TODAY'S WALK

Last night we had heavy rain and thunderstorm watches and wondered whether we would be having the Parkinson walk this morning.  Anyway, the day dawned fine so we headed for the planned walk which was from A.H. Reed Park to the Whangarei Falls.  We were surprised at how full the river was as it only rained overnight.

This is the most water I have seen coming over the Falls.

This is a photo of the Falls in March last year (what it usually looks like).

After the walk and coffee we headed to do a supermarket shop then back home for a quick lunch before heading to the GP for Doug's dressing to be changed.  It is coming on well but a long way to go. 

ONE WEEK ON

Yes, it is a week since Doug had his accident.  He had his third nurse appointment today, a different nurse this time and she was very thorough.  He has different antibiotics and  a new sling (put on properly this time so that it does not pull down on his neck.  A new type of dressing with a splint.  He has also been referred to the District Nurse in the hope that he can be seen more frequently and also a referral to a hand physio. 

While we were out having all this done youngest daughter and a grandson came and picked up the offending saw and took it to be serviced. So things are progressing.

MONDAY

 We had a lovely walk around the Loop.  At one stage we could hear a haka being performed and then realised it was on a catamaran coming towards us with Maori flags flying.  Not sure where they were headed - the Bay of Islands or the Islands as in Rarotonga, Fiji etc. perhaps.

Just after we reached the road I noticed a spoonbill on a patch of grass.  Unfortunately, it had walked away by the time I got my phone out to take a photo but I did manage this:

I haven't seen one up close before. 

Home for lunch then out again for Doug to get his dressing changed.  She was also able to remove the rest of the glove from the wound.  

AND

On Friday we had warnings for heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong wind but in the morning there was a lull in the storm so I took the opportunity to get some fresh air and walk down to get Doug's antibiotics.  Unfortunately, they didn't agree with him so he only took 2 and then stopped.  He says it doesn't feel as though there is an infection in the wound and the nurse was of two minds whether to prescribe antibiotics or not.  

The sling didn't last long and, of course, he has still been doing work but has been holding the hand raised in between jobs.  We got everything ready including the plinth for the machine to sit on.  The washing machine and new freezer were delivered just after lunch on Saturday but the delivery man who also set the washing machine up suggested it would be better not to use the plinth even though it was the Salesman who suggested it.  Anyway, I am very happy with the new machine and did two loads yesterday and another today.  I had a front loader previously but as I moved into Doug's house when we married I just used the machine he already had.

It was only today that Doug showed me the glove he was wearing when he had the accident with the drop saw.  It could have been a whole lot worse.  goes back to see the nurse tomorrow to get it checked.

The almost finished laundry.  The deep freeze was the only upright one that would fit under the cupboards.

Youngest daughter came to lunch today and brought me these lovely chrysanthemums for Mother's Day.

 

WHAT A WEEK

Monday was a lovely fine day for our weekly walk.  We met at the Information Centre at the south of town where a new cafe, The Cabbage Tree Cafe, has just opened hence our revisiting that particular walk. There were 17 of us (I think that may be a record of walkers) and some were away.  Both the walk and the cafe were excellent. I even had a message from the cafe afterwards checking that we were all happy.

The waterfall was in full flow after all the rain we have had.

Tuesday was our eighth wedding anniversary but on Monday afternoon I had done a load of washing and realised that the washing machine had developed a leak so the day was spent deciding on a replacement then checking it out, going into town and purchasing.  They are so busy that delivery could not be until Saturday.  We also bought timber for Doug to build a plinth for the washing machine.

Wednesday was spent moving the old washing machine out and starting on the drying out from the leak.  As we are buying a front loader to replace a top loader we realised that we would have to move the fridge and freezer to accommodate the door opening from the left side.  We have a chest freezer and have decided to purchase a vertical freezer.

Today, Thursday, was spent trying to find a vertical freezer that would fit as we have a height limit.  After some phoning and checking on line we went to town and purchased a freezer to be delivered with the washing machine.  When we got home we emptied the freezer and between us managed to move it out to the back porch and then refill it.  The clock seemed to be on steroids.  I then cooked lunch, our main meal while Doug cleaned up where the freezer had been.  

By the time we finished lunch it was about 3.30 and while I did the dishes Doug went outside to cut some timber for the plinth.  He returned a very short time later having cut his finger quite badly.  I phoned his eldest daughter to take him to A. & E.  She just lives around the corner and while she drove here I phoned the GP to see if they would be able to see him.  I was put on hold but just as she arrived I was told that they could see him if he was there before 4 p.m.  so that saved driving to the hospital.

While they were gone I did the dishes and checked a couple of things outside discovering a bunch of bananas had started to ripen so I picked them just before they got back.

Apart from the sutures Doug's arm is in a sling so the building of the plinth will be put on hold for a while.  

We now have a heavy rain warning, severe thunderstorm watch and strong wind watch for tomorrow.  Sculpture Northland is on at the Quarry Gardens from today until Sunday and we had intended to go today but the day ran out.

Doug was prescribed antibiotics but the script did not arrive at the pharmacy before they closed so I will check on that first thing tomorrow.  I am looking forward to a quieter day.

Te Rau Aroha A Company Maori Battalion Museum

 Yesterday morning we set off north to Paihia, 70 kms. away.  Doug's eldest daughter came as well and was our driver.  

Showers had been forecast but they held off until we were returning home. It was a pleasant drive and sixteen family members met for the ceremony to have Doug's Uncle Lockie's photo installed on the wall of Remembrance.  The ceremony was set to start at 12.30 and there was a lot of catching up with family members who had not met for some time. 

As with all Maori ceremonies there was a lot of singing and a lot of talking or korero.

Doug was the only family member who could actually remember Lockie.  He remembers standing between his legs as a young child with Lockie playfully hitting him on his head with a rolled up newspaper.  He can also remember when he was about five years old his father going to work and telling him to be good for his mother that particular day as she had just heard that her brother had been killed.  

We were extremely pleased we attended.  We had been to the Museum a few years ago and wondered why Lockie's photo was not on the wall.  (Apparently it was because he was with another Battalion to start with and something went amiss with the records).  

In the background nearly 600 white crosses on the Field of Remembrance for the soldiers of 28th Maori Battalion who were killed in action and buried overseas.

Lockie's photo on the Wall of Remembrance where it belongs.

Doug beside the photo

Part of the Wall.

After the Ceremony we went to the Cafe at the Copthorne Hotel, Waitangi for a late lunch and then the drive home.  It was a lovely day but this morning we were both pleased that we didn't need to get up at Sparrowfart to go to the Market.

SUNSHINE

After all the rain it is lovely to see the sun. 

From our local paper this morning:

'Northland has swung from one extreme to the other after drought conditions in March quickly turned to record-breaking rainfall.

Whangārei received 402mm of rain that same month, more than quadruple the average rainfall of 96mm.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said April had been the wettest month for Whangārei  since records began in 1943".

Tomorrow we are going on a road trip to Waitangi to the Maori Battalion Museum, Te Rau Aroha, I thought we may not feel like an early start on Saturday to go to the market and have been following  a young lady on Facebook who supplies Vegie boxes so this seemed an ideal time to try one. 

We bpought the $35 smaller box which contained 

Chinese Cabbage Mini

Mandarins 750g

Bananas 750g

Jalapenos / Cayenne Chillis (Can be swapped for parsley on request)

Capsicums x 2

Cherry tomatoes 250g bag

Broccolini Bunch Small

Bunch of Spinach

Red Silverbeet

I see the Broccolini has been swapped for beans and am very happy with everything. I am thinking of this instead of going to the Market in winter. She also delivers.