Romance and Women's Literature

What a great weekend I had at the last Kara School of Romance Writing Workshop.  Tutors Daphne De Jong and Robyn Kingston (who writes as Robyn Donald) have published many titles each - Daphne in many genres (a fabulous writer who can create gut wrenching scenarios) and Robyn - 84 delicious Romance novels - Mills & Boone sorts.  Have you read any?

I have a story in mind as my first novel and I've begun it... now will I finish it? The support of the other writers in the workshop (2 from Australia and 2 others from NZ) and Daphne's and Robyn's encouragement make me think it is a worthwhile endeavour!

 Meanwhile, I've been waiting YEARS for my first white King Protea, and here it is! Stunning, eh? My first plant never prospered, then died, so I tried again with a second and to my great pleasure, the white ones have been opening for months outside my bathroom window.

Below the white is the King Protea with normal colouration (coloration in America).  They are huge - big as a baby's head anyway.

So now I've got to go as I've been asked to speak to the Waipu Lion's Club tonight, about growing up on the US/Mexican border and I've got to do some research plus make up a slide show. oooh, I can feel butterflies - I haven't done much public speaking for a while.

Property easier to manage with helpers

The weather has been fantastic and its planting time... with Jorge's help, and now Erina from Sweden, lots has been happening.  Erina is 21 and has been working and travelling three years since she left high school. She's come to NZ after living in Aberdeen, Scotland and Amsterdam, then  travelling through Australia, India and Nepal, with friends. She is a vegetarian and we've been having yummy meals and its nostalgic for me to recall being 21 and a vegetarian, so I've shared with her recipes I have from back then plus got her baking bread.  Her first focaccia was fab!

Yesterday we moved some dahlias and created a planting bed for salad greens up near the house.

Today's feature in the Northern Advocate will be a story I wrote about Freddy Wilkinson who grew up in Waipu in the late 1930s, studied horticulture and floristry and went off to England 49 years ago where he began working as a gardener with the Constance Spry Flower School.  Google her, she was very cool, and Fred, though he arrived two years after Constance died, is still with the organisation and does flowers for royalty, amongst other things. He did flowers for Lancaster House for Prince William and Kate's wedding (that's where dignitaries had dinner the night before and were collected to be taken to the wedding) and for Di and Prince Charles's wedding, for Princess Anne and Mark Philips and for the Queen's residence. He has met the Queen many times and thinks she is a marvellous and very hard working woman.

Today I get to cover the unveiling of a commemorative monument for the HMS Puriri, which was sunk by a Japanese mine  planted during World War II, the only ship sunk with loss of lives in NZ waters. It was hushed during the war and family members started agitating recently through David Wistrand, a Waipu friend and VP of the local Returned Servicemen's Association (RSA). I helped them get some press and letters went to the NZ Navy and now, 70 years to the day the ship sunk, Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Tony Parr will unveil the monument at Ocean Beach.

Then I'm off north to Okaihau for the retirement of their Chief Fire Officer Colin Thomas, after 34 years as CFO and more in the Brigade. This picture is Colin Thomas, a kind and dedicated man!

So.. got to go, will post more pictures next time. Ciao

Comedy

The opening of the NZ Comedy Festival in Wellington was great last night and thanks to Sarah, Angie and I also got to the after party. 'Twas very cool to be in comedy greatness, just hoping some has rubbed off! www.comedyfestival.co.nz
Terry Alderton was absolutely fantastic - his schizophrenic arguments with himself show his mega talent for voice and personality. Carey Marx, who was funnier last year when he abused a stuffed toy,  was still cheeky and maliciously clever and I would still love to see his whole show. 
Sam Wills, whose act is the boy with tape on his face is a terrific and a wonderfully expressive mime who draws the audience in and thrills without any swearing at all!  It can be done.
It seems to me that comics are swearing a bit less often, not relying on it for humour but using it as we woudl in any conversation. I was pleased.
The show was hosted by American Arj Barker who plays Dave on the Flight of the Conchords. He did a brilliant job, sharing his humour and insightful comments, not to mention his blues harmonic... Jamie Bowen's ukulele blues was cool,  'You Tube Sensation' Matt Mulholland's hilarious singing trio of guys is not to be missed - a delicious voice with a wicked sense of humour and some pretty groovy choreography.
Those are just a few of the highlights. They are all worth seeing.
Ciao for now... and did I tell you the one about?