Aotearoa

Maori make up 15% of the NZ population.  NZ, as the 'youngest country on earth', was settled only 700 years ago by Polynesians who then developed their own unique culture.

Although European settlers were less than kind to the indigenous people, Maori culture is encouraged/supported here now.  For instance, all government and social services websites and publications are bilingual.  It's not a bilingual country like Canada, though-- it's more like in southern California, where it's just useful to print things a second time in Spanish.  There's also a Maori channel on TV (there is a 'learn te reo Maori' show for pakehas like me to learn a bit of the language), a Maori cartoon on one of the mainstream channels, a Maori political party which has 15% of the parliament seats, and Maori art is all over in public installations.  Unfortunately, it seems as if the group is still somewhat marginalized, living for the most part in the low-SES parts of town, with the usual attendant social problems.

Many of the names on the map that I have a hard time pronouncing are Maori in origin.  Otahuhu, Manukau, Waingarei, Roturua-- all towns I want to visit.

Aotearoa:  The Land of the Long White Cloud, aka New Zealand
Tamaki:  original name of the settlement that became Auckland
Maungakiekie:  a fortified village or pa up on a hilltop, now One Tree Hill park in the middle of town

And since I haven't posted a picture of the boys in, oh, two days...

..here you go.  Amiri was patiently allowing Arram to climb him.

Guest writer

Because you haven't had your dose of Awwwwwwww today.  Guess who wrote this.  First degree relatives, find your names here.  He thought real hard and chose the letters carefully for each one, even using the backspace when he made a mistake.

arram

amiri

amamam

dyadydy

gigia

grdga

dadidi

adad

chachacha

Summer is coming, but...

In the category, 'Interesting things to see in New Zealand':

Icebergs.  There are icebergs calved from the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica, some up to 2 km in length, floating near the south island.  Close enough that sightseeing helicopters are going out to see them.  They have ponds and waterfalls.  Little chunks (little, like a Volkswagen) are washing up on shore.

It's unusual that the ocean currents come straight up from Antarctica.  The last time this happened, in 2006, the helicopters actually landed on the icebergs and people walked around on them. 

Also in Antarctic news, (warning, sad:)  this weekend is the 30-year memorial of the Erebus disaster, NZ's worst air accident.  It was a large commercial jetliner, chartered for a low-fly-over sightseeing trip across Antarctica (there and back is just a 10-hour trip from Auckland).  A combination of miscommunication re: flight paths, young pilots gawking at the penguins along with the passengers, and the low visual contrast between land and sky led to the plane smashing right into Mount Erebus, and there were no survivors.  Several family members of the victims made a trip yesterday to the crash site in Antarctica to pay their respects.

I'd never heard of this event before, but news stories refer to 'The Erebus Disaster' as if no explanation is needed.  Like the Challenger Explosion, or 9/11--it's part of the collective psyche here.   It must have really shaken everyone up.

Home ownership

There is a big emphasis on buying a house in NZ.  Home ownership is, seemingly, THE goal for many people.  I am surprised by how many times we've been asked here, 'When do you plan to buy a house?'  This rarely came up in California.  When we answer, 'Oh, you know, maybe in a couple of years,' we then get quizzical responses that basically boil down to, why on earth would you wait?

I had a chat with a neighbor and she explained some of this for me.  She said that the NZ govt has encouraged people to buy homes.  (Indeed, there are some extremely generous credits for first-time homebuyers and for help with mortgage payments, to avoid foreclosures.)  From the time they're schoolchildren, part of a kid's economics education is the notion that buying a home is a smart financial decision.  My neighbor said, 'Even as kids, we're told not to put your money in the bank, but instead to buy a property.  By the time they're my age or older, most NZers own two, three, four properties, and rent them out if they're not using them.  Then, as they get older, they sell them off one by one to fund their retirement.'

Within the last ten years, NZ has rolled out a retirement savings plan called KiwiSaver.  It's kind of a cross between a 401k and an IRA.  She said Kiwisaver has had some difficulty being accepted, because its means keeping your money in money form.

Takes after his mama

I should also probably let you know that, in the last 24 hours, Amiri and I have consumed an entire bottle of green olives stuffed with blue cheese.  Amiri even asked for olives with his breakfast today.  Adnan tasted them and proclaimed them, 'The sickest thing I've ever eaten, that wasn't rotten.'  Time will tell which camp Arram falls into.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It's an American tradition we wanted to bring with us.  We had chicken, stuffing, candied kumara, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, and brussels sprouts.   Apple crumble for dessert.  I tried to find cranberries, but couldn't. 

