Day at the Dentist

IHI am taking a quick coffee at Memohis to prepare for the dentist visit, to replace a filling which came out last week. But the major reason is to discuss the eventual removal of a troublesome molar which may have involved another root canal if I don't get it extracted. The last one resulted in a final extraction and I have not regretting losing this tooth so one more shouldn't be a problem. It is a return to my first dentist Syme Da Silva, who does charge like a wounded bull, but then, so do they all in Wellington. However he does know his job and I don't think the filling which is to be replaced was the one he gave me on my first visit, but we'll see.

Aussie Memorial mined in India!

Our embarrassing Prime Minister

The game I will see on Saturday.

The Dental Reception..like an up-market advertising company. My dentist, Ravi.Well, Ravi, the king of the silver tail dentists, did a quick repair job where I refused to be 'numbed up' as he calls it, for a filling which was tiny and nearly drill-fee. $250 later he says I will need another X ray  for the back tooth to see if it can be attended to without a root canal. I renege, and tell him I'll wait till it gives me trouble. He smiles, and says 'well don't wait too long'. Hahahah!

Missed my bus, again by a whisker, so decided to stroll home along the beautiful Oriental Parade, always a delight!

There is never any joy at seeing a dentist in Wellington. My good dentist friend in OZ, Rob Dalby, I always enjoyed seeing and he was very reasonable in charging me. I look forward to my return where I will again see him and get reliable advice.

A favourite dwelling on the Parade

Well, I even managed, after a stimulating class at Flashdog studios, to find time to catch another French movie at the Paramount. Called 'Get Well Soon', about an ageing misanthrope, I hoped I wouldn't identify too much with it.

Well, I certainly didn't identify with the main character, but this very B grade French comedy was only saved by the appearance of a louche grey cat at the end of the movie, who was such a great character the rest of this predictable and amateur effort faded into obscurity. Thank God for cats!

Monday at Memphis

Out and about today but missed the presence of Aussie PM Tony Abbott, (on purpose) when he opened the Australian contribution to the Anzac Memorial at Pukeahu Park this morning at nine thirty. I am sure there would have been at least three people there, including the two PMs.LOL!

So instead I went to Memphis for a nice coffee, that is after speaking to the landlord Mr Patel who announced the arrival of a neighbour in the downstairs flat. It is another Paul, whom I had already met on the stairs. He is a nice guy, a builder, and will be a good tenant for the fastidious Mr Patel I am sure.

It is getting close to the time for my moving arrangements to be organised, so one day, in May, I think, I will give Mr Patel ample warning of my planned departure at end of July, but hopefully someone will be staying in my house to fulfil the contract. It is hard to get the first move started, ie, booking a mover, but when I do that, it will be all go. I have cancelled my  invitation to B for May, deciding it is too much for me at this stage and best to allow a friendship to unfurl more slowly on his home ground in OZ, not on a holiday in NZ which could be risky. I am sure he will understand, if not, so be it, he would not have been my friend in that case.

Breakfast at Memphis with Gideon

Gideon with young friend.

Have arrived early for Interfaith Meeting and naturally no-one is there. It takes ten minutes if I leave at 4.40pm and half an hour if I don't leave till 5pm with the traffic. So there you are, I have learned something at least!

Also I happily received a very positive reply from B and he is relieved he doesn't have to visit me here now as his life is in a state of great change as well. It's interesting...we'll see what happens.

On the wall at the Interfaith Meeting

Trip to Waikanae

Am starting today with a coffee at the Mediterranean but my Japanese barista is not here. Result - awful coffee made by an older guy who has no idea about the espresso experience!  So be it. I then get a text from Tom saving me by inviting me to his place for a coffee. Fabulous!

After this I am on my way to visit good friend Gwyneth at Waikanae, a pleasant one hour drive north on Highway 1. Our meeting is to hear the recorded televised speech of Sri Harold Klemp, the Spiritual Leader of Eckankar, given at the Springtime Seminar this year at Chanhassen.

Outside  Mediterranean

Yesterday after the War Memorial opening I rushed to the Film Archives, Nga Taonga, to see a really great Turkish/British/ OZ/Kiwi doco on the Gallipoli disaster. It was told from the pov of both sides, and the actual letters from the soldiers participating featured throughout the movie.  It was riveting and quite an essential experience for understanding this maddest of all escapades in the Dardenelles in this awful and disastrous First World War.  The stupidity of one man fighting his brother is illustrated when, because of the incredible stench from rotting dead bodies, an armistice was declared where each side allowed their comrades to be buried, even exchanged cigarettes, and then immediately they all resumed fighting and killing each other. 

