Last day of June

Wow, where is this year going - it's July tomorrow!  It's exactly three weeks today until we leave for our South Island holiday.  Just to clarify for some readers, I have been to most of the top of the South Island (so we're not going there this time), Christchurch and Queenstown.  That's it!  So I'm really looking forward to see more between Christchurch and the deep south.  For now our plan is to drive from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, Mt Cook Aoraki, Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford.  This should take roughly 10 days?  It's really fluid, there is no set timeframe other than our 16 night's camper rental and flights home.

From Milford Sound we might go across the island and travel back up the eastern side.  We may possibly go over to the West Coast but that really is weather dependant because we don't want to drive on any of the passes (Arthur's Pass or Haast Pass) if the weather is very icy and snowy.  We really will decide at the time and that is the beauty of being in a motorhome - we can go where and when we want!

Obviously everywhere we go there will be stops to look at the amazing scenery so I'm picking a 2 hour drive might take at least 4 hours :) I've read that the drive to Milford Sound is one of the most beautiful drives anywhere so we're looking forward to that! Can you tell that I'm excited?  Just a little.  

~ Lynda

Milford Sound where we'll do the Milford Sound cruise

The drive to Milford Sound

Kids and other stuff

We had the two youngest boys this weekend to help the mother out as she had visitors and it was way easier for her with two less.  It was lovely having them and I made them pancakes with cream for dessert so they still love their Nana (cupboard love but I'll take it).  They are back home now and Stu and I went out for lunch later.  We are both feeling much better except for discrete nose blowing.  Thank goodness.

My daughter isn't so well though and her husband is coming down with it too - quite a bug this cold we all got.

While out yesterday, just driving to get groceries, I felt such a wave of sadness come over me while thinking about the state of the world with Covid-19.  Travel to other countries will be many months away and the news coming from other countries is just so bad.  The turmoil in US with politics, protests and covid looks just awful - yes, worse because I do keep up with overseas news.  I could bury my head in the sand but it's all just so interesting to follow.  

