National News

 We have made National News this week - not Nicky and I, but Whanganui. The Sarjeant Gallery re-opened on Saturday, a little behind schedule and a big smidge over budget, but it is fantastic. When we first came to Whanganui 2019 looking for our retirement location, checking out the local library was part of the routine. We saw the building site next to the Davis Library and learned that it was the gallery, due to re-open late 2020 or early 2021. It ended up being yesterday. The old 1930’s building has been completely refurbished and brought up to current earthquake standards. In addition, a whole new building has been added more than doubling the exhibition space.

The opening date was announced a few months ago and Nicky immediately said that she wanted to attend. I didn’t expect to do so with it being a Saturday morning, but we didn’t sail this weekend as I will explain later. Shortly before 9.30am we ambled up the hill to the new gallery entrance along with quite a few other locals, some of whom we knew which was nice. A aura brass band led the dignitaries into the seating area and an hour of speeches began. The sun came out, the weather warmed, I had a lovely cup of coffee from a concession truck, and finally the gallery was pronounced open.

We hung back a little and headed for the gallery gift shop as the foyer and staircase to the main gallery was absolutely stuffed with people. The excellent range of gifts are all high quality products, and we were particularly taken with some deep red tea towels, designed by the illustrator Rebekah Pearson, so bought two. One has native bird motifs, and the other local fish, drawn to scale for measuring the catch! We did manage a bit of a wander round the old and new galleries, which are united by a suspended carved waka and woven fish nets. It was very busy so we will return in the future to enjoy it at our leisure, and to patronise the café. One of the interesting things about the café is the very long opening hours - 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. Finally, somewhere we can get a cuppa at 4 in the afternoon to wash down our cucumber sandwiches. Most Whanganui cafés open early and close between 2 & 3p.m.

We are also very pleased at the prominence of the event in the media. There is a good length and informative article in The NZ Listener, a weekly nationwide publication, and there was a 2-minute slot on the evening national news. The gallery management have some unique local art already, but are hoping to become a repository of much more. It is also hoped that the new gallery will be another inducement for people to visit Whanganui, along with Nicky’s wonderful scones and my stunning rope handling on the boat. As the Mayor said at the end of the article in The Listener, all we need now is a hotel for all the visitors!

A bite of lunch was required when we returned home, before going next door but one, to help Mark celebrate his 60th birthday. We assumed there would be birthday cake and tea, but not the extensive spread of sandwiches, cheeses, dips and BBQ’d sausages and chicken that Mark and Elaine provided. As a result of spending the afternoon on their deck nattering with the other dozen or so guests and grazing our way though the food, we only need a late snack for dinner. Nicky finished doing the ironing as we watched Living, a brilliant film with Bill Nighy. Set after WW2 it is the story of a London City Council staffer, complete with pin-striped suit and bowler hat, who is told he has cancer and just a few months left to live. He realises that he doesn’t feel he has really lived and sets about changing things. Highly recommended.

On Thursday someone was seen in the river near the city bridge, and not seen again. Search and Rescue and the Police started looking for them, and a dive team arrived on Friday. A 3-day rahui was placed on the river, hence our weekend sailings being cancelled. We currently have no further accurate news about the situation.

Also on Thursday the technology was “down” again, at the Aramoho Library, so after Nicky had closed up she went to the Davis Library to deal with some of the book returns. On leaving she saw a couple of hoodie-clad people trying the doors of parked cars with tool in hand and succeeding into getting into one. She called the Police who arrived very promptly and were very pleased to catch the couple red-handed. Nicky provided a statement and returned home looking forward to a good cup of tea, which was provided by staff (me).

The rest of our week has been much more routine. The weather has been good so Nicky has spent much time working in the garden. I have washed the outside of the house as I do every six months, and washed the windows inside and out, as I do when the spirt moves me. After our quizzing hiatus we were back at it this week, coming 15th with 87. The Community Meal at the marae was again quite quiet and therefore more enjoyable and cheerful.

I have done some MacOnSite work and finished reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. It is the story of three women who worked at Bletchley Park and while it is a work of fiction, much of it is based on actual events. It took me awhile to get to grips with it, but I ultimately found it both engrossing and moving. Nicky is currently reading it alongside a biography of Angela Merkel.

Nicky was off to church early this morning to help with the morning tea for the 8.30 service attendees. She has volunteered to do this until May while I’m still working on the boat, as she regularly gets to church early after dropping me at the wharf.

Our poppies have been enjoying the warmer weather, and provide us with a very enjoyable greeting each time we return home:

Take care, Rick and Nicky.