General Chat

I had a great time in Rotorua over the long weekend. I drove down on Friday afternoon, dropped my stuff off at son's place then went into town to the events centre where the Choral festival was being held, checked in then had some dinner, after which we were welcomed and then started learning songs from the official song book.

There were 2 guest conductors. One was Simon Carrington who was a co-founder of the Kings Singers. He is now an Emeritus Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University. The other was Sanna Valvanne of Finland who is a childrens and youth choir conductor, based in the USA. Boy, was she ever energetic. She had us swinging and jumping and thumping our chests while singing in Finnish or some such language (but due to my slight hearing problem I had trouble learning the words).

I didnt stay for any of the evening concerts performed by selected choirs from around NZ.

Saturday morning we assembled at the centre and then walked to the Marae at Ohinemutu. The walk took 20 or 30 mins (at a guess, longer for tortoised, less for hares). The walk was around the edge of Rotorua Lake. We were welcomed onto the Marae then went into the meeting house. The part I didnt like was being seated behind the men. It is something a lot of tribes insist upon, men being in the front. We sang some of our songs in response to the welcome and then adjourned to the dining room for a beautiful morning tea. I then had a quick look in the church which has a glass window with a Maori Christ etched on it and it looks as if he is walking on the lake. Unfortunately photography is banned in the church. We then walked back to the centre where we had another combined sing, learning more songs.

After a long lunch break during which some choirs gave short concerts at 4 places around town we went to some workshops of our own choice. They were about conducting, or performance, singing, Maori music, style, or programming. The first I chose was Does Choral Singing Wreck Your Voice? After afternoon tea we had a secon workshop, my choice being Careful - Your Vowels are Showing. This was followed by our 3rd Combined Sing, brushing up on some of the songs we had learnt and learning more.

I didnt stay for dinner or the evening concert.

On Sunday there was an Ecumenical service at St Faiths Church but it was a bit early for me.

The 4th combined Sing was at 9.30, followed by morning tea and then the 3rd workshop. I chose Ko te Aro Hurihuri. It was about Maori musical instruments. The tutor played on most of them. There were gourds of different sizes which could be tapped or blown into or swung on a string. Sea shells and Kauri snail shells were used. Leg bones of various animals/birds. He said that the human leg bone makes a beatiful sound, but it must come from somebody who has lost a leg in an accident or amputation! Until he said that I was thinking of having my husbands leg bones turned into flutes for the grandchildren to play! Or mine.

The Dept of Conservation had given the tutor a whale tooth and when they told him that they estimated that the age was about 400 yrs his hands were shaking. He got a master carver to carve it. Without care it could have shattered.

After the lunch break there was another workshop but I didnt go to any as my eyes were feeling sore. At 3.15 we then drove to Te Puia and walked in to the Pohutu geyser area. The geyser was playing all the time we were there. We gave a concert beside the geyser - a real bonus for the tourists.

I dropped one person off at the Marae for a hangi and a Maori cultural show. I went back to my sons place for dinner. Others went back to the events centre from the Marae for the evening concert.

I ran out of the ointment for my conjunctivitis that night, having used it for a fortnight. In the morning I decided my eyes were too sore to stop using the ointment so I went to the weekend doctor, who prescribed a different ointment. I arrived at the Events centre in time for the last singing session, brushing up on the songs. After morning tea we then had Simon talking about his 25 yrs with The Kings Singers. It was very amusing.

We then walked down to the lake edge (a short walk) for the Final Concert (more tourists to enjoy) and farewell. Back to my vehicle, I ate my lunch and then started back to my sons place, but stopped at an information centre/shop to buy some postcards and some boiled sweets and daily paper.

I forgot to say that on the way back out of town I stopped at Kuirau Park to photograph some mud pools and steaming fumeroles. They are all fenced off for safety. I took about 110 photos over the weekend, not all of the Festival, some were of flowers, and there were some lovely views of sunrise over Mt Tarawera on the other side of the lake, taken from my bedroom window. I wish we could post decent photos on GR. I can post them on another website and I will do so.

Tues morning my son and his girlfriend had to go to work so I was up early and packed and left at 8.30 for the drive back home. It had rained in the night but was not too bad when I left. The clouds did come down as I went up the Mamaku Hills but it was fine on the other side.

