Matariki

Today at the Y we celebrated Matariki, Maori New Year when the stars of the Pleiades are in formation.

First we had our normal gym session then the Never Too Old people gathered for some Maori culture and celebration. We were entertained by four lovely girls from Auckland Girls Grammar School who sang some waiata for us , then they  showed us and taught us the intricacies of Maori  stick games and poi dances, both a lot harder than they look.  Don Soloman showed us how to weave a headband or tiara, also harder than it appears.

We then repaired upstairs to a beautifully decorated space for a shared lunch of foods that reflect our individual heritages .  I took along an apple tart made with lots of  cinnamon and sultanas which my mother always used when making an apple tart.  

Boomerang Boy

Boomerang boy did his washing yesterday - first time in 3 weeks which showed me how much clothing he has.  Had to resist the temptation  over the days, as it accumulated and overflowed laundry basket on to couch, bed, floor, to say I'll do it for you, otherwise I would be hanging it out and bringing it in too.  

Nearly took a photo of it hanging neatly on the line like an artwork but now it has been brought in and is overflowing airing cupboard and washing baskets awaiting ironing , that's if he gets round to doing so before it is needed. 

Celebrated the first couple of weeks board by buying myself a lovely blue merino jacket and a black long sleeved top with it!  I plan to do the same next week too and the week after!

Concert in the Church

All Saints Church at the top of Cowan Street in Ponsonby is a church I often go past or wait in front of for the bus but every so often there is a concert there and I take the opportunity of going in and enjoy not only the music but the architecture and atmosphere of the church, a Richard Toy church completed in 1958 and restored  in 2008. http://www.hbarchitecture.co.nz/all%20saints.html

Look at this for the history of the earlier church and the present church. http://www.allsaintsponsonby.org.nz/history/

The concert was at 5pm so it was already getting  dark and gloomy outside and the church was dimly lit inside too which added to the whare-type experience.The first three items by the One Voice  Choir were Maori songs and fitting openers to this evensong experience of song and music from around the world. 

The  director of the 25 member community choir, Olga Tarasenko is of Russian heritage so this celebration of music from around the world included songs from Bulgaria  and Macedonia as well as Israel, Italy and Bolivia.  http://www.onevoicechoir.org.nz

The choir members, dressed in black and red certainly were very accomplished and powerful singers and I came away uplifted and enriched again by another musical experience. 

Road Trip to Dargaville

After last Sunday's overseas trip to Devonport good friend Frances had the bright idea of a midwinter trip to Dargaville where her mother was brought up many years ago.  It was the anniversary of her death yesterday so this trip was a way of recalling her life and times. We motored up in chilly sunshine , first stop in Wellsford for a browse in the Hospice op shop where I succumbed to a huge jar of crabapple jam and an equally large jar of apple  and tomato chutney for $4 each.  And a CD of the Carpenters whose song Sing a song is one of my favourites and one we sometimes sing in the choir I go to.

My pictures are a bit jumbled and the last shall be first and vice versa. After a lovely lunch  of ploughman sandwiches  - beef, pickle,cheese,lettuce and  mayo and an extra hot cup of coffee at a lovely cafe we pressed on to Matakohe where Frances went into the museum and we looked round this lovely old church, the first in the area I believe and its beautiful garden of heritage roses, some of which are still flowering bravely in the winter sun.  There was also an old Post Office museum in an old Post and Telegraph office with interesting displays of old telephones, post office furniture , books and the ilk.

Onwards from there to Dargaville crossing the muddy river which also borders the township which,was a nice walk.  Browsed the main drag and its shops without succumbing to any more purchases on account of a full car, however hope to buy some kumara tomorrow for a big pot of soup when we get home and a big 2kg  bag of mandarins which I saw for $4 outside a bakery.

By this time it was time to hunt out our accomodation a couple of kms out of town, Leslie's Place, a self contained cottage, attached to the owner's,house which was purpose-built for her father-in law who has since died.   It has some very retro furniture, including a lovely bedroom suite, a blast from the past.  

Time for a cup of tea and a slice of bread and this new crabapple jam which has a beautiful colour and delicate flavour.  Just as well I got the big jar as it won't last long. After a bit of a rest drove back into town for dinner at Jo's Kitchen.  Seafood chowder with lots of shrimps and a hint of curry in it, served  with a long slab of garlic bread was my choice. The others had mussel fritters with fries and cole slaw and lambs fry and bacon, a bit too retro for my liking, but delicious according to Frances.

Matich's fish restaurant is another place we had in mind.  Their pan fried snapper with crumbed prawns on top with a lemon hollandaise sounded very nice for $19, half of what you might pay in Auckland. Pity they close at 7pm which is  early for travellers.

