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.