Dog and Bone

January 31 at Soundings Theatre.

Today I am recovering from a wonderful Haka day but an awful facial sunburn. I am hoping I don't blister and peel like I did as a teenager. I will never be in Kiwi sun again without SunScreen!

At Zaida's for a Sunday coffee, it is a family affair and great coffee and croissants too. I found out today that Zaida is the name for Granddad.

This Topp twin is now single....

This man is amazing...

...John Bougen saved a town called Reefton  on the West Coast and is now their legend...

But I am wondering if this man in spite of everything, will become an American legend?  I certainly hope not?

Another amazing Kiwi lady editor in the fifties....

A gutsy woman...

Now older but overcoming cancer, what more can she do?

This afternoon I went to Te Papa to see the Taki Rua Maori theatre company do a most amazing show called 'Dog and Bone'. It is without doubt one the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen and should even tour UK one day I believe. At the Korero afterwards I had to get up and speak about it, how much I loved it and how it gave me goosebumps even before the show started. Marilyn was there with Welsh husband Harry, and they introduced me to the Director whose wife Helen wrote the play. He is very impressive and the whole Te Rākou company is superlative. All ages are acting, and when we arrived we were greeted by a bunch of dog/ humans who barked at us entering the theatre. It took a little time for them to resume their human form, and tell the true and sad story of the Maori wars whichwasn't just illuminating, but reconciling, and was wonderfully staged, lit and acted. 

It was a real tour de force, and in my opinion, an eventual masterpiece. They will do two more plays, and next January present them all on one day with lunch in between. What a thatrical event that will be and I will certainly be there to witness theatrical history.

Haka at Wainui

Saturday January 30

Have discovered a new coffee shop, called just that, and it is opposite old Bordeaux, where Rubia'snow is,  and going not too well, for me that is..

Have been here before but there was no seating and they have now improved it no end, and it is super-cool with excellent coffee. I also boughr a salted choc brownie which was delicious, home made!

Today is my day for Haka at Wainui,  but weather is drizzling and grey with the triathalon on at Evans Bay Parade so the street is closed. Niki moves out at three pm.

The Sevens are in town, it goes a bit crazy....

The Coffee Shop....

Michael Caine being great at eighty,

Tasmania forests in danger, terrible tragedy.

Naive young Kiwis in trouble overseas, especially in Asia where the religious customs are so different and the Kiwis are very entrepreneurial. This young man spent a year in a hell-hole gaol for putting a Buddha in earphones to advertise his bar!

Here we are at the Wainui Haka Maori Cultural Fest and it is very hot after all. I forget to bring sunscreen so the result is a vey sunburnt face which I will suffer from tomorrow no doubt.

The Haka teams are wonderful and I meet good Tiwhanawhana friend Kevin Haunui who joins me and gives me information about the teams and  styles etc. I stay for the afternoon session but it is so hot I leave before the judging and return home to bathe my sore face. Thank goodness I have cancelled everything for tonight.

At home I do a quick clean-up after Niki has left with a not so perfect clean room, but it is OK and soon I have everything ready for Howell's arrival tomorow. He will love is room, especially with the weather so good as now. We are really having an amazingly good summer, quite hot and much hotter than I have ever experienced here in Wellington.

A good night's sleep and tomorrw Howell's arrival.

Invasion Day in OZ

Wednesday January 27

January 26 Australia Day

Well no expectations in this hunt as yesterday I received three cancellations, c'est la vie, and I am now looking anew with a new and different ad in Trademe. The room will go no doubt and I am learning more each time. Today at Memphis I am inteviewing a few and Chines boy  Howell just came in. He is a chef at Cordon Bleu and not the right one I'm afraid. Others will come no worries.

The crew at Memphis..



Java Dance group coming to Circa



may go....

Not sirprised at this,



the Kiwis are more entrepreneurial

Terrible news from Calais with migrants crazily boarding ships..it is a world crisis magnified by tragic circumstances.



Peter just texted me and is coming, wears purple shirt, mmmn, we'll see how he is. He is prompt and these days it's first past the post. I could always take him to see room today even with Niki still in it as this is in her interest too. Nationality unknown work, unknown, age unknown. All will be revealed. As always Memphis is abuzz with clients and bop music.

Peter arrives, a Chinese Puerto Rican New Yorker...quite the mix and very interesting and interested.

