THE RAT

Many years ago I made a toy for the cat we had at the time.  It was way before we had Kath and Kim which is ten years - possibly 15 years.

This toy has been a favourite and I am amazed how it has survived.  I am sure a shop-bought toy would have succumbed many years ago.

Both Kath and Kim have enjoyed playing with it but now that Kim is our sole cat it has been attacked quite frequently.  

It gets held, kicked and bitten and, as you can see it is getting a little worse for wear.  It is just an old sock rolled up and tucked into itself then sewn with a piece of bias binding as the tail.  In other words odd items that were handy when I decided to make it.

It has always been affectionately known as The Rat.

Parkinson's Walking Group visited Pataua South

It felt like spring yesterday as we drove out to Pataua South for our Monday Parkinson's walk.  We walked along the beach (some going on around by the camping ground and back behind the houses).

We took drinks and eats with us and had them at one of the many tables set out along the beach then walked across the bridge to Pataua North and had a short walk there before returning to Whangarei.

The bike riding is coming on well.  Feel a bit more secure and not quite so wobbly now.  I suppose 55 years is quite a long time!!!

R.I.P. KATH 2004 - 17/08/2015

Kath and Kim came into our lives in 2005.  Kath had been found abandoned and was feeding kittens.  She was in a bad way and we had her on antibiotics for some months before she was able to have her "flu shot".  Our previous cat had died and it was the first time we actually went out and chose a cat (or cats in this case).  Previously cats had always just turned up even though we were out in the country

We thought that getting two  they would be company for each other.  We got them from the SPCA in Kaitaia and Max chose Kath.

We had never had a calico cat before and were to discover how feisty they can be.

When Max went into care they were great company especially in the long evenings.

She had her last annual check up in May and appeared fine. Lately she has been losing weight and I have been trying all sorts of different foods to get her to eat.  She would eat chicken one day and then go off it,  the same with beef, tuna etc.  This weekend she went downhill rapidly and last night was really bad - just lying listlessly. It was only Friday or Saturday morning when I called "walkies" and both cats came running.

This morning I took her to the vet who kept her to do some tests and phoned me back with the diagnosis of diabetes with complications because she had got so low.  I could have taken her down to a specialist in Auckland  and then given her injections for the rest of her life.  I  know she would have hated this and she was so low that the only real option was euthanasia.  I doubt whether she would have survived another night.  She was gone after only a very small part of the dose of anaesthetic..

Doug has dug a hole and we buried her with a pohutakawa tree planted next to her in a lovely spot at the bottom of my garden where she used to love to go hunting.

Yes, It's BIKES

Have been thinking of getting a bike for a while and when I noticed one on "Grab One" I took the plunge.  As Doug has a "significant birthday" coming up soon his family then bought him one.

They duly arrived and Doug assembled them this morning.  Due to the heavy rain I didn't go to his place to "supervise" but did take him some lunch and had a look at the nearly completed bikes then.

He has now finished the assembly and, he tells me, road tested both bikes.  It must be 55 years since I was last on a bike so it will be interesting.  Hopefully there will be a break in the weather for me to try it out.  The forecast is not looking good with Monday being the only fine day in the next ten.

NEW TOY

I have a new toy.  It arrived this afternoon.  As with most things these days it needs 'SOME ASSEMBLY" .  Tomorrow rain is forecast so the assembly will be done then.  Doug has also purchased a similar toy so his will be assembled as well.

Roll on tomorrow - great excitement.  Just one more sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Hokianga - final day

The rain had stopped on the final day.  We drove down to the headland and then went down to a lovely (stony) beach for a walk.  It was then back home on an extra long route via Kerikeri.

The Hokianga - Omapere

The weather was not the best but it was nice to just sit and watch the squally showers,some with thunderstorms.  What I needed was time to do nothing and recharge the batteries and that is what I had.

On the morning of our departure the weather had improved (c'est la vie)

This last photo was taken looking up the harbour.

The Hokianga

A couple of years after I arrived in New Zealand (which was 50 years ago today) a friend took me up to Rawene to a 21st birthday.  I have loved the area ever since.

Living in the north we often went down to either Rawene or Kohukohu.

Last week we had a break staying at Omapere.  We drove to Rawene and when we arrived the ferry was in so we hopped on and just went across the harbour and back again.  A very kind man offered to drive us to Kohukohu and take us back in time for the next ferry but as the wind was a bit chilly we declined with thanks.