Brisbane here I come!

For the first time I allowed myself only one hour to check in at Wellie airport and it was really tons of time. They recommend two hours which at four am is a bit ridiculous. I arrived at exactly one hour before the departure and was whisked through check-in, security and customs in only ten minutes so I am now in the lounge, very early, with another coffee and pain au chocolat...when will I stop eating sugar?

But also my there is my healthy pineapple which I rashly brought and which leaked,of course, into my bag....however all is good and I am looking forward to a relaxed and exciting few days with many friends in Brisbane.

False optimism...I am enjoying my very strong coffee and pastry and suddenly I hear 'Last call for flight one zero three' and I realise they have been boarding my flight for the last twenty minutes!  I quickly abandon my pineapple, take the rest of my pastry and run to the barrier  where I just happen to be the last person taking my seat. This has happened before to me but not for such a long time I am momentarily stunned, and collapse happily into my large legroom emergency window seat, with no neighbour to witness my near-panic.

Outside I notice the constant Wellington drizzle as I gaze out of the window in relief as we take off and I sink into my welcome seat.  So much for drama-free departures, I won't slip into a self-satisfied mode again, all antennae up when one is catching a plane, especially on an overseas flight, and did I really need to bring that pineapple with me, and have another French pastry? I don't think so!

Anzac Square, lower end...

..in the middlewhere I am having a booster brekkie, bacon and eggs, served in a deep plastic bowl. No,washing up in Brizzie it seems. The weather is warm not unpleasant, so I am lucky and will now refreshed, wander down to the fabulous Hilton where I will need this energy after a tiring flight with no breakfast supplied. 

Already forgotten this breakfast!NZ has truly spoiled me.

Eve of Departure

The Memphis today is showing why I come here everyday... the music is bopping, Johnny is dancing to the customers and Paris and Dave are serving great coffee. I have a warm melted pain-au-chocolat as it is my last one for five days as I fly to Philistine Brisbane, or not? Who knows, it's certainly going to be a great seminar and I just saw the first Facebook posting of the very upmarket Hilton Hotel, venue of the South Pacific ECK Seminar. Perhaps I will  find a great coffee there too, here's hoping.

However the news from the Middle East, the Oil Barons, Saudi and Iran, is more than upsetting, it is downright dangerous. The Saudis have beheaded an Iranian Sheik, the most important Sunni, and the Shias have perhaps bitten off more than they can chew, to mix metaphors. An Iranian counterattack in the form of cyberwarfare could bring serious trouble for this embittered religious dispute. What is it with the Sunnis and the Shias, they both follow Mohammed but fight like total enemies...

Such is the insoluble problem of the lower worlds and certainly the reason why I am aiming for the higher ones, through Eckankar.

Groovy Memphis...

Bio Booksof the year and Oliver Sacks is my favourite which I bequeathed to Peter K to whom I must write later today. 

A smartly outfitted Kiwi lady

Johnny on the job...

Am catching a final movie at the Cuba Lighthouse today, it is called 'The Revenant' starring Leonardo di Caprio, and has had a great review. Then I am home to pack and be ready for a before-dawn departure in the morning.

Well, as usual....

I didn't really read the review, and it was a gripping boy's own adventure stuff, filmed incredibly by excellent director Mexican Iñarritu, but it was a tad long at two and a half hours. However there was absolutely spectacular Canadian scenery, some good acting and directing, and Tom Hardy, which altogether made it go reasonably quickly. You just had to suspend reality for a while, although the credits said it was based on a true story. That I can imagine, and it did show the gruesome fighting of the American Indians against their invaders who were stealing their pelts and raping their women. The Indians were actually by far the most believeable in this epic.

Worthy of an afternoon with nothing much better to do.

Two days to go..

Brisbane is looming and Ben was on the phone yesterday to ensure we have an accessible bathroom for his Mum at the Hilton. So the room has been changed for that good access which is perfect. All sorted as they say in The Bill. Things quiet at home with LJ postponing his departure until the tenth when I am away unfortunately. But all will be well and I wish him luck in selling his van. On my return I will place an ad at the Backpackers on Wakefield street and probably get someone immediately. I realise I have been offering the rooms at a cheaper rate than they deserve so will remember that for the future. For short-term furnished rooms, this one is a bargain!

