Festive season and nothing is stirring but a mouse...sorry about that.
To follow my journey ChCh and down the West Coast, a rolling stone gathers no moss so a slight change to Nice Avenue (geddit!?)that leads to the old well (which must have a fire in it soon one evening (have found an extra firefighter to help put it out...more on that later) so to make transition of dog pooping on party lawn impossible with a fence and archway-gate in Max the dogs way.
A day at Oreti Park speedway for an excellent meeting to watch under a virgin erection, that being my new sun cover gazebo. Keep your mind on the dirt track here, (actually the track surface is lime).
Nek day (Sunday) off to Dunedin via the wonderful winding Catlins road to Balclutha with great company of Rangi Yammy 1000, Steve Goldwing 1500, and Russ'd also on a whisperjet Goldwing with destination Carries Bay pub meeting point just along from Port Chalmers.
There we met with around 300 other avid motorcyclist to ride into Dunedin's Octogan to deliver toys for underprivileged children. An awesome experience to ride in a large group like this and with traffic control all lights shut on green it was an easy run through the city. A trailer and cage full of gifts was collected, there was also a gift of 4K given to special need kids, pretty good effort for a bunch of dirty old motorcyclists.
After the run a usual catch up with some of the Grover Chasers Touring Bunch at St Kilda Tavern where an outdoor cooked snack was provided, then a spirited ride home.
Checking the weather conditions I guess?
Back to work and riding the exercycle in the morning have managed to lose 5 kg since the passing of my adored Tracy. While pedalling I listen to the radio and one morning the tune 'It's Times Like These" by Foo Fighters was playing and the lyric struck me it was how I was feeling having Tracy generously tell me in her last days to find someone else as if I don't I will just become an grumpy old man.
Although still deeply grieving and missing her company very much I decided the former rather than the latter was going to be my choice for my future.
Too soon,... I don't know, but I have nothing to lose anymore and a lot to gain. Then just around the corner... a weird crazy thing happened.
A very nervous meet up with a friend of a friend also very nervous for a coffee and chat and magic...it was amicable love at first sight, really! Pinching myself everyday that this has happened.
Mary, also a widow through chatting have discover in a short time a lot of common ground in music, pets, life values, goals, loves motorcycles, good cook, sense of humour, kind, etc, etc, we have just hit it off. We think it is almost like her late husband of 38 years and Tracy my 28 are pushing us into something here? In a time where I should be very sad at Xmas, the first without my lovely wife, but...I am so happy and in very good spirits due to the friendship of a new person in my life (a previous volunteer firefighter to her credit) who has a heart of gold. We have talked and shared considerably from both sides with empathy to our situations, both wanting to dedicate to a second chance at life, with strong feelings and compatibility (we are both Virgo) for each other, we are not letting this opportunity pass by and intend to see how this crazy journey takes us.
A memorial rose for Tracy from a friend I have potted so if I every move digs I can take it with me. Not a day passes without a touching moment for my wonderful late wife, never be forgotten.
Xmas day a visit from my lovely daughter and grandchild, how did they ever know what flavour beer I liked and gave to me as a gift a box of it?
For lunch a B.B.Q with my brothers and family and mum was very nice,
then another outdoor cook up at Steve's for tea in good company. An early night as tired from a big day at work spraying flies, it is the wearing of a mask all day that leaves one a little dehydrated and takes a few days to come right.A good sleep and rest up over Boxing Day.
Not to pass up on a ride Russ'd was heading off to do the Southern Safari so I tagged along for company. Quote abridged;" 2 days. 1238km ridden. The southern safari completed. Rode from home to invers to meet Mouse then headed to Alexandra to start safari. Headed to glenorchy via Clyde and Frankton then back out to Arrowtown via skippers. Then over the Crown Range to Wanaka then down to Tarras, over to omarama then down to Otematata then down the back of Benmore to Aviemore, through to Kurow then down to glenavy and finished day 1 in Oamaru. Started day 2 going out to Kakanui then heading to Palmerston, Mcraes, Hyde and through to Ranfurly then through to Oterehua,Ophir, Chatto Creek and finished the run back in Alex. Headed home via Moa flat and down to Gore then home. The trip home was with some trepidation due to the fact Mouse didn't believe my rear tyre would get me home. Good ride, spectacular weather and great company."
