Gosh I’ve had few comical moments this month but the one that raised the loudest laugh was a very warm invitation from the SPCA to be part of a fundraising drive. ‘Ooh what’s this?’ I thought, excitedly. That was until I realised the young woman emailing me wanted me to run a marathon with her and ‘not to worry if it was my first’!
Well, readers who know me will surely have a giggle. I couldn’t run a 100 metres let alone look at training for a marathon. But it did prompt me to think about the SPCA’s ongoing needs. So the following Sunday my two grandsons and I headed for the Auckland headquarters in Mangere loaded with towels, sheepskins, food and a few dollars for the piggy bank.
The boys had a wonderful time inspecting cats and dogs in need of homes but it was a little bit heart-breaking too. Despite them owning a cat and a dog, they desperately wanted to claim ownership of an endearing three-legged dog whose attempts to lick their hands through a window had them begging me to adopt.
Then we popped by the cattery and, gosh, there were any number of appealing pusses I would willingly have taken home had our own darling Cassie not been such a ‘fraidy cat’ and totally possessive of my knee.
Ultimately, it wasn’t our day to bring home a pet, but honestly, if any Rural Living readers could manage another pet or two I appeal to them to call in and look over the many lovely animals at the SPCA in Westney Road.
There’s Glen and OJ both big and beautiful marmalade cats, Midnight, a gorgeous, slinky black, Roxy with the roundest eyes and dear little Molly among other felines. And check out the kennels – so many friendly canines including puppies which showed us plenty of affection. And if offering a home to one of the lovables isn’t on the cards, perhaps someone out there might like to take my place in that fundraising marathon!
On a local note, I have appreciated refreshed kerb lines on Kitchener Road although the paintwork could have been taken a tad further. And I’d love to see the same done on Mill Road from Bombay into Pukekohe. On a dark, wet night, with oncoming, often blinding lights, the lack of good lighting on this route makes the road, in my mind, quite dangerous especially as traffic here is increasing.
I’m sure motorists would greatly benefit from lights of an ilk found on Karaka Road
(Drury to the Waiuku turnoff). And, I think with time – and the increased housing going in on all sides of Pukekohe – both these roads will need widening to ensure safe travel. I do hope that’s on council’s plans otherwise I fear congestion here will soon be as bad as it is on the motorway between Drury and Takanini.
Finally, spring officially arrives on September 1 and I’m so ready for it even though I know the next few weeks will likely bring a few last cold snaps or, at the very least, more rain!
So make the most of days in front of the fire – grab that cuppa and check out this month’s Rural Living especially our Waiuku step back in time!
