A VERY GOOD FRIDAY

Today we took the Famous Falcon out for a spin. It's a cool old car. We are very pleased to have it back. We aren't car people, the two we have aren't worth as much as the John Deere Ride on lawnmower. I told Mum that today and she laughed - she reckons their 15 year old Toyota Camry isn't worth as much as their golf cart either. Just goes to show how we prioritise the things in our lives.
We ended up at the Mt Holdsworth camping ground. There were hundreds of people heading up the tracks to go camping for the weekend. We passed two young fellas pitching a couple of tents as their girls sat in the long grass the autumn sun burnishing their long brunette locks. Lucky girls, I thought, then they stood up and I realised that the girls were about 5 a piece. Dads and daughters camping by the river. Nice.

Anyway we wandered down the track aways and spied what our family has always referred to as Treetop Tegels. It was a fat woodpigeon. Very nice. There was snow on the Rimutakas and Tararuas. There is a nip in the air and the countryside is all gold yellow and plum.

New Zealand at its colourful best.

NEW TOY

We got a new toy today - its shiny and smells new. And it makes noise and does stuff. Its very very cool. BB has already polished it once. Its purchase was also a testament to the service you get in the provinces. We bought it from the John Deere dealer on the way into Masterton. We had been into a couple of places but no -one in the stores seemed to have the authority to "talk turkey" and do a good cash deal. So in we wander to the John Deere dealer and there was a lovely aussie chick and a young fella. They were very good but knew bugger all and were honest about it . But in a flash they rang the salesman, (something the people in the other two dealerships didn't do) and we got all the info we needed including the price which was very good. He also asked if it was okay if he delivered it later in the afternoon because he was going to the Air Show. Well hell we were impressed. The deal was done and about 4.30 it was delivered. He came out with some of his relatives from Holland who were having a ball here.
Anyway, we have generally found shopping in Masterton to be a good experience, people will normally go the extra mile and they are always friendly. It's that sort of warmth that will probably see us make our home here one day in the not too distant future.