TRAILER RECALL

 

Yesterday, Doug's car and trailer went for their Warrants of Fitness.  There was no problem with the car but the trailer had been recalled by Bunnings.  Apparently, bolts had been used where it should have been welded to attach the towbar.  Doug bought this trailer in 2007 for just under $1,000.  We contacted Bunnings and were told to take it in to the nearest store so that is what we did this morning after our usual trip to the market and supermarket and then breakfast.  We wondered how much we would get as a refund after all this time and were pleased to receive $1400.00.  

I had just registered it so on Monday we need to go and de-register it and, hopefully, get a refund of the annual registration fee.  We will then need to find a new trailer to buy.

NEW POTTING AREA

Doug had various pieces of old timber stacked away so, yesterday, he made the legs and frame for a potting table for me.

Today, we  moved it next to the new tank and Doug fixed an old door on top and voila, a new potting bench nice and handy to water and tucked away out of sight.

A CAT, A WALK AND TWO PIGS

I have been worried about Kim the Cat for a while now.  She has had bowel issues  and last time I took her to the vet she said it could be a tumour but gave her some antibiotics and other tablets (forget what they were now).  Anyway, she seemed to get a bit better for a while.  At breakfast today we decided it would be an idea to take her back to the vets.  I phoned them and was told there was an appointment in 15 minutes so everything stopped and we got there just in time.  We saw the other vet  and his diagnosis is the same but he told us that it is not painful and she should be alright until she either refuses to eat or loses control.  She eats and drinks a lot and is still losing weight but seems happy.  Since we lost Sophie she has blossomed and roams the whole house whereas before she kept to "her half".  The vet did give her a steriod injection that should last five days and said that if it helps I can get some tablets to give her so we shall see.  The main thing is that she is not in pain.  She is sitting with me now.

We took her home and did a couple of jobs then headed out to check the walk from A.H. Reed Park to the Whangarei Falls for the Parkinson group as we have not done that since the July Floods.  It is a beautiful day and we enjoyed getting out for the walk.

This is the wash station for boots to help stop kauri dieback spreading.

This is some corrugated iron from a shed that had been destroyed in the floods.  There were a lot of trees uprooted.

This is a lovely old chestnut tree.

On the way back we came across this pair of Captain Cooker pigs that must have escaped from a nearby property.  They were very tame.  I phoned the council to let them know.

MUCH NEEDED RAIN

It has been a day of good steady rain, not too heavy but just nice for the garden.  We went to Doug's eldest daughter's for lunch - barely a ten minute walk - but drove because the rain was a bit heavier then.  Apart from that we have not done a lot. A lovely relaxing day with plenty of reading.  Just what was needed.

If you enlarge the photo you can see the rain slanting down.  Not a good day for the rubbish collectors.  Forecast is back to dry tomorrow for the next nine days so should be able to get back into the garden.

WARO LAKE

The forecast was for rain and that is what we woke to this morning and when we set off to Hikurangi there was a light misty rain but luckily it stopped by the time we started our walk and we just had one short burst of rain.  There were nine of us today - the rain forecast had put some off.  WARNING - LOTS OF PHOTOS

Some flax flowers just opening

It is a lovely mown path

After walking around the lake we walked around the rocks

 and had some company - I also saw just one Canada Goose in the distance

some Valerian growing on the rocks

It is a while since we have done this walk and it is always enjoyable.  We than headed to a very pleasant cafe in Hikurangi and were joined by another member of the group and his daughter.  He has been in hospital so it was good to see him and we hope it won't be too long before he can join us for the walks once again.

The walk is not as picturesque as the lovely English walks but was still very pleasant.

WINDY SUNDAY

Another windy day.  I managed to get a few climbing bean seeds in the ground as well as some Sugar snap peas that I saved from the winter crop.  Doug got an overflow on the new water tank.  Pleased to see the rain forecast for tomorrow is now just forecast as cloudy so that will be better for our Parkinson Walk which is around Lake Waro.

The dwarf beans I planted a few weeks ago are doing well and there are more signs of spring around the garden.

SATURDAY

Back to our old routine today.  Just after seven we headed for the Growers' Market.  I took a photo as I arrived but the light was not very good.  Still not all the usual stalls but we bought some golden delicious apples, some oranges, avocados, rocket, carrots and orange kumara (sweet potato) and some cucumber and courgette plants.

Then we went to the Supermarket.  We go to New World and, at present, they have a promotion giving away "Little Garden" boxes with seeds and little pots and seed raising mix.  I think they are aimed at children but they have a nice variety of seeds.  Ones like cabbage and broccoli I will leave till later but today I have sowed lettuce, basil x 2, borage, pansy, chives, thyme and, in the garden a couple of carrots.  (You do not know what seeds you are getting)

This is what one gets for each variety.  There is the pot and seed raising mix that needs water added,  a small sheet of seeds and a label.

I used their pots  for the pansies which I cut into smaller pieces and  used a six pot container for the lettuce and herbs.  I have put them in a makeshift mini glasshouse which was actually a bowl for salads that I bought many moons ago but which I have used for raising seeds for over ten years now.  All I have to do now is wait.

The seedlings will have to wait for another day to get planted as there is a strong cold wind.