Thursday 18 April 2013

Strange days



The amenity block

We arrived at the campsite recommended by the lady in Wairoa, and it is quirky, but we really like it, it’s small, one of the vans has two cats, the amenities are all in a circular block in the middle, great, but not ideal when it’s raining, which it was when we turned up, unaware of the price conversation B had already had I hedged our bets by asking if it was ok if we brought a guest for dinner, but then said, “though of course you have no dining room…” “As long as you promise not to sit on the bed (which has just been glued back together) use this cabin as your dining room” in conjunction with $14 each what more could we ask!? Spoke to John he was buzzing, so we bought some non alcoholic bubbles as we went in to collect him! It was lovely to see him, big hugs all round, couldn’t whisk him away as the estate agent was coming round for him to sign the formal offer he’d made on the house! Job done we brought him back and had a lovely evening.



Went back in to Napier the following morning to hear the conversation that someone else had also put an offer in on the house, so coffee and chewed fingernails later, after upping his offer to the max, the phonecall we’d been dreading – they’d offered more! SO we spent the afternoon driving round the suburbs, looking at houses, many of which he was aware of, though we did come across one up for private sale, good area, grass garden (which is apparently quite unusual, so many properties have sold their gardens to build another property, small paved back yards are the norm) good living area, 3 double bedrooms (just). We really liked it, and it was $75k less than he’d offered on the last one! I was slightly worried about the size of the garden for 4 cats, and that the sunshine may turn the living area into a sauna (no, that’s just the bathroom in the mornings, the seller advised!) but John was worried about the size of the bedrooms.

We pottered, took him back and said our farewells, well Lake Taupo beckons, and time is moving on. As we drove back to the camp we were both feeling thoroughly dissatisfied and quite upset “he’s spending too much money, he doesn’t need a house that big, he could do with a cushion in the bank…” So we decided before departing in the morning, we’d go and read him the riot act, with love of course!

Before preparing dinner B discovered he’d missed a call from the Dr who’d ‘done’ his shoulder, oh well, another reason to hang about a bit in the morning to try and get in touch with him as it wasn’t entirely good news!



The praying mantis came to dinner
Ate supper, taking pity on a French lad, eating nothing but a bowl of pasta after a hard day picking apples, so passed on a kiwi and an avocado (all of which are ripening beautifully) and info on where I’d collected free feijoa that morning (strange fruit that taste a bit like pear that Robyn had introduced us to) and then even shared apple crumble and custard with him! Awoke, called the doctors, left a message for the nurse to call, an hour and a half later, called the doctors, left a message for the nurse to call. Went in to Napier, via a good peer round a huge house 100m from where we are staying. Didn’t need to read John the riot act, as he’d come to the same conclusion, perhaps it was a good thing he hadn’t got this house, and he’d already made some appts to see some cheaper houses tomorrow. “Ring these people, we really want to go and see it” so he did and we did! 
It’s a big house, huge garden, so much potential, but does need a little attention, all that could be overcome, but the road noise from the main road at the bottom of the garden may be an issue, really tricky one, but good value for money seemingly, for being 8km north of Napier.




All this for NZ$380,000 (about £195,000)!!
We were a little late for the appt though, as Dr. Gordon himself had rung back (obviously in his lunch hour) the bad news is both biopsies showed skin cancer, so the shoulder needs further work, but due to the scar tissue from previous activities (metal plates from mountain bike accidents) he’s not happy to do it, and the one on the hand needs removing! He knew we were leaving NZ soon but hadn’t realised we were not going home, but still had another 6 months of travel ahead of us. Not thinking they should be left that long, he’s ringing round, and will let us know tomorrow who can do it and when. We’ve warned Robyn and Murray we’ll be back! It’s odd, we are both happier almost that it’s happened here, they recognise skin cancers so much better, and deal with them so much quicker than would have happened in the UK. Hopefully we’ll be able to claim off the travel insurance, but if not, it’s better that they are gone, at whatever cost. Not that he really knew but he suggested $500 to $1000, for that price, much much better to have it done!



Took John back to the YHA, decided it was too late to head off to Taupo, “coming in for a cuppa?” Much umming and ahhing, ok. B’s making the tea, John’s taking a call, I’m staring out of the window at the wild sea, and suddenly become aware that John’s call is over, but there are tears, many tears. Rush over, cuddles, and it was the current housesitter telling him that Tiffany, the mother of the other three cats has been run over! More tears all round, decision is made where she wants to be buried and he has to call the poor sitter back, to ensure that the other kitties have seen her, so know what’s happened, and would they dig a big hole in the lawn between the washing line and the lupins.



RIP Miss Tiffany fluffet
 All in all a really odd day, unsettling for us, but still positive, because what we know about can be dealt with. Feeling horrendous for John, but in some way both happier that there had been a purpose in our being here! What tomorrow will bring who knows?

1 comment:

Monty Dog said...

Hi both, please give my love to John when you see him next. There I was trying to be brave about Brian and you out there dealing with all this stuff and being brave on your own, and reading of poor Tiffany getting run over has just made me cry (over a cat I never met and a man I'll never meet!). I think I just sense your unsettled feelings and feel for you. Hope you can both be very brave on 7th and that the operation(s)go well. You have to be fit and well for Oz! xxxx

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