Obesity worse than smoking - so say doctors

So, does this mean I can start smoking again? I think not.

But there is a lot in the media here about how a very high proportion of the population are overweight and the majority (of the population) will be classed as obese in a few years time. The lead in to these stories is that 'obesity is worse for health (I suspect the NHS coffers) than smoking'. I think now they feel they have smoking under some sort of control then the next thing on the list is bad diets and obesity. Lets hope they don't bottle out (the way they did with the Tobacco companies) and do make the food companies change their practices.

So, I suppose you don't really want to hear what I've been eating, do you? Well, what I will say is that it has been relatively healthy - apart from a couple of visits to an Indian restaurant - and that it is really easy to get healthy, take away and food to go here now. I have been having a lovely time!

Macbeth was - as you will see from my previous comment - excellent, with a splendid cast of actors, some scary special effects and three quite spooky witches in nurses uniforms.

I had a drink with Jan yesterday, and it was good to see her before I go. But her mother is in her final stages of dying and so we could not spend too much time together since she had to get back to relieve Ed who has been looking after Lee while Jan is at work. Jan says she is very lucky to have had this time with her mother and both she and Lee have had long discussions and wish Lee would simply go to sleep and not wake.

Today feels a bit like waiting to start a journey. The flight is at 9pm and I have kept my room till 5pm and will leave at 4.45. But I feel restless and can't settle to anything. All the bags are packed, I just have to have lunch and then a quick shower and I'll guess I'll be ready about 2 hours ahead of time. I think I better get something to read!

This is the end of this blog - till I travel again. Thanks for logging on, reading, commenting. Talk to everyone soon I suspect. In the meantime, love and hugs all round. Ann

Lovely London

Hello everyone. I do hope all is well with all of you and yours. I am in London now after a rather difficult week in Skopelos. It was entirely my own fault, I did it to myself and have no one to blame but myself. I have always hoped that when I go in the last week of the season that I will not meet a vulnerable animal(s). Well this year was one of those years when there were a family of kittens and mother around and I just got very stressed about them and how they would survive the winter. Although I tried, and my friends tried in various ways to ensure their survival it looked not only that we would not succeeed, but that I was also in danger of losing my good friends over this feline family.

But, when the going gets tough you do really find out who your friends are and I ended the week not only with all my friendships intact and the kittens futures ensured but two of my friends who had not been close for some time seem to have resolved some difficulties to the extent that I wish for them what they give to me.

And Skopelos is still beautiful.

Now I am in London having stayed (and shopped) with Candice - thank you Geoff for taking me to the hotel and I am sorry not to have been able to say goodbye to you. I have had dinner with Maggie and Steve and am trying to track down Jan so I can have a final lunch with her. But tonight I go to what has bveen called the very best production of Macbeth - with Patrick Stewart (Star Treck) and am looking forward to that. Meantime I am off to do a bit of my own trecking - around London.

It has been a great trip and wonderful to have seen everyone here and I am so looking forward to seeing everyone on my return. Someone asked me the other day 'Which do you prefer NZ or England' and I had to say that I loved them both and would be very happy to stay in either. I love things about each area (and Skopelos) - scenery, animals, nature, culture, - and I have good friends in each (so I always miss someone!). But I do feel I am truly blessed to know all of you and know you are all 'on my side'.

So, I am off to do, hopefully, the last bit of serious shopping!!! Have fun my dears. Love - lots of it - to all. Ann

A bit hit or miss

Mmmmm - well, this BLOG might get to you or it may not. This is the first time I have got as far as actually being able to type something in. The reason for this is that - it is all Greek to me - literally. Everything else on the screen is in Greek apart from what I am typing (and when I first started using this machine, even my tytping was in Greek - which was no good at all since there is no literal translation!!!). So, it is a bit hit or miss whether this will actually get to you.

Yes, the island is magical as always. I wondered whether I would feel like that or not. NZ is beautiful, there is sea, sand, sun, beautiful landscape and so I wondered not only why I was going to Skopelos but whether it would 'work' for me. Well I wasn't here 10minutes before I knew. There is something about the island that just melts myheart. I don't expect this would happen with anyone else - but it does with me. So, it will be no hardship to be here for a week.

I have been out with both Mimi and with Heather and it is splendid to see both of them. I have plans to see each again and in fact I shall have lunch at Panarmos with Mimi today and dinner with Heather this evening. Tomorrow I have the keys for Mimi's new house in Glossa and so shall beetle up there in my little red jeep tomorrow and spen the night there. I am so looking forward to it - I want to see the stars in the Northern hemisphere in all their glory. So I am hoping for a cloudless night tomorrow.

I have done all the things I expected to, I have visited Glisteri and swam/snorkelled, had coffee at Stafilos, lunch at Agnondas (although all tavernas are closed so I took my own lunch); I have visited the monasteries, driven the roads I like etc , eaten my fill of good Greek food - all the things I wrote about last time and won't bore you by repeating.

The island is closing down for the winter, so many places that I would normally frequent have shut up shop already. Partly this is because everyone on the island has made enough money early this year. There was a film crew here for most of the summer - they were filming Mama Mia with Peirce Brosnan and Meryl Streep - and the money they had to spend far outweighted anything a horde of tourists could offer. But I like the island quiet so it suits me fine. It is interesting to be almost the only tourist here. It is also interesting to go out with Mimi now she is a councillor in the local government - everyone wants to speak to her! Very interesting.

OK sweets, I am off to lunch now. Bye for now. Love & hugs. Ann

Ann sends her regrets

Ann had a great start to her visit. Beautiful weather, going out with people, swimming, even seeing a Daisy lookalike. Unfortunately, however, the island's internet cafe (which has another Daisy lookalike), has closed for a week or so and Ann might be out of contact. She's going hunting for alternatives, but it's a small island! So we'll have to wait and see.

Getting ready to go to Skopelos

Candice and Geoff are at work and I am home alone (!) However, the most mischief I will get up to is packing the wrong stuff in the wrong bag. I am having a general tidy up today and tomorrow because when I return from Skopelos (Friday 12th) I am off to London on the 13th for the remaining time till I leave on the 17th for Auckland (Candice says there is a shop she just MUST show me on the Saturday!). So, I am making sure all clothes are clean, packed ready and waiting.

I had a very pleasant weekend with Ed and Jan, visting Jan's mum, Oxleas woods, Blackheath farmers Market. They are such a very pleasant couple to be with, very gentle, caring and thoughful. Jan is now vegan so I fed very well and felt better for even two days of good vegan food.

We went to town for dinner on the Saturday evening (wonderful dosa's Elisabeth) and coming over Blackfriars bridge the city looked absolutely beautiful. But, even better, when we were leaving and all the lights were on, it looked fabulous and magical. I never fail to be impressed by the view of London from the river either upriver or down, there is always something interesting to see. Jan and I will be getting together, probably for lunch, before I leave for Auckland since she works in town.

We were visited each evening at Ed and Jan's by the foxes who come to the garden to feed. There are two adults and the cubs of one of the adults. Foxy - the mother of the cubs is unafraid and I have some lovely pictures of her. Talking of pictures, I am totally frustrated at not being able to post pictures for you to see as I go around. The lead (from the camera to the computer) is not working and so I bought a card reader (where you put the memory stick from the camera into it/it is plugged into the computer via a USB lead) but this does not load onto Candice's computer - and in fact caused a major problem when I tried to load it. So, sorry, no pictures till I get home.

Yesterday i spent the day at Rowhill grange being pampered. A swim (25-30 lengths), a spa, a jacuzzi; time for tea and a relaxing read before my facial, then lunch and lastly the hairdressers. Blissful.

Last night I had dinner with the Leharnes who were as rumbunctuous as ever and kept me entertained for a good few hours. Thomas has done brilliantly in his GCSE's and is going on to do A Levels before going to University. He says Cambridge to do Environmental Chemistry/Geography. A bit like his father I think. Rebecca is, as always, Rebecca, indomitable, cheerful, funny and full of life. Lovely to be with, as is the whole family. Steve and Maggie are coming up to meet me on the Sunday after I come back from Skopelos.

Tonight I will have dinner with Andy and Lena the father and mother of Eleni, who came to stay with her boyfriend Paul last year - some of you will remember? I am looking forward to this since I haven't seen Andy since we left England in 2003.

Now I am off to book tickets for the theatre for when I return from Skopelos. Mmmm Patrick Stewart in Macbeth? I've seen the RSC Seagull and King Lear in Auckland so no point is going again. Ah, well, pleasures to come.

And then, my dear, it is off to Skopelos for me - where, I hope, the next blog will be from. Till then, take care of each other. Lots of hugs. Ann

In the interests of cross-speciesism

Woof, woof, woof te kana, woof woof.

I can tell you about this species called humans. I can tell it in my language, perhaps they will understand, perhaps not. But I know YOU will.

Tail wag, tail wag - welcome.
Dance-woof-woof - walk.
Bark-woof - sausage - dribble dribble.
Tertiary education - snore, snore.
Pant, pant smile - treats
Grrrrr, growl - Blobs
Huh, Huh, Huh - meat, quick
Cringe, hide - bath - Ugh!

Simple folk these humans - what more do you need to know!

Signed: High Princess Mordomenia (commonly known as Daisy)

I wonder

I often wonder what on earth Madam and the Caretaker are talking about. Cyberspace...the Unconscious...Rights and Responsibilities...Existential this and that...CSI...They sometimes discuss quite unintelligible things such as the the tertiary education commission, strategic development, capital/debt ratios, transferable skills - well he does, as she nods off seeking solace in a glass of pinot gris. Transferable skills, for example...what might they be I ponder. Well,actually, now I know. You learn how to do a blog defending canine rights (very successfully, I might add) and then you transfer that skill into reflecting on the day to day life of probably the world's most beautiful dog.

