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Published: December 16th 2008
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I've decided not to do a blog every day, as when you're here for three months, not every day is going to be interesting, and anyway, can you remember how you used to feel when you went back to school after the holidays and had to write about what you'd done? So here's a summary of the last few days:
Friday we were feeling the pace a bit, so we decided to hang around, chill out and do a bit of reading. The best laid plans....etc. Around lunchtime we got a phone call from Matthew's work, asking if we were going to be in, as he'd had a bit of an accident and needed looking after. It turned out he'd been hit by a motor scooter while crossing the road, and had banged his head, so shouldn't be left on his own. He was OK, just a few grazes and bruises, and at least his recently-broken leg was intact. The things some people will do to get away early on Fridays! (We always called it POETS Day, in the dim and distant past before retirement)
We just hope the lad on the scooter is OK, he got a bit of
a bang as well.
Saturday was Foodtown day again, it soon comes around. Waiting about for a taxi with all your shopping makes you realise how much you rely on your car. We've held off hiring one for now, until we have some definite plans for visiting somewhere out of town - parking in Auckland is a nightmare. So, suitably replenished, we wandered up to the Domain on Saturday night, to Christmas in the Park, which is a free concert, bash, gig, call it what you want. There were thousands there, all the youth of Auckland, plus a few old fogies like us. and a good night was had by all. To be honest, the entertainment wasn't really our cup of tea; the youngsters seemed to recognise who the performers were, but we just enjoyed seeing how the Kiwis celebrate Christmas, and we indulged in one of our favourite pastimes, people-watching. It seemed strange sitting in the sun in shorts and T-shirts listening to Christmas Carols, but we could get used to it. It can't have been so bad, as we watched it again on the telly on Sunday night.
Sunday was a lazy morning, Matthew then took
us to Galbraith's for lunch. This is a former library on the Eden Park Road, converted into a pub. They brew their own beer, and serve superb food, both of which went down a treat. So a lazy Sunday morning blended into a lazy Sunday afternoon, too full to do much. Days like that are good sometimes.
Monday we went Christmas shopping, which was so easy. Christmas seems so much more low-key over here. Sure, you can't escape the fact that Christmas is approaching, but you don't get the crowds and the over-the top decorations, and carols blaring out from every shop for three months like you do in England. I know that sounds a bit "Bah, Humbug!" Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Christmas just the same as the next skinflint, but here it just seems to be a bit more in perspective.
Tuesday was a strange day, but very satisfying. We had ordered Matthew's Christmas present from The Warehouse, a dining table and chairs for his apartment, so we had to wait in for it to be delivered. We didn't mind staying in because the weather forecast was for stormy, thundery rain. Plenty of novels in
Christmas in the Park
No, you're supposed to collect them here, not leave them! stock, so we could have a lazy day. When we opened the curtains about 8.30, the last of the rain was already drying from the pavements and the weather was glorious. I sat on the balcony all morning while Phyl prepared Matthew's favourite dish, shepherd's pie.The plan was to take it over to Matthew's when he came home for work, bake it in his oven and eat it off his new table & chairs. By lunchtime, no table & chairs had arrived, so we said to hell with it and went down to Albert Park for a sunbathe, asking the receptionist to keep an eye open for our parcel, A few hours later, we arrived back and still no delivery. To cut a long story short, we rang up the Warehouse, the guy in the depot apologised and agreed to deliver the goods personally, immediately, which he did. Can you imagine that in England? We would have been put in a queue to a call centre in India and promised delivery the day after Boxing Day.
So Matthew arrived home and we then had the problem of getting the stuff to his place. It's not very far, but it seemed
The Metropolis
We might go and stay there a sight farther when we were carrying a huge flat pack of furniture, Phyl bringing up the rear with a dish of shepherd's pie! We then had to time things so that the shepherd's pie was ready at precisely the same time as we finished assembling the furniture. Not easy! Especially as the assembly instructions seemed to be translated from Japanese, and the only screwdriver we had was one obtained from a Christmas cracker.
Anyway, it all worked out in the end and we had a superb meal. But if you ever get invited to Matthew's for dinner, check your seat before you sit down, as we never did manage to fully explain the large bag of screws we had left over at the end!
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