Uncategorized

Blogging time is limited, too busy viewing this lovely land. Some stories to share. Kiwis, (not just a wonderful state bird, but the way native New Zealanders refer to themselves) love chocolate. The market cookie shelves are heavily laden with an indigenous product called Tim Tams, chocolate covered wafers that come in at least 12 flavors based on chocolate. The tourists favor them too. So much SUGAR. But most Kiwis are slim, trim and come with broad, toothy Smiles and warm welcomes.

We visited the Cadbury factory and their many varieties of chocolate. Preferred are the many chocolate boutiques featuring home created treats. The dairy products are super rich and creamy, a feature of the nutrients eaten by the dairy cows.

The kiwi birds are fun to watch, chicken size, round and fully packed and creatures of the night. We viewed them at a reserve where their night is turned into day via red lighting so the birds can be seen. Their long beaks feature nostrils at the working end of the beak. The nose is deemed the shortest in the bird world therefore. enabling the bird to smell the prey at the tip of the beak.

Flag stories. The recent referendum to change the design of the flag failed as you have seen in the news. Most Kiwis want a change but not the offered design. It was pushed through by the government to distract the public from scandalous issues, a diversion.

A holocaust story of all things. Stopping in a rest area for lunch, a monument remembered an event in 1944. Polish children were being deported to Siberia. Interference by an agency sent them to Iran then to a small town in north island New Zealand where they flourished.

And lastly, a delightful encounter with a Kiwi grandpa on the ferry to Wellington to pick up his five year old grandson to take back to south island to recover from tonsilectomy, such loving folks. Enough for now. Typing on this tablet is a Chore and off to see the art deco featured in Napier as an answer to rebuilding post the .19I31 earthquake. I cant share photos due to limitted phone data and no photo card transfer from cameras. Be well!

What a journey. The RV’s are small, but fun and adventursome, most especially on the challenging mountain roads with narrow lanes and few straight aways. (driving on the left). The mountains rise high and beautiful. Every other word we utter is WOW.  And wow hardly says it all.

Time to blog is minimal. Our days are FILLED with adventure, surprise, and overdoses of eye candy sugar feeding our spirits into high gear. The forests are bright green with moss covered blankets coating everything that grows. It is indeed Tolkienien a classic. Our Wednesday was topped off with an exhilarating flight to the Franz Joseph and Fox glaciers. Walking on snow and ice; a wonderland and it was not freezing cold. The sun blazed, no wind blew. The clouds opened up long enough for our 40 minute flight.

Time to pack up for our day’s discoveries. Hugs to all of you.

• Yes, our RV tour promised New Zealand and Australia. The rigs become ours tomorrow. Today we found snow, survived blizzards, wind storms, joustled about on a Haggland rough terrain vehicle ride and viewed blue penguins. But no worry, We visited the International Antarctica center a door step away from actually going there. What a trip;
• http://www.christchurchnz.com/what-to-see-and-do/listings/international-antarctic-centre/
• Christchurch suffered an epic earthquake 5 years ago, centered in the heart of the city. Recovery is slow but lead by determined souls. Our tour bus passed by many damaged areas shored up by braces of all types, supported by walls of container cars and any means of tape, glue, and wishfull thinking. We passed town hall, the devastated late 1800’s cathedral, awaiting its fate to restore or replace, the old police station, casino, homes & more.
•  It was free time to tour and find lunch. We chose to see the “Restart” mall. Each shop occupies container cars cleverly turned into luxury and luxurious shops and restaurants, enjoyed lunch at a coffee roaster then walked to the bus terminal to continued back to the Commodore hotel. Just for fun, we each bought a pair of Merino wool and Possum fingerless gloves: so soft and welcoming that you just want to hug them close. They serve as perfect souveniursas warm as the people we meet here.of New Zealand as warm and welcoming as the people we meet in this lovely land. 
  

A message of hello on Monday from Christchurch, New Zealand. Two days of recovery as we await the start of our RV touring adenture. So far the locals we have met, have been warm and friendly as expected, sad for our sorry state in the political realm, but glad to have us tour their beautiful shores. We even viewed a bit of a rugby game–a tough game in my book.

We have swum in the pool, soaked in  the hot tub, I exercised in the gym and found veggie choices in the restaurants. Onward to our rvs, left side driving and looking foreward to our long  awaited adventures. More soon if we stay connected. Ann Carol

My Dear Readers;
I have missed two blog postings and have been inundated with inquiries. Thank you for your queries and your concern. I thought a “Heads up” would be in order to the effect that my Monday’s Blog will be quite irregular for many weeks. We are disembarking from our rig and embarking on a long flight overseas to New Zealand and Australia, then R and R in Hawaii. It is that Bucket list thing and a long awaited journey.

