Looking out over Levin

Another great day

Weather changes

Typical NZ hot one day wet the next.

Just testing

Another great day in paradise about 25deg

Smartphone

Can now blog on the run so should get some more up to date stuff now

Wet again

After a long warm autumn and summer it seems to be pay back time. The very odd fine day just to keep us interested but mainly cold and wet and windy. Today is no exception, although to be fair it has been forecast. We might actually be lucky to have avoided some of the really bad stuff. I think we are getting "cabin fever" not having been away in the caravan for some time. Still trip now planned, leaving 12th August as we have to take the van up to the factory in Hamilton. Problem with the varnish on the cupboard doors, a white powder coming through. Evidently a problem caused by spraying varnish in humid conditions. We will probably head up to New Plymouth and then across through the King Country to Hamilton. Maybe a couple of days in Auckland whilst van fixed, nothing confirmed yet.
Hannah spent her first night with us a couple of weekends ago. Very excited-grandparents that is!! Hoping to do it again next week when Antony is on holiday. She will going to school soon so will be more difficult to arrange.
Having the twins on Wednesdays is working well and giving Lauren some space for a few hours. They are very settled now at 6 months. Starting to eat solids and able to sit in high chairs.

Last caravan club rally was through the Manawatu George close to the Ruahine Forest Park by Woodville. A small basic camp ground on a farm. Great time as it was a "music" theme with a sing a long in the evenings. We had to dress in a "song" theme for people to guess the song. The pics will give you an idea. "Sadie the cleaning lady" and "Rule Britannia".

Update

Ruahine Ranges

Its a lousy wet day. We have fire going in lounge, Avril is cleaning out wardrobe and as you can see I am doing this. Luckily mowed the lawns yesterday, so wet at the moment. We are spending a couple of weekends at home for a change, then next Friday we are off to a Country and Western Music weekend at a NZ Motor Home Assoc camp in Hawkes Bay (Takapau for those who know where it is). Only costs $40 for weekend, but we do have to park in field!! Whole weekend of music with about 150 plus other vans and motor homes. Should be good as long as it isn't too cold. The weekend after we have a club rally on a farm just outside Woodville, great spot under the Ruahine Ranges. A proper camp with power, toilets etc. We have to get the fire going to heat water for showers, which also heats the kitchen where we gather for meals etc.
The vehicle we have been using to tow the caravan is a bit underpowered, only rated to tow 1800kg. Our van loaded is around 2000kg so we looked around for something capable of towing it safely and have bought a 3 year old Ford Ranger twin cab (ie a ute with a canopy but able to seat four/five people).http://www.autotrader.co.nz/used-cars-for-sale/ford-ranger/760353 (The same as this but red with grey wheel arches). Will be a lot happier towing with it. Picking up next Wed in time for rally at Takapau.
Last week with twins was a bit more challenging as we had "crying" a new experience for us, well in more recent times anyway!! Once they had settled they were great. I think their Mum was a bit unhappy when she rang and heard Casey screaming. We are both loving the opportunity to spend time with them here at our house. They are growing and developing so quickly. We also spent some time with Hannah last weekend taking Ant, Jenny and Hannah out for a Yum Cha lunch in Wellington, then wandered around Te Papa as it was too cold to be outside. Hannah loves it there and knows here way around the museum. Great spot on a cold day and always something new to look at.

CHeck out this video of the twins

Get together in Auckland May 2011-Kealey cousins.
Left to right:
Rosie and David Kealey, Paul and Jo Kealey, Jade and Kyla (Rosie and David's girls), Lyla and Peter Kealey,Robin and Dean Preston,Adrian and Avril, Ian and Karina (Dean and Robin's daughter and fianace), Liz and Geof Kealey.

Mt Maunganui

Walked up Mount with Vanessa, bit of an effort but the views were worth it.
Our caravan is in the pic below lower centre. Will go back there as it was such a great spot. Walking distance to shops, cafes, restaurants what more could you want!!

