Breaking(ish) news

The blue line between international and domestic has had a makeover.  It's gone green and now takes a 'short cut' through a carpark.  I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this, I did kinda like the blue and it definitely stood out more.

Traditional and not so much

We are doing our Advent calender at work again but this time going the other way around the building.  That means that my windows are being graced by pictures for the 20th and 21st, one traditionally Christmassy, the other not so much.

7 Sleeps

The tree is up, the presents are wrapped, the baking is done and the packing has begun.  Only five working days and one flight to go 'til Christmas!

Tea Te Arawa style

I spent the weekend in Rotorua for a big family event. Our hosts were the Te Arawa branch of the family, they are fabulous cooks and do everything big - incluing tea. Seriously, look carefully. I have one of these jugs and it holds about 2 litres. It was gone in 15mins.

2am - the finale

If you hold your head just right an look really carefully, in the middle of the photo you will see the accommodation pod loaded onto the ship for it's trip to Bass Strait. It's sitting between the big yellow crane and the red hull, not looking quite so big now.

2am - the sequel

Yesterday I was down at Ngamotu beach for a BBQ. This is right near the port and there, in all it's glory sits the accommodation pod patiently waiting for it's ship to come in. It's a bit easier, being further away to see exactly how big it is.

2am roughly

One accommodation pod, one massive trailer, 3 trucks - two in front and one behind, 12kms from start to finish, rain, wind, axle problem, 5000 spectators. Geek factor - very high. Worth getting up at 1.30am for? Absolutely.
Yes, it seriously turned a right angle corner, two in fact. I have video but it's a bit like watching paint dry only slightly faster. I could overtake it at normal walking speed. The entire trip took over 10 hours. I was back in bed at 3.15.

Noho Marae

We had our marae stay for Maori class on the weekend, this time with two class levels and extra teachers meaning much more fun. As with last year a group of Yr1 ladies did the hangi on Saturday.

The Supervisors, the fuel and the crew:

Getting creating - weaving the mat to put on the hangi between the hot rocks and the food basket and my putiputi (old and new)

and lastly my taonga puoro a traditional flute. Yup, we made our own musical instruments, how cool is that and yes, it works!

And another one!

This time from the Wellington waterfront (during a break from a conference)

About to be cake

Not much has been happening apart from work but I have had leave approved at Christmas which means I can go home to Aus for a few days which means I can also make the Christmas cakes. My self imposed deadline for this activity is Melbourne Cup Day - the first Tuesday in November. This gives the cakes plenty of time to mature and have at least two dowses of brandy. As we have a long weekend here for labour day the timing is perfect, the fruit has been soaking and the happy hen eggs are all lined up and ready to go.

Trophy count - 3

Sometimes the wierdest things happen. I was in Auckland for work last Thursday. On the flight home I was in 9B, in 10B was the 2011 Melbourne Cup on it's way to the Hawera Races. I lived in Melbourne for 6 years and never got to the races, let alone anywhere near the actual cup.
So...William Webb Ellis (Rugby World Cup) Trophy - Tick. Ranfurly Shield - Tick. Melbourne Cup - Tick.

I'm sensing a small obsession

You know how you notice something quirky and then just seem to keep seeing other examples? I flew to Blenheim, at the top of the South Island yesterday. This mean going through Wellington and guess what - they have 'done up' their loo signs for the rugby!

The sign that you can half see says Welcome to our Turf. And then in Blenheim...

even the poor guy in the wheelchair looks desperate!

The end of the line

Pun absolutely intended. For the Rugby we got our own Blue Line, inspired by the one at Auckland Airport that I've shown you before. Well actually the photos below are the beginning outside Puke Ariki and part way along but for those following it back from the stadium on Monday night, after our last local game it was the end in more ways than one.

It's been great having games in town - players, media, hundreds of tourists most following the games but some not, wall to wall campervans and a fabulous buzz. The Fanzone is still going though and I suspect will be rocking every weekend right through to the Final.

Just to prove...

that it's only mostly about the rugby at the moment. This is the White Hart Hotel. My Mum stayed here when she was 6. It has been closed and displaying it's own version of shabby chic since I moved here suffering badly from weather and wear and tear.

But for the last few months it has looked more like this.

And a few weeks ago The Snug bar, in the 'front' part opened, all spruced up and looking gorgeous. I haven't been inside yet but apparently they have done a brilliant job of keeping some of the original features.

And just because I really can't not mention it - this is the hart, of the White Hart. Yes, he's wearing a Taranaki scarf as a proud supporter of the team that won the shield.

Happiness is...

A glass of Pizzini red, nibblies, Rugby on the telly (that's Georgia btw) and a pile of clean laundry that doesn't need ironing.