Each time I drive home from Rotorua I seem to take a slightly different route from the one I take going down. I think this time it was actually slightly shorter, but I missed the garage where I had intended to fill the tank, however I knew of a garage closer to home where I could fill up - or so I thought. The big fuel companies are pulling out of a lot of garages and that one was one of them. I had to go to our local at Hunua to fill up before coming back home.

I arrived home at 11.30 and spent a few hours trying to get into my emails. I eventually realised there was a 'new' icon down the bottom which said Windows Defender so I clicked on it and it told me that as I had not scanned things for 4 days I should do so now. That took a while but then I was able to get into the emails, although most of them were just jokes from a couple of people and I havent bothered to open them if there are too many attachments, or WMV(?) or powerpoint. Some of those things take an hour or more to download and I cant be bothered.

I downloaded my photos onto the computer and tried to print of some of the better ones (onto ordinary paper) to take to choir to show some friends. The Cyan ink ran out after 4 pages so I replaced it but the printer then refused to recognise any of the cartridges in it so I gave up. I must look at it to see if it has now recognised them, if not I will have to yell for help.

I went to choir practice and one woman looked at the photos and said 'I know that man, it is R***** A******.' He is a relative of a relative of mine, the one who visited NZ last February. The mutual relative had visited us both and she had included their photo in her 'diary' that she sent me so I had been able to meet RA and his wife at the Festival.

Well, it was a lovely break and now I must settle down to normal life again.

Huia.

I found this when I googled the Maori Christ stained glass window and think this is where you were Huia.

http://www.jeffpylenz.com/Jeffs-blog/WEB/OHINEMUTU%20and%20the%20GALILEE%20CHAPEL%20WINDOW.htm

You had a very busy time but I am glad you enjoyed so many of the workshops, did you learn anything about conserving your voice etc that will prove useful to you?

It's great that you could get so many pictures and you can look back at them and remember the time you spent there. Let's hope your eyes are soon fine and you can get out to more concerts etc in the future. Make sure you fill up with petrol in time tho, don't want you stranded in the middle of nowhere!


Love and hugs,
Lizxxx

Hi Huia and Liz,

I liked you chatting about all that having been to most of where you went. I have a postcard of the stained glass window. It said no photos but the day we were there no one would have known but we stuck to the rules.
NZ can be a sod when it comes to getting Petrol - we had to coast down hill once to Tokaanu because we just might have run out. It is so easy to get stuck out on these long winding roads which go forever without a gas station.

I have no family in Rotorua so I would've gone to the Hangi as I just love Hangi food and Maori Bread.

When my OH's foot has fully recovered I will take off out to Hunua one day and have a coffee with you Huia.

Liz - Huia lives near where my grandfather's family lived - he was born in Hunua and there is a Dam there named after the family.

Keep on smiling both of you.

Norma

Huia, what a great thread, you are such a good writer, you sound as though you had a hectic time, but very interesting, I like, Liz googled the window it is beautiful, and I saw other pics of Rotorua, a lovely area, I just love your descriptions,so I would look forward to more of your diary, brings you a lot closer to us.... I would like a few of your pics for the G.R. album, Huia, if you have time, but dont worry if you havent....Thank you for sharing with us your weekend away, hope your eyes improve rest may help a bit... take care ...

love Jean xx

Norma, you had better phone first before coming as I am out all sorts of days. I normally go out on a Tuesday, sometimes all day and evening but other times dont go until late afternoon, and I went out this morning to the doc to get her to look at a spot on my face. I am thinking of going to visit Phil tomorrow (but might phone first) and I will need to get the vehicle serviced some time and get a WOF. I must phone to make an appointment. I have the social worker coming to see me next Wednesday morning. On the Friday we have a dress rehearsal for our concert so I will probably go in in the afternoon. I am quite a gadabout.

As for running out of petrol, back in 1965 we had a Fiat 500 and we set out on a running-in trip. On the journey down through the King Country (winding country roads) the fuel light started to blink and we were looking for a petrol station. It was blinking faster and faster and then became a steady glow (no needle guage on it, just the light). We arrived at Taumaranui and pulled into some pumps. Phil took the cap off the petrol tank and it was empty. I dont know how far we had travelled on the fumes! We were certainly lucky that we didnt come to a stop in the middle of nowhere, with 2 young (5 and not quite 4 yrs old) children aboard.

