Day Eight - IndiCat, Emmylou, Home and Dad
A stunning April day today, I love this time of year. It was hot. The sunset was sublime.
Today, the 2nd of April, is my Dad's birthday (b. 1937). In 1993 we celebrated his 56th birthday with a family dinner at his favourite Thai Restaurant. A month later he was gone. He would have turned 83 today. Cheers Dad, wish you were here.
Yesterday, I talked about Little Barrier looking like it was erupting (see photos from yesterday's blog).
Today, every exquisite contour of the island was more clearly visible from Omaha shores than I've seen in a very long time. The clarity was astounding.
Dad used to go on occasional fishing expeditions with mates to Hauturu/Little Barrier in the '70s/'80s. One time, however, the boat's motor conked out and even fearless Dad was worried for their safety. He was a GP, well-regarded to be able to fix just about anything in the human and DIY realms, but his recounting of events of that day conjured terror on board. They were all out of their depth. Somehow - I don't recall the detail - the stars were aligned and they made it home safely, although for a while, being smashed upon the cliffs of Little Barrier was a very real possibility.
Tonight, around 7pm, the skies behind the island lit up in pastel hues of pink and blue and I hurried down to the beach to capture the glory from the sands. I think Dad crafted these skies especially! (See the video at the end of this blog for a better view).
Our cat Indi trotted behind me to the beach tonight (she often does at dusk) - she didn't get all the way to the sand, as a dog growled and grumbled loudly and rather menacingly from behind a fence on the walkway just near the beach (he must have been able to sniff cat), and so she stayed put, waiting patiently for me to do my business with my camera. She duly trotted along beside me all the way home (3 minutes, but probably 5 with a cat in tow sniffing and investigating everything for the thousandth time! I even managed to get an extremely rare decent photo of her. She's 9yo and, much as I've tried over many years, I really don't have any good photos of her in all that time. She's tortoiseshell and either blends into the background, is moving or never looks in the right direction.
Other 2nd April birthdays of note:
"This is Us" - Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - can a song with such real depth get any happier than this? It was one of our wedding songs - if you listen to the lyrics, you'll get it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DLR7dviLVE
"Red Dirt Girl" - Emmylou - stunning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE_sUN_M7p0
"Calling My Children Home" - this is an older and lesser known Emmylou song, performed here in 1998 - I think it's quite apt right now, as parents and children are parted, stranded around the world and isolated in different parts of the country, unable to connect in person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpzK-c9Jxeg
Talking of connecting with family afar ...
I set up a Zoom Family Gathering call - we all got together online - me and Michael in Omaha, Brett in Auckland and Sam in London. It was great. All men are taking a different approach in the shaving stakes - Sam is sporting a rather full beard (can't be bothered shaving), Michael is sporting a mo (he feels like it) and Brett is shaving every day to keep up normalcy!
I did shave my legs this morning!
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
I decided I'd go to Warkworth to go to the supermarket and do a hefty top up of supplies. I was resigned to the fact it would be arduous and probably a little bit hideous and, as I left, I said to Michael "not looking forward to this".
OMG, it was a nightmare. The town itself is like a ghost town but the supermarket queues at New World defied belief - people snaking around the car park in hot sunshine waiting patiently for entry and pretending that chitchat makes it all okay. NO. I looked around me and, even though at times I do wonder if I'm mad, I knew that today it was all of them!
I investigated Countdown - in shade as you had to enter via the carpark - but that was also a NO.
I drove straight back to Matakana to go to the 4 Square there. It was a peaceful and plentiful experience - and only a queue of two at the door. I got everything I needed and more (their selection is fantastic), for a normal price (good on them, no rip off going on here), and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (staff ultra friendly and delightful with an eye on safety for everyone). How pleasant!
If and when I need more of anything, that's where I'll be going. Big shout-out to you guys.
And if supermarket shenanigans have made you lose the will to live ... watch this, it will bring you inner peace!!!
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| Omaha Photo of the Day - pure beauty right there |
Today, the 2nd of April, is my Dad's birthday (b. 1937). In 1993 we celebrated his 56th birthday with a family dinner at his favourite Thai Restaurant. A month later he was gone. He would have turned 83 today. Cheers Dad, wish you were here.
Yesterday, I talked about Little Barrier looking like it was erupting (see photos from yesterday's blog).
Today, every exquisite contour of the island was more clearly visible from Omaha shores than I've seen in a very long time. The clarity was astounding.
Dad used to go on occasional fishing expeditions with mates to Hauturu/Little Barrier in the '70s/'80s. One time, however, the boat's motor conked out and even fearless Dad was worried for their safety. He was a GP, well-regarded to be able to fix just about anything in the human and DIY realms, but his recounting of events of that day conjured terror on board. They were all out of their depth. Somehow - I don't recall the detail - the stars were aligned and they made it home safely, although for a while, being smashed upon the cliffs of Little Barrier was a very real possibility.
