The joy of standing on the side of a soccer field, even if you are the only mum! Poor George, his support team is his mother….
Number 7 (behind the flag) George Bonnici-Carter ronaldo….in action. A close fought game.
Years of being a soccer mum to three sons and now that we can play team sport again in New Zealand we take whatever moment presents itself.
While I know the sun will be shining and the sea will be warm in Malta, my destination of choice, right now I am happy to be in our New Zealand winter with family.
A road trip out west to “brains park” heralded a typical bi-polar winter afternoon, with rain, sunshine and shadows…
Just me and my shadow(and umbrella) hanging out with all my mates on the sideline! A welcome respite in the wilds of the west!
Now we have sport, Saturday night TV offers a much more attractive reason to snuggle up and be entertained and support our Rugby team! Not quite the result we wanted but we have another Crack at the south islanders on our home ground in a couple of weeks! Belief is a wonderful thing!
So that’s the excitement for our last week as we battle on through July 2020.
Once again New Zealand is an Island, disconnected from the rest of the world! It’s a whole new world for many of us who have taken for granted the options of leaping on a plane and following the sun when winter rears it’s chilly head!
As many countries open up and welcome back the humans from other countries to try and save what has become one of their biggest industries, tourism, Kiwiland is sealed off in a relatively virus free world.
The stock market is volatile, the young people are bored, the older people are happy and safe and pets are relishing having their humans working from home!
On that note..This little branch of Kiwi Family has most team members set up from home…
Jaxon having been made redundant from the much reduced hospitality sales environment, is now back at his previous job, working at home, surrounded by his new workmates (washing and Floyd)…
My workstation is totally remote. It’s like our wardrobes in the 70’s…you know, when you opened the car boot and there was an outfit for any occasion. I am now set up at Dad and Sandys place working remotely!
George swings between the rented house at Waiwera and my new abode, depending on work and Gym schedule (and dinner menus). Dan is working locally in a Waiwera, building and renovating the world! Which is lucky, as his truck decided to hibernate in the cold weather and wasn’t going anywhere..except off on a tow truck to the doctors! Oh well have tools will walk (next door).
Soooo, the only one, in my crew, battling the frustrating Auckland rush hour traffic. is Jaxon’s wife Steph. Who’s new job (before lockdown) is moving her all over the place, instead of local as envisaged. It sure is weird times, saving travelling time and work clothes expenses while balancing the fine line between work time and home time (when all is in one place)
Kiwis (and most humans) are like ants, we like our routine…and this new work environment, for many, takes a bit of adjusting to. George and I are quite good at it; I’ve been doing it for a couple of years while travelling the world with Russ, and George has had almost a year of being in NZ and working for his UK Company!
The good bits are, we all have work and we live on a post covid Island where we can play sport, go shopping, see our friends, hit the slopes (now they are covered in snow) and discover adventures in NZ…that many have travelled from the other side of the world to experience. And most importantly we are surrounded by family and friends! (I do miss my Maltese and American families though…just saying)
Sunday 28th June, year half gone and grasping onto a glass half full…
International travel appears to be a thought for 2021! and work (if you still have a job) in many cases is very different.
Thunderstorms and tornadoes are waking us up at night and surely….the water shortage is diminishing with the buckets of rain being unloaded on Auckland.
We are aware of our fragility as another one of our own spends time in hospital. I always seem to be trying to drink more water, drink less beer, eat the right stuff, smoke less….as we know how fragile our lives are.
I see daily my memories of Russ and mum and it brings a smile to my face knowing the good time’s we all had! And I’m sure there are more ahead!
I think covid has brought more to us than a virus that is ravaging the world….we have all had time to listen to our bodies and realise that some things we cannot ignore and now is the time, when we are not racing all over the world to repair and rejuvenate what is most important to us all….our health!
Some memories from 12 months ago – boating in a world on the other side of the world – my second home “Malta”
And a sunset on the city of superyachts, family and wonderful friends!
This time last year Russ and his old friend Dave were soaking up the sights and sounds and cocktails (2 for 1) in the magical town of Bormla, Malta….
