Wednesday, I decide to explore around the area and start at Port Albert. I quite enjoy driving around the area. The tide is coming in and I watch the jellyfish float by at the end of the pier.

I then head out to Atiu Regional Park, this land was gifted to the Auckland Council. I sit up there and catch up on phone calls and emails for a few hours. The view makes the job feel a lot essier. I then take the back road into Warkworth and stumble upon these falls. It is a good spot for a stealth camp, I may have to come back here Friday night.

In Warkworth I get some lunch and buy a takeaway coffee and brownie for Clare. I cheat on Rowan and go Op Shopping, I find a cool enamel pot that I can’t pass up. I head back to Wellsford and sort dinner.

Thursday comes and Skylar is told I won’t be here when she comes homes. “Come” she beckons, points at the couch “You stay here.” I laugh, she wants me to sit and wait for her to come home. I decide I need to do some running around so I head back to Tindalls Bay and run a few errands along the way. I better finish off my organising I began. Few hours later I was done. There really is more I can do but decide I need to be in the mood otherwise I will leave it half completed. One more sleep and Rowan will be home, I am missing him terribly.

Happy Birthday Grandpa! The day started with Happy chaos of having a house full. Mum has a negative test wahoo. There were kids everywhere and we all had a lot of tea and coffee. Karstan did a few Haka for Pop and gained some confidence and did a few more. We had more family arrive for lunch and the phone rang all day. It was a really nice day. Eventually everyone headed home and the house became quiet. Grandpa got us all up at the shed at the same time to see a sign his tenant got made for him, a pretty cool thank you present of his old logo. Aunty Deb has very kindly left me her car to use and I can return it when I am ready. Rowan isn’t home until Friday so it is good to have transport.

Tuesday morning I have a random inspiration to do some organising. I start in the back room where I spent the night that mum was here. I cleaned all the windows and dusted surfaces. Before I knew it I was cleaning the silk flowers which then leads me to drawers. I am not trying to get rid of anything I am just trying to get it better organised there are cards to be used, cards that to be sent, pamphlets from funerals and lots more. I end up clearing up 3 drawers that she can fill with more stuff. This was a good time filler before heading north to Wellsford. On my way up I stopped at Parry Kauri Park in Warkworth.

Colleen & Allan’s 70th Wedding Anniversary is here. I test negative and I am feeling great. My grandparents are happy for me to come along. I get a wriggle on and get ready, it doesn’t take long at all and I am in the car heading to Milford. My sisters tell me my dress I am wearing is a bit scandalous and I should cover up more. Quickly I find a top at Farmers along the way. This makes me late for photos but I think just in time as I don’t have to wait while everyone else is getting sorted. The whole day is a success, everyone enjoyed their time. Plenty of laughs and really good speeches. By the time it is all over I am glad to get back, take my bra and makeup off.

Sunday was just as busy, people coming and going. Family arrive for the night, mum is on her last day of isolation (counting from her symptoms). I clear out so she can stay downstairs for the day. My cousins and the kids head out to Shakespeare Park so the grandies can nap. We end up seeing some stingrays in the harbour, which was really cool. We have a housefull as G/Pa is 93 tomorrow.

Woken early by a little monster but I don’t mind as I need to get into NZ time. I had daylight savings, then Australia time to adapt too, then Australian daylight savings, now back to NZ. We drop Ellery off at daycare and go for a coffee. Before we know it Emma goes to work. So I take the opportunity to watch netflix, I haven’t watched TV in a long time. Mums flight doesn’t come in until midday but being from Bali she will need all her shoes cleaned at customs. I allow another hour before heading in. Turns out it is worse than that and I have to wait over an hour before she is finally out. I wants time by going to shops I don’t need to go in. Finally out and in the car we head to the North Shore, where she has a hotel booked. Once in Takapuna we get burger fuel as she is hungry. I say to her I think you might have covid let’s test you. 15min later a massive positive reads, I get my mask on although I am probably already stuffed. Of course she is upset as this means she can’t come to the 70th wedding anniversary on Saturday. I drop her off and my aunty assures she will make sure she has everything she needs. So I head to Nana & Gpas but stop for tests and masks. I tell them I should stay away from them just in case I have it. My meals come to me via the lift.

