Summerset Scene, Winter 2022

Summerset Scene •

W I N T E R

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DANCING THROUGH THE DECADES – ROCK N’ ROLL’S DYNAMIC DUO • LIFE IN THE FAST LANE – THE JOY OF MOTORBIKES • BY THE QUEEN’S ROYAL WARRANT – A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE SEW FAR SEW GOOD – DESIGN FOR LIFE • UNLOCKING THE PAST – THE KEYS TO IT ALL

COVER Brenda and Dennis Neill have all the moves. Read their story on page 4.

Photo Credit: Craig Forster at Lightchasers.

Whangārei

Warkworth Parnell

Milldale Hobsonville

Half Moon Bay

Ellerslie

Flat Bush

Karaka

7,000

Katikati

Papamoa Beach

Rototuna

More than

Cambridge

Hamilton Taupō

Bell Block

Summerset home New Zealanders call

St Johns

New Plymouth

Napier Te Awa Hastings

Wanganui Levin

Havelock North

Waikanae Paraparaumu

Palmerston North Trentham

Nelson

Kelvin Grove

Lower Hutt

Richmond Blenheim

Rangiora

Avonhead Wigram

Casebrook

Prebbleton

Aotea Kenepuru

KEY = Summerset village = Proposed village

Dunedin

Story to share?

We really enjoy telling your stories. If you have an exciting or interesting tale to tell, get in touch with us.

We’d love to hear from you! magazine@summerset.co.nz

Hello from Ellie

The clocks have gone back, the nights are getting cooler and we have (hopefully!) passed the peak of the recent Covid-19 wave. When New Zealand cautiously reopened its borders, I was on one of the first flights out of the country over to the UK, able to reunite with family for the first time in more than two years. While nothing can replace the joy of giving loved ones a hug (and believe me, I hugged my UK family hard), I am so grateful for the advent of video chat, email and that humble instrument, the telephone. These media have enabled us to keep in touch and up to date with our nearest and dearest, helping lessen the distance between us. For me personally, the phone especially has been invaluable in enabling me to talk to the residents that feature in this issue of Summerset Scene.

On my flight to the UK, I was able to read for hours – something I love to do. It was a luxury to spend so much time doing something I enjoy. When I wasn’t reading (or sleeping – it’s a long flight after all!), I reflected on hobbies and passions, and how they often bring joy into our lives; something so important to our well-being, especially when our routines and daily life are disrupted.

This issue’s interviewees share their stories about what brings them joy. Cover stars Brenda and Dennis Neill from Christchurch love to dance and have been doing so competitively for 30 years, while for Rototuna resident Sherry Taylor, her passion is sewing, something she regards as essential. Meanwhile in Kenepuru, Carolyn Amos derives pleasure in providing community services, something she is so committed to that she has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal. Up in Warkworth, Jim Bird keeps smiling when he is riding his motorbike, and he has no intention of slowing down. And in Casebrook,

Charles Barltrop combines his interest in history with his family business of security – his collection of locks and keys is so vast that it features in a museum.

Also in this issue, Jude Dobson shares her adventures, while Lynda Hallinan reflects on the beauty and significance of poppies. Jan Bilton gives us ideas to keep busy in the kitchen, and you can try our reader recipe suggestion in the fridge harvest story (I made it with pear, a blob of crème fraîche, turmeric and curry powder – it was delicious). We also have our usual puzzles, book recommendations, fashion, craft and travel suggestions, as well as poetry, pets and news.

Happy reading!

Ellie Clifford SUMMERSET SCENE EDITOR

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

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Contents

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The Lifejoy in the of Christmas fast lane Being The joy theof big motorbikes man in red

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By the Queen’s Royal Warrant A lifetime of public service

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Unlocking the past The keys to it all

Dancing through the decades Rock n’ roll’s dynamic duo

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Sew far sew good Design for life

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Our News Celebrating Caregivers and Frontliners / Summerset receives ‘Highly Commended’ Award

News New village construction / VR adventures come to our villages

Jude on Getting outdoors

News EV’s come to Summerset / Head Office Village Reliever Programme

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This publication uses vegetable-based inks and environmentally responsible paper produced from

Paper produced using elemental chlorine-free (ECF) and manufactured under the strict ISO14001

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)-certified, mixed-source pulp from responsible sources.

