Working in the north again

 Had a really good week working up at Kaitaia with Karen last week.  We had a special treat for a working week though, cos we spent Sunday night at the bach, before setting off on Monday morning for work.  The beach put on its best show for Karen and we had a lovely evening, even though we'd arrived at high tide and had to stagger over the hill with our gear.  

After a full-on week, we arrived back at the bach Friday evening ready to relax and de-stress.  Which we did very successfully, with Lindy Lou's company for a girls' night talking about cars and playing silly games!  oh, and the odd glass of wine.   After a walk on the beach, Karen created another fridge Tui ad.  Very appropriate I thought!  And on Saturday morning, we set off back to Auckland, with batteries recharged (almost).

 
 

July moods

So, for this post, I'll try to upload the diverse moods of the sea.  Thursday was an exquisite evening.  That unbelievable feeling of stresses of the city and the trip and the demands of preparing for a meeting at the Whangaroa Museum, just draining away and not mattering at all.  A heightened awareness of sounds and smells and the sensations of nature at its finest.  Solitude (except for Fitzy), the murmurs of the gentle surf and the rippling creek, and the rustle of goodness-knows-what during the night.  Time stands still in a way, in the bach which has always been.  The bach at the edge of the lagoon.  You can reach out and touch the sea, the horizon and the stars.  And the people who've been here before us.  

Well, then on Friday evening it had started to rain, and in true Northland fashion, it didn't stop.  Saturday morning, the rain continued and the sea was up, rolling in across the rocks.  And the tide was getting high.  So I tackled the 'high 

road' in gumboots and coat, with spare clothes (in case I couldn't get back after the meeting) and papers wrapped in a black sak.  The paddock was soggy and a bit of slithering happened on the way out the gate.  The creeks and rivers were all brown, and the tide on the way in.  After the meeting, four hours later, still raining.  Not a downpour, but just sheets of rain drifting across the valleys.  Continuous.  

So I decided to abandon ship.  Back to the bach to pack up, and tho it was low tide theoretically, the lagoon was swollen full, 

bloated brown, the surf also slick and heavy with silt, and ready to sweep across the sandspit yet again, despite the best efforts of mere people to stop it.  

Haven't heard yet about the damage inflicted on this round, the the beach and the bach have withstood storms for a while, and no doubt will continue to do so.  

Too many pictures

Actually, it's too hard to write a blog about the bach.  I just sat down to write about the past few days there, and realised I hadn't written about the last time, 29 May to 2 June.  I tried to choose a few blog-ish photos, and when I got to 19, thought that was perhaps too many for a blog.  Some glorious sunsets as always, some fun with Fitzy as always,  a lovely walk on the beach with Linda and Brian, and pictures of sand patterns and rockpools as well.  The sea was utterly flat, showing Whale rock at dead low tide, and also most unusually, around the hole-in-the-rock 

Then, I had also decided to start a 'footprints on the sand' series. There must be a better way - this takes way too long.  Perhaps I'd just better put them on Picasaweb.  I was also going to mention the morning fly-bys.  Just two planes a day go overhead, and you can set your watch by them.  I caught photos of them both on a stunningly clear blue sky.  Well, that's enough for that visit.

 

Autumn sunsets and working in the north

28 April – 2 May 2009

After a tedious set of Monday meetings when I had a developing migraine thingie with swirling vision, I set off north.  Odd travelling to the beach without Phil and even without my Fitzy, but got to the beach just in time to get around the bottom dry in gumboots.  

Must’ve been wrong about tide times (in fact I had it completely wrong – 3pm low, not high).  Ray was wandering around with a gun, having spotted a hare eating lettuces.  Nearly dark, but time to freshen inside before closing up again. The surf’s been right over the sandspit, meeting a really high tide – lots of sand and a huge bank on the other side of the spit – piles of rocks exposed.  Surf was really noisy all night. 

Tuesday morning, took photos of the delicate pink sunrise and the little blue reef heron fishing.  Had a busy day working at Matauri Bay and called in to Robert and Kelly and the kids for a nice short catchup.  Back at the beach, had drinks at Mary & Monte’s as previously arranged, and borrowed Monte’s torch to get home through the highish tide again.   The surf had lessened, but the wind must’ve been westerly cos it shook the bach all night and there were squally gusts of rain, and I didn’t have a good night. 

Wednesday was work again – lovely to get up at the bach, shower outside, and trek around to the car through the tide with computer and work makeup and gear!  Back at the beach quite early, to have a walk on the beach, mow the lawn, have a gorgeous warm swim, bird-watched (terns but only one dotterel) and watched a stunning sunset.  Took zillions of pics.

Thursday morning early, watched a pair of little black shags fishing in the lagoon – very shy, but I managed to catch them in a photo. 

