Never a dull moment

Lockdown day six saw the Kiwis hit by a series of earthquakes out in the ocean, largest one of 8.1 threatened alot of our coastline with Tsunami warnings…..this all began as we were starting our work from home day, as we do in Level 3!

Dad, who is 100meters above sea level was panicked when his caregiver insisted the car was ready and the bag was packed to head to higher ground. Us at Waiwera, 2 metres above sea level, continued on our busy day. Dan cleaning cars, contractor installing benchtop, George doing a bit of housework for me and cleaning out gutters that were blocked up and produced a waterfall outside his bedroom window in the heavy rain earlier in the week. Listening to reports coming in all day, and phone calls from Dad to say we should be moving….we had a water bottle and the dog leash in readiness if the Tsunami alarm went off, until the all clear was given about an hour ago and all those who had to evacuate were able to head home.

I carried on working all day and it is nearing my weekend, friday afternoon….our bubble of 5 still limited until we hear the 4pm report today to see if we gain a little more freedom on Sunday. The first friday of the month, local drinkies on the beach Im guessing is not happening today, so with our bubble doing a swap over…..Trudi to mine and George to take care of Dad for the night, it looks like a Thelma and Louise evening on the Deck at 17A Waiwera Rd, as the sun sets on another sunny late summer day.

Rolling into Autumn, with Earthquakes, thunderstorms, heavy rain sunshine and humidity, the earths magnetic fields are throwing us some curveballs…..just so we forget about Covid. We are all tired of the Covid rollercoaster so it is refreshing that Nature is taking first place, albeit a little unsettling when we think of the damage that could have been done with Tsunamis hitting our shores. Erring on the side of caution is good, and we are learning (fast) not to panic and listen to the facts….taking action or non action when needed.

Meanwhile the washing is dry, didn’t get an extra rinse from seawater, Beer is chilling, Dan is one step closer to a whole house (now he just needs to put stuff in there) and Thelma and Louise are still standing. Australia on hold for a little bit for Louise, until those Aussies decide we can step foot on their soil again, without a huge expense and 2 star quarantine accomodation. Who would survive without a wine for 2 weeks! Especially when there is nothing else to do…..

What a difference a day makes

The end of February 2021 was looking promising….with triathlons to run, planes to catch, normal work life and plans for more renovations.

A sunny summer weekend ahead and many headed to their favourite holiday spots! But for us it was a bit of a sad start, a funeral for a dear family friend. I picked up Dad early afternoon and headed to muriwai, my childhood (and teenage) stomping ground to the surf club for a very sad funeral of another young man taken too soon. A gathering of 300. Dad and I didn’t stay and mingle (a good choice in hindsight) and headed back to waiwera for the night.

The Wild West coast….

We got Dad settled in the cottage for the night and George and I were about to hit the sack for an early night before an early rise to head south for his (trained for) triathlon….when…news alert (9pm) we (in Auckland) were all being locked down at 6am on Sunday! No triathlon, and after a few panicked calls from dad after some old man came and disturbed him to tell him he had to get out! (of the cottage at 9.30pm) HOW RUDE! I told dad not to worry, go to bed and I’d sort it in the morning. After last weekend, it was the last thing he needed. One good thing, he had taken his earphones out and probably didn’t hear too much!

So, Sunday was a flurry of packing and locking up, shopping and arranging Dad for the week ahead and getting him settled for the week ahead!

That was the mornings activities at least and by the time I got home…it was washing and getting ready for another week of work from home life! My little house becoming an office for George and I.

Chores done it was beer for lunch (early afternoon) on Dans new deck! Finally relaxing…

Makeshift ice bucket and shade….

Floyd and I relaxed!

This Kereru(wood pidgeon) joining us in the overhead tree..

Then swooping over next door to hang out with his partner…

Trudi locked and loaded and extremely hot and bothered called in on her way to her lockdown home…

Finally relaxing for a moment before her week of isolation begins…our bubble of five, Sue, George, Dan Trudi and Dad….as we have all been together all weekend we can see each other!