So today I'm feeling very suspicious as to why the Caretaker is looking so cheerful. It can't be the weather - sadly, his very favourite subject - because we have been having an horrendous storm. It can't be the food - sadly his second favourite subject - as even he seems to be getting bored with peanut butter sandwiches and icecream. It's not the company of me and the Blob - she tells me she has been making him very anxious by the strategic placement of bird feathers around the house so that he spends half his time looking under chairs and behind cupboards. If he looked carefully he would see that the Blob is blobbier than usual. It could, of course, be quality assurance in tertiary education - a subject which, very, very, sadly, makes him almost orgasmic - but, according to his diary, that's a week on Thursday. The most likely thing is that it's me...the most perfect companion, golden, gorgeous, graceful...but that would apply all the time. Humanoids are very strange. Blob and I often say, I wonder what they're thinking. If only they could tell us. Do you think they have emotions? Why are they so obsessed by food? Do they do anything without a reward? I wonder. If any of you can help us understand, we would be very grateful.

Millennium Clock

Before I forget - I went to the museum in Edinburgh (the olderst in Britain apart from the London ones) and saw their Millennium clock - fabulous. I've added a web address here (and also on the side panel) so you can have a look at it:

http://freespace.virgin.net/sharmanka.kinetic/clocktower/

I thought it was quite the most amazing thing I had seen for ages and hope you find it interesting too.

A beautiful day in London - warm and sunny and quite unseasonal. I am off to enjoy it - have fun today friends. Love as always. Ann

EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA - Hostilities are called off in the matter of Daisy vs unLucky

I surrender, absolutely and abjectly!! Please do no harm to my friends - they were only trying to counsel me. I will pay any reparation you decide on my return and promise not even to look at another dog (especially in the last week of the season on Skopelos - honest).

Lucky has been informed of the failure of the venture to rescue her again and is quite philosophical about it. She is a bit like me and speeding I think. She has a, mistaken, belief that she will never actually be caught with a sheep between her jaws - and is looking forward to testing that theory. So, I am sure she will be fine (ish).

You can now turn your finely tuned nose up at the flighty Betty and the bad hair Amber and reassure your pal Bentley that no incomers will be taking his place in the sniffing line. So, please, lets call off Woofing, Barking and Snarl and I'll promise no more hard Luck(y) stories - OK?

Your repentant Madam.

Lucky, Lucky, Lucky...

You humans must think we're daft. You sit in your cafes, chat on the beach, write your blogs and assume we don't have a clue. A sniff, a pee, a pooh and some food and we're happy...you think. Did you seriously believe that the plot to replace me would go unnoticed?? That we don't talk to each other? That we don't have just two degrees of separation like the rest of you?

So I'm down at Narrow Neck and that flighty little genetically modified poodle, Betty, comes along, giggling away, doing her Kylie Minogue bit...You're Not So Lucky, Lucky, Lucky. What's going on here, I think as I see her off with a vicious twitch of my nose. And then that lunatic Amber...the wheaten with a permanent bad hair day (tried to eat me once)...comes by with her 'got a new boyfriend then? Aren't you Lucky' An angry raising of the eyebrow gets rid of her, but by now I can see something is up. And my pal Bentley (who is the only one who realises how sensitive I am) confirms it. They're up to something he says.

So when I'm at Sue's and Coralie's I do my cutey bit, sitting near to them when they're on the the computer. Thinking me a brainless blonde, they assume I'm just devoted to them but I see what's going on, the dastardly deed being planned, and even worse voted on. Now I know who my friends are!

So, lets be clear. I've talked to my solicitors - Woofing, Barking and Snarl - and they advise me in the following way:

All negotiations with alternative animals will cease
A public apology will be made in the Flagstaff within two weeks
Compensation will be paid for the hurt and humiliation I have experienced
Those who voted in favour of this Lucky creature should be very very afraid

I can see the Caretaker looking apprehensively at me sitting at the computer, so I will leave it there. Madam may wish to ponder, as she continues her travels around Europe, on what might be suitable recompense on her return

You have all been warned.

Hi Folks,

After spending the weekend with Lucy and Forest in Kent - lovely, lovely Kent - and returning to regroup at Candice's, I flew up to Edinburgh on Tuesday. Boy are my feet sore!!!

It is now Thursday afternoon and I think apart from eating and sleeping this is the longest I have sat down. I am surprised how much I remember of Edinburgh and where places are. It is such an easy city to walk around that it is tempting to overdo it and end up with SORE FEET - as mine are (throb, throb they say). Still, the rest of me is happy so I don't care that they are complaining.

Now, what have I been up to. Well, lets see, on the Tuesday I walked from my hotel, just off the Royal mile, up to the University taking in the Museum and Greyfriars Bobby (the pub, not the little statue in the graveyard). I had a drink in the pub Rob and me used when we lived here - the Meadows - which is totally changed (thank goodness) and now serves a variety of wine - unheard of in the 60's. Then it was through the Meadows and back along George Bridge. I ate at an up-market vegetarian restaurant that evening - but the menu was better than the food (Elisabeth, the dosa was not what we would have enjoyed).

The following day I took myself off into the wilds of West Lothian to revisit my roots. The village I came from was attached to the mining in the area. Now there is no mining and the village has been expanded by Glasgow over-spill. There are new houses being built but every single shop has closed, The Church hall is boarded up, the library gone, I did not see one person on the street and the school - which was the first school I attended - was impenetrable. A nearby, larger town seemed very poor, with grey people, lots of second hand shops, scruffy buildings and surroundings. So, it was a bit of a relief to return to the prosperity of Edinburgh again. I did take a taxi out to my senior school and that, at least, is thriving.

I got off the return train at Haymarket in Edinburgh and made my way past Atholl Crescent, where I had trained as a teacher in domestic science all those years ago. They have long gone now but the crescent remains as imposing as ever. I wanted to visit Charlotte Square and see a house there that they keep in 1790's style. Most interesting, no toilets, no running water, no gas, but sumptuous furnishings and hard, hard work for the servants. On my way back to the hotel I took in the National Art Gallery - lovely Florentine and Renaissance paintings, but not the Whistler I was expecting to see. I asked a taxi driver to recommend a good Indian restaurant and ate there in the evening.

Today has been a bit of a this and that day and not at all what I had planned. I had decided to visit Valvona and Crolla my most favourite deli in the WHOLE world, and that was fab. It still smells just as good, but has expanded to include wine, a gift shop and a cafe - guess where I had my capucinno? Then I wanted to walk the Waters of Leith to dean village, where my mother was born, and thought if I took a bus down Leith Walk then I could begin there. I was not wrong - just about 3 miles out of my way! Still, I began walking and it felt really unsafe - I had asked a young man and a woman with a baby if it was safe to walk the path and they had said yes, but I wasn't sure - especially when the path stopped and I had to walk through industrial areas and the path began again but looked derelict and full of discarded junk. Eventually I came to a bridge and a pub. The barmaid said it was definitely not safe to do this part of the walk so, I had a tonic to revive me and set off - for the nearest bus stop! I got talking to a retired Welsh fireman at the bus stop who said the only bus went to the docks. OK, said I, I'll go there. The docks have been vastly improved and are now the home to all the 'yuppies' in the town. However, I think we got our wires crossed and he recommended I get off miles away and walk! So I got another bus that was going to the centre of the town. Aren't I lucky it stopped at the second vegetarian restaurant that I had been intending to go to - so that was lunch sorted! Now I have found this Internet Cafe and I am as happy as Lucky/Larry.

Personally, I think I have done as much of Edinburgh as I want to. It is a very beautiful city if you look up, but at the ground level it is either very touristy or a bit scruffy. When I was here 20 odd years ago I was impressed by the sense of emerging self identity. There was the new parliament, new art scene and everything felt very vibrant, exciting and progressive. This time it all feels a bit tired. One taxi driver was telling me a story about transport plans which, if true, points to a waste of money but also a lack of political will to see plans through and a bureaucratic mess which makes it difficult to achieve anything. There also seems to be a jaded feel about the ability of politics to be effective in changing social ills. Such a shame, especially after the high hopes and very real initial changes that were put in place by the early parliament.

Ah, well, back to London tomorrow to spend the weekend with Ed and Jan - in the peace of their garden. Talk soon. Love to all of you out there. Ann

Doggone

Dear Daisy, would you mind very much if I brought home this lovely boy dog called Lucky? He is very well trained and apart from a small matter of chasing sheep - which we won't concern ourselves with just at this moment - I think he would be an ideal addition to our household. He is black with a bit of white, he is very obedient, affectionate and very very intelligent, picking up everything you say and I think he would fit in very well. At the moment he lives in the house of Lucy and Fossie with Harry, a West Highland Terrier , and Bernard, a beautiful golden Labrador puppy (about 18 weeks old I think) as well as five cats, with whom he gets on very well. So, when you discuss this with Sissy you can let her know that he is cat trained to purrfection (in fact he could assist you in tipping the scales in your relations with Sissy - you know what I mean?).

There would be no conflict of interest with you because where you like a gentle stroll Lucky loves a big bouncing run - he could run behind the car round and round Ngataringa, no? Again, where you don't care for wet grass Lucky loves nothing more than to run through bush and nettles and the stickier the better for him to bring home presents for his carers. He is very like you in that he too likes to lie just where causes most problem for passing humans. He wouldn't even compete for your food since he has dried food and any forage that the cats bring in (apart from gallbladders, which he does not care for).