My workmate Jane was due by 9.30 in time to get around dry, but she was late, so had to come in jandels and rolled up pants.  Had a very good morning working in our cosy bach and had soup for lunch, then back to the school and didn’t finish till 5pm.  What lovely people. 

Went to Barbie’s and they’d voted for me to shout dinner at the Landing, after we’d looked at the baby pictures!!  They’d had the 1^st scan, and Larry was repairing and playing with a buzzy bee!  Lovely dinner, then headed home to the bach.  Tried to photograph a beautiful nearly half-moon reflected across the water.  It’s really starting to feel like living and working at home. 

Wow - what a day Friday was.  After working 2 ½ hours on the school’s report I set off to Auntie Verna’s.  Of course, we had a cup of tea.  And fruit cake and sponge drops. I got her gorgeous light fruit cake recipe, and her wedding cake recipes from an old green recipe book – I think Mum’s got one.  Lots of handy hints for baking.  And I had a sponge drop as well!  And another cup of tea.  What a lovely visit. 

Spent a couple of hours at the museum in Kaeo putting up the curtains and helping shift stuff around.  Decided to take a photo of the Tui ad outside the rugby club.  Then decided to drive in and see what it looks like.  As I drove in, there was a group outside, and I thought “maybe I’ll know them”. Well!  It  was Brenda and Marion Sanderson, Rae Moselen, and Joy Bramley.  They’d just been to a get-together with Stella, Auntie Joy and Jennifer!  So we chatted and took photos for ages, and then I went upstairs to look at the new clubrooms.  Huge.  Styley!  Then bumped into Alan Martin, the builder, and he brought out a photo with Nigel in it at the opening of the original clubrooms in 1972! 

On the way home I spotted Roger’s mate, Leanne, at Matangirau, and after a quick chat with Wake Tua, went to meet her mum, Bella, in the old Matangirau schoolhouse.  What a beautiful, cultured, gracious, educated woman.  What a fabulous job she’s doing renovating the schoolhouse!  Very ‘House and Garden’ with French lamps, period pieces etc.  And we had a great chat – she’s highly knowledgeable, and I’m looking forward to talking with her more. She’s the same age as Stella – just 4 days difference. So, back home to the bach for another cosy night in my nest. 

Friday, I was packed and away by 9.30, and went up to Pupuke for a quick catchup with Uncle Peter and Auntie Bessie – mostly about old photos.  Popped in to see Barbie at Waipapa, then a quick coffee with Sue, another coffee in Whangarei with Linda, and headed back to Auckland. It was so good to spend a week working at home, seeing familiar people, in familiar places, and trying to fill in my ‘information gap’ (Bella’s phrase) about those people and places. 

4KIDS

4KIDS

Feb 2009 saw a 4KIDS reunion at the bach.  Maxine drove up with Jay, Coralie and Fitzy on Sunday, and met Barbie already there.  Keith and Hana joined the party on Monday night.

We had lots of swimming in occasionally-tepid waters, lots of laughs over synchronised swimming and Articulate and Balderdash games, some reminiscing, and just soaking up the essence of the bach and beach.  Planting a few pohutukawa up the hill added to the sense of shared belonging and contribution.  

Four grown-ups and their parents take up a bit more room than a young family, but no-one wanted to spread out into the garage.  They preferred to fit into the bach, Coralie on the window seat, Jay on the top bunk, and Hana (with Fitzy) on a mattress on the floor.  There's still room for everyone, and it reminded me of Megan's comment in their Bach Book about sleeping in a bunk as an adult.  "I still fit", she said.

After Keith, Barbie, Coralie and Hana left for various work commitments, Jay and Maxine had a quiet evening and wonderful catchup, before packing up, enjoying a leisurely paddle to Grandpa's Garden and the Arrows, and heading back to Auckland on Wednesday.  

I've just been reading Pip Cheshire's 'Architecture Uncooked' book about baches.  He talks about being embraced by the bach and the place, the balance between human society and nature, the restorative effects of the bach and the value of simplicity.  In his ruminations about the pragmatic approach to bach-building, and "beloved buildings and the things that make them so special", there are many glimpses of our own unique haven that is so full of memories.  I wonder how long it will be before we are all together there again.  

Xmas 2008 - New Year 2009

What an amazing time at the bach.  45 visitors in the first week, a wonderful beach-style Xmas day with lovely people, an enjoyable New Year's Eve with relatives and friends, wonderful weather and lots of swimming, and even a bit of repairs and maintenance!  Lots of coming and going, and the creek echoed with the sounds of families enjoying themselves, as should be the case for this summer holiday.  

Graeme & Helen spent a few days at the bach prior to heading back to the UK,   and Hana and I joined them before Xmas.  Barbie & Larry, and his family (Jan, Iain, poppa PJ, and Dane) joined us for Xmas Eve and Xmas Day, then Phil, Coralie & Will, and Will's sister Beky arrived on Boxing Day, and G&H and Hana left.  Sue and Ron; Phillip , Christine and Cuatro; also Robert, Kelli, Andrew and Claire; and Auntie Joy, Roger, and Allison, Masoud, Pedram and Nikisa came to visit. 

