Tests and medical stuff

Today I went to get my blood tests for next week's operation.  I also had to do three different swabs -- nose, groin and rectum.  Hopefully all will be well for the operation to go ahead.  

Today I am in full prep mode for tomorrow's colonoscopy so I'm now on a liquid only diet and then tonight I have to drink 3 litres of that awful stuff that cleans you out.  Yep, too much information and it really is bloody awful.  The colonoscopy is a breeze compared to the prep!  I've also booked my mammogram in for December and this time I'm doing a 3D one called Tomosynthesis.  Apparently it's more accurate and I do have to pay a part cost for this (my normal mammogram is covered by my insurance).  Just to clarify for NZers, I've never been part of the free mammogram scheme because I've always been covered under my private insurance.

Hopefully after all of this testing and my operation I can just be healthy and keep away from damn doctors! No more testing for ages.

I am so glad I'm getting my knee done though because I really can't walk much now.  Sure I hobble around the supermarket or to the letterbox but that's about my lot.  I've been getting on the exercycle everyday to strengthen my leg muscles and while I'm as nervous as hell about my operation, I know it has to be done.  I just hope my right knee will hold out for a long time.

My last post was about the building in our street... my goodness it's all go today!  There are THREE building sites literally at the front of our gate.  Trucks and diggers everywhere.  I also mentioned my neighbours and not doing their garden... they painted their fence at the weekend and are fully planning on gardening so that's great news.  Mind you, they had to ask if the garden on their property was their responsibility??  Um, yes. 

Anyway that's me for today

~ Lynda

Below: The white houses you can see are in the process of being finished, the groundwork is being done.  , The section to the right is where a house has just been pulled down and there is a digger on there too.

The house next door to us, two houses going up there.  It's all go in our street!

My Street

I live in Auckland which is the biggest city in New Zealand.  There is a shortage of housing so the Council has approved in-fill housing, multi story buildings in suburban areas and complete rebuilding of some areas.  

In my local area the Government housing area nearby has had many homes removed and masses of new homes are being built in their place which will house many more people than the original homes. Our street is part Government housing and part privately owned.  Next to where I live a house burned down a few years ago and there is finally building going on there - two houses in the place where there was one.  Across the road from us there are three houses on a section which used to hold one.

Then... while we were away on holiday last week ANOTHER house disappeared completely!  Before we went away there was zero indication that the house would go but just like that it's gone and already the diggers are on the site to put up God knows how many homes!  There is building all around us and the road is full of contractors' vehicles all day.  Just around the corner from us four homes have been built on impossibly tiny sections -- one literally on the side of a hill and another basically on a front lawn. 

Around the other corner a three story apartment block has been built and these seem to be popping up all over the place.

We have a water shortage due to the bad planning of the Council and even during winter (our rainy season usually) we have not been allowed to use an outside hose -- it goes without saying that the restriction will get even more strict as summer approaches.  The lawn and garden are already getting dry, we can't wash our car with a hose and we are unable to water blast our fence or anything else that involves water outside. 

I can't really explain how I feel about all of this except that I am ready to leave the city.  Yes, first world problems but it's all very unsettling and I'm over it.  Oh, and can I add... our new neighbours are definitely NOT gardeners and since moving in have not even swept up the bark that's all over their driveway.  I'm not expecting them to pull out the weeds any time soon.  I do hope they prove me wrong.

Tomorrow we are having the boys for a couple of days -- my daughter and her husband are going away and she failed to book us in to look after them!  We'd planned to go to the beach house this week and the boys said to me 'but how can you when we are coming to stay?'  My daughter was most apologetic that she had failed to finalise any plan with me (they had flights booked and are attending a celebration in Napier).  Oh well, I'll look forward to some lovely time with my boys :) Stu is over at the beach house today because our fibre internet connection was being installed and he had to be there.  He's a happy man though because he's got super fast 'gigantic' fibre both here and there now.

~ Lynda 

My new bicycle

Part of the pre and post operation work I need to do is build my muscles.  They recommend an exercycle  so we looked around at the options -- we didn't want to rent one because owning one will mean we can have an ongoing fitness option. Some of the bikes were really expensive and clearly better suited to those doing more advanced training or spin classes etc.  Stu googled it and up popped good old K Mart!! The reviews were almost 100% amazing so off we went last night to buy one.