Finally, he is in a bit of trouble just now because he was found playing with - well scaring to death - some neighboring farmers sheep (you'd think those sheep would know better and keep out of his way!. So he may have to wear an electric collar - and if that does not work then he may be shot. I, personally, think we should apply for deportation - like they used to do to criminals - and send him to new Zealand. They like hard luck cases there - although they are not to keen on introduced species and so Lucky may have to disguise himself as a Kiwi for the first few months till the local animals get used to him - and I think he would fit right into our household and to NZ in general. What do you think? Will you discuss it with Sissy and get back to me. Time is of the essence - the electric collar beckons. Love. Your human, Ann.

Time for tea said Robin

I am back in London, at Candice's - at least until tomorrow morning! I have been very efficient since I got up this morning in Alconbury, at Sarah's, braving the maniacs (myself included) on the A14 and M11 to get back to Hextable by 9.30am. I have found out where it is I am going to tomorrow when I leave for Lucy and Fossi's; booked a flight to/from Edinburgh and a hotel as well as 'meet and greet' parking, who will whisk my car away and park it for me when I arrive at Stansted on Tuesday. I have arranged to meet Eleni and Paul early in October and arranged dates with Candice when I will be foisting myself on her and Geoff. I have done 2 loads of washing and am about to pack my bag for the weekend.

If you remember, I was bowled away by how well everything had gone in Hornsea on the Monday. Well, it continued in the same vein so that by Wednesday the auctioneers had removed the big furniture, the British Heart Foundation had taken the small electrical - and a couple of bookshelves I saw them sequester away - as well as some other household items, the Dove House Hospice took the beds and fridge and Oxfam - courtesy of Derek (bless him) - got all the rest. Well, that is apart from all the dog and cat stuff - why did we have 12 dog/cat beds, including hers and hers in some designs - which went to a pet re homing project that Maureen is part of. Derek managed to get the bike off the wall and the lock succumbed to fierce work with a hacksaw while Gary rode it over to Kidds before going off for his session at the gym. The solicitor was very efficient and we completed 6 steps in the process instead of the normal one in the hour I was with her. I even managed to do all the little bits of house administration, management company and general tidying up that is the fall out from such a complex set of things. And all is well.

I had such fun at David and Maureens with their wonderful dog, Polly, who is nothing like Daisy and in no way reminded me of her. However, she did remind me of what real dogs do - licking, jumping, playing, rolling over - which Daisy does not do. But I think just being with another dog made me realise how much I miss Daisy (and all of you). Of course, as Rob has mentioned, there were the geese - not as scary as I thought they would be (well, actually, Maureen's protection of me probably had something to do with that)- and the chickens, who are rescue chickens. Did you know that egg producers 'discard/kill' chickens who do not lay 'regular' eggs. Maureen took 20 of them but says 1,800 are regularly discarded! And all because supermarkets say the customer wants 'regular' sized and coloured eggs! I collected eggs from the chickens and fed the sheep some cabbage but did not get too close to the pigs who can be quite rough - but look very sweet. Maureen and David have 5 acres on top of a hill overlooking all the land to the coast and out to sea. They are on the edge of the North York moors and the view is spectacular and very English and pastoral. It is a view one would never tire of and Maureen says it is always changing as different things go on in the farm land and as the landscape changes. I particularly liked the variety of garden birds I sat and watched from their kitchen.

Coming there was a joy after a day in Hornsea when I was quite tired and a bit washed out from taking leave of our belongings, house and area. The drive was about 40 minutes through very pleasant, peaceful countryside with nothing to bother about apart from the slowest drivers in the country (Grrrr!). I can so see why they live there.

I was fortunate to finish work early on Wednesday and so I took myself off to Burton Agnes for some visual gardening and a (very) little shopping. The trip gave me the opportunity to make a side trip to Ulrome, and a minor road drive to Burton Agnes through farmland where there were skylarks, hares and a kestrel.

Yesterday I departed Yorkshire by the gentle route which took me through countryside with signs to towns such as Thwing, Fridaythorpe, Holme on the Wolds, Cherry Burton, Rascal Moor and Melbourne before I entered the fray again and drove down to Alconbury and Sarah. And it was quite splendid to be with Sarah again and catch up on what has been happening in her and Charlie's lives (Charlie is going to university to be a designer of shoes). But the time was too short really and I had to be off this morning for London.

OK, now you are up to date and I am going to have some tea. I shall be away for the weekend but will log on again before I go to Scotland on Tuesday. LOTS of love to everyone - and some hugs too. Ann

42 Mozeley Calling

You will have noticed that Ann seems to have disappeared from your virtual world. Fortunately, a pigeon just arrived and I've been asked to report (once I got it out of Sissy's mouth) that Ann is well. Indeed very well. Somehow in three days in Yorkshire she has disposed of a container of our belongings, and seen solicitors, tenants, friends, charities, estate agents, Burton Agnes Hall, the disppearing Yorkshire coastline etc. She has been out of contact because North Yorkshire - where she is staying with Maureen, David, sheep, geese, pigs, chooks, rabbits and Polly (a dog) - is rather too near the North Pole for Yahoo and Blackberries to cope. However, she is now heading South to Sarah's, Candice's and then onto Lucy and Forest for the weekend, so no doubt you will soon get the full story.

Meanwhile, back at 42 Mozeley, the dog would like her chauffeur back, the cat her pillow, the worms their haute cuisine, and Rob just Ann. Further insights into the remarkable changes at No. 42 will appear over the weekend. Meanwhile we can all look forward to Ann's next blog.

from mary and Joe

Hi Ann,
Great to read all your latest happenings. It is quite a mission. I am all ready to leave in the morning and very excited/nervous about the trip but really looking forward to meeting up with Amanda.
We have seen a little bit of Rob and I am sure the boys will get together while I am away.
The bathroom has been a litle delayed but hoping it will be finished by the time we get back.
We will catch up again when I get back 30th Sept.
lots of love from Mary

Sounds like rain

All you New Zealanders would feel completely at home, instead of rain on a tin roof we have rain on a perspex roof - sounds just the same. This is the first rain for about 10 days and welcomed by those who need the stuff - personally, I can do without it. Still, it is harder for Maureen cause she has to go and put the chickens to bed. Fortunately for me it was not raining when we made sure the geese we tucked up safely away from the foxes earlier this evening.

After a very pleasant dinner at Ticton Grange on Sunday, where I had the restaurant all to myself, I spent the night from 12 till time to get up wide awake. So, I thought today would be pretty awful, and I would need to borrow matchsticks to stay awake, but no, today was VERY successful. After a shaky start where the storage man (Derek, or fabulous Derek as I came to call him) denied all knowledge of why I was there, declared the impossibility of what I wanted and generally did a lot of teeth sucking, we managed to sort 4x20 cubic metre storage containers so that 1 got sent for shipping, rubbish thrown away and the contents of the other got spread out so that the auctioneers, who are coming tomorrow, can view them - and all in 3 1/2 hours! Pretty impressive, no?

Derek is an expert shipper and teaches classes in shipping (yes it is true), had walked all the peaks in the Lake District before he was 16, has 5 siblings, one son (chronically disabled) and a wife who he adores. I told him I did not want to have any more than 1 container, and, bless him, everything I wanted to put in he said he could find room for - even after I kept adding this and that and abit of the other. So, all I have to put in is Rob's bike, and Gary is putting that on his trailer to take from the house to Kidds on Wednesday.

It was lovely to see Gary again and to catch up on the harrowing family eventsof the last two years. But they - Gary, Ben and Bianca - all seem to becoming through and surviving. The same is not true of Anne-Marie, whose lifeis descending into alcohol and chaos from which neither she nor anyone else can save her - so, so sad.

Continuing my efficiency I saw our house management agents and got all sorts of things agreed with them; I talked to our estate agents and got good advice from, another, Derek. Because of all of this I think it might just be possible to finish here by end of business on Wednesday!

I was early to arrive at David and Maureen's, so I took the opportunity to look around Hunmanby, a small town on the edge of the North Yorks moors. Requisite Norman church, 2 pubs, 1 hotel, 1 of most kinds of shop including a florist come fruit shop and a shop selling an eclectic mix of fresh pies/bread/pizza and home made preserve and pickles - as well as,importantly, Yorkshire Tea, for all you tea enthusiasts.

I decided to go to the pub. Have you ever walked into a room and had EVERYONE stop and look at you? I thought that only happened in bad detective films, but no, it happens in North Yorks pubs. I reckoned they were up to something illegal to do with CD/DVD's and were just checking I was not the local police. They all turned out to be really nice and helpful and I think I was the first person ever to be served coffee in that pub. But it gave me the opportunity to sit and read and watch for a while, which was extremely pleasant.

So now I am sitting with Maureen and Polly, who is a beautiful and intelligent black lab (David is out at a Parish meeting in his role as local councillor), with the rain beating on the conservatory roof, while we inside are toasty and warm. Who could want for more. Till later, love to all. Ann

Sunny Saturday

Yes, the sun is shining, the day looks beautiful and it is, according to the weather report, going to be about 21C today.

I have been busy contacting people in Yorkshire and have them all lined up for next week. If all goes well - or at least as I have planned - then I should be finished by next Friday. However, we all know about well laid plans ...

We have some belongings stored at Candice and Geoffs and I have been re-acquainting myself with them. Now, do I really need a 3 tier cake stand, an Austrian wine filter and a Victorian flower pot, as well as a framed print of Greenwich University (which I suspect is a a goodbye present given to Rob). I have 3 large boxes to take to Yorkshire with me but I may do some culling when I get there (after mature consideration, of course) and get rid of them!

