Sad news

This is the story of how a long time friend of my parents and our family met his maker last weekend.  Clouds of sadness gather around the people that knew John and although really sad, we are not surprised that this is how he left.  Robert, his son, is pretty amazing to say these words about his father.  http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4275183/Search-for-body-scaled-back

Eat Pray Love

Read the book, liked a lot of it, got sick of the indulgence after awhile, however the movie was a different story.  Really enjoyed the story, characters and locations a lot.  Also really enjoyed my raspberry and white chocolate ice cream and the company of my lovely friend Alex.   I am also a closet Julia Roberts fan and melt at the sight of Javier Bardem.  Nice. And I am still thinking about it and remembering some of the good wisdom and life observations. 

Random Acts of Kindness

I have recently been the recipient of a random act of kindness and I was almost moved to tears by the thoughfulness behind a beautifully wrapped gift left on my desk.  I have been in the very enjoyable position of doing a bit myself.  Having received a very large box of treats from a very generous supplier (another random act) from the North Island who wanted to ease our earthquake nerves, I have been randomly delivering tasty treats to meetings, teams and workmen in our building.  Although the cost of this is not mine, I have gained so much enjoyment delivering the treats and making people smile.

A few weeks ago I also had the pleasure of collecting for Canteen and observing first hand the kindness of others. Many people walked past not wanting to make eye contact or engage in any way but many did stop and drop a few coins in the bucket, chatted about friends who had died of cancer and generally talking about life and handbags, clothes and those kinds of bits and bobs.

Wrapping those small daily experiences up I am going to hold onto the loveliness of receiving and giving random acts of kindness.  If the car texting red light runners, balloon poppers and people who complain about the tiny life injustices they experience partook in such kindness and respect for others, they too might get to experience the warmth and joy that can be achieved with small kind actions.

Tasty

I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious.  Donna Hay is one of my taste gurus.  Her recipes are so tasty and they never fail to deliver.   I did change it a bit as you do and added peas and cucumber instead of snow peas and I fried up a couple of shallots instead of red onion.  This is a lovely after work creation....mmm...

photography Vanessa Levis

ginger beef patties with lime noodle salad

• 100g vermicelli rice noodles
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 300g beef mince
• ¼ cup (60ml) oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 150g snow peas (mange tout), sliced and blanched
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice
• 1 ½ tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 small red chilli, chopped

Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and run under cold water until cold. Set aside.
Chop half the mint leaves and place in a bowl with the mince, oyster sauce and ginger. Mix well to combine. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Divide the mince mixture into six patties and cook for 2–3 minutes each side or until cooked through.
Place the noodles in a bowl with the snow pea, tomato, onion and remaining mint leaves and toss to combine. Add the patties to the salad. Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chilli and pour over the noodles to serve. Serves 2.

• this recipe is from donna hay magazine issue 47

Just finished reading #35

Over the past few months I have been very slack in the book reviewing stakes.  So I thought I would do a bunch of small reviews to catch up

Dear Alison -edited by Simon Pollard

Courtesy of Penguin website. In July 1942 with a notebook and pencil he had bought from a German guard, Dudley Muff started Alison's Book. Dudley was 42 and a prisoner of war in Stalag XVIIIB in Germany and his niece Alison was four and living in Timaru.
It starts 'Dear Alison, Mummy has told you all about Uncle being a prisoner so now I must tell you what we do to pass the time.' With humorous entries, sketches and what he called 'little men' his story grew until it became an unbelievable account of his time served in two prisoner-of-war camps.
Given to Alison when he returned to Christchurch after the war, she read it first as a child, purely for the excitement such a story could impart. Only later, rereading this as an adult, did she see through the veiled references to how life really was in the camps. After returning to Christchurch, Dudley added a one page postscript describing his journey to freedom. He finished the book with, 'Now I shall tell you in three little words what all my travels have taught me, NEVER BE AFRAID. With all the love in the world from Uncle Dudley'

It is a great little read with super pictures that Dudley drew...nice to read with children about 8+ probably.  Very good.