He says he will come to see the room at five thirty. Am not holding my breath but will be ready as I think he would fit in quite well as he is a banker too!

At the Memphis and Eddie is having a bad day as his mate at the tattoist isn't there for him to do his drawing. He is depressed and no-one can comfort him, not even his lovely Mum Anne.

But eventually he comes around, Johnny's place is so full of love.

Eddie being Eddie...



Long term illness gives a a chance to prepare for the biggest adventure of life - death, or as we call it, translation, after all, it is just Soul going from one plane to another, isn't it?



Interesting, Joe Bennett spits the dummy with



modern technology, I feel for him!

Taika and his great Indie success



leads him to the 'Thor' franchise in Hollywood. Hope it doesn't spoil him as it has done others. Can't wait to see this latest offering.

Must remember these picnic spots, I have only been to the one in the pic where he is sitting on his picnic rug at Island Bay, which is very nice indeed, but the other places look fantastic!



Today at the Memphis I was extremely busy with three more interviews, two unexpected ones, also Tom called in and met one of the prospects. He was the gay nurse Michael, who had only replied this morning, claiming immedately he was gay and calling me Pablito. I was intrigued to meet him, especially as he came just while I was chatting with Alfonso the hunky Mexican Taco maker and IT worker who was charming and handsome in the extreme. He was enthusastic until I told him overnight girlfriends weren't on, so we shook hands amicably and he left me with Michael, who was quite happy not to bring girlfriends home. However even with his charming English accent, he was born in Yorkshire, I felt he was too enthusiastic and would hardly fit in with the two Frenchies in the house. I was, after all, about to see the Chinese Howell who had expressed a final decision to take the room without even seeing the house! I told him to come with his money. So he arrived, just after sending me a text saying he wasn't coming at all, so I reversed my decision and talked turkey with him so he deposited half the amount and tomorrow will pay the rest. He was very happy to have secured the room and will be the right one I hope after all. He is a replica of Sonny, studying at the Cordon Bleu with a part-tme job so he will be very much out of the house. He is very smiling indeed. We then arranged to meet at the Memphis tomorrow to go the house together.

Am now off to the Roxy at Miramar.

The Miramar Roxy



where the David Bowie's movie 'Labyrinth' is having a one night showing. It seems every movie fan or Bowie buff in Wellington is here.

Me on the ceiling at the Art-Deco Roxy...



A blurry reflection of the crowd



arriving to what will surely be a sell-out séance of what will now, on Bowie's death, become a cult classic.

It was a very interesting seventies movie, advanced for its time, and its character animations were a delight for the movie-mad audience. Bowie performed Bowie, which was good as always, and the movie received a big applause from a captive audience. Worth seeing.

Memphis first birthday

January 28Thursday 

Wow, it's birthday time at the Memphis, and Johnny has been creative, all the boyz are in nappies as Memphis celebrates twelve months under Johnny's ownership and I have been coming here for all that time it appears. They are having a champagne party at six pm tonight so I may pop by for a glass!

Hi! says Paris!



Guy comes over to meet me...



Johnny's neat pins...



And Dave's



And of course Paris!



The place is jumping



and the young man who intoduces himself as Guy, who has also been a regular here, decided it is time to say hullo.  He is a perfectly articulate graduate from Wellington College and is beginning his first year at Vic Uni studying Philosophy, Film and  International Relations to prepare him for a surefire career in Diplomacy. He explains that his grandparents were diplomats, from Singapore and Maori background, so he is well equipped for a stellar career if all goes well. His voice is six star English diplomat so he has a good start, and he's very tall and dresses like the once fashionable dandy.

Later I am expecting my new Chinese tenant Howell to come in and we will return home to show him his new room. It is a busy day and Malcolm has written me three emails which I haven't had time to reply to,which I will do tonight hopefully.

Bowie's 'Labyrinth'

Wednesday January 27

Well no expectations in this hunt as yesterday I received three cancellations, c'est la vie, and I am now looking anew with a new and different ad in Trademe. The room will go no doubt and I am learning more each time. Today at Memphis I am inteviewing a few and Chines boy  Howell just came in. He is a chef at Cordon Bleu and not the right one I'm afraid. Others will come no worries.

The crew at Memphis..

Java Dance group coming to Circa

may go....