As I was coming through duty free out of Auckland I picked up a device that I can plug into the cigarette lighter bit in a car and the other end into my (well Rob's really) iPod and can play all my chosen music in the car - a very nice grey car (a Peugeot, so Geoff tells me) - as I beetle up the motorway to Yorkshire. This will vastly enhance my driving experience early on Sunday morning.

However, first, Ed and Jan are coming over to Candice and Geoffs for lunch today and I am so looking forward to seeing them. Candice and I have prepared lunch, Geoff has set up the table on the lawn and - as I said - the sun is shining. Now, what more can one ask for, good food, weather and friends, so I shall have a very pleasant afternoon, before packing this evening for departure tomorrow.

Ticton Grange, where I am staying on Sunday night has no internet contact, so I will blog from Yorkshire , but possibly not till Monday or Tuesday evening when I am with David and Maureen. So, thats all for now. Love to everyone of you. Ann

I'm here

It doesn't matter how much or how little I sleep on a flight I still get the 3am wide awakes. So here I am at 5am drinking tea and eating peaches. The flight was long but as comfortable as any flight could be. Unheard of, it took 24 minutes to clear passport and baggage at Heathrow and to come out the other side where Candice and Geoff were equally surprised. What struck me - just lots of people, lots of cars, lots of busyness. Candice and Geoff as usual cossetted and cared for me and fed me - delicious food - and by 9pm (well 8 actually - but that was in front of the TV) I was sound asleep in bed, so that I could wake up totally alert at 3am and wonder why the rest of the world was absent. I am having a lazy day today and collecting the car, shopping for lunch for tomorrow when Ed and Jan come to join us and then after Candice has returned from work (about 2pm) we shall be off to Bluewater for some girl fun. So, I hope all of you are just fine out there. Will log on soon. Love. Ann

Twas the night before ......

Well, OK it's not Christmas. But the sort of intense work I have done the last few days makes it feel like the run-up to Christmas, and I am exhausted. But everything is done. Rob has his recipes, work has been tidied, Daisy and Sissy will want for nothing - even the worms have been tended, turned, fed and fixed up for the next few weeks. I've even finished packing early and have come in at a respectable 36kg. Not bad considering I left with 45kg last time. I have made sure I have no knives (unlike last time) in my hand luggage, and certainly no creams, gels or potions - so I guess I shall arrive like a shriveled up prune.

I think all this intense preparation is my attempt to control what I can and to de-emphasise how open and relatively uncertain/unorganised my time away is at present. Because of not knowing how quickly things will resolve themselves in Hornsea the rest of the time has been left open-ended. So I have not been able to plan my itinerary in the way that I had all dates times sorted when I last travelled. I am not anxious, and although I don't know where I will be sleeping for a lot of the time, I do know that there are lots of beds available to me and if I am not near one, then there is always the credit card!

Anyway, I hope the next time I log in I shall be with Candice and Geoff in Hextable, waking at ridiculous times of the night as jet lag receeds and getting ready to travel to Hornsea on Sunday 16th. Till then, lots of love to all.

Meanwhile, try these 3-4 second videos taken on a visit to Russell. The reason they are so short was that I didn't realise I was taking them!! Ann


..

New Blog

Hi Everyone.

As you might know the Blog I've been using since 2005 has become corrupted by spams. The way round this - so that I don't lose my text - is that I have created this new blog and have copied and pasted all my old stuff into this one. So, you can totally ignore everything below because you may have read it already. There is another blog that Rob and I have but that is mainly about Rob's recent trip to England and some of you are already readers of that one.

I am sorry that all the photos have been lost from the 'recovered' 2006/2005 blog - but I shall work hard to get more for this one. Try this address, I have posted some photos there.

Anyway, it is just one week till I set off again. On Wednesday 12th September I leave New Zealand for five weeks to England, Scotland and Greece. The main purpose of my trip is to dispose of our possessions which are in storage in Hornsea. So, after that is done then I have time to play - and to blog. I hope you will keep me company again; it comforts me to know I am not out in the big wide world all alone, but am watched over by my blog friends wherever I go. So, until September, bye for now. Love to all. Ann

Ann's Birthday blog 2006

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Birthday Treat

Hello everyone,
A birthday blog - since I went on a trip! Rob has planned a birthday trip for me for the last few years (Paris, Cambridge, Melbourne) and this year we flew to Christchurch. He keeps this a secret from me till the morning we are departing, so I have lots of fun trying to wheedle it out of him - and my friends, who he co-opts to care for Daisy and Sissy. Christchurch is, as everyone has told me, a bit English - lots of red brick, gothic centre of town buildings, oak, ash, beach trees and lots and lots of roses. It is a very substantial town of 400,000 people and covers an area larger than Auckland. It sits on a plain with mountains behind and large hills to the south. It has a river running through it and a huge park (Hagley Park) just off the town centre. We arrived at lunch time and after settling in our hotel (The George - you can find it in Small Luxury Hotels, or at www.slh.com; our suite was very comfortable - ask Rob about the spa bath, if you want to embarass me!!!) and then visited the Arts Centre where we had lunch (the Arts Centre has taken over the university bulidings since the Uni has moved out of town) and looked at the craft shops, then we looked at the Cathedral, the Art Gallery (very modern - glass and steel - but I liked it) and then the botanical gardens, before arriving at our hotel for a rest and then dinner. The hotel had very poor choices for a vegetarian so when we had booked for the evening I had asked them to make me a vege meal - and it was suberp.

The following morning we set of for Akaroa in the chaffeur driven mercedes that Rob had hired. Akaroa is 1.30hrs away and over some high hills and low dales. We saw lots of cows and lots and lots of sheep; we visited a cheese factory and bought some to take home; spent some time in Akaroa and bought a beautiful kouri bowl with inlaid ebony and pau shell - as well as pressies for friends. Akaroa is a French settled town although it has lost most of its French influence and you can see it in the names of the streets, some shops and the cemetary. There were three impressive little churches, a pretty harbour and again the ubiquitous idylic hills and outlook from the town. Our driver, Lyndal, was knowledgeable about the area and kept us informed of all sorts of information about the area. We went off for lunch to the French Bay Vineyard - good wine and food, wonderful views, lovely weather - the superlatives just go on and on!!! On the way back we went over the hill to Oakin Bay where there was a very quaint Maori Museum - which had not seen a duster since it began I think. However, there were lots of very interesting Maori artifacts in the main museum as well as some colonial buildings with contents - I am so glad that I live now and not then - a couple of cottage, a smithy and a chandlers as well as a couple of Maori traditioanl buildings.

Back to Christchurch for a frustrating wait at the airport, but we arrived back in time to drinks - and cheeses - with Sue, Alex, Julia, Coralie and Philip as I opened my birthday presents. We were all in an unusually good mood - perhaps the bubbles helped - and there was lots of laughter and good humour, and it was good to be with friends on my birthday, although I thought of others that were not there too. A VERY GOOD BIRTHDAY, and thank you to everyone for my cards, good wishes and presents

Ann's (& Rob's) USA holiday 2006

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Home sweet home

Hi everyone from sunny Devonport. Yes, it is nice to be home and in my own bed again I have to say. However, first things first - our last day. Spent most of the morning packing before taking a cab across to Greens, the vegetarian restaurant I had wanted to go to. Extremely good lunch place with views of the bay - got their menu again and will salivate over it occassionally to remind me of their food. Just as good as, but different from, Milleniums; more a lunch/brunch place but very populare and crowded even by the time we got there. Walked over to Ghiradelli Square and was no more impressed by it this time than I was last time we were here so moved on to a Tomato and Olive festival which was being held at the Cannery. Lovely heirloom tomatoes that I was unfamiliar with and lots of blended olive oil - not as good as NZ though, apart from one who used Koroniki olives and that was delicious and dark green. The owner has competed in NZ and has done well with his oil so it was good to talk to him about what he is doing. Then it was back to the hotel for a freshen up before Val collected us for the trip to the airport. Good flight back and arrived 15 minutes early so missed the crush and queues from the other 3 flights that were due at our official arrival time. We were out of the airport in 15 minutes and home by 6 am - and collecting Daisy by 7.45 - and very excited she was too!!! She had been extremely well tended and looked after by Coralie and Philip and looked in perfect health, relaxed and playful. Sissy and she kept close for the next day or so - perhaps thinking we might disappear again? The house and garden were lovely and had been really well looked after by Sue and Alex and Julia and Chris. So a huge, huge thank you to all of you for taking such good care of everything.
OK, so that is the trip and now we are home - and planning the next one!!! Will keep you informed about the next steps, meanwhile thanks to everyone, helpers, readers, commenters - I love you all. Ann

