Holy morning, bless oh yes, with streams of sunshine falling (The Rumour)

Wie geht's?

Pictured above (in terrible quality beause of poor light, sorry) is some of my haul from my visit to a record fair in Palmerston North last weekend.

Record fairs are weird things - in this case a bowling clubhouse had been hired, and halved in size, bizarrely, so that 100 people were compressed in a small space flicking through 50 record bins with their elbows pinned to their sides.

I had to wait my turn to join in - and then I was into it! 

It's fun chatting with the stall holders about records. 

And, yes, I still represent the demographic for this kind of thing - men of my age and ethnic persuasion, but there were women and younger record browsers there as well (more that the last time I visited a record fair).

So, to the records. My aussie mate Noel said they were 'a mixed lot' and he's not wrong. 

The Rumour album from 1972 is the pick of the bunch. It's great to hear ambient record noise during favourites like Holy Morning, L'Amour and Garden Of Your Smile. Best of all is the brilliant version of Our House. BTW I can also recommend their 2009 CD compilation - The Rumour Collection (although it doesn't include Our House for some strange reason).

Love and peace - Wozza

Kia kaha

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Thanks to Covid-19, if you live anywhere except New Zealand, you are probably sick and tired of being sick and tired, lacking energy, plain tuckered out and cream crackered!

Our children live all over the world, including Covid hotspots like California and Victoria in Australia.

They've been in lockdowns, off and on, for ages but along with a lot of people they continue to aim to do the right thing and remain safe.

We're lucky because they remain in high spirits and ease our worries about their situation.

However, the longer the world battles with lockdowns and Covid-19, fatigue is a real issue. That may be moral fatigue, zoom fatigue, or caution fatigue.  

New Zealand leaders took early action, closed borders and reopened the economy in stages when it was safe to do so. It helps we are isolated down here at the bottom of the world, but it's been a blessing having strong leadership making decisive decisons.

It can be done. Stay strong world.

Love and peace - WNP

The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget (Homas Szasz)

Wie geht's?

Back in October 2010, on a lovely spring day in Taranaki, Jacky decided we should have a picnic for my birthday. So we did.

It was a lovely, magic moment after what had turned into a fairly bleak year for me in Stratford in 2009. At the time, we were back from Qatar, and about to head off to the UAE in a month's time. I'm still sporting my Qatar hair cut in the photos.

 

Jade and Samantha were with us for the picnic. Although both were at University in NZ, I don't remember how come the four of us were suddenly together again. But it came to pass. And it was, as I say, a lovely magic moment. 

Love and peace - WNP

P.S. The quote in the title? This was the quote of the day selection on my phone this morning. Very appropriate it was too, as I aim for wisdom whenever there is a painful lesson to be learned. It's tough, but, I'm with Homas.

Remember if you must, this is just a Christmas song (Jethro Tull)

Wie geht's?

Christmas 2011. Where were you?

If you are part of the Brian Smith whanau, including as it does the O'Neill, Purdy, Dix families, then you were most likely on Waiheke Island unwrapping presents and enjoying Jacky's trifle.

Returning for the festive season of 2011, Jacky and I were back from Al Ain briefly to enjoy a New Zealand summer break.

Being in Waiheke and close to Auckland, we met up with Keegan and Adam, plus I had a reunion with my buddy, Greg, and a visit to Marbecks in the Queen's Arcade before we had to return to the Middle East.

The christmas celebrations on Waiheke included great views, tuis in the trees, excellent company and the aforementioned trifle (Brian cleaned up the bowl).

The end.

Love and peace - Wozza

Too few to mention (Frank Sinatra)

Wie geht's?

Regrets? This was a recent topic of conversation in the purdmobile.

For me, regrets are a wasted thought and I'm with Frank - I guess I've had a few but then again, too few to mention.

Looking back on some photos of a visit with Jacky to see Brian in Waiheke, I do regret not being able to revisit him there (he sold up to return to live in New Plymouth a few years ago).

An island paradise accessible by a 40 minute ferry ride from Auckland, Waiheke is a magic little piece of New Zealand. 

First time I went there was back in the nineties leading a school trip from MAGS. I was stunned to discover roads and cars! It even had shops!

Then Brian moved there and we'd love visiting the island quite regularly. 

Son-in-law and Minister of defence

Now we see him and the other wonderful outlaws (hi MaBelle) when we visit New Plymouth, and New Plymouth has its charms but it's not in the same league as Waiheke as a getaway. 

Sorry. Just sayin'.

Love and peace - the son-in-law

I woke out of a sound sleep feeling like a rat shaken by a terrier (David Crosby)

Wie geht's?

Against all odds I enjoyed a lot of the third of the novels that Julie has passed on to me from her book club selections: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet.

Why was I worried? Well, there's: 

• The icky blood flecked cover
• The Man Booker Prize shortlisting
• The opening conceit of eye witness accounts
• The book of notes that came with the book

All screamed 'avoid'.

And, in the end, I probably should have. The issue for me is that the book is an exercise in presenting a historic event (a triple murder) as a novel, of sorts.

I kept waiting for a plot twist that never came. So that ended up causing some dissatisfaction. But I'm pleased I read it through to the end.

Currently, I'm ripping through David Crosby's second book, Since Then. It's also a tad disappointing in that he pads it out with notes from his co-writer Carl Gottleib and stacks of lengthy quotes from family and friends.

That does provide context and alternative views: Chris Hillman's take on Crosby's 'mortal sin' is interesting.

Still, more Croz would have been better!

Think I need to head back to The Little Red Book Shop for something meaty. Or else I need to read Hard Times, the last Dickens novel that is in my to be read pile.

Love and peace - Wozza