The one about the city slickers on a tractor

Okay, this post welcomes Ross, Lynda, Hayden, and Scott to the Stratford homestead. They met the sheep, Ducky the cow, the ducks, they lavished attention on Soda (the cat) and played fetch with Bazil and Finn. We toured the farm and said hi to the horses and had afternoon tea (very civilised we are) but the highlight was definitely the tractor. Here again is documentary proof (Ross took a video which may turn up on youtube if we're lucky). In order going down - the tractor with Scott, Hayden, and finally Ross. Sorry Lynda I missed one of you which Ross took on his camera - you'll need to nag him to send it to me:





Love and peace - W

The one about the great bake off

Still the holidays and now I have a bit of a backlog to get through over the next three posts or so. General update time - The roof painting is still in progress - tricky weather conditions have delayed things a tad. Ross and family visited us yesterday (more in next post) and Jacky welcomed a new horse to the paddocks - Jack brings the total to three (Cash, Charlie and Jack). Also of note in a busy week: Peter Joyce sent an update and set me straight on the Israeli/Hamas question (more of that later), Keegan started a new job in Auckland, Adam is now in Japan - he promises pictures when he lands (he's still in the air); Jade spent a day in hospital on an IV - strep throat - on the day she got her exam results - she did well - passing Level 2 NCEA with ease.

However this post is dedicated to Jesse and Samantha and the great bake off competition. Jesse has now returned to San Francisco (still in the air as I type this I believe) but before he left he loaded a heap of his photos on the computer. I'll get to these in time as well but first I need to report on the bake off. Over three nights Samantha and Jesse went at it to prove who was the better cook. First burritos, then pizza, and finally desserts. Samantha was clear winner in the dessert (lemon merrange pie) while Jesse was clear winner in the burritos. Pizza was split (I liked Samantha's while Jacky voted for Jesse's). Here is photographic proof of both the process and product during pizza night (and yes that is flour all over Jesse!)





Farewell Jesse!

Love and peace - W

Holiday update

I've spent the last week on the roof! We painted the house last year but left the roof alone so this year's holiday project is to attend to the roof. It took me pretty much all week to waterblast and prepare for painting because the temperature up there was scorching most days. Hotter than the surface of the sun! Today is the first rain we've had for a bit and it's set to continue until tomorrow - then back to sunshine. I didn't realise I couldn't paint in the full sun so we'll need to find some ideal conditions next week.

I've been thinking lately about the Israel attacks on Hamas, Brian and Michelle's stance prompted me to do some research. They are of the opinion that Israel is justified in launching their attacks and Hamas got what they deserve. My immediate reaction at the time was that violence begets violence and that bombing Palestinians (many innocent among them) wasn't any kind of answer to the Hamas rocket attacks. I still believe this and even more so after reading articles in the recent Guardian Weekly. Israel's attacks follow rocket attacks by Hamas into southern Israel. True, but it's worth noting that in the last 6 months there has been a total of one death as a result of these attacks (in eight years there have been about 18). The response to the one death was 60 Israeli aircraft launching 100 strikes that killed more than 300 people. Who knows how many civilians were part of that figure. The targets of the bombing weren't military training camps - they were police stations. Israel is going after infrastructure. The Guardian editorial made some salient points:

We also know that to have chosen to strike on a Saturday morning, when the streets of this impoverished enclave were full, showed the same indifference to human life with which Israel charges its enermies. When the suicide bombers reply in cafes and shops, as they inevitably will, Israel will reel in horror. But it will shut out of its mind the blood its warplanes have now caused to flow in Gaza.

No pictures this week sorry - I'll aim to have something more exciting for you next time.

Love and peace - W

Happy New Year

I'm in lazy holiday mode - hence the lack of any updates since before Christmas. Actually we haven't been too lazy since Christmas - we had a good three day sunshine period and therefore got our hay cut, baled and loaded into the barn. This was truely a team effort with Michelle, Gavin, Brian (tractor driver), Jade, Samantha, and especially Keegan working their butts off to help us get the hay safely stored before the next day's rain arrived. Many thanks - we certainly could not have done it without the communal help.

