Weekend Reflection: Waipu

The beautiful Waipu beach.


Steve and Lynn Peeters, this photo was taken on a farewell party for us at Gary's place in 1990. We were leaving for Singapore.




The little Northland Township holds a special place in my heart.

Twenty one years ago, when my baby Andrew died, I was miserable with empty arms and grieving. My friend Steve Peeters invited me to his mother Nelly's kiwi fruit farm near the beach in Waipu. There I found solace as I sat by the little jetty looking at flounders lie on the shallow creek. Steve's dad had just passed away, and Nelly told me that life had to go on. She had to, because she had a big kiwi farm to run.

We came back to Auckland, and I found inspiration to live on.

Recently a friend quoted this: “Let your dreams be greater than your memories.” I want to marry the two, a dream based on memories. I hope to succeed and have a reunion of all my friends who helped me during that very difficult time.

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Parents march taggers to police
5:30 AM Saturday Jan 1, 2011


A northern resort town blighted by a graffiti attack has got its own back on the vandals after they were marched to police by their parents to confess.

Three young men owned up to defacing 27 of Waipu's shops and commercial buildings on Sunday night and Monday morning.

The trio - aged 14, 18 and 20 - were taken to the Waipu police station by their parents, who were ashamed to learn their boys were responsible for tagging the buildings and scratching shop windows.

On Thursday, all three were removing or painting over graffiti on shops in Waipu's main street and apologising to occupants of buildings they had tagged. Relatives kept them hard at work and made sure they paid attention when older Waipu residents sternly rebuked them for the tagging. "They got heaps of stick," a businessman said.

The mood of people in Waipu yesterday was far lighter than the anger and resentment expressed on Monday morning after the discovery of the destructive tagging, which had been expected to cost thousands of dollars to remove. Waipu Business Association chairwoman Judy Guy said: "It's wonderful they have owned up and their fathers have brought them down to repair the damage. What more can you ask?"

It also means Waipu will be able to show a newly scrubbed face when the 140th annual Caledonian Games get under way today.

Thursday Theme Song: Route 66

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IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the past...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
My friend gave me a Tee Shirt which says Route 66, and everytime, my husband wore it, people asked if he went to USA. When I saw this big American car, I thought of route 66. I also thought of Patti.
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Nat King Cole: Route 66 Lyrics
word & lyrics by bobby troup)
This lyrics are like performed by natalie cole

If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way, take the highway that is best.
Get your kicks on route sixty-six.

It winds from chicago to la,
More than two thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on route sixty-six.

Now you go through saint looey
Joplin, missouri,
And oklahoma city is mighty pretty.
You see amarillo,
Gallup, new mexico,
Flagstaff, arizona.

watery wednesday: Control tower

http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

I was surprised to see a control tower at this Half Moon Bay mariner. I think this is for sea planes. The tower was where the beach was, and not far away I saw a wind sock.

Addition:

I think Windsmoke is right. While this is a small marina compared to melbourne, there is a ferry service. Half Moon Bay Marina has operated one of the South Pacific's most comprehensive and advanced haulout facilities for boats up to 35 tonne displacement since 1970.

I asked my husband, the water engineer who designed part of the mariner and a shelter. The Tower controls all sorts of traffic like the ones in airport does. Usually a big mariner would have one. We joked yesterday while we were there, that while he designed mariners, he was too poor to be a sea dog. It is just as well, I get sick sea, otherwise I would nag him to get a boat.

The haulout facility at Half Moon Bay Marina employs a dedicated team utilizing the latest technology in boat handling equipment and procedures ensuring your vessel is lifted from the water with great care, high pressure washed, transported and supported on the hardstand with the minimum of fuss.

Once your boat is safely positioned on our sealed yard, fresh water and power is at your disposal close to hand.

The hardstand at Half Moon Bay Marina can accommodate over 100 boats at any one time and during the busy season (August-December) Travelift bookings through our Customer Service office are essential.

ABC Wednesday: X for eXtreme Sports

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

I chose to take my son to an eXtreme sports rather than to motor sports. This is because I believe there can be fun without the zoom! zoom! vroom! vroom! Got over to my other stories site to know why.

Mellow Yellow Monday: Electrician at Work.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

When you are celebrating your Christmas Holidays, just hope that you don't have a blackout. Be thankful that there are people like this electrician at work.

I was taking a photo of his van with his yellow ladder when I decided to take his photo too. He flashed his smile and asked, " You are taking me too." This was taken on Boxing day, we went on a long walk to burn off all the calories we had consumed over the festive days.