Not sirprised at this,

the Kiwis are more entrepreneurial

Terrible news from Calais with migrants crazily boarding ships..it is a world crisis magnified by tragic circumstances.

Peter just texted me and is coming, wears purple shirt, mmmn, we'll see how he is. He is prompt and these days it's first past the post. I could always take him to see room today even with Niki still in it as this is in her interest too. Nationality unknown work, unknown, age unknown. All will be revealed. As always Memphis is abuzz with clients and bop music.

Peter arrives, a Chinese Puerto Rican New Yorker...quite the mix and very interesting and interested.

He says he will come to see the room at five thirty. Am not holding my breath but will be ready as I think he would fit in quite well as he is a banker too!

At the Memphis and Eddie is having a bad day as his mate at the tattoist isn't there for him to do his drawing. He is depressed and no-one can comfort him, not even his lovely Mum Anne.

But eventually he comes around, Johnny's place is so full of love.

Eddie being Eddie...

Long term illness gives a a chance to prepare for the biggest adventure of life - death, or as we call it, translation, after all, it is just Soul going from one plane to another, isn't it?

Interesting, Joe Bennett spits the dummy with

modern technology, I feel for him!

Taika and his great Indie success

leads him to the 'Thor' franchise in Hollywood. Hope it doesn't spoil him as it has done others. Can't wait to see this latest offering.

Must remember these picnic spots, I have only been to the one in the pic where he is sitting on his picnic rug at Island Bay, which is very nice indeed, but the other places look fantastic!

Today at the Memphis I was extremely busy with three more interviews, two unexpected ones, also Tom called in and met one of the prospects. He was the gay nurse Michael, who had only replied this morning, claiming immedately he was gay and calling me Pablito. I was intrigued to meet him, especially as he came just while I was chatting with Alfonso the hunky Mexican Taco maker and IT worker who was charming and handsome in the extreme. He was enthusastic until I told him overnight girlfriends weren't on, so we shook hands amicably and he left me with Michael, who was quite happy not to bring girlfriends home. However even with his charming English accent, he was born in Yorkshire, I felt he was too enthusiastic and would hardly fit in with the two Frenchies in the house. I was, after all, about to see the Chinese Howell who had expressed a final decision to take the room without even seeing the house! I told him to come with his money. So he arrived, just after sending me a text saying he wasn't coming at all, so I reversed my decision and talked turkey with him so he deposited half the amount and tomorrow will pay the rest. He was very happy to have secured the room and will be the right one I hope after all. He is a replica of Sonny, studying at the Cordon Bleu with a part-tme job so he will be very much out of the house. He is very smiling indeed. We then arranged to meet at the Memphis tomorrow to go the house together.

Am now off to the Roxy at Miramar.

The Miramar Roxy

where the David Bowie's movie 'Labyrinth' is having a one night showing. It seems every movie fan or Bowie buff in Wellington is here.

Me on the ceiling at the Art-Deco Roxy...

A blurry reflection of the crowd

arriving to what will surely be a sell-out séance of what will now, on Bowie's death, become a cult classic.

It was a very interesting seventies movie, advanced for its time, and its character animations were a delight for the movie-mad audience. Bowie performed Bowie, which was good as always, and the movie received a big applause from a captive audience. Worth seeing.

Invasion Day in Oz

January 26 Australia Day

Well no expectations in this hunt as yesterday I received three cancellations, c'est la vie, and I am now looking anew with a new and different ad in Trademe. The room will go no doubt and I am learning more each time. Today at Memphis I am inteviewing a few and Chines boy  Howell just came in. He is a chef at Cordon Bleu and not the right one I'm afraid. Others will come no worries.

The crew at Memphis..

Java Dance group coming to Circamay go....

Not sirprised at this,the Kiwis are more entrepreneurial

Terrible news from Calais with migrants crazily boarding ships..it is a world crisis magnified by tragic circumstances.

Peter just texted me and is coming, wears purple shirt, mmmn, we'll see how he is. He is prompt and these days it's first past the post. I could always take him to see room today even with Niki still in it as this is in her interest too. Nationality unknown work, unknown, age unknown. All will be revealed. As always Memphis is abuzz with clients and bop music.

Peter arrives, a Chinese Puerto Rican New Yorker...quite the mix and very interesting and interested.

He says he will come to see the room at five thirty. Am not holding my breath but will be ready as I think he would fit in quite well as he is a banker too!

