Roy Tomkinson: New Zealand Log from 25th to the 30th of November 2009

Second Log:

(25th November) Woke at just after six, lay for a bit and read until 7.30 and then I got up, don’t feel too good this morning, won’t give in to illness. Anyway, the weather is grand today, not a cloud in the sky. Well, only a small white one, the rest of the sky is a wonderful light blue.
Hopefully, later, I’ll fetch my table and chairs; will get Ryan (my son’s friend) to help. I’m not that good at lifting things.

Just had breakfast, Greek yogurt with wheat biscuit and skimmed milk followed by a cup of tea. Need to be careful what I eat, but I like the food anyway, never had a sweet tooth, so no problem, and (not it's early morning).
Afternoon I fetched my table, and a few other things, in fact, most of the things I need, couldn’t contact Ryan, and hope to sort everything by Friday evening. There is a major event in Taupo this weekend; a bike race around the lake so the town will be heaving – buskers, music, a festival. I’d like to have a go but don’t have a bicycle. Perhaps I’ll get one, wishful, thinking on my part perhaps, if only!
Took a walk into town, and later fetched my grandson from nursery school. Reading another novel by Patricia Finney, “Unicorn’s Blood,” based at the time of Elizabeth I: too early yet for me to comment, but I’m not that impressed with the first few chapters, but will keep with it. Ruth Rendell calls her, “The Le Carre of the 16th Century.” But I’m not convinced.
The weather is hot today, sun lotion and a cap needed to go outside.
(Evening) Watching the news; the weather back home is not a promising start to the winter - there is a lot of rain – weather not good - resulting in major floods, and I was sad to learn there has been fatalities with the floods in theUK.
Was hoping to spend a little time writing, but with everything going on, I just didn’t have the time, after I move into my house, then I will have more time. I was going out tonight, there are quite a few good pubs in the town, but last minute I decide against it, and watched a little television.

Perhaps I’ll go out tomorrow night; I’m more a morning person than a night one.
I still haven’t joined a gym, perhaps next week, also, they have a night class starting next Wednesday night on Maori language and culture, may join, could be fun -bed by 10.30.
Number of Steps walked per day.

(26th November) Up at 8pm, a quick breakfast and out in town, getting a few things I need and then back, lunch around 1.30 and read most of the afternoon. Later, I fetched my grandson from nursery school, and a little later, I signed the contract for my house.
The rate of rent is really good, a lot less to rent our here than in the UK – with summer starting, (first day of summer next Tuesday) there will be no heating bill, but I do have a log fire in the house, and if there is a chilly day or night will light it, but I doubt it. The heating I will save by not being back home for the winter will almost cover the rent cost: electricity, only need for cooking and light in the evening, so there is little cost there.
Almost finished the Elizabethan novel, better that I originally thought, not great, I do find some value from it. Oh yes, I found a little treasure of a cookbook, small paperback called, “Fresh Natural,” all vegetarian dishes from New Zealand, the recipes are brilliant, will be trying most of them over the coming weeks – will source only vegetables in season. I have a friend back home that used to love vegetarian dishes; some of these recipes would make her dance with delight: I know they do for me, I keep wondering...
Anyway, I will cook and invite some of the people who have befriended me to sample my cooking, already invited a few people to Sunday lunch, may decide to change it to the evening, haven’t made up my mind, as yet: will cook a leg of herbed lamb in tomato sauces with vegetables.
Babysitting tonight – my grandson goes to bed by 7pm: and will read for the rest of the night, and watch a little TV with a glass of red wine! MY PLAN?
As I cook, I will share my recipes with you on line, and let you know how they turn out. Late in bed tonight, 11.15, read a little before I nodded off to sleep.

(27th November) Up at 7am - breakfast: two wheat biscuits with a sliced banana with Greek yogurt over the top; the statuary two cups of tea to quench the thirst, and I am done. The weather is going to be hot today; the sky is a beautiful light blue. Still walking quite a lot every day, anything over 8,000 steps per day is classified as healthy. Each step is 24 inches.
They are not so politically correct out here than they are in the UK; the class distinction is simply just not there, and it’s rather refreshing to see people speak their mind without the worry of complaint. That suits me real fine: if you don’t like it, they just tell you to go home, but always, I find they are polite. I tend to be a bit brusque at times myself and pretty thick skinned, I'm a type of take me or leave me type of guy.
One guy, who owns a number houses suggest I go up the dump to furnish my house, telling me he does frequently himself: “There is some good stuff up there,” he says, but I don’t think I’ll go that far.