Here's a family anecdote. That was the early days before people had Christmas trees and lights in Borneo. I was about six, my older brother Charles was eight. Dad bought a chain of lights and lined it at the eaves of the balcony, but they were not the flashing blinking type. Charles told us the lights could go blink blink blink and went to the switch and went on off on off until my Dad caught him. This would be the second best story after the one when the tree fell.

addition:In December, the North East Monsoon blows and bring in a lot of rain.

The first tree we had was a fake tree and didn't have many leaves and branches. Dad was a civil servant and didn't have a lot of money. He bought about six baubles and we were the only house in the neighborhood with a tree.

It was about 4 pm when the wind blew, and mum rushed to close the window and at the same time telling us to do it. We rushed to the lounge just in time to see the tree fall. Some of the baubles broke into smithereens some were less broken. Mum was in tears. We tried to savage them, but mum said no, we were too proud to use broken baubles.

When I went to Canada years later, my Canadian friend strung popcorn to hang on the tree. I came home and told Mum we could do this cheaply. Mum said it won't work. In Borneo, the ants would come.

Scenic Sunday:Paneton from Peru

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My ESOL student Felistas from Peru gave me this Paneton she received from Peru. It was greeted with interest when I served it to an International group of New Zealanders, Malaysiam, Indian and Taiwanese. We had not seen it before, but the day before I Christmas day, I saw a new product in our local supermarket, the Paneton they were selling were not as high as the Peruvian.

While chatting with Gattina, she too featured on this. You will notice by the time the Italian Panettone has travelled across the Atlantic ocean to South American, they had dropped a letter t and letter E. I am not sure if they dropped some ingredients and added others.

As for the taste, the proof is in the eating. My New Zealand friend says it is a bit like the German Strudel. My husband says it is good because it is not fatty.

Honestly, I didn't eat much, I only lament my Mum's best butter cake, baked over a charcoal fire. Nobody can beat that.

Panettone (pronounced /pænəˈtoʊni/) is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan (in Milanese it is called panaton),[1] usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Italy, Malta, Brazil and Switzerland, and one of the symbols of the city of Milan. Maltese nationals are also traditionally associated with this sweet loaf. In Latin America, especially in Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru, it is a Christmas dinner staple and in some places replaces roscón de reyes (King cake).

It has a cupola shape, which extends from a cylindrical base and is usually about 12-15 cm high for a panettone weighing 1 kg.

Photohunt: circles

http://tnchick.com/

Seen at a clock shop in Queensland Australia.

weekend reflection: In the fish pond

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In the wintergarden at the Auckland Domain, there are fish ponds of little gold fish. Often children and some adults are tempted to touch the fish.

skywatch Friday: At the beach

http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Clouds were blowing from Australia across the Tasman Sea.

Thursday Theme Song: Let it snow

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IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the past...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
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For twenty years when I was growing up in Tropical Borneo, I could only dream of "Let it snow." Then I went to Canada, and at the hostel in the University of Windsor, I shared a room with a M. McManus. She invited me home at Kingsville, Ontario.

Her parents fulfilled my "I am dreaming of a white Christmas." They gave me a traditional Canadian Christmas which I greatly enjoyed. If any of you know this family, please let me know.

Now I live in New Zealand, where it is hot and humid at Christmas. I don't dream of the snow because the McManus gave me the best Christmas one can dream for.

These photos were taken in July, and you can imagine why some New Zealander celebrate their winter Christmas in July.

Merry Christmas to all of you.



Let It Snow : Lyrics
Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I've bought some corn for popping,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,
But as long as you love me so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

ABC: Winter woolly slippers. hand warmer

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

This is a pair of knitted winter woolly slippers which keep your feet warm. Many New Zealand women knit them whilst watching television. No, I did not knit them, I spent most of my time on the computer.

When chatting with Rune http://visualnorway.blogspot.com/2010/12/w-is-for-warm-hands.html, he had hands cupped round some heat, it reminded me of a handwarmer I had more than thirty five years ago.

When I went to Canada, my mum and dade bought winter things in Singapore. One of the things we bought was a hand warmer. It looked like a cigarette lighter and was silver in colour, and it was supposed to heat up and warm your hands.

Alas, I couldn't buy the fuel in Canada so I never used it. My Canadian and American friends didn't use one.

I didn't need one in New Zealand. At home, I use a wheat heat bag.

In Norway, do you have a heater like that? What about those of you living else where?

100 years ago in China, my grand parents used charcoal cinders and put them in little cans.

I googled search it and found it is a Sanyo Japanese product.

yellow mellow Monday: Yellow warning

You can see me in blue.


http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/
The warning is not a joke, people who went there saw falling rocks. We walked there with difficulties and then the water engineer told us now to linger. The waves were pounding on the rocks, the sea caves were wet, black and eerie.

