taz

                                            AAARGH.....Flash!!!!


                                                Now this is better....

No, we can't stay more than six months....but given the chance, we would.

Te Aroha .... more buildings

The bottom picture is the athletics ground....a banked, grass, track.......looks suspiciously like a grass track you'd ride bikes on too, to me!!

race day

From Te Aroha, out to Matamata where they got drenched, and back, one group doing 40k, the other doing 70k,  120 riders in all.

The winner!  in 1 hour 53 minutes. 

a completely different day in Te Aroha

Today started damp, but quickly lifted...and now at 5pm it is hot.

The new shower is in use!! So I'm now 100% clean!

The walk into town dried off my hair and I went drawing..and it has been FAR too long...I need a lot more practice before I attempt drawing architecture.

On the other hand drawing details has turned out a little more successful, and I'm carrying on with that.  To paraphrase the saying,  Don't try and run before you re-learn to walk!!

You can see why I can't wait to hone my drawing skills!!

Most shops have a permanent awning to shelter people from rain or sun.

Then there is Espresso Banco, the best cafe in town!!   It is an old bank, beautifully restored and revived as a coffee house and retro clothes and bits shop

It is welcoming, in or out, with good coffee and homemade food.

I'm learning that a "short black" is the NZ espresso, and a "long black" is the NZ americano coffee.

A walk home to a late lunch, past some beautiful houses.....and this one is still for sale....but too much in the middle of all the others for us!!

The Pirate didn't go to the zoo in Sydney today, as it is pouring down with rain....just like it was here yesterday!!

The forecast is for rain tomorrow, so who knows what we will get up to...but it could involve a museum....

New Zealand late Spring rain

Is heavy showers, sometimes prolonged!

A little problematical, when you want to go for a walk and draw....

The washing goes on as usual, with the line on the verandah by the Sleepout!

Not much point going out in this...

It has started lifting....still raining.....and this is as stunning as a clear view.

back to work

The Pirate  left yesterday for a visit to family and friends in Sydney, Australia. We saw him off on a NZ airlines "puddlejumper" from Auckland airport.
    It was interesting seeing planes landing and comparing it to what you see from the plane's cameras while landing.

We had a walk to the mall in Manakau City while waiting for his flight...got lost a bit, had an interesting walk and saw the nearly total eclipse of the sun by the moon.

He left with the New Moon and returns on the Full Moon.    I'm missing him already.

So I'm filling time with getting back to drawing.  I used to draw buildings, and Te Aroha has some interesting ones...photography has made it too easy and I must get my eye/brain/hand co-ordination back up to speed!!

BMX Paeroa and rain

The local track just over 20 k from Te Aroha, with Te Aroha mountain behind (at about 950 metres above sea level) to the SouthEast.

Not everyone has full kit, but still all have fun

The thunder and lightning was spectacular in the distance and the racing was over before the rain....just.   As I write it is bucketing down with rain outside, as it was yesterday in Hamilton....

and we had rainbows on the way home then