We are house sitting in Keri Keri again and although this is only a short walk for us, after Buddy has chased after his ball up and down the beach several times, he ends up walking over 3 times as far as us.
This walk is a pleaseant stroll over the rocks to a beach and then onto more rocks and the headland to the south east of the bay.
I emerge from my slumber.
Mike, can you hear that.
No I’m asleeep.
Mike, wake up, there’s someone upstairs. Now fully half awake I listen for some strange sound but I can’t hear anything. Jo gets up and takes a listen from the adjoining room.
We’re currently house sitting in the middle of nowhere and Jo thinks we have a burgular, surely the dog we are sitting would have something to say if someone was breaking in. Maybe not, his owners did say he was frightened of bangs and bumps.
Jo returns. There’s definitely someone moving upstairs, go take a look. But put some clothes on first.
I slowly get out of bed, put on my shorts and make my way up the first flight of stairs. The dog emerges from his bed tail wagging. If there is someone about he doesn’t seem that bothered. I continued up the stairs to the lounge door.
At last I can hear something. There are a couple of bumps and a noise similar to a winch motor. It must be from someone outside on the boat ramp. But we didn’t leave the patio doors open so how come the sound is so clear.
I go to open the door. Jo’s nervous voice behind me tells me to stop and not to go in. I slowly open the fly door, then slightly open the lounge door. The dog plods in. I open the door further an can see a flashing light. I reach in and turn on the light, the dog has sneeked onto his bean bag. Is he hiding from the intruder.
I slowly enter the room and take a quick scan round, the patio doors are still closed, so the winch theory is wrong. I quietly step through the doorway and there on the carpet is the culprit. The terrifying burglar that has come to murder us in our beds. He is rotund and fearless, going about the living room as if he owned it, the robot hoover was going about his nightly duty of cleaning up the floor after us.
Keeping up with our fitness regime we have arranged for Lynda to come round to us for a walk around Leamington. First of all we had to go and meet a couple regarding a possible house sit. On the way back we saw Lynda on her way to meet us so we stopped and gave her a lift.
We let Lynda lead the way. Three hours later and 11.5 km we were back home. Along the way we walked through the rugby ground and cemetery before going down through an area of bush towards the river.
After the river walk it was a road walk going past the house we had been to earlier regarding a house sit.
Having had a quiet Sunday it is now time to have a busy Saturday.
We are currently house sitting in Leamington which is just over the Waikato river from Cambridge, New Zealand. Back onto health and fitness and looking after a dog the first trip of the day is a walk to the park with the dog.
On our return and after breakfast it is a nice bike ride to Lake Karapiro. Although this is along a road it is a cycle / walking path. The lake was formed by the damming of the Waikato river to enable electricity to be generated.
After returning and having a shower it off out again. This time in the car to Rotorua, well the North side of the lake, to visit a potential house sit. The couple are very nice and the two dogs friendly. After all this travelling it must be time for a drink when we get back.
Over the next few weeks / months we will be travelling the length and breadth of the North Island. Some journeys will be short trips and others much longer.
Some trips will be for pleasure and others not so pleasurable. The first of these trips was a return trip from Hamilton to Wellington (well Mana actually). This was a not for pleasure trip.
The drive is between 6 – 6.5 hours. Although a lot of the drive is quite boring at least we get to see the mountain and at this time of year the roads are clear and the mountain is still wearing it’s winter coat of snow.
While at Wellington, between siting on the deck with a wine enjoying the view, we spent a couple of busy days clearing the garages and back patio of rubbish and old timber. This was the final good bye to our old kitchen wall and wood panelling from the entrance hall. No longer to be kept for firewood but destined now to landfill.
Then it was back in the car for the return trip to Hamilton to ensure we were eback in time for the first of our house sits since getting back from Europe.
Another Sunday is here and we have nothing planned. Today will most likely end up like so many others ending with nothing done.
Still in bed and Lynda has turned up to take Jean and Bryce to Auckland.
Jo gets up to say hello and then pops her head around the door and tells me to get cracking as we have 5 minutes to have breakfast and a shower before we leave. Apparently we are going to Auckland to see Precilla the musical.
Not quite 5 minutes, but fairly close to it we are off and on our way. Lynda will stop part way for a break and will wait for us.
We arrived at the meeting place and I lead the way to the Civic theatre. As we approach all the roads around the theatre are closed. Luckily Jo spots an entrance to the car park. I do a quick u-turn and with a shocked look on her face Lynda follows.
Jo and I rush round to the box office to see if there are any seats available.As usual we are organized(not) and don’t have any tickets.
Unfortunately the girl at the box office doesn’t know us and gives us a choice of seats. After many umms and ahhs we finally make our choice. It ends up that we couldn’t have made a better selection.
We end up sitting next to an American couple who arrived at midnight. They are telling their friends that they flew from Washington to Auckland just to see Precilla.