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Sausalito by the sea

Modern art, I'm afraid to say, does not capture me in the same way anything up to the early 21st century does. However, we visited the Museum of Modern Art yesterday and saw some fine and some confusing, inexpicable and generally baffling pieces of modern art. There were some fine Deigo Riveras as well as Klee, Mondrian, Picasso, and one very stunning Rothko as well as Jackson Pollock, Matisse and many more whose names I don't know and whose names I have forgotten. There was some beautiful photography and installation art as well as abstract impressionist - ah well, I guess I just don't have a very discering palate when it comes to all art. The museum itself is very well laid out and signposted with good commentary - and a very well stocked shop!!!!
We walked to the Ferry Building and were not sidetracked by all the little speciality shops but managed to get onto the ferry to Saulsalito with 1 minute to spare. The ferry ride takes 30 minutes and, again, it was lovely to be on the water, relax and watch the world go by. Had lunch in a waterside restaurant overlooking the bay and it was very beautiful seeing the terns diving for fish with the water sprking in the sunshine and SF and the Bay bridge in the background. Rob has seen some rain while we have been away but not me - it has been uninterupted sunshine, fine days and cooler nights; fine for sleeping, and in SF and Boston fine for walking. Saulsalito is a bit like Devonport but not so pretty. The centre is full of tourist type shops of varying degrees of quality - some interesting, most not. After lunch we walked around, but I suspect that the 'real' Saulsalito lies elsewhere, for what was avaialbel on the front could not have sustained a community - only tourists. However, it had plenty of trees, seats and places to relax, so we were happy. Walking anywhere but the front would have involved major exertion since only very steep steps or roads seem to lead out of the town. The ferry ride back was dominated by the 92 cycle riders who also got on the ferry - I don't think I have ever seen so many leisure cyclists in one place! I guess they must be fit, although some did look a bit fraught. A relaxing evening took us back to Davids Diner for coffee and cake and to plan what to do toady with the short time we have left.
We are in the process of packing just now - I have finished before Rob - and then it is off to Greens for lunch, Ghiradelli Square, and a tomato and olive festival at the Cannery. I think we will be back by 4 which will give us a couple of hours to get ourselves finally ready before Val comes to collect us for the airport - and then!!!!! See you all in NZ soon. To everyone, I hope you have enjoyed this blog, and thanks for your comments - it was good to pick them up while we have been away. Love to all, signing off for the last time before NZ. Ann

Friday, September 15, 2006

A Taste Sensation Day

Yum, yum, yum - it was one of those days when the sense being indulged was the sense of taste - and boy did it get sated. We had decided not to take up Val's kind offer of a car (I even went driving - and did not do any damage!) and that if I drove to the wine country then I was not going to be able to see or taste anything, so we hired a limousine with a driver to take us up - and a very very good idea it was too. We set off at 10.30 and arrived back at 5 and in between visited 5 vineyards and tasted lotttts of different wines. We started by driving over the Golden Gate Bridge and stopping off at the Vinisa winemakers before going up to Sonoma town. Vinisa had a lovely selection of mid priced wines and we tasted 5 wines, of which two were white, one rose, one red and one sweet - and all delicious. Then it was off to Sonoma which is a small town with a lot of Spanish influences and was the place where California declared independence from the rest of the Mexico. We had a walk around and tried some cheeses at the cheese factory. Then Richard, our driver, asked if we wanted to go to the Napa Valley via the freeway or over the mountains - guess which we choose? The mountains, of course. It was just stunning, very winding, steep, wooded, with houses hidden amongst the trees and variously reminded us of Greece and NZ. We had lunch at another Vineyard - V.Sarouti - (very pretty with Italian looking buildings and lots of flowers) - tasting then eating - before going on to Opus One, a very very up market vineyard which makes only one wine (a Cab Sauv) which sells for $135.00 per bottle. We tasted and did not buy. The setting and building is very austere with strong stone buildings, classical music and a retreat for guests - all very soothing. However, we wanted to try some champagne and so went off to Chandon and tried 3 wines there - and, of course, preferred the most expensive of their reserves. There grounds were pretty with a stream and fountains and wild flowers. The last place (Stag's Leap) we tried was on the Silverado Trail and there we tried 4 wines, one white and 3 reds. They were very serious about their wine and one of the reds ($125.00 a bottle) was, we thought, much better than the Opus One wine. Then back, via the Bay bridge. So that took most of the day, but in the evening we had booked to eat at the Millenium, a vegan restaurant which had been voted the best vegetarian restaurant in the city. It was stunning food. Gourmet by any standards - I have brought the menu and their cookery book - so we can slather over it at home - and maybe even try some of their complex but very scrummy food. It put me in mind of the food I had had recently at the new Peter Gordon restaurant (Dine?), they had similar food values - good reduced stocks & jus; presented well with a variety of flavours, colours and textures. I think any of you reading this would have been more than happy to eat it - and would not have known it was vegan!!! Tomorrow we are having lunch at Greens - a vegetarian restaurant I have always wanted to go to, so I shall have a good comparison.
OK, so now it is Friday and we are counting down the days - but first we are off to the Museum of Modern art (Rothko's and Diego Rivera's) and then a ferry over to Sausilito (?), so got to go, things to do, places to see, memories to make. Take care of yourselves and see all in NZ soon. Love Ann

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Museums, museums

So, today had a nice, gentle, slow start with reading, breakfast and emails before we even thought of what next! Then it was full steam ahead for the museums - Asian Art and the DeYoung. We walked down to the Museum of Asian Art, and though we had been aware of an increased number of beggars on our street, as opposed to Boston or Pasadena, when we got into the Market St area we could see many more homeless and disturbed people than we had any where we had visited so far. Val tells me that - as in England - the gap between the haves and have nots' is increasing, which along with what I guess is a move to 'community care' for those in mental distress, means there are more streeet people. However, on the way to the Museum of Asian Arts we came across the very best farmers market - the most lucious fresh fruit of all sorts of varieties and vegetables, well, what can I say - there were types of aubergines I had never seen before as well as lots of asian vegetables, some of which I recognised from Takapuna market, but others which I could not even begin to name. So, we got the museum slightly laden with fresh produce - which we have to eat by Saturday!!!
The museum was a model of excellence in the way it was set out for the visitor. Escalators, clear signage, excellent curatoring so that it was a pleasure to go round and be involved with the exhibits - although Rob and I disageed on the level of labelling. At any rate, we thoguht this was a really well presented museum - even though it did not have on display the items I had wanted to see - and made you want to stay and learn more about the exhibits. Nevertheless, time was of the essence, so after eating in the Asian restaurant of the muesum it was off to the DeYoung. Now that is a very different place entirely. Both museums have recentlu undergone a refurbishment. While the Asian Museum was Beaux Arts in exterior it had been modernised inside to bring it up to date and very sympathetically and, I thought, extrememly well. The De Young was a modern design which had recently been further modernised, and I felt was not as considerate as it could be of its visitors. So for instance, the lifts were not well signposted, there were no esacalators and I saw older women struggling up and down concrete stairs to get to the exhibitions they wanted to see. The static exhibitions were simply presented with only a room description - no notion of how the exhibit fitted in to the overall theme of the room. But when it came to what they had to show - it was excellent. The quilt exhibition was very fine and was about a small community in Alabama who, as slaves and tenants were so poor that they had made their quilts from any scrap of material or old clothes they had. They did not follow the conventional block quiltling designs but rather their designs were freeer in both compostion and fabric use. They eventually became known and were commissioned to produce items for - was it Sears or Sax - anyway one of the big reatil outlets - but they never stopped making quilts, and very creative, artistic and beautiful they were. We also saw more American 20th C art and caught up with some of the new names (to us) we had seen in Pasadena and in Boston. We saw a most extraordinary Whistler, which I asked if we could photo - for Rob - since it is germaine to his research and more folk art which was a treat!
Tomorrow we are off to the wine country - more later & love for now, Ann

Happy Birthday Val

We were up nice and early this morning since we were meeting Val and Darell at the wharf where they were arriving by ferry to spend the day with us (we are very pleased about this, since it is Val's birthday and special to be able to spend it with her, and Darell). At least that was our intention - and we did get out early enough we thought (9am to meet at 10) - however the vagaries of the SF Trolley bus system meant we were still on the trolley at 10, and as you know, I am not good with lateness, so what should have been a leisurely and attractive journey to the wharf was, on my part at least, one of unresolved frustration, unbridled scorn for such an inefficient mode of transport - all of which Rob found highly amusing - which also did not help. Drat!!! However, Val and Darell had had similar frustrations - missed the ferry, driven to Oakland to leave Darells car, came in by road through extremely slow traffic - and fortunately we arrived almost simultaneously - so enough of the frustrations, now onto the good bits!!
Because Val & Darell had the car - for which we are so grateful, because we would certainly not have got to do the things we did today otherwise - they took us up to Coit (?) Tower, one of the highest points to look over the city and the Bay. I won't give the history - oh well, just a bit. It was built by the wife of a philanthropist/businessman of the city who was also a volunteer fireman (every small boy's dream) and when he died she built the tower, which resembles the end of the nozzle of a firemand hose, to honour SF firemen (and her husband). Anyway, inside, it has these wonderful murals, all done by local artists in the late 20's, 30's depicting various aspects of the working life of those in the Bay area - they are sort of 'folk artish', very strong, and quite wonderful. I took a few photos so you will get to see some - if you haven't already on your journeys. The views from the top of the tower (got to by an elevator run by a man who gives a brief potted history on the way up) are stunning, and you can see SF's equivalent of NY's Ellis Island, called Angel Island, Alkatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge etc, etc. But you are behind glass - I guess so you don't jump out - and yes, I did get to the top and did look out, aren't I brave!!
From there Val drove us down Lombard Street - you know that very winding street you see in posters and adverts for SF? OH, but before I forget, on the way down the hill guess what we saw - you can't possibly!!! We saw the parrots, you know Elisabeth - the Parrots of Telegraph Hill - there must have been 20 of them moving around, it was so exciting!!!! OK, back to Lombard Street - it is as tight as itlooks, but very pretty, and you have to go soooo slow.
Then we went back to the wharf for a very pleasant lunch before going to the ferry. At the dock where the ferries are there is one area where sea lions, quite by themselves, voluntarily and persistently have taken up residence. There are a whole series of floating pontoons (I don't know the 'technical' word) and on them are at least 150 sea lions, honking, yelping, being very smelly, but very captivating.
We all got the ferry - Darell was going over to Oakland to go to work - and just lovely it was too. We saw pelikans by the dozen, terns, a seal, a cormorant and just beautiful views of the city. Val, Rob and I did the round trip - which took about 2 hours and was a very relaxing way of travelling and looking. The day was hot and so, on the water, was cooling - lovely. When we got back to SF Val drove us to the City Lights Bookshop which we had wanted to visit and where lots of the good/bad and (in)famous had hung out at in the 50's 60's and 70' - it is still a good bookshop - but also a sort of tourist shrine also.
Then it was a walk back through Chinatown - tea and moon cakes, a seat in St Mary's Square, and back for a well deserved rest. Later we checked out the Cafe Grand - which is quite grand - and decided that it would be our drinking place (the hotel bar is too noisy). Since we had a large lunch we opted for David's Diner and we met another Kiwi, this one from Timaru, David Kellman. He is a young man - late 20's - who is in town from University in Austin, Texas, to give a paper (Chemistry is his subject) at a conference. Very personable, but since it is his first paper, very nervous and, with the friend - who is also giving a paper - wondering whether they should have a drink first. 'Oh, no' said we, 'just the last thing to do'!!! Anyway, I am sure someone (probably Mary or Joseph?) out there will know his family, or a friend of his family or the dog of his family - his parents now live in Christchurch - so pass on the word that their son is well, and eating well in SF. Which reminds me - cheese blinis, potato cakes with applesauce - a lovely way to end the day!
Well, I think that is all for today, lets see what tomorrow brings, shall we? Love to all. Ann