I asked the water engineer what kind of expert was he to bring his wife and his son to such a dangerous place,

Scenic Sunday: Term rock

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On this rock facing Tasman sea, sea birds, the terns nest. When the nestlings are strong enough, they fly to Australia. The terns are very small, and I can't imagine them flying to Australia. The rock is white from the droppings. I went to Whatipu on the beginning of December and saw the chicks.

Photohunt: Male

http://tnchick.com/

Next year, New Zealand will host the Rugby World Cup. Those of you who watch Rugby would have seen our very MALE All Black players perform the Haka before every game.

Haka is almost performed before important visitors and fare welling love ones at their funeral.

Haka are best described as challenges. They are used to make a point and to vent anger. They are performed by both men and women, with the focus on the men in the front and support from the women behind. They are vocal performances involving rhythmic declamation in triple metre and aggressive or challenging facial expressions (pūkana, literally "glaring"), body movements and demeanour. The men make heavy use of foot stamping, body percussion, and grimace in an attempt to appear as menacing as possible. Haka are often described as traditional war dances but in fact had many other uses as well in precolonial Māori society, and have many peaceful uses today.

Weekend reflection: Air bus

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The water engineer went to Melbourne for a work assignment. While he was away, we had lots of rain. When he came back, he took this photo.

Thursday Theme Song: life guards

We were at Bethals beach, in the West of Auckland. here are lifeguards in training. I presume many of them are volunteers. With these surf guards, you better not talk to them because the rip is very dangerous. One of our very famous rugby player Sonny Fai died there.

I remember I was once with my girl friend Ewah just frolicking in the surf. We were holding hands and jumping about as each surf came in at Piha beach. This is another very dangerous beach. One moment, we were holding hands and jumping, another moment, I was struggling for my life. I couldn't tread the sea bed, and Ewah saw me being swept out to the ocean. Luckily a tall handsome and strong man grabbed hold of my hand and dragged me back to shore. Alas I was choking with water and I never got to ask his name. I am not even sure if he was just a swimmer or my surf guard. He just disappeared and my dream popped just like that.

Last summer, I was in the Surfers' Paradise in Australia. Again I had another encounter with a life guard. He came to admonish me for taking my son and his friends for swimming too deep.

The best group of life guards who actually had time for me was in a private pool. My kids were learning to swim, and I sat with them yakking away. I asked if I was disturbing them. They said, their eyes and eyes were very sharp. While they were talking to me, their eyes and ears were focus on the pool. So, they were not really paying attention to me? LOL

So I do two songs here, I wanna be a life guard and Don't talk to the life guard.

hootin--anni has a new meme.
IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the past...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
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Selling shoes
Another loser working in a shopping mall
9 to 5
A slave driver telling me 'Get on the ball!'
A crowded store
I kneel before them
Misery beyond compare
Sweaty socks
A lady boxer
What's she got against fresh air?
I want an ocean and some sunscreen lotion
Take me to the beach with a thousand pretty girls in reach

CHORUS
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (help, help, help, help)
I, I, I wanna guard your life
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (lifeguard, lifeguard)
Hardly any clothes (lifeguard)
Sand between my toes (lifeguard)
White stuff on my nose

Selling shoes
Another loser working in a shopping mall
I'm getting fat
What does it matter?
Nobody cares at all
But next July, I'll say goodbye to every out-of-it, dull-witted fool
Convert their feet into meters, marking distance at the swimming pool
Summer blondes revealing tanlines
I'll make more moves than Allied Van Lines

CHORUS
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (be a big man, now... get a great tan, now)
I, I, I wanna guard your life
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (lifeguard, lifeguard)
Sitting on my chair (lifeguard)
In the salty air (lifeguard)
White stuff on my nose
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (help, help, help, help)
I, I, I wanna guard your life
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (lifeguard, lifeguard)
Lounging on the deck (lifeguard)
Whistle 'round my neck (lifeguard)
White stuff in my nose
I, I, I wanna be a lifeguard (lifeguard, lifeguard)



Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard Lyrics
Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Says the sign where I go to swim, oh-oh-oh-oh
How can I get to know him?
How can I get to show him
That I am so much in love with hi-i-im

Dark and handsome, golden tan
Six feet tall, man-oh-man!
Gotta make him mine, all mine
Wish theyd take away that sign

Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Guess I'll swim way out into the sea
And then I'll meet him when he rescues me-e-e

Dark and handsome, golden tan
Six feet tall, man-oh-man!
Gotta make him mine, all mine
Wish theyd take away that sign

Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Please don't talk to the lifeguard
Guess I'll swim way out into the sea
And then I'll meet him when he rescues me-e-e

Says the sign where I go to swim, oh-oh-oh-oh