Marking time, and reducing

 Pirate's tests proceed...one, not so good....but that could be affected by other things so may be irrelevant.

He is preparing for tomorrow morning's as I write. Shall we just say that this evening has seen a drastic spring clean and tomorrow involves a camera. At least he has had one before and enjoys watching the action on the screen..it is his body after all! We both will be glad to find out what is his problem and where to next. Whatever it is hasn't been helped by long Covid 

This week has been cold and wet and windy, with an occasional respite to keep us going!

The kiln shed now only contains the kiln and flue sections...and one car full has gone to the Cowp...the recycling and dump centre.

I have kept busy with attempting to tidy and reduce. Clothes done...but I did get rid of a large suitcase full last year so there wasn't much to go!

Books..now that is a difficult one. I probably have too many..but they are my friends, prompts for memories and also useful.  With each move over the past twenty years I have found new homes for books so that I have half the number that I used to.

Now I am weeding again.   

When did I last read you?  Am I likely to read you again soon?  Are you useful reference.....

A few are quite valuable....do I sell them now?

My daughter would like a few...and hopefully will visit this summer and choose some more. I don't know if my sons would want any atall.  It feels odd, for several generations we have been book people, especially my family.  Now, perhaps, the internet is taking over.  There is nothing like a real physical book, though I agree an electronic reader would be useful on public transport journeys. 

Sunday outing

 The cycling team that I am a member of had a two hour coached track session for fourteen members this morning, followed by our first AGM since November 2019!

Not bad to have almost twenty there..and four apologies...when everyone is so busy!

This for a team that spans nearly the whole of Scotland.

Then a quick call past a nice shop for their reduced offerings....and a picnic late lunch in the car...with the windows open, of course for fresh air!! It was exceedingly muddy underfoot so we did not venture out!

The view?....Loch Geal...White Loch...and Goat Fell in Aran showing in the distance.

No snow on there to see, but there was snow on the Campsie Fells behind Glasgow as we travelled there this morning.

Saturday outing

Saturday was taken up with seeing a joiner friend and family, then another who has made a bench for Pirate...more of which in a future post!

Supper then was a chip supper in an Italian chippy café in Girvan,by the harbour !!

And sunset and Ailsa Craig seen from the esplanade 

Good to see the harbour full, and the shipyard busy maintaining boats.
 

Unfortunately the facilities didn't match up to those we saw in Aotearoa NZ.

Not only looking very worn and a bit grubby and the area around dirty and littered,  but you had to pay by card...hard luck if you couldn't (unless you had a Radar key) When new it was a nice design....but they look uncared for now.

Quite a disappointment.

Garden progress?

 We actually had some sunshine today..and wind...and rain....and by the weekend it could be -3⁰C ...

No getting on with gardening then....but...

I have got the site for the new compost bins ready!

The stack of pallets needs to come away from the kiln shed, so better than just moving them, we will use them!!

First step is to strengthen the fence post...or rather put a second one in front and nail them together. The site doesn't need much attention, so just let's get on with it!!

However, rain stopped play..we see a friend on his smallholding tomorrow, so hopefully we can buy a couple of stobs from him ( fence posts)

Return journey to Scotland

 

The Long White Clouds from above

That was our liftoff from Christchurch....

We didn't want to leave....but you can't overstay then return, so we had to.

Next stop Brisbane airport for a four hour wait.

Beautifully airy..not oppressive atall

I am not sure what the sculptures represent exactly..must ask our Brisbane friends...Pirate was gutted that having a stopover there wasn't possible

These are lovely!!

Glad we weren't there initially when it was busy

The sunset colours were fabulous....but the only way to capture that anywhere near closely was to photograph the side wall!..Imagine the sky that darker sandy orange...

Then, luckily with a seat at the front of a block..so more legroom...over 13 hours to Dubai...no photos from then on as no window seat and / or daylight!

We arrived in Glasgow to a dreich welcome....cold and wet....but at least the three bus rides were done with little waiting and over by mid afternoon.

24 hours total in the air. 8 hours waiting around before and during. ½ hour car journey before. 1 hour queuing to get out through security, then at last fresh air and 2½ hours bus home. 

Total 36 hours to get 24 hours ahead!!.....time travel!!!

Taking the Nojetlag tablets really worked.   Within two days my body clock had synchronised... Pirate's took a little longer...

Now we have to sort his medical problems.....it might not be very good news, but with past treatment he has had ten years of life that he wouldn't have had and we have had ten good years extra together.

Our house sitter has stayed on to help with sorting workshop and garden, thankfully and we are giving them a chance to finish fitting out their van conversion here. Self designed and constructed.

We had decent weather yesterday and much shuffling of wood happened, and I cleared the site for the pallet constructed compost bins. 

It isn't getting on with gardening weather..more wind rain and cold forecast for a week at least..but it is all looking in the right direction.

Okains Bay Museum

 This is a marvellous invaluable resource, a collection not just of European settlers' history and artefacts, like other museums, but of Māori history and culture too.

It is sited in an old cheese factory and is helping bring people back to the valley after the closure of the factory and other businesses.

It is heartening to see a community grow, still with a school and shop and other thriving business carrying on.

The valley has been hit by three tidal waves over the centuries, the worst of them basically picked up the contents of the bay and dumped it, blocking the navigable river. 

At one time ships could tie up by the bridge where the road goes up and over to Little Akaloa in the next bay westwards.  Now it is just small boats, and the annual trip out for the 60+ foot Waka.

There have been piers for ships to land and collect goods too...but the last of the three went when the roads department used the wood from its deck to mend the road bridge damaged in the 1960s tidal wave.....the upright supports were damaged and that was the end of it.

First though, the photos and history on display by the entry to the campsite behind the beach

Then to the museum

Set out like a village, with the two bigger buildings of the old cheese factory, one for Māori history, the other for European settler history.

This is the person behind the museum's existence.

Thanks be for people like him!

A store shed

Taonga are the expressions of culture. whare is house

There are so many things to see...and the work on them so skilful, weaving, carving, painting...

Then the other hall..

A cobbler's workshop...and others too, blacksmith, an old kitchen, first and second world war memories, the Country Women's Institute

Old small cottages, some built of slabs of wood.

Wind and water power made by the blacksmith

A carved figure ...blowing an instrument..and standing on a gatepost!

Over the road from the museum is a boatshed which normally houses two Waka.

One was over in Akaloa ready to be paddled at a weekend of boats.

That is a copy of this original which came from the Whanganui river...and was broken during transport and painstakingly restored over many years. It is over 60 feet long....and is breathtaking to see!

Then back over the steep and winding road...this is the view from the top...

And down to Wairewa (Little River) for a late lunch at the café and gallery there...and just by there...

I suppose you can make a place to stay out of almost anything?!