I really should get covid more often if this is going to be the service! I test negative and plan to test again for the next few days to make sure.

Following day (Friday) I do have a sore throat, can’t work out if it is psychosomatic or from the plane. I feel cooped up so I end up spending some time outside away from anyone. I am rather bored but it is worth not making the whole family sick. More and more family are arriving but I stay in my room.

Rowan’s mum wants him to stay longer to be here for Bette, so I am going back to NZ alone.  The day is rather chill, we try to arrange a meet up with Aunty Christine but it doesn’t work out. I go up to the shops with Joanne, the car gets cleaned while we shop. Joanne wants a massage and I want a pedicure. Unfortunately the nail salon is too busy and we end up skipping those. We get the drycleaning sorted and a bunch of food. We then wait for the car to be ready and drink coffee. The day goes rather fast, I get a chance to pack for my flight and we get a few jobs around the house done.

My flight is at lunchtime so we head to the airport after 9am. Joanne drops us off and she will be back when Rowan calls her. We get into the check in counter and realise my flight has just been delayed by 3 hours. We check in anyway and they give me a $20 voucher as an apology. Rowan calls Joanne to come back and we head out to a block of shops in an industrial building for some brunch. By the time we do this it is time to head back to the airport. I say goodbye again and decide to go through to security. This takes a lot longer than it did in NZ, Once through I have no idea on what to spend the money on so I buy lollies that we can’t get back home. I order a chai latte and kill sometime blogging. I have gotten rather behind! Before I know it we are boarding the plane. A very uneventful flight, but I have a lot of missed calls from my sister. My message never came through to her she was expecting me hours ago. Whoops so I sneak in to her place rather late by the time I got mums car and grabbed a bite to eat it was past 10pm. I had a quick cuppa and hopped into bed.

The folowing day we had a big breakfast to soak up the after effects of the alcohol. Rowan and I made the decision to stay on another night to be able to have some quality time with the brides. Clean up is a lot faster and easier, it doesn’t take long at all. By lunch time everyone has left except James & his partner Steven who has got a stomach bug of some sort. Not sure what from as everyone else ate the same stuff and feel absolutely fine. As time goes on they realise that he isn’t fit for travel, wahoo we have some friends for tonight. We end up going into town and picking up pizza for dinner, about 8 adults and the 2 kids. Sitting around a drum fire chatting about the wedding. Then it is just the three of us, it was really good to get to know James properly and have an easy going night. By this time the off grid bathroom is failing, the power is no longer working, the lights are dim, finally it goes out as I am attempting to get dressed and brush my teeth. We end up sleeping in the church. I go to sleep earlier around 10pm. Rowan and James last a few hours longer.

In the morning I run around trying to find gear to make a coffee. Absolute success, I find everything beans, grinder, hot water, pretty teacups and milk. But wait no plunger, I hope James has one in his campervan. Alas we can make coffee! Rowan sorts out breakfast, I make tea and coffee. Steven emerges feeling a lot better. We sit around drinking extreme amounts of coffee and Heather turns up. I am not sure how long but at least a few hours goes by. It is about 1pm when I suggest we go back to the house and say goodbye to Katie, Huntah & Ben. After lots of hugs we are on the road. We are on a hunt for Cold Rock an icecream place that Rowan has been talking about taking me. Along the way we find a dead snake on the road and stop to take a look.

