Have You Missed Me?

Life has been rather chaotic lately. My last post was about me enjoying Kaikoura. I did make it to Pohara... I did stop and do things on the way... I will come back to all that. I had been in Pohara for five days when I had a phone call to tell me my father had had a nasty accident and was in hospital. It was such a lovely morning on the beach, walking in the sun to the dairy to buy a newspaper... When a phone call shattered my day. So I abandoned my bus, packed a bag and was on my way to Christchurch. Dad had a fall, fell on top of his walker and impaled his leg on the brake lever. The ambulance, the fire brigade to cut him free, surgery and stitches... I've been here a week and am flying back to Nelson then Pohara tomorrow.

I've missed my blog and chatting on it but I will be back. I have also bought myself an iPad... A whole new learning curve. I played with my new toy so much I used up all my month's data. Luckily I bought a WiFi and cellular iPad so now it has it's own data. This is my first post using it... Rather frustrating until I learn how to do it.

But... I'm ok... Dad's ok... And here's a photo of him to prove it... Although the nasty gash on his leg is covered up by his trousers. He's 96... A tough old guy and still smiling. 

Another Day... Fresh Snow... Sun... Sea... Mountains...

 After another rough night... A perfect day dawned. This was

the view from my bus parked at the race course. But it was

too cold and shady so I needed to move into the sun.

 Over the road looking across South Bay...

 The stony fore shore, the rocks and further round is where

the whale watching boats depart from...

 But I went into town... I wanted to park in the sun...

With a view and not re-park all day. The parking area at the

railway station was the place...

 So here I am, tucked in alongside the bushes...

The sea in front of me... The vast Pacific Ocean...

And the mountains and snow on the other side...

My fire going... What a place to eat breakfast and

decide what to do next.

And... On Through The Storm To Kaikoura...

 It blew up during the night. The wind blew down branches

and howled through the big trees and the power lines. 

I stayed parked at Parnassus till mid-day, then got 

bored and thought I would brave the weather and drive slowly 

and carefully on to Kaikoura.

I didn't know till the next day that big trucks were

being blown off the road on the Rimutuka Road just north

of Wellington... Oh well ignorance is bliss - sometimes!

 This is where I stopped on the side of the road to have

lunch... I love this part of the coast of New Zealand...

It's one of my favourite places. I could spend hours watching

the water in all weathers.

 The familiar road tunnels... I have been travelling on

this road since a small child and I never fail to toot

the horn as I drive through! 

 Brighter sky on the horizon?

 And the 2nd lot of tunnels... they are so narrow and low but I think

if the big freight and transport trucks can get through unscathed...

So can I.

 The writhing sea and huge kelp that grows around

this coast...

 Yet another sharp bend in the road...

 South Bay in the distance... My destination...

Waves... And the wind blowing spume off the top of the waves...

I love it... But it was very windy and I was glad to be parked

for the night... At the NZMCA Park at the end of the

Kaikoura Race Course.

Leaving Christchurch... Amberley To Parnassus...

 Finally after weeks and months in Christchurch I felt my Dad

was sufficiently settled in his new rest home environment and

well cared for and I could leave and do a road trip again.

It was rather sad leaving and he was upset to see me go...

But I'll be back.

Meanwhile my first stop was back to Amberley Beach to catch

up with Sandy and Maurice in ... What's The Story.

 I love daylight saving and the longer evenings so although it

was cold I wandered down to the beach... Just for a look...

And much to my surprise found several fisher people...

Real hardy types. It's a stony beach the water was (or looked) 

freezing. They were wrapped up in jackets and woolly hats and

gumboots but one tough lady was bare feet!

No fish were being caught...

 But I was told the Rig were beginning to run... Bit early in

the season... But ever hopeful and worth a try.

 The next morning I went on... To Parnassus, the NZMCA Park

there. I wanted to have a look as had heard the club had bought

the old Parnassus school which was closed recently... And sure 

enough. The class rooms have gone, how many there were 

I don't know as in 2006 the year 1-6 school had a role of 15 - 

teaching staff of 1.3 and a decile of 10... But what had been the 

staff room has been left and is now the club rooms for gatherings.

 It's a good flat area, all the grass areas roped off... The grass

is too wet. There are some old established trees...

