Life's Like That

Just watched NZ's Got Talent and our local lad Cruize made us all proud by being placed 6th in the final. Cannot wait to hear him sing at our first night of the Twelve Nights Of Christmas, Friday at the Town Square. I hope I have covered off all that could go wrong, apart from the weather that I have no control of, and the forecast is for showers. Murphys law. I have put out some media releases and the one they used and have repeated is the one that I made a terrible cheesy comment in. I cringe every time I read it. I am following my own advice - surround yourself by the best people, my staff are wonderful and rise to every occasion I put before them. When every other local organisation is winding down for Christmas we are winding up.  Then we just get over Xmas and it is the January school holiday programme.

I went to a workshop last week on mentoring. It was different to what I anticipated, the secret is you sit and do not react to every participants version of what they would do in the situation you have described. The participants or peer mentors cannot ask questions, must take turns to talk and not interrupt another speaker, in one of the mentoring codes of practise, you share negative comments and then follow it with positive comments. When you sit and listen to criticism you feel angry but after listening to positive feedback the anger dissolves and the outcome is you take a balanced approach to their comments.

I have kept myself busy this weekend planting some more veg seedlings and making xmas treats. Two xmas cakes, one for the family and the other to share at a shared dinner for the resource centre, and chocolate truffles with marshmallow centres. 
Oh and popped in a xmas parade on saturday, the float was for JNS and was one of 30. I was pleasantly surprised how many businesses and groups entered and a crowd turned out to watch with hands out for lollies.

But despite being busy I have this empty feeling in my gut. Something is missing and I haven't yet found it.

I've Been Busy

Well I have been to a Trust meeting and several inductions. Certainly have a lot to learn but it is a challenge I am up for.  I am particularly interested in how the earnings can be used to benefit our educational institutions and in turn our young people.

Last weekend was the Garden Tour sponsored by Pukaha Mount Bruce and of course they are the recipients of the proceeds. Again, they had a good number of country gardens on the tour and these are of special interest to me. 

Bumblebees were everywhere, big ones, small ones and medium size bumbles all busy pollinating flowers and fruits. I just love their sound and flitty habits.  I managed to capture a very small butterfly, monarch I think, on a beautiful peony rose.

We visited one garden that has gypsy caravans that are for rent. Mary the owner is very creative and has a flair for design, which was so apparent in her furnishings.

Are they not just most romantic accommodation you have seen? Beds in one van, bathroom in one end, kitchen in another. 

Outdoor dunny, but with style.

And the most relaxing outdoor bath with a fire under it. Don't forget the bubbles, they think of everything.

I loved the garden below with the endless box hedging.  I went to this property four years ago when it was just built and there was virtually no garden.  Now look at it.

Lyn clearly buys very mature buxus when developing the beds.  I love it but I would not like the endless clipping, when I was 10 years younger, but not now.

The last couple of days we have had the haymakers working on our land and the neighbouring sections.

It is now 8.30pm and they are really trying to get the job done. This is only 30 metres from my lounge, but oh so interesting.

Today was an interesting day locally.  I was one of many who were the audience at a public meeting hosted by the local district health board.  They were trying to reassure people that the local hospital will not close, however, they made it clear the services are to be rationalised between the three DHBs in the greater Wellington region. Surgery that may result in complications will be sent to a larger hospital and don't live to be over 85 years as your chances of care will be limited to medication and pastoral care. But the good news is there will be a stronger focus on preventative care and community nursing. The facts are there is simply not enough money.

We are to have a series of christmas events in our new town square. An opportunity for families to celebrate xmas together along with friends, neighbours, colleagues and anyone  else who happens to be there.  It has been a bit of an exercise getting the consents and funding has been a whole nightmare of its own. But we are now advertising for stallholders and buskers, we have a pretty full programme of performers. All part of the job and so much fun.

Christmas joy set to fill square

Sausage Making

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon, sausage making with expert tutors from UCOL. 
My lovely daughter gave me a sausage maker last xmas but I had not taken the next step and given sausage making a go. I thought I needed to buy cuts of meat to grind and I was worried it would be too hard with my damaged shoulders.  But no, the experts simply order the mince ground at 6mm from their butcher, how easy is that. 
The hardest part of the whole process is deciding the flavours you want. We made beef with beetroot chutney and lamb with minted peas.
The Sausage Class - part one.

And once we had mastered putting the skins onto the sausage press we made some to take home.

Using the Sausage Press

I am committed to buying a press, apparently they are readily available online.  Be another trade me purchase no doubt. Just took all the effort out of it.

And then of course the most difficult part of the whole process is the tying off and I captured all on video so I can watch and practise.