I will PM you Norma with my phone number and address, or have I already given them to you? I will do it anyway.

Huia.

Pm'd you back Huia.

I will give you a bell first, and maybe I will come with you to see Phil if it will help.

Take care out there,

From the Big Smoke.

Thank you for this thread.
I would have loved to have been one of the tourists enjoying the singing in such a great setting. We were there Easter time last year, but didn't see all the places...... I'll have to go back, ..Lol.

Recently I have been in contact with distant NZ relatives, who are helping me discover more about our Maori links..... Fascinating.

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn, how exciting to find more links with your NZ roots. I am sure you will be going back again very soon.

Norma, I am glad you will meet up with our Huia sometime, altho doesn't she sound a busy lady? When I win the lottery and come out there I will have to meet with you too lol! One of these days......

Huia, hope the spot is nothing much and also that you get your WOF (Anyone know what a WOF is, is it like our MOT?)
You are making the most of your time, that's for sure. Good for you, getting out and about.


If people want to see the window just c and p the link I put in and you can look at it and learn the history of it.

Lizx

An interesting and full weekend Huia, so pleased that you enjoyed it and I hope your eyes will be better soon.
Liz, thank you for that link, that was interesting. I would be interested to know if eventually the artist is given recognition, how strange that it has not so far happened.

When I was a young teenager (about 13-15 I had a maori penfriend, she came from Rotorua, how sad that we lost touch. I still have a key ring she sent me with a wooden Maori 'face' (don't know what it is called - to ward of evil spirits I think))

Liz, a WOF is a warrant of fitness (I certainly wouldnt pass one at present) which I presume is the same as your MOT. A thorough health check on the vehicle.

I have to keep an eye on the spot on my face. The doc did ask if I wanted it cut out then immediately asked if I had surgical insurance. No to the second, yes to the first if it is dangerous. It is just at the top of the eyebrow so not easily noticed so as far as looks go, if it is not dangerous it doesnt bother me except that I sometimes want to scratch it. Maybe I will ask the doc what it would cost to get it removed.

Ann in glos, the wooden face would be a tiki. Actually, the wallpaper on this site looks to me as if it is covered in carved heads with tongues poking out and a funny pointy top knot on their heads.

If anybody wants to visit the site on which I am going to put some of my photos, you will need to pm me your email addy so I can send an invitation to join the site. It is free. But then, if I charge you all a large sum I might be able to afford a trip to England to visit you all! On the other hand you would all say no thanks, cant afford the fee. Oh well.

Better go and wash the dishes, they havent been done for 2 days. I am a slob, arent I. See why you need to ring first, Norma?

Huia.

I think you sent it to me already Huia, but I didn't get round to looking at it. or is it on the calendar?

I thought a WOF sounded like an MOT - I could do with one too lol

I would think if that spot isn't a bother, then leave it for now. I have lots of skin tags appearing that are a nuisance and one caught on my shirt collar yesterday but with some savlon on it, it has now healed and disappeared if that makes sense. I wish they could just be snipped off but they have to lasered I think or tied with cotton till they fall off. I also have some things that look like moles but doctor has inspected them and says they are just blemishes that come with age - thanks Doc -and nothing to worry about, a couple on my back and one on my shoulder, that one does itch a bit but she assures me it's not a problem. It pays to get these things checked out tho.

Keep enjoying yourself as much as possible Huia, and don't worry about the washing up, you can do it every couple of days, it will save water lol
I am sure you have enough crocks and such to last a week or more if necessary lol


love
Lizxxx

Liz, I think I did send you an invitation to join that site but I can send it again.

I often leave the dishes 2 or 3 days, because I forget or cant be bothered for such a small amount and as you say I have lots of crocks and cutlery but I am the biggest old crock of the lot.

I visited Phil this morning. He looked much better than he did a couple of weeks before he was transferred. He is now walking again, albeit a bit gingerly, and he is feeding himself. I thought he seemed happier and I am told he is not belligerent as he had been in hospital. His feet and ankles seemed very swollen and I was told that was because he was walking all the time. He has, with my permission, a low bed, not sure how low. Probably the others are a bit high to make nursing easier, but with the low one I presume his feet touch the floor easily. They put him in it as he was getting up in the night and I gather that when his feet touch the floor (or probably a mat) an alarm goes off so somebody goes to make sure he doesnt fall. I had been hoping he would die soon but I now dont mind if he lives a long time, apart from the cost! and the fact that it will mean a lot of visiting for me, but I will be going only once a week probably. I have my own life to live.

