Brass Bands, Sports and Swimming

I have had further new experiences in Auckland, which may eventually lead me to being a JAFA – Just Another Fun loving Aucklander (my interpretation of the F word).

I’m afraid I have a confession to make folks – I love lawn bowls! And no, I do not have a purple rinse or false teeth! There are actually lots of young people playing the sport here (I’m not that young either), which was very good to see when I visited the Pakuranga Bowling Club.

They’ve got 6 greens! and a lovely clubhouse. When I visited, there were matches going on between the under 18’s of Australia and New Zealand. I’ve never seen so many young people playing at once – quite rare in the UK. My bowling club was mainly made up of pensioners and sadly one or two would die each year. Although times are a changing a little and younger members are starting to come through.

I was made to feel very welcome and allowed to use the greens and bowling facilities. Started off quite badly – right in front of the Pakuranga ladies having a roll up (no – not that kind of roll up!) - but managed to redeem myself with a couple of touchers of the Jack by the end.

I also visited the swimming baths near by. It consists of 4 pools that I could see. A learner pool, baby pool, family pool and a pool with swimming lanes. Free to use! Still haven’t taken the opportunity to use yet though!

However, I have had my first sea swim. Son and I ventured to Bucklands Beach. Son read a book whilst I capered and splashed around with the fish. It was lovely. We went at about 4pm and were joined by those finishing work and families etc. It was also fun to watch young lads careering down the grassy hill on their boogie boards.

You will all be very glad to hear that gardeners have been sorted - $20 every two weeks to cut the front, back and side of house. I have since been very busy watching birds gather bits of the grass for their nests in the trees at the corner of the back garden. There is also a very loud dawn chorus here in NZ, which is lovely, but requires a liberal use of earplugs.

Last weekend I had the honour of watching and listening to the Waitakere Brass Band play Christmas music and carols. We all really enjoyed their impressive Christmas medley and sang to our hearts content – my first taste of Chrissy (that’s what they call it) in NZ. (Thanks for the invite).

The conductor was of northern English descent and a very humorous compeer. I had the immense pleasure of sitting just in front of 3 elderly kiwis who very kindly lent me their words when we unfortunately dropped ours under the chair and began to scrabble around in an undignified way (we were on the front row). Various comments from them included:
“He doesn’t sound very Englush does he?”
“What did he say?”
“I can’t understand what he’s saying.”
It seems to work both ways then. We can’t always understand them and they can’t always understand us! But we still get on well.

Apricots are very good at the moment as are nectarines.

I was walking around Fruit World the other day and could hear Chrissy music on the radio whilst pushing my trundle (trolley). I was humming along to Walking In A Winter Wonderland when I suddenly realised that the words were not the same. The person was singing Walking Round In Women’s Underwear! By the time I realised, the song had finished – wonder what the rest of the words were?

Have had letters for other people sent to me (as a new tenant). Very dutifully, I wrote RETURN TO SENDER on them and very dutifully, they were delivered right back. I have since put a big circle around the words and reposted them. So far, so good, not a single one returned.

Had another girls’ night out - Howick/Botany group this time – more new friends. Two of which I had met earlier via UK2NZ and the rest never met before. I had an interesting evening watching a man wear a Santa hat in a variety of imaginative ways. Later on, after one or two glasses of wine, we very earnestly discussed problems puzzling Kiwis:

Why do Brits have washing-up bowls in their kitchen sinks?
Why do Brits call raincoats kagoules?

And with those extremely puzzling questions, I shall now exit.

Tara!

x Sue