Kia ora,
The start of February continued with the very hot and humid weather. Day time temperatures reached 32+ degrees whilst nights were in the high teens. Sleeping was a challenge and afternoon ‘nana’ naps compulsory!
Both girls needed ‘baths’ at the beginning of the month – too much racing around our very dry and dusty garden. Neither girl was impressed!
We also needed to re-mulch part of the garden where they’d made a sunken bare patch from racing up and down the hedge. We managed to get some mulch from a friend in the village but that wasn’t enough and we will need to order some in next month.
We finally got some rain to fill our water tanks, although the weather that came with it was very humid and warm. Still it did mean we could cancel the second water delivery – for now at any rate.
Peter has decided to build a model train layout. He’s been doing a lot of research online and has been down to the Hamilton Model Railway club for a chat. This means we’ve had to have a sort out in the sleepout and garage to get rid of some very old stuff we no longer use. Peter bought a load of kitchen cabinets to use as a base and three sheets of plywood to go on top for the track, scenery and buildings he plans to create.
His planned layout is 1.8m x 3.6m and is based in the Welsh Valleys …….
……. and he intends using Great Western steam locos like the ones he worked on as a teenager at the Severn Valley Railway with his dad. So far he has completed laying and wiring up one loop of track and six sets of points which is now ready to run his first loco when it arrives.
The weekend of the 12th and 13th saw us moving bonsai off their stands and putting them on the ground as the remains of Cyclone Dovi passed over the Waikato. Despite that two trees and one pot were damaged – trees that have never blown over before and even two of the concrete block stands were dislodged with their trees.
Our early morning walks continue and the mornings got fresher (colder for Ann) as the month progressed. Peter and Sox have clocked up over 300 km during the month (about 645 km so far this year). Ann and Honey have walked a bit less but discovered so many new smells instead!
Sox has calmed down when travelling in the car so we’ve been able to take her out for car rides a little bit more.
We had our first bonsai meeting of the year then the following weekend hosted a workshop for the bonsai club on the Sunday afternoon. Great fun with several new members turning up.
It’s been a quiet month – with Covid numbers going sky high (for NZ anyway) there’s been no volunteering at the Hamilton Gardens. Our days have been spent walking, gardening, napping, reading and eating.
We end this months’ news with two very relaxed pooches! 