No road is long with good company

Today TOF and I went for a drive to Putaruru to visit a friend of TOFs who has had some bad luck of late and pretty down in the dumps.  It is a lovely drive through small towns and the beautiful Waikato countryside.

Sheba had stayed last night at the Heirs house and went to work with him for the day so Oscar got to come along for the ride with us.

The road was reasonably busy from Hamilton through to Tirau. Not that you can tell from my photo, it was flowing well.

The scenery is beautiful and full of contrast.  Flat paddocks, rolling hills, green grass, tall trees and plenty of farm animals. Loads of babies and bright yellow Daffodils.

TOF and I quite like the look of this place, tucked at the base of some hills, looking all cosy and inviting.

As we drove into Tirau TOF decided he needed to top up the diesel and visit the Confectionery shop.  Oscar also needed a comfort stop so he took advantage of a spot of grass.

He came out of there with 3 bags of lollies and was gob smacked at the prices. I think it is priced for the passing tourists that stop off in Tirau.  There are some lovely shops there but not as many as there used to be, sign of the times I suppose.

I remember when this Hotel was up for sale and thinking it could be an interesting change of life, now thinking we would have just been buying into HARD SLOG! No life balance in that.

Off we went again and headed to Putaruru our destination for the day.

We spent a couple of hours with TOFs friend and hopefully we have helped him know he is not alone with his troubles.

We said our farewells with a bottle of his plum wine and some beetroot from his garden.

On our way home we stopped at Arapuni where there is a Hydro dam.  As we drove over the bridge over the river diversion I got this photo looking back down the river, The Waikato River.    The Waikato River is the longest one in New Zealand and runs for 425 km through the North Island from Lake Taupo to the Tasman Sea.  The name Waikato is Maori and translates as 'flowing water'.

We parked the car and walked to the other bridge to check out the views of the River and the land.

 

This is the view looking back to the bridge over the river diversion that we drove over.  I do like that curve shaped concrete.

Looking up the river you can see the Arapuni Hydroelectric Power Station, not visible in this photo as I was only using my little camera today.  Arapuni is 80 years old now and according to my research is now under the protection of the Historical Places Trust.  There are 8 Power Stations on the Waikato river all being built between 1929 and 1971.  

Remember,

we are still a young country!

We could hear the sound of cooing shit machines pigeons under the bridge and then this lot flew past.  There was a dude on the bridge fishing, for Trout I suspect.

A milk tanker rumbled over the bridge while we were standing on it, Oscar retreated to the safety of TOFs feet.  YES, TOF has his slippers on!  Comfy for driving in he tells me but I don't recall him changing his footwear at any point during our outing.  Hey but that is how we roll round here!!

Selfie on the bridge, and just remember he is smiling on the inside, just not big on photos.  He should be used to it by now you would think!!  From there we drove to Kihikihi, "did you hear us toot as we drove past your house Julie"

 

We stopped at a lovely bakery in Kihikihi for a rather late lunch and I had a good giggle at their blackboards inside and outside the shop.  Wish I had photographed the humor inside the shop!

 

Naughty us, Steak and Cheese Pie each, OMG they were divine.

I will never be a skinny minnie again at this rate!

 So this is where we drove.

Follow the PINK arrows and that was our drive.  We left Hamilton at about 10:30 this morning and got back round 3pm.

I told TOF today that I can remember visiting a power station when I was a kid, here is an old photo to prove it.  Taken by my dad in the 1960s.   Easy to spot us three blonde girls. 

 TOFs lollies are in a jar,

and we have settled in for the evening.

Fish and Chips for dinner

as we obviously have not consumed

enough fat today!!

I may not be CASH rich

but I am rich in

HEALTH and HAPPINESS.

A lovely day out with my buddy

TOF!!

 

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails

There is nothing quite like opening the curtains in the morning and being greeted by sunshine.  We had had a frost overnight so it was a sign of a good day to be had.

A pretty pale blue sky joined the sunshine

and I made plans for my day.

But I required clothes before I put my plan into action.  I wore a summer dress that I had found a few weeks back.  Over this was a black shrug and then my woolen coat, because it was fresh first thing. Under this dress were black tights and boots and of course underwear!

I drove over to Te Awamutu one of the towns close to Hamilton where I visited the charity shops.  I visited the relocated Hospice but decided they were a tad too greedy with their pricing.  Considering we only pay $2.50 for clothes at the ones in Hamilton, Cambridge and Morrinsville.  From there I went to the Red Cross and walked out with the above stash.  Both tops 1/2 price $2.50 and $3, the basket $3 and the table cloth $2. 

Next stop was the Salvo, but nothing leaped out at me so it was off to Habitat I went.  I found the felted  beret and salt container. The Indian print T shirt and basket came from the Animal Shelter charity shop which I went to on my way home.  There is a St Johns charity shop opening in the main street early in September, so another visit will be on the cards.

After getting a text advising me NOT TO BUY ANY FOOD I headed off to visit and catch up with the very lovely Julie.

Apart from being fed on a selection of home made goodies Julie gave me a box of produce from her garden, talk about spoil me!  All because I had a stash of bits and bobs for her that I was delivering.

  Things to help keep her creative juices flowing.

Not that she needs any help!

It was a beautiful day for a drive and a beautiful afternoon to search out the colour in my garden. We are obviously getting closer to Spring because colour is starting to wake up.

And if this doesn't scream out SPRING I don't know what does!

Pretty colour to make my heart sing.

I would hate to tell you what this poppy head looks like to me.

Now before I forget again, I found this Trelise Cooper (NZ Designer) skirt for $6 at the Salvo near me at the beginning of the week.  Nothing that special apart from being FULL CIRCLE and super COLOURFUL!  Of course now I am thinking what I will wear under it and over it.

Time for some inspirational stuff.

WOW this must mean I am SUCCESSFUL.

 

 

Apparently a party without a cake is just a meeting

On Monday I discovered where the girls had been laying their eggs.  No it wasn't in their nesting boxes it was in a self made nest in one of the box gardens using dead leaves.  I don't mind as long as I find those eggs.

I would rather find six eggs than a couple of dozen, this way I know these are ok.  So ok that most of them went into CAKE!!

With four eggs and four bananas and a bunch of other ingredients this was going to be one enormous cake or I could make two.  One for TOF and one for the lads at work, smiles all round.

Topped off with Lemon icing, and believe me it was Lemony!!

The weather was amazingly warm for this time of the year, short sleeves and 3/4 tights to prove it.  I threw another colour into my hair as I could see RE GROWTH!!!

The lads loved their cake and carefully divided it up between themselves.  Ours lasted long enough for us to enjoy it and then got helped on its way by our lads.  Rather it got eaten quick smart than grow mold.

Tuesday's weather started off alright but slowly headed towards WET and MISERABLE.  I wore a lot of Blue even though I wasn't feeling anything near that colour.

On Tuesday my baby turned 20! He seems so much older than 20 some days, then on most hung over sundays I know he is still young.

We went out for dinner the four of us plus the spares gorgeous girlfriend.  We enjoyed a lovely meal and some good banter was had.  But with us all having work the next day it was an early night.

The rain has hung around for the last couple of days and the only thing to appreciate all this wet has been the garden.  Camilla my Camellia has flowered and what a beauty she is, like wise with the yellow climber.

Today was a black and white day and the sun finally peeped out this afternoon.  I am hopeful of some good weather tomorrow.

These three will be happy to have mummy home for the next four days.

You may have noticed a lot of cakes being constructed of late.

But don't worry,

because...

For my boys and all you mothers of sons

 AND