Week 24 - Last Week- ORR

We were invited out to lunch on Friday at Gordy and Gail's - friends we have met through Rob and Julie. They live in Omaha and have a beautiful house most of which was built and decorated by Gordy when they bought the plot of land 14 years ago. Although not quite on the beach front there are beautiful views across the estuary and the ocean from the deck which surrounds 3/4 of the house. Most of the neighbouring houses are holiday homes and there is only one other house in their road which is occupied permanently. We had lunch on the deck as it was warm and sunny and afterwards went for a walk on the beach.
On the way back home we picked up Jess and her friend as they got off the school bus and once back home I took Jess and her friend into Matakana to do some shopping. Rob arrived with Danni and Jonny at about 6.30 and we all had dinner together before Rob left to go home.
On Saturday morning I took Jonny over to Rob's before Danni and I went to the stables for the 10am ride. Danni and I were allowed to do the usual ride around the farm on our own which was a real treat. I have been riding Zoe, a 5 year old skewbald mare, and after a lot of slow riding when we had had to escort all the students over the last few weeks she seemed as pleased as I to be able to gallop up a few hills. Back in the paddock we cantered around the ring 4 times and Danni practised her jumping.

It was sad to say goodbye to Roger and Heather and all the others at the stables and Heather did say that if I have the time I can go for a ride again on Monday or Tuesday but I doubt that I shall be able to take her up on her kind offer. Danni and I then went to the shop at Sheep World where I bought a few presents to take back to people at home. Then we met up with Rob and Jonny in Warkworth where I bought Jonny a fishing rod and then we went to New World. Jonny came back with us and we had lunch. Rob came over about 2pm and went over to the house and lit the fire and he and Jonny watched TV. Danni and I went over to the house later on and as Rob was on cooking duties I sat in the reclining chair with a beer and watched some TV. Julie arrived and then Nigel came over and we eventually got around to eating a good roast beef dinner cooked by Rob - apart from the Yorkshire puddings that is which were of course my responsibility. Rob and Julie stayed at the house overnight and we came back over here with Danni and Jonny.
Jonny was up at the crack of dawn as usual but he helps himself to cereal and then uses the laptop until we get up. Everyone eventually surfaced and Julie and Rob went back home. We had torrential rain and thunder at lunchtime but by the time Rob got back - about 2pm- the sun had come out. Rob, Danni, Jonny and I (Nigel opted for a bit of peace and quiet!!) went first to Goat Island and then to Mathesons Bay and had a walk at both places.

Then by special request from Danni and Jonny I treated us all to an ice cream at Charlies just the other side of Matakana. I had promised to make Yorkshire puddings again but realised that I was out of eggs so that was a bit of a disappointment. Rob stayed overnight again.
The plan had been that Rob would take the children back home in time to go to school but as it was their last time with us we decided that they could have the day off school and that I would go back down with them. We went to the food court in the Albany Mall for lunch and much to my distress both Danni and Jonny wanted to have a McDonalds. Still as I would soon be saying goodbye to them I  couldn't complain if that was what they wanted.Then it was back to the car and off on the last lap before saying goodbye to them. As soon as we got back to their house Danni started crying and then her mum, Jodi, started so after some very quick farewell hugs I rushed out of the house before I too started to cry..Surprisingly I didn't feel as bad as I had expected to because, I think, that having been here for so long it hasn't yet sunk in that I won't, as usual, be seeing them next weekend.
Next day, Tuesday, was our last day at ORR and was spent packing, cleaning and tidying the house and garage to leave it all as we had found it.  We went over to Rob and Julie's for dinner and Daniel was there too. Then it was time to say yet more goodbyes, to Julie and Daniel this time.When we got back home we stood out on the deck of the barn and looked at the stars and listened to the morepork for the last time.
On Wednesday morning we got ready to leave and I walked over to the patio at the front of the big house and stood looking over the estuary and listening to the tui's for probably the last time. Rob picked us up at 11am and we drove away from the beautiful Omaha River Retreat which had been our home for the last 5 1/2 months. We had lunch at an "English" pub not too far from the airport - good food and amazingly good beer. Then Rob dropped us at the Jet Park Motel not too far from the airport. Another goodbye, probably the hardest as it has been so good to re-establish a firm relationship with him after all these years apart. We spent a relaxing afternoon before having dinner and retiring early to bed as we had a wake up call for 5.am.
Thursday - day of departure- we caught the 5.30am hotel shuttle to the airport and checked in for our flight to Sydney. Shortly before we boarded I texted Rob to say that we were about to leave and said that I was missing him, he replied saying that he was missing me to and that was the final straw. The tears that I had held back over the last few days spilled out and as we boarded the plane I couldn't stop crying and sniffling. The moment when one steps onto the plane seems so final and there is such a temptation to pull back and refuse to board. Poor Nigel was a hero though and he escorted me to our seats and comforted me as we took off. I was sitting next to the window and watched as we slowly gained height over Manakau harbour and then New Zealand, land of the long white cloud, was soon lost to sight as flew away over the sea towards Sydney.
I SHALL RETURN!
I hope that everyone who has read this blog over the past few months has enjoyed following our "Great Escape" and I am sure that we shall enjoy reading it in the years to come.
The main reason though for writing this is for my wonderful granchildren, Dannielle and Jonny. I hope that when they are grown up and when I am no longer here  they will read this and remember the time that granny Dee and Nigel came to visit and  were able to spend so much time with them.