I also realise that things could change so quickly for us here in New Zealand - who knows if there will be another outbreak with more clusters and community spread.  There's no guarantee to any of this.

~~~~~~~

After dropping off the boys today we went to the Auckland branch of the motorhome place where we are hiring ours from and had a look inside a similar one.  It sure in going to be an interesting experience but we are so looking forward to it!

I got another email from my lying sister and she wanted to know why I hadn't replied to her or phoned her back etc.  I had to reply but did so in a pretty cold way.  I just said I'd rather not get together anytime soon and that we were very busy going forward.  I'm pretty sure she'll get the message but will have no idea why.  I just don't want to talk to her anymore so will leave it there.

I think that's all... I never took any photos of the boys.

~ Lynda

We got a result

Stu got a text last night and his test was negative for covid.  We were pretty sure it would be that but it seems a lot of people here are getting tested at the moment and with good reason.  I'm really hoping we dodged a bullet with the slip up at our borders.

So we have really bad colds or the flu, who can tell?  I don't have a fever so probably a cold.  My goodness it's a bad cold though.  Today it's moved to my chest as I feared so I'm coughing and am really uncomfortable.  I can't remember the two of us being this sick and now it seems that Fletcher is also very unwell.  With covid-19, everyone is suspicious of anyone unwell so it's best we are at home!

Thanks for the comments about the scarf - I can whip one up in a day and the stitch on that one is really simple - literally the same for every row but it ends up looking like it's ribbed.  I'll have Cole's blanket finished this week so I'll need another project to work on... I have no idea what.

Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know that we were all good regarding covid.

~ Lynda

Sick

We both feel like shit.  We both had a dreadful night's sleep - Stu went into the spare bedroom at some point which meant I got some sleep finally.  We don't have any fever but I'm sore all over - Stu is just miserable.  I have to admit that last night was awful and we can only improve from now on!  I just hope that it doesn't move on to my chest as it usually does with me.  

It seems a lot of people here are getting tested for covid now - Stu had to wait in line for hours yesterday and apparently today the line is even longer.  For the life of me I don't know why they haven't organised that better.  I'm also so angry at the failings of the Government regarding border control.  Today we found out that 55 people were let out of quarantine early WITHOUT GETTING TESTED!!  Then then tell us that between June 9 to 16, 2159 people were released after two weeks isolation without testing.  WTF??

WHAT IS GOING ON?  How can people be so lax when thousands have lost their jobs and businesses?  Why was this not taken more seriously at the border?  I'm so angry at this.  Yes, it's sorted now that the military is involved but an expert today said that we must assume that covid is back in the community.  

I made the scarf for my son-in-law yesterday so hopefully my daughter can pick that up.  I'm not up to driving anywhere at the moment.  It turned out really well and will suit his style very much.  I ended up paying more and getting a lovely charcoal grey wool mixed with a taupe colour so that it will match all colours he wears. The colour looks better than in the photo. 

My boys are loving the little scarves I made for them :) I'm back to finishing Cole's new blanket and will show you when that's done.

My lying sister tried to call me yesterday but I didn't answer my phone, I really don't know what to do about her.  Apparently she is still lying because when my niece asked if she'd phoned me she said "oh yes, we had a lovely long conversation".  Um... no she didn't. My niece said she has no time for her now, she's not nice and lives in la la land.

OK, back to feeling ill... I've taken some cold and flu medication which seems to work quickly thank goodness.

~ Lynda

I have a cold

Damn... Charlie had a cold at the weekend and I just knew that we'd catch it too.  I had an appointment with the Dentist today but of course, that's been cancelled.  Stu also caught it but to be safe he's gone off to get a covid-19 test just now.  I figure that if he's negative then I will be too.  It's highly unlikely to be that but everyone here is aware that community spread is a possibility.

I am HATING this new blogger interface with a passion.  When I add photos you should be able to click on them and a 'lightbox' (like a photo album) should let you go through the photos.  It seems to be only working on some photos and not others and I have no idea why not.  Under the old interface there was no issues with this.  Also when I try to align the photos it makes my entire blog go blank - thankfully there is a draft backup to go back to.  Another glitch is when I try to add a caption to a photo it throws out the entire formatting?  It's so frustrating. I've found so many glitches so I hope they manage to iron these out.

So a quiet day at home today getting over this damn cold.  I've had my dental appointment rebooked for next week.

~ Lynda

Here are some more photos of the weekend - I'm just trying to test out the photo function/lightbox etc.

I'm experimenting here... It seems that if I don't alter the order it works?  Also captions sometimes affects it.  It's all very random so more experimenting is needed.  

Fletcher playing on Saturday - he's in the green to the left of No 15

Charlie about to kick the ball