Thankful for our family, and for being here safely and starting a new chapter in our lives.

Because it was a beautiful day, we ate out on the balcony.  Arram joined us and shared our potatoes, kumara, biscuits, and chicken.  Where was Amiri?  Well, he had joined Daddy for a tiring walk to Foodtown earlier in the day, and as a result he fell asleep, right on the floor, just as I was serving up dinner.  We ate our second helpings with him after he woke up.

A nice lunch out.

We all went out to a restaurant for lunch today, and both kids behaved themselves very nicely.  We went to Mexicali fresh, a Mexican restaurant run by a guy from Oregon, on Prince's Wharf.  The food was quite good, not spectacular (but then, consider that we're coming from LA, where really excellente Latin food is the norm).  Also somewhat pricey ($35 for two burritos, a kid's quesadilla, and drinks), but then, consider the touristy location and the fact that Mexican food is considered exotic here. 

We sampled the L&P soda at the drink machine.  L&P stands for Lemon and Paeroa.  Paeroa is the name of a town in NZ with an artesian well.  Its sparkling mineral water was thought to have health benefits and the water was marketed medicinally back in the day.  They began adding lemon to it for taste, and it became popular as a soft drink.  Coca Cola bought it and it's now ubiquitous locally.  As the label says, it's "World Famous in New Zealand."  Its flavor is reminiscent of lemon Pledge.

Let's have lots of vegetables tonight.

We started with a salad we sourced at the farmer's market.  Baby spring greens with edible flowers, tomato, carrot, and cucumber.

Then a fresh minestrone with golden sesame wheat crackers.

Little successes

Part of being in a new country is (surprise!) finding that things are done differently here than what you're accustomed to.  Sometimes this is lovely, such as my easy-peasy experience getting my new drivers license (in direct opposition to my day-long ordeal at the MLK Ave DMV in LA).   Other times, though, it seems like a thousand little frustrations crop up.  For instance, finding that the majority of stores close between 4 and 6 pm, just when we get excited planning after-dinner projects.  Or how cell-phone plans come with unlimited texts, but only 60 minutes of talk time, such that a customer service rep's "Can you please hold?" becomes exponentially more infuriating.  Or how the butcher can't get you a turkey right now, only during Christmastime.

Anyway, I'm starting to feel like we've got a handle on things, at least the small things.  (And it's the small things that can mean so much.)  We have a nice halal chicken ready in the fridge for Thanksgiving.  We found a great bakery.  I found a tea shop with very satisfying boba milk tea.  We found sources for kitchen stuff and kid's stuff and now have good pans, a food processor, and inexpensive diapers.  Tomorrow, we will very likely have childcare sorted.  I'm starting to feel less like a tourist and more like a resident.

And then proving I was Home:  when I arrived back from today's errands, Amiri yelled, "Mama!" and Arram scampered toward me as fast as he could, squealing and smiling.

To do list today.

Skype with family:  it's so great to be able to talk face-to-face from the other side of the world.  We Skype in the morning, while it's the afternoon for the folks in the midwest.  And that's the afternoon of the previous day... so for our family, it's Sunday night.  Here, it's Monday morning.

Babyproofing:  constructing a cardboard barrier to foil Arram from investigating the cords behind the computer desk.  What attractive home decor.  (But it works!)

Calling daycares to inquire about vacancies, and schedule tours.

A nice lunch out.

Naps.

Working on a client's project.

Housecleaning.

Run errands outside; bring Amiri's backpack along so he can help to carry things home.

Earnest attempts

Arram crawls quite quickly, but he does it in a rather idiosyncratic way.  Even though he can easily get onto all fours, he still scoots on his tummy.  He plants one forearm, and then pushes with the opposite foot.  The other limbs are used as balance.  His 'action' arm's skin has gotten rough from all the rubbing on the carpet.

He also tries his best at feeding himself.  Here, he nearly had success with a Cheerio, but it got away from him at the last minute.

Not showing off my vast wealth...

I happened to have all these denominations in my pocket, so I thought I'd take a picture for you.  It's fun to look at other countries' money.

The coins are $2, $1, 50 cents, 20 cents, and 10 cents.

 

Personal shopper

Amiri just put his sweatshirt and backpack on, and informed us he's going to Foodtown.  He wants to get chocolate cookies, milk, cheese, crackers, juice, and bread.

Right this moment, he's putting on his shoes, too.  He forgot his socks.

