Chores, fun shops and a change of scenery

Sunday 12 July

A good long sleep after our night of Scottish dancing - and happily my knees weren’t giving me any grief which was a bonus!

Louis set off into Parakiore for a swim and I threw our washing into a sack and hiked off down to the Woolston Liquid Laundromat. Whilst the washers and dryers were doing their thing I had a giggle exploring “Stuff Woolston” - the most bonkers and eclectic second hand store ever! Loved the fibonacci spiral of the aloe polyphilla outside the store, and the funky alien spaceship. Inside they featured a Pixar lamp, an incredible old set of optometrist lenses (should have gone to SpecSavers!) and an eclectic mix of dolls and toys, retro soda siphon and swizzle sticks, old slides, pin badges, patches, buttons and even some teeth!

Louis scooped up me & the washed & dried laundry after his swim and we quickly packed up Banjo to head over to Woodend Beach for grandparent duties with the hoodlum hounds 🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺

Sadly encountered a big smash involving 3 cars at Fitzgerald Ave and spent a while there helping clear the roads of glass and mangled car parts. Fortunately nobody was injured but the cars were very much worse for wear 🫣

We got to Woodend Beach in time to light the scented candles and leash up the dogs to take them walkies whilst the Open Home happened. Sadly nobody showed up - it’s a very slow housing market right now down here - but we had a lovely walk through the pine forest with Jessie & Shadow. Poor Shadow simply couldn’t work out how to unwind himself from a post on the way home… took us about 5 minutes! 😳🤣

After giving them water & a treat we popped them back in their crates until Ella & Josh got home. Meanwhile we set course for Oxford and parked up at Mountain Views POP, which as the name suggests, had wonderful views out to the snowcapped peaks up at Arthur’s Pass.

A wonderful welcome from Leanne & Bob and we settled in on power for a chilly night.