#52Stories, Week 32, What was the biggest, most exotic vacation you took with your family when you were a child ? What memories stand out ?

We went on great holidays.

Road trips around South Island in the summer holidays. The first one in 1965/66 even had a white Christmas at Milford Sound – and had Mum racing to the shops in Invercargill to get everyone whatever winter weight clothes were on offer. Summer holidays – pfft.

Weekends or day trips to Raglan, Taupo, Rottenrua Rotorua, Coromandel, Waihi or the Mount, sometimes longer. Trips to visit grandparents, other summer holidays exploring Hawke’s Bay, Northland and Taranaki.

But probably the most exotic would have been our trip to Sydney and Melbourne in January 1977.

Back then you didn’t need a passport to visit Australia – and the Aussies didn’t need one to visit us. So much more simple. It felt then like we were friendlier than we are now, in some respects.

We flew to Sydney and stayed in Potts Point. Walking down Darlinghurst Road in the early evening sure was an eye-opener, I think Mark’s eyes nearly popped out of his head ! We went to the Hyde Park Barracks, Taronga Zoo, caught the hydrofoil to Manly and the bus all the way back to town, went on an all day bus tour to Warragamba Dam and the Lion Safari, explored The Rocks and shopped.

After about a week, we caught a flight to Melbourne. No airbridges then – it was like stepping out into a sauna when we disembarked. We stayed in Carlton I think – or Fitzroy – near to the Carlton Gardens. We went on a day bus trip to Echuca, and an afternoon/evening trip to Port Phillip Island to see the Fairy penguins. As well, we met a cousin of Mum’s and went to see her Uncle Frank and Aunt Kath. Another day we went to see Dad’s cousin and his family. I think we caught a train there – they lived near Sorrento. We shopped as well, getting lost in buildings and laneways.

I remember buying jeans for $10 – so cheap ! I got two pair cos at that price who could say no. Mum and I had split up and gone our separate way to Dad and Mark. It was SO hot ! But nice and cool in the shops. We came upstairs from somewhere – or out of a shop - to go and meet Dad and Mark and it was pouring. Crazy weather.

It was a great holiday.

#52Stories, Week 31, How many different states and countries have you visited throughout your life ? Which were your favourites ?

Let me see then - there aren’t that many,

Australia:

          New South Wales

          Victoria

          South Australia

          Queensland

          Australian Capital Territory

Fiji

England

Scotland

Wales

Germany

US of A:

          California

          Arizona

          Utah

          Nevada

Which one was my favourite ? I don’t know if I can choose. They all had their own unique appeal. They are all places I have either returned to many times, or plan to.

This almost leads into another topic ‘Have you ever travelled to a place that you could imagine yourself moving to permanently ? What did you love about it ? What does it offer that can’t be found at home ?;

The answer to this question – almost everywhere ! The challenge of starting again, of finding your way, of fitting in. There are just two places which spring to mind that I wouldn’t want to move to. Sorry if they are your fave places – Wolverhampton and San Francisco.

Wolverhampton just seemed to be run down and with no heart or vibrancy when we were there. Maybe we were just in the wrong places, or there at the wrong time. Maybe it was just that they put GOLDEN SYRUP on my hotcakes at McDonalds instead of maple syrup…

San Francisco – I had such high hopes. Maybe it was because I had a cold and wasn’t feeling 100%. It just didn’t live up to my expectations.

#52Stories, Week 30, If it is true that “home is where the heart is”, what are the barest essentials you would need to make any place a home ?

Well this is a bit timely. When this was meant to be written life was a bit chaotic. Filled with downsizing and decluttering. Now, living is very minimal while we wait impatiently for what was left after the decluttering, to make its way across the sea.

So what are the barest essentials ?

·         A bed and fresh linen.

·         A light to read by.

·         A chair to sit in. Maybe not the one which I have right now, but the one I wanted, that you could curl up in and relax with a book or watch a movie. Why can’t you just buy “off the floor” and why does everything take 6 weeks ?

·         Something to read

·         Unlimited data

·         Laptop & phone

·         Flowers, fresh from the market or wherever else you can get them fresh

·         Somewhere to cook or bake – and the ingredients. Even just flour, salt, baking powder butter and milk is enough to satisfy that basic urge to bake (scones, pikelets – comfort food)

·         A great shower – not one that just trickles and wets you.

·         A fridge

·         A nearby laundromat or a washing machine.

Although we have most of these things right now, or the ability to have them, there are a few other things I will be pleased to see again once they arrive ! - like a couch to stretch out on. 

#52Stories, Week 29, What major crossroads have you faced in your life, where you had to choose among competing paths or opportunities ? Who or what helped you make the right decision ?

Which job offer to accept ?

To sell or not to sell ?

Stay or go ? Cut and run.

I guess these three questions sum up most of the crossroad type situations I have been in in my life.

One day 20 something years ago I was offered two jobs. Both in Johnsonville (so handy to home), both paying about the same. Which one to take ? I can’t even remember the details of the one I didn’t take; maybe something in the education sector in that business complex on Broderick Rd. The one I did accept, I ended up staying for close to 20 years ! Who could have predicted that. What a team – my Yellow family. Wouldn’t change it for the world – but then there came another crossroad. Too many changes over all that time and the last one, a change in reporting line was the catalyst. Cut and run. Live life my way. Make choices for ME.

Then another, that eternal restlessness. There must be gypsies somewhere in my past I think. To move or not to move. To sell or not to sell. To take a chance or settle. No regrets (well not many)

There have been plenty of stay or go, cut and run situations. Sometimes indecision or low confidence made me stay longer than I should. But when the decision to go gets made – things happen. FAST.