So now it is, shorts and tee shirts, walks up the road, innovative cooking (from freezer and cupboards) and bedroom offices for the week. Here we go again, a community outbreak in South Auckland, as stupid people do stupid things, and spread the dreaded virus! We must be kind, it’s getting harder and harder, just when you make plans….this is testing even the most open to change people in our world!

Sunglasses overboard

Another week has sailed away….in lockdown, out of lockdown… with work, Dad care, legal battles, more tragedy and yacht spotting!

Out of lockdown 3 to a looser lockdown 2 on Thursday, meant a road trip to wiri for work duties. A long day of interviewing for a warehouse person, and subsequent related HR tasks, meant a loaded end to my work week.

Legal battles with a litigious property vendor has also added weight to a hectic week. Dad doctor visits (maintenance trip) followed by a Saturday spent in, yes my 2nd residence, North Shore hospital with dad under covid restrictions and another 12 hour day of sitting on a vinyl chair (not ideal for a now healing back or mental wellness) Saturday culminating in the very sad news we have lost another close family friend in a tragic accident.

Sunday broke with clear sunny skies and an on again trip out on a 57 foot yacht to watch the America’s cup racing was planned for the afternoon. A little much needed time out! Dad sorted, home from hospital and other family members and his carer taking over to spend the day with him, meant George and I could get our sea legs on, picnic lunch and hit the seas at midday

Sails up and sunglasses overboard! Yes early into the adventure my $2 sunglasses fell off my face and floated away in the wake! Not so easy to flick around a large yacht in full sail to scoop them up with the fishing net…

Squinting the afternoon away (at least I’d taken a hat) we picniced by Tiri(island) and sailed to a position on at the edge of the race course!

The Italians taking charge and producing a clean swept to secure a spot of challenger to NZ in the finals of the America Cup in a couple of weeks!

The closest we got to these massive sailboats was when a training Team NZ flew past our moored boat – looking large and fast!

George learning the ropes(and on a boat this size there is a lot of them) and he got to play the main man as we motored back to the marina at the end of the day!

Helmsman for a moment! They journey back on calm seas, boat cleanup and home for leftovers before crashing into bed! A wonderful afternoon thanks to the kindness of Russell’s boss’s Richard and Isabel.

Little lockdown number 3

So a Southside (this time) family is covid positive, and spent most of their infectious time in another north island city, New Plymouth, but Auckland is in lockdown?

What a great day to be in lockdown just as torrential rain hit Auckland – this lockdown has probably saved lives on our slippery roads! Nothing to do with covid but inevitably there are crashes in this weather!

And lucky I have a pile of bricks to scrub with a wire brush! Plenty of mindless jobs to fill in my time! That is outside of working remotely which is just the new norm.

Dan got a lot of work done on his house over the weekend, dad came to stay and tripped up and down my steps (bit of a danger zone for dad) but he’s home for the lockdown with his carer, which is a lot safer.

Had a cuddle with my grand baby yesterday before the lockdown loomed, spent all day with dad, watching very loud TV (tennis and yachting and more tennis) and bought Pizza for dinner….

So my little house is seeing lots of action – Dan and Floyd move out, dad moves in, dad moves out and George moves in! Never a dull moment. Forever a cook and bottle washer!

Now for the lockdown!

Life just gets busy

Another long weekend gone, and back not screaming at me so much – I managed to paint a bed frame, go fishing and visit with my new grand baby!

Sooo Friday began early 4am as I raced to the hospital to say hello to Tyler Russell Bonnici! Who in great bonnici voice yelled the minute he joined our world! I could hear him through the wall. The tired and proud parents (Jax and Steph) soon retired to the birthing centre for a couple of days a bit further north.

It was a long day for Gran’ma Sue too with an early start.

It was all action around the building site on Saturday, with diggers, drains, boys (George too) on barrows and Lexi and I painting and feeding the troupes!

Then the visit to the new addition, after a quick shower….

First cuddle and Tyler slept right through it!

Sunday dawned a little windy, but that didn’t deter the girls planned fishing trip… although the trip was slow we settled in behind an island and Trudi Lexi and I had a great day! Lots of bites, lots of small fish, a bird or two and Trudi caught the winners for dinner!

Somewhat pinker faces and big smiles brought us back to earth and a cool drink dinner (of fresh fish) set us up for a great sleep!

