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Published: October 16th 2012
Wow, it is sooo green here and it's raining!!! Haven't seen rain like this since I left in March. Funny the things you miss. Was listening to Kim Hill on National Radio this morning at the European Book Fair where she was interviewing one of the key people who put the NZ Pavillion together. So much of the writing that comes from NZ is rooted in our passionate relationship with the landscape. That just rang a bell with me and is so true. How I miss the sea, the hills, the look of the landscape. Should that stop me from leaving here and exploring different parts of the world? No, because I can always come home to this magnificent beautiful country of ours.
Took 6 days and went to League City just south of Houston and just chilled. Read a little, slept a lot, wrote in my journal and thought about things without the pressure of needing to be somewhere by a certain time or needing to organise stuff for the next job. Went to the NASA Johnson Space Centre just across the road from the hotel. Watched this most amazing video taken from the Space Station of earth. The first part was a collection of stills while the second part was a video of what I would call a "fly-by". It's speeded up and shows all sorts of things like thunderstorms, the Aurora Australis and much more. If you go to Youtube and search " ISS lightening Storms" you should be able to find it.
My Dad has this saying, "We are always at a new beginning". How true that is. New beginning come along in so many different ways.
So I arrive here in NZ and my folks have moved into Nelson from McLaren's Bay. That means that we have all enetered a new phase of my folks being urban dwellers verses country folk. The central City of Nelson is similar but not the same with new buildings and new businesses and vacant shops where there used to be a familiar business. I hardly recognise no one here now. It's as if all the people that I knew here have left and been replaced with a whole new set of people. In just 12 days I leave for Australia to look after Briar following a major back operation and then in late November I start a new job in Australia. Relationships change too and yet some continue to grow and flourish no matter where we are in the world. It was great to catch up with a good friend Phillip Shand over a meal and to call in and see Wayne, Lynn and Ballin Robertson briefly.
I really miss some particular relationships that used to be pretty prominant in my life despite my best endeavours to repair the differences and the hurt. What am I to do except let time work it's passage and let the wounds heal. I really miss my best friend. So now I have to find a way to look forward as well as just enjoy the moment.
Found this book at present, "Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain". The introduction and the first chapter have been a revelation to me. The relationship between the Left and Right sides of the brain is just fascinating especially the dominance of the the Left over the Right and the benefits of accessing the Right Side of the Brain especially that timelessness absorbtion that comes from being emersed in an activity that qietens the Left brain.
If you want me to send you these 2 chapters then email me on nigel.harte@xtra.co.nz and I will.
The other book I am reading is a follow up book to "Eat Pray Love" written by Elizabeth Gilbert called "Committed". This is a book written by a woman in her 40's about the committment into the institution of marriage. Having come out of a particularly difficult divorce, she is to say the least, paranoid about enetering into the committment of marriage and so explores what marriage has been, what it is and what it could be. I really appreciate this perspective especially from a woman's point of view. An easy read and not too heavy.
It's now one week in NZ and some things are looking a little familiar. It seems strange to travel into Nelson City and recognise no one. The city scape looks the same but it is different somehow. I have really enjoyed spending time with my mum and dad. Time marches on with all of us and I know that this time will come to be very precious in years to come. As someone said "The greatest gift we can give anyone is our time."
I joined Twitter yesterday. Now there is a whole new world which I just don't understand. My address is @nigel_r_harte if you want to hook up.
Off into town to catch up with some people so bye for now.
Nigel
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mary davie
non-member comment
HI
Hi Nigel I love getting all your blogs. I hope Briar recovers well. I know what you mean about getting back home and recognising no one - tho' the cityscape in Christchurch is SO different now. If you are in Sydney - please give us a call - 0432 923 6639. We're in Melbourne for a weekend in 2 weeks time. After the GFC was very unkind to us, we too are making new beginnings. Love to catch up Love Mary