On the train going to the city

Charlie  😊

My cutie Cole

   

I survived!

Phew, that was a full on, busy weekend but I'm back on my own again.  The boys were great 😇

On Saturday morning they all had sport so Stu took Fletcher to his game and they won 6 - 0.  I went to the younger boy's games which was interesting.  Charlie didn't really have a clue other than to position the ball and then kick it by which time some other kid had run in and kicked it... more lessons needed there.  Cole on the other hand is a natural and played really well. 

In the afternoon Stu took them all on the train to the city where they had a blast.  I cooked and organised things while they were away and made a delicious batch of low carb butterfly cakes - basically sponge type cakes with cream.  They went down a treat!

Sunday we mostly stayed home but the boys played well.  I took them all to school this morning except for Charlie who has a cold so thought it best to keep him off school.  The parents came by and picked him up later today.  

Our neighbours had some arborists in last week to take down a large tree and while they were at it they trimmed another tree.  This is actually how they left it and this is the sight I see every time I look out of my lounge doors.  I mean really?  They were professionals but maybe only worked until the money ran out?  I thought they'd left to get some lunch but no, that's the finished tree!

I crocheted the boys some scarfs over the weekend which they loved and now my daughter's husband has put in an order for one too.  I didn't take a photo of them but will take a photo of his when I've finished.

So that's my news - I have the dentist tomorrow to get my crown on my tooth so I'm looking forward to getting that finished.

~ Lynda

The boys on their adventure into the city

Charlie at soccer

Eating the low carb butterfly cakes... they were so good!

A busy weekend ahead!

Today I'm getting oldest boy because Stu is taking him over to the North Shore for soccer tomorrow early.  Then we have all of them for two nights so I will be a busy, tired Nana !!  Cole has learned to talk non-stop now and usually about cars.  He is car mad - not just any car... all of the top fast cars in the world.  There's not much he doesn't know and he's only 8 years old.

This morning a baked up a storm - some for while they are here and some to give their mother to freeze for school lunches etc.  I made orange cakes in paper cups, chocolate chip muffins and brownie.  Yum.

I've decided to give my lying sister a very wide berth in life from now on - very minimal contact.  I looked up the definition of a pathological liar and she ticked every single box. Of course, there is probably an underlying condition which might cause the lying but quite frankly I'm over her.

We had some very disappointing covid-19 news this week in New Zealand - we all thought the border was very secure and that the authorities were being vigilant with new arrivals with regard to quarantine.  No, they were not, it's been a fiasco.  (Edit:  Only New Zealand citizens are allowed across the border plus a few others for necessary work).  There have been so many stories of slack surveillance, lack of testing and down right incompetence that the entire nation is up in arms.  We all worked so hard to eradicate the damn virus only to have slack border control let people out WITH the virus.  Fingers crossed no damage has been done and we won't have a spread in our country again.  

OK, that's me for another day.  I hope you are all well.  I'll leave you with a photo of me in a "Rocket Lab" T shirt that Stu got yesterday from the guys at Rocket Lab.  For those who don't know, they are the New Zealand version of SpaceX and launch rockets from Gisborne.  He is totally into his rockets so was very excited to get a T shirt for both him and me!  

~ Lynda

Me in my Rocket Lab T shirt.

Staying another day

Stu had too much urgent work on today so we will go back home tomorrow.

Now - my family, again.  As you all know my sister is a liar who simply makes things up and then seems to believe them.  I'm sure there is a diagnosis for this.

Another story then to show how bad a liar she is.  In January my nice older sister from Wellington went to stay with lying sister.  They got on well for a week and then lying sister had a crazy meltdown so nice older sister packed her bags and left.  She was in such shock she didn't say a word... just shook from utter surprise and fear as lying sister swore and ranted.  Nice sister then literally walked down the road with her bag not even knowing where she'd go!  This sister is very timid and does not swear or curse.

Anyway... in April (three months later) lying sister emailed me to tell me that she was so upset because of what nice older sister had said as she left.  Lying sister wrote to me and I quote:

"The recent spate with B (nice sister) has really thrown me.  I should have known it would end bitter and sordid and she is so holier than though 'so to speak'.  Saw a side to her I never thought possible.  Oh well, sisters huh?  The phrase "you ugly fucking c*nt faced bitch" kinda tipped me over the edge and I am still in shock.  As mentioned previously, never seen that side to her  ever.  She broke my heart."

Now I've cleaned that up using an * but you get the point.  Let me tell you that nice sister NEVER said this and would never say this. She actually wouldn't even think to say these words.  This is the same time that we were both 'unfriended'.  I can only imagine that lying sister has made up this story then believes it just like the story she made up about Stu.

Needless to say I'm keeping well away.  It's really sad but there is no way I can trust her again unless she gets some sort of psychiatric help.

