I see from my last blog that is has been nearly a month since I posted. Since then the All Blacks have indeed emerged victorious from the World Cup and the nation has breathed an immense sigh of relief and straightened its shoulders a touch. It was not an easy match. Indeed for more than 20 minutes I could hardly breathe and my heart rate was alarmingly high. Me and roughly 4.1 million others over here, and many more scattered throughout the rest of the world, I imagine! The French did what they do so well - pull out of the bag the performance that is needed 'au moment critique'. Quite how the All Blacks resisted the onslaught for so long only they know. They truly earned their reward.
The feel-good factor lingers gently, though there remains the more general fatigue of small children (and some adults) who stayed up late and often. But as the days lengthen and the skies retain more blue than grey there is a palpable sense that the long summer holidays are just around the corner, and cannot come too soon for many............. How strange to be enjoying a second Spring and Summer.
So what keeps me so busy, you might ask? Well, first we move house. We now live in a bijou 2-bed townhouse in St Heliers with a balcony view of Rangitoto and the sea:
[That's Rangitoto in the distance. It's only 600 years old and was formed during the last major volcanic eruption in Auckland.]
The house is unfurnished so we source and often then 'build' various items of furniture, and in addition Roy establishes the internet connection, hangs various hooks, assembles the BBQ and puts up a crucial blind. I'm in charge of beds and bedding - and the kitchen, of course. It's fun creating a second home that's in a totally different style - wooden floors upstairs, stone below - but quite time-consuming. All main living areas are upstairs open-plan, including the kitchen, and there are only doors on bedrooms and bathrooms. It takes a bit of getting used to. But it's 3 minutes to walk into the village, and 5 mins to church (all uphill), which is very handy. And the kitchen is turquoise.... What's not to like?
Our sitting area:
Our dining area, with balcony to the left:
The turquoise kitchen:
I preach my first sermon at St Philip's, and go on a 24-hour training session at the beautiful Vaughan Park up the coast in Long Bay, where I meet my new fellow curates, discuss 'Commitment', and watch 2 episodes of Rev on someone's laptop, squashed onto a sofa:
[How about that for a view from your diocesan retreat? The building top right is the new chapel, small but simple and beautiful inside.]
We have our annual Parish Dinner (Scottish style, with a variety of kilts and tartans, 85 participants - a lot of washing up!) and a Light Party (St Philip's response to Hallowe'en: 78 register, we cater for 100, 112 come - a lot of noise/children/mess/fun). Then there is the ordination of Auckland's Assistant Bishop in the Cathedral, where there are so many clergy that the last 6 of us are required to file round the back of the altar and seat ourselves with the Precentor, Archdeacons and Canons on the other side - something about the last being first.......
I attend my first parish wedding rehearsal, where I end up playing the bride's mother (Nyasha is the flower girl!). Naturally we both feel we should then attend the real thing, though this time we demurely take our seats at the back. The highlight (apart from the ceremony itself) is the groom's sister, Lauren Armishaw, an international soprano who comes back from Europe to sing Mozart's Laudate Dominum at her brother's wedding. It is stunning. Others might recall I had a stab at it in 1993 at Rebecca's wedding. Seriously, not even on the same planet....
Then there's Zelma's funeral - both the planning visit and actual funeral. Zelma was one feisty 87-year old woman, lover of BCP, whom I visited 3 times in hospital when I first arrived. True to form we include a 1662 Eucharist as part of the service. I trust Zelma is delighted.
In amongst church commitments and museum activities (notably the opening of the new Sir Ed Hillary exhibits) we see some old friends. The Ferbraches, over from Guernsey to visit son and new grandson; the Franklins, old RN Kiwi colleagues from Roy's distant past; and the Notleys, over from Tollesbury, who get a whistle-stop tour of the museum for 40 minutes with Roy, and then accompany me out to St Heliers to see for themselves the church/village/house. And simply lovely it is to see them!
[Clive and Hazel Notley, on our balcony.]
And the Potez', also RN friends from a former life, host us for a weekend in Blenheim, at their vineyard. Yep, a weekend living in the middle of vines, surrounded by the Richmond Ridge and Wither Hills, with Oyster Bay and Marlborough Sound in the distance. Wine-tasting de rigueur. I didn't say it was all work, did I?
[The view from our bedroom window, Richmond Ridge in the distance.]
I'd go again like a shot were it not for the flights. Return journey in something slightly larger than a balsa-wood toy airplane, seating 16, 8-a-side, each with aisle and window view, with the noise of chunks of ice breaking away and hitting the plane at 23000 feet.... Not really my thing. Still, we somehow survive.
What else? Tennis, of course. Inter-club matches every Monday. Three so far; 5 wins out of 6. I get to rediscover the art of playing someone else's game rather than my own (!). It's been 11 years since my last foray into competitive matches (if not competitive tennis...). An interesting experience.
And occasional trips out with the lovely Julie - to Briscoe's (housewares); Harvey Norman (furniture); New World (food); Auckland Art Gallery (culture); and sundry coffees in and around St H (sanity!). In addition we both attend Te Reo (Maori) classes for 2 hours on a Tuesday evening. At the end of term we shall sing greetings to each other in Maori at a powhiri (formal welcome ceremony) at the marae.....
... On reflection that seems quite enough for 4 weeks. Probably helps explain the days of the black dog last week (thankfully now back in his kennel). I hear 'pace yourself' echoing in my head. Not always easy when one is married to a superhero who somehow manages to fit 27 hours into each day and 8 days into each week, and to build Rome in a morning...........
Still, the adventure continues. And I continue to thank God for the gift of modern communications that enables me to keep in touch with everyone so easily.
Next blog - more on all things Maori.
