Yet Another Driving Story with Corryn

So I went to Warehouse Stationery yesterday to pick up some stuff with one of the youth here, Amy (Jane's daughter).

As we left, I wasn't too sure how to get back to the Army, as we were in a part of town I haven't actually had to explore yet but Amy was sidetracked with texting boys and so I turned a corner and was going only about 20km, trying to get Amy's attention and working out where I was all at the same time. (Keeping in mind I had about 10 minutes to get to the Army to swap vehicles, drop Amy at home and make it to the airport to pick up Mum and Dad).

And then the funniest thing of all happened: A scooter overtook us. (moped...not the kids ones!) And I just lost it. Oh oh oh how funny!!

In the midst of me laughing, I did text a few friends and I think Sue and Simon said it best when they answered how I must be really getting into the slow South Island way of life!

(No offense to all my S.I readers!!)

Caroline Bay

It's hard, but someone has to live here with these views! The top photo is looking down from the Benvenue Cliffs to the right, and then, below, to the left. The amazing thing is that for such a gorgeous beach, there is usually hardly anyone on it.

Pub Crawl Army style

I will confess, ‘doing the hotels’ has never been something I have been amping to do. The idea of a little Sally girl going round the pubs with a stack of War Cry’s (The Army magazine) and asking for money has never been high on my Ten-things-to-do-before-I-die list. Actually I thought the idea was rather quaint and old fashioned and if anything it was on my list of Top-ten-things-to-avoid-wherever-possible.

However, I’ve now done it three times in Timaru, twice by myself. I can’t say it is part of my ministry I enjoy (by the time Friday night comes I am ready to chill and put my feet up … in the words of Aaradna, enjoy some “d-o-w-downtime”) but it does help the Army PR and I have met some interesting people.

And had several moments which left me blushing (mostly by men a little older than Dad, who recognised I had no ring on a very important finger.) But I do smile that I can get more money out of the young guys than Rex (the officer). Simon thinks its because they like women in uniform. Haha.

Anywho, pubs in Timaru has definitely been more successful than in Upper Hutt. Though I wonder if that has more to do with the groundwork Rex has laid than me. Oh wells.

Out-Training Update

Out-Training is going well. It’s pretty full-on but I am enjoying being out and about again. (Bare with me as I write while I think!)

I am getting my head around everything I have to do, and trying to get decent sleep and decent meals. I have been around several people’s houses and fed the latter, which has been nice, though I think I may have stopped the invitations coming from one particular place when I popped a McDonalds bag and scared the cat. (But man, was it funny!)

Probably the hardest, yet most rewarding time so far was visiting the South Canterbury Hospice as a chaplain. One man I had met the week prior to my visit was still in, but had gone downhill. I got to meet his wife and heard lovely stories of how they met and their life together. I got to pray with her before I left and felt the most fulfilled after the visit when I started up the car.

Of course, I then thought about them all night and the familiarity with Nana last year was a bit much so Mum ended up with a very late night phone call with me crying rivers. It’s moments like that I wish my family were a lot closer than the 13 hour drive and 3 hour ferry crossing it would take to get me to them.

However, the good news is that summer has finally arrived in Timaru. I will admit, I don’t think I have lived in a more beautiful spot that Timaru on a good day. I can look out at Caroline Bay in one direction and at the Remarkables in the other.

I haven’t quite got used to hearing people say they are popping to Dunedin/Christchurch/Temuka/Waimate/Ashburton/Oamaru etc yet. I still think of them being places at the other end of the country, not just a bit down the road. And it amuses me to hear people talk about Hamilton and Auckland as if they are miles away (even if they are!)

There is a kindred spirit when you meet another North Islander. Like I met a guy today from Te Kuiti. The others I was with looked blankly but I was ready to jump up and down screaming “I know where that is!!!” There is often a look between North Islanders. I can’t really think how to describe it. But it is kind of like when you meet another Kiwi travelling overseas. (Except I’m still in New Zealand.)

One thing I do love about Timaru is the number of old church buildings. Incredible. I’ve not seen anything like it up north. The Basilica in Timaru especially captured my attention. The size, the history of it … I guess it is the closest I will get to Europe for a few more years anyway.

And then I also had Mum’s cousin Warren pass through … biking his way round the South Island before he has to be back in Auckland where he teaches at I think Kings College. Unfortunately I missed seeing him face-to-face, but it was cool having a person I knew down this way.

The Corps (church) people are really lovely. They have been incredibly hospitable and friendly. I even met one lady who knew my grandparents, Norm and Nancy! The families are quite intertwined, but it was expected and quite honestly isn’t as confusing as what the Smiths are like in Hamilton. It has given me a new appreciation for what people go through up there trying to sort out who belongs to who.

