Wrong side of the bed...??

Today has been one of those days. Started off well, and then things got just plain weird.

Rule #1 Don't take The Fredrock Cafe off road. I was being very careful by not going down the old driveway and pulled off onto a piece of grass by the letterbox and managed to sink the wheels of the bus about 6" into very soft ground. Apparently there was about 4" of rain over the last 24 hours. Things were very boggy!  Couldn't get my baby out so left her while I borrowed car and trailer to deliver washing machine, table and chairs and sofa and lazyboy to various people from Takanini to Pukekawa. Managed to get a metal splinter in my finger which hurt like heck, bled everywhere when I tried to remove it, split the tarp covering the load and had to stop on the motorway to retire it, then had to stop at the next service station for another pair of tie downs.  

Rain, rain, rain, wind, hail, rain..... Not the best weather to transport stuff like that around in, but managed to get everything done and the farmer next door was awesome in pulling me out of the mud with the tractor. Thank you very much, was really appreciated.

So when I got home back to Huntly the clean out and load in began. I started with the cutlery, pots and pans, baking stuff and the fridge, freezer. Amazing how much stuff I can put in my home!

In the middle of this I decided to make dinner in the bus for the first time, had to change the gas bottle and figure out how to light the oven, but dinner was delicious. It's going to be interesting getting used to a gas hob again and learning how to use a gas oven. 

Things have settled back down, but it really was a day of things not going right, time and time again. I believe I know why and will try to ensure that I don't disturb the ether that way again.

I also managed to stop off at Noel Leeming and spent a bit of money on a new laptop and a GPS. Awesome discount for being a NZMCA member, over $350 discount! Thanks to the NZMCA and Noel Leeming. 

Post Birthday perambulations

Well yesterday was my birthday, thanks for all the thoughts and best wishes from everyone. Feels great to turn 55 and be heading off on a huge adventure.

Yesterday I worked til 3, headed off up the Waikato Expressway for the time in my little Mitsubishi Colt. I was heading off to dinner with my son James, his partner Larney and the three children,  Jayden and Christopher. A wonderful meal was had. Finished off with a wonderful Key Lime Pie, sprinkled with grated Whitaker's L&P white choc. 

James and I then headed off back down the motorway from Army Bay, Whangaparoa, a quick stop off in Huntly and then continued on to Walton. Some interesting discussions were had on the way between father and son! 

We spent the night at Walton and left early this morning, James back to Whangaparoa and me to Huntly and a days work. 

The amazing reaction from my work colleagues was a huge buzz for me and it was a bit of a show and tell during the day around seeing clients, continuing to move the office and was finished off with some wallpapering in the main Social Services office. An awesome wallpaper and it really did look good, I hope it still does in the morning!

Arrived home in the Fredrock Cafe, put down the wonderful ramps, drove onto the section, turned around without hitting anything at all and after getting organised for tomorrow an now lying on the bed writing this on my iPad. 

Tomorrow is going to be a full on moving stuff day. Off to Pukekawa to pick up trailer and car, leave the bus there, return to Huntly, load up car and trailer off to Takanini to one of my wonderful sisters (btw I have 6 of them incase you were wondering) back to Pukekawa, drop off car and trailer and pick up bus and off back to Huntly. 

Hope everyone has safe travels.

Level Crossing

Today Roger (brother-in-law) and I created a kerb crossing platform so that my beauty doesn't bottom out and damage the front bumper as I go in and out of Walton Rd or Russell Rd. the problem is that Fredrock Cafe's front wheels are around a metre behind the front bumper and while that creates a bus that has an awesome turning circle but if the dip between road and kerb is too much then she bottoms out. Roger designed an awesome set of hinged timbers that work wonderfully well. They are also easy to pick up and store in my side locker. See the photos below.

Back in Huntly tonight. 

As its my birthday tomorrow I've been invited by my son to come to dinner and then he and I will go pick up Fredrock Cafe and he will then take ownership of my car and I will bring Fredrock Cafe back to Huntly to start the adventures. 

Bought kayak today. A Viking profish 400 from Viking in Matamata. They were great. I believe that I was looked after by the owner! He was great and I would recommend Viking kayaks. 

So now let the fun begin. 

The first trip away for the weekend will be off to Te Aroha to visit the hot pools, mountain bike tracks and Te Aroha Engineering who may be able to help with a roof loader for the kayak. 

First night aboard my new home

I'm currently tucked up in my new bed, listening to the radio. 

It's been an interesting day, measuring up drawers, cupboards, making lists for shopping tomorrow and getting comfortable. 

I spent a couple of hours just sitting soaking up the feeling of my new home. It's a very comfortable home , feels calm and comfortable. 

Tomorrow will be busy building a portable road edge crossing platform so I don't scrape her front end getting out from here. I am going to an engineering firm to see if we can put a set of dolly wheels on the front of the chassis so that it will ride over the dip. This is because the front wheels are about a metre back from the front bumper. 

