We enjoyed our stay at Miranda hot pools. It is a very nice camping ground with a hot pool. We had a soak every afternoon after lunch and felt very relaxed for the rest of the day. They had a 40 foot container that had been converted into a family shower with toilet and 3 showers and toilets. It was brand new and very nice. The best part there was no control button on the showers, so we could have a long as we liked. Usually you press a button and get 5 or 6 minutes. Some cost up to a dollar too.  Eddie really enjoyed his time in the shower just soaking in the hot water.

Miranda is on what is called the seabird coast. It runs along the coast of the Firth of  Thames opposite from Thames township. It is one of the areas that the godwits come and go from when they migrate to the Artic for breeding. 

It was very wet under foot though, so we were back to wearing our gumboots where ever we went. The van was parked on gravel, but the grass along side was very soggy. It had water lying on the top even after there had been no rain for 24 hours

We came back to Matamata on Monday. Jim has laid metal where we park, so there is no mud here. Rather good after the past few days and at Pataua too of course.

The van is going for its COF on Thursday at Swaps yard. They do their own trucks twice a week and we are able to get in there too. It saves going off to Putaruru or Hamilton.

The cabins at Miranda

Hot Pools

Off to Miranda

We went to see Janice on Thursday. We haven't seen them for ages, so it was good to have a catch up. They are off to Australia on the 17^th for 6 weeks. Eddie's cousin, Meryn came for tea too. I was able to pick his brain for family stories too, which was great. I will be able to add them to my Davies story.

On Friday morning we went and saw Peter and Josie. (Old friends from way back). They have both had covid. Peter was really ill and Josie was debating whether to call the ambulance on day. He is well now, but he has lost weight that he can't put back on. We had a lovely soup for lunch that Josie had made. After lunch we went on to Thornton motor camp. We had a formalish interview on Saturday evening with Louise and her daughter Kayla who run the park together. We will be starting about Labour weekend at the end of October. It will depend on when the people doing the job leave. We will be there until Easter. It is near Edgecumbe and Whakatane, so we will be back to the old stamping ground. We lived in the area back in the 70's and 80's. We will be doing the same as at Pataua; mowing, maintenance, cleaning and office. We are looking forward to our new place.

Eddie put the drone out on Saturday and the bait wasn't even nibbled, so we didn't bother with that again.

Earlier on Saturday we were walking along the beach and came across a man who had got himself really bogged in the sand. Right up to the diff. Another ute was trying to pull him out and he was stuck too. Eddie took pity on them and went and got the dodge and pulled them both out together. Louise said that it happens all the time in the summer. We might be able to make a bit of cash pulling people out ha ha.

It's a nice beach with the mouth of the Rangitaiki River to the right and then it just goes for miles to the left of the camp.

We had lovely weather the whole time we were away. We got back to Pataua on Monday afternoon. Adele and Russell are leaving tomorrow. They are going to Taupo to have their annual service. They are going to go to Te Aroha to see Adele's brother David after that. I'm not sure where they are going then. I don't think they do either.

We will be going to Matamata soon for two or three weeks. We will catch up with friends and getting a ball joint done at Baigent motors. It needs doing even though VTNZ didn't pick it up.

The weather continues to be fairly warm and Eddie is in his shorts for most days. When we were at Thornton, he said to me, put your shorts on and we'll go to the beach. I said I didn't bring any. I don't wear them in Whangarei why would I wear them here. He said well you're a dick. Off we went to the beach and there was a cold southerly blowing. He was finding it rather cold. I said well whose the dick now. We had a chuckle.

We have booked ourselves in to a camping ground at Miranda for 5 nights. They have hot pools, so we are looking forward to them. We will go  there on our way to Matamata.

Our daughter, husband and son came for a quick visit from Australia last weekend. They are here for their daughter's graduation in Dunedin. They came on Saturday and went on Monday morning. It was lovely to see them after nearly 3 years. We stayed at a motel in Parua while they were here. We went out to Pataua for lunch on Sunday. They met Nita the dogs and we had a walk around the park. 

We had a nice dinner at  the tavern at Parua on Sunday night.  

The family at Pataua