more minutiae…

the local pharmacy has a blend of functions. There is a ‘traditional’ counter for filling prescriptions but the store is filled with homeopathic elixirs and vitamins as well as health foods. Having maxed out on ‘Delish’ peanut butter from China we found Organic Peanut Butter with a ‘distinctive, rich flavour’ there. Ceres organics is the brand—the company proudly informs the buyer that Ceres is the Roman goddess of grains and agriculture (for the benefit of those of us with no classical education). It is pretty tasty! Also available: Bragg organic Apple Cider Vinegar ‘with the Mother’ (contains no preservatives). Apple cider being a necessity for long life, we consider it a prime dietary supplement—Vermont farmers swear by it for healthy cows and cowherds. (Imported by Ceres--product of California.) The bottle helpfully informs the buyer that in 400 BC, the great Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, used apple cider vinegar for its amazing cleansing and healing and energizing health qualities…(this does suggest external use…?)

We patronized the farmers’ market yesterday for only the second time. Two cheeses (cheese curd!), leeks, red lettuce, baby bok choy, carrots, garlic chives, rhubarb and strawberries were the choices. The latter two items are filling our family room/kitchen at the moment with a delightful odor…a strawberry rhubarb crumble is cooking in the oven…(prep of fruits being carried out by the sous-chef, moi; assembly and final touches by Tessa, the queen of the kitchen).

Your observer started writing early today, Sunday, with the family asleep. Wim and Lily both went to parties yesterday and we had dinner guests. Later sleepers lazed long...Also yesterday morning, I went to a great movie about the life of an orchestra. The music was beautiful and inspiring, the dedication of the musicians to the music and to their jobs was reinvigorating. Keep your eye out for it because I think you would like it too--'Five Days in September'. (It's a documentary.)

Christmas day seems far off still but all signs suggest the day will arrive suddenly and all too soon. On Thursday, Lily's entire school had a Christmas service at a beautiful cathedral downtown (St. Paul’s). Readings, carols, lighting of Advent candles and a tableaux of the Nativity. Lily was chosen to be one of the four angels, something she entirely delighted in. (Her school and Wim's both are religiously affiliated. They have a class in religion, par example.) This next week is their last week of school. The final assemblies include many awards and much prize giving but probably not at Lily's level. We had tried to dampen Wim's expectations about receiving any prizes at all (because he only entered the school in the middle of the third of four terms). His teacher then told him to be sure his parents came to the assembly because he was up for prizes in two categories! We are proud in advance.

Did I notice this before? On the way walking and running to the latest church we are trying out—not exactly certain if I remembered where it was (others having gone on ahead) a fire engine drove by. It was not ‘operating’ in extremis would be my guess—it was leaving the ‘car park’ (hopefully all the fire people had returned their trundles to the trundle park) of the super-market. The vehicle was identified with a bright international yellow/green background highlighting the signage “New Zealand Fire Service”. (?...they service your fire?...tend it, feed it, watch it or what…? Okay--the answer is obvious but the moniker is remains strange...)

Your writer has taken to moving about Waikikamukau on two wheels. The same hills and gradients that can turn a 20 minute walk into a major cardiovascular experience create a hill climb on a bike that would prepare you for the tour de France. I am now able to ride from George Street up the hill to our house, a fact in which I am well pleased (especially since initial attempts found me dismounting at one third the way up the hill). There is no discernable effect on the old waistline but I am in better ‘shape’ than I was. One plus of cycling is that one can practice turning a corner and thinking about which side of the road continues to be the ‘right’ side. The pace also gives opportunity for closer observation. For instance, I passed a school the other day. The signage on one door announced ‘inward goods’ (referring to spiritual matters?) This information triggered the New Yorker cartoon caption portion of the old gray matter…was this a school of philosophy? possibly theology?

Time to get away from the computer screen, pick up pizza (while children are chomping down their salads) and tune in to Top Gear, a British car show. Lily usually gets a bit sleepy but Willem eats it up. They are both showered and ready for their big, partial but final weeks. Two months of summer vacation coming up next!