Creating the string of sausages

So we had a go in groups of 3 or 4 but in our case we had a group of 5, which at the end of the workshop meant we took home less sausages each, but hey it was a great afternoon.

Having a Go


Hubby wasn't that practised at getting the skin on the grinder but it is not easy first time  -says me who only videoed and did not actually make anything.  But of course I am confident if left to my own devices I will quickly become expert and confident.

Hubby puts the skin on the grinder

As a group we really did very well, I thought they looked very professional

Didn't we do well

The UCOL chef vacuumed packed the sausages for us all to take home.  Ours went straight into the fridge and were dinner saturday night and sunday night. They were the best sausies I have eaten maybe ever.

I cannot wait to show my son how to do it.  When he returned from living in the UK he rang me one evening from Auckland, I am in Wairarapa and asked where he could buy a proper sausage. I told him to drive to Cockle Bay butchers which he did and while he said they were not bad sausies, they were not a patch on british ones.  Well once I demonstrate this easy technique to him he can make quality sausages to his hearts content.  And you know it is much cheaper. Finding a butcher that stocks the skins may be a challenge but in Masterton Export Meats stocks them and I gather the Mad Butcher also stocks them nationwide.

Cooking With Foruged Foods

 Well I have now completed my Kokomai - Wairarapa Arts Festival - activities. I have enjoyed Cooking with Foruged Foods by Antony; michelin trained chef from London who now owns Wakelin House in Greytown. 
It was such a treat to be part of four participants who paid a modest $67 to be part of the workshop. 
The four trainee chefs!! did the prep and Antony did the cooking.

Firstly we had to identify foruged greens that Antony had collected from his Featherston Farmlet and some of it he collected from the garden at the rear of the restaurant.

 Meanwhile outside the library next door childrens theatre aound pirates was taking place.

So we did the preparation which including grating cheese, chopping wild fennel and mushrooms.

Our first recipe was panna cotta made with wild fennel and a fennel syrup.  I can tell you it was to die for.

Here we made a salsa of wild onion, olive oil and garlic. And as the photos below show we also made a mushroom sauce with cream, garlic, butter and loads of cream to accompany gnocchi.

We used only the best ingredient, organic egg yolks and local cheeses.

Every chef recommends the best mixing method is clean hands.

I thought gnocchi was one of the mysterious things that only experienced cooks could make. How wrong I was, it was the easiest recipe and to get the markings you place a small amount on the fork prongs and roll it off with your thumb.

Here is the onion weed salsa, easy and so tasty and from something most people consider a noxious weed.

 The gnocchi was cooked in hot salted water and then fried which is an option to brown but not essential. 

Our day concluded with us eating all that we made and was washed down with a lovely local pino gris. I have been left inspired to start using what until now I considered weeds, after all how many of you have battled with wild onion. Use it as a cooking ingredient in salsas, in place of onions and great as a stuffing ingredient.

Wakelin House, Main Street, Greytown. Inside is a beautiful restaurant, open fire, white tablecloths, silver service, top class. And a menu full of foruged local foods.

Elections Are Over And Life Moves On

Well Saturday the 12th October was local election day. Personally I was not holding out a lot of hope of getting elected to Lands Trust the first time I stood, but to my very pleasant surprise when the call came through - while I was out taking my walk -  I had been successfully elected. But even better than that I got the call from my friend standing for Mayor and hallelujah she beat off the incumbent Mayor and one other challenger.   And then to make it a real ladies night both the females standing for the Licensing Trust were elected.

I have had my first board meeting and it was everything I thought it would be. It will be a challenge but also one of the most interesting things I have undertaken and my term is for six years, before I have to seek re-election.

Before the elections hubby and I took the mini cooper for a drive to Whangamata to join the Britz at the Beach car rally.  We stayed in a lovely hotel just across the road from the headquarters, Whangamata Club. One whole day and two half day of activities, rallies and events.  Friday night was a hilarious tribute to British comedy acts and Saturday was dance followed by supper - very civilised.  I even got to drive while hubby read the rally instructions, that is a first and I am sure he would rather he drove but I get car sick reading while a car is moving.  We didn't really argue much throughout the rally which is surprising as we had to change direction every few hundred metres, go off road and find clues.

At the end of the rally we drove to Auckland to visit the kids.  And to see our daughters new townhouse which is just perfect for her. We hung pictures for her, moved furniture and walked the dogs.  Took them both out for dinner for their birthdays, 31 and 33 respectively.  I so enjoy our times together now they are adults and we can do adult things together.

Then we had a very pleasurable drive home from Auckland to Masterton via the Hawkes Bay.

