Out and About in the first days of Winter

 The Winter season has ticked over down here in the Southern Hemisphere.  The weather has been fine and sunny, although the temperatures are definately getting much cooler.  We had great weather for our caravan club weekend away.  It was a long weekend with Monday 3rd being a public holiday, King's Birthday weekend to commemorate King Charles birthday.  Although his actual birthday is in November, it is celebrated in June.  Why?  It all goes back to King George 11 and the cold English winter weather, he started this tradition way back in 1748.  He had a November birthday, and announced that is was much too cold to hold the public grand parade.  Since then, British monarchs who were not born in the Summer get to celebrate their birthdays twice, once on their actual date of birth, and again in the British Summer.

We spent the weekend at Takapau Caravan Park.  The former caretakers have a Lilac Birman cat who has always been allowed to run free through the camp.  They live in their motor home and are moving on.  And have now  realised that they should have got the cat used to being on a lead, both cats and dogs must be on leads in motor camps.  So to help keep their cat contained they have purchased a pet stroller.  There was the cat, sitting up and looking very regal, as she was wheeled around.  And no, we won't be getting one of these strollers for Gemma.

We had a right royal quiz one evening, trying to answer all sorts of questions about the royal family.  Although I didn't win, I did quite well, and I was the only one to know the names of the 6 wives of Henry VIII and get them in the correct order.  As I often say about quizzes, they are easy if you know the answers, and I have a particular interest in Tudor royalty.  Then on Monday morning I provided some cake to share in celebration of the King's Birthday, and gave a little talk about the Kings Charles I (who lost his head) and his son Charles II.  And now, of course, we are up to Charles III.

Cake for morning tea

On Sunday we visited the Onga Onga Museum complex.  We had been there recently, but were not previously able to look inside the buildings, as they are only open on Sundays.  

I was so pleased to see lots of old linen, old irons and sewing machines, and clothes from yesteryear inside some of the buildings.  I really enjoy seeing this sort of thing.

You could imagine the effort it would take getting the household laundry done, standing over a big hot copper then wringing and rinsing all the garments.  It is so easy for us today with modern appliances.

Colonial life in early New Zealand

After seeing our fill of the museum buildings we drove on to find a cafe for lunch.   The cafe was  very busy, the best in town, the owner informed us.  The food was great, the coffee was nice and hot, and when she spotted my camera on the table, offered to take a photo for us.  What great service.

Out to lunch, Jenny, Robin and Dot

Sign in the cafe

All too soon it was time to pack up and head for home.  Unfortunately our club president got stopped on the road for some time when a stock truck overturned on the hilly Saddle Road.  He phoned to let us know the road was closed and eventually had help from the police and fire brigade to turn his car and caravan around and get away.  Cattle from the overturned stock truck were wandering around, and the truck was blocking both lanes so no doubt it would take a bit of sorting out.  He is sure to have some stories to tell at the next caravan club rally about his experiences.  We took the alternate road over the hill, the Pahiatua Track, and got home safely.