Our Christmas was spent at Michelle and Gavin's and a merry time was had by all. The 'all' included the six of us amazingly enough. Jacky and I journeyed up to Orewa to see dad and Ross/Lynda/Hayden/Scott (23rd December) and then (on Christmas eve) during the return home we picked up Keegan and Adam so they could enjoy Christmas with us and the girls. Sorry we didn't stop off and say howdy to Jeanette's crew but we were on a tight schedule (incidentally dad says he sees you at the Orewa New World and you never say hi - just look out for an older me Jeanette and you'll be fine).

So here are our snaps from Christmas day (we six; Jacky and Michelle; Michelle Kerry (her son) Brian (dad to Jacky and Michelle) and Keegan; me and Jacky; Adam Samantha and Jade; Pat (mum to Jacky and Michelle) Kerry Brian and keegan; Keegan and Jade) :









Keegan has now returned to Auckland and Adam to Hamilton and life at the old Stratford homestead now features Jade, Samantha and San Franciscan Jesse (pictured on the tractor)


Keegan left his record collection at ours so I'm fun playing some old vinyl - Grand Funk as I type this! That's it for now. Take care everyone.

Love and peace - W

Merry Christmas

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

As promised the more magnanimous magic of Christmas special! I recently received an email from Team Taylor's head cheerleader - Denene - that she has graciously allowed me to share:

We have the kids school prizegiving & play tonight and it always gets me. There is something beautiful about children singing, and being a catholic school they really feel the meaning of Christmas. The kids have taken preloved toys and food to school to donate to those in need (like St Nicholas- who was the original Santa). All that aside Christmas becomes about family rituals. Every Christmas day the kids put on a show (singing for their supper & presies) and this year Finn is on drums, his cousin is on his electric guitar and the others are singing to 'All I want for Christmas is you'. It is hilarious watching my 3 year old on his ukelele in his shades rocking and head bashing to it in the practice sessions! Christmas means squishing three families into the bach and sharing great food. Christmas reminds me to be grateful. Christmas means I receive decorations from my friends around the world who I miss, and my kiwi decorations get mailed over to them. So decorating my tree each year tells a story of different friends and different places and times. And as you can see above, every year I am a big Christmas geek and make a special card with my kids on it! My Nanna keeps all of hers on her bookshelf up all year long. (This year we are actually taking the kids to the mountain to see the snow too!)

She's dead right, isn't she! Christmas is about remembering all those great relationships we have, and every family has it's own traditions and rituals that make it a special time of year. My own favourite all time Christmas was the one when Jacky and I made each other gifts. So much love and thought went into that Christmas!

The Sivaks are equally expansive with their preparations and decorations. I remember when we lived next to them in Wakefield they educated us into the rituals of a Polish Christmas.

Denene's email reminded me of the times when I was maybe Finn's age - Ross (always two years younger than me) would wake me up at about 4.30am on Christmas morning and we'd creep out to see what Santa had left us. Our dining room and lounge at 18 Korma Ave, Royal Oak, Auckland had a glass dividing door that Santa would pull closed before he left. We wouldn't dare open the doors but we'd sit for what seemed like hours (and probably was) looking at the tree, the wrapped gifts, and the detritus of his visit (the empty glass and the crumbs from the food we'd left out the night before). Eventually mum and dad would emerge and we'd be bursting to open the presents. We were both spoilt rotten!!

The three English Christmases we had were definitely the best of the recent years. The season of goodwill to all is matched with cold weather, snow (Jade and Samantha where we lived in Leigh-on-sea) and a really special feeling. I especially loved wandering around Oxford St. with all the decorations and lights.

So all in all - wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whoever you're celebrating Christmas with, whatever the future holds in store for us - right now this is my chance to wish you a great family Christmas and a peaceful holiday season.

Love and peace (on Earth) - Warren

Update 40

And so this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over and a new one just begun (nearly).

At the risk of gaining instant grinchhood, labeled a Scrooge McDuck or worse, a kiljoy - I'm afraid this is going to be my bah humbug Christmas post. To be blunt -I'm not a huge fan of the New Zealand Christmas experience. After experiencing cold winter English Christmases I am even more aware of the fakery attached to our festivities. Is there anything more daft than a sweltering hot day and people dressed up like they come from the north pole? Fake snow and reindeer, tinsel and flashing lights on fake pinetrees do not float my boat.

I suspect this lack of Christmas cheer on my part is part of my DNA and is something I've unwittingly passed on to my children. I know dad shares my feelings of unease and I know Keegan and Jade do too. It's a tacky time in many ways.

