Rough Day for Jesse

Jesse went beach combing yesterday (about 40 k's away)looking for a beautiful and rare stone that is only found in one place in the entire world (cayenite?sp). We'd seen a few pieces of what it looks like polished and Jesse got the fever. We went a few days earlier looking for it and spent about an hour and a half and found nothing. I fell once and have a huge bruise on my calf and also on my right knee. When he informed me that he would be going again I lovingly did the good wife thing and packed him a lunch and told him to take as long as he wanted and to be sure to have fun. I also told him that he shouldn't get upset if he found nothing as lifelong residents have found nothing time after time. When he left the lodge he told me not to worry until 8 o'clock. Ya right, 8 o'clock I thought, thinking that he'd be back in 5 hours max. He left a little after 11 in the morning. The morning went slow for me and the afternoon flew past. I started to make dinner and realized that it was getting late. Mata and Ken (our hosts at the lodge) had gone to town for the day and were back. Mata said that she was worried and had called her cousin, who lives in a house near where Jesse would have parked the car. He said that the car had been there all day and was still there. We thought that perhaps he had went around the point and then got stuck by the incoming tides. The cousin set off to look for Jesse.

Finally at 7:54 I hear a car door slam and look out in time to see Jesse stumbling to the door. He looks like he has been chewed up and spit out. Here's what happened: he was so soggy from the rain that had been pounding the coast all day that once he got back to the car the remote wouldn't unlock the immobilizer. He had an extra change of clothes in the car and changed into dry clothes and stayed there trying to get the car alarm to cooperate for about an hour. He then decided that he would need to walk the 3 k's to the highway in hopes of getting picked up as a hitchhiker. He ended up walking for around 8 k's before some young folks from England stopped and rescued him. He took a picture of himself with his thumb up and decided that he needed to fix his hair and smile, otherwise he looked kind of scary.

Good news: he did find a few pieces of the rock. He was so happy that he got picked up that he gave one of the pieces to the folks that picked him up. I am so proud of him for giving up a piece, after all it never hurts to have Karma on your side.

We went back with a new battery this morning (We had bought one the same time that we bought the car and I had kept it in my purse for the past 7 months. Just cleaned it out 2 weeks ago and couldn't find it. Thankfully Ken had one! I found ours and gave it to Ken) and the alarm was fine and we drove the car home.

Yowsa. What a day for Jesse.

On our way to Fox Glacier

Well, we are heading to Fox Glacier and away from the comforts that we have known for the past 4 months. Leaving Golden Bay was really hard for me as I felt very connected to my self and was feeling like a really healthy and whole person. The night before we left we were doing a bit of climbing around and Jesse lost his wedding band. I think he thinks that he is going to get something cooler here to replace it but little does he know that if one of us is going to get jewelry it is probably going to be me. I think we will replace it with the same on when we get home. It was sad and unfortunate but not the end of the world. I think there was a cosmic rift that day as I had talked with my sister on the phone and her and her boyfriend had gotten into a car accident the same day. Also on that day jesse had decided to change the oil in the car and had accidentally removed the transmission fluid. Since we were 30 k's from town that was a little problematic. This convinces me that there was something wrong with the time space continum. Just kidding, but not really=;)
I have a permanent job offer from the couple we were staying with in Golden Bay and I think that I might have to take them up on it in a few years. Christchurch was alright. After being out in the country for so long I found the big city too much of a diry crowded mess. The hostel was an old converted jail and that was cool. We also had a tv in our room and got to check out free movies from the desk and so that was nice. We are heading to a backpackers called Ivory Towers in Fox Glacier now. We will help-x there for a week and then are on the move again heading south. The weather is so hot today. I am happy as the last time we were on the west coast it was a little depressing with lots of rain and clouds. On the train ride back from Christchurch today we sat next to two guys from Portland Oregon. The way they were talking about their home made JEsse and I want to move there. It's always sounded nice but I think they get a bit much rain for my personality.
I just found out that Tom Petty is back on tour!!!!!!!!!! Man am I stoked. I almost bought tickets before I realized I was thinking about the wrong month. Boy, that could have been bad=:) I always double check those things anyway, so I am sure I would have caught it. Better go and get back on the road. We've got about 200 k's to drive before we get to our bed tonight and it's already after 3pm. Driving takes a lot of time here.