Life goes on...

~ Lynda

Home again tomorrow

We've been over here at the beach for nearly a week - mainly to celebrate Stu's father's birthday.  I'm ready to go back home and get things sorted because we are having all the boys for the entire weekend.  I need to plan the food, I ALWAYS stress when I have to feed extra people and especially when I have to make up three lunch boxes on Monday morning.  The boy's Mum makes such amazing lunches and trust me, it takes a little planning.  I find if I make a little list in advance then it's OK.  It's not just a sandwich and apple... they get all sorts of little healthy treats!

Another thing I need to do is take my car back into a Novis windscreen repair shop.  Last December my windscreen needed replacing due to a crack and since then we have had a drought all through summer and then lockdown so my garaged car has not been exposed to any water.  Bring on last week when we brought my car over to the beach house and it leaked like a sieve!  I'm pretty sure it was via the windscreen because the water was on the floor of the car where water would pool (no wet seats etc).  No windows were open and the only thing that's changed has been the new windscreen.

I'm getting pretty excited about our motorhome holiday!  I've been watching lots and lots of Youtube videos of winter Southland holidays and I'm so glad we've spent the extra and got a motorhome with a dual battery system (power when freedom camping) and double glazing/insulation!  The people who have been freezing at night were those in the more basic vans and motorhomes.  All the videos of people in the Wilderness motorhomes were as warm as toast!

The weather here has been brilliant - we are off for another walk soon (it was a very cold start outside!).

Oh and more on my sister... my niece asked her if she'd unfriended me on Facebook.  She (of course) looked shocked and couldn't remember (bullsh*t).  She said she'd phone me (which she did) but I didn't answer.  I really can't bring myself to talk to her yet, I'm still too angry.  She then emailed me all apologetic with "Oh, I didn't realise I'd blocked you but I don't know how to work Facebook blah blah".  More bullsh*t.  I replied back very short and sweet just saying that I've accepted her friend request and didn't get her call because I was out.

So that's my week :)

~ Lynda

NOTE:  I have been trying the new blogger version - My goodness it's not as user friendly for photos!!  It deletes them, mucks up the order, puts them in random places etc.  I'm trying not to be a fuddy duddy and get with the changes but seriously??  Always trying to learn... I'll get there :)

Dinner out for Stu's father's birthday

Crowded beach walk :)

My sister

Thanks for your comments about my sister.  I am concerned that she would say this about Stu and while he thinks it's a joke because it's so far from who he is, I can see the more serious side to an accusation like this. 

Vickie asked me if my sister had said other things in the past.  Where do I start?  She has lied about being raped on numerous occasions (too many for them all to be genuine).  She has lied to her daughter about who her father is.  She has talked about her numerous sexual encounters trying to shock people around her.  She has no sense of time or place and always acts in an inappropriate manner.  There is no way to determine what is truth or lies from anything she says.  There is a very long history of her behaviour, too much to go into here.

Over the years she has fallen out with all family members but most of us have forgiven and moved on (as you do).  I am most upset that she pretends to be close to me yet can say this to others. 

I know she really likes Stu and is extremely jealous that I have such a lovely man in my life.  She often expresses how lucky I am.  How that went from being happy for me to fantasising that he tried to kiss her is beyond any of us. 

Let me be very clear - there is no way on earth that Stu did this and I'm not just being a protective partner.  He has a solid gold moral compass and is genuinely one of the good guys.

Going forward I will not ever visit her (with Stu) and ever let there be even the most remote possibility that they would be alone.  We had offered for her to stay with us here at the beach house - that will never happen now.  Can you imagine it?  No.  I will never give her any fodder for her crazy brain.

We had a lovely evening out tonight with Stu's family to celebrate his father's birthday.  Tomorrow we have another day of celebration.

~ Lynda

So excited

Yes, second blog post in two days... you can tell I'm at the beach house :)

It's a gorgeous day here so I'll be off for a walk in the sunshine soon.  I just thought I'd talk more about our motorhome holiday next month.  We will fly in and out of Christchurch - arrive 21st July and home on 6th of August.  That's just over two weeks so plenty of time to noodle around the South Island.

There are pros and cons to travelling in the winter

The Pros:  Are the amazing views, snow and the sheer beauty of one of the most stunning places in the world.  Yes, it will be freezing but our motorhome will be toasty warm as it is double insulated, heated and designed for freezing temperatures.  All the reviews I've read back this up.

The Cons:  More difficult driving conditions.  We will be limited to the condition of ice and snow on the roads so will only be going where it is safe.  We will be carrying snow chains but will not be travelling over the more dangerous winter roads.  We have driven around Queenstown area many times in the winter and never had an issue but obviously a motorhome is much bigger so more care will be taken.

