What I love about NZ
The week started with a trip to the airport for Claire and I. Michael Cox, son of friends of Nicky and I from our Maidstone days, flew in from the UK via Hong Kong. His flight arrived at lunchtime so Claire and I popped down Auckland International to welcome him. He was with a group of people coming to NZ for a few months with BUNAC (http://www.bunac.org/uk/) and wasn't expecting us to be there, but we think it was a nice surprise. He is coming for diner with a couple of his friends on Tuesday so we will find out more about his plans then.
Claire has been home all week (apart from working at Whitcoulls) revising for her exams. Much of her English Radicalism works seems to involve lying in the sun… I have had some Mac work during the week and on Saturday morning. Nicky has had a busy and difficult week at work. There is one member of staff who has some mental health issues and everybody finds him very difficult to get on with, both at Ranui and other libraries. He has been the cause of two other staff members leaving their jobs that we know of, and Nicky has had such a bad week with him last week that she has told her line manager that she is going to look for a new job unless something is done about the situation.
On Thursday, while shopping for new work trousers, Claire finally found a necklace that she liked for her 21st birthday present. Last year, the family got together and gave her money so that she could choose something that she wanted, but it has taken until now to find it. However, it has been worth the wait, as it is delicate and understated and just the sort of thing she wanted.
On Wednesday night we DIDN'T go to the airport to meet Netta, Becky's mum, who was arriving from Guernsey. However, we did go to Becky's on Friday evening for a family welcome party which we all enjoyed. As ever, and excellent selection of great food, and BBQ too. Becky and Netta are now off for a two week tour together.
We also had news on Thursday that Claire Cottage has now sold, so on Saturday morning that was a "working party" to clear the cottage. Stella and Grant are currently looking after a small removal van for a friend, so we planned to meet them along with Paul, Jenny, Andrew, Pat and Clem at Claire Cottage. However, by the time I had got back from my Saturday morning Mac job it was almost half past one. We decided to eat the picnic lunch which Nicky had made before departing, and then rang Stella to say we were on our way. She said not to bother - it was all packed. They called in here with the van to drop off chairs, paintings, and the pots and plants from the deck, which was really kind of them as it would have taken us 4 or more trips in Lilly to move the stuff to Blockhouse Bay. It also gave us the chance to sit and have a chat with S&G over a cup of coffee which was good. As a result of this, Nicky now has pots to garden in, so has been up to the diary this morning and bought a range of herbs, veg, and strawberry plants.
Nicky has been reading a book about a local garden, West Lynn Garden, this week, so we went for a visit this afternoon. It is about 10mins drive from us, has a $2 entry fee and is very pleasant. There are lots of paths to explore, with benches and picnic areas scattered throughout the garden. We had an enjoyable hour or so wandering around, and the came back to BHB and has a cone of ice cream each from the dairy, which we sat and ate in the wee reserve by the library. Nicky is busy planting her purchases as I write this.
The weather has been gorgeous today and yesterday, which is a real treat as it is Labour Weekend and we had some fairly heavy rain earlier in the week. Labour Weekend is the first public holiday (tomorrow) of the spring/summer season, and is often wet or cold, so the sunshine is very welcome. The breeze is still a little chilly, but the sun is very warm now. As we are are on holiday tomorrow Steve and Ros are coming over for Scrabble, and Claire and Ryan are having today and tomorrow together. We don't expect it to be quite as sunny tomorrow.
Nicky has got some books about NZ out of the library for Michael, and I have been having a read of one of them today called "Living Abroad in NZ". It is a guide for people emigrating from the USA to NZ. The Canadian author opens the book with a list of what she loves about NZ, much of which I agree with:
• Going for a hike in the bush without driving anywhere first.
• The tui, a bird that sounds like R2D2.
• Skiing on an active volcano.
• Having friendly conversations with complete strangers.
• Not hearing about "smog warnings".
• Going to the beach on Christmas Day.
• Seeing people walk through town in bare feet.
• Watching the All Blacks perform a haka before every rugby match.
• Sir Edmund Hillary is on the $5 note, not a politician.
• People politely asking where I am from, because they don't to insult me by guessing wrong.
• Even though it is a small country with little international influence, its leaders are not afraid to take an unpopular stand on an issue, even if it contradicts their closest allies.
• Every time there is a warm sunny day, everyone goes outside, no matter what.
• There are cities where 15 minutes in the car is considered a "long commute".
• Seeing dolphins or penguins in the harbor now and then.
• Stopping at the local dairy for an ice-cream cone after a "tramp" in the woods.
• The national animal is a bird that sleeps all day and can't fly.