Quite a number of people go around with no shoes on their feet, I’ve notices many people shopping in bare feet and walking around the town, a normal occurrence.
The health service is excellent, but there is no National Health as in the UK, cover needs to be purchased via insurance. There is an effective emergency service and hospitalisation, which is statuary, with no cost to the individual, but that’s about it, the rest costs.
The mortality rate is higher than in the UK, but that may that is due to the fact, that the indigenous population seem to smoke and drink a lot of alcohol, and don’t seek medical help early due to the cost – a standard X-ray scan cost around $300. There is still an element of poverty, but that also exists in the UK: I must say, I haven’t seen any personally, everyone I meet seems to be relatively well off, and most don’t smoke, but do enjoy a few beers, my tipple of indulgence is wine. The time now is 10.11am; will shortly be going down to see my house, I had the key last night, and I will get the electricity sorted and do a shop for food – I’m feeling rather excited about it all.
Afternoon, 2.10pm, just arrive back, been to see the house, looks swell now it’s been cleaned, nice area as well. There is a super fridge, a double bed, a single one, with plenty of cupboards; it will do me fine.
I walked into town. Met a woman who was originally from Cardiff, been in Taupo for 32 years, and we had a little chinwag. Now out to do a food shop, will take the car, Oh yes, found an Aria shop, spices galore, will defiantly shop there, Taupo is bouncing with interesting shops – what a place.

I had a Caesar Chicken Salad with Anchovies for lunch – on the lakeside restaurant - there are quite a few there, glad I went there, it was delicious, and I mean delicious. I will definitely pay a visit back there sometime. Will have a little rest now, feet are aching, walked a lot this morning, and then back out in the open: later I'll be picking my grandson up from school.

Spent the evening reading a novel, and the daily paper, but did watch the finals of Master Chef Australia; it was really good – a glass of wine and in bed my 11pm.

(28th November) The weather forecast yesterday said it would be overcast with rain later, and true to forecast, that is exactly how it is, no blue this morning, white clouds cover the sky, so rain this afternoon looks on the cards, and it’s the day of the bicycle race around the lake. I didn’t go shopping yesterday as planned, so need to shop today, the town will be packed, have notices some of the prices have increase, only to be expected, make money when the sun (it this case clouds) are out.
I have discover a delicious bread, eaten it for the last few days, it’s quite expensive $4.80 a large loaf, but its low calorie and made of “Soy and Linseed Oil.” Slightly grained, but the taste, well, that is something else.
Been collecting plastic tubs the last few days, need them to put food in, I will cook over the next few days to freeze. I’m looking forward to doing a good day’s cooking next week.
Time is 15.20pm been into town, bought a load of food, will cook tomorrow, the town is packed, may go out later. Weather a little cloudy with quite a wind; rain is in the air, just lit my log fire, the house sorted, everything is now in place and I can settle in and start to write in earnest, but will not be killing myself with writing, thee are other thinks I intend to do. The house smells of herbs, flesh basic, mint, rosemary: if you wet the leaves and give them a shake, the aroma fills the room.

(29th November) 6.30am, weather cloudy, I think it’s been raining a little in the night. Did go out last night into Taupo, from my house it takes about 15 minutes. I was expecting the town to be a lot fuller, don’t get me wrong, there were quite a few people out, most bars were quite full, and I talked with a few people, but after the bicycle race many were whacked out I expect, and I was home by eleven. It’ll be a while before I go again – night-time into town - but it was an experience.
Just lit the log fire this morning, the smell of burning wood combined with the herbs, well, basil and mint, the rest I have chopped up and are marinating in oil in the fridge.
Where I am it is very quiet, the river is less than a minute walk away, the birds woke me as it got light, it must be their time for courting, if not,, the time just after courting when the quarrelling begins.
Anyway, it’s pleasant to listen to, will start to cook later, have four for dinner tonight, but now will read for a few hours. Just about finished the novel by, Patricia Finney, could have sooner, but for the last three days, I’ve bought and read their financial and business papers to get an angle on what’s going on in the country, and the main news, the quality papers are really good, but it takes quite a while to read them.
I’ve notices a number of people wearing white ribbons in their lapel, and notices a load of different posters displaced in shop windows, saying:

“A woman needs a man who understands.”

“Take a step back and smile.”

“To understand is to love.”

“Warms and love it not violent.”