Gladstone

Enjoy these photos of our trip to Gladstone

 

 Beautiful morning mist down the valley

 Family picnic under the titoki tree

 The ubiquitous bath shot

 The best ever playground in Masterton

 Flloyd

Early morning farewell at the train station...thanks for a great relaxing time

Nic in Wellywood

Here is a round up of the dash through Wellington on a Sunday afternoon and a Thursday morning....

 through the clouds

 big things at Te Papa - whale

 and squid

 lying over the Catlins

 yes...

 the family train engine shot...

 top of the Cable Car

 it is amazing who you bump into sometimes...Catherine and I have also met once under the river in the subway in Melbourne...destined to find each other in odd places

 Cable Car

handing out the lollies...self appointed

Just finished reading #34

A week in December - Sebastian Faulks

I have never read Birdsong, the novel most of us associate Seb Faulks with but have been meaning to for about 20 years.  Instead I read his latest.  Set in London over one week in December 2007 it is one of those delicious books that has a whole range of stories (7) running through it that you know are going to collide somewhere but you are not entirely sure how.  We are a bit sure as almost everyone is linked through a dinner party guest list of a Tory party chap and his wife, Sophie.  I thought this was a little bit on the obvious side and perhaps a little transparent.  It seemed rushed at the end which made me think it was a bit contrived.  I really enjoyed the stories that intertwined - John Veals the hedge fund owner who I despised throughout the entire book and wanted to see get his just desserts but didn't was everything you would expect from a man in the cit;   Hassan the young man in search of heaven through a suicide bombing was interesting and likable and  I really enjoyed Jenni the Underground train driver and Farooq the pickle maker and so on.  I think all of the stories could be interesting in their own right.  I read the review of this in the Guardian and wondered if their reviewer and I had read the same book.  I always chuckle when that happens as it confirms my beleif that I am not a great reader although I just love it.   This book was a good meaty read although not quite the book I think Sebastian might have been aiming for.

Wairarapa

We are here, Nic and I, enjoying a shake free holiday hosted by our lovely cousins Gill and Andrew, Anika and Hazel.  I am feeling a little guilty for being away for another sizable shake but there you go.  I haven't brought my camera download cable so I don't have pics to share except one I am going to pinch off Gill.  It is fantastic living in this straw bale, eco friendly, eclectic and self sufficient home on a hill overlooking a spectacular valley. So calm and still.

Just finished reading #33

It has such a long time since I wrote a book review and that might indicate that I haven't been reading, however that is not the case, rather I have not been writing much.  Study and winter have really taken their toll on me this year.

Italian Shoes - Henning Mankell

Mankell writes a variety of stories and has himself a resident crime series with a chap called Kurt as his protagonist.  This is not one of these books.  Italian Shoes is about Fredrick, a doctor who lives in self composed exile on an island in the Swedish archipelago.  He has sent himself there for a life a solitude because one day as surgeon he made a big mistake.  At this point he thought it was a good idea to take himself out of circulation for the safety of others.  However, we all know he did it because he is not great at facing up to himself and his feelings etc.  Anyway, his ex love Harriet turns up on a walking frame, she is dying, and helps him confront or reconnect with his life.  No more details from me as the revelations are more enjoyable if you read them as you go.  It is written in the first person, at a perfect pace with the spare but descriptive writing of a confident and well respected writer.  Beautifully written. I love books set in cold place and islands so this is all just perfect for me.  Being a person who craves warmth and company I am not sure why I love these kinds of books but I just do. 

Earthquake humour

I am not saying this is funny at all, because we don't find earthquakes funny.  However, the sign on the end of this shelf at Lincoln University Library does make you have a little chuckle, in a kind and supportive way. 

Sign says...'Help us keep the library tidy.  Place books for reshelving on here'

The Society Inc

In the rain on the earthquake Saturday in Sydney I dragged my poor Jonty around the streets of Paddington looking for the shop of one of my design idols.  I was so excited to be there and so excited to meet Sibella Court whose books I have poured over many times.  It is in the reading pane to the right.  She is a very cool woman and I was a tiny bit blushing as I talked to her.  In the picture below you can see the items I bought from her shop.  Yes it is a piece of velvet ribbon, a little jar of paint and two turquoise glasses.  You can laugh, Jonty did.

This is too good not to share

Wow how times have changed.  Long gone is the angst and self discovery of our 20's, here is our reality and it is kinda funny.  I know you will all find something to chuckle about reading these.  Shared with me by my friend Alex.

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing annoys more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
7. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
8. Bad decisions make good stories.
9. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

Taking steps

Last night we hosted a dinner for our friends to help distract them from the state of their house and the fact that they are homeless.  They looked very tired and markedly thinner.  The worry and not knowing what their future holds is really impacting on them.  It was very nice to be able to do something vaguely useful for them, although you may think partying is inappropriate.  We all know that the warmth of others is what gets us through these kinds of things.  Also, some of us are very keen to start moving forward.  Acknowledging and grieving is important but the need to look forward and imagine the future is also a really important part of getting on.   I know that it will be a lot easier for those of us who have little damage and we all come to his at different times.  There are people in Christchurch, especially in some suburbs who are very bored and over it.  They obviously don't see what we see over here on the east. 

