Friends Reunited January 28, 2008

Me (l), Wendy (c) Paul (r) and John (in coat)
Isle Of Dogs, UK in 1990
Folks in New Zealand look forward to the long weekends that the public holidays bring at this time of year. They offer a chance to pack in another day at the beach, have a longer break at the bach or [...]

Feeling empty January 19, 2008

On most Saturday mornings, SWMBO and I enjoy a lie-in. Aware that it is morning, we hover between sleep and wakefulness, listening to the cats scampering on the sun deck outside the bedroom, the interminable chirruping of Playhouse Disney downstairs and the traditional Kiwi weekend chorus of lawn mowers hard at work. No.3 [...]

Sir Edmund Hillary 1919-2008 January 11, 2008

This evening, New Zealand mourns Sir Edmund Hillary. While much will be written about him and his achievements in the days to come, I hope that none will be more applauded than the work of the Himalayan Trust he established and through which he worked tirelessly to raise funds for schools, hospitals and infrastructure [...]

Comings and goings January 7, 2008

A year ago, I wrote a post called Homeward Bound about feelings we experienced seeing friends off at the airport. It fooled those who didn’t read it carefully enough into thinking we were heading back to England. That same trek out to the airport is one we now make regularly to collect and [...]

Hiatus Interuptus January 5, 2008

After a break of one year and one week, I am once again in the mood to resume writing here again. I stopped because I felt blogging about our life before, during and after our emigration from the UK was becoming a chore. I was tired of feeling guilty when folks asked when [...]

Homeward bound December 30, 2006

Halfway down the departures board, I could see that Air New Zealand flight NZ39, bound for London via Hong Kong, was now open for check-in. The pit of my stomach was churning with unbidden feelings and the thought of twenty-four plus hours on a plane made me queasy. Not an hour previous, we’d [...]

Kapa Haka November 4, 2006

Kapa Haka is the term used for the traditional Maori performing arts. The term kapa haka derives its meaning from two words: kapa (to stand in rows) and haka (Māori dance). Kapa haka requires the performers to sing, dance, have expression as well as movement and combine all these elements into each performed item. [...]

Just like in the movies November 4, 2006

Click on image for larger versions
An unusual event interrupted my pottering about in the garden yesterday. I was in the middle of cat proofing my ‘square foot gardening‘ vegetable patches, surrounded by chicken wire, tools and the odd sprog, when I heard a sound one normally only hears in films.
Buuuur-bup-bup-bup … buuuur-bup-bup-bup … phut-phut-bup…
I [...]

Joy and pain October 30, 2006

Cruising on the Harbour Bridge
On the limit at the finish

View from the sofa on a wet Saturday September 9, 2006

The rich, warm, orchestral tones of Joni Mitchell plays while the day-long rain turns the water pooled on the deck effervescent and bubbling like a dull sparkling wine. The mild regret of a day’s chores hijacked by rain is balanced by the peace of mind that the rising water in our tank brings.
The damp of [...]