Week 23 ORR

Friday was a day at home  as Rob picked up Danni and Jonny. They got here about 6pm and Rob stayed for dinner.
On Saturday Danni was booked in for the 11.30 ride and Jess wanted to do some shopping so we dropped off Danni and then Nigel, Jonny, Jess and I went to New World. It will probably have been my last trip to New World. After picking up Danni we came back home and spent the rest of the day here. Danni made a chocolate cake  and I prepared some things for the evening as we are to have a pot luck supper over at the house. Danni, Jonny and I went over to the house at 4.30 and they watched some TV whilst I prepared some beefburgers.
Rob and Julie arrived about 6pm shortly followed by Daniel, Cherry and baby Marco before Gordy and Gail arrived. We sat down to a good meal to which everyone had contributed and  Danni and Jonny ended the evening toasting marshmallows in the chimera on the patio. It was a clear night and almost a full moon and the view over the estuary, with the moon shining on the water, was stunning.
Everyone left at about 9.30pm and Nigel brought Jonny over to the house to watch his dvd whilst I cleared up helped by Danni.
On Sunday I had arranged with Kathy to meet up with her at Massey pony club so that Danni could try out Boxer, a pony that belongs to the pony club. We left here at 9.30 and dropped Jonny at home before going on the pony club. Kathy was already there and she introduced us to several people and to Anna, her daughter, and Anna's horse. Anna was to have a lesson with the instructor there. Shortly Patris, the head coach at the pc, arrived with Boxer the pony that Danni was to try out. Boxer is a real Thelwell pony, about 12 hands, hairy and with legs like tree trunks!! Danni  immediately fell in love with him and set about getting him ready and tacking him up. There were several people riding in the outdoor school  and soon Danni and Boxer joined them. She had a happy hour or so riding and doing a bit of jumping and rode him well. Everyone was so friendly and the pc has amazing facilities. http://masseyponyclub.co.nz/

After Danni had untacked Boxer and taken him back to his paddock I dropped her off at home and drove back here.
Monday was dry and sunny and a good day for housework!! We have many visitors, ants, in the pantry so I emptied it out and we put down some bait.
I was supposed to be at the stables, for 2 rides, on Tuesday afternoon but Heather rang to say that the rides had been cancelled. I went over there at midday to pick up Emma (the French girl who is working at the stables) and brought her back here. After lunch we took her to see Pakiri Beach and Goat Island beach. In the evening we went to the cinema to see a French film, Le Chef, and then went into the Vintry for a glass of wine before coming back home.
On Wednesday morning Emma appreciated being able to have a bit of a lie in after her 10 days and early starts at the stables. The day dawned fine but heavy rain soon set in. We hadn't been sure what to do but Emma said that she was quite happy to relax and spend some time on her lap top so we had a quiet morning. It's been good to speak French again in readiness for our return back home.
In the afternoon the rain had stopped so we set off for Snalls Beach. Rob was at home so we called in to say hello and after a cup of tea Rob joined us and we went for a walk at Scotts landing where we usually launch the boat. We walked along the beach and over the causeway to the island as it was low tide.

 On the way to Scotts we stopped to take a photo of this view.  There is a house for sale here with boat mooring. $1600000 if anyone would like to give me some cash!!

 The old homestead at Scotts landing. Not lived in anymore but restored.

                                                       Emma, Rob and I.

                                              Nigel, Rob and I.