Christian 30th April 2011

Latest pic of Casey taken 19th April 2011

Easter 2011

Antony, Jenny and Hannah visited for the weekend. Hannah now 4 1/2. Pic down at local park. Hard to get one when she is not "posing".
Annual Levin Balloon festival also on this weekend so all went down to the "Night Glow. Saw 17 balloons up early Friday morning over the town. Great view from our place. Sunday we went up to Foxton to their Easter fair. Avril and Hannah went for a ride on the horse drawn tram and Antony, Jenny and Hannah went up into the working windmill. We then went over to the fair and walked around the stalls. Big crowd and good weather despite forecast not being very good. Easter Monday and wet wet wet. Not good for all those travelling home. Glad we stayed at home.
 Planning trip north in a couple of weeks with caravan. Getting together with Geof and Liz, Dean and Robin and hopefully Peter and Lyla-all the cousies along with any of our kids we can get along. Want to make it an annual event. Will spend time around Tauranga area to catch up with Vanessa and Logan

Pretty quiet at moment, staying around home for a while to get some of the jobs done. Trying to get garden out back sorted by moving spa off terrace and extending terrace out from house using wooden decking. This will give us a larger terrace area extending over the steeper part of the lawn. Avril is extending the perennial garden to the right of the section as our neighbour has kindly put up a new fence replacing the old hedge. This will provide a backdrop for this garden.
We did take the caravan down to a free parking spot next to the Porirua harbour inlet channel last weekend and met up with Hannah, Antony and Jenny. Beautiful day and evening and a great spot, will return there as it is only about an hours drive. Put fishing rod out unsuccessfully, but Hannah enjoyed it. Had to buy fish and chips for dinner! A number of motor home call in and stop over before catching the ferry south from Wellington.

WOMAD

Our big weekend. Travelled up to New Plymouth the weekend before WOMAD (World of Music and Dance) and caught up with caravanning friends. Stayed for 4 nights at a golf club on the beach for $5 a night. Moved to New Plymouth Racecourse on the Friday for start of concert. We stayed in our caravan in the middle of course along with 3,000 others mostly camping and motor homes.
Easy walking distance to venue where there were 3 main stages and some smaller ones. Heaps of food stalls with many ethnic foods available.
Check out this site http://womad.org/festivals/new-zealand/lineup/ to see who played over the 3 days. Friday started at 5.30 pm to midnight, Sat 12.30 pm to midnight and Sunday 12.30 to 11.30pm. mammoth effort. We returned to van from time to time for food and wine-and rest! Only a 10-15 min walk, trouble was it was uphill!! The main stage is in a natural amphitheatre with a native bush backdrop. Beautiful location and commented on by a number of the artists. We saw Cliff Richards there last year. The music was varied, a fusion of music from different cultures, generally with instruments from the culture along with electric guitars etc. More pop than folk which surprised me. Still a number of people dressed hippy style.
Very well organised event, has been going for about 8 years I think. Lots of teenagers there and families. Surprising as it was about $100 a day for tickets. As you can see from the pics weather was brilliant, although we needed jackets in the evenings.

Been a bit lax lately mainly due to the fact we have been away so much since Christmas. It was the plan though. The last trip over to the Hawkes Bay was great. Without having to connect to electricity we stayed by a river, on the beach for very little cost. This was south of Napier at a place called Tairakau. We are 3rd from right. About 6 or 7 vehicles pulled in each night so we had company. Some we had seen at previous park ups. Quite a drive in as it was about 38km from main highway but good road.

Need to take fishing gear next time. The local council allow stop overs for two nights providing you are self contained (can store waste water). There are some holiday homes here and a small motor camp but no shop.
We moved onto Clive from here spending two nights by the river. Only a few minutes from Napier so were able to catch up with friends there. Next stop was only 15 mins away but on beach again at Te Awanga, a very popular stop over, once again two nights are allowed. A security guy calls around and takes number plates each night. Nothing to stop you going away for a night and then returning. Some places say you can only stay so many nights within a set period. There were approx 50 vans, buses and caravans the night we stayed.

Whilst staying here we heard that my 75 year old cousin Ken had passed away in Auckland. As we couldn't find out when the funeral was going to be we decided to head closer to Auckland and made our way to Taupo. Quite a challenging road towing a caravan with a number of long steep hills. Checking on our NZMCA book we found a POP (Park over property) just out of Taupo and stayed there for $5 a night. People who belong to the organisation offer their properties for people to park for up to 3 nights for a donation. There is a network all over the country so if you belong to NZMCA and are self contained it is a cheap way to travel
 around. In the end Ken's funeral was put out for a week so we travelled home and then went to Auckland from Levin without the van. We were away for a total of 17 nights, the last 14 of which we did not need any 240v power relying on solar to charge the batteries each day. Hot water, cooking, and the fridge all work off LPG so we only need electricity for lighting and of course satellite TV!!

Latest pics of twins at home.

Twins

Christian

Casey

First pics on blog showing proud Mother and Grandmother taken today. All doing well with Casey now out of incubator and in cot, hopefully Christian not far behind. Now two weeks old, and both have gained 100 grms since birth..  Lauren staying in motel across road from hospital and feeding every 3 hours.