Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

It has been another busy week here in Blockhouse Bay. Nicky has done here usual 40 hours at Ranui Library, seen the physio about her shoulder, quilted with the ladies who quilt on a Thursday evening, and did a Saturday morning shift to fill in for a colleague. Claire has had a couple of days on Campus doing a Flying Start course. This aim to arm new undergrads with what they need to know about the university and studying, in preparation for term starting next week. Claire has found it interesting and useful, though a little daunting in terms of the essay writing expectations. However, we are sure she will get to grips with these once she gets started. I have completed the second week of my massage course and passed my first practical assessment. This was more related to set up and "managing the client" than actual massage, but it means I have passed M1: Massage Stage One. Only 4 more to go! Claire and I did a big shop together for the first time in ages which was good. We als...

Even though it has been a week of major change for me, I have to start off with the weather. The humidity and temperature rose steadily through the week until on Thursday it was the hottest day in Auckland for 137 years! - allegedly. The official top temperature was recorded as 34C, but felt like 38C because of the humidity. The cloud cover which was hiding the sun finally turned to a good rain storm in the evening, and the mozies went mad. I think some have been cross-breading with hobbits because they had second breakfast on my left shoulder. Friday was so fresh it felt chilly, Saturday started very wet, but then today we are back to lovely warm sunshine and mid-20 temperatures. This week I have started my massage course and become "officially" self-employed. I am in college on Tuesday's and Wednesday's each week. This week started with orientation on Tuesday morning, and then spent the rest of Tuesday and Wednesday in practical sessions. After giving and receiving ...

Thanks for all the suggestions. The correct answer is the Britomart Railway station in Auckland. This is built inside the old Post Office building which I guess is around 100 years old. You walk in to the main concourse area where there are the usual shops and ticket sales. You then take the escalator down to an atrium where there are toilets and more escalators down to the platforms. The photo was taken in the atrium which has these reflective pillars and wonderful natural borrowed light. I will try and find another photo for Po Quiz N° 2 in the near future. Rick

I walked into the lounge the other evening, only to discover my daughter demolishing the chocolate mousse which I had made for some friends coming round for dinner. Due to having more main course than we expected, we didn't really make many in-roads into the mousse, a situation which Claire decided to remedy. As you can see, by the time I discovered this there was little left. However, at least after having a parental chat with her that was some hint of remorse: Aside from this traumatic event, it has been a week of beginnings and endings. Claire had much of the day at University on Wednesday on a Course Advice day. This seems to have been lots of short workshops and presentations on a wide range of "getting to grips with University life" type subjects which she found useful and interesting. She bought some books from the University bookshop (Bennetts) and was promptly offered a job during the transaction. Bennetts are owned by Whitcoulls and therefore use the same comput...

Our week started with a public holiday, as last Monday was Auckland Anniversary Day. With none of us at work it was chance to breakfast together for a change, so I hit on the idea of croissants, even though we didn't have any. Off I went, but neither bakers nor supermarket had any, so we had porridge and cereals. Claire was on duty at the museum in the afternoon, and so Nicky and I got a lift into town with her. She dropped us at the bottom of Parnell Rise, and we walked down Beach Street and Quay Street to the harbour to see if we could glimpse anything of the regatta and general goings-on. We did see some ships in the distance, but mainly enjoyed just strolling in the sun (it was 27C in the shade and probably 10-12 degrees warmer in the sun), taking in the atmosphere and watching the street performers. We enjoyed listening to the music of a South American Indian group while having our picnic lunch, and watching a "bronze cowgirl statue" amuse children with her unexpecte...