May I speak with the lady of the house?

One of the nicest things about living in Hawera is the quiescent telephone. Except for the occasional 7 am ring (thanks mom), my usual Tuesday night call from June (one of my mother hen patients), and the random ring from someone thinking they’ve reached the Hawera Police, my phone never speaks. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m blessed with night after night of peaceful eating without a single solicitation in sight. Until last night. As I was heading out for my nightly gym ritual the phone rang. Thinking it was one of the usual suspects I answered. A proper, British-accented female voice responded from the other side of the line informing me that my household had been chosen to receive a free carpet or lounge suite cleaning. I kindly responded that I was renting the flat and did not have the jurisdiction to make that decision. I have no idea whether this was correct, but it quickly ridded me of further conversation. Sad, have phone, they will find you.

World of Entertainment

It seems like the activities never cease around here. This past weekend certainly didn’t disappoint, as Jason and I ventured up to New Plymouth for WOMAD, World of Music, Arts and Dance. A three day affair filled with musical talent from all around the world, we were certainly exposed to music we wouldn’t have looked at twice in the store. An impressive event, where nearly 10,000 flocked to this small coastal city of only 55,000, WOMAD had a little something for everyone. The setting was Brooklands Park in the heart of the city. One main, permanent stage set up in the “bowl” drew the largest crowds, with performances running every other hour. On the off hours, acts performed on 4 temporary stages set up throughout the park. Setting up our blanket and chilly bin, we camped out all day. While at first seeming cumbersome to move every hour to see a new act, it did provide necessary movement and stiffness/blood clot prevention. The acts weren’t the only attraction. There was also an array of ethnic food, craft stalls, cooking displays by the artists themselves, and even workshops and conversation stages where you got a more up close and personal visit with the artists. While the weather didn’t cooperate much to our likely on Saturday (the sky opening to pouring rain by 6:30pm), the 3 day spread meant we could catch acts on Sunday that were missed the day before.

Oh, and the people watching wasn’t bad either. Have you ever noticed there are no overweight hippies?

Test of Time

Monday, March 12, was Taranaki Anniversary Day thus granting me another long weekend and the opportunity to explore a new part of the country. This time I picked Napier, in a region known as Hawke’s Bay, on the eastern shore of the North Island. An up and coming wine region, it’s also well known for its fruit and vegetable orchards. Jason and I sampled, and purchased, many a bag of fruit from the renowned Sunday Farmer’s Market before setting off to sample the local vineyards and tour the “farmgates” selling everything from locally produced cheese, fruit, vegetables, sauces, and chocolates. After “suffering” through a three course culinary luncheon experience sitting on the deck of one of the local wineries in sweltering 28 degree Celsius weather, we did manage to climb to the top of Te Mata Peak, a local favorite with the athletically inclined. Hey, we had to do something to make up for ingesting all those extra calories.

Napier, however, has gained most of its recognition as being the “Art Deco City” of New Zealand. Due to a devastating earthquake, magnitude 7.8 on the Richter Scale, on February 3, 1931 all but one building in the township of Napier was destroyed. Rebuilding itself in just two short years, all the buildings were designed in the architectural style of the day, Art Deco. The town offers a wonderful display of Art Deco architecture with a little Spanish Mission style thrown into the mix. Taking the guided tour, Jason and I were amazed at the extent to which this style has persisted. Much to the credit of the Art Deco Trust, established in 1985, the style has carried through to much of the modern development, such that companies willing to build using plans generated by the Trust architects to compliment the original Art Deco architecture will receive government subsidies to build. Not a bad way to guarantee uniformity and preservation of a unique style. Good on ya.

Clash of the Titans

I intended to write a little except last night about my latest weekend adventure to Napier, the Art Deco capital of New Zealand. That will have to wait for another day. Unfortunately, New Zealand was hit by our first big storm of the fall/winter last night. It brought torrential rains and winds gusting up to 100km an hour. It definitely made my usual walk home from work a little precarious. Just as I was formulating my thoughts to put down on computer, an astonishingly loud crash of thunder shook my flat. Thinking the gods has descended upon me to collect on my prior indiscretions; instead the lights went out across the town. Thank goodness I had brought a flashlight from America, because Hawera is a very spooky place when the lights go out. I guess this means summer is officially over.

Goodbye, old friend

Friday marked the last day for my American colleague’s six months as a locum at Ruanui Health Centre. It was a day of great sadness for the clinic, patients, and especially me. Monday, once again, signified my re-familiarization with being a solo practitioner, this time to an every growing panel of patients. It’s hard for me to believe those six months have already gone. In that time I realized the benefits of having a colleague, not only in having someone with whom I can discuss patient cases, but also for the patients and the practice. It’s a difficult situation in New Zealand with doctor shortages rampant throughout the country, making continuity of care a hard realization. The shortages are ever more apparent as I look for a new position up north in Hamilton. With offices and recruitment companies calling or emailing almost daily, I’m realizing I could nearly hitch my way into town and find a job instantly. However, the past six months with this particular colleague have made me realize that I’m looking for much more than just a working colleague, but also a confidant and a friend; something readily supplied with him. I wish you all the best, Rich and Brooke. Thanks for the great times.