Government House tour, Wellington, New Zealand

https://gg.govt.nz/government-house/government-house-wellington/government-house-tours

Hi there

On one day a year, Government House, the home of the Governor-General of New Zealand (the officially non-political  representative of the Queen) is open to the public.  People queue for hours, like a long snake weaving down the driveway, almost to the main street.

What I didn't know until a couple of weeks ago was that anyone can go on a guided tour of the building.  You only have to book in advance (see link above; it might work!).  I went with a group from my gym class - about a dozen of us.  Solo snoopers can enjoy the tour too!   All are security-checked in advance.

The stories told by our guide about the history of the house, the previous governors-general, the china, furniture, paintings were so interesting, and some stories were quite funny. Many of the paintings are rotated from Te Papa Museum or other galleries;  a GG often picks the paintings she/he would temporarily like for the house. The Governor-General has her private rooms upstairs but, naturally we didn't go up there.

I did find out that if New Zealanders have, say, a 50th wedding anniversary or a one hundredth birthday coming up then they should just fill in a form to get official recognition.

below:  back view of Government House. After going through security and iron gates we entered via  this way into the house.  Tradesmen's entrance?

below: the 'throne" room.  Investitures, balls ,cocktail parties take place in here.  They've tried to keep the decor as it was from the beginning.

below: part of a reception room

 below:  a painted screen.  I think, but I'm not sure, it was painted by war artist Peter McIntyre.  A past Governor-General was sad he couldn't see Wellington Harbour from Goverment House so he asked for a screen to be painted.  One side is a day view of the harbour and the other side, a night view.  The screen would be turned around depending on whether it was daytime or nighttme.

below: a very small section of the grounds

Shortest Day Swim at Hataitai Beach

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Today, in New Zealand, it is Thursday 21 June, The Shortest Day. 

The Young One, J, and I managed to rope in about ten other mad-cough-cough-I--mean-'brave' swimmers to accompany us on the shortest day winter swim.  The air temperature was 8c when we got in the water.

It was cold, and the water was choppy.  There was a magnificent rainbow over the beach, some sirens (celebrating our  shortest day victory, naturally!), and as a fire engine driver passed the beach he gave us a couple of toots.

Below:  a pic of some of the mid-winter  swimmers entering the water at Hataitai Beach, Wellington, New Zealand, 21 June 2018.

Photo taken by J's personal paparazzi.

Tui in my Kowhai Tree

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When I bought my native kowhai from the gardening place about twenty years ago I was assured that it was a dwarf plant.  This hasn't really been the case.  The branches are up to my guttering and overhanging into my neightbours' property.

Now, for my two overseas readers, I must explain that the kowhai has the most beautiful yellow tubular-like flowers ever, and the New Zealand tui bird absolutely lives for gathering its nectar.  For the past week or so a tui has flitted backwards and forwards between a tv aerial on the house across the road and my kowhai bush.  The bird has been singing its little heart out with joy. Tuis   only come to my kowhai during flowering times, about once a year.

But, I had decided to chop some branches.  I didn't think I could wait until the tree stopped flowering in another week or two because the falling flowers were leaving a mess.

So I put on my hiking boots, rolled up the legs of my fleecy trouser pants, donned my thickest sweater, slipped on gardening gloves and, armed with two tree loppers, a rusty saw and some pruning shears, I marched across my muddy front lawn.  The tui was sitting on its usual aerial, singing away.

I was halfway through sawing my first branch when that darned bird dive-bombed me!

I guess I know what it's like.  If someone tried to block me from eating Bluff oysters in April and May, the only time of the year such oysters can be got, I would feel like dive-bombing someone too.

So it's one point to the tui, nil for Lorraine-who-doesn't-have-the-heart-to deprive an antsy little bird of his once a year treat.

above:  my kowhai tree, plus the aerial.  below, my tui

I'm in love

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I never thought I'd fall so deeply in love at first sight.  Whooossh!  Love hit like a sledge-hammer. I marched straight up to the girl, all set to declare my adoration -

"I want this shoulder bag," I said.  I passed the bag, lovingly, across the counter at Strandbags, and pulled out my credit card.

Normally, when buying accessories I will dither over price, colour, size.  I might even go home and think about a would-be purchase, but this day I didn't hesitate.  My eyes landed on the shoulder-bag and my heart lurched. Black leather and satin, and splashes of green and pink; I was trembling as I picked the bag up from its shelf.  I had to have it whatever the price.

The bag was $50.  Who says you can't buy true love?

Queen 's Birthday Weekend

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This is Queen 's Birthday Weekend here in New Zealand and it's a public holiday on Monday.  A lot of adverts on tv or radio are somehow managing to incorporate the queen, corgis, tiaras, or palaces into their sales pitches.

I was listening to NewstalkZB radio and a young man asked if when Charles made it to the throne would the date be moved to fit in with his birthday and, surely, it wouldn't turn into King 's Birthday Weekend, which, to this caller, sounded so weird?

 I remember as a kid, under the reign of George the 6th, we did have King's Birthday Weekend.  When Elzabeth took over, the title of Queen 's Birthday Weekend sounded so unusual to me for a time.  We'll quickly get used to a new monarch.

It is the official date to celebrate the monarch's birthday regardless of the real date.

Lots will change when Charles takes the throne.  The English National Anthem will become "God Save the King", our coins will be minted showing his profile, and instead of ER on commemorative stuff,  it will read CR.  One of the Queen 's official titles is "Queen of New Zealand" which I suppose means that Charles will get a makeover title when it's his turn to reign.