While Lizet and I (bronzed babes in the Mediterranean) where soaking up the evening sunshine!
Landlocked in our home countries where no planes are flying, we hold on to our precious memories which brings warmth to our hearts!
Gypsies – that’s easy; Sue, Trudi and George. Roomies with your mother! And couch surfing at 60 (not in the 60’s)
Tramps – covid lockdown has created more homeless, jobless and crazy desperate people in 2020
Thieves – desperation boredom, addiction or what ever drives humans to invade others domains is rife and took a visit to our sleepy little seaside village in broad daylight yesterday….the story begins:
Yesterday as a normal Tuesday, Trudi off to work, Sue and George hitting the screens before 8am and Jaxon (currently jobless) appearing around 8.30am. The start to the week has blown in high Tides, strong winds and waves…
The morning rolled on (working) and the tide rolled out…around midday I took a break and raced over the hill for a few essentials (food). Only away for 30 minutes, back into working at about 1.30pm the action began! A phone call from a concerned neighbour, our friends house alarm was going off (said friend away for a couple of days) and the thieves had been seen running out and driving off. Miss Marples (me) job was to get hold of our friend, the diligent neighbourhood watch and locals had already taken photos, taken down numberplate, staked out the entry point and were on the phone to the police, who by this time were racing over the hill en force.
While the hunt for the perpetrators was on, no entry to the house allowed, it was a matter of providing updates to absent friend and placating a couple of old bikies, who had been followed into Waiwera by the police. They thought they might have been in trouble and were a little nervous as they had had a couple of drinks at lunch! I assured them the police were not interested in them and suggested breathing in the fresh sea air for a bit before heading on their way!
Until it was time for Miss Marples help…back to the drawing board and a few more emails answered! When entry allowed to unlock and see what may have been taken! My neighbourhood watch neighbour (the 1st responder) and me went with the police, who first armed themselves (it gets real with guns) and did a sweep through to check no nasties were still lurking.
All clear, but another lock up and leave until forensics arrived, the idiots had left a drop or two of blood where they entered the broken window! A forensics dream – makes their job easy.
Back to work again, then the call to unlock and let in the CSI team! Actually one chap, but being a TV watcher of forensic investigation programmes, I sort of felt like I’d climbed into my dream job! By dusk it was time to call in the builders to secure the broken door, lucky I have a builder and apprentice (sons) just down the road! As the sun went down, the calm returned to our little world, and a beer less week promise to oneself was broken. After such an eventful day I enjoyed a couple of cool Speights. And today is only Wednesday!
In a blur of activity, it’s now Sunday evening and the shortest day of 2020, dark at 5.00pm!
Saturday morning Sandy and I went to the farmers market at Silverdale, and found the health shop, $8.00 pair of jeans (charity shop of course!) and a new blanket for the canine grand baby!
I guess he owned it! The afternoon saw us off to watch the two youngest offspring play a game of football….family day out to the other side of town!
The sun stayed out, the legs got sore, and I’m sure Russ was pleased he didn’t have to run the sideline (his least favourite sport – but he always supported the boys in their endeavours). A leg injury and a slight loss, two tired (and smelly) lads, followed by an hours drive home…..in time to turn around and head back to Dad and Sandys for a family dinner and a TV night of live rugby!
Dan fell asleep on Floyd’s new blanket and Floyd fell asleep on Sandy….snoring loudly through the second half, which saw our team come out with another win!
This morning George and I took off to our storage in search of some winter clothes. Russ and I packed these up two years ago, not expecting to spend a winter in the Southern Hemisphere! But here I am and It was time! With the punto loaded to the roof we stopped for a coffee at Orewa…
Some brave wetsuited surfers looking for a wave! We came back and spent the (wet) afternoon unpacking, followed by washing three loads! We now have a living room like a laundry with clothes drying racks surrounding us!
Social media and Facebook memories have been throwing up Malta, Hawaii, overseas adventures, family and friends! Russ is always with me and reminding me of our fun times!
