2019 has arrived and I am still not ready for it. I can’t remember the last day that I took off, such is the life of the self employed, sometimes (like now) the self over employed and unfortunately at times the self unemployed! No complaints though, I have finished early this afternoon, opened a Stella Artois and am writing this instead of working. I will however start work after dinner again, after it has cooled down a bit.
Things that have happened in my life include – most of January I have been working in Auckland for a change, but have been travelling back and forth in all sorts of directions and for the first time had to pay the regional fuel tax on my Ute. Since July I had been working so much out of Auckland I had avoided it by filling up elsewhere including Morrinsville, Whakatane, Pongakawa, Hamilton, Rotorua and Ngaruawahia. Of these places the cheapest I have found being Whakatane. I have however managed to work in Rotorua once this month, yesterday in fact, a very long day, 14 hours chargeable, then 1.75 hrs breaks almost making it a 16 hour working day.
A highlight of Rotorua has been the discovery of the Ciabatta Café and Bakery. It isn’t cheap, in fact far from it, but my oh my is it good! By far the nicest lunches I have ever had. I highly recommend hunting it down. You will find in an industrial area of Rotorua, amongst panel beaters, kitchen joinery manufacturers, engineering shops and the independent Peugeot repairer (GB European – at the time they had a 1.6 205 GTI parked outside). It has a gourmet bakery selection, very good coffee and seating for many. I have tried their Lambie and the Veggie, both excellent. Look them up on https://www.ciabattabakery.co.nz/lunch-menu.html. I was more than pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food and not so presently surprised by the difficulty to get parked – such is the demand from locals and those in the know to eat here.
Things to remember clubwise are the following
Gymkana with Citroen – February 17 in Papakura– we need your participation, currently we earned more points towards the Tricoleur Trophy at the Navigation Trial than Citroen did, however traditionally the holder of the gymkhana has the best attendance and often the numbers end up with more points, even if the other club generally places better.
Brit and Euro Car Show – Lloyd Elsmore Park March 3 – This is a very nice and relaxed show, not like the Ellerslie show. Bring your car along in any condition, good, bad, partly restored, everyday driver – whatever it might be, contact Don Howarth to join him on the day.
Interclub with Wellington Peugeot Car Club – April – details are scarce as, they are yet to have their February committee meeting where they are to finalise the date, which I have been told will be April. My sources also tell me that Nick Watson has been asked to help organise by Wellington. Given that he lives in Taumaranui, I would expect it to be centred somewhere in the King Country area – wait and see and try and keep April free.
Hope to see you on the 17th in Papakura, Brent