So a mixed emotional time for me, it is all positive, my apologies to those trying to catch me, I have been off on the bike, a Happy Xmas to everyone, and 2019 is going to be an awesome year. Mouse. Hope I can find time for Blog 3....
A day at Oreti Park speedway for an excellent meeting to watch under a virgin erection, that being my new sun cover gazebo. Keep your mind on the dirt track here, (actually the track surface is lime).
Nek day (Sunday) off to Dunedin via the wonderful winding Catlins road to Balclutha with great company of Rangi Yammy 1000, Steve Goldwing 1500, and Russ'd also on a whisperjet Goldwing with destination Carries Bay pub meeting point just along from Port Chalmers.
There we met with around 300 other avid motorcyclist to ride into Dunedin's Octogan to deliver toys for underprivileged children. An awesome experience to ride in a large group like this and with traffic control all lights shut on green it was an easy run through the city. A trailer and cage full of gifts was collected, there was also a gift of 4K given to special need kids, pretty good effort for a bunch of dirty old motorcyclists.
After the run a usual catch up with some of the Grover Chasers Touring Bunch at St Kilda Tavern where an outdoor cooked snack was provided, then a spirited ride home.
Checking the weather conditions I guess?
Back to work and riding the exercycle in the morning have managed to lose 5 kg since the passing of my adored Tracy. While pedalling I listen to the radio and one morning the tune 'It's Times Like These" by Foo Fighters was playing and the lyric struck me it was how I was feeling having Tracy generously tell me in her last days to find someone else as if I don't I will just become an grumpy old man.
Although still deeply grieving and missing her company very much I decided the former rather than the latter was going to be my choice for my future.
Too soon,... I don't know, but I have nothing to lose anymore and a lot to gain. Then just around the corner... a weird crazy thing happened.
A very nervous meet up with a friend of a friend also very nervous for a coffee and chat and magic...it was amicable love at first sight, really! Pinching myself everyday that this has happened.
Mary, also a widow through chatting have discover in a short time a lot of common ground in music, pets, life values, goals, loves motorcycles, good cook, sense of humour, kind, etc, etc, we have just hit it off. We think it is almost like her late husband of 38 years and Tracy my 28 are pushing us into something here? In a time where I should be very sad at Xmas, the first without my lovely wife, but...I am so happy and in very good spirits due to the friendship of a new person in my life (a previous volunteer firefighter to her credit) who has a heart of gold. We have talked and shared considerably from both sides with empathy to our situations, both wanting to dedicate to a second chance at life, with strong feelings and compatibility (we are both Virgo) for each other, we are not letting this opportunity pass by and intend to see how this crazy journey takes us.
A memorial rose for Tracy from a friend I have potted so if I every move digs I can take it with me. Not a day passes without a touching moment for my wonderful late wife, never be forgotten.
Xmas day a visit from my lovely daughter and grandchild, how did they ever know what flavour beer I liked and gave to me as a gift a box of it?
For lunch a B.B.Q with my brothers and family and mum was very nice,
then another outdoor cook up at Steve's for tea in good company. An early night as tired from a big day at work spraying flies, it is the wearing of a mask all day that leaves one a little dehydrated and takes a few days to come right.A good sleep and rest up over Boxing Day.
Not to pass up on a ride Russ'd was heading off to do the Southern Safari so I tagged along for company. Quote abridged;" 2 days. 1238km ridden. The southern safari completed. Rode from home to invers to meet Mouse then headed to Alexandra to start safari. Headed to glenorchy via Clyde and Frankton then back out to Arrowtown via skippers. Then over the Crown Range to Wanaka then down to Tarras, over to omarama then down to Otematata then down the back of Benmore to Aviemore, through to Kurow then down to glenavy and finished day 1 in Oamaru. Started day 2 going out to Kakanui then heading to Palmerston, Mcraes, Hyde and through to Ranfurly then through to Oterehua,Ophir, Chatto Creek and finished the run back in Alex. Headed home via Moa flat and down to Gore then home. The trip home was with some trepidation due to the fact Mouse didn't believe my rear tyre would get me home. Good ride, spectacular weather and great company."
So a mixed emotional time for me, it is all positive, my apologies to those trying to catch me, I have been off on the bike, a Happy Xmas to everyone, and 2019 is going to be an awesome year. Mouse. Hope I can find time for Blog 3....