And They Say Women Have Equality

It has been so interesting to watch how the local newspaper the Wairarapa Times Age has played out the Mayoral challenge to date.  Bearing in mind one of the candidates works there as a sports reporter.

Last week the Mayoral candidates for Masterton and the candidates for the rural, at large and urban candidates, were asked to respond to three questions and their responses limited to 100 words would be published for the benefit of the voting public. The incumbent Mayor wrote his response which appeared to have been published without editing as it was 104 words, the other male standing for mayoral election and as I said an employee of the paper had nearly his full quota printed. But then we came to the only female candidate who supplied 100 words to the paper but after their editing had only 54 words printed and whats more was the last candidate of the three to be printed, so her response was buried in the page of printing. And they say this is an unbiased approach to reporting!!!

What is more sickening is the next day the editor printed a full column of challenges to all candidates standing for council, to send in their views and they would be published. So as a good keen marketing woman she did just that, reported her views on the sudden announcement by Air New Zealand to withdraw our Masterton to Auckland daily service in February. Did it get printed?  Did it hell. 

 As the only woman standing for Masterton Trust Lands Trust I sent in a letter to the editor on the same subject. To date my letters and media releases have always been used, however, it seems I may be in for the same treatment as my letter has failed to make the paper.   There has been times when they have contacted me for comment as they are needing editorial and a few times I have given them a lead but suddenly it seems my popularity has taken a nose dive.  I wonder if they think I am supporting the female candidate??  Are they threatened by women candidates or just part of the "old boys club" pulling together.

I did get a bit of plug this week when all candidates were invited to join a lunchtime ukelele concert as part of Adult Learners Week.

Ukelele Orchestra for Adult Learners Week

Local Elections - How Interesting

Well it has now been two weeks since I registered to stand in the local elections and it is very new experience.

Try writing about yourself. It is not nearly as easy as you imagine, you need to sell yourself as worthy of the voters vote and yet not sound like you think yourself superior.   You need to talk about your experience but not sound like you are belittling other people standing or re-standing.

You need to have your photo taken as a bad photo is not going to attract attention   - a problem if like me you are not photogenic. I have seen more terrible photos of me in the local paper than I care to admit.  Several chins, squinty eyes, red cheeks, twice my normal body size depicted, I have experienced them all and the photographer always tells me it is the wide angle lens. I say then use a normal lens that makes me tall and thin, let the camera lie I don't mind I just hate the wide angle lens.

I have started a facebook page and had flyers printed, billboards printed and erected, flyers delivered and started attending events and activities that attract plenty of people so I can approach them with my flyer and introduce myself.  

Facebook Page

I am happy with the photo but seeing yourself up on a billboard looking down is a bit weird.

It is quite sad that so few women in Masterton have chosen to put themselves forward.  We had four women on the district council, two have chosen to retire so are not restanding and no new women have come forward.  So assuming the two restanding get re-elected we will only have two women to represent 50% of the community, against nine men elected to make up the total council of eleven.
It puts enormous pressure on those two women to try and represent views of women and to also be representing the public at large. And they say women in NZ were the first in the world to have the vote - what happened?
One of those women is also be really gutsy and standing for Mayor. If successful she will be the first female Mayor of Masterton  - she has my vote, not only because she is a woman but because she is the hardest working current councillor and a person with passion for life and a social conscience.


There are three other women standing for election to local trusts, me included in that number but that will not effect our day to day lives as much as few women on the district council.  I started with a local trust as I thought it was a good place to learn the business of politics, the business of governance at a higher level and the most critical aspect which is consultation.

Listen to this youtube it is so inspiring.  Maybe you will stand next time, you have three years to plan for it.

Alice Walker on Democratic Womanism

Local Elections - I have decided to stand

I returned to reside in Masterton in 2010 to contribute to the untapped potential Masterton has yet to realize.

To play a role in local commercial property development and the dispersement of the funds accumulated from those rentals I decided to put my name up for election. There are 4 vacancies and 9 people standing.  I am the only woman which may be a positive for me but not a fact I plan to draw attention to. Instead I plan to market what I have achieved in terms of community development in the last three years and hope that voters remember me from newspaper articles and decide I am worthy of their vote.

The scariest part of this process was making the decision to announce I would stand. Once I had been into council and paid my fees, gave them my profile statement and photo it was a relief.  Now I can go public and decide on a campaign.

It will be a bit weird seeing my photo up on a billboard, it seems a bit arrogant but if you don't put yourself out there you cannot expect to be considered by the voters.

I wonder if it is a good omen that this afternoon we had another whopping earthquake. 6.6 on the richter and I actually screamed during this one. Then after it stopped I felt motion sickness. My office door kept opening and closing whilst I huddled under my desk.  The block wall outside my office was rolling, I actually thought it might collapse. No sound just a rolling motion that went on and on.

