The first few days - the story

We arrived in Waipukurau on Monday after a pretty cruisy drive home - no need for sick bags. We stopped at the top of the Remutakas for a break and again at Greytown for sourdough, but the French Baker had been cleaned out of all breads. We had burgers at Maccas in Masterton and no more stops until Waipuk. Everything at home was just as we had left it.
We have an easterly weather system parked off our coast and occasional drizzle is our lot. So on Tuesday it was a quiet start - Gran went off to sell a few electric fences and we stayed around the house - it was wet outside - but after lunch we got brave and went for a ride - Adam, Phinn and me and the rain stopped, but it was pretty cold. I took Phinn for a ride along the easy river trail on our return.
We watched a couple of movies on Netflix and a little late off to bed.
Wednesday was like the previous day - a wet start - so we decided to get our togs out and go to the pool - I thought it might be a busy place, but we pretty much had the whole pool to our selves. We stayed until Pop got cold and had to get out and warm up in the shower. After lunch the four of us got our bikes out and went a little further - Phinn and I rode the river trail on the way out and met up with Gran and Adam later than expected due to Phinn falling into a bush. But then there was another little crash on the return trip when Adam fell off his bike while practically stationary on the swing bridge as he tried to pass some walkers crossing too. There was blood and we had to wrap his finger in a tissue. I thought that would be the end of Adam's day, but no he asked if he could ride the river trail with Phinn and Pop - so we did that on the return trip - the round trip being nearly 16 kms. Another movie and that was our day.
Today being New Years Eve we decided to go north and ride from Black Bridge to Clifton and stop for cake and coffee - but the incentive was coffee - you see Gran purchased a kilo of coffee online from her phone as we drove home on Monday and it arrived on Wednesday, along with Phinn's book from Grandma, and the coffee wasn't beans - but ground for filter !!!! What was she thinking so we arranged to swop it for beans AND it had to be today or else she die before they opened on Tuesday next.
We bought some fruit from Kersten on the way up and got our beans. Then drove to Black Bridge to start the ride - but we were in for another surprise - Phinn had a flat tyre - probably a puncture - so Gran gave her bike to Phinn and became our official support crew. The weather cleared off and we had nice weather to and from Clifton - a great ride. Had coffee and cake at the Clifton cafe, while the boys had icecreams. We had a nice break at Clifton and regained our strength for the ride home. Adam lead most of the way home and when we got to the limestone trail at the estuary (about 1.5km from the car) he took off and raced us back - god knows where he got the energy from but he beat Phinn and me.
So we are home now and the cloud has come back.
This morning I baked a sourdough, having revived my starter bug on Monday - It was the first bread out of the new banneton and it looked and tasted pretty - we ate 2/3rds of it for lunch so will need to get baking some more.

I will post the photos separately as they are all on my phone - look out for these.Read more