Progress updates to come. 

We have take off!

Well today was the day.
As you can see from the photo below, hand over took place at Kinlock today.
Eddie and Margaret were quite sad to see their lovely bus move on. They are a lovely couple and I hope to catch up with them on my travels.
So we left Kinlock at around midday and arrived back in Walton at around 3pm with a couple of stops on the way, one in Tokoroa for lunch and one in Putararu to look for a noise that we eventually found on the way home.
My new baby drives well and handles great, it will take a bit to get used to the gear box and I need to learn how to back slowly and not run over the neighbour's letterbox. Still after panelbeating the bike rack and standing the letterbox up no harm, no foul!
This is so exciting! More tomorrow!

 Handover at Kinlock with Eddie

At new home in Walton.

Legally, Classy Too

Well yesterday was the culmination of my three day course with AMS in Hamilton to pass my Class 2 license. I achieved that an on the way passed a couple of unit standards to add to my collection.  They are 17574: Operate a rigid vehicle to meet the requirements of a full Class 2 license, 7 credits at Level 3 and 24089: Demonstrate knowledge of fatigue management, work time and driver logbook requirements, 5 credits at Level 3.

This was a relatively intense 3 days, including the first day studying for Class 2 learners license. So was interesting getting the brain back into learning mode. Am very glad that a) I spent the week before studying as instructed and b) have still got enough brain cells to retain what I study. So am pleased that I managed to ace each assessment without any redos! 

So the brain was total mush and I then went up to Spring Hill Correctional Facility and delivered a 1 1/2 hour workshop on Needs and Wants, Goal setting and Easy Cashflow to a group of 9 men. Must have done well as the feedback was just wonderful and I saw some lightbulb moments during the session, which is always a great thing.

So currently I am writing this at 2am as I crashed about 7.30 pm and am now wide awake! 

Now my brain is going at 90 km/h thinking about cleaning house, sorting out final stuff to keep and save and It's Just Over 24 Hours To Pick Up!  I am starting to get very excited! 

Spaghetti Bol in Walton tonight after another workshop in Mt Wellington today and the one more sleep and then a drive to Kinlock to pick up The Fredrock Cafe.

More to come..........

Getting somewhat close now.

So today was a huge day for me.

Yesterday I successfully sat my Class 2 learners license (100% pass)

Today I successfully completed the logbook and the driving fatigue assessment and the practical driving test. So tomorrow is the final assessment and then I have my Class 2 drivers license. 

It has been an interesting time getting back into some solid learning, helped by the tutor Brian who is great. His style is similar to mine in a lot of ways, using real (or not) stories to illustrate what he is teaching so when you come to the assessment, you remember the story, remember the rule and can get the correct answer. 

Had an interesting time driving around the outskirts of Hamilton in a large truck, in the rain with a great tester, who gave me some great driving tips and tricks. Was a great experience once I learnt how to go from 4th to 5th and not 4th to 7th! It was a 'tap and go' gearbox. We live and learn. Only bounced the curb badly once. So a successful drive. It is a very different experience driving a heavy truck and once you get used to it quite relaxing.

So completion tomorrow and then off to deliver a seminar late afternoon. Going to be a busy day!

Will post tomorrow evening to let you know final results.

TTFN

T minus 13 or T minus 5......

Depending on what day we are talking about gives rise to the issue of how we're counting.

The 5 days is now until pickup of the bus. I am planning to travel to Taupo on Saturday to have a learning session and pick up my new home, drive it back to Walton and spend the next two days going over it with a fine tooth comb.

T minus 13 is the time til I move out of my stationary home and move into my mobile home. So things are ramping up rapidly now.

The next three days I am heading to Hamilton to sit my Class 2 drivers license, so am going to be flat out doing that. I am having dinner with my son Tuesday night up in Whangaparoa after delivering a budgeting session in Mt Wellington. Thursday afternoon after my drivers course I am delivering a budgeting seminar in Spring Hill Correctional Facility. So it's a busy week. Add to the mix that I have started moving offices at work adds just a bit of excitement ton already interesting week. 

My sister has emailed me to tell me that my herb garden is planted and ready for traveling!  So things are getting closer and closer.

I am away to do some last minute spot from the Road Code for tomorrow.

TTFN and safe journeys everyone.

T minus 15 days

Today was a very interesting day. I became very aware of what I am heading into while delivering a seminar to a group of young women through the YWCA Future Leaders Programme.

It was a grat day but really sheeted home to me the fact that I am heading at a 94.5 degree angle to 'normal'. 

The enormity of the journey tends to want to overwhelm me from time to time, but I realize that I want to do this, have wanted to do this for over 30 years and I am going to make this adventure work.

