Whareroa Farm

Harry went travelling - down to Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru and ended the week in Christchurch. Did a bit of walking and took some photos.  Oamaru has quite a bit of Victorian design and some nice old buildings.
Christchurch CBD is still like a ghost town, but they are working hard to get things moving and trying to get life back to normality. Also took a walk through the botanic gardens with quite a few flowers in bloom.

Harry returned just in time for another exciting weekend.  On Saturday night we went to the Graduation of the students of the Performing Arts.  Very talented group of people - with some exceptional dancers - although we couldn't quite get the themes behind some of the modern dances - assuming there was one! On Sunday we had a chance to try out our new walking poles.  We went for a walk to Whareroa farm with a group of walkers that Margot has put us in touch with.  It was back to the area where I grew up.  The farm is just behind Paekakariki - managed by the Department of Conservation for a few decades - it is slowly being turned into a regenerating native forest.  It is a working sheep and cattle farm, but gives the public the opportunity to tramp, mountain bike, ride horses over hills and down dales while enjoying the views over the Kapiti coast. Its been farmed since the 1850 by a guy called Alexander MacKay (that's where MacKays crossing gets its name from) and was later a training and recuperation camp for US Marines fighting in the Pacific campaign in the second world war.  I used to go over the back of our house and find cutlery left by the Marines - what a pity I didn't keep them.  After the walk we went shopping for duvets and pillows. No photos cos a bit misty.

Wairarapa

Week 3 of work - how long do you have to work before you forget how many weeks you have been there? It has been a proud Mum moment this week with Mike's company winning two awards at the 2011 annual AAGE awards - I think that stands for Australian Association of Graduate Employers. The celebrations are on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q6MXpfHmmo where you can see him and his mates dance the night away. The two awards were for Best Supplier to the Graduate Recruitment Industry and Award for Best Exhibitor. So, didn't they do well!!  We came first at bridge again - I doubt whether we can keep the winning streak up much longer and on Saturday we drove over to the airshow.  We arrived early so Harry would have time to see the exhibits.  There were none so he came along with me to a market which wasn't very good and then had lunch in the park watching school cricket (there was meant to be a Teddy Bears picnic on but we couldn't find it).  It was funny to be back in a country town as both the airshow and the A and P show had no signs enticing people to come to them.  Anyway about the airshow - here is a few of the 500 photos Harry took and what he had to say about it...
It was good to get back into the NZ aviation scene again, you most probably don't get to see this many WWI aircraft flying anywhere in the world. It was great to see some new aircraft to the NZ skies. Although only 2 of the aircraft are original the rest are full scale replicas that in some cases are built from the original blue prints.

While Harry watched aeroplanes I drove to a garden to have a look see only to find it was closed on Saturday and then to a wildlife park only to find it was closed all the time. So, I consoled myself with buying some herbs for my new herb garden and some veges for some pots and my new vege garden (capsicums, zucchinis, eggplants and chillis). I've decided to get into the real yummy veges rather than peas, beans and silverbeet. I was just getting to the stage of wondering what I would do next when David rang up and invited me around to their new home in Carterton (not new to him or Maggie but I hadn't seen them in 4 years). To end the day nicely Marty and Cheryl came down for dinner and we went to a local pub and caught up.  At the pub there was a clock that had stopped at exactly 4.35 on 4th September last year - due to the shock news that New Zealands'only Guinness draught production line was closed - it obviously hasn't opened anywhere else as the clock is still grieving!  We always said Guinness tastes better in Ireland.

On Sunday it was a glorious day and Harry went and did his thing as a crowd supervisor and the Christmas Parade (it suddenly occurred to us that we didn't see any of these in England - though the Christmas markets are really good) and I lay in the sun and read my book after I had planted all my veges.  In the evening we popped around to see Judy and Don. Back to work...

Fireworks and the Proms

Our first week of work.  I got up early every morning, Harry spent 3 days in Auckland, the internet and tv went down, my partner and I came first at bridge and by Friday night I was shattered.  A good sleep in and we were ready for our weekend - but oh too short - why do they seem shorter when you have to go to work! Nicki and Dave bought the girls around for lunch and they enjoyed dressing up in lots of Sharon's old ballet costumes, we went to Jill and Grahams for a yummy Sunday brunch (they have a waffle maker!!) and to talk about our February art deco weekend (dress up etc is required).  We bought our conservatory furniture and Sharon and Aaron enjoyed eating our kumara and corn fritters which lots of people like - so I guess I will have to share the recipe and give away my secrets ... its an Alison Holst one ...but in my own words...