As the saying goes, when all appears too good to be true, it probably isn’t. Complacency was starting to creep in to all our behaviours as 25 covid free days loomed. And then two new cases, from the UK released from isolation, travelling the length of the north island and “Boom” positive. Followed by another border entry the next day! Wake up call Kiwis, we are not invincible…
The winter Blues are settling in as Kiwis break out, looking for conflict it seems…wanting to tear down historical statues, change the names of towns and cites and streets to words that my generation cannot pronounce, road rage incidents and just yesterday, shooting two (killing one) policemen at a random traffic stop! Not to mention a lot of political Grandstanding and throwing each other under the bus (metaphorically) by our ministers around the return of Covid to our communities!
Safe to say, some of us are not unhappy to be eating, sleeping, working in the one place and leaving the craziness to the rest of the kiwi population, as we notch up another week on our belts!
Let’s talk about the good stuff!
Long evenings and cold weather brings out the puzzle in me as I jig saw my way through another masterpiece!
My wonderful landlady gave my “Russell Rose” some love, a winter haircut and tidy up and he is looking like a healthy plant again!
George and I managed to get our flu vaccinations before the rest of winter hits and I had to get another one (immunisation) on the other arm, so there followed a couple of nights of rocking and rolling to avoid sleeping on either shoulder!
Just yesterday the beach looked (and felt) like a summers day, when George and I took our screen break. All the washing dried on the line! Prior to this we had had Rain for a whole day, freezing cold temperatures and then singlet days in the sunshine! That’s a kiwi winter for you, a week of all seasons!
So here we are on Saturday morning (I’m awake before the first bus), the weekend begins…… After a race around with the vacuum, and a couple of cleaning chores the weekends our oyster! There are plans afoot and of course a Rugby game to watch!
Forty-three thousand people in one Place – NZs home of Rugby, Eden Park. To feel alive again in a place we religiously go to for most Blues home Games, the largest crowd for a blues game in 15 years!
Kids were free and a 3.35 kick off encouraged a family outing for those with the younger generation! The flag became a bit tedious when the kids got bored and just flicked them around when trying to watch the game!
After the Waipora meeting in the morning, me joining the locals for the AGM, it was off to town for the Bonnici Carter’s (and Trudi) in the Getz- squish squash! Boys in the front, girls in the back and as planned, being early scored a prime park!
Being early also meant, the seats we wanted…..and two and a half hours to kill, no problem! Lunch followed by hotdogs, donuts, excercise (up and down four flight of steps for a loo stop) and watching the warm ups!
The time just flew and we were ready for the greatest game to begin! It sure didn’t disappoint. As the Hercules flew overhead, the start whistle blew and it was game on. From the sky walk on the roof of the stadium to the drone buzzing overhead, the English boys enjoying the stadium wave more than the rugby, the kids with their dads and the big kids, old kids, stadium food, expensive beer and wine…there was something for everyone (all 43k of us). And the Blues won 30-20, continuing what they started before the lockdown. Just want to say, Russ your support all those years was not in vain!
Five slightly fatter; pies, donuts, hotdogs, chip fulled Bonnici Carter’s and Trudi squeezed back in the Getz and headed north, picking up pizza for tea on the way home. It was a great day in more ways than one…Rugby, junk food, people and a win for the home team! A post covid world of small adventures….back to the places we enjoy!
Steph (my daughter in law) has filled in a covid19 work lay-off with beach fishing…
The first five weeks of NO fishing was spent practicing knots, tying tackle, working out the right size hooks for which fish and which environment.
The Next level gave her the opportunity to “Beach Fish” laden with supplies Steph, and sometimes Jaxon, have hit this estuary religiously since the level 3 restrictions allowed only beach fishing…
A couple of weeks ago, boat fishing was reintroduced, but with Riverhaven sanitising tractor rules and regulations and the no hose water restrictions, not many boats were motivated to move from the ports. So for Steph and Jaxon the beach fishing continued.
This is where the story really begins…..as humans invade!
