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