I work mostly with Jane, the Community and Family Worker, in the morning, and she listens to all my stories with a face that looks interested (believe it or not!) and Bronwyn, Ricky, Alan and the changing staff at the Family Store, which is attached to the Corps.

The Foodbank is incredible and I am amazed at how generous the Timaru community is. It always has donations coming in, which of course means the Army can be generous giving out.
And with that, I think I will sign off. Til next time …

Argh!!! Stilettos!!!

I can only surmise that the creator of the shoe style stiletto was of the male gender. Only a man would come up with the idea of adding sticks to the backs of shoes, a modern form of torture. Though, I give him credit for being smart enough to not wear them himself. Why not give them to his wife? After all, this woman species already applies layers to her face, dye to her hair, and perfume (because she has to smell beautiful as well as look it!) Why not add another crazy monstrosity to the list of things a woman does in order to be preened and beautiful.

I got home from standing on my heels at church for hours with my feet aching and ponder, while rubbing my throbbing feet at why I - a smart, educated, well-rounded young woman - volunteeringly slips my feet each week into said torture tools, a.k.a. stilettos.

I can come up with one reason: Hot tomales, they make my calves look good!!

HOW TO... get out of Chch without a map

So one thing I didn’t mention about leaving Christchurch for Timaru, that I am sure you will find amusing…

Well, I had followed the Stevens into the city on Sunday night, and left them to go to Timaru Monday morning. I didn’t get directions off them because I knew I had a handy map book of the South Island that Mum had given me for Christmas.

Thus, after a couple of blocks (so I could get street names to orient myself) I pulled out the map book only to find no Christchurch. I look at the cover, titled: “South Island excluding Christchurch City”. D’oh!
So being the stubborn person I am and refusing to pay money for a map to get OUT of a city, I had a guess at which was north and south and headed in that general direction.

You can imagine my complete surprise to see a sign marked ‘Timaru’ within minutes!! Man, I am good! Alas, no one was there to see and share my joy!!

My first thoughts of Timaru

Well, Timaru is a lot bigger than I thought! Apparently it is a city of about 35 000 … okay, not Hamilton or Wellington, but more than meets my needs.

I’m pretty much right near Caroline Bay, which is gorgeous and have a primo house and garden. The house is very similar to my own tastes, which is great … and there is even a gardener who comes so I won’t have the chance to kill off the garden. (Phew!)

Timaru has pretty much just the one main street of shops, but is a lot longer than I expected and has many of the chain stores I normally shop at. There’s also a lot of cafes that I might just have to try out. I’ll confess this is the time I wish my girl friends were around to try them out with me, but I will get used to it – and there is always making new friends at the church!

I haven’t had a Sunday at Timaru yet, so I am still to meet most of the Corps (church) people, but I’ve been on a few visitation rounds with the officers (Majors Rex and Glenis) which has been good. Actually it is probably easier because it gives me the opportunity to actually learn the names and stories of them rather than be overloaded all at once.

I had my first day at the Corps today. It’s been a bit of overload, but I’ve been making a lot of mental and physical notes of all sorts of things. I know I will get mocked for saying this but I had forgotten how tiring it can be doing a full day’s work! (Keep in mind for the last year, it’s been mostly intellectual for me!)

There’s a lot to get my head around, and I know there will be challenges as well as adventures, but I think I am quite going to like Timaru.

Will keep in touch.

Travelling to Timaru...

My alarm went on Sunday morning at 4am … yes, apparently there is such a time! … and I got up to pack the last few things in my car before going to meet the Stevens (Simon, Sue, Kendal and Monique) on our journey to the island of the South.

That was when I realised that my wallet was not with me … last place I had it … when I bought fish n chips the night before with the Brays. Hence, to their obvious delight, at approx 4:30am, I was knocking on Perry and Annette’s bedroom window. To my horror, the wallet was nowhere to be found in their house, but after much sluicing, we found it in the car in which I had left to get the dinner (not in my car, just to clarify!)

By 6am, we were on the ferry crossing Cook Strait … my first time … and I will admit to checking out the locations of the seasickness bags, knowing I have weak sea legs. But God blessed us by changing the direction of the wind overnight, and I made the journey with food kept down!

Above: Simon and Kendal in the wind at the front of the ferry. And below: Me and Sue inside.

