News from Nelson – December 2008

Hi all,

Still busy - but today was a not so good day. One of my students - Freya Snadden-Wilson - was killed in a car crash last week & today I went to her funeral with a mini van full of NMIT students and a fellow tutor, Chris Turner. Freya was about to have her degree conferred on the 19th, so the loss of all that potential was particularly poignant. There would have been 3 or 4 hundred people at her funeral at St Arnaud (the wee township at Lake Rotoiti, an hour & a half away from Nelson); far too many people to fit into the tiny lakeside Chapel. So those of us who weren't Freya's closest friends & immediate family - probably 300 of us - stood outside. Soft rain fell throughout the service, the smell of peaty mulch and beech forest, the silence caused by soft rain and low cloud, and the haunting call of the Tui made it all very special. Freya's family has many military connections, and they read a military prayer ("They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them"). Very, very sad. As was driving back home to Nelson past the site of the crash.

On a happier note, Ana Silvia is busy, busy, busy too. She is trying to do as much as possible before she leaves on Boxing Day - for example, this past week she went out gliding, got a ride on a very fast motorbike (not Jan's!), went to two formal dinners, three parties and has had three friends over to stay! She loved the Milford track but unfortunately soaked her camera when there was a sudden deluge and the storm flap on her jacket pocket was tucked in instead of out :-(  But at least she has saved her memory stick.

We went to Golden Bay for our anniversary; it was fine for the first two days, then it chucked it down solidly for the remainder of the time we were there. When we left on Monday, apparently the Takaka Hill was closed for slips soon after we had gone over. However, we finally did the Farwell Spit tour, and had a wonderful day with a coach load of Dutch tourists and the most inane Kiwi tour guide you have ever heard in your life. Jan was nearly ready to strangle her - the dropped plurals and repetition was driving him mad - but I got the giggles and started mimicking. We spent the rest of the weekend finding the silliest plurals to un-plural that we could. We also caught up with Fleur & Neil and their brood (all well!) and had dinner with Merrill & Colin at their new place in Collingwood. We even managed to have lunch at the Mussel Inn.

We have also been to a few functions - we had a farewell for an old Manager and a welcome for a new at Founders Brewery, which was wonderful; went to the fundraiser quiz night for the Hospice at Monaco Resort; had our black tie Rotary Christmas dinner at Fairfield House, and a Nelson Pine supplier formal dinner at Monaco Resort. Lovely food & wine throughout.

On our way over to Golden Bay we called in to see Leigh, our plans man. We now have concept two of our plans, which we have accepted. Leigh will now be preparing working drawings from those. If you are interested in seeing concept #2, click here. On our way back from Golden Bay we called in to see Leigh again, and Nute, who is to be our excavator driver, to work out how much soil needs to be moved, and where it should be moved to.

Brigitte & John came to visit on the 29th of November. The weather was great and I think they enjoyed their time here; Brigitte did lots of Christmas shopping. We took them to the land and pegged out the building site to approximately where the house will sit, so they know how it is going to be. We dropped them off in Blenheim on Monday after driving through to Picton for John to see his Mum on her birthday.

While we were in Blenheim we caught up with Magda for lunch, and she is about to move back to Nelson. She has got a job starting at Nelson Hospital early in the new year, which will be fabulous. I will have my tennis partner back again!

We have started buying some low energy use appliances for the new house; we bought an Asko washing machine last week. We also have had a quote for the remainder of our kitchen appliances which is about what we expected for cost (ouch); all energy saver and all European. Apparently the prices are due for a major price hike in the new year, so we are in a quandary about whether we do buy everything now & store it, or wait to see if the price hike is a myth and vanishes like early morning mist.

Jan played in a concert yesterday at the School of Music, with the Greenhill Ensemble. It was great to go & listen to what they have been working on.

On Boxing Day at 9am, Ana leaves to head back to Brazil, and at lunchtime we hop in the car to head over to Picton, to pick up Otto, Jeremy & Tina.

Right, that's it for now. Take care & alles liebe!

Sam & Jan

News from Nelson – November 2008

Hi all,

Once again we have been pretty much flat out; but we are having a good time.

Ana Silvia is just a delight. She has been out to the land with us and learned how to handle a chainsaw (yet another new experience to entertain her family and friends with when she goes home!). She is heading off to do the Milford track today for ten days with twenty other exchange students from around the South Island.

With Ana being with us, we have watched a few movies, and had a few of her friends around. We have also been to lunch at Sandra Crone & Kevin Heasman's place. We had a lovely brunch, which turned into lunch, which carried on to afternoon teatime. Nothing like sitting in the sun & talking for hours.

Jan has sold his wee motorbike - the GN250 - for the same price he bought it for in 2005. Not bad (of course we lose the time value of $, but hey). We have also bought a big cupboard for the garage so all the motorcycle gear can go in it. Jan kept dumping it on the bed in the spare room, and whenever Merrill came to stay I would have to remember to take it all out (he couldn't leave the stuff in the spare room wardrobe as Merrill goes to work at 9 & Jan leaves at 7.15 - before Merrill wakes up). When Ana came to stay I suggested for the umpteenth time that a cupboard in the garage might be a good idea. So it is finally sorted, after three years!

