A Glass Full of Water

A tradie is a colloquial term used in New Zealand and Australia for a skilled (male or female) builder, mechanic, plumber, plasterer, bricklayer, landscaper, roofer or electrician.  Having a coffee with a tradie builder Campbell Forlong at The Hut Cafe recently was an insightful experience. The back story to his current career is that he came from a family of farmers and business people. Initially, he felt ‘intimidated’ by his wife Lorraine’s family of tradies  (mechanics, glaziers and builders).  Little by little he observed tradies working with their hands to restore, renovate and create something that was needed. Perhaps a seed of opportunity began to grow for him. Campbell then got some part time work as a labourer for a day a week. In his own words, he says,  “I discovered I could learn to build. Out of this came a dream, a desire to one day build my own house. At this time I was doing church and community work. Sometime during my 50th year I thought if I had my...

My brother in law Vern’s birthday is Jun 1, King’s Birthday Weekend. In New Zealand it coincides with a public holiday on the Monday.  Vern is the I.T. Manager at Mahurangi College, Warkworth. He and his wife (my youngest sister Cathy) were staying at the Pacific Rendevous Motel in Tutukaka. Two of his colleagues, Maree and Grainne and their combined 6 daughters were also staying at the motel for this long weekend.  Cathy was asked, “I hope you don’t mind, the girls have been practising a little something for Vern.” A knock on their unit door followed a short time later and in came the girls and their mums with big smiles. Each of the girls (except the baby) was carrying a card with a single letter and one explanation mark card. Carefully shuffling in order, the held cards spelt, V E R N ! In unison they chanted, “give us an V, give us an E, give us an R…”  Younger Sister Jenny and husband Stuart were part of the audience as well and videoed the special event. The Ha...

On the same morning of our Ngunguru cafe experience (last week’s story) and on our return to the Pacific Rendevous Motel at Tutukaka, I asked Chris to drop me off at the reception office. “What are you doing Steve?” I knew exactly what I was going to do…  When we arrived the previous day, Phil the new manager/receptionist, gave my siblings and extended family group a generous discount for the two units we usually occupy. It was the King’s Birthday public holiday and prices normally go up, but his ‘Winter Special’ trumped that! How wonderfully generous.  In response to his generosity and kindness and to be kind myself, I wanted to take the initiative, so I walked into the office and welcomed him to his new job, before he welcomed me. I thanked him for the cleanliness of our unit and he in turn acknowledged his wife Annie and her hard work and pride in cleaning and setting the units up.  A conversation followed and common points of connection were quickly discovered. ie gro...

This story is set in and around Tutukaka, a coastal village north east of Whangārei. It is home to a harbour, hotel, shops, cafes, restaurants, motels, marina and easy access to the Poor Knights Marine Reserve.  On King’s Birthday weekend this year (Saturday 30 May - Monday 1 June) my twin brother Chris and I were driving and walking around Tutukaka around 6.30am on the Saturday, hunting for a coffee and maybe, some honey toast or porridge but no cafes were open yet. I then remembered that we visited Ngunguru, a few kilometres away, on the same day a year ago. The Salt Air Cafe was open then, so hopefully it would be open early today. It was! (It opens at 6.00am) We recognised the friendly owner/manager/barista. Our flat white coffees and honey toast was made and delivered to our table and a conversation started. “How’s business?” There was a slight pause before he answered. “It’s going ok…” What does ok mean in the hospitality industry in New Zealand at the moment? There are so ma...

Most of the world knows that the FIFA World Cup competition has begun. As I’m finishing this week’s blog story, New Zealand has just played Iran, ranked 20. A draw! 2-2. A great result considering our ranking of 85. Go the kiwis! What country will win the World Cup? France? Spain? Argentina? England? The lowest ranked team New Zealand?  When I was teaching at Hamilton Boys’ High School, I worked with Naaz, Lynnette and a few other teachers with ex refugee students. After a number of years, a football team was formed. Our team needed a uniform, so one was designed and made.  We were scheduled to play against a combination of our school 1st 11 and 2nd 11 teams for the inaugural, and now *annual sports fixture. We needed a trophy, so one was organised. On game day, our team skipped more classes than was allowed, to get ready. Who could blame them? The teams lined up on the school field. Talk about pride in uniform, as they were representing themselves, their families and other ex...

  As we get older, (I’m 70 next month and funnily enough so is my identical twin brother Chris, who was born 5 minutes before me) I reckon you get more sentimental and quite often more emotional. For example, I love to see older people holding hands in public and yet being young at heart and still in love - hope and commitment expressed. I smile when I see young kids at Te Uku Primary School, near Raglan, walking around the playground, holding hands and being so happy together - a simple joy.  Recently Val and I observed our granddaughter Nova slip her hand into her mums hand and walk with Rebeccah to her car after a football game at Western Springs, Auckland. I think it was on the same weekend that her son Wynn while watching TV with me, quietly placed his hand on top of mine.  Years ago, my mum Mary came to visit me at Silverdale Normal School in Hamilton. Mum and I held hands in the staff room during the morning interval break. I didn’t care what the staff thought. She...