It has a weight restriction of 100kg so we are both OK on it.  It's super simple to use which I really like -- I don't want or need crazy bells and whistles to complicate using it.  It has a computer that measures time, kilometres, kms per hour and calories burned.  I will mostly use the timer.  I just did 20 minutes (two lots of ten minutes) on a lower difficulty and upped the difficulty a few times.  It sure gets your heart rate up and will be fantastic for building up my quad muscles which is what is needed prior and after knee surgery.

The other fantastic feature of the bike... it is whisper quiet!  Seriously, no sound at all so you can watch TV or use it while someone else is watching TV and it won't bother them. Oh, one more thing?  It was really cheap, only $105... win/win.

We are off to the beach house tomorrow for Labour weekend.  We are getting fibre installed on Thursday so will have super fast internet there which will make it easier for Stu to work from there. 

I have a colonoscopy next Wednesday (so much excitement in my life, not) and will also get all my blood and other tests done next week ready for surgery.  I had x-rays done yesterday.

~ Lynda

Final days and home :)

We got back from our holiday on Sunday night after having an amazing time.  From beginning to the very end we loved it and will be doing another holiday down south in the future.

My knee has been very painful and most times I've walked I have limped and had to stop often.  I'm so glad I'm getting that operation soon -- this time away has really proved how bad it is.  Thankfully I managed to get around enough places and not miss too much but I really miss the long walks.

On Saturday we went to Riverstone Castle "Dot's Castle".  I'd booked a tour and wow, it was just wonderful.  Dot did the tour herself and she was just lovely.  The castle is her home and we had access to every single room and were free to wander around the entire place.  We were not allowed to photograph inside but it really was the most incredible place. Here is a link to an article about it with interior photos. After the tour we had a delicious lunch at the Riverstone Kitchen which is an award winning restaurant on the same property run by her son who is the chef.

This week I have to make appointments for x-rays and blood tests etc and I have been contacted by the doctor for even more tests because I have been in a hospital recently.  These tests are to see if I have caught any superbugs while there -- hopefully not!

Here are the last photos of our time away.

~ Lynda

The Glenavy Pub (Oamaru) where we had fish and chips on Friday night... nothing flash about this place but it was so friendly and welcoming.  A real 'local'.

The massive feed of fish and chips - I ate the coleslaw and fish but left a lot of the chips.  In the ten days away we only ate out once for dinner (this meal) and three times for lunch. Not bad for a holiday. We really enjoyed cooking and eating in the motorhome.

The walk home from the pub -- I had to say hello to the local hens.

The gift shops at Riverstone Castle full of all sorts of knick knacks.

The castle itself, a real monument to one woman's dream -- even the pond was put in especially for Dot.

The main entrance to the castle.

Lunch after the tour - mine was lamb and it was delicious.

Final day, Christchurch.  This is the Cathedral which suffered dreadful damage in the 2011 earthquake.  It is being restored which is a massive task and horrendously expensive.  

Regent Street in Christchurch -- this street dates back to the 1930s and is beautiful.  Of course I had to do another of my 'standing in the street' photos. Note the tram tracks... see my final photo below.

New Brighton beach pier -- we drove there after our time in the city and it was stunning, wow what a beautiful beach!

And finally I took the first photo while having lunch in Regent St and then the tram came by so close!  
 

Te Anau, Milford Sound and more...

I've been too busy to update but need to or I will forget all that we have been doing!  We drove to Te Anau on a magnificent, warm day and stayed for two nights at the holiday park there.  We had arranged a tour to Milford sound and it was a great decision because we got to enjoy the amazing views and hear from a knowledgable guide all along the way.  It was stunning and photos simply don't do any of it justice.

From there yesterday we drove to Gore via the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre to look at vintage planes.  While there the guy said to Stu that he could do a Tiger Moth flight... no need to ask him twice.  He went up for a 25 minute aerobatic flight -- loads of loops, barrel rolls and a downward spin (which freaked me out).  He loved it of course and even took the controls for part of the flight.

From there we drove past hydro dams, amazing scenery like we've never seen before and cute country pubs and little towns.  We stayed the night on the side of the Clutha River just before the Clyde Dam.  It was an amazing spot to freedom camp.