I am really looking forward to our trip to Golden Bay. After we have done our review, we are going to visit Fleur & Neil, Merrill & Colin, go to Rosy Glow, do some lolling on the beach, visit the wonderful coffee barge past Pohara, do the Farewell Spit Safari and maybe watch some Inspector Morse DVDs. That should gobble up 5 days, just like that.

On our way over we are also calling in to see Leigh, our plans man. He has take two of our plans with a few options for us. It will be really interesting to see what he has come up with - and it will certainly give us plenty to argue about while we are in the Golden Bay. If you are interested in seeing concept #1, click here.

As Vice President for our Rotary Club, I was away on Sunday attending some Rotary training. Unfortunately I had been too well prepared by our club directors and had done far too much research before I went, because I didn't learn much while I was there. When I went through my induction list, I have ticked off nearly everything on the list already. Ah, well, at least I met some of the other incoming presidents etc. Jan spent the day trying to get Ana and her friend Jennifer (from France) organised for the Milford trip. He said it was like trying to herd cats. He took them shopping for shorts, and the first thing they headed for was tops! He was in despair by the time he got to the supermarket :-)

My marking is on the last leg for the semester, having finished the AUT exams & now having only have one leadership assignment left which I am a third of the way through. Jan & I will have some fun next year, as Jan is thinking of doing the Applied Management paper (a teams-based research paper), which I am teaching. However, there are precedents in the school, and good procedures to ensure that there is no unfair advantage or penalty, so I think we will manage to get around that well enough.

Brigitte & John are coming to visit on the 29th of November, which will be great. Hopefully the weather will stay settled so they can enjoy their time here. It is certainly warm enough here now. The tomatoes are growing well!

Christmas will be interesting for Ana - she has a Polish Christmas Eve with Lynne Korcheski, a champagne breakfast with Anna & Phil Gully, an English Christmas Dinner (lunch) with Hugh & Julie Briggs, and a Kiwi BBQ with us in the afternoon. Not only is she going to roll home, but she will have another package of experiences to take with her.

Then on Boxing Day at 9am, Ana leaves to head back to Brazil, we quickly change the bed, and at lunchtime we hop in the car to head over to Picton, to pick up Otto, Jeremy & Tina! All change!

Right, that's it for now. Take care & alles liebe!

Sam & Jan

News from Nelson – October 2008

Hi all,

Well, it really is spring! We have had some squally spring rain, some late dumps of snow in the mountains, some boiling hot days, and some gently sunny balmy days. Hard to know what to wear, really.

Jan's team went really well at the UWH competition in Christchurch; their team won gold in their grade, so they all came home pretty happy. However, three of them came home with some sort of bug that gives you a very sore throat & a persistent dry cough. Since they have been back, they have all got it now & are lovingly passing it onto their families!

Jan has been quite sick - he came down with the bug a couple of days after the weekend away. He has had four days in bed, and it is taking him a long time to shake it. Now, after avoiding it for a fortnight, I have just caught it as well and it really makes you feel rotten. We were heading to the land this past weekend, but have had to cancel because all I wanted to do was rest. And, like Jan, I had four days in bed. However, I think I will be back on my feet tomorrow.

Luckily it is the study break at NMIT, and I had managed to align most of my client work so that I could have a bit of a quiet time as well. I have been doing quiet things such as writing exams, preparing marking schedules and so forth, so at least I have time to be sick!

Jan has done his HBDI (Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument) questionnaire but is waiting for his debrief. He has also found the process interesting, and it will be really good to see where we differ once he has had his interview with Kathy.

Jan has finally got his new bike ready for the road - pending new registration & warrant of fitness. John Fitzwater (owner of Bonnie and a specialist motorbike dealership called Thunderbike) came around on Saturday & helped Jan get all the bike farings & what-have-you aligned properly. What with John's Triumph & sidecar (Bonnie rides in that!), Jan's old GN250, his new V-Strom and the cars in the driveway, we would have looked very bogan to the rest of the street!

Jeremy, Tina & Otto are coming down to spend some time with us in December & January; it will be great to see them. Jan & I are planning all sorts of things for them to do while they are here. I have picked up a load of brochures for them to look at so they can decide what thrills them when they get here.

We had our first site meeting with our architectural draughtsman - Leigh Briars - a couple of weeks ago out at Roses Road and are now waiting for concept plans; which will realistically be a month or so off yet. Leigh has our creative brief, photos of things we like etc, so is well aware of what we are trying to achieve, and now knows the site too. Then we will get really busy - and poor!

Jan has been accepted for the strings master class next February at the Adam Chamber Music Festival, which culminates in the attendees taking part in a performance. He has even gone so far as to buy a new handle for the viola case, and had been doing some practice. So all good.