Monday, September 11, 2006

Museum Monday Menace strikes again

Ok, you would think I would know by now - do not go to a Museum anywhere in the world on a Monday (and sometimes a Tuesday) because the are closed!!!! Since Rob was going off to Berkely to talk history with James Vernon I decided I would visit the MG DeYoung Museum in the Golden Gate Park, where there is an exhibition of quilts - one for you Coralie. Wrong choice, closed on Mondays. Ok, so I visited the Japanese Garden instead and had green tea and fortune cookies while watching jays. It is as beautiful a garden as I remembered - but in some ways I liked the Huntingdon one better. The Zen garden had more green in it and was entirely different from the other one I had seen. The other museum in the park is closed till 2008 so I decided to visit the Conservatory where they grown the plants for the gardens. Nope, closed on Mondays! OK then, thought I there are a couple of churches relatively nearby (bus rides) so I can visit them; and this time I will check in the book to see the opening time. Ha, clever me!!! One of them - the Russian Orthodox, only opens at service time and I was not going to wait around till 3, so I would have to visit the Jewish synagogue. After a longish walk and a bus ride where the driver gave me a free fare and told me about other interesting churches - gues what, yes, you are right, it was not open. However, a personable young man who seemed to be patrolling outside, with a walkie talkie (security concious?) gave me the business card of the church and said if I phoned then they would arrange a time for me to visit. Unfortunately life is just too short for that sort of thing, although I did thank him nicely before going to catch my next bus. The bus was interesting and I got a ticket which meant I could go anywhere I wanted till 5pm; as is usual in buses the near-the-front seats are for elderly and infirm and so I gave my seat up a couple of times and did the decent thing helping older people off the bus - which got me a number of comments and thank you's from others on the bus and help from a number of people who wanted to tell me where the best place to get off/visit was - so what goes round came round immediately today! The bus took me back into town, and into the middle of Chinatown, so I had a little walk around - but I think I was too near the begining of it where it is most touristy and shall have to walk the whole way through another day. I did do a little shopping and got a gift from the store - horrible and binnable - but a nice gesture. After a very nice Japanese lunch I walked round Union Square - but it is just expensive shops and department stores. Rob had arrived back and so we went for coffee and cake at 'David's Diner' just down the road. It has the very best cakes; I had apple strudel with sour cream (did I mention it was a Jewish diner?) and Rob a strawberry tortlette; we shared - yum. The man who served us was charming and called Christian and he and his wife own the cafe (the one with the really good french fries) on Onetangi beach on Waiheke. He is travelling till summer then he will return to open the cafe - small world, no?
So now I am doing my blog before I go to eat at the Millenium Restaurant just up the road - it is a vegan restaurant and won the best vege. restaurant award last year, and the menu looks yummy. I was going to go to the theatre tonight but the Tom Stoppard play I wanted to see does not start till Thursday - so I shall jsut have to wait till then.
Ok my dears, lovely to hear from everyone, talk again soon. Love, Ann xxxxxx

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Happy Birthday to Rob

Thank you everyone who has sent Rob cards, both paper and electronic. He was very pleased to receive all of them this morning and to know so many of you are thinking of him. He has gone of to the Museum of Fine Arts for a last dash round - he wants to cover some of the things I saw the other day when I went while he was in NY. It is our last full day in Boston and so this afternoon we are going to the Italian district for a very genuine Italian lunch before going to the Arts Festival held by the Harbour. Then it will be packing before an early night - we will be up at 5 am tomorrow for our flight to San Francisco.
Yesterday was very pleasant for walking, so after shoring up this knee of mine, we walked around Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Faneuil Hall was the hall where all of the major revolution, slavery and emancipation debates took place in Boston and Quincy Market was the fresh produce market. Now both have been turned into tourist traps with lots of tacky and expensive shops and fast food outlets, so we quickly moved on from there and took a tour round a privat home in Beacon Hill which had belonged to a woman at the turn of the century and remains in much the same condition. She was an interesting woman who had been a bit of a socialist (and in the US that was/is very unusual), was a 'sufragette', a landscape gardener and held 'salons' every Sunday where, if you did not contribute to the discussion, you were not invitied to return! We visited the deli on Charles Street and bought some lunch to eat on the Common where we watched Daisy's favourites - squirrels. After a well earned rest we perambulated and promanaded with the rest of Boston in the balmy evening. A jazz quartet was playing in the bar of our hotel so we sat at the bar (something I have never done in an American bar) and watched people, the band and just relaxed. It was fun to watch the bartenders mix the cocktails, and it does not seem too surprising that peole get very drunk (although we have not seen any of that) when you see how much alcohol goes into these drinks!! But it was enjoyable to watch the skill of the bartenders in mixing these drinks. Rob had tried a martini a couple of nights before but we had agreed that we did not care for them and instead we have, perhaps boringly, stuck to our usual white wine - apart from the champagne cocktail I had which was delicious!
OK, my dears, will get back to you soon. I am off to enjoy Rob's birthday. Love & hug, Ann

Friday, September 08, 2006

All through the night......

Even Boston gets quiet during the night. I know since I have been awake since 3 and am now in the FedEx shop next to the hotel at 5am typing awal merrily all by myself. So, what was yesterday like. Well, in the morning I had some retail therapy - I was overdue for some, all this museums and tourism certainly makes it difficult to keep up the natting average! There is a 'mall' just across from the hotel which seems to go on for ever with expensive and not so expensive shops. I have, at last, visited Saks and Marcus Neiman as well as window shopped till I am fully sated and will last at least till the end of the holiday. To be honest, shopping is not really my thing, but it is interesting to see how it is done in various places.
After such an exhausting morning I stopped at a free classical concert in the square (3 classical guitarists) before setting off again for the Museum of Fine Arts. I had wanted to do the Chinese porcelain, Japanese textiles/prints and American Folk Art - and all were splendid. I was saying to Julia that I think I have finally decided that I prefer pre-Ming Dynasty porcelain and potter - anything earlier than 13c. I saw som very fine Japanese Kubuko prints - 18th & 19th century, but no Indian prints which was disappointing - however I did buy a calendar which has some lovely Rhajistan prints - so I can always cut them out and frame them. I ahve always had a soft spot for any sort of niave (?) folk art - American or British - and I saw about 12 very sweet examples of paintings, but what was more interesting was the painted furniture and the artifacts, like weathervanes which were very stylish. If tis all makes it sound like I know a lot - then forget it, I am totally ignaorant about all of the above, but I have had a good time looking and appreciating.
Rob returned from New York in one piece, tired and snuffly from his cold. His visit was very fruitful and he thinks he may have a full article to write on John DeMorgan, rather than simply using him as a character in his book. I was saying to Elisabeth that I think he would have liked more time there but he can alaways correspond with the contacts he has made there to help him with the archive materials. From his account New York will not be a place I shall visit. He found the people abrupt and sometimes rude, and said it felt like London where people were about their own business with no time for others. I think the most difficult event was when no taxi driver would take him from the Staten Island Ferry to Penn Station where he had to catch his train - so he braved and mamaged the NY subway - well done Rob!!! Any way he returned roughly on time, and says if he has to visit NY again, will stay in Boston and get the train up!!! OK my dears, all for now. Thinking of all of you. Bye for now & Love,Ann
PS 0- I forgot to bring my glasses - so can't see a thing - so do forgive whatever bad typing; I only hope enough is decipherable!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