I am happy I had the chance to see it although it made me very sad afterwards and I needed to debrief somewhat, which was difficult as there was no-one there to talk to except the two Indian girls at the desk, who were lovely. The beginning of a week's sad remembrances.

Below, view from living room at Gwyneth's

beautiful home at Waikanae

Tuning in to the televised talk from Chanhassen

The afternoon at Waikanae lasted till late so I cancelled dancing tonight. Sri Harold's talk was simple and entertaining with stories from others who had written to him, but also some very interesting tales from his early life at the Lutheran College he attended for many years in Wisconsin and Indiana. All this study was part of his ongoing spiritual journey to find his true path of Eckankar. 

There were seven of us at Gwyneth's lovely new home, and we shared a lovely potluck late lunch and had a good discussion as well. It was a satisfying afternoon of spiritual talk. Another Seminar gone for the year, but it's now time to start preparations for my visit to the European Birmingham Seminar in August!

War Memorial opening

I'm glad I made the trek today to witness the historic opening of  the NZ War Memorial Park on this Centenary Year of the First World War.  The Obelisk itself was opened in 1932 but it has taken 83 years to finish the War Memorial Park and War Museum which was in part, masterminded by Sir Peter Jackson. His Weta Cinema Works at Miramar has been instrumental in building the larger than lifesize replicas of the First War War soldiers in their   trenches, and today was the first day open to the public.

Light show last night at the Obelisk

Flag debate heating up...

What Kiwis did for Peter Jackson in 2003

Another unsolved murder with crooked cops...

An Aussie Memorial in red stone..

On Monday the Aussie contribution to the Memorial, which is fifteen sandstone columns, each six metres high in the colour of the Red Centre of OZ, will be opened separately. It is placed impressively at the base of the Obelisk, but at some distance to give gravitas and some moment to the two separate monuments. 

It is going to be an epic week of remembrance starting from today. The Prime Minister, and Governor General were both there and speaking this morning, and a stirring rendition of the NZ National anthem was sung, in both languages of course, as we are indeed a bi-cultural nation in NZ. It is an impressive War Memorial and I shall soon see the inside of the Museum which houses this exciting and apparently very moving exhibition. Also there is another exhibition on at Te Papa, so at the moment we are saturated with World War One Memorabilia.

Anzac memories begin..

It is a cold and grey day but a phone call from Tom while I'm at the Memphis brightens my day.

Always a cheery soul, Tom is en route to Martinborough and would have taken me away for the day but unfortunately I was committed as usual, to the Potluck lunch at B.P. So be it, it would have been a lovely drive. So instead we shared a coffee and cake at the Memphis.

Kiwi Rugby Sevens preparing already for the Rio Olympics

My home team in Gosford playing soccer in Wellington tonight!

Surveying the excellent cakes, bought from Zaida's... 

We chatted about the Anzacs and his grandfather who served at Gallipoli. Also he related the story of his Mum, who would have been made a 'Dame' had she lived, for her services in creating the first Refuge for the women of New Zealand. After the return of the soldiers in the Second World War, there were many women who had been liberated during the war who experienced real wages for the first time. Now having been given money for their work they felt their worth and escaped the sometimes slave conditions they had formerly experienced of working for nothing at home.

The phenomenal return of  thousands of shell-shocked men suffering from the now recognised Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, made them not exactly easy to live with, and many wives sought solace in these refuges which had to be created for their safety and well-being. Bernice, Tom's mother, sounds like a formidable woman, and Tom has fond memories of her, although unfortunately she died at a very young age, leaving her husband who lived till he was 106 years old, recently passing away from natural causes. He did marry again by the way.

Tomorrow, Wellington will swell with pride at the opening of the newly renovated War Memorial, which will begin a week-long commemoration of Returned Servicemen, culminating in the Anzac Day March along Taranaki Street to the said Memorial, with a Dawn Service being held on April 25, the actual Anzac Day. I am hoping to attend the Saturday service.

Sunny day in wintry weather

At Memphis in the sun - Wellington is so sweet when the sun shines and the sky is blue. I think that's why Wellie lovers are so passionate about their city, when it smiles, it is like the whole world smiles with you.

