Each month I think there is nothing to write about but I usually
find myself writing anyway!
In the month of August we might say the best came last. On Saturday
30th we had a visit from Mark and Nicola. They were staying near Matamata. They drove over to Putaruru in the
morning. Ray drove us to Jones
Landing. Mark, Nicola and I walked the
River Trail to the dam, where Ray picked us up.
We drove to the Rhubarb Café for an early lunch. Back at Putaruru we changed cars, and Mark
drove us up to the Leslie Road entrance to the Blue Springs walk. We spent some
little time on the track. As we were
driving home, Mark suddenly turned the car around to take us to Matamata,
because he wanted to see a bit more of the town in daylight. He wanted to see the Centennial Drive walkway
that I always write about. He and Nicola
also wanted to see inside the Information Centre, which is made like a building
out of Hobbiton.
Being Saturday afternoon that was closed! No great loss, for though the outside is
intriguing and appealing, the inside it is just a 21st century information centre. As
the wind was chill, we decided to drive along the Centennial Drive instead of
walking it. That was a new thing for Ray
and me! Then Mark drove us to see their motel unit at Opal Hot Springs, after
first diverting to look at Wairere Falls.
After that we drove to Tirau to have dinner at the Oxford Hotel.
Finally, back to Putaruru for a brief visit before Mark and Nicola took off
again for Matamata. A good visit and a
great day.
Earlier in the week Ray and I went to Cambridge and walked around
the lake, as we usually do. Then we
climbed up from the lake and walked around a couple of blocks of residential
houses. After that, it was, as usual –
What next? I suggested we drive to Maungakawa
Reserve. Ray agreed. What a road!
Narrow and twisty, it was a bit nerve-racking, but with great views – if
one dared take one's eyes off the road to look at them.
All day we were seeing beautiful magnolia trees in
gardens, and glorious wattle trees along the country roads. The weather was good. A cold wind, but sunny.
We reached Maungakawa Reserve and turned into Gudex Park. We left the car at a parking area and walked
across one of the open grassy spaces where the Sanitorium used to be. We saw a sign indicating a loop track, which
was supposed to take half an hour. We
went down and down, through the bush, on a path with many flights of newly
built wooden steps. Then of course there were just as many flights of steps
coming up. I am sure it took us more an
half an hour. I worried about Ray's knee, as he limped slightly all the
way. It was a lovely woodland path. There were little name plates for trees, some
of which were new to me. In one place
there were great heaps of grey basalt stones cut from the volcanic rock
underlying the area. The sign concerning
this feature was titled “A Bit of a Mystery” as no one knew what the stones
were stockpiled for. It seems the Romans
used this kind of stone as the foundation for their roads. Obviously the Romans
were not planning to use this lot. This cache may have been there in the bush
for over100 years. Someone long ago had
gone to a lot of work for nothing.
After emerging from the woods we walked to the top of the hill to see
extensive views of just about the whole of the Waikato. It very cold up there. We returned to
Cambridge by a road less unnerving.
Ray's knee was the feature of the month. He fell at a curb while
crossing one of the main streets in Putaruru.
He was relieved that no one saw him fall. Though if anyone had, they might have been
able to tell him what had happened, because Ray himself was not sure why or how
he fell down.
As usual, we have done a lot of driving around to nearby places. We
went to Lake Okareka, and we stopped at a house for sale near the main jetty.
The house was not visible from the road, and we would not have seen it had not
the owner been working in her driveway, heard our car doors close, and come
around to see who we were. She showed us
her old-world garden, which we exclaimed over, and she asked us if we would
like to see inside. Of course! The house had bay windows and a terrace overlooking the lake. It was tastefully and expensively
furnished. The long airy front room was
ideal for summer, and at the back was built a cosy wing ideal for winter,
looking on to a private sheltered garden.
While we were there the real estate agent arrived. We were not supposed to be going through the
house without her, but our lady explained that we were not prospective
buyers. She asked us to tell any rich
farmer friends we had about the house.
Okareka has nothing in the way of shops or services, and must very busy with
cars and boats in the summer. We admired
greatly, but were not covetous.
That day we discovered another part of Okareka, off
the main road, that we had not known about.
There was a park and camping ground beside the lake with a sandy beach
and a great view of Mt Tarawera. We
continued along the road into the bush.
There was supposed to be a track at the end of the road, a walking track
that used to go to Lake Okataina. We did
not go so far as to discover it. The dirt road was so narrow, Ray just
wanted a place to turn around and come back.
It is more than likely the track no longer exists. And in any case, when
would I get to walk it?
Putaruru Home Sunday School continues. I have got used to not going to Tokoroa to
church. Two families from Tokoroa have
moved to Putaruru, so our numbers have increased, but that was not the way the
unit was supposed to grow. None of the
targeted people attend. However, Bishop
is ever optimistic that we will become a Branch by Christmas. Of little faith, I am sceptical.
I have been fighting with Ancestry.com and made some progress, particularly
with the Hodder line, some ramifications of which go back to the 1600s. I must get back to it. It confuses my mind! Talking to Bishop on Sunday about the
deterioration of abilities that comes with old age, he said that it was all
part of the experience of mortality.
Well I suppose I could sit back and enjoy the last stages of mortality,
but I do not want to just yet!
Until next month, love you all, Nan.
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