Lots of rain = lots of mud

We went to Steve and Maureen’s house for supper last night, which was really great. Harry and Jenny should have been there too, but Harry has been quite unwell the last few days and they had to cancel. We nearly cancelled too, because the rain makes their track extremely muddy and a little dangerous, but it is the last time we will see them socially before they go on holiday next weekend. We left home at about 4.45 to get there by 5, but couldn’t get up Side Hill Path because it was closed – the Public Works Department was clearing rocks off the road, and the Fire Department was washing mud away. We had to go back through town, up past the hospital, and via Constitution Hill road, which was also kind of treacherous with all the small rocks that had been washed onto the road. The rainwater was simply running down the roads – we drove past a brand new waterfall, gushing over the embankment onto the road from the road above the hairpin bend. We were quite amazed at the volume of water on the roads. When we got to S&M’s track, I was horrified – had I been alone, I would either have turned around and gone home, or walked all the way down to their house to ask Steve to come and drive the car! The water was lying in huge puddles – not bad to drive through, IF you know what lies underneath. Nick just took it very slowly, and we got to the bottom at their house with no incidents. The tyres were thickly coated with mud so that the car was starting to slip, but Nick kept it on the track very well. Getting up the track was even more terrifying – the first attempt was no good and the car just couldn’t go any further, so Nick had to roll down and try gather a bit more speed – this done without doing a wheel spin on the loose stones which have been laid over their driveway, which took us up sufficiently to get past the steepest uphill. Was I ever glad to get home! The evening itself though was very pleasant. Maureen had planned for supper to be ready by 5.30, so that the boys wouldn’t have a late dinner, which was thoughtful of her. We made a chicken dish, with rice, brussel sprouts and mixed veggies (the sprouts for the boys, the mixed vegs for the boys). Pudding was peaches and yoghurt in chocolate cups, and then we had mango liquorice from Australia afterward. Conversation was bounteous and varied. The boys went to bed at 7, as usual, but Caleb was having an asthmatic reaction to something and hadn’t brought his pump, so couldn’t settle – he came and sat on my lap for a while, and then Aaron followed. Since they were now out of bed well after their bedtime, they got very silly. Since there was no hope of getting them to sleep there, we just went home. It had been a very good evening though.