every place I've been through. Even Marble Bar.
Oh ... and except Broome and Cairns which basically looked like over priced tourist traps.
The lowest temperature I encountered was an overnight stretch on the Nullabor, where it was -1C ... the highest was up in the Kimberley at 37C.
@Clarence ain't back yet so just FD and me polishing the silver and flossing the roses.
Comments
It's beautiful outside this morning. I've walked the cats and after husband rests his feet for half an hour, we will go to the garden centre (postponed yesterday's outing). I am looking forward to that, I'll be curious to see if there are any new things in stock, particularly seedlings.
The two carriers are Barrier and Air New Zealand.
Any advice/ info from Shipmates very welcome.
PS I'm getting very excited, it's been six years since we last visited!
What an adventure! I can understand the excitement.
Very grey this afternoon and a bit breezy, nice and cozy inside though. Cheery husband has been doing some cleaning up in the garage and has found a heap of videos with no labels. He is in the process of transferring the recordings and has found some fun things like our daughter's 6th birthday party and a local community carols from roughly 1998. I'm shocked to think that's over 20 years ago!!! I'm glad he's been able to get the stuff off the videos so we can keep the recordings digitally.
I have flown to the far north only once and that was about 40 years ago, so any knowledge of the route is waaay out of date. Generally when I go to visit family in Wellington I fly Air NZ because, while not usually the cheapest they are the most user friendly to people who can't hear boarding calls.
A chillier day today as a cold front moves through.
How is life north of the Hunter Valley?
Next job is to tackle all the online stuff to allow us to enter beautiful Aotearoa!
How are things on the southside @WormInTheGrass? How was yesterday's cold start for you?
I am wondering if we have any shippies near the earthquake area in Qld, my Aged Aunt is at Beachmere and she heard the sound of the quake at her place.
Cheery husband has begun a new job this week and it sounds like he will be busy for quite some time. I an enjoying the return to my normal routine. Though I am glad he had the few days at home, both to rest but also to do a few jobs around the place. I love our garden, but am beginning to think we need to talk about downsizing.
A bit late picking up this thread... But will offer sympathy. You car's symptoms sound like an exact copy of those of our diesel VW several years ago, traced to frequent use of what turned out to be poor fuel from one of the major oil companies. Fuel standards have changed here since then, but the remedy at the time was to switch to a brand known to be cleaner. The EGR valve blocked progressively, which had an impact on the turbocharger. With a new turbo and thorough cleaning of the EGR system all was well and it gave no more trouble. Hoping all stays well with yours!
It's a particularly quiet week here, daughter has been on afternoon shift and has now finished for the week. She has a few days off next week.
Cheery husband seems fairly busy in his new job and has an induction program next week.
I have a new pile of books to look at and have hung a couple of small paintings I bought this week. They fit well in the spot that already had a couple of hangers, so no additional damage to walls.
Such a lovely walk around the pond just before lunch. Quite warm outside. I'm not sure why, but I only saw a couple of Ibis today. I suspect they are having an outing on another pond.
Later this afternoon I'm off to the GP again, to do yet another form to keep my licence. A boring and infuriating story led to this, but no one needs to hear about that.
Cheery son and I had a lovely walk around the pond today. This time I was organised and took a little bag with me to put dandelions into. There is a really awful weed problem in our area and I think stopping the seeding in the first place is part of the solution. I'm leaving a few for the bees though as they need a bit of assistance. I'd prefer to hand pick the flowers, over the city services men coming with their sprays, particularly as there is a childcare centre where there is a particularly bad clump.
It was glorious outside in the sun and just as we were about to go into the house, Cheery son drew my attention to a couple of beautiful parrots who were sitting in our weeping cherry. As I had my phone with me I managed to snap a couple of shots. They aren't particularly good, but it's a nice record of their visit. We also saw a huge group of tiny wrens which flew away in a cloud as we got a bit too close for their comfort.
I am a Vegemite lover. I eat the low salt option which has a blue band around the top of the label. I've been told by a supermarket that it is no longer being made, but I notice that the closest Woolworths has it in stock and the staff member I spoke to said she had no record of it proposed withdrawal.
Have you heard anything about it's proposed withdrawal? Is it still on shelves at your supermarket?
I'm glad to hear that Mr @WormInTheGrass had such a good weekend of gardening. I am looking forward to a bit of rain as it seems a bit too dry for my liking. I'll try to get my seedlings planted tomorrow and hopefully they'll enjoy a bit of watering-in.