Today we drove to Oamaru and again the scenery and drive astounded us!  The beautiful valleys and mountains -- we will be back, there is just too much to see.  We stopped at the Moeraki Boulders just to tick that box and then toured around the historic district in Oamaru -- wow, it's is fantastic and we had no idea it was there.  We are now at a camp near to the Riverstone Castle that we will be visiting in the morning then off somewhere for our final night.

What a wonderful holiday it has been!  We've gone from sunny warm weather to literally having snow fall while on the road from Milford Sound. Overall the weather has been perfect, we have been so lucky as it's only rained at night.

Some photos (well loads actually).

~ Lynda

On the road to Kingston, on the shore of Lake Wakatipu... a warm day!

Kingston Railway Station where the steam engine the Kingston Flyer leaves from (when running)

On the road to Milford Sound

More from the road to/from Milford Sound

Mirror Lake

We were the first vehicle to come across this crash and the men helped the passengers out of the car.  Thankfully they were not injured and help arrived so we could get on our way.

Milford Sound - simply stunning and photos just don't show the sheer beauty of the place.

One of the stops along the way.

Stu aka 'Biggles' in the Tiger Moth plane.

Our camp last night on the Clutha River.

The view from our camp!!

The Clyde Hydro Dam which was on the other side of that photo above -- calm one side and raging water on the other!

Moeraki Boulders - it was COLD here!!  These boulders are spheres and are all over the beach... crazy!

The historic district of Oamaru - what a surprise, it was just lovely.  This photo is part of my new series 'standing on the street' photos... there's been a few this holiday :)

Queenstown and surrounds

Yesterday we drove from Wanaka through to Queenstown then through to a freedom camping spot called Twenty Five Mile Stream.  There was room there for about seven campers but as we were first there, we got the best spot!  While we were there the wind got stronger and out of nowhere a bunch of windsurfers arrived and got out on the lake.  The wind was so strong but they were experts.  After they left a few more camper vans parked for the night.  It poured with rain and we could hear the waves of the lake lapping on the shore - bliss... rain and the sound of water.

Today we drove up to Glenorchy and then further to a place called the Isengard Lookout which was a filming location for both "The Lord of the Rings" and a local television series called "One Lane Bridge". Everything was gorgeous, such stunning scenery everywhere we looked.

After then we drove to our holiday camp in Queenstown and went to the town for lunch then up the gondola to look at the view.  We are now back at camp and sadly my knee is just too painful to go out again so I really don't know what we will do for dinner. We have food in the motorhome so we'll sort something.

Tomorrow we are off to Te Anau for two nights to do the Milford Sound tour.  

OK, photos...

~ Lynda

Roaring Meg - a river on the way to Queenstown

Lake Wakatipu on the way to our camp site.

The road to Glenorchy

Our camping spot for the night!

More campers arrived - it was a popular spot!

Glenorchy - this little building is rather iconic and features in everyone's photos.

Some trees growing in the lake at Glenorchy

The bridge over the Dart River (another in my series of 'standing in the middle of the road' photos)

The main street of Queenstown

Some of the Queenstown waterfront restaurants and bars

Fergburger !!!  Every time we have ever been to Queenstown the lines at this place have been too long but with the shutdown on tourism at the moment we finally got to go.  Stu got his burger and I got a pie from the Ferg's Bakery next door.  

The view from the top... that's our camp ground in the bottom middle of the photo.

Going down... the view from the gondola.

A house video and more of our holiday

Before we came away on holiday I did another little video -- this time of our home.  Nothing grand, just a basic little house that suits us fine.  We do plan on moving areas sometime so that house will be amazing!

We are currently in Wanaka and tomorrow will drive to Queenstown and Glenorchy.  I'm not sure where we will stay but will be freedom camping somewhere (for those overseas that means we won't be at an actual camping ground but at a designated place for self contained vehicles).

We are loving being in a motorhome and it's just confirmed that we will be buying one at some stage.

So a video and more photos.

~ Lynda

Below:  standing on Pukaki Canal Road - trust me, no danger of getting run over there!

This is the canal that runs alongside the road, it's an amazing colour as the water comes from Lake Pukaki and goes to a hydroelectric damn.

This is taken from Google Maps to show you where I was - the water is amazing!  

Lindis Pass on the way to Wanaka - such different colour country here, all dry and barren.

Our view from our motorhome campsite right now.  Lake Wanaka at Glendhu Bay.  It's raining right now but thankfully we had a lovely day for travelling here.

That's our motorhome (small one) looking out over the lake.