Sunday Crunch time

Having a breakfast at the Bordeaux in Newtown is always a tasty experience, and reading the Sunday  newspapers always interesting to get a slant on Kiwi life. It's true they are sport obsessed, like the Aussies, but it seems to me they aspire to a greater level of achievement than any other nation simply because of their isolated position in the world. When they compete they want to be really the best, in a humble sort of way that is.

The Bordeaux

Local footy heroes

The Marathon Man

And really the fattest nation, I wonder?

They all talk about being far, but I have yet to see great evidence of this, certainly not like the fat people one sees in the US. Today I need to see Lesley and have a talk with R about BP as there are things to be said which have remained too long unsaid. A quick trip to Island Bay to collect L and then with some muffins we adjourn to Ron's in Mt Vic. It is not a very satisfying encounter as R is forever labouring under the woes of his Indian flatmate and takes on all his worries it seems. It was not time to say what I really wanted to about the parlous state of BP and what he needs to do. Perhaps tomorrow.

On to a forgotten RV at the Long Hall for Hundertwasser, another of J's projects. But I was too late so missed out. Later to the Thistle Hall for a good night of ballroom dancing and home to witness Novak Djokovic win the Australian Tennis Open against the hapless Andy Murray, who seems to have as much personality as a veritable wet blanket.

After composing a letter to Ron for several hours I decide to wait until the morrow to send it. Hopefully it will be received by receptive ears.

Here's to Harry!

Today has been so far quiet with a short Newtown visit to the market and shops, washed a dirty car and petrol  fill, then more washing at home. So it was a domestic clean day, with an unscheduled delightful look-in at Royal New Zealand Ballet School where they were rehearsing Don Quixote opening next week. It is a sharp young company under the watchful eyes of  Aussie choreographer and also the new Artistic Director of RNZB, Francesco Ventriglia, whose Italian dance background is expansive and enviable. It will be a must-see soon, so it will be my splurge for the month.

Later tonight at these same rehearsal rooms, on the invitation of Jennifer, I am going to the Memorial Party to celebrate the life and work of legendary dancer and former Artistic Director, Harry Haythorne, of great fame on both sides of the ditch. It may be, as Jennifer claims, a gala dress-up occasion, or it may be a simple get-together of balletomanes. There will be some video footage of Graeme Murphy in Melbourne to be seen as well. Harry was a favourite of Graeme's having appeared in quite a few of his ballets, including the unforgettable tap dancer on roller skates in his blockbuster 'Tivoli' when Harry was already in his seventies. So there is hope for my tap dancing shoes yet, but not on rollers!!

Selma for the Oscars

So look what happened .....with a little time for consideration, after seeing the fabulous rehearsal rooms and the ballet in action, I decided to forego an evening of drinking and talking with people I don't know, so I quickly decided to catch a great film about Martin Luther King and the freedom marches in Alabama, a film I have been waiting to see for quite a while. 

'Selma' which was on at The Paramount, did not disappoint, in spite of giving Oprah Winfrey a small role in which she performed quite well. The lead, an English Jamaican actor, will certainly be up for an Oscar I think, and even 'Selma' itself will be up for for best film, given the sensitve subject and its excellent production values. It was moving and important, and I would say everyone should see it. 

Knowing that I lived through this time but in Australia, only knowing of the human rights marches at a great distance, it is good to be reminded of what went before me when I arrived in America in 1969, the year after Martin Lurher King's assassination. I am really glad I saw 'Selma' instead of going to a drinking party, albeit in the name of a dance legend.

Reading my favourite magazine..

In the spacious Paramount foyer

On a balmy evening in Wellington..perfect!

Memphis Belle

Today is Friday the last day of our Easy Way Satsang and it will be an important time to announce my decision to leave later this year. It will be a gentle telling I hope, and one they will all understand I have put a lot of thought into, and I want to give them fair warning. A hard decision but a correct one for me at this time.

Am having another excellent Versato coffee at the the Memphis, and reading of NZ problem with morbid obesity, and the difficulty to find public funding for the surgery called bariatric. Something which seems to work for everyone as dieting is not the answer to this chronic disease which it should be called.

Back at BP we have another problem with staffing and Lesley's loss is sorely felt. The Candlelight memorial will need a lot more work by someone with the appropriate skills. I'll have to talk more seriously to Ron as he is totally in the clouds about this.

