Masterton

Last school holidays we tried to go visit my 89 year old grandmother (we call her GumGum). But Luke had that horrid chest infection, the rest of us had bouts of the flu and it just didn't work out. Finally these school holidays we made it to the town my mother and I were both born in: Masterton. It's always great to go back to my roots, to visit my lovely Aunty and uncle and see our awesome GumGum. Marty was straight out with my Aunty and uncle for their weekly cards night, he loves going on a Friday so he can join that circle of friends! The kids had fun bunking down in the same lounge that my cousins and I used to play in through my childhood visits to masterton too. 

On Saturday morning we walked in to GumGums room in the rest home and surprised her as she was finishing her breakfast in bed! "Oh, I forgot you were coming" she giggled and got me to help her sit up a bit more. We settled in for a long newsy chat, showing her photos of our year and telling her all we have been up to. 

The kids enjoyed writing her little notes on her whiteboard, which she read with a smile on her face. 

GumGum was in a pretty good space, and we stayed for ages chatting. Only once did she confess to being tired of being the last of her friends alive and wished "she would just go to sleep and not wake up". She got a bit teary and quickly changed the subject though. 

I love my GumGum so much. She was always the perfect stepford wife, hair perfectly permed and house immaculate as she baked in the kitchen and listened to talkback on the radio. And boy was she a beauty in her day. It was so good to see her this month. Love you GumGum! 

Check out these Monkeys! Back scratching all round here. 

Leaving in a happy space, we then headed towards Wellington for a few days, stopping in Greytown for lunch and a visit to the settlers village. 

It was a stunner of a day, and we joined the many sitting outdoors having lunch in cafes. I was delighted to find that the settlers museum have now created a quiz to be filled in as you go around for kids, this kept them interested and engaged the whole way around. 

When we got to the little church, we had to find who built it. And would you believe, it was my 5xgrandfather whose name was on the information sheet! Suddenly my family history came back to me and I recalled that he owned a sawmill, built a church, was Greytowns mayor and was a preacher too! This is the man who Luke is named after - Hart Udy (Lukes middle name). It made the trip much more meaningful for us all. 

It was our good luck that On Saturday afternoons the family who owns the printing machinery come and do demonstrations - it was lovely for the kids to get a chance to use the old printing press and see the large ones in use too. 

And of course, no settlers visit would be complete without a schoolroom...and a naughty spot! 

Luke writes his name carefully on the slate. 

We stopped for icecream on the footpath  in Featherston and finally were in the way to Wellington, happy and sleepy. What a great trip to the Wairarapa!