Microwave a couple of big kumara and then when cooked peel.  Mash and then mix with 3-4 spring onions (chopped), 1 cup of whole corn drained, 1-2 tsps green curry paste, 2-3 tsps of coriander, 2 eggs and 0.25 cup self raising flour.  Roll them into shapes and a bit of flour and cook uncovered in some oil for a few minutes till brown on each side.  I put some tomato sauce (made by my cousin with no preservatives and quite yummy) and some sour cream with them.  Salad and fresh bread go real well.  
And the cooks tip - I think the big red kumaras are better for this recipe.


The fireworks on Saturday night were impressive.  We sat on the wharf with our feet dangling down to the deep water below (well one of my legs was safely on the more solid side!!) and watched the display with another 100,000 Wellingtonians.  It is apparently the 16th year and we've been to most of them except when we were in the UK.  So, some interesting facts:

• we watched $190,000 go up in smoke
• the fireworks were set to music but we didn't hear much cos we didn't take a radio (just a few big bangs)
• lots of variety and colour - but we both liked the white displays the best
• there were about 150 boats of all shapes and sizes out in the harbour but you didn't need a boat for a good view
• they started planning and making the fireworks in June and the fireworks expert is an Aussie.

On Sunday we enjoyed the Airforce Proms. This is an annual event put on by the Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Michael Fowler Centre. It is always a great show as there are 65 instruments (and musicians) but this year Mark Hadlow (Harry from King Kong, and Dori the dwarf in the future Hobbit movie) added a unique humour. And the pipers were there.

Weta Cave and the Roxy

We spent a bit more money this weekend - a new tv, dining room chairs and bedside cabinets - there is a cost to going overseas - when we left the choice was to either spend heaps storing old furniture or buy new stuff when you return.  We compromised and did a bit of both. We are finally putting our stamp on the house, uncovering a few paintings we knew we had, and lots we had forgotten about (most of these are going back into storage me thinks).  Watched the rugby world cup with a huge sense of relief rather than elation - what a nerve ranking game.  We went to the parade in town to celebrate the cup win and it was great to see the crowds out enjoying something - our little country seems to have been through so much earthquakes, oil spills and mining disasters - so everyone seemed to want something to celebrate. Photos not brilliant - rain and crowds but you get the picture.

We went for a walk to Makara - one of those blustery days where the car is nearly blown over in the exposed car park but once around the corner the walk is quite pleasant and warm.  I enjoyed being swept up the hill and then finding it hard walking down hill against the wind.  Another day we wandered up Old Coach Road and joined the Mount Kau Kau walkway.  It was rather muddy coming down and we were lucky not to slide down most of the way.  Sharon took away some Christmas decorations and gave me all her soft toys to look after - fair swap I'm not so sure!! We also played a duet on the piano and ukelele - considering we are both teaching ourselves it was something for the ears to behold. Our stuff arrived from England and Harry put all our soft toys upstairs with all the others.

During the week I played my second game of bridge - my mind is beginning to get attuned to card playing once again but the results still aren't that great!  Then it was the last weekend before work began and we wondered where the time went.  During the weekend we met up with Jan who made a flying visit to Wellington.  We went to 'The Bach' for coffee and to Weta Cave.  It is described as a 'mini museum' which is quite apt - it is a room not much bigger than our lounge. There is a video to watch (24 seats all taken in the two sittings we were around for) where we were given an 'exclusive insight into the creativity and imagination that goes into crafting the art of Weta'. I must admit we didn't realise that these gifted people had been involved in lots of movies like Muppets and Tin-tin as well as the ones they are well known for. 'In our mini-museum, you come face to face with some of the characters, props and displays from your favourite movies'. 

Then it was on to Miramar's Roxy Cinema.  Harry used to go to this theatre when it was the 'Capitol' many years ago. I can picture a little boy buying his sweets and excitedly going into a movie.  Built in 1928 when silent movies were the thing to go to, the theatre has now undergone a huge make over - keeping the art deco facade the place has been renovated inside ridding itself of old theatre and the shopping mall look.  This is in the suburb of movie making and has had the support of many of those involved in Weta.  Inside was simply amazing with the interior built by the team who work at Weta Workshop. Next movie we go to will be at the Roxy. Incidentally, there is still a bakery next door where Harry bought a coffee bun each day for his lunch when he was little.  Another trip down memory lane...and the bun was very good.

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