Tonight, around 7pm, the skies behind the island lit up in pastel hues of pink and blue and I hurried down to the beach to capture the glory from the sands. I think Dad crafted these skies especially! (See the video at the end of this blog for a better view).
Our cat Indi trotted behind me to the beach tonight (she often does at dusk) - she didn't get all the way to the sand, as a dog growled and grumbled loudly and rather menacingly from behind a fence on the walkway just near the beach (he must have been able to sniff cat), and so she stayed put, waiting patiently for me to do my business with my camera. She duly trotted along beside me all the way home (3 minutes, but probably 5 with a cat in tow sniffing and investigating everything for the thousandth time! I even managed to get an extremely rare decent photo of her. She's 9yo and, much as I've tried over many years, I really don't have any good photos of her in all that time. She's tortoiseshell and either blends into the background, is moving or never looks in the right direction.
 |
| Dad's ashes are scattered out by the headland |
 |
| IndiCat en route back from the beach. A VERY rare photo that shows her colour tones to best effect. She's still not looking in the right direction! |
- Emmy-Lou Harris turned 73 - one helluva singer/songwriter, going strong
- Hans Christian Andersen, b. 1805 - enduring tales that still enchant
- Marvin Gaye, b. 1939 - excellent musician gone before his time
Here are some musical musings for today... it's always good to get a dose of great music especially when stuck at home. Links included. (I'll be posting a music video every day going forward).
Let's start with ...
TALKING HEADS
The inimitable David Byrne and Talking Heads. My favourite song of theirs (and that's a hideously difficult choice) is "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" - I've loved it since I was 22 and I love it as much now as I did then. Pure Byrne genius in every way.
It's also relevant right now as it's all about being HOME - coming home, finding home, having time at home - and this is what we are all doing right now.
Such an under-rated song. Love it to bits.
The first two lines are:
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me around
Pick me up and turn me around
Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
Quirky 80s video, showing homes and home movies (oh that was Dad's passion!) - and the band members doing utterly wonderful quirky things! Dave Byrne's distinctive vocals and a persona that screams individuality at the core of it all. Nostalgia, the future and reflections of the past all wrapped up in one. Love the tea-lady waltzing in at the very end - presumably with home-baking!
Quirky 80s video, showing homes and home movies (oh that was Dad's passion!) - and the band members doing utterly wonderful quirky things! Dave Byrne's distinctive vocals and a persona that screams individuality at the core of it all. Nostalgia, the future and reflections of the past all wrapped up in one. Love the tea-lady waltzing in at the very end - presumably with home-baking!
As a lifelong traveller, I love to be away, discovering places far from home.
But that doesn't make home any less special. In fact, it makes it much more so!
Let's all enjoy the time and space to enjoy HOME as the place we want to be!
EMMYLOU HARRIS
I've seen her twice in concert and could listen to her for every moment for the rest of my life. Her voice, her songwriting, her whole persona - she's about as captivating as a woman can be.
Here are some favourites, including a song with Mark Knopfler from their duet album All the Road Running, which is a stupendously good collaboration,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DLR7dviLVE
"Red Dirt Girl" - Emmylou - stunning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE_sUN_M7p0
"Calling My Children Home" - this is an older and lesser known Emmylou song, performed here in 1998 - I think it's quite apt right now, as parents and children are parted, stranded around the world and isolated in different parts of the country, unable to connect in person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpzK-c9Jxeg
Talking of connecting with family afar ...
I set up a Zoom Family Gathering call - we all got together online - me and Michael in Omaha, Brett in Auckland and Sam in London. It was great. All men are taking a different approach in the shaving stakes - Sam is sporting a rather full beard (can't be bothered shaving), Michael is sporting a mo (he feels like it) and Brett is shaving every day to keep up normalcy!
I did shave my legs this morning!
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
I decided I'd go to Warkworth to go to the supermarket and do a hefty top up of supplies. I was resigned to the fact it would be arduous and probably a little bit hideous and, as I left, I said to Michael "not looking forward to this".
OMG, it was a nightmare. The town itself is like a ghost town but the supermarket queues at New World defied belief - people snaking around the car park in hot sunshine waiting patiently for entry and pretending that chitchat makes it all okay. NO. I looked around me and, even though at times I do wonder if I'm mad, I knew that today it was all of them!
I investigated Countdown - in shade as you had to enter via the carpark - but that was also a NO.
I drove straight back to Matakana to go to the 4 Square there. It was a peaceful and plentiful experience - and only a queue of two at the door. I got everything I needed and more (their selection is fantastic), for a normal price (good on them, no rip off going on here), and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (staff ultra friendly and delightful with an eye on safety for everyone). How pleasant!
If and when I need more of anything, that's where I'll be going. Big shout-out to you guys.
And if supermarket shenanigans have made you lose the will to live ... watch this, it will bring you inner peace!!!
Looks lovely Sal, thanks for the tunes😀
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