I wandered lonley as a cloud

I saw Rob off to New York this morning - with a rotten cold, but he was determined to go come hell or high water and no mere cold was going to stop him. Me, I set of for North End, the Italian district, and very Italian it is too. Old men with their chairs out, blocking the road and taking the sun, old women in black - but with lots of jewlery - shopping for lunch, all speaking Italian; lovely Italian grocery shops which have a peculiar mixture of US and Italian goods but which smell devine. Italian bread, gelatto, vegetable shops, as well as the occassional deli and masses of small restaurants. I had the most delicious eggplant parmingana with ziti (a bit like penne) for lunch. I did also visit the house of Paul Revere and Old North Church - where people did not sit in rows but in sort of boxes made for 8/10 with no roof but quite high sides - very strange. I imagine the boxes were 'family' boxes and they were to stop one - males presumably - getting a glimpse of a fine turned ankle belonging to a female of another family and thus turning thoughts away from the purpose that one went to church for.
I then had a walk down Church St. which is full of antique shops - it runs along the bottom of one end of Beacon Hill (one of the expensive parts of Boston)and is a lively sort of street with plenty to look at and see. On my way back to the hotel I passed 'Cheers' - by accident, and then went onto the Common again.
In the evening, after a little rest and a chat with Rob I went for a stroll. Rob had successfully reached NY and used the Staten Island Ferry to reach his destination, passing the Statue of Liberty on his way, and he tells me that the 4th finger on the SofL is 8ft long (hope that does not fall off and hit anyone!). He has walked the length and breadth of the island - through some very rough parts too (he reckons the Teamsters and Tony Soprano have regular meetings at his hotel), and is looking forward to the museum and library tomorrow.
The weather has been very comfortable for walking around - in the 70's - and the evenings are especially pleasant. So, love to all, and will sign in again soon. Ann

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Boston - a little like London

Hello my dears everywhere - welcome back to my blog. My arrival in Boston airport was late, and the airport itself does not recommend itself - scruffy, inefficient, dirty, run down. However the city is a gem and I love it. On our first day we oriented, so we walked through the town, over the common, taking in all the historical sights - state house, new and old, various graveyards, government house, the oldest library in US etc etc. The history is very accessible - a bit like London, it stares you in the face and you can't ignore it. I enjoyed the Common, with its lakes (one boating and one for frogs), winding paths, swan pedal boats on the lake and an exhibition, which we were to learn was citywide - of cows, painted every which way, some very funny, beautiful, striking (I've taken photos of some for you Coralie)! We decided to go on a harbour cruise and so saw the city skyline, East Boston - where there is a 'rich ethnic mix' the boat man said; I guess this is where poorer or working class live; Old Ironsides - a ship which trounced the English and other newer developements along the way. Like London many of the old wharves are being turned into or have already been changed to appartments for the richer of the population. We then took a tram ride around the town and this went to most central areas and gave us a good notion of what was where and where we might want to return to and explore. We saw a most extraordinary thing on our trip. There seemed to be a hawk floundering in a fence 'window box' in front of one of the old brownstones. It flopped around for a bit then fell to the pavement, it looked stunned but fine; then it became clear that there was another hawk in the foliage; and finally there was a dead pigeon on the window sill of the house. So I guess they had killed the pigeon on the roof, followed it down and got tangled up in the foliage. But the birds were stunning (that one is for you Val). They have bronze sculptures dotted around town - got one of a donkey for you Jan; and I have snapped 2 of Bostons mounted police for you Sue. By that time it was time for a drink and dinner and planning for the next day. Dinner was the best yet - we went to - I want to say Ben and Jerrys, but not sure about that - and had the most delicous ice-cream and sorbets - Yummmmm
In the morning we walked in and around Trinity Church, which is the oldest church in Boston and is opposite our hotel in Copley Square. It had some Burne-Jones windows made by Morris and Co we wanted to see - beautiful and others by a London firm and by an American artist which were equally beautiful. Then it was off to see the excentric house/museum of Isabel Gardner - I hated this museum of all I have ever seen. She had left strick instructions in her will that nothing should be changed - so the paying viewer has to look at wonderful paintings (I think) with no note of who painted them, and the very worst lighting you have ever seen. The attendants were rude and unhelpful and if it had not been for the central courtyard which was gloriously reminiscent of an Italian one in its design and planting then nothing would have persuaded me to recommend this to anyone.
Thank goodness for the Museum of Fine Arts where we spent the afternoon. It is fabulous, with much too much to see in one or even two visits; so we restricted ourselves to the exhibition 'Americans in Paris' which was so beautiful. Lots of Singer Sargents (one of Rob's fav artists), Winslows, Beauxs, Cassats, Hammans, Alexanders and some of my favourite Whistlers too. There were many more than that - but I don't know much about US 19thc artists.
In the evening we did a 2 hour tour of the Boston Library - again just across from our hotel - and were particularly interested in the murals completed (well almost) by Singer Sargent - most weird and wonderful, and in their day scandalous!
Today Rob is off to New York and I am going walking and shopping - maybe, I shall see. Anyway, bye for now. Take care of each other. Will blog soon. Love Ann

Rob's train trip

September 2nd
Get on train. 'Room' smaller but seems OK. Bed will be put down by Kotara who seems to be in charge of coach 4810. Generally the whole outfit seems in need of a bit of a makeover but then if Bush is threatening to remove subsidies why would anyone invest. However, its obvious that Ann was right to persuade me to go the whole hog and get an ensuite room. We're called to dinner well before the train sets off. Go to the diner and a very efficient bossy boots tells me I can't sit where I want to, and read my book (On Beauty by Zadie Smith) and sits me across from two women who had also been told to sit next to each other. We're all a bit surprised at this approach to First Class travel but actually get on fine. We're joined by the oldest woman from the Golden Girls. One of the women is from Canada, wanting to do one of the World's Top 10 train journeys; one is a New Yorker who has lived in Chicago for 6 years but wants to return to NY but doesn't want to leave too quickly and is therefore extracting herself by train. The food is slightly upmarket fast food though served with wine. The diner fills up with people forced to talk to people they don't want to, but this system seems to work well. So efficiency leads to effectiveness.

When I returned the bed has been put down which leaves little soace to do anything other than go to bed, which is quite large. They do claim you can sleep 3; two in the bed I have and one in another bunk that comes down from the ceiling - no thank you!

I discover I don't really want to go to sleep. All this US going by and its dark and I'm supposed to be asleep. I keep looking out of the window to see things flashing by. We stop and there, out of the window, is Cleveland. The drivers of the train are required to blast their horn every time they get near a crossing. The door creaks; the doors under the sink clatter; the ladder for the bunk bangs; the curtains clunk. The carriage moves side to side, the wheels loudly round and round. I go to sleep and wake up, jam some paper in the door; sleep; stick my toilet bag between the bed and the sink doors; sleep; shove a toilet roll against the ladder; sleep; I'm loving this; real train travel. I'm determined to be awkae when dawn arises, so the best way is to stay awake. When dawn does arrive, an hour earlier than expected (another timeline crossed), it is grey and wet ourside - the carriage is unjustly called 'Sunrise View'. It's still fantastically exciting to be hurtling past Lake Erie, on a train; on the way from Chicago to Boston, in my own sleeper. The train spotter returns.
Breakfast and lunch are forced sociability again but I've got the hang of it and quite happily talk to people I haven't been properly introduced to, and won't see again. Quite a few people are college kids returning for the new semester; tourists wanting to do a train rather than a boat or a plane (me), fat people (very fat people) who can't travel on a plane; aerophobes or those who can't afford a plane and sit in coach class for 24hours. There are, in fact, two trains; the front half with people in rooms and roomettes (which don't have toilets); and the others in normal carriages. After breakfast I sit in my room watching the world go by - hills, forests, lakes, clapboard houses, industrial degradation, big cities, big towns, small towns and hamlets.
The scenery gets prettier the nearer it gets to Boston and New England. At Albany the train sets off to New York (which, much to my surprise, is south of Boston)and I change to a normal train. A sense of well being pervades and I combine watching the world go by with fiddling with my Blackberry, writing my journal and reading about the demise of the ageing professorial Howard in On Beauty (who, though English, is working in a Boston College). Passenger trains in the US must always give way to freight trains so we're getting later and later and arrive in Boston one hour or so late. Have seen lots of trees, a heron and a llama but had a great time.
Go to the hotel, check in, eat room service, watch TV and go to sleep. Am awakened by the cleaner at 9.30 the next morning.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Playing truant!!!

Hello everyone,
Just to say i will return to blogging tomorrow. I've been visiting with my freind for the last few days but am now in Boston and intend to catch up with my blog tomorrow when Rob leaves for new York. In fact as a special treat I shall put up Rob's account of his train trip from Chicago to Boston. So, until then know that I am thinking of you and stay happy!!!! Love & hugs, Ann

Thursday, August 31, 2006

My friend Val

Hello everyone from Newark - just near San Francisco. I arrived here as expected yesterday and Antonio (Val's handsome son) and Val were there to meet me at the airport and then we drove (in Val's new hybrid car - very flash and very environmentally sensible) to Val's home - where there are 2 dogs and two cats, all very friendly - so I am in my element! I don't have much to report to you apart from we have not stopped talking since I arrived!!! It is so splendid to see Val again - and she has not changed a bit, still as beautiful, strong, and fearless as she was last time I saw her. Last ight Val and I went for an Indian meal (she knows me so well) and then sat and watched as the dogs sensed the possums - we even saw one creeping along the fence, a better sighting than I have had in NZ. This area is teeming with bird life and we have seen heron, lots of waders, red winged blackbirds and Val has hummingbirds in the garden - what a treat!! Dobbie, Antonio's dog kept me company during the night - a change from Sissy, but not much! This morning I met Darell, her partner and husband, who is charming, a good host, and extremely knowledgeable about American history and politics. We have walked the dogs, put the world to rights and generally had a very pleasant time. Val is full of plans about what we might do and what Rob and I might do when we return to San Francisco - but I shall keep that for later - got to go now, a dog urgently needs me to scratch its ears (don't tell Daisy - its a bit like being unfaithful!!!).
Bye for now, love to all
Ann

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

On the road again....

