I went from flat out to a snail’s pace for ten days, which was challenging at times! I also went from four degrees on my last day of holidays to 40 degrees on my arrival home and promptly had to ramp up to full speed again!
Where have I been? I took a trip home to Aeotera (NZ) to catch up with family while Kermit’s Angels took great care of the farm for me. It was really great to catch up with my sisters, auntie and uncle, as well as nieces and nephews.
On my first day I stayed with my niece and while she was at work I sat by the window in the sun (it was a cool Wellington morning) and watched blackbirds on her daisy and dandelion-filled lawn picking off worms one after the other. Her lawn must have been loaded with worms, each time a bird hopped along the lawn it plucked out a big fat juicy worm.
The second day I caught the inter-island ferry across to Picton in the South Island where I was picked up by my Auntie and Uncle. The crossing was smooth, the scenery fantastic, and we saw a large pod of dolphins. I stayed with Gary and Doreen in Blenheim for four days. They are now in their 80s so we didn’t do much except talk, read and watch TV.
I had another good ferry crossing back to Wellington and, despite my advice to my sister Paula that I would catch the train up through the Rimatuka’s to her home in the Waiarapa, she was there to meet me!
I think I mentioned this time last year that Paula takes after my dear departed father, who thought he could have beaten Jack Brabham. And the trip up the Rimatuka’s is not for the faint-hearted either. Thirty-one kms of steep, winding and windy road complete with hair pin bends and sheer drop-offs.
It is closed when there are high winds or icy conditions and the statistics are not so good with 32 deaths and serious injuries in the last ten years as well as a rail tragedy in 1880 when two carriages were blown off the recently completed railway.
Anyway, as you can see I survived the crossing and two more were made during my stay with Paula and Neil. I also visited another sister, Dot. Soon enough, however, I was deposited back at Wellington Airport with a suitcase that had started out at 7kg at the beginning of my journey and now weighed 21kg after a trip to the “hunting and fishing” NZ and more than a few book shops. Plus, I had to buy presents for Dora and Crystal, and something for Kermit’s Angels and Dear Richie.
With all that time away on the trip to think I came to the conclusion that I really had to sell some more sheep and cut down on my menagerie. It’s just time. So what happened when I came back? I brought four bottle-fed calves (my relaxation hobby) and a couple of young heifers!
If anyone is after a future working dog, my friend Tammie has the most beautiful chocolate and white Collie puppies for sale. They would make good agility or working dogs or great pets for an energetic family with children. I have been trying to talk Dear Richie into buying me one for Christmas but he is not keen. Maybe we will have to go for a drive over to wish Tammie and Rick a Merry Xmas and take a peek at the same time!
That’s about all I have time for, I have to go and find a Christmas tree before all the rellies arrive later today.
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my column. See you in January x.