How lucky we are. I will try to post some messages during our travels, but we will be busy learning–hopefully successfully to drive our rented RV’s on the left side of the road when appropriate and to fully enjoy all of the aspects and nuances the places we visit. Of course, the return home is always done with the desire to return again. I also appreciate the many suggestions you have sent saying “not to miss…” while on the journey.

Be well all of you, enjoy spring and summer and we will somehow keep in touch.
Hugs all around,
Ann Carol

Klu Klux Klan. Silly me, I truly thought that this terror group was defunct, only to be replaced by other equally terrifying groups. Recent events in Anaheim, CA instantly caught my attention. Are we back in the 30’s 40’s 50’s? Such shameful killing, suffering and to what purpose?  This is the latest in the long list of dysfunction in our society and disruption in moving to a more settled country let along the world.

Trump. I am so reluctant to even acknowledging his acceptance in our country. A folk hero perhaps, an unlikely presidential personality  in my mind, to try to run our great country. We should be engaging in what it takes to reach new heights of greatness, getting us back on track as leaders in this world. Trump Tromps on everyone and people smile and embrace him? They even believe he misheard the question about David Duke.  I don’t buy it. The media facilitates the enlargement of his image. The European media calls him a joker, a Donald Duck (Spain), a smiling demagogue, (France) The stuff of Fantasy (Germany), the USA, a country in a Momentary lapse of reason, (Helsinki).

Yes, the Republicans, the Democrats have their troubles too. I have a minute long deadline and everyone knows the stories, so why rant on about the familiar?
Perhaps a moment for a COCKEYED smile and a bit of lightness.

The Oscars; I frankly have not watched for years. I can pick up the list of winners on the news. I am so dubious about the word winning. what does it mean in so many contexts–winning a debate, winning a lottery, winning at the game table, winning–an often misapplied bit of terminology. Firstly, in the face of so many wonderful, over the top films, how can just one shine in all of the categories covered?

Mostly I have been long distraught over the sparse or complete lack this year of diversity in the Oscar hullabaloo. An then a black master of ceremonies, a slap in the face?? He was brave and entertaining I imagine.

The debates, not one mention during last weeks Republican events of those slaughtered in Kalamazoo, Mich. a few days before the debate or the 3 shot in Hesston, Ka during the debate, nor broaching policy statements about gun control. My ire is on fire.

The migrants and their suffering around the world. Climate control denial and lack of quick environmental action, I am done listing. We all have our worries, concerns, hopes and prayers and insights into the world as it changes course. I just had to express my mind and try to calm down and enjoy people around me, the day and my fortunate and adventuresome life style.  I just hope there is a Deus Ex Machina coming our way to get this society back on track.

There was no Monday’s Blog posting last week. After the loss of my dear brother Arthur, I was not yet able to share but am so grateful for all or your wonderful messages of support. I thank you all for those messages of support and solace not to forget the hugs. There is such comfort in knowing that people care and can express that care freely and with such love and that we can reciprocate in kind and make a difference in people’s lives. 

Our friends and family members are a great source of love and support when facing difficult times. It isn’t news that an endless number of established support systems and help groups exist, covering every phase of life. Many people choose to become part of a group, meetings that provide a steady and comfortable atmosphere to share and mend our inner souls.  I do not wish to “preach to the choir,”  Everyone of us has been buoyed up by friends and family member’s kind and loving words. Everyone of us has returned in kind, solace and support to our friends and family. 

Here are two responses from people extolling the love and caring received from their experience;

I have benefited greatly from the impromptu care and support among friends and family such as in my recent experiences as well as group support as the years have passed. What wonder to be able to receive such messages of love and support and to return them in kind as others need our help. It is a central core of Humanity.

Next week, hopefully onto other topics and hopefully some humor.
Thanks everyone

I am sad today. My beloved brother Arthur passed away after a prolonged illness wrapped in the arms of his family, his beautiful wife Natalie, son Moshe and his loving wife Joyce and daughter Erica and the beloved grandchildren. If only every one on earth could be so lucky and so well loved as my brother Arthur.

The ups and downs of life happen so fast. Sometimes they overwhelm us and form a constant stream of presence in our thoughts. That is happening for me at this time. I have trouble concentrating on other things. My beloved brother Arthur is unexpectedly very ill at 86. Arthur and his lovely wife Natalie recently moved to the north from Florida to be in the care of their son and family. Their loving daughter Erica had been near them in Florida. Moving to the colder climate was difficult but necessary and they were welcomed in the Northeast with warm and loving arms. 