Ok - so it is official, my typing AND spelling leaves a lot to be desired! I have just looked bvack at yesterday's blog and am appaled by all the mistakes. The only thing I can say is that by the time I had recreated the lost blog I had lost all will to live or correct mistakes - so, apologies.

Yesterday was Gamble House day and it was quite splendid. Unlike Red House, Gamble House is quite open to passersby and so is quite visable from the road instead of being behind walls or hedges. So our first sight of it was in all its glory. It is a very substantial Californian Bungalow on 9,000sq yards (??? not sure) of land and is the only Green and Green house in its original condition with all the furniture and carpets etc. There are other Green and Green houses in the area but either they are privately owned or have suffered over the years either from disrepair or desecration by unsympathetic owners. The fron doors have the most beautiful inlaid galss spread over three panelss of an oak tree. Unfortunaltely no pictures are allowed inside so our only pic are of the outside - and there the sun was so bright and the house is so dark that I'm afraid my photos were not too good. We had a private tour from one of the doc-ents (guides) and then Bobby Mappstone (the PR person for Gamble House) met us and talked to us for a couple of hours about the house/its history/ history of Green and Green/the organisation of the running of the house/friends/ traing the guides ect. We were there till about five o'clock so had a very thorough introduction to the house, its owners and history. Rob had a fabulous time and was so pleased with the visit.

Now this morning it is time for us to leave Pasadena and to travle to our next destination. I am off to meet Val - after 24 years - in San Francisco; Rob is travelling to La Fayette via Chicago and to his conference. We shall be out of touch with each other and perhaps with you for a little while so this may be the last message for a few days. Now do be sure to take care of each other and we shall talk soon. Love and hugs. Ann

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

A fest for the eyes

I can't believe it - I have just lost the blog I have spend the last hour creating!!!
Anyway - here goes again. We started yesterday by wanting to go to two close by museums, one on Asian art and the other Californian art - of course, both were closed Monday and Tuesday. Since Tuesday is to be Gamble House and we shall be gone on Wednesday we shall have to miss these. Pasadena is known as a town with good museums endowed by the rich folks who used to come here for the 'winter' from the east coast. Gamble house is a good example of a house woned by these people - Gammble as in Gamble and Proctor. Anyway, we also wanted to visit the Norton Simon museum which was said to have a good collection of European art. I was sceptical since the write up for the Huntington had said the same but (probably because they were renovating some of the buildings) only a portion of their holdings were on show. So for instance I had expected to see some Mary Cassat but thee was only one on show (how picky am I then!). However, I was entirely wrong!!! From the path that leads up to the entrance I should have known this was different! There were at least 6 life size Rodin sculptures! In the main forst room were the most important Impressionist painting - Van Gough, Pissario, Monet, Cezanne; there were Gauhgan, Sissley, Matise, Renoir, Lautrec, Manet, there were barbazon group examples and Nabis group, there were over 100 Degas sculptures, with the highlight being the 'little dancer', the sculpture that caused such a fuss when he first exhibited it that he never showed it again and kept it in his appartment till his death. It caused a fuss because he incorportated natural materials into the scuplture - a tutu, satin slippers, real hair, and a ribbon - but it was so lovely and i think I am so fortunate to have seen it. There was a good collection of Post Impressionists and somm fone Picasso's - espically the woman in blue - there was Klee, Klimt,Kandinsky, Degas Rivera. There was a fine collection of Dutch paintings including my favourite still life painter Rachel Reichs, Rubin and Rembrahnts - paintings and etchings; lots of 17th century French - but Watteau has never been my faviourite. There was a solid collection of Rennaisance paintings including Botecelli, and a most stunning Bellini. All inall a veritable feast for the eyes. We stayed there all day and at lunch in the gardens watched - what is the name of those insects which hover over plants, are quite large and look beautiful? I want to say hover fly or grasshopper but it is not either of those - anyway there were bright oprange and blues ones to keep us amused. In the garden there were more sculptures including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth and others I was not familiar with. We saw an exhibition of Californian artiats who worked in translucent plastic in the 70's andan exibition of Asian/Indian art where there was some quite beautiful Rhajistan prints. We stayed there all day till the car came to collect us and I would recommend it to any one who is coming this way.

Today I am going off to do my homework - in the cool of the hotel - for Gamble House where we are going this afternnon. Rob meanwhile, is out - in the heat of the day, armed with sunscreen and water (it was 95 in the shade yesterday)- to walk around an area called Bungalow Heaven. This is an area which has the beast collection of Californian Bungalows in one area - Rob is a very happy bunny!!

Ok, my dears, all for now. I shall try to write tomorrow but we have to be on our way to the airport by 9am. Rob is off to Indiana via Chcago and I am off to my friend Val's in Newarf/San Francisco. Shall catch up soon, meanwhile lots of love and hugs.
Ann

Monday, August 28, 2006

85 degrees and rising

Hello my dears from sunny-hot California.
The hotel has this very good system that it will take you anywhere you want to go within a 3 mile radius of the hotel. So, after resisting the enormity of a leisurely US breakfst in favour of a more modest repast we set off for the Huntington. We did the galeries first and saw Gainsboroughs Blue Boy, May Cassatt Mother and Child as well as umpteen Reynolds, Raeburns and a whole collection of early to mid 20th century US art including a beautiful Hopper and some very impressive niave art. There was an exhibition of silver which was sort of Georgian and Victorian (if you are English!!!). They have a sort of Morris/Arts and Crafts display before you get to the Green and Green exhibition (the men who built Gamble house, which we go round tomorrow) and the docent is a guide at Gamble House so that was a very useful meeting and we learnt lots about Gamble House/Green and Green. Then it was on to the gardens - did I tell you that the previous day we had been sitting in a park and saw 4 woodpeckers? They were just beautiful - I had never seen them so close or clearly. Well today was even better because we saw our first hummingbird - so beautifuil and irridecent (?) but tiny and merges in so well with the surrounding foliage - my camera stood no chance! Anyway we saw the children's garden and the rose garden before going over to the Japanese garden which was just stunning. The Emperor of Japan opened it in 1994 and it has all the usual things you would expect - a stream, bridge, bonsai by the bunch, a house, a zen garden - oh and lots of carp. All of this was put together so harmoniously that it would have been easy to linger the whole day. However we went on to the lotus pond by way of the Australian garden and the sub-tro[pical (where the plants looked a lot like those in Devonport - ahhhh, homesick). It was, by this time, very hot - so I went shopping to cool down in the air-conditioning (can't keep a good shopper down), then it was back to the hotel before having a stroll to our Mexican meal and a browse in the most fabulous second-hand bookshop at 10pm (great hours they keep here).
Then of course jet lag struck and we were awake till 3.30 this morning!!!
OK my dears - we are off to play - I think 3 museums today!!!
Lots of love to all, and thanks for all the emails and text's.
Talk soon
Ann

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Mmmmm the sun

Hi everyone,
The flight was great, good food, lots of space, very comfortable - Frances you must try these new NZ air planes with the flat beds - a very civilised way to travel. But the smog as you fly into LA is like a dull orange band that you have to fly through before you can see land. It is immediately obvious that the air in Devonport is so much cleaner.

We explored Pasadena yesterday, and is a very substantial town which - 2 young men that we met told us - had been very run down until about the 70/80's when big businesses moved in as part of the LA overspill and now it looks a very prosperous town with beautiful shops set in open air - but curiously souless - shopping malls and an old town where lots of resturants offer all sorts of different foods for the tourist trade; there is also a 'municipal area' with the town hall, library and police station and these buildings are sort of reminicient of Napier with an arrt deco feel to them. It is clear that a lot of the town has art deco touches and some of these are old and original while some aer newer and echo the older buildings by linking through some design motifs, there are also - obviously - spanish influences.
Today - afert being up for 36 hours and asleep for 12 - we are off to the Huntington Museum and Gardens - which sound rather splendid and were set up by a well known local philanthropist. There is a holding of Mary Cassatt paintings I want to see and some architectural exhibits Rob is keen to look at and the I want to see the Japanses, zen and herb gardens before having tea in the rose garden. We may have time to walk round the area which has lots of arts and crafts houses, although we may leave that till the Gamble house day.
Anyway, I am off to see if I can sort out the blackberry for all you texters - wish me luck!!!
Will talk soon.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Going, going........

Hello from New Zealand Airway Koru Club. I have just seen an example of the seats/beds we will have on this flight - cool, or what. They come as pairs and the two make a kind of pod shape with them forming a wave in the centre that seperates one from the other. So one can sleep (or two) and the other can sit up, lie back; or we can sit across from each other, for instance to eat. Although we were told we had to be here at least 3 hours before take off Rob and I got through in about 10 mins and have been reading the papers and snacking. I'm just off for a glass wine - so enjoy your Saturday evening and think of us up there bvefore you drop off to sleep.
Bye for now & love
Ann

Monday, January 23, 2006

I love to go awandering

Sissy and Daisy will be left behind when we depart for our adventure on the 26th of August. We will be flying to LA - where we will not stay - drive to Pasadena to stay for a few days while we are taken round Gamble House and one of the other famous A&C Houses and generally explore the area. The Rob is off to Purdue University in Indiana while I fly to San Francisco to visit with my friend Val in Newark.
Rob and I will meet up in Boston where we will celebrate his 60th Birthday (can you believe we have made it so far!!!) before coming back to stay in a very nice boutique hotel in San Francisco for a few days before returning to Auckland on the 16th September.
I'll be posting between now and then and while we are away so do log in, read and even comment if you like. All for now - love & hugs, Ann