He put his matching-game cards in his pockets.  Elephants and goldfish.  That's his credit cards.

We actually do need to do some shopping.  His list was pretty accurate, although I hadn't given high priority to the cookies. 

I guess we have to go now.

Some things are the same anywhere you go. And not.

Here are the chains that I've seen in NZ as well as the US:

• McDonalds
• Starbucks
• KFC
• Burger King
• Wendy's
• Kmart
• Woolworth's
• Jeep and Ford dealerships

Here are some notable differences from the US:

• McDonald's is colloquially called Macca's.  Kiwis love to use diminutives.
• Fast food is more expensive (maybe by 25%?) than in the States, and the fries/drinks in the combos are smaller.
  
• KFC emphasizes its 'special marinade', not its 'eleven herbs and spices'
• There's a weirdly sploshy commercial for a fruit drink at KFC
• There are some different items on the menus... the BLT at Macca's (and the bacon appears to be more like Canadian bacon than the American strips), the Mayo Burger at BK...
• I remember Woolworth's being sort of a drugstore when I was a kid.  You could buy fabric there, I think.  Woolworth's is a grocery store here.
• A Jeep costs $80,000.
  

Snack Time!

After nap time, the boys got their snacks.  Arram sat in his new highchair and had Cheerios and bits of cracker.  He got covered with crumbs, STICKY crumbs.  He got excited and trilled his tongue.  Brrrt!  Brrrtt!  What sweet sounds.

Amiri had a sandwich:  whole grain bread, tunafish, cheddar cheese, and MUSTARD!!!!1!!!  Daddy smashed it together real good so it wouldn't fall apart.  He washed his hands and face all by himself afterward.

Health care in NZ

I went to the doctor and learned how it works.  I'm sure I don't know everything yet, but I've got the basics down now.

Your GP is your family's primary point of medical contact.  He sees men and women, adults and kids.  You don't need a separate pediatrician or OB.  You have to enroll your family with your doctor before seeing him.  This means giving your name and Health Ministry number, and having them photocopy your permanent resident visa if you are not a citizen.  Our doctor's name is Dr. Marriott, and he is just down the street in a small practice. 

All health care is subsidized in NZ (except for elective procedures like plastic surgery, as makes sense).  Going to the doctor is free for children, no exceptions.  Anything a NZ kid needs is free.  Adults do have to pay a co-pay for a doctor's visit, although if you have a low income the govt will cover that for you too.  The copay for us is about what we'd pay in the US, depending on what insurance you have, $40.  

Medications are also subsidized, at least, as long as you select your meds from a very long list of NZ-approved meds.  (Some of the medications we are used to in the US aren't available here, so you just have to get the one that's closest.)  And, get this:  the cost of a 3-month prescription for any med on the approved list?  $3.00.  A dollar a month!  (That's about 70 cents, US!)    Furthermore, your doctor can write a prescription for over the counter meds, which will enable you to get them for the $3 deal too.  So if you have a cold, you can see your doctor and he'll write you an Rx for cough drops and decongestant and Tylenol, and you walk out of the pharmacy with all that stuff for pocket change.

French press

One of my favorite things in our new apartment is the French press coffee maker that was included.  It's probably the easiest way to make coffee, and tastes great.  True to the frugal Kiwi style, only a dessert-spoon full of coffee is needed, so I went ahead and bought the fancy coffee.

More from the park

I continued my walk through the nice park.  I watched a shiny black bird with an orange beak dancing in the dry leaves for his lady bird.  The sun kept peeking out from behind the clouds.  It smelled wonderful there, fresh and almost flowery. 

Then, I saw some little flowers blooming in the underbrush.  Aww, how nice.  Springtime is great.

And a little rose vine looping around the trees.

Wow, those few tiny purple roses sure smelled good!  They perfumed the whole area.  What pungent little flowers they have here, that one little rose could "rose up" the whole trail.  Then I turned a corner, and...

Wow!  The biggest rose garden I've ever seen!

I vaguely remembered something about a Rose Festival in Parnell... Well, I was in Parnell...  hmm, this must be it...

Gorgeous riots of abundant flowers.  This explains the wonderful smell.

I thought of the sad, spindly little rose garden outside of USC and how I'd walked there years ago, trying to make myself feel better about having moved to LA.  And how that attempt failed.  Well, these roses certainly welcomed me.

A walk in the park

I took a 2-hour break today out to a park in Mechanic's Bay, just where Tamaki Drive goes across a little tidal flat.

On the way there, I stopped at the port and watched the men working.