This jockey survived  a broken back and two femurs to eventually return and win a race, what a stoic, such a Kiwi!

Busy at the Memphis, Andy relaxing...

Getting the sun....

Bowie back with a splash!

Some people don't understand gender dysphoria,shame on you Barry and Germaine!

Great Kiwi fashion talent...

Mark writing reasonably yet again,such a good sports journalist, it's worth reading the Dom Post just for him.

Sun returns...

ThIs morning at Memphis has been ultra busy, for Memphis and for me as I looked up and discovered it was N's friends sitting opposite me, Gill and Andy. So happily with their help I am now on FaceTime and have been for a while but didn't know it. It is the cellphone -Skype and most people use it, such as Murali who rang yesterday from Singapore. Said he now is renting a cheap room for four nights in Brisbane so I am looking forward to seeing him there. I actually am getting quite excited about the visit to see all my Aussie friends and have another look at Brisbane.

Eddie at work at Memphis...

Holidays finished...

Merkel in bed with Putinvery bad news...

Good coffee, good news!

Manchester fun on NYE...

Gloria just arrived with her two friends, it is always good to see her, she is a  trooper and loves her Memphis coffee, as we all do. Last night at Ron's party, which was quite interesting with many Asians there naturally, Tom asked me to go to Nood to buy a pillow - No Drama- he said, it's for Nicholas and it says exactly that! So having finally posted Gail's gift to Malabar, arrivng next week no doubt I am now off to Nood, a great furniture and decor shop off Tory Street. Also to do some photos for Tom and Brent, and even buy a 2016 Diary for this year. I always need a diary altho nearly everything I do is on this I-Pad!

Anyway I discovered from Gill that her Ukulele group is singing in Virginia US at Hampton on March 12, a good chance to contact Sandy again, hopefully  there'll be 'no drama' there also!

First day back at Memphis

This is Monday January 4th, I still can't fix the dates on this Blog!

Anyway it is now the countdown to Brisbane,  really only three more days and today is haircut day hopefully as I have discovered a new barber in NewTown. Danny has missed the boat with me so I am now searching new fields.

Paris on board making my first versatoof the year.

Last night was much on  the phone, as quite late at night I received two unexpected calls from Mary Lou and Murali. ML as always, was a bit hard to understand, but super-friendly as ever, and one day I will visit her at Ulmarra.

Whereas Murali's call was to see if I was going to the Seminar and did I have a room to share? Well I am, and I haven't, infortunately, but I did put him in touch with Paula who may be able to help him. I sometimes wonder if Diana will be well enough to come, but I suppose so. I spoke also with Jan in Brisbane and she is excitedly waiting for my visit next Sunday, asking me what I liked for breakfast, such a nice thing to ask, but then she is a such good friend.

The music at Memphis today is soft and cool, good for the hangovers of the staff who obviously had quite a party over the holiday break. Today Wellie is still super quiet and it's not till next week that the workers return to work it seems, although today is a full working day.

Paris had a nice time over Christmas I thinkhe has a contented smile on his face.

Just thinking....

Can't quite believe this year is shaping up so fast with my Melbourne ECK Retreat locked in for April with the visit to see Hazel included who is not well at all. As I also, later in the year, plan a visit to WA to see family, Christy and Agnes in particular, this will mean three Aussie trips this year, taking the place of the big OS trip which I have cancelled. 

Next year 2017, the year of the European Seminar in Frankfurt, it will be a big trip so I will save my energy and money to plan for that in August, perhaps making it a longer trip, even contemplating coming home via the US to see Douglas and Elanita.

So this year I have some goals - get together with family in WA; do the ECK Interfaith connection with more positive input; make great speeches at Toastmasters; improve my SCD and buy a new kilt and shoes; write more articles for ECK newsletters and become fitter and improve diet even more.

I think that's enough for the moment ay? I'll look at this list at the end of the year to see which ones I succeeded in.

Baxter texting, as you do....

Here is my new barber's shopin New Town, run by some Syrians who don't want  to know about their runined country. A bit rough, but a short haircut at a cheaper price is how I am going these days. I also discovered in the mirror my top is thinning quite a bit so in not much more time I may have that bald spot I have been keen on avoiding. Oh well, age has its costs and now I am beginning to experience them.