Wellington Anniversary Day

Monday 25 Anniversary Day

Yesterday at the workshop we all were delivered a very well presented  two hour sesson on 'Relationships'. It was given by ECK leaders Viva and David, and was most enjoyable and instructive. We had eleven in all attending, so Graeme was very happy indeed.

We had a lovely meal at La Strada later and the South African waiter Kyle gave us excellent sevice. Whanganui is in holiday mode and the river was buzzing with events and today we will return there fora coffee  before I take the bus back home. I am falling a little in love with this elegant river city which has a rich amd turbulent history. So far I like it a lot and its weather patterns are very favourable as well. Who knows, Tom's sister has just bought a house and has flats to rents, one day I could end up and rent one?

His back yard...

Graeme's home is simple and delightful with a flourishing veggie garden and two lovely but shy pussy cats, one called Mischa, a white deaf male, and the other called Panda, a retiring small female who never appears. Graeme is a retired gardener so knows his soil well and he also keeps very busy with singing and writing and painting. He is very creative indeed, and runs the ECK group here with great efficiency and humility. Yesterday's meeting was an example of this with a few locals coming in for a look at what we are doing. They are an interesting bunch here, if slightly odd, but this goes with the territory.

We are at Palmerston North with a fifty minute rest. The bus is parked ouside the central square which is absolutely delightful and when I arrived the Scottish band was practising in it. Now they are gone and I am sitting on a tree trunk under the lovely shade and breathing in its oxygen. Country NZ isunbelievably  healthy!,

On the bus I have been having much interchange with my Japanese potential housemate, Ken,  as I am veering towards selecting him, but he may have already taken a place, if so, then its Marjorie, for better or for worse. The result is close but very interesting, man vs woman, French vs Japanese...a good exercise in fair discrimination for me. I will take it on the inner.

Whanganui

Sunday January 24 Whanganui

Up at six-thirty for a bus to the station, there to connect to my booking for Whanganui at 7.45. I realise late with a public holiday tomorrow I could have parked overnight near the station in the university grounds, but no worries, I always enjoy my bus rides. Today it is near full of young things in their late teens carrying enormous back-packs with all sort of things hanging from them. They look very Scandinavian, and their language is possibly Swedish. They are super-slim, long legged and a bit nervous as they have to catch the ferry to the South Island at eight o'clock, but they will, it's Wellington after all.

The trip is interspersed with a lively chat with the bus driver, behind whom I have cadged the best seat. He is rotund and humorous and was born in Levin he confides. I wonder if he knows my friend Ron who would be the same age, but not married with young kids as this friendly giant is. I refrain from asking him.

There are a few stops before we alight at Bulls, where I am to change coaches for Whanganui, this bus  going on to Auckland arriving about seven pm. I eat my salmon sandwich at the bus station as we have a twenty minute wait. A rather grubby man wants to have a conversation and I realise later he is  possibly destitute, and although he didn't ask for money I feel I should have given him my loose change. Oh well, next time I will be more aware I hope.

I arrive early at the bus terminal and have a few hours before I meet Graeme at the Ridgeway Street meeting room, so I avoid the crowded nearby cafe and descend immediatley to the wonderful river where is a lot of action, trains-rides, market, music and even a vintage  Rolls Royce show!

As always I find an excellent café with a view of the river and sit to rest with a drink. A local womanjoins  me as it is very busy and we chat about Whanganui. She has retired her from Lower Hutt home andit seems to be a good thing to do, cheaper real estate and everything. She tells me there is a house for sale on the opposite bank for a reasonable price she assures me. Pity I haven't enough money, but c'est la vie, I am a rollong stone.

More people sit with me and we talk of life after death, quite fitting as we are to do a workshop on this subject. I decide to order a Smashed Avocado on toast, which is delicious, just enough to tide me over. The day is beautiful on Whanganui River.

On the banks of the beautiful Whanganui River

In a nice caféwhere I indulge in a very creamy iced coffee, hopefully with no bad results.

There is a kiwi movie at the SunDance Festival which will be a must-see. More below...

Model recovery....

Helping the underprivileged boys

Snow disaster in US

Charlotte in troublereceiving awards in Europe with 'racist statement'

Off the Grid, the way to go for many...

Cuzco for Machu Picchu

Richard Dawkins coming to Wellie on March 4

This the movie to see called 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' directed by Taika Waititi.