Environmental Management System.

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News Going Solar / MATES in construction

5 questions John Francis

Village people Photos from around Summerset

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Staff profile Michaela Antico

Delicious recipes Food from the far East

Fridge Harvest Haul

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Summerset Sessions Upcoming events

In the garden Tall Poppies

Style Well coated

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Craft corner Handmade scent, two ways

Book reviews New reads for winter

Green update

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Poet’s corner Verse from villages

Travel corner Adventure to Akaroa

Let’s talk about Brain health

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NZSO tickets

Puzzles

Pets of Summerset Meet Chloe the cat

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

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Dancing through the decades Dancing has been called ‘the kale of exercise’ because of its health benefits.

But for Summerset on Cavendish residents Brenda and Dennis Neill, it is more than a way of keeping fit; it’s a way of life, and one they have been living joyfully for 30 years.

BY ELLIE CLIFFORD

“There was a rock and roll revival class locally, and we decided to give it a go just as something to do. We both really enjoyed it and started going every weekend,” says Brenda.

“After a year of classes, we started competing.”

The couple have taken part in dance competitions together in towns and cities across the country, from as far south as Invercargill to as far north as Whangārei.

Smaller competitions gave way to larger ones, until they were competing in national contests.

“The last time we competed was in 2019, at the Rock Around the Clock Senior Nationals in Lincoln. We were in the 60-plus age group.

We had about 10 to 12 friends from the village come to cheer us on, and we came in fifth for that one.”

Brenda has also trained as a dance judge and has travelled the competition circuit judging for various age groups. In addition, she was the secretary for the New Zealand Amateur Rock’n’Roll Association for over 18 years, responsible for organising the championships and selecting the music. “I worked for the Canterbury Property Investors’ Association, and I had 12 bosses on a committee, so I think I developed my negotiation skills there, which certainly comes in handy at times,” Brenda says, laughing.

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Top left and bottom right: At the 2019 national championships. Top middle: National championships 2005. Top right: Demonstrating a deep dip at the 2011 national championships.

Bottom left: Taking first place at the 2011 national championships.

Despite competitions being disrupted or cancelled in recent times due to Covid, Brenda is hopeful she will be able to judge later in the year. “Dancers are judged on a number of things: the routine, the timing, harmony and variety,” she says. “There are no prescribed moves, and some of the dances contestants perform are really innovative.”

“Dancing is about having fun first and foremost.”

Although there may be no specific steps for rock and roll like there are for ballroom dancing, performers do have to dance to music from a particular era – songs between 1953 and 1964. “Buddy Holly, Bill Hayley and the Comets, Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins; they are

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all good to dance to. We dress up in the proper clothes too. Ladies wear the dresses with the full skirts that swing around when you twirl – they are so great to dance in. Men can choose drainpipe trousers and winklepickers.

Shoes have to be flat for competitions. In fact, shoes are better flat for dancing generally – high heels can be antisocial on a crowded floor,” says Brenda with another laugh.

Heels might be unfriendly, but everything else about dancing is avidly social. It is not always done in pairs either. “Dennis and I have competed together as a pair, but we have also performed in teams. There are usually six dancers, and we dance to a chosen song, working out the routine to fit the song and coordinating our steps together.”

Brenda and Dennis have been members of the Christchurch Rock and Roll Club since they took up dancing, and their fellow members

Page 4 and above: Dennis and Brenda at their Summerset on Cavendish village (Photo by Craig Forster at Lightchasers)

have become good friends. “We have danced together, competed together, been on holiday together. Dancing is about having fun first and foremost. Whenever anyone new joins the club we emphasise that, and if they are taking things a little too seriously then we remind them that it needs to be fun for everyone. It is very social. There’s no point having a show pony and a wallflower; that’s not going to work,” says Brenda.

“A lot of the men have got some good moves.”

Brenda and Dennis are partners both in life and on the dance floor, but what happens if they have a tiff at home? “It stays out of the hall,” Brenda says firmly. “You can be grumpy with one another off the dance floor, but you leave that behind as soon as you get on it.

That’s the rule.”