Today with my coffee is a new magazine, a freebie, callled, attractively, 'Vice'. It is indeed a global magazine, representative of today's cyber generation. There are no boundaries in this mag, and everything is available if you wish it. New Zealand is well represented, and it's free. Well only because some of the big brands, alternate of course, are there to finance it. But is a glossy, and it has a big distribution.  About twenty-five countries are listed on its inside page, and I bet their reps and writers are all under twenty five years old.

Cover of 'Vice'

Memphis sun...

..and smart phone clients.

Aussies making movie on the evil of Sugar

Advertisers in Vice - the E-cig!

Perfume Genius - trans singer

Someone's Mum, in a photo shoot.

In Vice, I read articles about The Mob's women, labelled the 'mafiosa', and their roles. It's mainly concerning the Mexican cartels, the most infamous in the world these days, having succeeded in making New York look boring. Another article about a trans singer called Perfume Genius; and another about a young one-time miscreant at a halfway house having spent time in prison for stealing a book. Rude awakenings, they call it, but life was never like this in downtown OZ, so it wakes me up too, although I have had my taste of the 'other side', but it was a different era.  

There is also a story of a writer called Rudy Wurlitzer, about as alternate as you could get, the Timothy Leary of today you could say. I heard Timothy Leary speak in California on my first trip there in 1969.. I didn't know then what a legend he was or would become.

It is not surprising that Memphis has a few of these magazines for their clients. It is, after all, not your 'normal' cafe, and that's why I like it so much.

Now to to witness, with some apprehension, a talk, complete with Power Point of course, at the Otago Medical School at Wellington Hospital. Our esteemed HIV lead Doctor is delivering, and has invited Body Positive, ie, Ron et moi, to attend. The large University lecture room is half filled with med students and doctors eager to be brought up to date on the Infectious Diseases scene, principally the AIDS epidemic. 

Nothing was really new to me, and a few of the doctors showed their interest by asking questions. This doctor, a lovely and sensitive man, gave an informed up-date for those present, and his on-screen overheads illustrated his points. He finished with the arresting photo of Dame Whina Cooper on her Land Rights March.

 Another talk followed about cardiac arrest and its latest treatments. It was actually more interesting and relevant to me I felt. We finished at 1pm, Ron made his contribution, and all is well.

Now back to ordinary life, away from the throngs of earnest and excited young future surgeons and research scientists. It has, all the same, been an interesting visit.

The Medical Update...

Final slide..of the famed 80 year old Maori Dame Whina Cooper, who walked the length of the north island of New Zealand in 1975 to advocate for Maori Land Rights, and the nation was inspired. She became known as the 'Mother of the Nation'.

Wow! For the Woman in Gold

This movie is a winner - and Helen Mirren, as always, fabulous! I mentioned I saw an interview on U-tube with a most mature young Mirren and an embarrassingly sexist Michael Parkinson. She showed him up for what he was, and herself to be decidedly confident and very intellingent at a young age. Her long marriage to an American producer has shown her desire for stability which has doubtless stood her in good stead in a now long and illustrious career. She has always been the 'thinking man's crumpet', but wanting to get away from this and choosing challenging roles, like the one with the great director Peter Greenaway in his masterpiece, 'The cook, the thief his wife and lover'.

'The Woman in Gold' is a not a film of that calibre, but who can compete with Greenaway's rampant imagination? This is, after all, a true story and one which deserves to be told, about the Nazis robbing Europe and the Jews of priceless works of art while in their relentless drive to exterminate them. It is a tear-jerker, and at one stage I was quite undone, but for all the right reasons. All Jewish people, I think, would appreciate the excellent representation of what was their awful and tragic plight, and admire the showing of love and respect they have for family and for their rich culture. The movie really deserves to get a gong. The Austrians, on the other hand, might not be so happy with the recognition of their historical connection with the Nazis and the resultant atrocities. No gong there!

A golden movie...

Kiwis abusing their treasures.....this is at the fabulous, but it appears badly maintained, Te Papa. Somehow I am not too surprised.

This great landscape and famous hotelare at Mt Tongariro, only a few hours drive from Wellington!

And here is more excellent sports journalismwith Mark Reason showing the way yet again. Although the second article about the new American golf champ's inspiration gleaned from living happily with his autistic sister, is more than worth the read. 

I believe the presence of a person with a disability in any family can be a a valuable opportunity for the  family to learn so much, as, by coping with the inevitable difficulties, they create a better world not just for their own family, but also show an example for others to learn from, as does Jordan Spieth, the new Masters Golf Champion at the precocious age of 21.

Jordan's win at the Masters

At a very busy Memphis, sunny but chilly.