It's kind of a bad photo because I had to stick the camera through the slats of the fence.  The yellow tractors were cool.  They drive up, straddle a shipping container, pull it up to their belly, and then drive off to deposit it somewhere.  The driver, high up in his cab, honked his horn and waved at me.

Across the bay I could see the suburb of North Head, and the peak of Rangitoto island behind that.  Amiri climbed to the top of Rangitoto with us when he was just an 18 week old fetus.

I crossed a bridge to get to the park.  A couple rafts full of kids went by under me.  They all waved; by the time I got my camera out for the snap, only one of them still was.

Then I got to the park and tramped through the nice trees.

Here is a bloom of a pohutukawa tree.  It's called the Christmas tree, since it blooms around Christmastime, and it's, well, red and green.

Here is what a big pohutukawa tree looks like.  It reminds me of a live oak.

NOW how will we convince him to not throw tantrums?

At this morning's farmer's market, Amiri was in rare form.  Screaming, grunting, throwing himself on the ground, kicking, slapping.  The reason?  It started to rain.  At least, I think that was the reason.  One never can tell with a two year old. 

We continued on our way, because we had pita bread to buy, darn it.  I led our whining, snuffling little boy along by the hand.  A man came along to commiserate nicely, 'I remember when my son was a lad and would kick up a ruckus.'  Then another man came along and offered him a candy.  Another fellow offered him a strawberry,  As we were leaving, a lady came up and asked if he wasn't feeling well.  Said he was just gorgeous even if he was in a bad mood, and would he like some flowers?  I tried to say it wasn't necessary, but she insisted, and we took them home. Wasn't she just lovely.

(And I said NZers are nice BEFORE experiencing any of this.  This was just... wow.)

Not that I've attempted to drive yet...

New Zealand TV

I've been holding onto the info for this post for a while.  When we were sick, I got a chance to thoroughly inspect NZ TV.

• There are seven local channels.  Sky TV, with ~60 channels, is also available, but we're not paying for it.  Plus, less TV equals more time outside!
• I think Kiwis want to feel big and important in the world.  As such, there are TWO primetime shows showing NZers attempting (and often succeeding) to beat Guinness world records.
• Other primetime shows are ones we're familiar with in the States, but we would not consider good primetime fare:  Wipeout, Rock of Love, I Love New York.  (What must they think of Americans, if this is their glimpse into our world??)
• The Biggest Loser Australia is a daily, daytime show.
• I'm used to watching CNN and LA news, with high production values.  News shows here all feel like the local news from the UP (not that there's anything wrong with that!!)
• The regular channels play music videos.  Any time of the day or night, you can watch videos.  Ironically, I am now more familiar with the popular music scene than I was in LA.
• Heavy metal, and I'm talking Rough heavy metal, like Mastodon, Lamb of God, and Rammstein, is popular and heavily advertised.  Though I haven't seen any of their videos... maybe that's a bit too rough for the viewing public.
• TV is more bawdy here.  For instance, there is swearing.  The 'F' word not bleeped out on action movies.  The 'S' word USED FREQUENTLY ON THE 6:00 NEWS.
• Some commercials are borderline racist/sexist.  There's one about a Jamaican guy saying 'me love da herbal, mon', and there's one where the spokescritter for a feminine hygiene line is an, um, beaver.

More Compare and Contrast

Food:

• In the US, turkey is everywhere.  Turkey breast sandwiches are ubiquitous.  Not so here.  Turkey is a special item.  Even the turkey breast at Subway chains is different-- it's chopped and formed.
• In the void left by turkey, people love ham here.  Ham ham ham.
• Food prices are higher, on average, than the US.  There are some notable exceptions, like baby formula, which is about half the price.  And although it's more expensive, food quality is so much higher.  I've been annoying Adnan with my excitement over the grocery store eggs.  They're wonderful!  The higher quality is worth paying for, in my opinion.
• There are only two grocery chains here.  There is a hubbub on the news about how this duopoly is driving prices higher.  Indeed, NZ has the world's highest increase in food prices in the last ten years.  I suspect that the news shining a light on this will actually create change; that tends to happen here.
•  I just found a small desi market that sells everything from bulk bins for wayyyy cheaper.  Hooray!
• They make a big deal out of free range meat and cage-free eggs.  Like, it's OK to eat animals, as long as they're well cared for.
•  And they also make a big deal out of local products that are responsibly and/or sustainably produced.
• There are fewer choices in items than we're used to in the US.  Everything's available, there are just fewer options.  Like, sure, you can get vegetarian burger patties.  There's this one brand.