Brenda and Dennis are keen to introduce dancing to both their peers (they were instrumental at helping kick off Summerset’s first ever ‘flash mob’ in October 2019) and to the younger generation. “The children were never that bothered by it, but two of Dennis’s grandchildren took it up for a while and we took them to a junior nationals in Invercargill.

There are always more girls that learn than boys though. Girls can dance together quite easily,” Brenda says. “It’s interesting though how many of the residents – both men and women – enjoy dancing and having a boogie.

A lot of the men have got some good moves – everyone in our generation knew that the best way to get a girlfriend was to learn to dance!”

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LIFE IN THE

FAST LANE

BY ELLIE CLIFFORD

Jim Bird might be eligible for his SuperGold card, but you won’t find him using it on public transport anytime soon.

The Summerset Falls resident prefers his engines to have two wheels and can be seen (and heard!) daily on his Honda GB500 as he zooms off to explore the region.

“I have always ridden motorbikes,” Jim says.

“Ever since I was 15. I was born in Awanui in the Far North and I grew up there. I reckon I probably rode every road up there as a kid, and there were loads. I loved hooning around.”

Jim’s first bike was a Royal Enfield. “It was a beauty,” Jim recalls. “It was a special issue to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Royal Enfield. It was such a highly polished machine, chrome-plated all over.”

Jim had family and friends in Auckland, and would roar down to the big smoke every weekend to see them. The Enfield became a distant memory as Jim’s love of bikes saw him change models and styles regularly.

“My favourite bike that I ever owned was a Norton. The English developed it as a racing bike, and in the 1950s it was the fastest bike on the road. It was a highly sought-after bike and there weren’t many in New Zealand. A man in Auckland still produces them as he got a copy of the blueprint. It is still used on New Zealand’s racing circuit now.”

Jim’s wife Patsy, from neighbouring Kaitaia, was not one for riding herself. “She was never in love with the idea of me riding,” Jim says wryly.

After the two married in 1960, they moved to Papakura in South Auckland. For a time, Jim

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had to swap his motorbike for a car as the pair started a family.

Son Colin is a chip off the old block and caught the biking bug too. “Like father, like son. Colin goes to the South Island to bike now,” says Jim. Jim has ridden the length and breadth of the North Island, although he tends now to stay a little closer to home. “I have been well and truly all over the North Island. I used to go exploring with a friend. Now I go to Helensville and back. I also go through Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands.”

Biking in leathers in winter is all well and good, but what about the hot New Zealand summers?

Growing up in the Far North, Jim has that part sorted. “You’ve got to ride in protective gear, but it gets hot. I wear a coat – just not too

many underclothes. In February I wear a pair of long pants and a lightweight shirt underneath my leather jacket.”

“I have been well and truly all over the North Island.”

Jim worked as a builder until he retired, when he and Patsy shifted north to Warkworth in 2000. Jim moved to a serviced apartment at Summerset Falls last November. His latest bike was a moving-in present to himself. “It’s good here. I am fitting in all right. I get my washing done and my tea every night. And no one minds the sound of my bike.”

Left: Jim on his current model at his Summerset Falls home. Above: a selection of Jim’s motorbikes through the years.

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By the Queen’s Royal Warrant

BY ELLIE CLIFFORD

For Carolyn Amos, community involvement is second nature. The Summerset on the Landing resident in Kenepuru has spent almost 50 years as a Justice of the Peace and a volunteer and fundraiser for myriad organisations, including the New Zealand Police, Plunket, Ronald McDonald House, ToughLove, the Guide Dog Puppy Appeal, Kenepuru Community Hospital and the Rotary Club, to name but a few. Now Carolyn’s sense of service has been recognised, by none other than the Queen herself! Carolyn was named a recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the community.

“There are so many charities and organisations that need help, and if I can, I will.”

Unbeknownst to Carolyn, a friend had nominated her for the award, and Carolyn said the news that she had been recognised came as a great surprise to her, as volunteering is simply a natural part of her life. Growing up in the South Island, she was instilled with a sense of civic responsibility from a young age by her parents. “My mother was a nurse, and my father was in the Army,” says Carolyn. “During the Second World War my mother was in the Air Force and my father was an ambulance driver. They demonstrated to us that helping others was important.”

