Just had a phone call from the Scott-Mackies (Mandy and David) to say they are in Cambridge and could they pop in for coffee. Would offer them supper but the goulash won't stretch from 4 to 9!
Well this mornings meeting went OK. No paediatric consultant to my disappointment - he was quite crucial to some of the stuff I wanted to discuss, but before I could take it personally (something I'm stupidly inclined to do) I was told he had to go to Auckland (our Starship Hospital is NZ's equivilent to the UK's GOS, Great Ormond Street), so I'll forgive him! Several people had 'forgotten' (how can you do that, don't people have diarys) but we had a productive and good meeting anyway. Being 'offline' at I was not able to send the email reminders I had planned to send out. (Aaahhhhh, penny's dropped Stan. Webmail was in reference to my job computer wasn't it! Derrr!! Yes I know I can access emails from webmail but I couldn't be bothered looking up passwords etc. Actually I didn't have time) Caterers provided scrummy savoury and blueberry muffins (as in 2 different types, not savoury blueberry muffins - yuk) so I had plenty to divvy up for morning tea.
After the meeting I went to collect loggers from Ngarawahia (silent g, does that make it easier?) and came home on the country route as I needed to go to a particular surgery outside Cambridge. On the way I saw something that really pleased me, a sign saying 'Persimmons', Sharon fruit to those in the UK. Why did this please me, because persimmons are just coming into season (and I LOVE persimmons), and this was a farm direct selling so I was probably looking at a bargin. I was right, $3/kg (£60p/lb) for export quality, coming down to $1/kg later in the season! I had a long chat with the farmer. He had being farming persimmon for 20 years and looked very organised, all the orchards under fruit netting and a packing shed next to the shop. (He exports 83% of his stock to Japan). He relayed various tips after I said I had just planted a persimmon, the bit I didn't want to hear was I'd have to wait 8 years for fruit!!!!!
Prior to this I had bought leeks from a retired couple who are real rural kiwi folk, salt of the earth types. She and I sorted out all the ills of the world and came to the conclusion that if we fed our kids fresh food and ate meals as a family all would be roses in the world (the world maybe, that recipe obviously doesn't work at Cedar Lodge). This couple run a farm shop. It threw me a bit when I first went in there in response to the signs on the gate offering all sorts of veggie goodies. The 'shop' was a barn, covered with a passionfruit vine and stacked with hay bales. No veg in sight. I asked tentatively for leeks. How many? 6 please. OK, and the old feller picked up his fork and tootled off to the gardens and dug them for me. I loved it, and call in there whenever I'm passing now (which is not often). Incidently I do buy more than leeks.
I'm back online (HOORRRAAYYYY) at work I mean. New modem arrived in the post, at lunchtime, and it works. Interestingly when I took the old one out it had a sticker on the bottom saying 'No dial tone' which just happens to be the very error message I was getting!!!? Only 35 emails to wade through (many of which with documents attached) and all of last weeks paperwork to catch up on, a lecture to prepare for midwifery students at the poly, a monthly report to do and another Regional Analysis, and that's on top of the usual day to day stuff. I also have to go to Auckland again next week. We (IMAC) are doing a pilot study in Counties Manakau and I have to go up to help the Auckland girls with their information gathering. Was supposed to be for 3 days but I've managed to whittle it down to 2.
Mandy and David have been and gone. Mandy officially became a kiwi today when she got her citizenship in a ceremony led by the major of Auckland. I guess we need to start saving to apply for ours in Novemember. Apparently it costs hundreds of dollars each and they ask you to produce further copies of all the documents they got from us when we originally applied for residency. New Zealand is a wonderful country but they do seem to find so many different ways of extracting money out of immigrants. Adam (Scott-Mackie) is still in France building racing boats (or yachts as Eric has just told me - my question - Is there a difference??!!) and hanging out with everyone who's anyone in the sailing fraternity (well if they're in France anyway).
I'm shattered, I've done an 11 hour day today (excluding chats with everyday rural folk) and my bed calls. So it's only 8.30pm but the book is getting unputdownable and Eric gives me such a hard time when he keeps waking up and I'm still reading. Maybe that's why I'm so tired?!
Lu, thanks for comments, if you go back and click again I've replied!
Big Hugs.
xoxoxox
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