We find a Cold Rock in Maitland not far from Dungog. I get a medium size one but it really is too much, should have got a smaller one. You choose your icecream(s) then you get to choose a bunch of toppings that the crush and mix into it on a frozen plate. I notice there is a 2 hour delay caused from a crash on the motorway. I find there is a more inland scenic route through national park which will take the same time but at least won’t put us in stop start traffic. It is a great idea and I am glad we went this way, we had Wollemi National Park on the right and Yengo National Park on the left. We get back to Sydney around 8pm. Joanne is like an excited puppy, I think she has been locked up too long from covid haha

I wake early (still not quite used to the time difference), I take my time getting organised and enjoy a bath.  After sorting Rowan’s suit and ironing it, Nan you would be ashamed.  I really am a terrible housewife.  We get out just before 10am checkout, packed ready to go.  Relentless rain is still here and we are trying to set up the venue, we arrive before the brides to find the toilet man attempting to drop off a trailer with three toilets.  The land has become so muddy that Rowan and I make the executive decision to get them parked on the berm outside the property.  The farm is on a dirt road that does have others using it but not many.  These toilets actually become talk of the wedding later on, they play music, have air conditioning and are nicer than most home bathrooms.  Luckily these are all self sufficient and don’t need power.  We find a break in the rain and set up our little tent.

We have a chat to Heather and we need to move on to plan B, it will be too slippery to get to the first location and the water is getting higher.  Plan B is the old Featherston Church which is her grandmas art studio.  A beautiful old weatherboard church, Heather isn’t happy as she doesn’t want to get married in a church.  I tell her it really isn’t one and she is already legally married a year ago (in order to get adoption moving they had a small covid wedding a year ago).  The task of clearing out the church for chairs begin.  As the afternoon comes along more and more people show up.  Rowan is quite tired so we head off at 5pm to the hotel.  The hotel is quite old and has some original fixtures around.  Unfortunately the place has been renovated to look a bit more modern but has failed in a way.  It definetly feels more fresh and clean but there are some hand basins from the 20’s that drag the room down.  They really needed to replace them or done what I would have and leaned into the heritage more so they worked in the rooms.  The bathrooms are full deco and all have a bath and a shower.  I really have no complaints, it is clean and tidy.  We head down to the dining room where the pressed tin ceiling is incredible, we have dinner and enjoy a pub meal. 

Saturday is here!  I get ready taking my time, check out is at 10am but the wedding is at 3pm, I want to make sure that my makeup and hair would last till then.  The weather is really nice for a wedding and we only have the odd shower.  Rowan and I head off the the local cafe for a coffee and I run into Heather’s brother.  By the time we have fluffed around we arrive after 11am at the farm.  Everything appears under control but the brides are not ready yet!  I find Katie still making the final touches. The kids are being passed around which makes things a bit easier.  Rowan yells out to me to take Katie home to get ready.  So I jump in the car and drive her the 30min trip back into town, we only have over an hour to get her ready and then drive back.  Katie hops in the shower, Heather is getting her makeup done by a friend.  I end up doing Katie’s makeup for her, I kept it simple and really wanted her natural beauty to shine.  We are running late on our way back to the farm, I tell her not to worry they can’t start without you.  I also had Rowan’s suit in the back of the car so he couldn’t get dressed until I arrived.  The ceremony was really lovely, I was too busy taking photos so never made it in to sit down, I got to see the whole thing from the back.  Wendy the grandmother did the ceremony, it involved the two boys which really made it special.  Mandy, Heather’s mum was wearing her awesome pink reverend robes.  After the ceremony we all got in a photo in front of the church then had afternoon platters and drinks while the wedding party went off for more photos.  Rowan asked if he could get out of his suit as soon as he could.  He lasted a full hour in it.  After some mingling I ended up hanging out with two gay couples most of the night.  A lot of the other guests had husbands, wives and kids or were family of the brides.  The church was transformed into a disco, lights and music. Some guests couldn’t get their head around us being professionally homeless, some said “Oh that is awesome” but you could see in their eyes they thought ‘f*ck that!’ The night went pretty fast, I thought I would be in bed early but made it to be one of the last few. Just before going to bed we found some sasuages and cooked them up for the guests who were still standing. I am not sure how many were there probably around 60 guests.