After dropping Rob off we  called in at the Warehouse in Snells Beach before going on to Warkworth and dropping Emma back at the stables.
On Thursday I was at the stables in the afternoon. There were 2 rides, 25 Japanese students on each ride, and they arrived at 2p.m. The horses were tacked up and ready when I arrived but there is quite a lot of organisation involved in working out who is to ride what, then fitting them out with boots and hats. Then we lead out the horses, one by one, and get them mounted, adjust the stirrups, check the girth and show them how to hold the reins. Then we get mounted and each of us leaders had 4 riders to take care of. We set off in a long line and ride around the farm and back through the paddocks. It's amazing how the confidence of the students differs although few of them have ever been on horseback before. One large, confident looking lad was terrified and turned to jelly once on the horse and said how scared he was. Several of the girls just sat on their horses as if they had no concern whatsoever and kept their cameras clicking throughout the ride. Once back at the stables we have to dismount quickly and help the riders dismount before going through the whole process again! I stayed on after the second ride to help untack the horses and rug them up before returning home.

Shania, Vincent,Dee,Emma,Leonie,Alice,Lynn, Heather (the Boss!)

Week 22 ORR

On Friday lunchtime we drove down to Puhoi to have lunch at the famous Puhoi pub before going to pick up the children.
In 1863, the early settlers of Puhoi came from Bohemia, an area of what is now the Czech Republic. After a long voyage the settlers arrived in Auckland before being taken by sailing cutter to the mouth of the Puhoi River. They were transferred to Maori canoes for the last four miles of their 124 days long journey.The settlers were dumped in a wilderness vastly different from what they had expected and felt despondent and let down.One woman said, on seeing their new home, that if she could walk on water she would return to Bohemia. Each adult had been given 40 acres of land and any children 20 acres. They had not been expecting to find themselves in the middle of a forest.
Initially firewood was the sole trading commodity. It took a lot of effort for little gain but they had no choice but to take what little was on offer. By 1870 there were several hundred head of cattle which provided them with meat, hides and bullocks for coupling together to move logs and for general haulage. The work of clearing the land to make room to grow crops was back breaking but they managed to do it and today many descendants of the original settlers still live in the area.
The Puhoi pub is one of the last historical pubs left in the Southern hemisphere. The interiors filled with the remnants of past and present memorabilia is enough to fill one with a sense of nostalgia. Even though the pub is such a famous place these days many of the customers are obviously local  and the pub has not lost it's  character. Many of the customers are local and there are usually several bikers and their high powered machines partaking of a bite to eat as they sit at the outdoor tables.

                                                         Puhoi pub circa 1900

                                                          Puhoi pub today.
After lunch we visited the small but oh so interesting museum where we easily spent a couple of hours before driving into Auckland to pick up Danni and Jonny.
Danni was booked in to ride at 10.30 so Jonny and I dropped her off before we went into Warkworth to do some shopping. We got back to the stables to see her do some jumping in the paddock and then hear her story of a wonderful hours ride.

Danni and Jonny asked if we could go to Walkworth museum and do the walk through the Kauri forest there, something that they had remembered from our trip their last year. It was in marked contrast to our last visit  when the sun was shining through the trees and the cicadas were making a loud noise. It was still a beautiful and awe inspiring walk though through the natural bush with the tall, ancient Kauri trees looming overhead. Before we left I took a photo of them in the old wooden stocks which are on display in the grounds.

