LOCKDOWN

 One new case in the community in Auckland so Auckland and Coromandel are going into Level 4 Lockdown for 7 days and the rest of the country for 3 days from midnight with possible extensions. Updates to follow.

Rain forecast so just as well we went to the Library yesterday.

TODAY

It was a perfect day for our Parkinson's walk along the harbour at Onerahi this morning.

Last week Doug's eldest daughter mentioned that she was having trouble with her television so we asked if she would like our old one which has been sitting at the back of the sunroom since we last used it.  We had it installed for her with a new aerial and then found a set of nesting tables to put it on.  As a thank you she turned up yesterday with a delicious fruit crumble and cottage pie.  We had some of the crumble last night (and again tonight) and it was great having the cottage pie for lunch after our walk as it just needed heating.  Thank you D.

COVID AND WEATHER

Yesterday, we had our second Covid shots.  It feels good even though we have been Covid free up here.  The Government is talking about going straight into Lockdown if just one case of the Delta variant is found here.  With things seemingly out of control in Sydney it could easily spread here.

We have had an extremely wet winter.  This is the first year we have had to cancel so many Parkinson walks and, if we have a fine day, I go into Washing mode and usually do three loads so that I can get them line dry.

Spring does seem to be on the way though with freesias and daffodils coming into bloom and it is definitely getting light earlier.  

PURIRI MOTH

At the weekend, when on our regular short walk around the streets from home we came across this Puriri Moth.  It was lying on the pavement and we shifted it to a safer place.

 

It is New Zealand's largest moth and this specimen would have been over 2 inches long but they get larger than that.  They are nocturnal forest dwellers.

The caterpillar stage can last up to six years but the moths last only a couple of days as they have no mouthparts and cannot feed.

WHAU VALLEY DAM

Our last Parkinson's walk was to the Whau Valley Dam and we were pleased to see that it is now full.  There had been worry earlier that it would not be full before the start of summer but all the rain we have had has filled it nicely.

On the way to the dam we passed the new $30 million water treatment plant which will increase the capacity of water treated a day to 22 million litres from 15 million.  Photo from the Council website

R.I.P BOBBY

I have mentioned previously that Bobby had been sneezing and coughing and has been on several lots of antibiotics.  The last lot we were told would be the final ones.  In between his sneezing fits he has seemed quite happy but last night he deteriorated and this morning was not at all well.  

He then went outside and Doug found him lying in the rain under a bush - a sure sign that things are not good.  I phoned the vets at about 9 a.m. after we had put him in the cage but they were not able to see him until 11.15 so we took him inside and let him out.  He went and lay in the outside run looking pretty miserable. 

The vet who saw him was Natalie, the same vet who did his initial check-up and several others in between.  We got her to check him over first before giving him a relaxant followed by the lethal dose of anaesthetic.  Bobby just lay there quietly and went peacefully.

These two photos of him were taken this week.  He loved sitting on the back of the chair looking out of the window

or on his back either in front of the fire or in the sun.

He had been with us less than nine months but has left a big gap.  

PLEASANT WALK

We wanted to check a walk for the Parkinson's group.  It is one we have done before but starting from Vinegar Hill Road.  This time we drove just under 2 kms. to The Tikipunga Sports Field as there is now a new bridge linking it to the walk to Vinegar Hill.  

It is a lovely day and we came across Doug's oldest daughter walking three of her four dogs  (forgot to take a photo of them).  

Walking across the park

The lovely new pedestrian/cycle bridge (No motorised vehicles allowed)

Looking back at the bridge through the trees.

There were several horses along the route

We weren't sure what this (presumably native) tree is

When we got back to the park there were a couple of games of football being played.