The boys at the Belle

Serious stuff..

Morbid obesity cured by surgery

Gotham return

This summer heat is a salient reminder of what I will be experienceing when back in OZ. It makes you feel tired, listless, in need of a bex, so to speak, lol! 

Today it is beautiful in the extreme, I should have been out at dawn jogging with all the Kiwis, (I don't think!) but I slept in still not doing all the emails I needed to do, nor extending my OS trip in August a week which I intend to do now I know my brother will be in the USA for his 80th birthday. This will give me time to see Anna and Meg and John, and hopefully Lydia, while visiting London for a week in my first hot August in the UK for many years..

Popular NZ passports, what's new?

Every billionnaire wants to live here, or at least have a patch of Kiwi land!

The Mormons finally relent on their anti-gay stance, thank the Lord!

The one thing that remains impressive here in Kiwiland is its wholehearted embrace of things different, mostly in the cities, of which Wellington is the main example. The Rugby Sevens week which is coming up has the most extreme example of transvestism I have ever seen, with every man woman and child getting out in strange clobber to celebrate a footy fest! The march down the main streets stops the city, all the teams from abroad are infected with this madness which permeates the city for a whole week, with more arrests from drunken behaviour than at any other time during the whole year. And they play, and watch, Rugby, to boot. As it is only a Seven a man team it is more open to competition from the smaller countries like Tonga and Cook Islands, so it is not always that NZ wins the shield.

Last year I went out to witness the madness taking many photos of strangely dressed footballer fanettes, and this year I may just take a back seat. Although my Scottish Country dance group has been invited to join in the Rugby Sevens march, something which would be a hoot if it wasn't so ridiculous. I don't think I'll join them somehow.

This morning I booked a seat at the Circa Theatre next week, a cabaret style show which willdoubtless be  interesting  to witness as it goes later to show in London. It will be my first visit to this fascinating looking theatre on the Quay which has attracted me for some time.

In my favourite library..studious Kiwis

Hard at work.

Winter Sleep

Quiet day with the HU song at Flashdog Studios followed by a swim at Freyberg pool, leaving in just enough time to whizz into town to catch an award winning movie at the Paramount Cinema. And what  movie I caught. With only two other visitors I watched a most spectacular Chekov drama unfold in the Cappadoccian mountains in winter. Tukish director, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, obviously the next Ingmar Bergman, directed this fabulous modern drama which won the Palme D'or at Cannes in 2014 and lots of other awards. 

It is the story of of a retired Turkish actor, married to a much younger woman whose love he has well and truly lost, living in an inherited hotel in the snow covered hills in Anatolia. They have few guests during the winter, and the Master of the House has little to do. With the backdrop inside the cave-like home, the film is a magnificent study of male hubris coupled with female disenfranchisement in modern Turkey, but it is above all a sublime drama worthy of Chekov, as the chilly, complex stripping of all pretence unfolds. Its ending, not to be disclosed, is perfectly written with a voice-over expressing all that the chauvinist male couldn't say.

 Marvellously acted by a stellar cast unknown to us in the West, this is a real Five Star movie.

Great cinematography

Excellent acting...

Dinner with Harry and Corona

After a big day out yesterday today was a stay-at-home day, but in the best way possible. Apart from catching up on emails and a long interesting Skype to Quique, I went for my first swim outside my home in Little Karaka Bay. It was cool, refreshing and absolutely marvellous. I need to do it everyday the weather is warm, it was so good. 

As well tonight I accepted a kind invitation from Eckist friends Harry and lovely wife Coruna to dinner. David was to pick me up at five but was late in peak hour, so we eventually arrived after six at Harry's in the deep suburbs, but what a find! Deep green mountains and a large gracious home. Having brought up two successful children they are now living alone in their mountain retreat. Their one boy, a top medical specialist in Melbourne, is married to a statuesque blonde lawyer, and their daughter is also in Australia. Such is the fate of a successful Indian couple in New Zealand. We had a beautiful dinner, with much fun and laughter and home at nine for an eariy night.

These people emigrated to NZ and made such a good life here, but in the process have lost their kids   to Australia. I really don't know how they feel, but Harry is a strong ECKist so he is always happy in service to his wife. 

The Australian Open tennis is on so I ring Hazel to get the results, she is bored but well.

Harry a young vibrant 75 y.o.!

They grow wonderful garlic

Five guests for dinner we had a delicious meal!