 Back home for lunch and then in the afternoon Danni baked a chocolate cake and Nigel and Jonny went for a walk down to the river. There are 2 families staying in the house this weekend and whilst chatting to them it turned out that although they now live in New Zealand the husband of Kathy, the lady who booked the house, is from the Bradford area in Yorkshire as am I. What a small world. Even more interesting is that they keep 2 horses at the pony club near where Danni lives and that there may be a chance of her being able to use one of the ponies there. Kathy and I exchanged e mail addresses and will keep in touch and hopefully take Danni there next weekend. Rob and Julie came for dinner - another roast and Yorkshre pudding one!
On Sunday morning Rob took Danni and Jonny back to Auckland and we had a quiet day at home as it started raining in the afternoon.
Monday was another day at the stables. I say stables but that isn't quite the correct description as in this climate the horses are kept out in the paddocks all year round and rugged up in the winter. We had 2 rides one in the morning , one in the afternoon and when I got there the horses had been brought in and saddled up and their rugs replaced until it was time to get their riders mounted. As there had been heavy overnight rain the rugs were pretty wet and heavy. I was introduced to a French girl, Emma, who is to be working there for the next month. Another small world experience as she comes from Dax which is about 30 miles from where we live in les landes. When the students - all Korean- arrived we bridled up the horses and led them out one at a time so that the students could get on at the mounting block. It was only a small group in the morning so after walking around the low track we ended up in the paddock where the students had a photo shoot which gave Emma and I the chance to have a canter around the sand track there.
I chatted with Emma over lunch and asked her if she knew of anywhere near Mont de Marsan/Dax where I can carry on going out for a hack. She said that most places would be nearer the coast, which is too far to go on a regular basis, but that when she returns I can go over to her and ride with her.
We had more riders in the afternoon and it rained quite heavily so we were all pretty wet when we got back. I helped untack the horses, rug them up and put them out in the paddocks before returning home for a welcome shower and some dry clothes.
We had heavy rain overnight on Monday and most of Tuesday. Late on Tuesday afternoon we went over to Rob and Julie's for dinner. Rob had recorded the Olympic cross country eventing so I was able to watch some of that before we ate. It had been a day off for Rob so it was he who had prepared our meal which was very good.
Wednesday I was back at the stables again for a morning ride and an afternoon ride. Lunch was snatched on the hoof as there wasn't a lot of time between rides. The riders were Japanese this time. Although they are here on a language course they do different activites to give them a taste of life in NZ which is why they come to the stables.
Another horsey day on Thursday and the weather looked pretty iffy. It had rained heavily over night and Roger told me that we had had 50mm of rain. First ride was supposed to be at 10am but due to the coach driver getting lost it was 11am before we set out with a group of 24 Japanese students. Thankfully the rain held off but the ground was very muddy and the streams running down the hills on our ride were full. Due to the delay of the first ride the next lot arrived as we got back and whilst they were getting on their wet weather gear the heavens opened. Luckily by the time we got them all mounted the rain had almost stopped so it seemed that the delay earlier had been fortuitous. After taking the bridles off and giving the horses their feed I left for home and a late lunch. It was sad to say goodbye to Leonie, a German girl who is leaving tomorrow.She has been there for a couple of months and I have got to know her well.

Week 21 ORR

On Friday afternoon we went over to Snells Beach as Rob had invited us over for a meal later Julie being away for the weekend at a conference. I went to the hairdresser to have my hair trimmed, something it badly needed. Then Nigel and I went and had a walk on the beach at Martins Bay.
Rob cooked a very nice meal and we got back home about 8pm.

On Saturday I realised that I needed to return the videos that Jonny had borrowed from the video shop there so we both went in. We had a walk around the town surprised to see that many of the shops were closed on Saturday afternoons. Then we had a walk along the river bank.

On Sunday we had heavy rain and during Sunday night I woke several times to hear the rain pounding on the roof. On Monday morning we had a brief respite from the rain and it felt almost springlike. A good morning for flinging open the windows and doing some housework! It was still damp and drizzly in the afternoon but we did manage a walk around the harbour at Whangateau.
Tuesday was a wet, at home day.
Wednesday morning we went to the cinema to see "Late Bloomers" another enjoyable film. After the film we had a late lunch at the Matakan Kitchen which is situated in the cinema complex before having a walk around the village.
Thursday was my first day helping out at the stables and I arrived there at 10.30am in time to help tack up the horses in readiness for the first ride of the day at 11.30. There were only 10 riders - all Korean- on the ride but most of the horses had been brought in from the paddocks as there were 20 riders in the afternoon. Although the students are in the country on a language course their English is virtually non existant and their knowledge of horses and riding completely non existant. They did, though, seem to enjoy their first equestrian experience. At the end of the ride there was a photo call as they were all keen, as were all subsequent groups, to have photographic evidence of their time on horseback. After lunch the second lot, once again all Korean, arrived and it took quite some time to get all of them mounted , check their stirrups and girth and show them how to hold the reins. The route for the beginners ride goes through the paddocks and then winds up the forested hill to the high paddocks before going down through more paddocks and back to the farm. We have to keep a sharp eye open to make sure that the horses keep in single file as they have their own pecking order and can get quite upset if another horse tries to pass them. We have walkie talkies to keep in contact with the other leaders as the ride can get quite strung out at times. Thanfully all went well and we got them all back safe and sound. By the time that I had untacked and rugged up several horses and led them out to the paddocks I was feeling pretty shattered but had throroughly enjoyed my day. Inside it seems that I am still the little girl who spent a large portion of her childhood helping out at our local riding school!