Wednesday morning I wake up to a lot of noise, these birds sure know how to prepare for a sunrise.  I drag myself out of bed to see the sun saying hello.  A random tropical rain hits but it isn’t heavy, with a clap of thunder that shook the cabin.  Some how Rowan sleeps through the whole thing.  As fast as it begins it was finished.  A rainbow appears, the birds come to say hello and the wallabies bounce past the prroperty.  It really is a special spot here.  The day moves along and I cook some breakfast we relax, I take another bath and Rowan takes another RAT test.  Later that evening we head off for a walk to the pond and go frog hunting.  There were these amazing fluorescent green frogs.  We sat by the fire and cuddled covid style with masks on. Daddy Blooomfield would approve.

Thursday morning Rowan is negative!  Masks off but we still keep a distance, let’s wait for two negative tests.  We message Heather & Katie and see if they need some help with set up.  Off to the farm, Wendy (grandma) has a beautiful spot bordering a river with platypus in it.  There is also a small stream.  Our first task is to get a stepping stone system across the small stream.  The brides want to walk down this idyllic path to the stream, cross it and go along a field to the main river where they will have the ceremony.  Rowan and I start finding rocks, once it was complete you could pass it easily, but we planned to help the city folk across.  Next was the set up of these glamping tents which had a team to errect. Jo the lady who owned the business is from Kaukapakapa, we talk about Auckland and she says she much prefers Australia. At lunchtime we go to the Dead Dog cafe, which is a play on Dungog that was renamed to torment the local rugby team.  It is a full vegetarian cafe and we end up with lasagne which are delicious, you wouldn’t know the difference if no one told you.  Back at the venue and we set up some “ensuites” these are pop tent showers, apparently the city folk have been asking questions.  Heather also let’s them know that there are hairdryers and straighteners (the sun).  I realise there will be quite a few folk at their home getting ready.  Luckily I had feared this and had booked one night at the local Bank Hotel for Friday night, unfortunately our current accommodation was already booked out.  Rowan and I went back to the retreat and had a nice dinner.  It had been a bit drizzly all day, but I really got a chance to see the tropical storm hit, the rain came and it didn’t stop all night. It got really hot in the cabin with the fireplace on and Rowan turned on the heat pump to cool down the place.  It was a but funny having a fire roaring and air conditioning on. 

Yawn, a very early start for me. I roll out of bed at 4.15am. I drop mum’s car off to a park and fly and arrive at the airport after 5am. I double check the weight of my bags prior to checking in, both under the limit. After check in I head straight for security, I would rather wait on the otherside. I get through with a full body scan and a pat on the bum. The lady says it is probably my cardigan. I get to a coffee shop order a flat white and sit down, I have heaps of time nearly 3 hours before take off. So I chill and fill in the last few days of blogs, however I don’t send them as I want to check Rowan is okay with them. I don’t want information out there he doesn’t want to share. I get hungry and wonder if they feed you on the plane, may as well eat now. I just eat a small amount just enough to remove my hunger. Finally I go the boarding gate and get on to my flight. Latam makes everyone wear masks and I am very happy that they do, I was going to wear mine anyway. I am in the middle seat and wish I could snooze but didn’t. They did feed us an inedible meal but lucky they had a mothers earth oat bar that was good. By the end of the flight I was getting restless. It took nearly 45min to get my bag the delay was insane.

