Heritage Week

Went on a tour of Myers Park and Greys Avenue with good friend Marlene, and Dieter.

It was a brilliantly sunny day and great to be out and about in it learning some interesting history along the way. The walk was conducted by Edward Bennett who dressed for the part.  We congregated in St Kevin's Arcade where the early history of the arcade provided a fascinating introduction to life in those times.  

On the original site there was the residence of the Nathan family who donated the land and money to realise their wish for a park to be donated to the city and they shifted out to their country residence in Manurewa , now called the Nathan Homestead.

The old arcade steps provided easy access to the park  as they still do today. Later the flats were added and unusual for that time had sleeping verandas for warm humid Auckland nights.

We heard all about the kindergarten built  in the park near the YWCA which provided accommodation for single mothers and their children, who enjoyed the access to a beautiful kindergarten in close proximity as do the children of today who were happily engrossed in play.

Wandered down past the paddling pool, now a sunken garden and up Greys Avenue past the council and State housing blocks one of which in the Modernist style designed by the Austrian emigre architect Plischke.

Repaired to Giapo's for an icecream which was doing a roaring trade what with Graduation and sunny weather. 

I had a hokey pokey icecream of the most crunchy superior kind.

Sunday the 13th of September, an auspicious occasion

13 September is E's birthday, celebrated this year in Sydney.  We will celebrate en famille when he gets back early this week.  The weekend was pleasant with us getting out and about.

 First a leisurely walk up the road to the library to return the McCall Smith I have been reading, "The revolving door of life", the latest in the 44 Scotland Rd series and quite funny. Bertie's grandmother comes to look after Bertie and his brother Ulysses while his mother is detained in the Midde East in a harem somewhere and life takes a turn for the better.  He gets a kilt for a start and is allowed to go and play with a friend.  

Spring is in the air and the camellias are now in full bloom.  Here is nicely shaped one In Cowan St which I stopped to photograph with my trusty iPhone. I was invited by the owner to help myself to some blooms if I would like some, which was nice of her.

But not before stopping to chat with neighbour Joy and her cute little dog, Katie.  Joy feeds the birds each day and they wait on the telephone line for her to do so. She too has a wonderful garden and lives in a nicehouse that once belonged to us.  

In the afternoon went to a high tea to meet Indie Rose, Pamela's little granddaughter.  She is oh so sweet. Met the other grandparents and the parents in their lovely home in Northcote.  Then there were Pamela's brother and sister, Rick and Christine and other family friends like us to catch up with.

We had a sociable week as D was feeling better so we went to the library concert on Thursday  - Schubert Lieder - followed by an icecream at Giapo's, this time chocolate afghan in a little tub with a caramel chocolate top with crunchy cornflakes and a chocolate cornflake disc on top - and two spoons.

Friday, we had a trip to Orewa to see what needed doing round house and garden up there.  We hadn't been up there for some 5 months but Tim has been keeping the place in order for us.  June was there with dogs in tow, one of three extra ones being her own new acquisition and two others being dog sits.  

Today being Sunday we went to Mass locally, walking there in the breezy sunshine.  This afternoon we took in a film from the German Film Festival,  Lola on the Pea, about a young girl, Lola who lives on a boat with her mother.  She befriends a young Kurdish boy whose family lives illegally in the village.  All very pertinent with the current refugee crisis in Europe at present.

Didn't feel like cooking so finished off the evening at a Ponsonby Indian restaurant, a delicious lamb curry with naan bread and raita.