There are still plenty of amazing places to visit - Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, Queenstown, the entire eastern coastline, Lake Te Anau and possibly Milford Sound.  Who knows?  We will take it as we see safe.  We will not drive early or late in the day so will avoid most ice.  Wherever we go it will be beautiful and we intend to both freedom camp and stay in holiday parks.

*********

As I said yesterday, I met up with my niece for lunch.  She has a house that has a separate flat which she rents out to my sister, her mother.  One of the reasons I changed this blog was because I know that sister read the old one so I feel reasonably safe talking about her on here now.

SHOCK, HORROR.... This sister is a liar - always has been always will be.  She makes up stories, embellishes stories and generally is not trustworthy.  Anyway, yesterday my niece told me that my sister is telling people that MY STU (yes, my darling, trustworthy, butter wouldn't melt in his mouth Stu) lured her into the bedroom on our last visit, pushed her down on the bed and tried to passionately kiss her!!!!!!!!  WHAT THE FREAKING F*CK??

Now, I know this is a lie.  I trust Stu 100%, always have and always will.  She is twenty years older than Stu and he is not remotely attracted to her.  I was with him the entire visit as was Fletcher.  He never left the room.  He thinks it is funny because we all know what she is like but I'm not laughing - what an awful story to spread around because she has this mental personality disorder where she actually believes her own stories. I know if I confront her she will deny it though.

Anyway, I had to share that. 

I'll leave you with some pictures of what our holiday next month will be like (hopefully).

~ Lynda

Lake Tekapo

The motorhome we are renting

The layout - separate bedroom, toilet and shower.

Lake Pukaki - the lake really is this colour due to the run off from a glacier

My daughter's motorhome last year at Lake Tekapo.  You get to park on the lake edge!

Queenstown - photo taken from our hotel when we stayed there in 2017

Wow, time flies!

Update time!!  So what's new?  We officially have ZERO covid 19 cases here in New Zealand and are no longer under any restrictions other than border control. Of course, we all realise this could change but it's fantastic to be 'back to normal' and not worry about all the covid queueing and protocols that were there. 

We went home from the beach and are now back because Stu's dad is having his 84th birthday this weekend.  We had dinner on the way over at Coromandel - no a healthy choice for me (pizza) but it was delicious, the fire was going and it was a treat.

I've finished my daughter's blanket and have started on a woollen scarf for the winter.  I'm really enjoying my crochet at the moment and everyone seems to want something made.

Stu and I couldn't go on our overseas holiday this year so have instead booked a two week South Island motorhome holiday.  We've booked with a company that specialises in really warm motorhomes which is great because the South Island will be freezing!  We leave at the end of July and I'm so excited.  We will fly in and out of Christchurch.  We have several spots that we are definitely going to but we will be very flexible and just go where we want at the time.

I've had my first appointment to get a crown on my tooth that had the root canal and I have the final appointment in two weeks. 

Today I went into the city to meet my niece - she works at Sky City so we went up to the top of the Sky Tower for lunch.  It was beautiful but I forgot to take a photo!

OK that's me for now.

~ Lynda

What's new?

Not much :) We are over at the beach house and had my daughter, her husband and the three boys here for Saturday until Tuesday.  That kept me busy because we also had to go to Stu's father's place on both Saturday and Sunday for a family meeting and then a family dinner.  Today we also met up with family for lunch in Whitianga which was lovely.  It's so nice to be able to go out for a meal and shop normally. 

I'm finding the news coming from US to be incredibly disturbing.  I'm disturbed at the amount of looting and lawlessness but I'm more disturbed by the lack of empathy coming from the top.  What a mess.  Trump tweeted yesterday that "Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night" ... really? I'm sure it was a lot safer where I am.  I love my American readers and friends but I'm sad for the state your country is in.

I've been feeling well, thank goodness.  I'm due back at the dentist next week for my first appointment to get a crown on my root canal.  Other than that I have no commitments.  Stu wants to stay over here so I'll just go back on my own again.  I don't mind the drive and love being able to have my 'antique' music playing.  That's what Stu calls my music - I don't care how old a song is if it makes me smile.

I didn't take any photos of the boys while they were here.  The weather was pretty bad but everyone managed to get out and about.  The boys and their Mum went out to find some "Geocaching sites".  There is an app you download and it shows you local locations where you can find a hidden logbook and you log that you have found it.  Some are tiny, others are quite large.  Cole and Charlie loved it so I'm sure wherever they go now they'll be looking for more.

Jo's husband caught some more fish and another fisherman gave him a massive snapper so we all had fish for dinner on Monday night. 

I hope you are all doing well.

~ Lynda

Stu's father's 84th birthday celebration with family (that's Stu's brother holding the cake)

Fish for dinner!!

The beach yesterday - all rutted out due to the rough weather and rain