Today's words are rapt and cheeky.
After hearing the European pronunciation
of Adidas (sorry I can't do an audio), I read
about the German origin of the company.
We're not taking the laptop to the South Island.
See ya next week after the plane, train, rental car,
aqua taxi, hike (walk), drive, ferry, bus and taxi.

 Today is our 34th wedding anniversary;  we actually met in December 1972, so we have known each other almost 40 years.  I guess we tied a good knot back then!  We never celebrated our anniversary during winter before; today the morning dog walk was rainy, at lunch time it was windy, and this evening it was cold.  I didn't go to dog training tonight, even though it was the last one for the term.  We sure do miss Evi's classes.  Anyway, I guess New Zealand doesn't have many June brides.



Today's terms:
Have a natter about this and that - prolonged idle chatter or gossip
The child was spilling much less - to spill is to spit up.
A substitute teacher is called a casual or relief teacher.
He took off his gum boots before he stepped onto the scale to check his weight.  
From Wikipedia:
In New Zealand, Wellingtons are called "gumboots" or "wellies" and are considered essential foot wear for farmers. Gumboots are often referred to in New Zealand popular culture such as the rurally-based Footrot Flats comic strip. The farming town of Taihape in the North Island proclaims itself "Gumboot capital of the World" and has annual competitions and events such as Gumboot Day, where gumboots are thrown. Most gumboots are black, but those worn by abattoir workers, butchers, fishermen and by hospital operating theatre staff and surgeons are white, and children's sizes come in multiple colours.
The term "gum boot" in New Zealand is thought to derive from the 19th-century kauri-gum diggers, who wore this footwear, or perhaps because the boots were made from gum rubber. The term is often abbreviated to "gummies". New Zealand comedy character Fred Dagg paid tribute to this iconic footwear in his song "Gumboots".

I just listened to the song called "If it weren't for your gumboots" on You Tube.  It apparently is an iconic piece of New Zealand culture by kiwi icon Fred Dagg.  When we were talking about gumboots in the office today, Liz started singing the song.
More kiwiana:

• Afghan biscuit — a cookie/biscuit which contains cornflakes with a soft biscuit base, chocolate icing on top and a walnut
• All Blacks — national Rugby Union team.
• Buzzy Bee — wooden child's toy.^[1]
• Cardigan Bay — a famous racehorse from New Zealand, who was the first trotter to win a million US dollars.
• Chocolate fish — confection of marshmallow covered in chocolate, in the shape of a fish.
• Cookie Time cookies — a large chocolate chip cookie often sold individually and typically heated up before being consumed.
• Edmonds 'Sure to Rise' Baking Powder, the distinctive Edmonds factory (demolished in the late 1980s), and the Edmonds Cookbook.
• Footrot Flats — popular cartoon strip by Murray Ball.
• Gumboots — calf length rubber boots, usually in black^[1]
• Hāngi — Method of cooking using heated rocks buried underground in a pit oven.
• Hei-tiki — Māori neck pendant, often in plastic versions^[1] sold to tourists.
• Hokey pokey ice-cream — plain vanilla ice cream with added small, solid lumps of toffee.
• Jandals — beach footwear with a bit of sole but very little else. AKA flip-flops (USA,UK)
• Kiwi — native bird; its stylised image or shape frequently appears on things associated with New Zealand.
• Kiwifruit — fruit from a vine originating in China but selectively bred by New Zealand horticulturalists to obtain egg-sized fruit with green or gold flesh. In New Zealand it was originally called "Chinese gooseberry".
• L&P — a popular soft drink.
• Longest Drink in Town — since 1968, this iconic blue and red giraffe image has appeared on the side of paper cups used by dairies and icecream parlours for milkshakes
• Marmite — a dark and salty spread made from yeast extract, similar to Vegemite. New Zealand Marmite is distinct from British Marmite, in taste and recipe. Marmite is made in New Zealand, as opposed to Vegemite, which is made in Australia.
• Number 8 wire — a gauge of wire often used inventively and practically for applications other than for fencing.^[4] It is also used as a term that epitomises the "kiwi bloke" as someone who can turn their hand to anything.^[5]
• Paua — the polished shell of the native paua (abalone) shellfish, turned into jewellery and souvenirs or ashtrays.^[1] Once considered kitsch, it is starting to regain its popularity.
• Pavlova — a light and fluffy meringue dessert named after the ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova^[1]
• Whittaker's peanut slab - a chocolate and nut confection manufactured in Porirua that comes in various chocolate varieties
• Phar Lap — a horse from New Zealand, who won many prestigious races in Australia and North America.
• Pineapple lumps — confectionery made with a pineapple flavoured centre covered in chocolate.^[6]
• Railway crockery — a typically heavy style of crockery used in the state railway system^[1]
• Silver fern — native plant; its stylised image or shape is displayed on army insignia and by many of the national sports teams.^[2]
• Swanndri — a 100% water-proof woollen overcoat. Popular amongst farmers due to it being 'warm in winter, cool in summer'. Typically made in a tartan/patch work pattern. Often blue and black, or red and black in colour. Often worn in conjunction with Gumboots and/or Stubbies.
• Tip-Top ice cream.
• Watties tomato sauce (especially when served in a plastic container shaped like a tomato).
• Four Square supermarkets — especially Mr Four Square, the marketing logo.