Other stuff:

• People are just so NICE here.  I had the most lovely time at the DMV because people were just chatting with me.  The people I've met thus far have been trusting, open and forthright, friendly, and in no rush.
  
• On the flip side, since they are in no rush, they also don't let you rush them.  (See also the fact that our home phone is likely to take 21 days to install.  This means 21 days to simply flip a switch, not rewire a house.)
  
• People recognize and appreciate that they're living in a paradise.
• Although kinda dependent economically on Australia, NZers don't really seem to like Australians.  There's a commercial for the local TV talking about how Tuesdays are the 'Australian-free evening'.
• School is year-round, with month-long breaks here and there.  The school year starts in February and ends just before Christmas.
• Rent is by the week.  And about half the US price.
  
• There is sales tax, but it's included in the price.  What you see on the price tag is what you pay.
• There's no tipping here.  People are decently paid for their work and would view tips as patronizing.
  

Our backyard

 Out our front door, and then through a breezeway, brings us here to the Viaduct Harbor where sailboats dock.

Amiri got his lollipop when we ran an errand at Kiwibank.

Here is another view of the harbor.  Most of these sailboats are tourist charters.  Our building is the smaller one in the middle, behind the white 'www.sailnz.co.nz' sail.  Our apartment is on the other side of the building, facing the street.  There are upscale restaurants and pubs at ground level.

Amiri kept pointing out the Die Shashoo, so I had to indulge him and get a shot of the Sky Tower.  As you can see, it's a beautiful day.  Amiri likes wearing his sweatshirt, but it really wasn't necessary.

Across the harbor is the North Shore.  You can see the ferries bringing passengers to the northern suburbs.

Amiri and I watched the boats for some time.

This is looking east on Quay Street.  I think the Ferry Building is really pretty.

Here is Prince's Wharf.  Previously a working freight dock, it's been transformed into a pedestrian shopping/eating/luxury apartments area.  The building on it was designed to look like a ship.

Coming home, Amiri was captivated by a sailboat that was extruding water from its stern (see bottom left).  (Bilge water?  I'm not up on my nautical terms.)  He watched with furrowed brow, until turning to me excitedly.  'Mama!  Boat pee!'

Arram's new favorite toy

He's been playing with it for twenty minutes now.  (Don't worry, it's clean.)

He has two teeth now, each about halfway emerged.  The two bottom front ones.

His gums make a squeaky noise on the mug when he chews.

Farmer's Market

Saturday mornings, there is a farmer's market in the parking lot behind Britomart.  (Britomart is, for non-Auckland residents, the public transportation hub and the origin point of buses, trains, and ferries.)

It's quite small by southern California standards, but still very nice.  There were probably 25 vendors, and a live band playing to set the mood.  We bought 5 kilos of apples (the nice apple man gave Amiri a tiny apple for his very own), a cauliflower, some carrots, potatoes, a red bell pepper (aka capiscum, here), and the best pita breads I've had since my mom's. 

It was also a fresh-baked treat bonanza.  We had some Lebanese goodies in phyllo dough.  One was potato and feta, deep-fried, and the other was spinach, onion, and feta baked with a sesame seed topping.  So good.  The feta is creamier here, less salty, and less tangy.  The nice baked-good man gave Amiri some Turkish Delight to try.  We later got him some Nutella-stuffed bread and he was really happy.  We also couldn't pass up a langos, a simple piece of fried dough dusted with garlic salt.  It was surely a cardiovascular disaster, so crispy and oily, but definitely satisfied the craving for fat that all this healthy eating we've been doing has induced.

Amiri played on a rocking horse that someone had set up, exclaimed over the doggies and the pigeons ("Pi-joo-buhds!"), and was a big helper, carrying the capiscum for Mama.  Arram looked and looked, put his foot in his mouth, and fell asleep in his basket halfway through the trip.

The kids like it here too.

Arram can crawl around safely and comfortably on the floor.

My favorite part here is the drool just waiting to unspool from his chin.

Amiri likes his room, and taking baths in the big 'Cee-Cee' bathtub.  He threw a great big temper tantrum for no reason we could understand when we were out today and was in no mood to take a photo when we arrived home.  Ahh, the terrible twos.

Moving house.

To explain the internet outage:  we moved and had to set up new utilities.

We decided that we couldn't live at our first apartment any longer.  It was cramped, dull, and dreary, and in probably the only drab corner of this beautiful city.  The building was at such an angle that the wind whipped around it at high speed, making the balcony into an unusable wind tunnel and creating a mournful whistling against the windows that brought a blizzard to mind. 

