Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Hi there
At the last minute I trotted down to Maranui Cafe on the seafront at Lyall Bay and waited to see if I could get a glance at the Duchess of Sussex.  She was going there for coffee and a talk with benevolent organisations.

All I saw as the car went by was a hand waving because the car's windows were darkened.  When she went into the cafe I only saw her back.  I switched sides of the road and I got a nice - though distant view - of the Duchess:

 

She was too far away for my cheap little camera phone to photograph but thanks to Fliss (who was standing beside me) for the above photos.  Oops, I never even thought about looking at Harry.

PS:  31 October ... there was an earthquake yesterday over much of New Zealand but it hardly touched Auckland where the royal couple were visiting;  they didn't feel it.  However, I was scared and ducked under the table clutching the legs as we've been instructed to do, only to suddenly realise that my 80 year old dining room table was on casters.  Yeah, casters will really keep the table steady in a bad earthquake!

Phantom seed thrower

Hi there

Some months ago, a neighbour said to me, "Have you heard about the Phantom Seed Thrower?"

"Huh?"  What the heck was my neighbour rabbiting on about?  Her statement sounded slightly ... naughty?

"Someone's going around the streets of Miramar at night-time, and throwing seeds into people's front gardens."

"Oh.   I wish someone would throw seeds into my garden ..." (its so darn hard not to sound ... naughty,  but I will continue writing with a stiff upper lip).

And you know what?  Someone did throw seeds into the weed-filled garden at the front of my house.

At the start of Spring my garden suddenly became a riot of lovely little spring flowers peeping in and out of the knee-high weeds.  How adorable.  I wish I could name the flowers, but being the non-gardener that I am, I haven't a clue about florals and fauna (I'll have to run to the Yates Garden book that's been gathering dust on my  bookshelf for twenty years and see what the word 'fauna' actually means).  

Thank you Phantom Seed Thrower, much appreciated...

What Oprah Told Me!

Hi there

Years ago, when Oprah was on television here in New Zealand I garnered two important pieces of information -

1.    When putting on a bra, always lean forward to manoeuvre yourself into place.

2.    Before handing over money for that beautiful new jacket you spotted on your lunch break, work out how many hours you had to work to pay for it.

Thanks, Oprah.  Best advice ever.

Adventure Day, Paraparaumu

Hi there

I decided last week to have an Adventure Day.  I hopped in my car and went up Highway No 1, from Wellington.

First I went to the mall in Porirua for a couple  of hours.  Then I drove to Fisherman's Table, a casual buffet restaurant that's right on the highway.   I had a table by the window, and a great meal.  Kapiti Island looked fantastic from the restaurant.

I carried on driving, past the Paraparaumu mall, round the next corner, and down to Paraparaumu Beach.   I had a long walk on the sands.  Kapiti Island was directly across from me.

Visitors never used to be able to visit Kapiti.  It was tapu (taboo).  But now if a visitor books through - I think - DOC (Department of Conservation), they can get a boat ride aross the water from Paraparaumu.  It's especially lovely over the summer months.

A few years' ago, I hiked to the top of the island, but a visitor doesn't have to do this in the few hours that they're there.  There are song-birds,  swimming, wandering along different tracks, and just picnic-ing.

Kapiti Island, from Paraparaumu Beach.

Hataitai Beach today

Hi there

Saturday

The weather has been so beautiful today.  Really good spring sunshine.  There was a hive of activity around Hataitai Beach. Sunbathers (including my friend, J, and me), a few swimmers (J and me!), lots of walkers, many people who didn't realise the toilets had been moved from inside the changing sheds to the front of  the structure.  Women would automatically. tear into the changing sheds for the toilet , then come sheepishly out, looking puzzled.   Okay, everyone, note well that men's, women's, and disabled toilets are now at the front of the building ...

above: the new toilets at the front of the building.



above:  the changing shed entrance.

above: Hataitai Beach and sunbathing deck.  Taken from across the road because I couldnt be bothered to get out of my car!   Oops...