Why does Rich complain about the furniture?

We spent this weekend coughing and resting; but we should be well by Thursday, when we're off to the South Island to take the TranzAlpine train.  Blog posts next week should have good pictures.  We tried a recipe for tofu meatballs which we are about to have for dinner.  I bought 2 local cookbooks;  don't have to convert grams, oven settings, etc.  (I bought the books for the interesting vegetarian recipes, not because I'm too lazy to make conversions).  Two months into my sabbatical, I received an e-mail informing me obtusely that I lost my job at the Wyoming clinic; so I am spending time figuring out where to work when I get back to Albuquerque.  Not something I thought I'd have to deal with during my New Zealand adventure, but c'est la vie.  The docs I worked with didn't have the decency to talk to me about what they were thinking and planning, in spite of the 505 phone number to reach us here.  Magic Jack is much better than Skype!

 What's new in the Manawatu?  They put up an ice skating rink in the square park.  It will be open for the next 2 weeks.  An overheard comment as we were watching:  "Looks tricky, eh?"  Most statements here are followed by that interjection (pronounced with a long ay).

It can't compare to our New Mexico sunsets, but after the dreary skies recently, we enjoyed the colors last night.

As the winter solstice passes, we cross the midway point of our overseas experience.  Our supervisors are doing our 3 month review for the medical council.  It will be interesting to see how the second half of the adventure compares.  We're excited that the days are now going to start getting longer!  I attended a book group at the city library this morning.  I usually don't work on Thursdays.  I've agreed to work full time for a couple weeks in August and September when Murray wants to take some trips.  I'm now arranging for the dogs' flight home.  We will arrive in LA on September 24.  I have a phone meeting this weekend with HR to discuss my status at Pres.  Dale and Nikki, help me get back in tri training mode when I get home!  Today the dogs tried venison bones and I renewed their city registration.  If you want to see pictures go to https://picasaweb.google.com/115133267095590644390/Dogs02?authuser=0&feat=directlink 
Factoids:  On this day 48 years ago, the Beatles first performed in New Zealand.  They played in Wellington on June 21, 1964.  When the French came to New Zealand in 1840, they established a settlement in Akaroa.  The marker didn't show up, but it's on the peninsula on the middle right of the south island, southeast of Christchurch.

I saw 15 patients this AM.  When telling me about her foot pain, the woman said, "it's good as gold for a wee while, but then it starts hurting again."  After a quick stop at the dentist for a minor problem, I went to Te Manawa, the Museum of Art, Science and History.  It houses the Rugby Museum, but we're waiting for the Schreibers' visit for that part.  Went to 2 exhibitions; "Anne Frank: A History for Today" and "The Vault: Neil Pardington."  "The Vault" is a collection of photographs taken in the storage facilities at museums around New Zealand, showing behind-the-scenes images, and exposing treasures that aren't on display.  Got home in time to walk the dogs before it started raining again.  Wimped out on outdoor dog club again, but at least my cold is getting better.

We had a nice social weekend, although I'm still fighting off a cold.  The couple with Murray are counsellors at Amesbury Health Centre, and were the hosts of the mid-year do.  It was pot luck, with good food and good conversation.  Here's a picture of the pavlova:







Friday night there was a hospital staff dinner honoring new and retiring doctors.  We met an Ob-Gyn doc that lives down the street (told us he sees us walking the dogs).  His son is going to UNM for an exchange semester this fall.  He's studying law in Christchurch, but will be doing undergrad work at UNM.  I think he's enamoured with the Lobos; will find out when he's here in July.  Saturday night we went to see The Way at Cinema Gold.  Marta, they show independent films there.

It's Father's Day in the US, but since that is celebrated in September here, the only ads now are for Matariki, the Maori New Year which is Thursday, 21 June.  Got a coupon for 4X Fly Buys Points at New World, our favorite grocery store.  Threw in this food picture; Wattie's is a popular brand here that started in Hawke's Bay in 1934.  If the logo looks familiar, it's because Wattie's was bought by Heinz in 1992.