Joanne said Rowan was out getting family members and to wait at the coffee shop. “Haere mai” I hear from the tane behind the counter,”kia ora” I reply instantly. He tells me he has been here 8 years, we have a quick chat. I wait a bit longer and Joanne says Rowan will be over an hour and to get in a taxi but to wait 45min because she can’t let me up into the apartment as she is isolating. I tell her I am coming now and I would rather sit in the park and wait then be exposed at the airport any longer than necessary. Annoyingly I have broken my only Aussie money on a coffee I get to a cab and he tells me $55. I tell him I have $40 and some change, and I ask for a bank transfer? He reluctantly says yes after I explain why. While chatting I end up giving him $40aud and $20nzd hoping the exchange rate is about that. I arrive at the apartment entrance and we pull up behind Rowan, Garry (family friend) and two other family members. Garry comes over to pay for my taxi and I tell him I sorted it. Rowan is helping an elderly man Patrick is Bette’s brother out of the car. Part of the requirements for Patrick being allowed out into a group gathering is we all must where masks, so I leave mine on. I get into the apartment with everyone and open the door to a big hug from someone I have never met, she then introduces herself to the next person and I realise it is Aunty Christine (Grahame’s wife). I say Hi to Joanne through her door, then a cousin called Lisa and to Bette and everyone is rather pleasant and cheery. The afternoon carries on with lots of stories being told. I finally get a chance to talk to Rowan about his negative test and find out he hasn’t tested himself, no one else has. I say a lot of words I won’t repeat in here and tell him to take a test now. So he jumps into action and takes his test which comes back as a faint positive. I am surprised by the iresposibleness of it all. I take the family back in the car with Garry and I play navman. When we get back I make sure everyone has been tested. Garry & Christine come back negative. I do Bette’s test for her and tell her congratulations you’re pregnant, what a medical miracle. We now have 3 positives and 3 negatives. I go underground literally and stay in the garage that night. It is actually rather comfortable, Joanne has set up rugs and a table. she uses it like a second room.

The following day Rowan says we should still go to the airbnb in Dungog and we can isolate there. He has another test and is only faintly reading positive. If I stay in Sydney I won’t be able to avoid it, where if we get out I may be fine. He said in hindsight he may have been sick a long time. Unfortunately with so much grief in the room I don’t think anyone has realised they are actually sick. So we both keep N95s on and all the windows down for the journey. Everyone in Australia is so relaxed about covid, no one really wears a mask or seems to care about getting it. We arrive in Dungog and I go to the IGA to get some supplies and more tests. They seem to be a lot more expensive here. We meet up with Heather and sit outside on her deck with masks on (her choice). Katie stays inside with Huntah and Ben. It has been at least 4 years since we have seen them. They were last in NZ to get engaged.

We get to the airbnb and it is a fantastic spot, there is birds and wildlife everywhere. Rowan tells me to be careful but says the grass is short enough you shouldn’t need to worry about snakes. We spend the late afternoon watching the birds and a good 5m distance from one another. I get my camera out and enjoy taking lots of photos. I wish Joanne was here as she could tell me what each one is. I cook dinner which I am happy to do, but is definitely a blue job. As I would prefer to be covid free I don’t complain too much. After dinner I jump in the spa bath. It isn’t as big as my old bath but it is the biggest I have come across since. By 7pm I am yawning, but I keep myself up for another hour. Rowan is isolating in his room happy to have his mask off.

The weekend is a bit of a blur, I head out to Henderson to a animal farm thing with my sisters and their two little ones. It is a good distraction and I have fun feeding the animals. By lunchtime they are both needing a nap so we head out our separate ways. I head to Millwater to my friend Sarah’s house. I have’nt seen her in a long time and her son is now two! We spend the afternoon and into the evening catching up.

Sunday, time to pack. I feel like I have forgotten something, but I guess I always feel like that. I take my time to try and avoid that feeling and finally finish after 11am. I decide to stay for a spot of lunch before heading off. I thank my grandparents for being their amazing selves and letting me stay. I head back to Sarah’s house and I give her a much needed hair cut. I am well happy about, she fed me a burger the night before, a great exchange! I head to Emma’s house (so much closer to the airport) and get there just before the soccer starts in Eden Park. We get a chance to warn someone they will be towed if they park there and we head inside. By the time kick off starts I see about 20 new cars parked outside. Ellery and I watch them come get towed away. Then we have a game of hide and seek. Not sure if she is unwell or daylight savings has put her out but she ends up in bed really early. Emma and I stay up for a crappy romcom and a cup of tea.