Monday off (another public holiday) and the anniversary of mums passing was a bit of a lost day, and we were all ready for a short four day week!

And here we are with one day of the working week left…and my friendly beachfront neighbour sent me a picture of today’s visitors..

Photo credit John Murray

Not the usual motor boat or jet ski – a Maori Waka! Calling in to say hello before paddling off towards Orewa! Life is always full of surprises in our sleepy little village!

Today is about Mary

One year ago I was lying beside Mum, listening to her breathing, and not knowing I was spending the last three hours with her….

Today is about Mum ‘Mary’ I will spend the day doing things she and I liked to do!

Unfortunately that doesn’t include: exploring Paris, hanging out in cafes in Senglea ‘Malta’, taking the ferry to Gozo, or going to charity shops. (Public holiday they are closed)

I will go get a coffee, from wild bean, and stroll to the Beach, sit on the bench and relax for five minutes as we did most weekend days!

Little did we know what was ahead of us after Mum left us, with lockdowns and limitations left, right and centre! So glad she didn’t have to go through all that!

There has been little time for reflection or mourning the loss of my beautiful mum, one of my best friends throughout my life and my support and sounding board when times got tough!

I don’t think I appreciated my parents until I was one, then life is so busy that the next thirty years just seems to disappear!

However filled with some wonderful memories of the adventures Mum shared with us….family holidays (when the boys were young) in Rarotonga, Fiji, Samoa, Gold Coast, Cairns… and later, with Russ and I, several excursions to Europe; France and Malta!

Mum spend the last 13 years living with Russ and I and our Boys…before moving to Maygrove for a couple…and we were blessed to have her support and mediation skills as the boys were growing up into young men.

She shared the good times, the not so good times, and we all came out the other side, one big happy family!

Mum, since you’ve been gone, the world is a different place, the boys have moved in different directions to get on with their lives, and family gatherings are a non event! But most of all I just miss your kindness!

Long summer Laze

Finally a long weekend and it feels like the holidays when they are nearly over for most….not soon enough for some school mums I hear!

It was do or die for the old back this week – but I told her I had had enough…it was time to turn the corner! Lots of wandering around and a little bit of drug help(to induce sleep) minimal driving and a weekend of laughter with some of my BFFs has all contributed to a better me!

Out for brunch with Trudi and Carolyn! The fun started after we all manoeuvred our way through various saturdays and all met up at the cottage at 5.30pm! BBQ time, Dan cooked, didn’t eat and left my friends and I to wrap our jaws around a mountain of food! Needless to say no cooking the next night and another delicious dinner.

I zoomed off on my bike back to my house and left my friends to enjoy the cottage! Back next morning and (on foot) we walked up the valley and took a tour of the almost finished building sites Dan and I call home – we are nearly at the one each stage!

Then it was off to Brunch! Carolyn’s man, Brian shouted the girls, as we chatted our way through the morning.

A stroll around the streets(shops) of Orewa diligently scanning in and out of every place we set foot in! We spotted a few hangovers from the hot rod show from the day before!Trying on frocks/shoes…finding nothing we wanted to pay over 100 for, and collecting Brian and Trudi, who had abandoned Carolyn and I in favour of a cool drink at the corner pub…we headed back over the hills gasping for a swim!

By the time we (the girls) were bathing suit and beach wrap ready, the sea was half way out to the island and a knee deep belly flop surficed to quench the desired cool off! Which for me, at least, I can claim as the first sea swim of 2021….

A couple of cold beers while drying off in the afternoon sunshine, Carolyn and Brian had to leave…and a little social event to remember another special person who left Riverhaven and a lot of empty hearts this time last year!

Lots of laughs, a few tears, lots of leg work and a fun weekend with some wonderful friends…Trud and I devoured our left overs and hit the sack!

It’s a waiting game…

I know this is getting old…waiting for a back to heal. Just an ongoing issue in yours trulys world.

Waiting for tradies to arrive and finish the job next door…another ongoing issue in our world.

Waiting for a baby to come…and a new world to begin.

Waiting for some good news on the covid front, this weeks hiccup with a poor lady, having done her isolation and enjoying a few days of freedom, then getting sick(!) has put us complacent kiwis back on high alert, ramping up the hand washing and tracer scanning, while the govt scrambles to identify community cases that may now be out there.