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The accolade was presented to Carolyn at Government House by the Governor General of New Zealand, the Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO, on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Despite Covid looming over public events throughout New Zealand, Carolyn’s sons were able to attend the ceremony and see their mother’s hard work recognised. “It was really impressive,” Carolyn remembers. “They put on a wonderful afternoon tea at Government House afterwards for us too.”

Spending the afternoon at such an imposing location did not faze Carolyn, who used to go to the Beehive every day for her job as the secretary to the then Finance Minister Dr Michael Cullen, who appreciated her thoroughness and judgement. “It was he who recommended me to become a JP, 20 years ago. It takes a lot of training sessions to become a JP and I have to sit tests every two years to keep my skills fresh, but honesty and stability, as well as a degree of common sense, are the main requirements you need.”

Boundless energy may also be a requirement, as along with raising two boys, working and volunteering, Carolyn also organises and participates in fundraisers for a number of organisations. “I can’t put a figure on how much money I have raised,” she says, “but for me it’s never about that. There are so many charities and organisations that need help, and if I can, I will.”

Carolyn at her home with her Queen’s Service medal

“My mother was a nurse, and my father was in the Army... They demonstrated to us that helping others was important.”

As well as fundraising tirelessly for Plunket and being an active member of the local school’s parent–teacher association, Carolyn joined her local Rotary Club in the 1980s, the first woman to do so. It was a move that was not popular with some of the male members at the time. “It was a real old boys’ network then. They really tried to test me,” she says, laughing. “They threw me in the deep end and gave me the task of ‘speaker seeker’, which is pretty difficult. But I dug in, and I found lots of people willing to speak. I earned their grudging respect!”

Carolyn has spent two years living at Summerset on the Landing, and as one of the earliest residents she likes to welcome her new neighbours. “I am well known around the village. I like to show the newbies the ropes. I ended up here because I have friends who live at Summerset at Aotea and love it. It’s low maintenance and has good security.” This meant that, until her retirement last month, Carolyn was happy to continue her work as a

JP from the comfort of her villa. “People came whenever it was convenient to them. Flexibility was important as not everyone could visit a JP in business hours, so people just needed to call to make an appointment and I was happy to see them whenever.”

At 73, Carolyn may have scaled back some of her activities, but by no means is she resting on her laurels. A keen swimmer, she is currently championing free swimming lessons for schoolchildren. This is a cause close to her heart, as her son Scott became a surf lifesaver in his teens and took part in many water rescues. Carolyn is disturbed by the number of drownings that still occur in New Zealand each summer. She continues to fundraise for Blind Low Vision NZ and still acts as a guide for the Kenepuru Community Hospital, where she has been a mainstay for the past 11 years, fitting her volunteering in around her jam-packed social diary.

“You’re only as old as you feel,” she says. “You have to get out and about every day, and you’ve got to have fun and cultivate fun on the way.”

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Sew far Sew good

BY ELLIE CLIFFORD

Give Sherry Taylor a plain piece of cloth and a needle and thread, and she will present you with something beautiful. The Summerset Rototuna resident is a whizz with a needle and has been whipping up creations since she was nine years old.

“My mum made clothes for my sisters and me,” Sherry remembers. “It was essentially always the same dress, the same look and the same pattern every time. Mother never taught me, but I did watch her, and I would start to stitch up dolls’ clothes.” Soon Sherry became a skilful sewer and embroiderer, adding her own flourishes and coming up with her own designs.

“To me, sewing is as natural as breathing.”

“Sewing became my whole life. The worst punishment you could give me as a child was not being allowed to sew. I wanted to become a sewing teacher, but I went to a country school and didn’t really have the opportunity. I have always been a fan of babies, so I trained as a Karitane nurse instead.”

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Sherry surrounded by some of her creations.

Sherry ended up looking after the Lawson quins – nursing the five babies prepared her for parenting her own son and twin daughters down the line. “I made all their clothes. I made everyone’s clothes in fact: my children, my nieces and nephews. To me, sewing is as natural as breathing.” When her children were small, Sherry would spend every Wednesday evening sewing with a friend. In 2004 she began selling her creations to Purple Patch, the long-serving charitable cooperative, which was set up by her best friend’s mother. She then spent ten years at the helm as the manager.