Worst, though, was the lack of heat and the pervasive sense of dampness.  I doubt that the apartment was to blame for us getting sick, but it certainly didn't help us to recover any faster.  We spent several days working with the staff to try to find a solution that would make our place comfortable.  Eventually they grudgingly gave us one extra blanket and a portable oil-filled radiator.  But it wasn't good enough.  For one thing, it didn't actually heat the room up; it only teased us with a small pocket of heat that you could warm your hands on.  Secondly, a hot radiator is more of a liability than anything in a small space containing a toddler and a crawler. 

We ultimately decided that the only thing to do was to move out.  We worried a bit about this, since we'd signed a lease and already paid up front for three months.  Would they refund us the amount we overpaid?  But hey, the website said 'heating included', and we were fairly confident that we could successfully argue to the Tenancy Board (if it came to that) that 'heating' is not the same thing as, 'OK, fiiiiine, you can borrow an inadequate space heater.'

We selected several vacant apartments online and made an appointment to view our favorite.  We walked in and knew immediately that we were home.  The paperwork was done in a flash--no credit checks or rental applications here.  We had to dash around to sort out rent payments and to hire a van to drive us over, but we moved in that very night.

For just slightly more than we were paying to rent that depression-maker at St. Martin's, we are now in a lovely apartment on the Viaduct Harbor.  It has two spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms, a proper washer and separate dryer, a nice big (by NZ standards) kitchen, a separate dining room that we've turned into an office, and a nice living room.  There are floor-to-ceiling windows in the bedrooms, and in the living room, we can open the sliding doors all the way to extend our living space onto the balcony.  This will be lovely in the summer.  It's furnished very nicely, and we're not lacking a thing.   It's even closer to the grocery store (important since we're doing all our errands on foot), and is perfect for nice walks to look at the boats.  Plus, it has a great view of the Sky Tower.

Our first night here, we sat on our balcony on the nice furniture, and enjoyed the calm night air.  We said how wonderful it was to know we wouldn't have to move again any time soon.

And then, the first morning, we turned on the HEAT!  And it warmed up!  It was pleasant indoors!  There are even electric blankets to keep us extra cozy.

It takes about a week for utilities to be set up.  We have electric and water, of course (they just change the name on the account), but we're still waiting for phone and internet.  We can buy by-the-day wi-fi, though, as a stop-gap and that's getting us through for now. 

Oh, and by the way, thanks to Adnan's good negotiation skills, we're getting our money refunded on the first place.

The kumara

Kumara, pronounced KOO-murra, is a native New Zealand sweet potato.  They are very cheap at the grocery store, although there are various grades of quality.  This is a small one on a plate.  I washed it and microwaved it for four minutes until it was soft.

I sliced it open, isn't it nice and golden?

It tastes just like any other sweet potato I've ever had.  We all had some; even Arram enjoyed it mashed up. 

Internet problems

We're having trouble getting online, so i cant update here or answer emails right now.  Everythings ok, its just a speedbump.  hopefully we'll be back online soon.

Heads up.

I'm going to be fiddling around with the look and feel of this blog from time to time.  So, things might look different when you visit, now and then.  Don't worry when this happens, it's all part of my plan.

Romantic, in a "John Keats' Short Life on the Moors" kind of way.

Amiri and I went out to play.  We went to a park kitty-corner from our building.

There was a sculpture.

First, we fed the birds a dry heel of bread and some apple slices that had gone brown after breakfast.

The birds got a bit too close after a while and Amiri had to run to Mama for reassurance.

 

I wonder what sort of bird this little speckled fellow is?

Then we went for a walk in the Symonds Street cemetery.  Its sleeping tenants were all placed here between 1842-1884.   Some people might think it's grim to poke around a cemetery, but I thought it was kind of romantic.  Especially considering it was the day after Halloween (and for my readers in the States, it still is!)

Plus, it was irresistably beautiful!

A good number of the graves are slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Amiri loved picking the little spring flowers.

There were large open spaces where we chased each other, and trails through the woods for tramping (Kiwi for 'hiking').  By the size of the trees, I'd guess the forest had been left undisturbed since the 1880s.  Green was everywhere, just exploding in a wonderful riot.  It reminded me in some ways of the thick undergrowth in Indiana, but more inviting; less viney and stabby.  How wonderful that this is just sitting there in the middle of the city.

 

We both felt small in relation.

 

It was a good day.