May 21, 2020
LIBERATION!!!
While we have not exactly been freed from the shackles of the corona-virus just yet, it is a welcome change to have a taste of freedom now that NZ is in Lockdown, Level 2. I’m sure most people are enjoying being “allowed” out or heaving collective sighs of relief to have the kids out from under their feet and back at school.
To be honest, life in Nelson feels rather normal, apart from the fact that you now have to “sign in” everywhere you go, for contact tracing purposes. Like many, I am taking advantage of the opportunity to escape my bubble and have been getting out and about, spreading my wings further afield.
Testing out my new bed
In fact it has been a rather pleasant week socially. It kicked off on Saturday night with a dinner invitation from my lovely friend Jo, who has a wonderful panoramic view from her perch up in the hills high above Tahunanui. Amanda and I were thrilled to make an effort with our appearance, for a change, and spend time within someone else’s four walls.
With Jo and her great view
I first met Jo roughly twenty years ago when I was in Auckland, enrolled at UNITEC’s film and television school. Angela, a mutual (long-time family) friend was instrumental in introducing us, as it was she who started me off on my house-sitting and dog-minding journey.
Jo had a beautiful but aged Jack Russell dog called Holly. Our family always had cats growing up so I’d not had much to do with dogs. It was a surprise to learn that I was quite the dog-whisperer and Holly and I developed a special rapport from the numerous times I looked after her, before her death.
Holly was not accustomed to being left home alone and accompanied Jo to work every day. When Holly was in my charge, my tutors were quite happy for her to sit on my knee during lectures and I would take her out for a pee and a run around on my breaks. She was sooooo well behaved and everyone in my class loved her.
The friendship with Jo also blossomed and when I left town we continued to stay in touch. She moved to Nelson a few years ago to keep a closer eye on her elderly mother. When Amanda moved down last year I introduced them both and they hit it off. We three girls proceeded to have a very pleasant evening with roast chicken for dinner topped off by a Chocolate Mousse Cake (GF DF), that was to die for.
Thanks for the recipe Jo. Sorry about the quality of the photo, hope you can make it out:
I also got this Banana Bread (GF DF) recipe ages ago from another friend Gabrielle, which also sounds delicious:
BANANA BREAD GF DF
In a big bowl, mash 3 overripe bananas
Add in the following:
1/2 teaspoon each of vanilla, salt, cinnamon
1 large egg
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup each of white sugar and brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup your choice of dairy free milk
Whisk to combine
Add in the following:
1 1/4 cup each ground almonds, GF self-raising flour blend, GF oats.
Whisk to combine. Pour into lined large loaf tin (I used my lasagna tin) top with chopped walnuts
Bake 180°C for 50-75 minutes until a skewer comes out clear.
IMPORTANT: leave in the tin until fully cool before lifting out and slicing, or it will go crumbly.
Keeps 2 days. Freezes well in an airlock bag for a month if pre sliced.
On the Monday, Amanda had taken herself off to get her nails done (in readiness for Mark’s arrival) and to buy some thermal underwear because winter is definitely coming. Once that sun disappears the nights cool down and we have not used the heat pump yet!
That afternoon my friend Jackie popped by. She had been feeling sorry for me with my recent spate of physical ailments and offered to do a healing. She works as a Cranio-Sacral Therapist. The treatment was as gentle as her soul and I could feel the energy radiating off her hands. She also works a lot with animals, so if you would like to know more about her therapy; then please check out this link to her business “Cranio-on-Tour”:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Health---Wellness-Website/Cranio-On-Tour-NZ-968423660011319/
Jolie and Ian also called in on the Monday afternoon. Ian is about to start what will hopefully be his final 16 week course of chemotherapy, so we are sending heaps of healing vibes his way.
On the Tuesday I had the pleasure of two social occasions.
The first was at Grape Escape in Richmond on the Appleby Highway. What a great complex. I looked longingly at the Wangapeka Cheese shop and had a quick look in Connings Food Market after my morning tea with Sarah, an old work colleague from Topline Marketing days. It had been a few years since we last met so we had a bit to catch up on.
Later in the day I caught up with Felicity, an old school friend from Te Aroha College. She has a fascinating job in “comms” at Wakatu, an organisation made up of share- holders who descend from the original Maori land owners of the Nelson, Tasman and Golden Bay areas. She is also involved with Good Bitches Baking, which sounds like a fantastic initiative. See link below:
www.gbb.org.nz
On the Wednesday Amanda and I had a very busy day, starting with me making a batch of cheese scones to distribute at our various planned visits.