Now with shops open, tackle replaced, rods in prime condition (just saying here – While Steph has her surf caster, Jaxon has been using my newly replaced braided rod and reel – $60 of beautiful new braid)
As today is Rugby day, yesterday was Stephs last day (to beach fish) before returning to full time work tomorrow so off she went to sit at her favourite estuary spot! Jaxon joined her after a garage cleanup…while the afternoon was uneventful fish wise, the adventure, as usual was good for the soul …. until …..
YES the boaties are back! Just after the tide turned a boat cruised up the estuary! NOW when Russ and I used to bring in our boat – if people were fishing in the river we would take a wide berth and even stop if needed!
Well No such luck, this one didn’t detour or deter or desist…just ploughed on through (even came closer) hooked my brand new braid, would have broken the rod if the trace wasn’t so loose and Jaxon wasn’t such a fast runner. Did they stop? Ummm no! Took the whole line, waved and carried on after Jaxon managed to break the line before the rod broke.
How could you not notice a 100kg man with a pink rod (yes my rod is pink) running beside the estuary (10 meters from said boat) yelling to stop and Jaxon is not a quiet lad! Steph running after him with a pair of scissors to try and cut the line and save my rod!
I would like to think the driver of the boat didn’t notice what he’d done and was just being friendly with a wave, thinking that Jaxons usual behaviour is to frantically run up and down the river yelling like a madman! I do believe the boat cleaning may have taken a little longer while at least 40 meters of brand new braid was unravelled from the boaties prop and maybe other awkward places!
I guess now we get ready for post covid casualties! Inconsiderate humans, bad drivers and boundary pushers as the world bursts back to life.
In saying that, I need to burst out of bed, today is a big day, meetings to attend, lunch in town and live Rugby matches!
Waking up on a Saturday morning to the familiar rumble of the empty buses looping the turning circle by the beach outside my bedroom window.
While the waiting game is tough for some, things are changing fast for others….the short version: Jaxon’s time with southern hospitality is over? Steph is finally back to work on Monday….we have a new oven (yes another spaceship to learn how to drive)….Trud is looking down the barrel of a new roof and waiting for the green light on the wings to the other side of the Tasman.
Again another week has flown by and the mini breaks from screen time include a stroll down the road or along the waterfront in between rain showers. George is back swimming and gyming and life is certainly more normal as we race through 2020, trying to hold onto our goals and dreams.
The pair of wood pigeons hanging out in the palm tree in the sunshine – the birds are still in abundance and enjoying the lack of humans in a post covid world.
Saturday passed in a blur of dumping obsolete ovens, coffee time, supermarket shopping and a lamb roast!
Right down to the bone, while watching the first live super rugby match on Jaxon’s 70 inch TV….and the rain is back to wash us through the rest of the weekend!
June 10th 2020, yesterday after 18 covid free days was our first day of level 1…..YES the gates were unlocked! No more climbing activity, I can slip into my cottage like a normal human being!
So what did I do to celebrate? Threw on the trackpants and sat in front of the computer all day! After my morning coffee and a visit from these guys….
We are still surrounded by feathered friends.
George ventured out for a gym session, Steph took herself off for a beach fish and Jaxon battled through a second day of working out his redundancy. A casualty of covid! There are many covid casualties here that do not relate to getting sick, many business closures and job losses and life changes.
Some things however don’t change.
Saturday nights will always include a Speights, Birkenstock’s can be worn summer and winter (just add socks), and Floyd will always be too big for any mat! (Usually stretching towards the food).
Looking forward to the big family outing on Sunday as we hit our first live sports event in three months…Jaxon, Steph, George and Sue at least will be heading to Eden Park, Rain Hail or Shine. I usually take a rain check if it’s not fine, but this time I am prepared for any weather!
We need to start counting Rainbows, and look forward to the future, baby steps…jobs, travel, weekend roadies, more sports, time spent with family and friends. And maybe hunt out some warm winter clothes as we are in for a cold snap – minus double digits in the South Island!
Yes there will be thunderstorms on our pathway to a new future, but I think with the tsunamis the Bonnici Carter’s have navigated in the last year, a mere dog paddle will deal with the thunderstorms.
All who wander are not Lost girls 