Educational tidbit:  Last week I learned about the Transit of Venus.  There were articles in the paper and discussions at work.  Click on this link to see a video (and also get a link to the local newspaper).  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/video.cfm?c_id=2&gal_cid=2&gallery_id=126125  Telescopes were set up all over the world, but the event has historic NZ significance.  The Transit of Venus was the same event that Captain James Cook was dispatched to Tahiti on the HMS Endeavour to observe on June 3, 1769.  The next transit will not happen until 2117.

Rich has been complaining a lot this week, so I decided to post the famous quote of unimpressed John Cleese.  "If you want to kill yourself but lack the courage, I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick."  The town responded by naming the local rubbish dump after him.  I personally think that the city gets a bum rap, and it is actually a nice place (despite the freezing uncomfortable house).  It was 46 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the back bedroom this AM.

Time for a food post.  Anyone eaten jaffas?  I'll plagiarize from Wikipedia: 
Jaffas is the registered trademark for a small round sweet consisting of a soft chocolate centre with a hard covering of orange flavoured, red coloured confectionery. The name derives from the Jaffa orange. The sweet is part of Australian and New Zealand cultural folklore.^[1] Jaffas have often been sold in cinemas and have gained iconic status because of the noise made when they are dropped (accidentally or deliberately) and rolled down sloping wooden floors.^[2] Through association with this sweet, Jaffa is sometimes used to describe a chocolate-orange flavour.
James Stedman-Henderson's Sweets Ltd released Jaffas onto the Australian and New Zealand markets in 1931.^[3] The confectionery is currently made in Australia by Allen's Sweets, a division of Nestle and in New Zealand by Cadbury. The Cadbury Jaffas are also exported to Australia.
The orange coating on Jaffas was developed by a Sweetacres food chemist, Tom Colston Coggan. He experimented with many syrups before settling on the flavour that is unique to Jaffas. His original experimental syrups were stored in his home refrigerator and used as topping on ice cream up till the death of his wife in 1985.^{[citation needed]}
A number of Australian and New Zealand amateur sporting groups use Jaffas as a team name. In Dunedin, New Zealand every year a vast sum of Jaffas are raced down Baldwin Street—the World's Steepest Street, as part of the Cadbury Chocolate carnival, which is held in conjunction with the New Zealand International Science Festival.^[4][5] The initial number of 20,000 Jaffas has now been increased to 30,000 Jaffas.
I got the above Jaffas at the MAS (Medical Assurance Society) booth in the exhibit hall at the GP meeting.
When we went to Vanja's house, we were served a classic kiwi meal; we had roast lamb, roasted kumara, roasted pumpkin, and peas; with pavlova for desert.  This Sunday is our office Christmas party equivalent.  It is a pot luck.  I already see pavlova on the sign-up sheet.  I think we'll bring "Dad's noodles".  Expression of the day:  fob you off (blow you off).

I'm starting with this picture because we just came back from a part of the country that has a lot of Maori culture; but maybe I should have started with a picture of a geyser because of all the thermal activity in the central North island.  I'll start the narration with dropping off the dogs to board with Kelly.  We have a gem with this dog sitter.  Not only does she have a great house and yard, she does great pet care (www.cosycats.co.nz)  She leaves messages daily.  Here's a phone text from last night:
Hi mum and dad we have had a good day and have settled in well.  We have explored, rested, walked (encountered sheep cattle and horses so quite exciting but we kept it together) and ate:). We hope you are enjoying Rotorua.  Love officer K and Rx XXXX    An e-mail the next day read "Great to hear the meeting is going well!! Have you got used to the smell yet?  Rx & Kaylee fab. They were perfect last night & didn’t make a sound. Rx has a very ‘hearty’ appetite & almost vacuumed up his dinner last night!! They have had a walk today & been out investigating on the big front lawn area. Are inside now having a laze. Am off to do my PM feeds in a wee while, then we are going for a PM walk up in the bush that’s about a 5 min drive from here.
We drove up north and hit the Desert Road mid morning.  Not a true desert (it rains everywhere in NZ), but the area is kept arid by the free-draining blanket of volcanic ash and pumice.  The sun came out for us as Lake Taupo came into view.  Lake Taupo is the biggest lake in australasia.  It's known for its fantastic trout fishing.  We had lunch in the town, and then continued north stopping to visit Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon, and a bubbling mud pool.  In the evening, we went to a Maori cultural event.  At the hangi, we were seated next to someone that looked familiar.  It was one of the jazz musicians (and his mother) that we saw in PN at the concert last week.  Check out Theo Jackson on the web.  On Friday and Saturday, I attended the conference, while Rich walked around and checked out Rotorua.  The city does have a sulfur smell.  I had information overload going to lectures on general medical topics, as well as learning information specific to practicing in NZ.  The meeting was structured very much like the AAFP Annual Assembly.  The exhibits were like it used to be for us with drug rep treats and prizes.  The program was well run, and I learned a lot.  My favorite part was the dinner Saturday night where we met interesting and friendly docs from around the country.  There was also a presentation from a doc that went to Antarctica.  He had great pictures of penguins, sea lions, seals, and the albatross.  Great commentary as well.  Check out http://www.ourfarsouth.org/  As I wait for the pictures to download, I'll write some terms heard this week:  one off - one time,  query (eg pneumonia) - R/O, possible, biscuits are cookies, wait in a long queue, GTN - glyceryl tri nitrate - NTG, the lead maternity care giver (midwife in this case), operating theatre, my grandmother is very unwell, 2/52 (needs 2 weeks of supplementary O2), MEDA - med clearance form on Air NZ, PAX - passengers.  See all the weekend pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/115133267095590644390/Rotorua?authuser=0&feat=directlink
We took a long winding way home, driving back on the west side of the lake and park; and we got to see some of the Tongariro National Park.  The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of the most popular of the major tramps in the region.   The ski areas open next week.  I didn't get good pictures of the sheep and cows and beautiful vistas.  It was either too overcast or rainy, or the road was too narrow and winding to stop.  