Plus many other posters saying very much the same thing, in white backgrounds with the words in thick black letters; I can’t remember what all of them say. When I enquired what they meant: it’s a stand against violence in the home, it’s also in the papers and on the television, a person should not use violence against his or her partner or children, or abuse of any sort.
I’ve always believed you shouldn’t, it’s an abhorrent way to behave, but there you are, it takes all sort... I don’t suppose it’s any better in the UK, but it gets a higher profile out here. I say, good on them – their policy is show and shame, but even in today’s world of equality and liberation, women and children are no match for a violent man, you normally find people who perpetuate that type of behaviour are cowards themselves when it comes down to it. Or, are from abusive background, and New Zealand’s policy is to nip it in the bud and not let it transcend to the next generation by creating awareness in children that it is wrong, a good policy indeed.
Another thing I’ve notices, that most of the men display some sort of beard. It didn’t dawn on me at first, I’m not particularly good at shaving myself, I have a habit of cutting myself and using toilet paper stuck to my face to stem the blood, stupid really, but there you are, that’s me – take or leave.
Anyway, every November most men grow a beard and it’s called: “Movember Month,” which is a charity for men’s health, all beads and moustaches are sponsored, many by family, and the donations are towards the charity. I suspect many women don’t kiss their partners over that time, I’ve heard a few comments from women: “I’ll be glad when he has a clean face.” But I like the motive, apparently, men, in the UK as well, are notorious when it comes to getting medical checkups, and looking towards their health, and because of the campaign, the pressure is on them to go and get themselves checked out, don’t I will know it myself, the importance of medical chech ups.
I’m writing this listening to Vivaldi, “Four Seasons, and will then listen to Bonnie Tyler, she has a really strong voice, the time now is 8.34 in the morning and, the clouds are starting to clear, it may yet turn into a sunny day. She is singing the Song “Heart Ache” and it reminds me... yes, it reminds me... you can’ help feeling nostalgic, and her next song, “You don’t know what it’s like to love SOMEBODY.” Another song by another artist also comes into my mind, “Lady in Red,” sung by Christ de Burg. What a song: it holds a poignant memory for me.
Will take a walk into town, mooch a little, and then start to cook the evening meal. Just had a text, there'll be another two for dinner, six now, so cooking for seven tonight, will text them and tell them to bring their own plates. I have been given a phone, spend $30 on buying a card and there you go, local calls are free, and so are texts.
To walk to town and back is 5,800 steps, so it doesn’t take long. My guests have just left, good conversation, I eventually settled on four courses. The first two are what I stated earlier, but I changed the third course, I did Pavlov with strawberries and cream with a fruit of the forest covering with ice cream and a biscuit snap.
The fourth course being cheese and biscuits, they bought wine, I really enjoyed myself, I played music from my laptop, I have thousands of tracks, listening to Eric Clapton as I write this part of my log, everyone has now gone, and I am now ready for bed. The time is nearly 11pm – I had to wash the plates etc between courses.
I placed a bouquet of fresh basil on the table for the first course, gave them a scissors, and told them to help themselves and cut a few leaves to go into their soup – that went down well. I’ll have one more glass of wine and then it’s off the bed. It turned out be a gorgeous day after all – this weather is strange.

(Monday Morning 30th November) I slept like a log, woke at 8.15, I feel a little stiff this morning – a rocket up the bottom comes to mind, my back hurts and I find it difficult to walk straight, a few exercises should do it. I intend to start to write later, the weather is a little cloudy but it looks to be warm later, placed my recycling bin out for collection. I will have muesli with a banana for breakfast.
The first 2000 words of my next manuscript is now complete, and been into town, the weather didn’t turn out sunny after, it is raining with heavy clouds, the weaher looks to be in all day.
No matter, will throw a few logs on the fire and will be in for the rest of the day and night (time is 1.45pm), bought a coffee plunger, and a little toaster, and guess what? I called in one of the charity shops to buy a few more drinking glasses and a few small plates. It looks I’ll be cooking quite a lot, and they were giving away free bread – to purchase would be about $5, and the woman said they get in often, but won’t take advantage, it’s a bit of a game to me, others need it far more. The walk into town was OK in spite of the rain, walking in the rain I enjoy, despite the fact I have a car outside the door lent to me by my son, he has two cars, so it’s no hassle to him to do without one.
Found another gem of a cookbook written in 1980 called Good Housekeeping, “Book of Wholefood Cookery,” by Gail Duff. Will spend a pleasant hour looking over it, after I make myself lunch, beans with a bread roll, and I purchased a large bar of chocolate (Yum! Yum!). Listening now to Irish music.

I have purchased Fair-trade coffee: Here goes, the lesson - the perfect cup of coffee: first warm the plunger, second in goes the coffee, one spoonful per cup, leave to ferment of 5 full minutes before the plunger is depressed, and whacko! You have the perfect cup of coffee. I drink my coffee raw, without milk or sugar, sipping it now together with a cookie; both are yummy!
The food book I’m reading by Gail Duff on wholemeal verses ordinary white flour is most interesting. When I buy or make bread in the future it will be wholemeal from now on (mostly) – and this book was written in 1980, long before the present pressure of diet and nutritious foods, and with the trend against refined and processed foods.
If we feel hungry, and we eat chocolate or a slice of white processed bread, the energy is quickly absorbed and stored by our bodies. Within an hour we are hungry again, we repeat the process and we become fat – a bad call if taken to excess.
If we eat unrefined foods, fruit or fibre for example, they will be more bulky in the stomach and the energy they give off will be absorbed a lot slower. It is lack of fibre in our diet that is the cause of many of our Western diseases, particularly those associated with the digestive system.
One of the products that suffer most from refinement is flour. All type of flour have the same beginning: a simple whole grain of tiny wheat, but its makeup is exceptionally complex, and is made up of three parts.

1. the outer coating is called the bran, which represents 8% of the grain.
2. the tiny growing point is called the germ, and represents 2% of the grain.
3. the white centre: the endosperm consists mostly of starch and represents 90% of the grain.

The bran provides the fibre, the germ, the protein and vitamin E. Wholemeal means the whole grain is ground up into flour – the total unprocessed product without separation. The result is 100% wholemeal flour consisting of all the endosperms, bran and germ – the essential fibre and nutrients in the right proportions. This type of flour is the healthiest.

Next Log will be in a few days, please let me have your comments.