Palmerston North

After an interesting meeting with head honcho of BP Auckland I slip off for a coffee at Memphis.

The Dom Post is all about our unusually hot summer, with a 27 degree max yesterday being the hottest Wellington has seen in a long long while. Actually the top Temperature Wellie  has ever seen is 31! Take that Sydney!

Later today we are going with Ron and Ailua from BP to Palmerston North to do some outreach in the north. It is a long ride but I owe it to BP to volunteer sometimes.  The weekend just finished was a big one, but very self-indulgent alrhough I did make some interesting contacts, including Tom's friend in Oriental Parade, Peter. We'll see if anything eventuates.

My life is Wellington is certainly not dull, busy in the extreme, and I am learning something new all the time. This will he hard to replicate in Gosford but challenge is what I thrive on. Having spent a wonderful summer here is a good way to exit, not with a whimper, but with a bang. I will now perhaps sing with Ti Whanawhana at the Day Out in the Park? Who knows, it may be a good thing to do. 

Memphis Blues

Summer madness in Wellie

The Palmerston North visit was rather a non-event, a slight hitch in organising resulted in no-one there and a  wasted trip. Perhaps not altogether wasted as it was a lesson in preparing the ground before you execute a plan, and obviously this was not done. It will be necessary to accept that something needs to be done to remedy this for the future. I think a meeting with Tom who is pragmatic enough to say it as it is, is the way to go. Then confront Ron with the problem and suggest a solution, however disagreeable it may be. This will be for tomorrow after the dust has settled.

Road home from Palmy..

Marvellous mountains!

Still hot summer...

My hot view

From the unused balcony

Typical Te Aro cottages

Park across the road

Coffee with the locals

Well today is recovery day, not! I am up not too late with a couple of emails and text from J saying that Jean's Memoirs are up and running and she wants a contribution from me about Jean's last Chistmas day at Beth's. I will be happy to help out as I do have a little story to tell, similar in vein to when I was published in Kelver Hartley's memoirs. I will give it my best effort.

Next step to have brunch at Vista with the boys from yesterday. They are all well established when I arrive late but I have a nice talk with a Liverpudlian man about his moving to Wellington. At the end there is just me and Chairman Ashley with whom I chew the cud about BP and its future. Am I getting in deeper or what?

A quick trip to Victoria Street market for some fruit and veggies, where I overpay the car keeper by two dollars (the larger coin is worth more have $2, whereas in OZ the larger coin is worth less $1). He later refunds me $2 when I tell him, he knew anyway but was OK in the refund!

As I have a couple of hours before our dance workshop where I am supposed to guide the new ones, I decide to visit Te Aro, the former home of Jean Watson, about which she writes so poignantly in her books. She had really brought to life this quaint inner suburb which is such a small village it is hard to believe it is with in coo-ee of the city. I stop for one more coffee and friand and wonder if I can consume it, after the rather nice Eggs Benedict I had at Vista cafe, but it is Summer Holidays I tell myself. I feel very connected with Wellington today, what is happening to me? Everyone is so friendly and I am enjoying the indolent life and also doing something.

My cafe is opposite the Te Aro famous video shop, the first of its kind in Wellington and much written about. It is time to have a visit to see what strange wares they stock. Is it true they have the most sought after movies available to discerning customers?

A cyclist whizzes down the slight incline, the cool breeze takes the temperature down a few important  degrees, the retro music plays quietly in the background, the day is perfect. Where else could I find this in the middle of summer in a city?

The Aro St Video Shop

A little old lady with a plastic bag stuffed with it seems like cat food hobbles by, alert in expectation of giving her beloved pets their meal. She looks to be in her eighties, at least. Wellington is full of such people, living at home alone, mostly women, their menfolk having long since passed on. It is the country of longevity there's no doubt, and I am about to quit this gift which has been offered to me on a plate.

The near-naked bodies will be strewn along the beachside on Oriental Parade beach, all soaking up the sun and some will attract the  deadly hole in the Ozone layer which my friend Norma in Waiheke Island is so aware of. Keep out of the sun, skin cancer beckons!

My coffee and tasty friand all consumed, it is nearly time to move in, to my next event of this busy weekend in Wellington's unusually hot summer season.

