Spring has sprung

Winter is still with us, but we have survived the darkest days. The sun is staying in the sky longer each day, the Magnolia’s are in bloom and the Pine pollen is building up in a thin layer over the deck and covers. So the portents of Spring are with us, but it will be another month before we see the real thing.

I am still on the mend after my shoulder operation, it is taking a bit longer than I expected, but I am doing the exercises and have started swimming at our local pool (heated of course). So hopefully progress will start to quicken as we go along.

On the work front, I was offered a short term contract at Whangarei District Council, working in the Rates Department, and also doing the Rates Rebates like I have done before. It was good to get back into the work force again, especially after being out of action with my shoulder for so long. By the sounds of it they will extend my contract until Christmas, which will fit in perfectly with our plans.

On the Kabuki front, we (as in Paul) have been doing little jobs over the winter. We had a new batten less main built last year, so Paul had to move the reefing blocks on the boom to accommodate the new sail. Paul replaced the mast thru bolts on the cap shroud and lower shrouds, and we had new wires made up and Paul installed them.  Now he is installing Ratlines onto the new lower shrouds, using one teak step to two rope steps. It has taken a bit of jigging around, as we had trouble sourcing tarred twine, but Paul has managed with a Chinese “tarred twine” which does not look or feel particularly tarred.  He firstly parcels the wire where the step will be lashed, and then he lashes the step on as per the “Brion Toss” instructions. They are looking really good, but Paul has been up there on and off dodging the squally showers that race through at this time of year.

A few weekends ago Paul and I treated ourselves to a weekend down in Auckland, staying in a flash Hotel, partaking of dinner at the Orbit Restaurant in the Sky Tower (it revolves around while you sit and watch the view go past). We visited the Maritime Museum at the Viaduct Harbour, and did a day excursion on the ferry over to Waiheke Island for lunch at a Vineyard. It was really nice to have the niceties of life, a big bed a shower in the next room and a TV, bloody luxury.      

 Apart from that we have not been up to much, only working and doing the necessities on the weekends… washing, cleaning, shopping, dodging showers etc. Everything takes so much longer to do, than when you live in a house with everything at hand. But we are really enjoying the lifestyle and plan to extend the rental on our house and continue in this adventure for another year or so. 

Pollen on the river

Night view from our dinner table I

in the revolving restaurant.