Ohh We Have Had a Shaking Afternoon

 Oh since Friday, Marlborough and Wellington have been experiencing earthquakes which I have not felt. Until 5.09 tonight, I was in the bathroom washing the garden dirt of my hands when the floor started to roll, I stood frozen to the spot, then realised it was an earthquake. Shot out calling to my other half and found him standing on the front deck watching our truck parked in the carport swaying from side to side. Then we looked at the future pond container which is full of water and that was spilling out with the motion. It seemed to go on for ages. Half an hour later it was on the web as a 6.9 quake only 19 kilometres deep off Seddon in the top of the south island. Wellington has suffered window breakages, concrete fractured and stock on shelves thrown to the floor. 

I hope this the last of them, it really is not a pleasant experience. I went through many earthquakes as a kid but somehow as a child you find it exhilarating, as an older wiser adult it is the feeling of lack of control over your environment that is so scary - the feeling of vulnerability.
Earthquake at 5.09 Sunday


Despite the earthquake the day has been beautiful weatherwise. Sunny and warm and so I took advantage of it to clean out the strawberry bed and add manure. I also bought three more fruit trees for the orchard.

I am listening to audio books - Ladies of Letters with Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge. Penpals who are scathing of each other in such a "friendly" way.

Last night the other half and I went to see "The Great Gatsby" movie. I have no idea what the reviewers say about it, and I like a chick flick love story, however, it was one of the longest 147 minutes of my life.  I do not recommend it.

The daughter who has been holidaying in Turkey, Italy and London returns to NZ tonight. Flying up to the big city to see her week after next.  Son has recently moved house and has phoned today to see if his dad can fix his bed, seems he cannot get the base to fit the antique bed frame since moving it.  Lucky we are visiting them both, only three days, two nights but we are quite busy at work.

I love these silly poems as I too do not feel my age -

My hat I wear with great aplomb
It makes me feel so bolder
For though I've passed the '50' mark
I don't feel any older
Than when I was a sweet young thing
Just barely out of my teens
And wearing out my platform shoes
And wide bell bottom jeans
But now I have a purple frock
It really is a shocker
All finished off with 'Big Red Hat'
With ostrich feather topper
I know the colours really clash
To me, it does not matter
I'm proud to say, I'm in the club
I'm a 50 plus 'Red Hatter'

Marjorie Ramsay 2008

Red Hatter Poems 

Just feel like a piece of chocolate, but will pass on the nuts.

A Few Hours At James Murdoch Winery

 For those of you who have never been to a vineyard, it is time you took the time to visit.  We bought a great value voucher from Grabone - another must to join, they put up discounted experiences, clothing, food and wine everyday. I buy experiences or food vouchers most weeks. So we drove the mini cooper down to Martinborough. Dave has had work redone on the head - don't ask me I have no idea, just know it is too expensive - and it needs 500km on the clock before it is; I don't know tightened or something. So a good reason to take it for a drive. Arrived at James Murdoch Estate on Dry River Road and straight into a glass of wine. Then with a winemaker out to the vines for a bit of explanation on soil, climate etc. Found the talk interesting, particularly on which canes to  keep in case I decide to put the odd vine in - would be for eating grapes not wine.  Then into the vat room for the talk on crushing etc and another wine to taste.

After the vat room we were then taken to the cave and of course another glass of wine, a bit of an explanation about temperatures, barrels, another glass of wine, this time pinot noir.  The later is my favourite wine, I am a definite pinot fan, gris or noir. After five seasons the barrels that cost $600 each are disposed of. I will have to try and buy one between Dec and March next year. Will make a gorgeous barrel for daffodils, Dave thought as garden ornament. We have a barrel platter that a friend gave us, he makes them for sale in a wine shop in Martinborough - he borrowed some grinding gear and gave us a platter as a thank you.

And while the talks comes to a conclusion we get our final tasting - shouldn't say glass of wine as of course they were tastings, more generous than many I have had at other vineyards

So after the tour our voucher included a platter for two with glass of wine - nice generous glass of wine of our choice. It is a really nice restaurant at the vineyard called Bloom. It seems it is popular for weddings.  Not over priced, the menu is varied with pork belly, fish, lamb shank; just my sort of food.

The platter for once had enough bread on the plate for you to eat all the food. I hate it when I want to spread pate and the bread has all gone.

 When we got home we both went straight to bed for 40 winks, and actually feel sound asleep. 
Not known for stamina unfortunately.  We have been lucky to be the recipient of a complimentary three course lunch at Tirohanga Vineyard celebrating 25 years since the first plantings in September. Will look forward to another vineyard experience.