Cheery husband has risen early this morning, driven up the highway to the "not capital" for a work induction. Seems ridiculous to me, as he's driven for about 6 hours today for a morning seminar. It seems to me that a Zoom would have been far more efficient.
It's been quite a slow day here with 2 phone calls to the Super people to get my paperwork organised. It just needs a final review and then I can submit it!! It has been a bit of a time thinking about this, so I don't make any mistakes, for an amount of money that is certainly not large. Perhaps that's all the more reason to pace myself and make thoughtful decisions.
vertically challenged piglet
Coles & Woolies each $5.50 for 235gr, $7.50 for 400gr. Not being withdrawn.
That reminds me of a risqué joke which I might post in Heaven's Bad Jokes. Or I might not 😉
I saw your note @Piglet about asking staff for assistance, I'll ask anyone if they are the right height and I've never had anyone refuse me. I don't know if it's that I'm a short tubby older lady and they don't want to see me ending up on the floor (or not).
Urk today has dawned cloudy and with a chilly wind. Short haired cat has insisted on a walk, but son has brought her inside as it had begun spitting rain. Long haired cat is smart enough to know there is no point going outside and he's just looking for a warm spot to curl up in.
Having brought the bins in from the road, I don't have much on today. I think it might be a Netflix afternoon, watching a cozy crime and a chimp documentary with Cheery son.
I am in the process of getting a new heat pump, which I can only manage because of the government subsidy and the late payment of earthquake insurance ( due to a successful legal challenge made by a group of dissatisfied claimants). I'm looking forward to not being cold and miserable next winter and possibly richer due to spending less to keep warm. It will be a drawn out process because a condition of the subsidy is
checking there is sufficient insulation under the house and in the ceiling for the heat pump to be of maximum benefit. Fortunately there's an organisation that does this. I already have a sheet of black plastic lining on the earth under the house, insulation under the floorboards and insulation in the ceiling but they may have to add more as regulations have changed since they installed the first heat pump.
Also this is the first day of spring, so the weather should be improving (well I can hope)
Mind you, at ours there was a heavy fog this morning, so I sent Cheery husband off in the car rather than on the motor scooter. I really don't like him riding on foggy days.
The other reason for sending him the car, is that someone tried to steal the scooter and hotwire it while he was at work last week. Not the best start to his new job, so sympathy to you about the flat tyre @WormInTheGrass, those pesky surprises can strike when we are least expecting it. I hope the tyre is now sorted for you.
I'm surprised not to have heard from my sister yesterday as she is a big fan of our local Green Team which is doing so well in the NRL this year. She was planning to come over to be in the stands for their home game at the weekend, perhaps she is still recovering from celebrating!!
I'm marrying a couple tomorrow whose daughter I shall be baptising on Sunday. Yes, I am retired 🙄
We'll all catch up with our erstwhile Shipmate Dangerous Deacon while Zappa is here. They served together in the same Northern Territory diocese, before going their separate ways across The Ditch/Dutch and across the NT border.
I haven't done the maths yet but I think about 18,000 kms. I don't hang round partly because of cost, partly because I could do more leisurely explorations in another lifetime, and partly because, well the driving is the thing. That said some 10% of those kilometres have been on back-breaking, corrugated red dirt roads. The worst was the Oodnadatta Track just after my last post. Ironically the one of which everyone said "OMG are you sure you want to try that," from Borroloola to Hells Gate and on to Normanton was a cinch.
Since then it's all been sealed. Got up to Cooktown yesterday and then down here to Clarence and Draught's place last night. I hope thy put up with me because my car needs a service and I can't get it booked in for another 2 days.
So slower exploring for the next twelve days!
Friends, rellies and my trusty swag, or the front seat of the Triton, from here to Melbourne.
I too love the sound of @Clarence's holiday, just what a girl needs!
I think I'm having an early night tonight, up since 5 and lots of jobs done today. I think I'm declaring tomorrow a slow day in advance!
On Friday we will be off to Newcastle for a few days, hopefully enjoying some less chilly nights and warmer days.
@Zappa glad you are safe and having a rest from rocketing around the country.
However I think he’s probably mostly been around his favourite sort of weather.
basically I target sight see ... oooh look that's interesting ... in the vague hope that one day I'll come back and spend more time in each place (which would take about 3491 years). I could spend a month in every place I've been through. Even Marble Bar.
Oh ... and except Broome and Cairns which basically looked like over priced tourist traps.
The lowest temperature I encountered was an overnight stretch on the Nullabor, where it was -1C ... the highest was up in the Kimberley at 37C.
@Clarence ain't back yet so just FD and me polishing the silver and flossing the roses.