Counter to our expectations shortly after the move, Arthur became very ill and has undergone surgery.  The hoped for good recovery may not be in the cards. My heart is heavy and we have received such caring responses from our greater family and friends. I know I am not at all alone in having a heavy heart, but I could not write about any other subject this week and have to share some thoughts. No one is exempt from this type of situation. You all have your own heart aches and losses to share. We can comfort each other just by expressing similar feelings. People look in so many places for solace or even answers, among those places are poetry, music, favorite quotes, religious support, folk lore, family and friends and our own memories. I look in all of these places as well but strong memories seem to fill most of my quest. 

Arthur is my only sibling and several years older than I am.  In my childhood, he was not around much, going off to school, the army, marriage and living in New England with a year in Italy and the birth of their son and in back in the States of their daughter. 

Humorous episodes pop into my mind, the brown rectangular case held together with a strap that he brought home on holiday visits from college filled with dirty laundry. My mother cheerfully did his laundry (in an old style washer with wringer), hanging the wet clothes in the sun and lovingly folding them back into the brown case. His jazz quartet (he played the bass fiddle and banjo) rehearsed in our “parlor” next to the piano.  I watched the rehearsals often, believing my 6 of 7 year self to be hiding out of sight from the top step of our staircase, peering through the railing slats. 

Arthur served as 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army and was stationed stateside in White Sands, NM and then in Japan. I have since visited both places and quizzed him about his memories lf those places before my visits.  Arthur and Natalie’s wedding ceremony and much to my joy, being asked to sing a solo during the ceremony.  I will not go on and on, I have written about some of these memories in the past. 

As we await the next steps in New Jersey, still full of hope, I am sitting in my motor home in the lovely Palomar Mountains of southern California in a heavy day-long rainstorm rocking to the high winds. The rain is so welcome in this parched area, a source of hope and joy for the locals and a turnaround as well in the level of expectations for the hoped for drought relief.  I take it as a sign that life goes on in unexpected ways and I leave you with perhaps some time think of your loved ones, and your quest for support. Not a new message, nothing exceptional, but I would love you to share your special memories.  I turn to poetry, and music and the like, but for me, it is always the warm hearts of people that add so much during difficult times. 

After recent article’s reference to the surrealist, philosopher Jean Paul Sartre a memory was re-awakened from my acting days way back in undergraduate school at the Suny/Buffalo. Interest in Sartre’s work was part of popular culture in those days. although, I am not sure that popular culture was, as yet, even a category. This occurred two decades before his death in 1980.  

Our reader’s theatre group mounted a reading of his play NO EXIT.  I played Estelle, one of four characters condemned to hell, confined to a drawing room “from hell” and as they try to accept, indeed, in hell.  It is likened to being confined forever with your worst enemies.  The four of us sat on stools, the stage bare.  I wore a long blond wig and we all wore black clothing. Only our heads and scripts were lit as we performed.  The auditorium was full of students, professors, family members and theatre fans. A late spring snow storm had raged for two days before the performance. My parents drove to Buffalo from Rochester to catch the gig. They did arrive safely, but the going was not easy along the Thruway and they were distressed but happy and relieved to be there.

The play was first performed in 1944 in Paris. Our reader’s performance was held in the auditorium housed in the Campus Student Union.  We jump-start to the final lines of the play, presented in a dramatic short and quick series of alternate lines. My line affirmed the reluctant acceptance of fate with two lines to follow by other characters, meant to dramatically nurture the audience’s quiet anticipation, hesitating for a few moments before offering the expected applause. 

The audience was indeed hushed. As I uttered my final lines–“dead?” and “Forever, My God, how funny! Forever.”  the dead silence tremored with a loud piercing ring of the fire alarm followed by the directive to disregard the alarm set off by false information.

We, the players somehow kept our cool and did not panic. Instinctively, we repeated the last few lines of the play and were greeted with enthusiastic applause. We took our bows and collapsed in each others arms after lights went black for a few moments.

Audience members soon joined us to extend their kudos for the performance as well as our clear headed reactions, not to run off stage in tears or sit dumbfounded on our reader’s theatre stools after the spoiler disturbance at the exact wrong moment.  Our director was elated at our reading and by our reaction to the disruption as well, pledging that heads would roll after the unfortunate noise.  How our memories live on, often to be tweaked and relived at moments that we can not anticipate.