 Decided to have a second coffee at Rubia's acorss from the barber, but they too have not supplied the Dom Post so am suffering 'news deprivation' today and I thought I was beyond it. It was a salutary and telling moment, bald pate and needing the news, two things I have to deal with today. Tonight I am off to Ron's for a barbecue which will be interesting and a nice way to bring in the New Year with some good friends.

At Rubia's with a near bald headfor $25 - my age is now showing which is probably quite a good thing, forcing me into reality, Lol! However I think it was my first, and last, trip to this barber...

Discovered fab festival in Aucklandin March...should I book some tickets as there are some amazing shows on? Could see Norma again, and Pam of course. Will consider. Now home for a rest as there is no Post Office open, merde!

Te Papa on a wet Sunday

It has been too long since I've been to our National Museum the wonderful Te Papa, and what better than on a wet Sunday, day three of 2016. Arriving early-ish, ten a.m. it is already abuzz and so many young families are here. It is indeed a family friendly museum, Our Place, as it is called so well. So I immediately take the lift to floor four to settle in the lovely lounge area for a first coffee.

A real 'slice of heaven'.

In the café, naturally....😊

Te Papa is now under new directorship, a Kiwi bureaucrat stolen from a top Aussie post is now runnng this cultural Icon, and apparently his Maori credentials aren't too high but he's got the job, so get on with it. There is a huge Maori component to Te Papa, and I happily know a few Maori who work here and love it. I think it would be an excellent place to work, wonderfully situated on the harbour, and open everyday of the year except for Christmas Day and also free. What more could you want?

I am reading the local Fishbone magazine and see that its editor very sensibly and with great erudition, maps the risky time Wellington is presently at. The Mayor is part of the problem, and should not be re-elected. She is a total flake,  a fact I have discovered personally. But the major problem as this writer says isnthat Wellington city is overgoverned by nine bodies, and is less than half a million people. It needs amalgamating something which was recently refused, in order to get things done. An essential decision being the extension of the airport runway to make it an International Airport. Wellington needs to be a real gateway to this incredible country and presently it can't even accept overseas carriers.

This needs to be addressed immediately or it will remain in a stasis and will allow Auckland to fast become the mega-moth it is already starting to be.

This $11 milliondream home near Nelson is nearly unbelieveable...

Really a paradise...

to be wondered at. The owner appears to be an American developer.

This wet day has put me to do some booking for Melbourne in April...an ECK retreat plus chance to catch up with old friends with some health problems. These happen with age and we just gotta deal with it ay, but it is a wake-up call that we are mortal and we must make each day, and moment, count.

Wet Wellie, as normal..

Everything is closed in Wellington. Except, of course, the Chinese takeaway in New Town and that's where I am having a doubtful Danish pastry and a long black. 

It's wet for a few days, but refreshing and I like it. Tom just rang and is joining me for a coffee but we may go on to Midnight Espresso which he likes too. Cuba Street always is open on days when others are closed. Great, beautiful Cuba Street.

Wet at New Town

Front page in Dom Posta Burmese cat is missing!!

Milo is lost.....all Waikanae is in mourning.

But Pope Francis is listening to NZ..

In Oz, Maralinga atomic testing is stilla black spot for the Aborigines who perished in its toxic fall-out. A dark day for Australia succumbing to US dominance.

Home for a quiet afternoon of phoning friends in Oz. My big decision today is to cancel plans of Minneapolis in the Springtime, instead I am going to Ballarat for an ECK retreat in April. On phoning Maisie, who is also going, she warned me to book early so I am now all booked up and will get flight tomorrow, staying a few more days to see friends in Melbourne. 

Also I rang Hazel and was greeted with her always upbeat voice, but received some bad news of a resumption of lymphoma in her neck so she is undergoing some awful chemotherapy. I feel for her as it's such an unfortunate outcome. All the more reason to visit Melbourne in April as her future may now be in question as she is nearing 86 this year. Who knows what may happen.

Qantas has a reasonable flight so will book with them, an outgoing flight via Sydney and with a direct flight home on the Saturday, April 30, Thérèse's birthday. The year is now shaping up already with space for a Perth trip in July/August to see Pad and family.

Low cloud over Oriental Bay