Alleyway Art

Apprentice

Mending the stayplace washing patch windbreak fence

Teamwork

We had a turbo session in our coach's gym last night, using one of the videos available..funnily enough I've been a track commissaire and met all the presenters when they were youth riders!
As it was the last session before their track national championships there was a pot luck supper afterwards!

Bush

The tablet is having an off day..the screen being hypersensitive one minute and not enough the next!
Anyhow..we had a wander around some of the forest paths in Bushey Park..heard HiHi birds and a Koromiko and a Black Robin.

Then we had a look at the waves at Kai Iwi beach at Mowhanau

Definitely no paddling!

Blessed

Rain..most of last night and this morning too, until well after lunch. Luckily the sort of rain we need, steadily soaking the earth.

Also steadily soaking the Pirate, out on his bike exploring road and valleys!
I stayed home to lend a hand and tidy our own things a little.

I found a Cork Oak in Kowhai Park as I walked along to Dublin Bridge yesterday. Fascinating bark.

Grandma....

Today we are waiting for Oma....she has been battering New Caledonia and other points around there...now we can but anticipate her path.. Queensland, New Zealand, back where she came from???
It looks like we may get off lightest in Whanganui with heavier weather North and South of us... hopefully the areas driest and with fires will not get drowned as in Australia
Meanwhile we have been having a steady light rain shower, just the thing to wet the ground and sink in instead of dashing down and away.
Who knows what the weekend will bring!

Pretty and fascinating

Bougainvillia

Life goes on

Yet another beautiful sunset...each day is starting a little cloudy, then clearing to hot sun...we now have a total fire ban in Whanganui and South Taranaki.
We may have rain o Thursday depending on the track of the category 3 tropical hurricane OMA, presently over Vanuatu... we are keeping an eye on its tracks.

Meanwhile our longer weekend rides with a group start on the other side of the river, 15 minutes ride away..a good warm up! They are on the road by 7am, and when we finish in a cafe for breakfast at 9am we have missed the heavy traffic and the sun is just getting really hot...and you have the rest of the day left!!  Some of them are working so it fits in with everyone.
We are enjoying living at the Hikurangi Stayplace..we lend a hand when needed as it's basically a one man band with his new partner and two cleaners five mornings a week, two hours each day.
There are some nights, when events are on in the River City when here are 70 people staying!!  That includes the dozen or so longer stayers.
It's a hard life for them but provides a marvellous relaxed stayplace for the customers at a very reasonable cost.
All being well we know where we'll stay in two year's time!
We'll have other friends to return to as well, both old and new.
We have extended our stay another week into March..but then we'll be heading North, sad to leave friends but looking forward to seeing others.

Rain!

Not a lot, but welcome all the same! Then a beautiful afternoon, just the thing to dry the washing before we went for a ride late afternoon as it cooled again.

Day out

I had a day in town o my own yesterday..browsing around then helping a friend on her library stall at the One Billion Rising event.
People already library members could borrow books there and those not could join right there..and borrow. She is an outreach librarian, so this was the library reaching out! As it was a womens' event all the books were about women specific problems or by women.
I looked after the stall while she joined in the flash mob dance which would be travelling around the world for 24 hours..same song, music and dance....
Then she took an easy Zumba class.
She, her husband and 10 year old son moved to New Zealand from Belgium ten years ago..and a year ago moved to Whanganui.

It's a lovely inspiring place..wish we could stay!!

My valentine

Thankyou Pirate xx

Sunset trip to the beach

Steve

Hello fellow potter, commenting on the saviac wheel post..it would be good to get in contact and talk wheels!!

Games end

Sunset and moonrise over Whanganui

Cat resting

It's hot...

Transport