Christmas in Takapuna

Experiencing Christmas at 70+ degrees has been a new experience for me.  Even though I was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada where we didn’t have snow for Christmas, it was still colder than New Zealand.    As most people know, I LOVE the cold!  However, it was delightful to walk along Takapuna Beach and to take in the beauty all around me.

I was blessed to talk to members of my family and to get a caroling serenade through my RING doorbell camera.

When Rory calls, we like to put on funny faces as we chat.

Celebrating the birth and life of my Savior is always a blessing.  He truly is the Light and Life of the World.

Beth, a single woman in my ward, invited me, Sister Bunker, Sister Lucas, and another single ward member to a late Christmas lunch/early dinner.  We each contributed to the meal and we had WAY too much food and goodies.  I was stuffed to the gills. 

Dinner table setting.

My dinner plate.

This fruit platter was one of my contributions to the meal.

The afternoon and evening were so fun.  We played some games and then watched the movie, The Sound of Music.  This movie is sentimental for me because I saw it on my first real date with my future husband, Kay.  We did have a sort of date in Las Vegas but it was the first meaningful date we had.  We saw it in Salt Lake when the movie was brand new in 1965 so that lets you know I’ve been around for a long time.  I admit that I shed a bucket of sentimental tears as I watched the movie for the first time since those many years ago.  I warned the others in advance and was given my very own box of tissues.

Boxing Day was fairly quiet. For those who don’t know about Boxing Day here is some information:

“Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. Boxing Day is on 26 December, although the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place either on that day or two days later. 

There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest attestations from Britain in the 1830s, defining it as "the first weekday after Christmas day, observed as a holiday on which postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas box".  

The term "Christmas box" dates back to the 17th century, and among other things meant:

A present or gratuity given at Christmas: in Great Britain, usually confined to gratuities given to those who are supposed to have a vague claim upon the donor for services rendered to him as one of the general public by whom they are employed and paid, or as a customer of their legal employer; the undefined theory being that as they have done offices for this person, for which he has not directly paid them, some direct acknowledgement is becoming at Christmas. 

In Britain, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary entry for 19 December 1663. This custom is linked to an older British tradition where the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families since they would have to serve their masters on Christmas Day. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Until the late 20th century there continued to be a tradition among many in the UK to give a Christmas gift, usually cash, to vendors although not on Boxing Day as many would not work on that day.”

I went for a walk in the morning along the beach and then had a Health Council meeting at the mission office with the president and his wife, the area doctor, the area mental health advisor, the medical assistant and me. It went a little long but I think we accomplished what was needed.

My Boxing Day walk along the beach.

Friday, I was invited to go with Sister Lucas, the area mental health advisor, to visit some friends that she knew from a previous mission.  She met the Hutchisons in Salt Lake City when they were serving together.  The Hutchisons are residents of New Zealand and only just returned home a few weeks ago.

The Hutchisons and Sister Lucas

We spent a fun afternoon with a picnic and walking tour around Wenderholm Regional Park. 

“Wenderholm Regional Park is the first regional park of the Auckland Region, New Zealand. Situated between the estuaries of the Puhoi River and the Waiwera River, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, the park features a homestead known as Couldrey House, and a carved pouwhenua. This park also features the 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) 'Maungatauhoro Te Hikoi' walking track, starting at the carved pouwhenua near the Couldrey House. This walking track allows visitors to see scenic views and birdlife.  

For approximately 1000 years Maori lived in the area now encompassed by the park because it featured several natural resources. The Auckland politician and entrepreneur Sir Robert Graham protected many of the ancient trees in the area from felling to be used for timber for ships. He went on to build a homestead in the park (now known as the Couldrey House). Many of the historic trees in the park were given as gifts to Robert Graham from George Grey.”

We walked the beach and a bush path to the top of a mound where we could see across to the Coromandel Peninsula.  I unfortunately deleted some of the pics from the top of the mound. Trust me it was a spectacular sight.

If you look carefully, you can see an area marked off by a white rope to protect this nesting oyster catcher
who has chosen an area right out on the open beach to sit on her eggs.

 

Watch this oyster catcher walk, pause and listen for food in the sand.  If you would like to read about this bird you may do so here.

 

In this segment, the oyster catcher buries its beak into the sand to its total length.  His feet almost come off the ground.

 

The bush trail up the mountain.

Cattle in the distance.  We actually got quite close to them.  Jim, you would have been in 7^th Heaven.

 

All of the cattle were sleek and shiny from eating all that green grass.
I particularly liked the brindle color of this one.

It is interesting how shrubs grow in the trees.

 

Saturday morning I did laundry and a little cleaning of my flat.  In the afternoon,  I took a missionary to get contacts at an optical shop.  They don’t have a car.  Besides, it gave me a chance to take them to lunch.  Didn’t get a pic!  I’m falling down on the job.

After that I took a missionary to the doctor which necessitated going to the hospital radiology department for a chest X-ray.  Fortunately no pneumonia.  Antibiotics and cough med prescribed. 

Sunday afternoon after church, I and Sisters Bunker and Lucas took a flight to Wellington.  We will do a tour of the city on Monday and visit other sites returning to Auckland by train.  It will be a great adventure which I will report next blog installment.

So blessed to have this wonderful opportunity to serve in New Zealand.  It is a beautiful land with a greater blessing for me to be surrounded by missionaries so full of life and the Spirit.  I love it.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.

Got this wire basket with goodies in it as a gift for Christmas.  I filled it with fruit.  It is colorful!

Love chocolate covered cinnamon bears I received for Christmas along with other goodies (not shown)
from family and friends in the States.  Thank you so much to all for thinking of me and filling me
with treats that I miss and love.

Beauty everywhere

I enjoyed corn on the cob for my Christmas Eve dinner.

My new favorite hummus.  It is so good!!  Wish you could try it.

I just received these pics taken at zone conference from these beautiful sisters.
Sister Chibota and Sister Perriton

Sister Vea