Big congratulations to Rocky and Jennifer on their recent wedding. It was such a big occasion that they gave it priority over the Little River run and here I was thinking that the TOC was their all. Great news.
The pace of the year seems to have picked up no end and the weeks since the last newsletter just vanished. Anne and I snuck away for a few days last week and headed south following the weather and our noses. The first night was in Moeraki where we were able to squeeze into Fleur’s Place that as usual was superb. It would have to be arguably my favourite restaurant. On leaving we were met by a seal that was literally only a few metres from the door. Now that’s ambience! As usual we ended up in the Mackenzie where we always seem to end up, the weather was great, the fishing not quite so but good enough, and the Omarama camping ground very comfortable. The Subaru got an airing as the trip involved a bit of up-river work, which saw us testing it a bit beyond its capabilities up the Ahuriri. I always seem to go a little bit further than is prudent, but thank goodness for low ratio. At least it didn’t involve digging out the GT6 which I have had to do on one occasion in the past.
Anne’s beloved Citroen is still having its rear end attended to having had to wait for a Citroen specialist to come back from holiday, so while Anne uses the Subaru the GT6 is getting lots of use. It has now been my daily driver again for coming up five months. It does seem to be running really well, and maybe that is as a result. However, (the last few months have been full of car related howevers), on Friday driving to Lyttelton I picked up a stone in the windscreen which promptly shattered into lots of little pieces, many of which landed in my lap. Getting out was done more gingerly than usual. So again we are back to one car, but this time rather than being over the holidays it is when we are both heading in different directions with work and study. It doesn’t help that with the nature of the work I’m doing at present I’m the equivalent of a car-boot architect attending to about a dozen different heritage building sites every day.
We are now more than ever lamenting the loss of the Governors Bay bus service that we used to use quite a lot. Saved on a bit of petrol too.
The service was discontinued after the February quake last year, and this after only having got it after a few years of lobbying in late 2010. Somehow biking over the hill like some locals do doesn’t appeal.
It will be no surprise that I’m now looking for a new windscreen, anything from a round-tail GT6 or Spitfire, TR4, 5 and maybe 6 would be ideal, so please don’t hold back in coming forward. One advantage of writing the presidents piece is that requests for parts and solicited advice can feature on the front page.
The run to Iron Ridge Sculpture Park is coming up very quickly and from what I hear it is highly recommended. I will not be able to make this one so have an enjoyable run and take in the sculptures, cars and company. Hopefully with Christmas and New Year but a fading memory, boredom setting in and the agendas not so lively, there is a good turn out. Have a good one.
Regards Tony
