6
COROMANDEL LIFE
2017 LATE AUTUMN / WINTER
Traditional carpets
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info@coromandellife.co.nzA
lthough I’m quite exhausted by the time
Coromandel Life
goes to press, in reflecting
back I always feel so fortunate to be doing
something I love, something that gives me joy –
grief at times too – but joy eventually wins.
It’s so rewarding – the puzzle pieces falling into
place in the final moments, the synchronicity
that keeps happening, learning the rich history,
awesome places and amazing people as we
research and write articles, and the appreciation
for all the people who helped get it to completion.
And though I haven’t explored the Coromandel
as much as many of the adventurous people
sharing in the magazine, I get the next best thing
– to meet them and experience those magical
places through their images and words. And
then having the pleasure of sharing them with
you, our readers.
There are times when things do go pear-shaped,
and I wonder if there ever will be a magazine
to send to press. And then a huge rainbow will
open up across the harbour, letting me know all
is going to plan and OK – just trust, relax and
breathe. Rainbows for me have always signaled
positive things to come.
It was in one of those moments that Greg and
I took a peaceful walk on the Kauri Track down
the road. As we emerged from the bush, one
Kia Ora...
The oldest wharf in NZ still stands at
Ferry Landing and has been restored. The walls and old
stone steps that lead up from the Wharf to the landing have been rebuilt.
Some of the original stones were used after being recovered from the sea floor below.
Tovi and Greg Daly
of my favourite pals – the pretentious fantail
– greeted me, landing on the road less than a
metre from where I stood. I had to chuckle when
he then took a leap in the air and did a little flip.
Knowing he now had my complete attention,
he stayed close, opening and closing his little
tail as I chatted with him on the walk home. His
appearance on this particular day filled my sad
heart with joy, and I knew he was saying, “It’s all
good, Tovi. Things will be OK”.
I’ve had an affinity for fantails since I started
my love affair with NZ many years ago when
first visiting. Since then they have become even
more endearing.
So I wasn’t surprised when there were many
fantail flitting around outside my office over the
next few days. “We’ve come to cheer you up
Tovi. How can you not smile when you see us
delightful little creatures?” So right.
And I vow to not only stop to ‘smell the roses’
from now on, but to also take time out to stop
and ‘laugh with the fantails’.
And in this issue we’ve given tui a turn ... to turn
every day into a comedy (see page 10).
See you in the Spring,
WHERE DID IT COME FROM? Most know “gone pear-shaped” is a British expression to indicate that something
has gone horribly wrong. The origin is unclear, but one theory says that it is RAF slang relating to the difficulty of
performing aerobatic loops, which if executed imperfectly, were described as “pear-shaped”.
We are also in search of an enthusiastic and inspired
salesperson to market
Coromandel Life
to new
accounts and media companies. Know anyone?