 And... The old school swimming pool. I was particularly

curious to have a look at this. I have these childhood

memories, that can get distorted over the years, of this

swimming pool. As a child I travelled with my family from

Christchurch to Kaikoura to camp in Army huts that had been

put all round the coast after the war, they're not there now.

On the way... On this long drive! we used to stop

at Parnassus school, which used to be on the main road north

before a new road was built. We would climb over the tin

fence, have a swim, climb back again and drive on our way.

Were these memories real... Well they were because here

is the pool exactly as I remember it... But empty.

Nobody in the NZMCA wants to take responsibility for

cleaning, filling and maintaining it.

 The school playground...

If you look closely you can see the numbers in the

Hop-Scotch squares. I wonder how many feet over the

years jumped and played here.

Christchurch... Still Demolition City

 I spent one night parked in the city... Antigua Street, between

Moorhouse Ave and Oxford Tce... For those who know this city.

It's not quite the CBD, but near enough. I needed to get

my new but malfunctioning fridge looked at... Again!

The refrigeration place has no off-street parking and as this

area of town is an all day free parking area... I had to go and

park the night before... It was an interesting night!

This is the early morning after being woken up at 4.30am with

rubbish trucks and dumpsters being emptied or delivered.

The sun is rising in the east but it was very cold and my fire is going.

 I braved the cold to take these photos... Right outside my window...

It was so desolate... Buildings still being demolished...

Leaving bare gravel lots...

 

 And the resulting dust... And nothing...

 The other side of the road, more demolition and

empty lots and dust...

 And piles of rubble... Twisted and bent metal, huge lumps of

concrete and pipes and steel...

 A truck loaded up the dumpster...

 Winched it on...

And took away another load to... Well I don't know where or

what all this rubbish and fill is being used for.

I felt very sad as all the buildings in this whole block, for
several streets in each direction,

are going to be demolished...  none of them are safe.

What next... Well a friend recently told me that the

market and economy will drive the re-build...

But I wonder when,how and what.

My Treasures From Tully House...

 This beautiful quilt was jumbled up on a table on the veranda...

The minute I saw it I knew it was for me... Just right for my bus...

 Red underneath... which is my favourite colour. My old quilt

was developing holes and badly faded... So now my bedroom

corner it looking bright and cheery again. Ted & Dolly love 

spending time there... so do I!

 Then I found this woollen blanket... Bright purple... I didn't

think so... But the friend I was in Akaroa with who designs

and makes stunning patchwork quilts thought it would be perfect...

 So here it is... I love it... And another colourful corner

on my couch to cuddle into when it's cold and the

fire is going.

 This book was my last purchase. A friend lent me this

book when I first got my bus and I used the colours in it

to choose my quilt and cushions. I have been keeping an

eye out for my own copy... Now I have one.

Everything was drastically marked down in price...

That's how I justified buying them!

 Some pages in the book have the most spectacular colours.

I have deviated away from it a bit now and added purple

and red and my current project is some pictures in

coloured frames... Will show you those when they are finished.

I love bright clear primary colours... They have a happy influence on me.

Tully House Garden...

 When I went back to Tully House in the afternoon to

collect my purchases (in the car!) and sit in the garden...

Another delight of all sorts of things awaited me...

This path goes to the back of the house and

even walking round here, there were treasures for sale

in the trees and garden...

 This is inside the garden shed... Projects waiting for time...

 Too many baskets...

 

 And watering cans...

 

 There was a ladder up to a  loft... And surprise, surprise...

A hidden away bed... sleeping place for one of the

four very much loved cats... Definitely not for sale.

 We sat here in the garden... Cool white wine was delicious...

Amongst more statues and pots in baskets

 And a beautiful Magnolia tree. When Kirsty bought this

house the garden, front and back, was bare lawn...

Now an organised jungle of luxurious growth...

I didn't want to leave... But eventually it got cold and

was dinner time...

I think this sign sums up Kirsty and her home... And

could be taken heed of by all of us.

Kirsty also does 'Bed and Breakfast" she has two

absolutely beautiful bedrooms and a sitting room...

And the bathroom... I could stay there

pretending I lived in a different era...

To contact Kirsty - Ph +03 3047261 or +021 0632554

You want to know what I bought?... Tomorrow!