Santa being an invention of coca-cola (nothing wrong with coke!) is appropriate given all the commercialism that runs riot as well. Unfortunately the feeling and religious significance (at least in New Zealand) runs secondary to how many tacky presents there are on offer. The staff Christmas function at school was a bizarre one in many ways, capped off with the 'secret Santa' gifts. I'm sorry - but a load of tatty $5 lolly packs or 'joke' gifts from the $2 shop doesn't move me. The fact I couldn't drink any alcohol because I was still feeling icky didn't help one bit either.

So is there anything good about Christmas? Well yeah, there are some things - some of my favourite movies are set at Christmas time (About A Boy, Love Actually, Die Hard, and der - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation). They take a largely irreverent view and acknowledge the tension inherent in the season - Die Hard has large scale violence and family disfunction at its heart - perfect. The National Lampooners have Chevy Chase attempting, and failing hilariously, to have an 'old-fashioned family Christmas' while putting up with unwelcome family 'guests'. Also perfect.

I also like some Christmas songs. Top 5 (oh who's kidding - there are only 5): Wonderful Christmas time - Paul McCartney; Happy Christmas (War is Over) - John and Yoko; Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love; Listen, The Snow Is Falling - Yoko Ono - technically not a Christmas song but the B side to the awesome Happy Christmas (War is Over) and about snow which leads me to; Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow - Frank Sinatra. When I write them down I realise there's a lameness to each one but kitsch is the name of the game is it not?

The other good thing is the holiday - six good weeks of summer holiday is major project time. we've got some decorating to do as I ripped off a lot of wallpaper during the year (doh!), the roof needs painting and I want to build a bird aviary. All that and the normal repair jobs that I've saved up all year.


Books - the holidays will also be about reading (exciting huh). I've stored up quite a few books during the year and apart from the dull as dishwater educational stuff I should read I'm planning on getting into Sarum and the Lennon bio that Jade bought for me recently (comes with excellent reviews!) You'll remember a large chunk of this year was taken up with reading 'London' by Edward Ruthurford, well Sarum was his first humungous historical novel.

My next post will be more magnanimous I promise - until then I'm looking forward to school finally finishing for the year next week.

Before I go - Happy Birthday to Adam for today (11/12/08). He's 22 and I love him!

Love and peace - W

Update 39

The update before Christmas edition with fake beard and pretend snow!

Well - not the greatest two weeks of my life I'd have to say. Jade brought home a virus last week while we were frantically trying to redecorate her room as a surprise on her birthday (28 November). She'd been sick at work and within about 20 minutes of collecting her I was sick, then Jacky, then Samantha. Wow baby were we sick. Jacky ended up in Base Hospital thanks to a mercy dash by Michelle. Turned out to be the noro virus that has closed wards and even killed people. We were all really dehydrated and plus I had a head-cold as well. Talk about a misery guts!!

But we're all back on deck now. Jade has finished her external exams - luckily the day before she got sick, I'm still at work for another week, Samantha is working at the New World butchery again and Jacky is still receiving physio for her shoulder and about to go to the gym regularly to improve it further. All and all it's been a crappy year for her. We're keen to see the back of 2008 in many ways. It hasn't been stellar!


Ross and dad sent some images of the gang test driving their home built train (picture is Lynda and Hayden doing his Casey Jones impression). Thought I'd share them with the world (video is of Hayden and Scott).



And while I'm in the sharing mood - here's a picture Leda sent of an Aussie dust storm she found herself embroilled in.




Current grooving to the Once soundtrack (supplied by Samantha) and some early Jefferson Airplane. I wandered into the record collection yesterday after a hot and sweaty lawn mowing/ sheep wrangling session (that sounds vaguely rude doesn't it) and I just felt like listening to some west coast sounds (San Franciscan Jesse is still about and we had a lovely meeting with his dad, half sisters, step-mom who came to NZ recently for a camping holiday and who are now part of the whanau - means extended family guys). So Jefferson Airplane Takes Off and Surrealistic Pillow got a thrashing!

All fer now - don't over-indulge (I've lost count of how many seasonal functions I've attended recently). I think Tina and S.O. are back in Aotearoa - not sure - give us a shout out Teenie. Pat/Randy must be due to return as well. Bumper Christmas wishes to y'all.

Love and peace - W