2012 ... a busy finish

Work

The biggest change is that I'm no longer doing project work for the Department of Conservation (DOC). They kindly told me this in September 2011 but since I had some publishing projects to finish, and then happily agreed to co-ordinate four training courses in May and June, what with one thing and another I didn't pack up until about a month ago. After 12.5 years it was a big change especially since I had just got used to trundling in and out on the train (knitting as I travel). 

But I didn't get time to stop. Coincidentally my two regular journals - PHA (Vic's) Circa and NOHANZ's Oral History in New Zealand were both late getting to me and I've been hard at it for the last couple of months. Both journals are now printed, as is Pharos (Dec/Jan) the newsletter I put onto pages for PHA (VIC) six times a year.

And, just to finish up the year, I'm working on a business suite - i.e. business card, bookmark, folder, comp slip, letter head etc., all off to the printer by the end of this coming week. Christmas is on hold. Links for PHA (Vic) and NOHANZwww.phavic.org.au/ &    www.oralhistory.org.nz/

Life

From the air  - sunset over Banks Peninsular on May 7th.

With daughters in four different locations there was a lots of travelling this past year. Two or three trips to Auckland, three or so trips to Wanganui and one to Christchurch, and various trips up and down the hill to check on the Horokiwi contingent. 

On the wall at the top of the stairs in the
Formerly  Blackball Hilton Hotel

The travel began with the DOC courses. The first one a Experience Development Plan course - the first one for DOC - presented by Sven Schroeder and Paul Mahoney - in Queenstown. It was both interesting and very successful  - this was my first outing as co-ordinator. Then we went to Blackball to run a Historic Heritage Basic Principles course presented by Paul Mahoney, this course was also a success and everyone seemed to enjoy it and get a lot out of it, but the highlight for me was Blackball and the Formerly Blackball Hilton Hotel where we stayed.Then it was off to Rotorua where both courses were run again, again well receive.

Four days in Auckland in June getting to know a small boy and his parents. One of my favourite things is the link bus service around the city. The bus stops almost outside my daughter's door and if the weather is good I take photos out the window. And then there is Auckland with her winter face which I quite like as it gets darker on a nearby walk. 
The the biggest adventure this year happened when my friend Judith decided that she had had enough of winter and why didn't we go on an island escape for a week. We ended up in Samoa - late to make bookings choice was a bit limited, but still Samoa didn't disappoint. The weather was unseasonally wet with downpours at the beginning and the end of our visit, but apart from getting very wet we were fine as it was never cold. 

Drinking fresh coconut juice at the fish market
 in Apia. It was so hot I just needed to have
something refreshing. The fish and chips
weren't bad either.

The floods on arrival. But look how beautiful it is.

Walking around the Wellington waterfront
in August. It is such a pretty walk
from the train station

Our fale was excellent with each of us having a room and with a bathroom. One of the highlights for me was visiting Robert Louis Stevenson's large villa which has been preserved as he left it as much as possible.

In October I was back in Auckland for a few days but didn't take any photos.

Below are a couple of images from the top of
the Boulcott St car park

The final two events for the year, apart from Christmas still to happen, were my 70th birthday dinner, and a trip to Christchurch on the 30th November for my friend Dianne's birthday.

My dinner was just very heartening, everyone who was there mixed and chatted and my four girls said some very nice things about me, as did my brother and sister. Apart from all the good company one of the novel things was the wonderful cake. Isn't it a gorgeous colour?

Finally Melbourne daughter and I worked really hard to secure an image of Golum flying above the dining area at the airport. Wasn't a huge success because of light behind him. But here it is.