Update

So we are still in B-E-A-utiful Golden Bay and loving it. The weather was rainy a few days ago but it has turned around and has been really exceptional for the past 3 days. I'm talking not a cloud in the sky, golden brown beaches and greenish blue crystal clear water that is just beggin' us to go for a swim. Yesterday Jesse and I hiked from Totorunui to Wainui bay. It is the very end of the Abel Tasman walk that is classified as one of NZ's 8 great walks. It was the first walk since I injured my knee and we took it slow. My knee is alright today only a little sore, so I think that it was good timing. We ate lunch on the beach and jesse went snorkeling and saw a sting ray and a bunch of sea life. We also stopped at a mid way point and played cards (Rummy) and just soaked up the environment. All in all it ended up being a 13.5 Kilometer walk.
On Sunday Jesse taught me how to drive motorcycle and I ACTUALLY DID IT!! I drove on my own for the first time ever and am in love with it=:) The oldest son (20-Amani) has a Suzuki that looks like it is from the 80's and it is the perfect learners bike. I found out later that it is really a 2004 and so I am glad I rode it thinking that it was older otherwise I would have been afraid to damage it! I was able to take it down the gravel road to the pavement and then I rode down the pavement for a while. Right before I left the boys showed me where the reserve gas tank was and boy was that lucky! I happened to run out of gas exactly when I was crossing a single lane bridge. Only my quick thinking allowed me to get accross the bridge and out of the oncoming path of traffic (there were cars!). You all would have been proud of me! I pulled over and flipped the switch on the reserve tank and then took off again. Didn't even think about it. I got up to 60 KPH and that was fast enough for me. I think that I will practice some more tomorrow=:) Jesse said that he could see me grinning all the way down the driveway when I got back from riding.
After the motorcycle lesson and riding Jesse and I went to the beach with Amani and we snorkeled and had a picnic. They saw another sting ray-eagle ray (doesn't have a stinger or not a poisonous one) and we had a great time in the sun. We had walked down the beach and so on the way back we had to pass the nudist beach and that is always an intereting thing to do. Mostly a bunch of men. I've never been on that beach without seeing at least one package that I was trying to avoid seeing!!
We have 6 days left here and I am already unhappy about leaving. We have plans on the 1st of March and then further plans for my birthday on the 3rd-train to Christchurch, and so I am glad for those because we cannot stay here longer. I could imagine myself staying here indefinitely. What a grand way to live your life!! The family that we are with are very eco conscious and they have composting toilets and no tv's and they use solar power to heat their water and power their homes. Are you all aware of the Earth Hour comming up near the end of March? It is a time for all people to shut their power off for an hour during the same time in order to show world powers that we are serious about the environment. I think it is happening in NZ on March 23 (Sunday) at 8:30 PM. Just google Earth Hour.
Ta for now,
Beverly

Back in Beautiful Golden Bay

Jesse and I are back in wonderful sunny Golden Bay. I am doing housekeeping for their 3 rental units and Jesse is doing maintenance around the property. No matter where we are on the property (with the exception of where we are all sleeping) we are able to see the ocean and the wonderfully gorgeous bay. The water is such a bright blue mixed with green. Antje is our host and she is such a good cook. Very healthy and hearty foods which are wonderful and delicious. We will spend the entire month of February here and I know that I will be sad once we leave. It is such a great place to relax and rejuvenate and to reconnect with nature.
One of their rental properties is the Little Greenie and it has been rated as the most energy efficient house in New Zealand. It is such a great thing to clean as the energy efficiency theme apparently translates to human energy during the cleaning process and is a breeze. They also have a house truck, which is a very Kiwi thing. The house truck is much smaller but does tend to take longer. Imagine that, cleaning a house truck and having it take longer than cleaning a whole house!! The third rental property is the Hippie House and that takes the longest. Check out their website at goldenbayhideaway.co.nz and see for yourself where we are!
It's not all been roses though, as we've had a few minor issues with our car. Actually Jesse is working on fixing some of those things now as I type. Hopefully we can get it all squared away and working properly before we leave and head south. We've booked a train ride for my birthday and so will be heading accros the alps. Really looking forward to that as we've not done a train ride yet. We will then spend 3 nights in Christchurch at a hostel that used to be a jail. Should be a fun time.
Cheers,
Beverly

It's been a while!!

Hello All! Jesse and I have computer access once again. We've been enjoying the last few days as our hosts have taken their children on holiday and we've got the house to ourselves. We've been cooking and baking delicious foods such as chicken tortilla soup, burritos and key lime pie. We are making sweet and sour fish tonight. Jesse has borrowed a guitar from the next door neighboors and is playing to his heart's content.
We've been taking care of all of the animals which is only a small pain in the morning when one of us has to get up and feed them. The biggest pain in the butt are the chicks who keep thinking that it is alright for them to come into the house. They are at a stage where they look more like vilocaraptors than cute cuddly chicks.
The weather here has been rainy and really humid. Jesse and Neil will begin the build as soon as they are home from holiday. They are building a studio for Julie to work on her artwork. I am going to head over to Golden Bay at the end of the month, probably without Jesse, as he is going to stay on and finish the job to make a few dollars.
Jesse's been riding a dirt bike. He went out riding yesterday and he was gone for a very long time. I finally left to go look for him and he was coming up the driveway-the chain had come off the bike and he had trouble getting it back on as he was on a really steep incline. He managed to get it back in riding condition: good thing too because I never would have found him.
Tonight we are planing on watching Dumb & Dumber and vegging out in front of the cable tv. Hope that all is well!
Beverly & Jesse