Day 14, Level 1: Auckland's waterfront, computer fix, fish pie - and more Grace Kelly!

Another gorgeous day in Auckland City. No rain in sight! Despite being surrounded by water, the drinking and household variety is dwindling due to lack of rainfall and severe drought ... things are getting dire and rain is not looking likely!

Auckland City on a winter's day

Was busy sorting some admin deadlines and completing a job this morning - then headed for the waterfront. Elaine, whose birthday dinner I had attended last Thursday, was making her birthday celebrations last longer by having an Elevenses gathering for friends from Hapua Street days. I didn't think I'd get there as was fully immersed in said project and morning running away on me - but once I got to a point of completion, I headed along to join in - a bit late but that didn't matter.

You see, I was brought up in Hapua Street - which is how my family and I got to know Elaine and her late husband Peter. They lived right at the top of the cul-de-sac, we were a bit further down on the corner. To get home, they had to pass our house. Which usually meant calling in for a quick drink. Which sometimes meant staying for dinner.

Mum and Dad were the ultimate hosts and our family home was always full of people calling in and staying for the longhaul. It was such a social time (the 1970s!) More often than not I'd be upstairs doing my homework or studying, but I also loved listening to the adult banter. I was pretty shy back then, believe it or not(!) and didn't really engage with the adults as such - but I observed and absorbed and got to know them in my own way.

I guess that's why Elaine and I get on so well and have stayed in touch - we've known each other for all those decades and we now live just a few streets away from each other! And we sure know how to laugh! Elaine came on the Russia/Baltic States trip with me last July. She was also booked to come on the Spain/Portugal trip this year - we were supposed to be leaving on 29th June. Sadly, not to be.

I always used to love it when Mum and Dad got invited to go a party at Elaine and Peter's because, rather than get a babysitter, they'd take us with them and we three sisters would ensconce ourselves on E&P's huge bed, and watch tv while the adults partied in true 70s style. We'd eventually fall asleep and get woken up after midnight when it was home time. They also had a big billiards room and we used to play that a bit too, with Dad and Peter. Mum and Elaine were probably in the kitchen making delicious 70s style canapes and sipping Blue Nun!! Good times, remembered vividly and fondly.

So it was great to enjoy a Hapua Street reconnection today - and to meet some new people who now live in the street. I sometimes drive up the street when passing and reminisce about those old days. It's a very intriguing street in so many ways.

Anyway, the lunch venue was Akarana Eatery - a relatively new cafe at the Akarana Yacht Club which I wasn't aware of. Established by Nick Watt, it has a wonderful marine atmosphere and harbour views. I just had a CCC (coffee, croissant and chat) but the others all had a full lunch/brunch and bubbles etc - the food looked really good. I was very impressed. A lovely sojourn in the middle of the day. Try it next time you're after a casual but classy meal on the waterfront. I'll be going back! Thanks for the introduction Elaine, so glad I could make it along 😊

After I left I did a few things, including topping up with petrol. After so many weeks driving nowhere, I now seem to be chewing through the petrol getting out and about, especially going up and down to and from Omaha.

Anyway, I completely forgot to take any photos of the waterfront from Akarana Eatery - too busy yakking and then headed off in a hurry to get on with my working day - so here's a photo of Auckland City taken from a little further along the waterfront (as well as the photo at top). I stopped specially as the scene was so splendid. I very rarely take a photo of my own city and this was the day to capture it.

You can see what a stunner of a day it was - and about 20 degrees C - hot. Mid-winter hot, haha!

The light was fantastic.

Auckland City on a perfect winter's day

Home to do a few more worky things, and then went to see my trusty computer man at Fix My PC. I've used Anton for years and he's fabulous at sorting me out when there is a computer glitch or issue I need help with - thankfully, not too many over the years and he's always been quickly to the rescue and saved the day!

Current issue - my external hard drive had corrupted and, as well as containing backup files, it was also the only placed I'd stored a whole heap of old photos dating back decades. Not the best idea. In desperation I took the hard drive to Anton and - phew - he was able to access them behind the scenes and transfer all the files to my laptop. I'd been meaning to get this sorted for months but time runs away, and then lockdown. Finally done!

I also got him to sort out a few set up things with the laptop to optimise operation, streamline my email synching (including on my phone), link One Drive and all that sort of stuff which I needed some assistance with to get it set up in the best way. Long overdue. Now all done and sorted. Thanks Anton!

If you need computer help - call Anton at Fix My PC (Greenlane) - he's great.

Back home, and Anton did some remote sorting to finish the streamlining and synching with my desktop ... and then into the kitchen to make a smoked fish pie for dinner - using delicious fresh smoked Kingfish from Omaha neighbour Peter who had been catching and smoking fish and delivered it at the weekend! Bloody good fish and bloody good pie it was. Brett thought it excellent. I gave due where due is due, pointing out that a great fish pie can't be great unless it starts with great fish! Rang Peter and gave him the thumbs up!

LUNCH: CCC at Akarana Eatery

DINNER: Fish pie with fresh smoked Kingfish

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:

More Grace Kelly ...

Following on from yesterday's post about young singer Grace Kelly, here is a video clip of three of the Enchanted girls singing Taylor Swift's Love Story - Grace is main singer. They sang at my 50th party - hmmm, some years ago now ...! One girl was absent. They performed several songs, did a great set. Everyone loved it! So special. This is them rehearsing before everyone arrived.

This is the back cover of Grace's new EP - to be officially released in July.
You can see her lovely autograph for me.
Also, the musicians who played on this EP (listed here) are well respected Nashville musicians who rate Grace highly and loved collaborating with her on these songs - all written by Grace.
Go Grace!