Saturday Swim Competition

Last night's movie was certainly interesting, with Julianne Moore up for Oscar nominations as Best Actress. But it is a tough subject, Alzeimers Disease, I have seen it in action in older people and they are just not there. But this concerned a fifty year old academic intellectual with early-onset Alzeimers and the extreme problems it creates with the family and loved ones. The film was finely wrought, on an edge, and managed to come off quite well. The cast was good and although it stopped in 'flagrante delicto' so to speak, (the character had just descended into the stage where she was unable to communicate), it covered most bases well and left you feeling very bleak indeed. What else can you feel when you see a life lost in full bloom? It will appeal to a select range of brave people, among them most Kiwis. Five stars.

And now to prepare for the Rainbow Swim Meet at Freyberg Pool, just around the corner from me  and which will be resplendent no doubt with rainbow flags. I hope to complete a few events, and not have a heart attack in trying. Tonight later we celebrate with a dinner in Tory Street at a Chinese restaurant which should be interesting with all the Aucklanders down for the weekend. Tomorrow the ball-room dancing introduction to newcomers.

Getting ready...

With Mario

Dinner afterwards at The Century

Friday on my mind

Summer is still with us so I make the most of it. Great coffee at Memphis Blue where their lack of service gave me a free one next time I come around. At least they were aware that I waited too long and they forgot about me! Such is being old perhaps?

On to BP for a potluck lunch, getting back to my normal routine. A spinach pie which I quickly baked this morning went down well and was rapidly consumed. Everyone is hungry here.

Plans for the year are now taking shape with the Candlelight Memorial being foremost on my list to help as I did last year. The visit of guest speaker Michael Kirby has to be well orchestrated as we are lucky to have him come. The weather will be the other factor to take into consideration as in May who knows what will happen.

Last night after my Thursday night swim at Kilbirnie pool with DSW, I called in to finally see J about plans for the Long Hall Neighbourly meeting on May 28/29.  With some deft input from her we decided an afternoon tea on Sunday 29th from two to five is good, some entertainment thrown in and potluck if they wish but catering also done with our WCC Grant. The presence of a guest speaker such as Gareth Morgan, the well known philanthropist and former owner of Trade Me would also be a huge coup if we could secure him.  With input from the community and suggestions about what they want this meeting could become easily an annual event, or even more often. The Roseneath Community Cafe idea is also still up for discussion and suggestions, as the establishment of  a community owned cafe could  be a groundbreaking initiative if  it went ahead.

At BP with R and Ailua

Back into routine after an excellent coffee at Memphis

Summer at number 42

From our balcony..

Tonight I am off to see at the Cuba Lighthouse the much awaited film, 'Still Alice', with Julianne Moore as an Alzheimers victim. May be tough...

Other Aussies

It is interesting to see in the local free newspaper an article about an Aussie who loves Wellington, and he's only 43 years old. But as a lot of this new generation he hashtags everything and has made a business out if it, eulogising Wellington just as much as I do. 

It looks like he has done what I have wanted to do, but also taken it to the public in his cyber sure way.

He started his strategy with a Twitter tag and now has 1100 Wellingtonians following him, telling him why they love Wellington. Everyone, he said, asked him why he came to Wellington so he thought he'd find out why, interesting.

Aussie Ben Woodward

Kiwi car loving

Also an article about three McLaren racing cars being imported at $1.5 million each. One forgets that it was Kiwi Bruce McLaren who was the original Formula One champ who established this iconic racing car..again an achieving Kiwi under the radar.

Amazing country, amazing products.

Oriental sun bathing...

Fountain refreshing..

Best stroll in the world!

Maori Theatre - WOW!

Last night was a revelation and stays with me today. 'The Ragged' was not something you just see and forget.

Back at Gotham City

My new app. A translator?

My luck to see...

The Birdman

Well back in Wellie and already an excellent play and very special movie under my belt. Last night at the Cuba Lighthouse  I saw the excellent Michael Keating in a very black comedy set in NYC about a failing actor on stage who has as his nemesis the Birdman character which he played with great success as a young actor. This sometimes present character is constantly talking to him while he is going through multiple problems with his ex-wife and daughter who happens to be having an affair with his very strange co- star. It is a weird romp made by the director of that other interesting film Babel. It is set for awards at the Oscars no doubt, probably with Michael Keating as best actor.

Am back at Memphis where they give me my best coffee, but my favourite barista is not on today so I get second best. Still I like it here, full of retro music and when the sun shines it ia a delight.