A few grey days have provided a welcome break from the severe kiwi sunshine, heralding the workers back to workplaces (after the holiday break), preparing the children for school for another year and clogging up our motorways! Another week or so will see the usual traffic jams return to normal (stationery) as we try to get from A to B.

Vehicles are not my friends at the moment, my car now failing a WOF due to the spare tyre I uploaded a couple of months ago, while the perfectly good (repaired) tyre is housed in the boot as a spare. At least the old Peugeot (push bike) is holding its own and a relatively comfortable mode of transport for a sore back!

The next week should see big changes – Dan should be in his house (and Floyd). I am determined to walk through my back injury, before I need to buy a new wardrobe as the inches pile on! And we might have a new baby. (Well in 2-3 weeks)

I might be able to tidy up my house and get on with all the jobs that are waiting patiently for me!

We celebrated Sandys (in heaven) birthday with dad last night, and raised a glass or two as she would have, a week after I sat without mum (on her birthday) for the first time…firsts without our loved ones are a bit of a mountain to climb.

On a brighter note we have two long (3 day) weekends ahead and it’s still summer!

Something so small

All is revealed – the reason for an old sore back! Not just because I am 60…a slight stress fracture in one of those little round things that keep us standing! Throwing itself into my hips and locking them up! Little things can cause so much pain!

Sitting in a car for three hours a day (to and from work) is a no no! So covid you have done me a favour making working from home the new normal!

Soooo today…while the world around me has been a hive of activity, I have gravitated from floor to bed and bed to computer chair (packed out with pillows)….icepack tucked in underwear! Interspersed with small walks around the house. Coming up three weeks, I need to stick to the rules if life is going to return to my usual hive of physical activity.

While I’m sure many of my friends and acquaintances think I have disappeared off the grid, I’m sure all will be rectified with time! And my house will need a good clean! Lying on the floor confirmed my new carpet mat is well overdue for a mow!

2021 has seen a few milestones already – George’s quarter century (he can now drive all our cars and be insured). Mums first birthday without her….that was a hard one, and more tough decisions without Russ!

Life now swings between tears and laughter, despair and hope and the odd hug and kindness from those close to us. As humans we become self absorbed in our own lives and sometimes forget to ask how others are doing. While half the world is in lockdown, us kiwis are extremely lucky to be able to enjoy our beautiful country and get pleasure from the little things….riding a bike (Trudi is now an expert), shopping without masks, going to workplaces and fun places and spending time with loved ones.

We have a baby to look forward to, a wedding invite on the table and a season of Blues Rugby about to burst into action. And the time when we can jump on a plane and visit our friends and family around the world!

Friday Flys around

Another week of work and hot sunny skies finds week two of 2021 gone in a heartbeat.

The back is still limiting activities, sitting at computer and cooking tea about the extent of productivity. In saying that falling out of bed earlier in the week did not help the cause.

George turned 25, and a lamb roast was enjoyed by all. The old Fiat Punto (George’s transport mode) was due for registration, and upon attempting to do this we realised it had been out of warrant since September last year! My car maintenance skills are failing..as this car has been roaring around the upper north island all summer. Being such a nanna car may be the reason it has avoided detection! Two days at the car doctor and she is back up and (legally) running.

Dan has been ticking away at the finishing touches on his house….a couple of weeks and he will not be my roomie!

Floyd has been in Jail half the week (on my deck) as tradies come and go….one eye on Daniel at all times.

I have enlisted the help of a couple of Dans mates to get the fences done….a feed and a beer at the end of the day and the boys come back! This is really helpful, as my body is stopping my from getting all these finishing jobs done!

Jax and Steph celebrated their first wedding anniversary and it would be mums birthday tomorrow. This always meant an outing to a local cafe for coffee and cake…..I might just do this anyway and spend some time thinking about this wonderful woman.

Playing water games with Floyd and the hose (keeping us cool) means the flower pots are surviving the summer heat and blooming despite their sunburn.

Off to a chiropractor appointment soon, back to work then a doctor later in the day before visiting dad, completes the activities!

And the weekend will be upon us!