Advice ? Sometimes this seems scarce. Sometimes it isn’t offered. (Maybe people don’t read my signals well.) Sometimes it is misguided. Sometimes people play the devil’s advocate, sometimes they lay all the cards on the table. But usually the final decision is mine. Then the regrets, if any, are my own demons to deal with.

The experience makes me more resolute, determined not to follow the same path again. It challenges me to make things work, to learn from past mistakes.

YOLO – choose how you want to live it. Be brave, take chances.

#52Stories, Week 28, Which of your birthdays were especially significant for you ? When you turned 8, 12, 15. 16, 18 or or maybe 21 ? What do you remember about those special days ?

Birthdays. Meh.

I’m not all about fuss. It’s a family thing I think. None of us really seem to enjoy having a BIG fuss made of us. These days birthday celebrations are normally just going out for dinner together if possible, or catching up with friends. No party party party for this girl.

I don’t remember any specific parties when I was younger either. Just a few friends over, some party games (pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs) a treasure hunt, cake.

Just a sponge, or chocolate cake with candles – none of the crazy over the top great cakes we see today. Cheese and pineapple on toothpicks stuck in an orange, cheerios, maybe some chippies and fairy bread and fizzy drink if we were lucky.

I remember one birthday a group of my friends and I went to see “Around the World in 80 Days” at Founders Theatre – on our own ! Maybe 10^th or 11^th ?

I remember some major presents; a doll’s pram, a wrist watch, a bike, a pair of roller skates, books to read.

There you go, birthdays. Best spent with those you love and those you love to be around in whichever way floats your boat.

#52Stories, Week 27, What do you know about the day that you were born ? What stories have you been told about your birth ?

Well, I know which day I was born, and I know which day of the week it was. But I don’t know too much about the day itself.

September – so early spring – but whether it was filled with sunshine and blue skies or cool breezes and spring showers, I don’t know.

Friday’s child is loving and giving. Did my parents have plans for the weekend ? Or were they just planning on waiting for me to show up ?

What global, national or local events were happening ? Sadly in New Zealand the papers from that day haven’t been digitised yet, so all I can do is try to find something more global. It can’t have been anything too momentous or I think I would have heard about it. I know for example on the day my brother was born, that the Berlin Wall construction was completed. So if Mum remembered that from the day he was born maybe the news of the day on my birthday was inconsequential.

So from the wonderful world of the interweb :

·         Duke Ellington won Springarn Medal for his musical achievements

·         US Congress passed a bill authorising food stamps for poor Americans

·         Elroy Face’s 22 game win streak ends as Dodgers beat Pirates 5-4

·         Oriole Jerry Walker pitches 16 inn beating White Sox 1-0

·         Dwight D Eisenhower was President of the US

·         Harold McMillan was Prime Minister of Great Britain

·         Walter Nash was Prime Minister of New Zealand

·         Keith Holyoake was the Leader of the Opposition

·         Viscount Cobham was Governor-General

·         Denis Rogers became Mayor of Hamilton (Dove=Myer Robinson became Mayor of Auckland and Frank Kitts was Mayor of Wellington)

·         Auckland Harbour Bridge had been open for 3 months

·         The British Lions were on tour – the AB’s won of course ! 18-17, 11-8, 22-8 before the Lions won the 4^th match 9-6. Wilson Whineray and Colin Meads were young All Blacks

·         The new Wellington airport opened at Rongotai

·         New Zealand and 11 other countries active in Antarctic during the Geophysical Year signed the Antarctic Treaty

·         Turners and Growers announced that it would now export the Chinese gooseberry under the name “kiwifruit”

·         The first discovery of gas at Kapuni was made

·         The New Zealand Broadcasting Service made the country’s first experimental television broadcast from the roof of the 1YA studio in Shortland Street, Auckland

·         Bruce Mason’s one man play “The end of the golden weather” was debuted

·         Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham raced for the chequered flag in the New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore in front of 80000 people. Moss won. Bruce McLaren came 3^rd.

·         President Eisenhower was preparing for the visit to the US of Nikita Khrushchev

·         Living Doll by Cliff Richard & the Drifters was #1 in the UK and

·         The Three Bells by The Browns was #1 in the US

There you have it – not everything happened on my birthday – but in the end it was a pretty good list of things for the year. 

#52Stories, Week 26, Halfway point - Goal Review

I’ve just added this one in, because it is week 26 after all. What were those goals I set way back at the beginning of the year ? What progress have I made ?

Here is the list I made in Week 1: (and comments in italics afterward)

1.    Write a story every week, to complete the #52Stories challenge - there have been a few hiccups where I have been racing to keep up, or catch up but I'm on track and still feel confident that I will get there in the end

2.    Sell or giveaway objects that have been packed, can be replaced and cost too much to keep moving and storing. (anyone in the market for a washing machine, drier, fridge, leather lounger suite ? - keep an eye on Trademe) - DONE !! when this post was meant to be written there had been some sorting done (at Christmas) and a couple of items had been sold on Trademe

3.    Save some money - Ummm

4.    Find a more rewarding way to make money - new role ? - some soul searching and looking for opportunities to study (what where when ?)

5.    Get a bit more socially involved - this last inter-city move has been a fairly lonely time - work in progress

6.    Live on my own (again) - probably not in Auckland then...- this one too is a work in progress

7.    Be more organised for Christmas 2017 - time will tell

8.    Get fitter - there are some legendary walks I would like to do one day soon - still working on this one too

9.    Plan new travel adventures - had a week in Canberra, somewhere I had never been and such a cool little city too. I will be going back there for sure. So many festivals to enjoy

10. DNA confirm 16 great great grandparents (or even better 32 great great great grandparents - could I dare hope for 64 great great great great grandparents) - 13 great great grandparents proven by DNA; 11 great great great grandparents (plus a couple of others I'm working on to be sure)

Not looking too bad so far.