Monique came in my car from Picton, and you can imagine my smile to see she had fallen asleep to Pillar … not exactly what I would consider lullaby music but she went to Lalaland anyhow and stayed until I woke her to look at the seals at Ohau Point. (http://www.pillarmusic.com/)

Then the drama really began. On leaving our seal-watching point, I was overtaken, then separated from the Stevens van, by a car who had been consistently too far up my backside for my liking. Then literally right outside of Kaikoura, the trailer on the car between the Stevens and I blew a tyre. Like it disintegrated before my eyes. I slammed on the brakes and started pulling to the left, and instinctly put my arm out to keep Monique in her sear (though the seatbelt really did the job) as the axle broke and the other tyre flew off the trailer and landed beside my door, bouncing on the road.

Talk about heart racing! It turned out there were dogs in the trailer, but fortunately they were alright.

As we stopped for lunch in Kaikoura, all the what ifs went through my mind. What if I had been driving a metre closer to that car? Or doing a couple of km’s faster? What if the 4WD behind me had been a fraction closer – he would have pushed us into the trailer. What if the other tyre and axle had hit my car rather than the road beside me? What if there had been traffic on the other side of the road where that tyre landed?

So many what ifs. I can only praise God for His protection over us all at that time.

Kendal and Monique running from the waves at Kaikoura

We got to Christchurch with no more dramas, though Kendal swapped for Monique and I heard all about the boy she was going to marry, the three kids they would have (and on what days and what their occupations would be!). It did amuse me. For a five year old, she had thought this through A LOT!

And then the next morning, I left the Stevens in Christchurch and headed further south for Timaru.

New Years at Waihi Beach

After Nana's ashes laying thing, Mum, Dad, Matt and I went off to the Mount (Maunganui) for a night. This was Mum's idea since we hadn't had a family holiday since before I started working when I was 15!

Then Matt and I headed over to Waihi Beach for a couple of days to spend New Years at Uncle Alister and Aunty Sue's bach. It was so nice seeing the sun and just chilling ... even if I was embarrassing of my blinding white legs!

NEW YEARS 07!!

Playing drinking games ... but drinking full glasses of water instead.
The toilet was kept busy.

Michael giving a personal concert

And Matt gives a private show around the brazier. Stone cold sober too.

The nearly Mrs Ross ... the one and only Haley ... the face of SANZ PR.

AND THEN THE REST OF THE HOL...

Angela and Lauren

A beautiful shot of Waihi Beach and then again (below) at sunset.

Daniel introduces us to his new girlf Sam ... who survived the first meeting with the extended whanau with flying colours!

with my cousin Glenn

The one and only gorgeous Captain Rebecca! Did I mention single??

Moi on the beach and (below) Uncle Al heads for the water.

P.S. Don't worry, Aunty Sue ... I still have that wonderful photo of you falling backwards off the swiss ball ... I just have to be smart about when I use it. ;)

RIP Nana

So Saturday 30th December, I went out to Gordonton Cemetery with most of the whanau to put Nana's ashes to rest - just as Popa wanted. It was a nice time. Strange time. I still expect to go and see her at the home, sitting up in bed or something.

What I did like about this was that now I finally feel like I have closure of some sort. The day after the funeral in July, I went straight home to Wellington, and have kept busy (such is life so it wasn't much effort on my part) so outside of random tears at random moments, I don't know how well I have grieved. Actually, I don't think it is about if we have finished grieving or not ... I don't think you ever get over the loss of a loved one. You just adjust to a new way of living.

Mum gave me Nana's Bible the night before and as I was flipping through the pages, I was crying. I let out a lot of my anger at God - why did He take her - all that stuff and I came to an old brown envelope. On it, in Nana's handwriting was written "There is a season for everything. A time to live, a time to die." That verse from Ecclesiastes 3. I looked where the envelope was placed. Psalm 39. And I read these words:

4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my
days; let me know how fleeting is my life.
5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath.

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:

He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

And it hit me. Nana had known her days were numbered. She had known she was near the end and her hope was in God.

Unless you believe in God, you might think this was all conincidence. But I know better. As I sat crying on my bed, I knew God had planted that envelope and those verses just for me at that time. And I had this peace overflow me ... Grieve for she's not with you, but rejoice for she's with Me. Forever.

And so that's what we did. I am reminded of 1 Thessalonians 4:13 which reminds believers that we do not grieve like those who have no hope. My hope is in the Lord. That reminds me my future is there as well. Praise God!

I got to pick flowers to go on Nana's grave, so I chose this bouquet - white roses (her fav flowers) and red calla lillies, like the ones that grew in our paddock when we lived with Nana and Popa.

And we also took a bouquet out to put on my other grandparents' grave. (Dad's parents)

After we all went to a cafe for morning tea ... here's Matt and Popa. (the plaster is where his stitches are!)