Bridge

Bean and I had another walk at Enfield today, thanks to an unexpected coffee catch up with a friend in the pub there. The walk takes us over this former vehicular bridge which crosses the Waiareka Creek. 

It has been closed to all but foot traffic and bikes since 2015. The local farmer manages to squeeze his ATV quad bike across to save himself a 4km detour to a couple of paddocks.

Periodically Council engineers check the safety of the structure and when I met them doing just that six months ago there was quite a bit of sucking of teeth and shaking of heads when I asked if it was okay. 

The implication of their comments was that once it’s unsafe it’ll be closed completely. The farmer won’t be happy. And it will mean that we’ll need to find a new walk between home and Oamaru.

News from the UK is that #3 brother will be going into a specialist dementia care home on Friday, initially for two weeks respite (to give his son and main carer a much needed break). We are all hoping he finds it okay. There is an option for him to become a resident after the fortnight. He’s not safe at home and his son is at his wits’ end with stress and exhaustion. 

This first hurdle will be to persuade him it’s okay to go to the care home on Friday. Fingers crossed.