Today we will go to the Dargaville Museum which has excellent displays on gumdigging and the Dalmatian settlers before motoring on home unless one of us can be persuaded to stay on an extra night.

Devonport

This museum is worth a visit if you like local history.  It is tucked away in Suburban Devonport and is an enjoyable walk from the ferry. There are lots of old well-preserved villas with lovely gardens to keep one interested while getting there, a 20 minute walk on a windy day, also the odd church including the one that the museum is housed in, an old one relocated where it is for that purpose. 

Displays include maritime history and brickworks and all the usual domestic bric a brac of yesteryear.  Friendly locals staff the place which is a hidden gem.

Home again, home again jiggedy jig: Eli's side of the story

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11462764

Crowded house or empty nest? 6 pros and cons.

First the pros- 

1. It is quite nice having a mature adult son home again, while his house is repaired and altered,  as opposed to the stroppy teenager of way back who was was last here for any length of time.

2. In-house computer, iPad and printer expert.

3. Great source of news of the outside world.

4. Casimira, Scout and Whitey, the  3 accompanying cats who are part of the package provide tlc on cold Winter evenings as they snuggle up on  couch or bed. 

5. Having a young person in the house again distracts from the fact we are getting older and somewhat set in our ways.

6. Provides the opportunity to cook memorable meals from "fine 70s cuisine" for  old time's sake. And to enjoy some of the yummy takeaway leftovers which are delivered  to the house while the parentals sleep! 

And the cons -

1. Wasn't bargaining on having the vinyl collection  and cartons of gear not to mention the huge shirt and t shirt collection (obviates the need for washing and ironing every week!). Must add they have now been tidily stowed in his own former bedroom and present bedroom ( at the other other end of the house, good for peaceful coexistence) with a bit of an overflow into my study cum computer room.

2. The accompanying cats make a bit of a mess with muddy paw marks on pale flooring with cat biscuits scattered around. Our  stretching exercises at the gym make bending  down and replenishing their food and water supplies, lifting and washing their dishes somewhat easier that it might otherwise  be for peeps of advancing age.

3. We are indeed somewhat set in our ways to have a flatting situation on our hands.  Bathroom, toilet, kitchen, housekeeping etiquette is largely still unspoken two months down the track.  

4. Ditto meal preparation and food shopping. ( Did appreciate unexpected chocolate and Lewis Road chocolate milk on a couple of occasions though) 

5. Having visitors and conducting one's social life is somewhat different, requiring notification in advance so that one or other parties can vacate the premises for the other.  So far so good, I might add, though a third wet weekend is looming.

6.  Our computer/technology whizz is often too tired or time-strapped to be of assistance when first needed, and as prone to procrastination as we are.

On the whole I would recommend the experience to others in a similar situation as it is quite enriching and rewarding from a human point of view. Indeed I have grown accustomed to his face! 

Home For a Change

Winter has set in with a vengeance  - cold, dark and wet which has meant more time at home and even time to do a spot of baking. Made a small Dutch apple cake so I could make the right amount of pastry in my cute little Mini Whizz without doing it by hand or getting out the food processor.

The date loaf is easy to make too and can be done in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Last week I added fresh Christchurch walnuts I got from the Orewa Farmers Market , this week I used some Central Otago dried apricots as a taste or texture contrast. 

Went to the lunchtime concert in the library this week.  It was St Mary's College girls with their sweet voices , conducted by the ever-enthusiastic Carmel Carroll. ( Any relation, A?)  

I enjoyed their rendition of various  Rutter  songs and borrowed some CDs from the library afterwards to extend and savour the experience at home.

Went to the movie Woman in gold yesterday , all about the quest to get back a Klimt painting which had been stolen by the Nazis.  I remembered seeing several Klimt paintings, probably not this one,on our visit to Vienna some years ago when on a Danube Cruise.

Must read more about Klimt.  

Queen's Birthday Weekend

We spent the weekend on Waiheke as usual.it got off to an inauspicious start with the ferry breaking down and having to return to Auckland after we had almost arrived at our destination.

Good friend Fr came with us for company and another friend K joined us on Monday for the day. We had a nice lunch at the bach and then went to the local museum on the island between Ostend and Onetangi. It is a collection of 3 or 4 baches  and their contents plus one bigger building and outside bits and pieces, and I always find something new to look at or notice.  I bequeathed our old copper from the washhouse a few years ago and probably have more stuff from the olden days to donate.

The day before we went to a photographic exhibition of blokes at the Red Shed in Palm Beach. The little gallery was packed on a Sunday afternoon as some or all of them were local identities,only one of whom I remember having ever seen, a busker with a funny straw hat and a lei, outside the Four Square.

It was Dieter's birthday yesterday  but as we had been away I didn't get round to baking a cake. Will do though, one of these days. Made a nice meal of beef roulades, a long time German favourite of ours.