Two signs caught my eye walking around town today…

On the search for a new vicar at All Saints Church. I don’t have anything to do with this church, but finding a new minister is always a lot of work.

And Jose’s Cantina has closed. Can’t say we’re too sorry to see them gone because we didn’t like their food all that much. But Aotearoa New Zealand needs more Mexican restaurants!!

This star jasmine is a favorite ground cover or low hedge around here. This time of year it is in full fragrant bloom, wonderful!

We’ve planted a couple but they’ve never done as well as this.

Our local kereru (wood pigeon) stopped by for a visit yesterday.

We got that decrepit birdhouse as part of the giant load of plants we bought soon after arriving, and the little samurai figures were found here in the yard.

Instead of doing a tree which takes up much of the room, this year Lee hung a bunch of the nicest ornaments in the front window.

It’s beautiful!

The pohutukawa trees are budding out. Soon the coasts and roadsides will be bright red with the brushy flowers.

A couple of weeks ago we went to see the NZ Sculpture Onshore exhibit at the old Ft. Takapuna site in Devonport. For about the price of a movie ticket we (and lots of other people) got to wander around the dozens and dozens of sculptures that had been installed outside and even in some of the WWII bunkers and tunnels.

Although we had a very nice time, and some of the art was pretty or made us go “hmm, that’s interesting / clever / striking”, I can’t say we were bowled over by any of it. The big pieces cost thousands, but even the gift shop pieces seemed really pricey somehow.

Here’s a few shots…

Stuck in traffic the other day behind a bus… grrr! My reaction to the stoppage was instant. But then, the bus’s kiwi-shaped engine vents made me smile and relax a bit. It’s not like I was in a particular hurry, so a few minutes in traffic wasn’t actually a big deal.

Inside that box is our Thanksgiving turkey, shipped from the South Island at a rather ridiculous cost.

We’ll have dinner for 6 on Saturday.

The swimming weather has been really good over the past few weeks and now that we’re on Summer Time it’s possible to get in an ocean swim before work sometimes.

Here’s a few pre-swim shots from the last several weeks… all pretty much the same, but all beautiful. I suppose it’s possible that I will get desensitized and stop noticing sunrises like this. But not yet.

Thanks!

My work falls into the category of “hard to explain succinctly”. If you’ve got a few minutes and a bit of background in logic or healthcare delivery, I can usually describe what I do well enough for you to nod your head and say how much you love hockey, or remark on the great weather we’ve had recently.

But this banner outside the local pharmacy is about as close as I’ve ever gotten to building something that gets used in the real world. I’m part of the team that recently released an app for pharmacies to more easily document and get paid for the vaccines they deliver. It’s a good source of revenue for the pharmacies and takes a bit of burden away from overworked GPS.

Or rather, keeping the poo out of the pool.

I slept in the other day and barely left enough time for a dip before work. I’d been in the water all of about 3 minutes when the lifeguards stopped me and said I had to get out. They’d somehow managed to put too much chemicals in the water. So, I took an extra-long shower and got a coffee on the way home. That’s almost like a workout. Not!

I gave up my membership at the Olympic Pool earlier this year because I’m not working or living near enough to it anymore. And the Birkenhead Pool is so close by, just a 10 minute walk. But they’ve been plagued by staff shortages and other problems like this chemical incident, so the convenient location does come at a cost.

Yesterday I saw two sure fire signs that spring is upon us…

First, the fern tree is unrolling its new leaves. I think the whole fiddlehead shape is very beautiful, although these aren’t so pretty up close, all covered with fuzzy hairs that sort of look like an infestation of creepy-crawlies. I really am happy we have this tree… they’re not rare or anything but they’re definitely one of the things that reminds me we’re not in Kansas anymore.

And second, up go the town’s Christmas decorations. Another thing I find beautiful but is a bit grubby up close. Without the bulwark of Thanksgiving, there’s nothing but Halloween to stop the spread of Christmas. And so, while the kids were still suffering their post-trick-or-treat tummy aches, the downtown committee hauled out the garlands and the ladders and got to work.