Coralie & Will's friends stayed with them in the garage and at the motor camp - Brad & Mirika, Claire & Scott, Samantha and Hannah.  Brad followed Dane's example and contributed crayfish to the menu!  Also delicious Porai for the BBQ.  Yum!  Christine & Peter, Will's mum and dad, camped by the garage for a couple of nights too.  New Year's Eve was enjoyed in the garage and paddock, and on the new big deck, with a background of amazing fireworks from Tom and the camp, and others.  

Barbie & Larry brought their mates from the Kemp Rd campsite for a day of sun, sea and sand, and Phil, Christine and Cuatro came back (with a gate for the paddock!).  

Had lovely sessions of chats and/or drinks and nibbles with Christine, Linda, Wendy & Simon, Geoff & Haklyka, Patsy & Ian, and the Michael Hayes family at their bach.  Helen & Ben, Bobby and Alana, Tom & Christine and their mates, and Glenn & Rebecca as well, all camped in the paddock and contributed to the buzz.  Sue Worthy (Jones) and her gang, and Linda & Shane Ace and the boys were in the houses, and then the Gasquoines arrived - Margie, with Susie, Niki and their families.  On the last day Joanna Williams & Dave turned up with Molly-Jo and Katie-the-dog, all the way from Karitane.  Fabulous to see Molly enjoying the crystal-clear creek on the incoming tide, in time-honoured fashion.  Just as her mum did as a wee tot.  This is the 'family' side of the summer holiday.

And the community side: New Year's Day at Tauranga Bay has become a people, noise and fun-filled day for the annual community association gala.  Food, sideshows and helicopter rides, culminating in the traditional rubber ducky race.  Linda, Phil and I spent the day on the sausage/steak sizzle and the weather was stunning.  HOT.  It was great to have Mary & Monte, and Heather and Ray, pop in for a Xmas drink, and to share in Mark & Nathalie's housewarming just outside the gate.  And to benefit, via Linda, from some of Ray's succulent smoked hapuka.  Spent a day at the Whangaroa Museum in Kaeo, helping with the computer and at a committee meeting as well.  

Kayaking?  Well, the 2 sit-ins, the sit-on, and the old surf ski were well used by the kids between Xmas and New Year.  Phil and I had only a few short paddles, up the river, around the rocks to check out the birds, along to Grandpa's Garden bay, and spent a lovely morning browsing around the Arrows.  Nothing in the way of fishing this time.  

The birds!  I did spot one juvenile dotterel early in the holiday, and then not sure if it grew up, or if it disappeared.  The oyster catchers started off with two very little chicks, and another pair had two older chicks I'd spotted newly hatched in early November.  We kept a close eye on them, and it was such a treat to see the adults protecting and teaching the chicks, but mid-way, one of the older chicks disappeared, and one of the adults was injured.  Must have been a dog.  The young seagulls and terns were being shoved out of the nests and we saw the usual shags, herons, and a couple of pied stilts.  

As well as a collection of 'birds at T Bay' photos, I now have a collection of 'boats seen from the bach' photos.  What an amazing variety in the passing parade, from the annoying jetski in the lagoon, to dinghys and kayaks galore, fishing boats of all shapes and sizes, the Spirit of New Zealand, super-yachts, and stately elderly launches.   

We are so privileged.  

Check out my Picasaweb for zillions of photos.

we were reminded of the serenity and beauty of being at the bach

Phil and I spent a weekend at the bach in September doing a bit of a springclean.  Phil took his chainsaw and tackled the fallen old pohutukawa that means we now can't get to the bach at high tide with dry feet.  Heaps of work, but the majority of the tree will stay where it is.  

A feature of these two visits has been the birds.  The dotterels have struggled to raise 5 chicks, and we think that only one might have survived the dogs, gulls and storms.  They are courageous in their efforts to protect eggs and chicks!  The tui spent Labour weekend in the flax flowers which were a deep russet colour.  What a treat.  We took masses of photos of them, with their heads covered in orange pollen, and they did get used to us being there watching.  

Hana and Barbie became reacquainted with each other the the bach.

Fitzy and Hana had to work out how to share a bed
but he loved being the centre of attention of course

The puzzle board was dusted off

Lovely sisters reacquainting 

Hilarious watching a couple of young guys get themselves well and truly stuck in their pride-and-joy, with the tide on the way in.

Well, somehow, I've lost the post I wrote, and my attempt at inserting and organising photos was a bit of a failure.

  

In November, Hana and I spent a lovely, leisurely couple of days at the bach with Barbie.  Yes, Barbie actually came all the way from Kerikeri to spend the night.