Rugby by the numbers

1 seriously impressive impersonation of the Michelin Man consisting of...
4 layers - 1 icebreaker, 1 sweatshirt, 1 vest, 1 coat
2 food groups - carbs & protein (pie and chips)
3 if you count the hops and barley in the beer
13-6 the final score - USA won against Russia
And finally...
1 fabulous guy with a great sense of humour on the sound system who played Singing In The Rain when it was tipping down at half time.

A small reward

for being rent-a-crowd for breakfast TV

Trust me on this

Brian O'Driscoll, captain of the Irish Rugby Team, two of his team mates and the coach open our Fanzone on Friday night

The crowd in the Fanzone (aka our foyer) getting ready for the opening game. Inside and out there were about 600.

Part of the US Pacific Marine Corps Band in town to support the USA team and in our foyer at the crack of dawn yesterday for Breakfast TV.

USA players (not the guy with the shiny buttons obviously).

True colours

I have shown you pictures of the shark at work before. The other day I walked past and he was getting his back scratched (being dusted) in preparation for ...

showing his true colours. Being the Fanzone for the next 7 weeks we are sporting the colours of the 5 teams who are playing here - you can see Ireland's, Wales, Namibia, Russia and the USA are up too. Regardless of what is going on around him the shark is firmly supporting the All Blacks, good on him!

We've been Bunted!

Everywhere you look there is bunting, strings and strings and strings of little flags representing the 20 nations that are playing in the World Cup. Kick off is Friday and the town is getting dressed up, fired up and ready to party.

What a week

In the last 10 days we opened and blessed pretty much everything we could lay our hands on including but not limited to the new Visitor Information Centre, the new Ceremonial Doors and our new Manager. The surround for the ceremonial doors has been cast in bronze by one of our staff, also a noted carver and artist and they are beautiful.

The carvings tell a wonderful story of Maui casting a net to gather the 8 tribes together and hold the mountain in place and here is Taranaki at the centre.

Last week we had the Ranfurly Shield visit briefly and today, for Father's Day it was here again for a little longer. As exciting as this is it's just a warm-up. Next week we transform into the Fanzone for the Rugby World Cup. Actually, I'm doing quite well with the photo ops - Webb Ellis (World Cup) last year, Shield this year. Not sure how I'll managed the Tri-Nations cup next year...must think on that.

All Rugby All Weekend

On Wednesday Taranaki won the Ranfurley Shield for the first time in 15 years. On Saturday morning we opened our latest exhibition - It's not just a Game: Whanau, Whakapapa, Whutupaoro (that's Family, Genealogy, Rugby) and were lucky enough to have the Shield in attendance for 20mins. Today Taranaki played Hawkes Bay in defence of the Shield. It arrive by chopper and it's staying - we won!!!

Being green

I spent three days this week in Christchurch in a tiny temporary office with four others at the back of a barristers chambers doing data testing for our new library system. It's my first visit post quake and although I didn't get anywhere near the red zone there were still signs everywhere. The building we were in was ok...

the church across the road, not so much.

Beyond flipping cold

A couple of weeks ago we had snow down to 300m. Today it snowed in town - outside my window - at sea level - for half an hour. Such fun, as long as you are on the inside.

Wellington again

This time for training so 3 days of the inside of a training room. I did however, after thinking about it many times finally take this photo...

yes, the loos. They are at Wellington airport and given that the city is well known for it's windy weather I think it's a nice bit of fun that they have painted windswept hair onto the figures.

It's officially flipping cold

This is Stratford this morning, taken by one of our staff. Stratford is 30mins round the mountain and 300m above sea level, that's officially not much. They haven't seen snow like this for a serious number of years. It also snowed in Hawera in South Taranaki which is right on the coast and hasn't had snow in forever. Closer to home there was snow in Inglewood, 20mins away and at the top of Carrington Rd on the far outskirts of town.

Three layers of merino and woolen socks. Sorted.

Discovering a non-secret

Just down the hill from where I live is a Mineral Spa. In 1909, while drilling for oil someone found hot mineral water instead. In 1914 someone else had the bright idea of actually doing something with all that water and built a bath house including a public pool and private baths. It closed in the 1960s but was opened again in 1999 and has been going ever since.

It's not a secret, everybody knows about it. I know about it, I've driven past the sign many times. Yesterday I finally went and soaked myself in hot mineral water - it was wonderful. Definitley not the last time they get a visit from me.

I live a crazy but balanced life

It's Arts Festival time again and I have tickets to chamber music, theatre and comedy amongst other things. To balance that out I have my season ticket for home rugby games. That on top of a massive August with work functions. Who needs to sleep when all this is going on!

My brush with fame

I've just got back from the i-Site (tourist information) conference in Wellington. Basically I only saw the airport and the inside of the hotel but still...

we got to walk the red carpet at a Wellywood dinner...I got my name on the walk of fame...and heard from Phil Gifford; sports journo, biographer, fabulous storyteller and self confessed rugby tragic. Oh and the other guy is the prime minister.