The first port of call was Cath’s in Richmond to return the “loan” clothes. Having moved from Upper Hutt at the beginning of the year, hubby Rhys and their two kiddies had been living with his parents until they found their own place. Luckily they got to move into their lovely family home a week or so before lockdown.
The next visit was to a new acquaintance, Steve, who I had met the week before out at Mapua, on my first “internet date” in a while. An interesting Englishman who has the potential to be a great friend but nothing more. He grows peonies and had offered me a couple to take back to Wellington, so we swung by to check out his lifestyle block in Dovedale to collect them. The GPS took us on an interesting route along a gravel forestry road, he was truly out in the wops.
The property was full of derelict old buildings from its days as an old tobacco farm. It was a wonder that the dilapidated tobacco kiln had not fallen over. Amanda was extremely lucky and scored a pair of his ex-wifes gardening boots which fit her perfectly and he also gifted us some of his delicious home-made crab-apple jelly.
Amanda giving her new gardening boots a test run
From there we travelled to Upper Moutere to another lifestyle block to visit Annabel for a late lunch and to deliver her some promised Feijoa Chutney. A few years younger than us, Annabel, along with Cath and a few other gals were part of the book club that Amanda and I attended when I first moved to Wellington. It would be fair to say that we probably drank more wine than reading books but we disbanded after the girls started to pop out their babies. It has been suggested that we re-group, now that the kids are a bit older.
The last stop was to return the bar fridge to Amanda’s recently demised cellar-hand job at Gravity winery in Mahana. With Mark bringing the furniture down this weekend, we needed to clear the space in the garage. We thoroughly enjoyed the drive and observing the stunning fall colours of the landscape in the Moutere Hills. A perfect autumn day.
This week I also took delivery of a bed, which means two things. One, that Amanda can now move into her own house as the chill factor in the bus was getting a bit unbearable. And two, that I have made the decision to winter in Nelson and will return here at the end of June.
We are both excited to have a change of scenery for a few weeks and a wee break from each other. We will miss chatting to our neighbours; Rose, an old dear across the road, who has been supplementing our supply of jars for the chutney and Robbie next door, who has a good supply of tools and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty on occasion, like the time he unblocked our drain.
While I am looking forward to returning to Wellington for a bit, I’m dreading the cold nights in my caravan. I currently have no curtains on my back window due to the rail literally coming unstuck (the previous owners had used glue) so I need to get this fixed ASAP. I have a new track but the placement of the pelmet makes it difficult to screw it in. Might need to find myself a handyman to help, any takers out there?
Veering away from the personal and into the political, this week I saw this quote by one of the MP’s (sorry, I forgot to take note of his name) which I thought was pretty appropriate in light of the fact that a lot of the population have been feeling a bit antsy.
"I want to put this warning out because history is very clear about this: You treat adults in a democracy responsibly. You allow them, proportionally, to take back their lives. If you don't give it to them, they'll take it back."
And even though I don’t work a regular 9-5 job, I think this concept might be something that many of the populace might celebrate?:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/jacinda-ardern-flags-four-day-working-week-as-way-to-rebuild-new-zealand-after-covid-19?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR0XqmMjx-79NG1bsBnXHIGZVZ1U49cipFZ1-1z5OnNC6ilH7PMPy1pX87Y
This article about NZ’s new future is interesting reading:
https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/our-new-future/?fbclid=IwAR1FVvYaRYcHhrSLwxscMc_nVuOIVbKwAK0kWUhtMUl_baqXB1RSG2XwjzY
And this “Think for Yourself” video is highly amusing:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/vZMIqXCHJvxQ/?fbclid=IwAR3wdqX6O7YbdVWMFhfDq-ZoIlXpK5phYTCQK4hM_mL-KaL6nFdmi4-lfRk
As someone who has worked in the tourism sector for the last four years, I am delighted that there is now a big push to support local and for Kiwi’s to finally have an opportunity to get out and explore their own country (without the hordes of foreign visitors).
With the Queens Birthday long weekend approaching, I have seen quite a few “discounted” or “special” rates for accommodation and activities. This is fantastic. I have noticed on my travels abroad that there is often a “tourist” rate and a cheaper price for the “locals”. I always wished more activity and accommodation providers at our tourist hot spots would offer a “mates rate” for kiwis, to make it more attractive and affordable for them to explore and enjoy their backyards.
I remain ever hopeful that there will be a Trans-Tasman bubble by this summer too and that our Australian neighbours will decided to visit Aotearoa. And with any luck I may have some work.
But in the meantime, I will continue to try my luck with writing.
Finally here is this weeks selection of funnies. Thanks Kris for your contributions.
Thanks again for tuning in once more to surviving in the bubble. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read it. Feel free to give me feedback &/or share with your friends.
onepurplefish
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