In the next few weeks we have quite a bit on - a joint 50th & 60th birthday, a few performances for the Arts Festival ('Carmina Burana' and 'The Butler'), Tessa is coming up from Christchurch with her new girlfriend, Helen, and we say farewell to Gary & Sandra as they are heading off to Perth. Our next trip away is to the Golden Bay for our wedding anniversary in late November.

That's all I can think of for now. Take care & alles liebe!

Sam & Jan

News from Nelson – September 2008

Hi all,

I hope this finds you fit & well. Spring has arrived here with a rush, and it is sunny, lovely and warm.

Things are still busy with us. A couple of weekends ago we went to two Chamber music concerts at the School of Music, where the New Zealand String Quartet were playing, accompanied by Michael Houstoun. Jan enjoyed the first concert (which was much more traditional) I enjoyed the second (which was much more modern). We have also just got the programme for the Adam Chamber Music festival, which kicks off in January 2009, and has some great concerts that we will be purchasing tickets for.

The Nelson Arts Festival starts next month, and there are quite a few things that we want to see. However, we are trying to be judicious about what we go to, so we can get some time on the weekends out at the land as well. However, we have booked to see "The Butler" (performance theatre taking a hard look at the social manners and conventions of western culture), and will probably go to a performance of Carmina Burana at the Cathedral. http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/artsFestival/

We have been out to the land to pick up some dry firewood for next winter. Jan started sawing up the timber waste from the tree-felling & has stored that in the shed ready to be split, and I have grubbed half the driveway of gorse. There is still a lot to do, but last weekend we were up in Wellington, and next weekend Jan is in Christchurch (at an Underwater Hockey Tournament), so it will be in a fortnight that we get out there again.

Jan is also away in Chch on September 24 & 25 on an load-shedding (electricity-savings) feedback workshop. The electricity supplier got a number of manufacturing companies to shed electricity load at peak times over the winter when the hydro lakes were low, so is seeking feedback from those who took part. Jan will be giving a presentation to the group on how Nelson Pine found the process and what the issues and bottlenecks were.

I have been doing a bit of self-discovery; I have just completed an HBDI (Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument) analysis, which I found very interesting. Apparently I am almost equal in all four quadrants, which is fairly unusual. I like unravelling people's thinking so I am hoping to get Jan to complete it too. Then we will know more about how we differ. Very useful! Go to http://www.herrmann.co.nz/index.htm for more information.

We have caught up regularly with Kathleen & Frits & John & Jo in the past couple of weeks, which has been good. We also saw Jennie with Maya & Ella over at Upper Moutere when we were picking up Otto's birthday present the weekend before last. Both the girls are growing up so fast!

It was great to see everyone in Wellington last weekend - thanks to Dougie, Morv, Mike & Birthe, Karen, Hui-Ping & Christél for coming into Clarke's to meet us. We had a great - if short - catch up. Sam & Moose were over in the Wairarapa & Guy & Sonia were organising short people's soccer, so we missed both of them, sadly. However, we did meet Moose's sister Liza & her husband Tony. Everyone is looking very well & seem to be happy, which is brilliant. Christél has some extra-special news, as she is getting married on October 10th (awesome!).

Jeremy, Tina, Otto & Lara were all in good form too. Tina & Jeremy had organised a very good birthday party for Otto at a Church Hall, which was a brilliant idea. All the kids, safe, confined in one robust & closed space; all the toys there; kid-sized tables & chairs; catering space; just fabulous. Karen T was brave & came along with us for the afternoon as well. Despite this being a kids birthday party, we had a very relaxing time. Maryanne Cathro (friend of Tina's & our wedding dressmaker) was there too, and it was great to catch up with her too. She has moved to Wellington - having taken Tina's old job. Dave is still in Chch, negotiating the final details on the sale of their house down there.

We had a good catch up with Hartmut & Uta - we all went out for a walk around Karori Park after Brunch on Sunday. The weather was fabulous and we all enjoyed a good walk while Otto & Lara rode their bikes around the park. On Monday Jan organised getting his new permanent resident's sticker in his brand new German passport, bought an MP3 player (which he has already had to send back because it appears to have a fault), and Hartmut came in from the Hutt. We had brunch at a café along the redeveloped waterfront between Te Papa and Oriental Bay, swapped computer files, programmes, stories and Jan & Hartmut tried to get the MP3 player to work! It was very restful.

Last night I went to the Moon Festival - a Chinese Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival - at NMIT. This had been put together by the international students, and there were a load of dances and songs from students from 26 different countries. One of my students, Rasleen, did a folk dance from India, which had everyone clapping along with her. There were four young men from Saudi Arabia who did a dance to music where the beat was nearly impossible to find, but was very interesting. A student of mine from the summer semester, who comes from Cambodia, did a very expressive hand dance... and there was so much more. They all appeared to have a wonderful time.

Jan was at orchestra practice last night. He has rejoined a group of musicians - although they are fairly aged and inexpert - and is enjoying getting the viola out again. He has applied to attend a strings master class next February at the Adam Chamber Music Festival, which culminates in the attendees taking part in a performance. Because of this he is motivated to get involved again, which is great.

That's it for now. Take care & I will write more soon. Alles liebe!

Sam & Jan