Chief complaint:  "I'm crooked".  Heard on the news that Prince Phillip
"went into hospital because he was feeling unwell".

Recent purchases at the market included persimmons, capsicum, courgettes, and kumara.
When parents bring their children in for a well child check and immunizations, they say they're in for their jabs.  A woman deciding on a contraceptive choice was wondering about the pill vs the jab.  I was asked via doc-net:  Vivian, what are you doing in New Zealand?      
and I responded:  I'm doing a six month international locums in a small GP "surgery".
.....and seeing lots of sheep and green rolling hills.
abbreviations used in medical prescriptions:
at home I use UAD for use as directed
here I see to be used as directed written mdu (more dicto utendus)
Tomorrow I'm going to a GP peer review held at

Whakapai Hauora

www.whakapaihauora.maori.nz/

The manawhenua health, disability support and social service arm of Tanenuiarangi Manawatu Inc.  More on that later.  Sorry no pictures on this post.  Wish I had my camera this AM when we checked out the place where we'll be boarding the dogs this upcoming weekend.  A gorgeous piece of property south of town in an awesome setting.  Our previous house sitter broke up with his girlfriend (extra eyes and hands for multiple dog care), got his own puppy, and is interviewing for a job in Hastings.  We have to have a plan "sorted" for when we go to Rorotonga in late July.

Dive into New Zealand's Capital of Cool 
Read to the end of this article to learn a new British expression.
I had to google  "and Bob's Your Uncle".

It looks pretty normal in the picture (you can't see the broken windows covered with duct tape, and you can't hear the street noise), but trust me; it is like living in a run down motel; and it feels colder inside than outside.  June 1 is the official start to winter.  It is strange knowing that it is after Memorial weekend and the sun is setting at 5:00.  I am bundled in my scarf and warm down coat, and the locals are still in shorts and running barefoot.  I'm going to miss my summer fruits (berries), but will try the winter veges here.  Came home and put on the heat pump in the lounge, climbed the step ladder to turn on the hall heat pump, put on the space heaters in the bedroom and dining area, and turned on the electric blanket (locals use hot water bottles).  Warmed my clothes on the space heaters (the clothes get really cold in the spare bedrooms), and once comfy, saw that Rich was watching Mr. Ed on the Maori channel.  Had a pretty good work week.  Still anxious about what is happening with my practice at Pres.  Enjoyed my office work here except for when I had to get a special authority (prior auth) for Seretide (Advair) and spent too much time on the phone.  I hope someone shows this post to Eunice.  Rich saw 5 patients today, so felt more useful.  He's also been working on a journal club presentation.  He goes to out of town clinics 4 times in June (much to my displeasure), so will be busier then.  The outlying hospitals have full clinic schedules and also run more efficiently.
Just started our 3 day weekend.  Monday is the Queen's Birthday.  There is a Jazz Festival in town and I bought tickets to a concert tomorrow night featuring Bob Mintzer.  Read on line that he grew up in New Rochelle and was in Rich's year at NRHS.  Sunday, we are invited for tea (dinner/evening meal) at Vanja's house.  She is the doc that works at Amesbury Health Centre for Murray on Thursdays.  Next weekend we'll be in Rotorua for the GP meeting.  Time to plan more exploring adventures.  Would like to take a train ride across the southern alps, and take a bus tour up to Cape Reinga.  Will see what we can organize.  Watch Rx (ask me on the phone about his call name here) and Kaylee herding telepathically from the fence: