Santa Claws

Nelson outdoor market, Santa and his helpers stimulating goodwill and sales, needless to say I bought nothing from the market, but instead went to the local shops and bought some gifts. Obviously can't say what I got here because it would be giving the game away, but will say when appropriate, like, Boxing Day.
While at the market, I spoke to a monk who practices Shiatsu Zen massage about my Dad. I would dearly love Papa to have some complimentary treatment, particularly with view to helping his change of temprature, he sometimes feels very cold and this I feel is due to his kidney(s).

Another short ride on my bike today, to deliver the choir register to the substitute as Dad is unable to take choir right now. Tomorrow Angela is reading a Lesson in the Carols & Lessons Service at the cathedral, I am going too.

Today we ate the last of my birthday cake, the chocolate gateau with locally picked raspberries and a white chocolate "5". As I ate it and shared it, my mind settled on a resolution for 2005, to return to full fitness for the coming phase of my life. The bike will help and my travelling from school to school when I return to Birmingham.

John Wesley Lane

Dad and I couldn't resist taking this photo in Richmond. John Wesley Lane with John Wesley Barker Snr taken by John Wesley Barker Jnr., you get the picture.

Something about playing on words today.

There he is, my Dad, upright and a father of whom one can be very proud. Nearby is a Wesley Chapel, whose Minister is called Rev. Jessie Kerr and a public garden. See map here.

Cafe Cart

Each day I try and get in a bit of cycling, today I went into town to visit a couple of shops and the library. Then I usually stop at this little Cafe Cart on Selwyn Place opposite Nelson Cathedral where Dad is musical director. Although he is not able to do much at the moment, he hopes he will return. The coffee from these little carts is really reasonable and tasty. Then I power cycle uphill, today via Brougham Street, the weather now has turned warm and sunny, so nice here.

Stoke (the) Fire Station

I was rather amused to see this fire station on our way to Richmond near Nelson. We went there to buy my Christmas present, cycling shoes and pedals from Dad and Angela. Also visited a wonderful fruit farm and bought some beautiful blackcurrants, gooseberries and rasberries. Dad was getting more pain today, Angela does everything humanely possible to make him more comfortable. We all wish he pulls through this difficult time of recovery, my (rather feeble) advice has been, "expect pain and don't worry too much".

Tui Community

I have visited, contributed to, advocated communes all my life, now I hope to visit one soon in Golden Bay, the Tui Community.

Radio Chomsky

After hours of listening to the usual very bland media lies and propaganda from mainstream news providors here, finally I have discovered Radio Chomsky, an alternative news for New Zealand at 107.1 FM and available online.

Coincidently, I'm reading Chomsky too while here, until I picked up The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King which is quite a good read. At least it seems objective.I've only read the first 150 pages or so, and clearly there is very little documentation or dependable sources for the history of settlement by Maori and Pakeha. I can't help but be entranced by the description of New Zealand prior to settlement in the 13th Century, visions of Moa and all manner of birds.

Rain over

The rain today has subsided and the 3 of us (Angela, Dad & I) went for a little walk to the local shop for the Nelson Mail, size 6 eggs and a passion fruit ice-cream. This photo is a little blurry as it was taken in haste, it's Dad and Angela and Neko the cat outside their house.

Petrichor

Today it's raining in Nelson, it is pouring down, so it's given me a chance to catch up with friends online using chat and also to reply to a few e-mails and browse the Mountain Biking website.
When I was researching the possibilities of what to do on a bike here last week, I thought I would cycle up to the bay over Takaka Hill, it being 112 km, I knew it was quite a distance, but thought with some regular training each day around Nelson that it might just be possible.
However, the trip up with Helen and Kemp on Monday presented me with the reality. Takaka Hill may be possible but only if really fit, and I'm not right now. This time last year perhaps, it is a huge hill with no let up for 11 km. Then at the top is the Canaan Road into the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park and the Rameka Track. So my thinking now, is to cheat and get a bus up to the top of the hill and cruise down through Takaka and onto Patons Rock, where Dad & Angela are spending New Years and where we will be until I return to Birmingham. From Patons Rock I can do various day rides.
Helen & Kemp took me to Waikoropupu Springs on Tuesday, I found some great photos here of this amazing upwelling spring system in the hills above the bay. I heard some Tui or Bellbirds occassionally (it's difficult to say which because I did not see them and they imitate each other). The water of the Pu Pu Springs is very clear, we saw a huge salmon cruising about at the bottom. From the car park, duck boarding snakes its way through forest with some interesting information boards at points that illustrate the stages of the return of native forest. The Department Of Conservation manages this and many other sites. I visited their centre in Takaka and intend to return as their work is so vital and interesting. Dad is much amused when I refer to them as the Department of Conversation, it's great to make him laugh.

Definition: petrichor

50 - SO

It was the cake... the huge chocolate gateau with 50 on it... I saw SO. We were at The Boat Shed in Nelson for my birthday celebration. The location, ambience, food and company was all superb. After antipasti of mixed seafood, Kemp, Helen & I had fish of the day - blue nose with garlic mash, Angela a crab and Dad had salmon after a chowder. Helen, Kemp and I stayed on and had some more wine and got a cab back, got a bit drunk and had a great laugh.

Thank you to all my friends and family who sent greetings on my birthday via e-mail, SMS text messages, cards etc. It was a memorable birthday, I particularly enjoyed my long bike ride to the Honest Lawyer pub which serves 'English' beer. I had intended to ride to Rabbit Island, but the head wind and the lure of the pub changed all that.

On Monday Helen and Kemp took me to their little house on the bay, Golden Bay up North. Oh my! It is the most beautiful place on earth. Although surrounded by gorse at the moment, their plot is sizable and has loads of potential, perhaps one day it will be a vineyard, for now it's a lovely retreat.