Week 20 ORR

On Friday morning Danni and I went back to her house where I was to pick up Jonny and take him to the zoo. Plan A had been for Danni to stay at home then but she had decided that she wanted to come back with us so we moved on to Plan B and I arranged to pick her up after we had been to the zoo.
Jonny and I got to the zoo about 11am and due to it being the school holidays it was very busy and both car parks were full. I eventually managed to find a parking space at the top of a very steep hill about 10 minutes walk away.
First stop was to see the giraffes which are Jonny's favourite animal and we were lucky enough to arrive at the time when we could offer them something to eat. What long, blue tongues they have!!
Auckland Zoo is home to the largest collection of native and exotic animals in New Zealand, set in 17 hectares of lush parkland and just five minutes from central Auckland. Thankfully most zoos have become much more aware of the environment that the animals are kept in and the enclosures at Auckland are large and there are few cages to be seen. Large areas of the zoo are predominately filled with moated, barless, naturalistic enclosures.
The zoo houses the The New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine which  was opened on 10 August 2007. This NZD $4.6 million, 980 square metres (10,500 sq ft) facility is the first national centre for conservation medicine in the world.
The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund supports a number of conservation programs, both overseas and in New Zealand. The currently supported overseas projects are a turtle and tortoise programme in Vietnam, the Sumatran orang utang Project and the Sumatran tiger.
 There are also captive breeding programs to support the kiwi recovery program and I was finally able to see a Kiwi in the darkened Kiwi house. Only a glimpse of it's long probing  beak as it probed the undergrowth but at last I can say that I have seen this famous symbol of New Zealand!
It was good to see that the zoo is encouraging everyone to help South Eastern rainforest species by choosing palm free oil foods. The uncontrolled expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia is currently destroying rainforest habitat at the rate of 54 rugby fields an hour, pushing rainforest species like the orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Asian rhino and Asian elephant towards extinction. As advocates for wildlife, Auckland Zoo believes the only way to slow this uncontrolled expansion is to reduce palm oil consumption, and therefore demand. As consumers, the power is in our hands to help.

We had a brief break for lunch and after 4 hours walking I was ready to leave but not looking forward to walking back up the hill to the car! Anyway I made it and we were soon back at the house to pick up Danni and return  home.  Rob was here when we got back and after he left we had our meal and I was ready to collapse!!
On Saturday morning I took Danni and Jonny to see Ice Age 4 before dropping them off at Rob and Julie's for the afternoon. I came back home for a rest and prepared a roast pork dinner for Rob, Julie, the children and Daniel which, as usual went down well.
The 7 ladies who are staying at the house had arrived later in the afternoon after they had been riding at Warkworth. They were celebrationg the 50th birthay of one of them and were delighted with the house and it's situation .
Rob picked up Danni and Jonny on Sunday morning and took them back home. Peace, perfect peace!! I stripped the beds in the house and started washing them.
Monday was wet and windy so, in the afternoon, we went to the cinema to see A Royal Affair. A Danish film  a 2012 historical film  set in the 18th century, at the court of the mentally ill King Christian VII which focuses on the romance between the queen and the royal physician Struensee. We both thoroughly enjoyed the film.
Another rainy day on Tuesday but it started to clear up in the afternoon.
On Wednesday morning we went for yet another walk on the beach at Goat Island which I think I can say has become our favourite beach despite there being so many beautiful beaches in the area. We continue to be fascinated by the pied shags that nest there and there was a whole "gaggle" (I can't find,even on google, the name for a group of these birds) of them on the beach. Many of the group were young and parents were flying in and feeding the young birds on the beach. Others were standing with their wings outspread, drying them, after making tentative sorties into the sea. They seemed to have no fear of us and allowed us to get within a few yards of them.

On Thursday I decide to go for a ride as Danni is not coming at the weekend and I didn't want to miss out on my ride this week. I rang Heather and she said to arrive at 1.30. I opted to try out Zoe this time as I had been told that she was a good ride. I arrived at 1.30 and found that I was the only person on the ride and was to be escorted by Leonie a very nice German girl who is working there temporarily. Leonie was good compay and Zoe was indeed a good ride and we passed a very pleasant hour riding around the farm and chatting. When we got back I was asked if I would help out, over the next 3 weeks, as they have a lot of foreign language students booked in from their schools in Auckland. It means a lot of free riding so, of course, I am only too happy to help them out. Over the last few months I have got to know the owners, Heather and Roger, of the stables and farm well and they are a really nice, hardworking couple.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYQRyk9aDbs 
I went to the supermarket afterwards and had a chat with a nice, geordie lady who has lived here for 14 years. She asked me to sample a wine which she was promoting. It was rather unfortunate, for her, that her position was next to a rack of special offer Jacobs Creek wines at $7.99 and that her wines were $15! Her wine was good but it was the  Jacobs Creek went into my trolly.
When I got back home I found Rob had called in so we spent an hour or so chatting before he left.