On the boat home

Tuesday 25 October
I drove from Christchurch to Blenheim this morning. It took me 4 hours - just a little different from the 9 days it took in August to get to Blenheim.

I left Christchurch at 6:40 and got a really good run through to Kaikoura. I got there shortly after the de Wit's left in their new camper and overtook them just before Kekerengu where we all stopped for a coffee and to reminisce about the walk. A few kilometres latter I passed a woman walking south with a cross. I'm feeling a little guilty now as I didn't stop and swap experiences. She was on the same stretch of road where I first got a serious case of the blues on the walk. She is a relative of someone who works at ANZ Technology in Wellington but I've forgotten who. I gather she carries just a change of clothing and trusts in the Lord to provide. My own experiences in the last 2 months whow the Lord will provide - but he finds it a damn side easier to do that if you carry a Visa card.

I banked the bucket at Blenheim on the way to Picton. I got a really good welcome again from the Blenheim staff. I have now raised $22,197.28. I also stopped at Mighty Mix and had a chat with Alana. With that all my spare time had disappeared and instead of getting a long walk in Blenheim the dogs finished up with 10 minutes in the exercise area in Picton. Rapid got to have a splash in the creek so he was happy.

There are a good collection of agility people on the ferry including the Wagener's and Kevin & Shona. With all the high wind I'm expecting it to be a little rough out in Cook Strait. I forgot to get seasickness pills in Picton but fortunately they sell them on the ferry.

In spite of being 2kg overweight and having sore feet Rapid did OK at the NDTA. He got to the semifinals of the Senior flygility, along with 3 Rohde dogs, and won a ribbon in Agility (9th place with ribbons to 9th). In jumpers hos best placing was 7th when ribbons went to 6th. We have 5 clear round certificates from 8 classes. One of the failures was definitely mine - I made the mistake of turning and facing Rapid which always makes him go around the jump. Another was the last pole off - that's his job to clear the jumps. The one D we got was a case of poor handling - also my fault. We got to the finals of Intermediate but I blew it by leaving out 2 obstacles.