Huia.

Hi Huia,
I am very late going to bed but just want to say how pleased I am that Phil is looking and seeming better than he has been of late, in a way it must make you feel better to see him sort of enjoying his life a bit instead of being so different to the man you know and love. Let's hope he can do a bit more walking and his ankles stop swelling as his body adjusts to the walking again rather than shuffling about bless him.

Yes please send me the address again, will save me hunting through emails for it.

take care my friend, of course you must continue to live your life to the full - it's only what Phil would want if he could tell you and it's what you and everyone deserves.

p.s. there are always paper plates lol

love
Lizxxx

Like you Huia I thought the genes wall paper was like a lot of Maori heads. Maybe we should recommend this to the Harawiras and they can repaper their marae.

I am getting my hearing checked tomorrow - I have had tinnitus for yonks but now it is decidedly worse and don't have teletext and OH has to repeat things for me and it does get me into trouble at times.

I was having a coffee at Mac Cafe which I get as a 'to go' and I can never understand when two of them are muttering away at me - so I nod sweetly and then one says just the one, I thought well there's just me so yes thanks. It wasn't just the one coffee it was just the one sugar and I do not take sugar in my coffee it took a few minutes for me to work it out thought something was wrong with my taste buds.

See I told you Liz, I am a worry.

Keep on smiling everyone, and keep on reading Ann.
Thanks Gwyn for your help as well.

Cheers

Norma

My commiserations, Norma. I have had tinnitus virtually all my life, I thought everybody had it. Like you, I used to have to ask what was said on TV, or else I had it too loud for Phil. But then he has supersensitive hearing. I now have hearing aids but dont wear them too often. I was given a choice of in the ear or behind the ear. I was assured they would go behind the ear even with my glasses so I chose them as the others are more susceptible to moisture as I understood it. Unfortunately my ears are not 'red sails in the sunset'. Somebody commented that I had very 'neat' ears. They are close to the head, so the glasses sometimes dislodge the hearing aid. At home I dont even bother to tuck the aid behind the ear. Mine are no good in a crowded situation either as they amplify everything. If you dont have hearing aids you must be non committal if you are not sure what people are saying. I know I have had a few peculiar looks from other people so I have obviously given the wrong answer. And it could be highly dangerous!

Huia.

I too have tinnitis and also for the past 10 years wear aids. I did only wear one for many years but the past 6 months I have started to wear two all the time, mine are behind the ear and digital. Yes, they do dislodge with the glasses sometimes but i find if I put the aids in first and then put the glasses on, tucking the arms firmly behind the aid arm they are OK. I do have a small cyst on top of my left ear which makes it a bit awkward but at least i can hear with them in which I couldn't before. The only problem I have is when I take them out at night I find it even more difficult to hear and have to keep reminding OH that I am not wearing them. (no whispering sweet nothings in this house!!!!)

Huia you were going to send me the link to your photos but then youw ere not well, and you never did send it.

Ann
Glos

Oh my goodness, you do make me laugh Ann, sweet nothings lol, he will have to write you notes and hold up lol
Huia and Norma too, can imagine you two when you get together lol

Lizxxxx

I did not get back on threads last night our time as himself was in Trade Me - foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Oh Ann- I did get the giggles with you putting on first the hearings aids and then your glasses and mind the bumps.

A chap I worked with had hearing, seeing and eating problems and so his wife made him a carpenters apron and there was one pocket for the hearing aid, one pocket for the glasses and one for the false teeth.

You gotta laugh Liz eh!!! This is the thing about growing old - and they talk about growing old gracefully. I think I am 18 but my body keeps telling me otherwise - though I can still do that yoga sitting position - it's the untangling after that's the problem.

My husband's a worry as well - he has had this foot operation and the walking stick goes with him - he gets out of car takes walking stick into cafe - comes back out to car (I am the designated driver) gets in and leaves stick in shop. We had to travel - several miles last night to go back and get it as he did not realise until we got home as that was our last port of call before heading home.

Keep on laughing -

Perse....