• Kids are still allowed to clim trees in the schoolyard.
• Your boss would find it strange if you didn't use all four weeks of your vacation time each year.
• It will take me many, many years to try all of the local wines and decide which ones I like best.
I think that sums the place up pretty well.
Bye for now,
Rick
Claire has been home all week (apart from working at Whitcoulls) revising for her exams. Much of her English Radicalism works seems to involve lying in the sun… I have had some Mac work during the week and on Saturday morning. Nicky has had a busy and difficult week at work. There is one member of staff who has some mental health issues and everybody finds him very difficult to get on with, both at Ranui and other libraries. He has been the cause of two other staff members leaving their jobs that we know of, and Nicky has had such a bad week with him last week that she has told her line manager that she is going to look for a new job unless something is done about the situation.
On Thursday, while shopping for new work trousers, Claire finally found a necklace that she liked for her 21st birthday present. Last year, the family got together and gave her money so that she could choose something that she wanted, but it has taken until now to find it. However, it has been worth the wait, as it is delicate and understated and just the sort of thing she wanted.
On Wednesday night we DIDN'T go to the airport to meet Netta, Becky's mum, who was arriving from Guernsey. However, we did go to Becky's on Friday evening for a family welcome party which we all enjoyed. As ever, and excellent selection of great food, and BBQ too. Becky and Netta are now off for a two week tour together.
We also had news on Thursday that Claire Cottage has now sold, so on Saturday morning that was a "working party" to clear the cottage. Stella and Grant are currently looking after a small removal van for a friend, so we planned to meet them along with Paul, Jenny, Andrew, Pat and Clem at Claire Cottage. However, by the time I had got back from my Saturday morning Mac job it was almost half past one. We decided to eat the picnic lunch which Nicky had made before departing, and then rang Stella to say we were on our way. She said not to bother - it was all packed. They called in here with the van to drop off chairs, paintings, and the pots and plants from the deck, which was really kind of them as it would have taken us 4 or more trips in Lilly to move the stuff to Blockhouse Bay. It also gave us the chance to sit and have a chat with S&G over a cup of coffee which was good. As a result of this, Nicky now has pots to garden in, so has been up to the diary this morning and bought a range of herbs, veg, and strawberry plants.
Nicky has been reading a book about a local garden, West Lynn Garden, this week, so we went for a visit this afternoon. It is about 10mins drive from us, has a $2 entry fee and is very pleasant. There are lots of paths to explore, with benches and picnic areas scattered throughout the garden. We had an enjoyable hour or so wandering around, and the came back to BHB and has a cone of ice cream each from the dairy, which we sat and ate in the wee reserve by the library. Nicky is busy planting her purchases as I write this.
The weather has been gorgeous today and yesterday, which is a real treat as it is Labour Weekend and we had some fairly heavy rain earlier in the week. Labour Weekend is the first public holiday (tomorrow) of the spring/summer season, and is often wet or cold, so the sunshine is very welcome. The breeze is still a little chilly, but the sun is very warm now. As we are are on holiday tomorrow Steve and Ros are coming over for Scrabble, and Claire and Ryan are having today and tomorrow together. We don't expect it to be quite as sunny tomorrow.
Nicky has got some books about NZ out of the library for Michael, and I have been having a read of one of them today called "Living Abroad in NZ". It is a guide for people emigrating from the USA to NZ. The Canadian author opens the book with a list of what she loves about NZ, much of which I agree with:
• Going for a hike in the bush without driving anywhere first.
• The tui, a bird that sounds like R2D2.
• Skiing on an active volcano.
• Having friendly conversations with complete strangers.
• Not hearing about "smog warnings".
• Going to the beach on Christmas Day.
• Seeing people walk through town in bare feet.
• Watching the All Blacks perform a haka before every rugby match.
• Sir Edmund Hillary is on the $5 note, not a politician.
• People politely asking where I am from, because they don't to insult me by guessing wrong.
• Even though it is a small country with little international influence, its leaders are not afraid to take an unpopular stand on an issue, even if it contradicts their closest allies.
• Every time there is a warm sunny day, everyone goes outside, no matter what.
• There are cities where 15 minutes in the car is considered a "long commute".
• Seeing dolphins or penguins in the harbor now and then.
• Stopping at the local dairy for an ice-cream cone after a "tramp" in the woods.
• The national animal is a bird that sleeps all day and can't fly.
• Kids are still allowed to clim trees in the schoolyard.
• Your boss would find it strange if you didn't use all four weeks of your vacation time each year.
• It will take me many, many years to try all of the local wines and decide which ones I like best.
I think that sums the place up pretty well.
Bye for now,
Rick
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