I am blown away by the positive support that I am getting from family, friends and colleagues. 

I posted my adventure on a Facebook page put up by someone looking for a new adventure and the number of people supporting me and offering to join me when I am in their part of this lovely country just reinforced my desire to ensure that this adventure is one of the best times of my life!

While I have been sorting out the physical things in my life, I have come to realize that 'things' are not important. The bits, pieces and detritus that we accumulate over time are really only memory joggers. We see an object and it brings back the memory of the person, place or time. 

I am wondering if the box of photos that has sat unlooked at for 18 year is worth keeping! I have decided to offer it to my son as it is my life in pictures and he may be interested. I am also considering taking it on my journey and on quiet nights, scan them into the computer and create a "life of me" something. 

I am considerably surprised by the amount of 'stuff' that I am leaving behind and how little one 'needs' in ones life.

So the collection of 'The Fredrock Cafe' is getting closer and things are starting to come together nicely.

Stay tuned as I progress myself onward and upward in my journey.

T minus 20 and counting

A greatly productive day today towards getting on the road.

Had my medical for my license. All good. Started reading the road code again.

Got another good report from my ear specialist today as well. He is very pleased with his work. Out to monthly checks now.

Have cleaned out the spare room and created three piles. Rubbish, sell and keep. The third pile is very small!

While cleaning up I have been doing that dangerous thing called "thinking". Yes scary I know and something that should not be tried at home except under adult supervision. So I have been realizing that I have been on a roller coaster ride over the past few weeks. Up while I've been active in the "sorting my life out" but quite down when I have had time to pause and think. All the negativity starts coming out, not helped by a couple of people who have been quite negative about the whole thing. Anyway I have decided not to let anyone or anything get in my way. I am going to surround myself with positive people and go soar with the eagles and leave the turkeys behind.

I have now put some things in place that will help me keep positive about the whole thing and even though it's scary as all get out, I am very excited.

Back to work tomorrow and full steam ahead reading the Road Code! 

Catch you all soon.

T minus 22 days

Who's counting.....  I am!!

So today is the start of the reorganize my life period. What to keep for the bus, what to keep and store and what to get rid of??

Lying in bed last night, thinking of all the stuff I have and what I need to keep and what I want to keep, there is very little that I want to keep.

I currently have pared down my possessions after moving from Pukekawa so the good thing is at there is not heaps of stuff to go through.

I have decided that the table and chairs, front loading washing machine and fridge will be sold, the couch and lazyboy can go back to Pukekawa.

The office furniture can be offered for sale it's only two desks, one with drawers and they are cheapies from the Warehouse anyway. 

The set of drawers I will keep for Walton and the bookcases can go.

Lawn mower can go to James. It is old but still works well.

I an going to keep the ladder and wheelbarrow as they both fold down.

The tent can be sold but will keep at least one air bed. I will be buying a single person tent for tramping.

The bed will go to Walton.

The TV's will be sold as will the PS3 and Freeview box and DVD player. I will keep SG1 and Atlantis Dvd's but the rest can go.

I will give the last of the books to the local college. 

The bread maker will be up for sale.  

If anyone wants anything in this list let me know. I will post pics if required. Most will be come and get!

It seems that The Fredrock Cafe is getting to be the name and the following pic seems to be the font.

T minus 23 days

Well the bus is being purchased!
Traveled to Taupo on Wednesday with Brenda and Roger to have a look. Spent some considerable time looking in, under, over and through the bus.

It now needs a new name it's current name will be staying with the owners.
Current suggestions:
Whare o Wheteriki
Fredrock Cafe
wings'n'wheels

so any further suggestions welcome.

I am currently searching for a way to easily load the kayak on the roof, without having to clamber up on top to strap it down. Any suggestions??

T minus 4 months

Well, the time has come to again change direction, move forward and make things happen.
I am heading out onto the NZ highways in a mobilehome and will be blogging about my travels.
I intend to be out on the road no later than the beginning of December 2013 but this may be brought forward depending on whether the house I am in sells before that and how quickly I can sell my other two houses.
If anyone know of someone wanting to buy either in Tuakau, Franklin or Westport, Buller let me know. The houses will be on TradeMe soon.
Recently having separated from my long term partner and while recuperating from some surgery with my sister and her husband, we were chatting about where to for me and a proposition was put forward that I team up with them, share their home base in Walton and we head out together as a team.
They have been mobile for some time now and they seemed quite keen on the idea and so here I am.
Looking for a vehicle to buy, so many to choose from and wow can you drop some serious cash onto a mobilehome!
So this is the start of a long journey getting onto the road and visiting NZ.
We are heading off to Tauranga this weekend to see what vehicles are going to suit my needs and maybe, just maybe find something suitable!
Will keep you all up to date with my progress.
TTFN
Frederick
"The view from my kitchen window keeps changing!"