Anyway, I want to share with you the most delicious and simple recipe that is going to become a very standard production out of my kitchen.  Anyone who has had to sit and listen or read my blog will know that I LOVE Ray McVinnie and this another ode to him.  It is so simple, but don't laugh, you will love it.  Follow this link.  I am wondering about quince jelly as a possibility.mmmm.

Amazing

Chandalier Rescue - my friend Donna at work has posted this amazing set of pictures of the rescue of a chandalier that she saw yesterday.  The photos are all her work.  This would be my absolute favourite thing this week.

Sydney Eats

I hope you don't mind me not talking about the earthquake for a moment.  Although we were like traumatised zombies walking around Sydney in the weekend, we did have to eat and it is about all we did as we didnt fancy shopping not knowing what the future held.  Man, did we eat.  Memorable meals were scoffed at 'bills' one of the lovely Bill Grainger's restaurants.  I had written down the address and made poor Jonty trek up and down through Surry Hills to find it.  It was a very low key place but totally buzzing and the food was simple but perfect.  Service was fantastic...as I might say, was every single wait and serving person we met.  I was amazed at the lovely friendliness.

 Another memorable meal was at the suggestion of Sibella Court, a hero of mine, whom we met at her shop The Society Inc.  (I will do a separate post on her sometime.)We were a bit dazed and she said the best place to go and have a lovely afternoon was the North Bondi Italian.  It was gorgeous.  Very flash Sydney people meeting in large groups, the noise immense and the fooood just perfect.  Again the staff were fantastic.  We had arancini balls, squid, mussels and cheap Italian wine.  It was as windy as hell outside and we just drank in the warmth and atmosphere.  No one knew we were earthquake refugees and that was ok.

As bad as it gets

For us we suffered nothing in comparison to some people and these are the photos of our damage.  Stay tuned for more images as I get out and about today for work.  

This is my most loved possession and I am even ok about it being broken because my house is still standing.

Shaking

Holy Shit Batman....an EARTHQUAKE.  A big one and it happened here in little old Christchurch.  There are pockets of devastation and some people have lost everything.  However, most of us are fine and we are carrying on as normal.  Normal being after shocks every hour or so, working from home and sharing stories.

I have to admit I wasn't even here.  Jonty and I were on a romantic surprise weekend in Sydney.  Nic was with my parents in ChCh so had to be very brave and cope without his parents.   We landed at 12 last night and it was really windy and I have had a weird spinny head going on.

So we found out through an avalanche of texts and the tv in our hotel.  Iwas shaking and crying wondering what had happened to my family.  Quickly I was in touch with them all and they were fine but everyone has lost something.  Small things mostly.  Everyone who experience the quake is damaged in some way.  People are a bit dazed, others getting worn down by the aftershocks and coming to terms with the loss of their homes.

100,000 homes are damaged.   Our libraries are amazing with so few books falling off shelves.  Crazy.
I am heart broken to see the beautiful old buildings that we love demolished.  Our city really is never going to be the same again, for anyone.  It takes time to ponder that impact.

Thank you everyone for lovely messages of support.

Zumba

Oh yeah.  I finally got to a Zumba session and I loved it.  In a dark hall in a school in Christchurch women of all ages and sizes gathered to dance the night away.  With a flapping of bat wings and a jiggling of tummies everyone's inhibitions were set aside and away we went.   Not a midriff in sight. What fun.  I can say that I had trouble being loose, especially with my very damaged lower back but everything else worked fine.  Today my knee is a little sore as is my toe...new shoes me thinks.  Being an aerobics junkie in the 80s and 90s, Zumba was like a trip back to the mothership.  I noticed it was taking us all a bit of effort to loosen the hips but the spirit was strong and music fantastic.  Add that to the swimming and tennis in the weekend and I am feeling great, if not a little creaky.

thanks to free to air tv in nz

...I have been able to catch up on some dvd watching on a Saturday nights because the pickings are very slim, in fact you could say it was SHIT!  Week after week after week of crap weekend tv. 
Loved 'In Bruges'.  I have been meaning to watch that for ages.  It was sold as a comedy with amazing chases and a whole range of other bullshit.  Always pays not to believe the hype.  It was much much better than that.  It is a very dark comedy with a lot of things to think about and some very funny dwarf gags.  Not because I think it is funny to be a dwarf, more that Ray is a total dick and that Jimmy is very assertive and a cool guy.  Loved Colin Farrell and the irony of being sent to Bruges.  Funny and alarming, well worth a look.  Loved it. 

'An Education'.   Nice little flick set in the 60s that tells a very telling tale of the times with the conflict I am sure young women of the era found them selves in. There really was a crossroads to navigate and I wonder which way I would have gone.  Anyway, enjoyable film with some lovely clothes.