WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY     NELSON

After breakfast, I did two loads of washing.

John continued the repair work on his bike. I cleaned up the van and washed the floor.

We had an early lunch because John was going to Port McDonnell to play bowls.

I read the paper, did some embroidery, finished a letter to daughter.

I spent quite a bit of time watching the many birds that are around our site. They seem to have accepted the van’s presence and take little notice of me. Today I was visited by some firetails, a little wattlebird, a New Holland honeyeater, an Eastern spinebill, both Mr and Mrs fairy wren, some silvereyes, a yellow breasted robin and some carolling magpies. There were also crimson rosellas chirping away nearby, at teatime. There is a diversity of vegetation around Nelson, given the coastal  and the river environments, which may account for the variety of the birds. I felt lucky to see so many different ones.

John enjoyed himself at bowls – he found the men very informal and friendly.

For once we managed tea at a reasonable time. I made poached chicken breast with mango, potatoes and broad beans. We followed it with some of the  Xmas pudding my sister in law had given me – very nice cold, with ice cream.

After tea, John decided on a bike ride, to test out his repair work. We rode along the path of the Great South West Walk, which follows the Gorge, from Nelson. Followed this until it met up with Moores Track then took the latter back to Nelson. It was getting late when we started out, and was dark by the time we got back. The ride was rather marginal and risky at the end, with kangaroos hopping away in fright as we rode by. We did not set out to go so far – or at least I didn’t – but rode 9.4kms.

It was also hot work, because we were really hurrying at the end. I’d already had my shower at 5pm, before John decided on the ride, and didn’t want another, so I went “unwashed” to bed!

John wrote postcards to his daughter R and to his sister. His elder daughter, S, is due back from a six-month posting to Bougainville, today.