Saturday, March 31, 2018

Hihiaua Peninsula

As usual, after shopping at the Growers' Market we went down to the Hihiaua Peninsula to walk Sophie.  By that time it was 7.30.  The boats all looked lovely in the early morning light.  As well as boats and the river I took some photos of sculptures from previous competitions that are now on the peninsula.

Next week it will be lighter as we put our clocks back an hour tonight.










Thursday, March 29, 2018

SHOULDER

I gave up on the pro lo therapy for my shoulder and at the end of February saw a specialist who wanted me to have an MRI scan and x-ray.  I have just had my follow-up appointment and the result is that I have calcium deposits in my shoulder.  

The specialist gave me a cortisone injection which has helped a lot although I still get sharp pain with some movements (mainly moving my hand away from my body).  He seemed to think that the deposits may be being reabsorbed and I see that this is the most painful time.  I am to go back in seven weeks after having another x-ray.

Apparently it may re-absorb naturally or I may need an injection or, as a last resort, an operation.  It is good to finally know what is going on.  


Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Sculpture Judging

We went to the final announcement of the Winners

This one won the main award and was purchased by the Whangarei District Council and will be installed somewhere on the Hihiaua Peninsula



This piece won the Te Aue Marie award and will be installed at the new Kerikeri Airport.  It also won the People's Choice Award.



Friday, March 23, 2018

Ranchslider Out

Yesterday was busy (aren't they all).  Doug started quite early on removing the ranchslider.  He managed to get the top and  sides free but the base would not move.  We removed the sliding door to make it lighter and still could not move it.  In the end he had to prise it out with a crowbar and then cut the screws.  My stepson, Mark, arrived with perfect timing and helped Doug get it through the gap in the wall down to the ground.

I phoned Habitat for Humanity and they came and collected it.

I finally succumbed to having a smartphone and Mark came up to help me set it up among other things so when the ranchslider was outside we did that and then went down to the Town Basin for lunch and walked along to see the Sculptures. 

Doug and I went back in the evening for the prize giving and auction.




Today, Doug haa put down the beams to level and support the floor and started to get the floor down.  This was interupted by a trip to get more timber as it is disappearing at a fast rate.



Wednesday, March 21, 2018

TODAY

This morning Doug did some more work on the verandah while I did a couple of loads of washing and made a frittata as well as doing some tidying up of emails - isn't it amazing how quickly they can build up.

Doug managed to get the sheet of fibrolite up and fixed in time for us to go down to the Town Basin to see the Sculptures in this year's competition.  We timed it just right as "down tools" was at 1 p.m. just as we finished walking around.

see here https://creativenorthland.com/key-events/whangarei-sculpture-symposium 

Here are some of this year's sculptures.












It was not easy to photograph them as the area was roped off.  They were very diverse both in materials and theme.  Our favourite was the kiwi in a hand.carved by the lady who made the eel that Doug received for Christmas.

The judging and auction is tomorrow from 5.30 p.m.

President Obama is in the area today playing golf at a nearby golf course ranked one of the best 50 in the world then staying at a nearby hotel.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

PROGRESS

The weather and life in general meant not much was done for three days but looking back Doug has achieved a lot.


Doug got most of the fibrolite on the side wall last week



There has to be a cat door




Today, in between showers he has framed up the end wall.  He has framed enough for one sheet and the gap on the right will be left so that he can remove the ranch slider and bring in the gib board.


Thursday, March 15, 2018

WINDOWS

Today is our youngest grandson's 21st birthday.  He came here for lunch yesterday then out to his sister's place last night.  Today he took his mother for a flight over the Bay of Islands, the Far North, down to the Hokianga and back to Kerikeri.  

This afternoon he called in here to help his Grandad lift the windows into place.  There is still a lot of work to finish installing them but we are on our way.  Thank you Mark.




Before the end wall is completely enclosed the ranch slider in the top picture will have to be taken out.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

IT'S COMING ON NICELY

In spite of lots of other things going on Doug has been progressing well with the Verandah.







Sunday, March 11, 2018

VERANDAH

When Doug bought this house he always intended to make the verandah into part of the lounge.  I don't know why the lounge wasn't just made larger when the house was built as the verandah is really a waste of space.  Anyway, we have just purchased the timber and other items needed for the build and Doug has started work (and is, in fact working on it as I type). 

This is the only "before" photo I can find.  The verandah is on the right hand side.



These are the photos of the work in progress.  Under the red plastic is the new flooring.


The little "ladder" in the following photo is for Kim the cat.  She will have a new cat door when the job is finished.




 Kim's run is alongside the house.



The sliding doors will go giving access to the new room.


Let's hope the storm due tomorrow is not too severe.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

ASHES

We have had the ashes of our deceased spouses in the spare room since I moved here a year ago.  A couple of weeks ago I was lying in bed in the morning thinking about what to do with Max' ashes.  The thought of sprinkling them near our previous home in the north no longer appealed.  It seemed like throwing them away and I go there only infrequently now.  At breakfast that morning Doug said that he had been thinking about what to do with the ashes.

When his late wife died he had bought two ash plots in Helensville where they had spent their whole life until moving to Whangarei in 2008 but he has not been back there since that move.  Doug had thought it through more than me and wondered whether we could purchase a burial plot and put their ashes in and ours as well when the time comes.  He phoned the Undertakers and the lady thought it sounded a good idea and she, in turn, phoned the cemetery who got back to us and said we could do that.  Next day we went to the cemetery and chose a plot.

When we asked the very nice man in charge of cemetery he said he was not allowed to recommend a stonemason but gave us a couple of cards and suggested we shop around.  On the way home we went to a showroom in town and looked at some headstones.  The following day we phoned another one in a village just out of Whangarei and went out there.  No showroom but a lovely big workshop (I think Doug had workshop envy).  He was a delightful young man and it turned out that the other stonemasons in town send him any headstones that need repair.  

We chose a headstone and told him what we wanted as far as wording.  Doug is putting his parents names on the stone as they don't have a headstone.  The draft was done with our names on as well and we have approved it.  (Our names don't go on until the inevitable happens)

Last Monday we went to the cemetery and buried the ashes.  When the headstone is ready we will have an unveiling and any members of the family that want to can come then.  There will also be room later for the ashes of any other members of the family that would like to be laid there.

We both feel that we have made the right decision.