“The worst punishment you could give me as a child was not being allowed to sew.”

An accomplished knitter too, Sherry knitted baby booties and beanies for newborn babies and preemies, which she sold to florist shops.

“Wool is best for babies – it keeps them warmer.

I’m a purist and will knit only with wool. I don’t like knitting with acrylic; the colours are too garish.” With seven grandchildren of her own, Sherry is kept busy knitting or sewing for them too, and never goes anywhere without a set of knitting needles. And there’s no doubt that she has passed the sewing bug on to her grandson.

“He is 12 years old and loves to sew with his nana,” Sherry says proudly.

Sherry hard at work.

Sherry moved to the care centre at Rototuna nine months ago and her trusty sewing machine came with her. “I have had to downsize my supplies, but the staff have given me a table to use at the side of the activity room and a cupboard to keep my machine and all my fabric in.”

When she’s not having to go for dialysis three times a week, Sherry will often be found at her machine. “My sewing machine is an extension of myself. It goes everywhere with me. When I sew, it is my sole focus. All worries fall away. When you love doing something, you will put your everything into it.” Her passion for her craft is obvious, and many of the residents like to watch her as she works in the lounge.

Sherry often gets requests to make pieces for other residents’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “I won’t really ever make money from it,” she says. “It is just a beautiful thing for me to get wrapped up in. I love fabric, and I love wool. I am pleased that people get enjoyment from watching me and still want me to make things.”

“MY SEWING MACHINE IS AN EXTENSION OF MYSELF. IT GOES EVERYWHERE WITH ME . WHEN I SEW, IT IS MY SOLE FOCUS. ALL WORRIES FALL AWAY.”

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UNLOCKING THE PAST For Charles Barltrop, locks and keys don’t just provide security; they also provide a glimpse into the mechanical minds and security needs of the past. The Summerset on Cavendish resident has a vast collection of locks and keys from all over the world, some even from Roman times, which are on display and viewable by appointment at Rangiora Museum.

“I have a keen interest in mechanical things, and in history to an extent,” says Charles. “Locks and keys came about as individuals and societies grew wealthier. They are intricate. Welding wasn’t invented until 1900, so prior to that everything was fabricated and riveted.”

Charles’s collection is gathered from his various forays overseas, and he has some truly unusual pieces, including an early chastity belt believed to be from the Roman era. “Roman soldiers would be out on campaigns for months and sometimes years at a time. It was presumed higher-ranking soldiers would ensure their wives didn’t stray by locking them into chastity belts.”

Charles also has a keen appreciation of the artistry and beauty behind historical locks, something he thinks has been lost in modern times. “The ancient Greeks and Romans were true artists. As an aside, think about their carving. It’s remarkable how they could take a lump of marble and inscribe all the emotions such as anger or grief onto such an unforgiving medium. Today, in general we want to be more efficient, so that great artistry is almost gone.”

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One of Charles’s favourite examples of exceptional craftmanship is a 65kg portable safe from 16th-century Germany. “In those days, the roads in general were terrible, and it could take days to travel any great distance.

Rich noblewomen would wear a different dress and corresponding jewellery for every day, so they needed a secure place to keep these and their jewels while they travelled. The lock mechanism in the safe has between 15 and 20 steel springs that are still working, despite being 500 years old.”

“As they say, life is not a dress rehearsal.”

Charles’s fascination with the mechanics of security is rooted in his own trade of hardware.

“My father was a mechanical engineer who worked on the railways of New Zealand,” he says. “He opened a hardware store that evolved into security. That was 63 years ago. It’s fourth generation now as my twin sons and a daughter work in it, as does one of my grandsons. We

have the physical locksmith side of the business in Christchurch and the wholesale side in Auckland.”

Thoughts of adult children and grown grandchildren working in his business were a long way off during the early days of Charles’s marriage to wife Jennie, to whom he’s been married for 59 years. “At one point we had four children under five,” says Charles, laughing. “We had no money then, but Jennie was amazing.

She was a nurse but could turn her hand to anything. She could always turn something out of nothing. We worked hard over the years and the business did well. As the children grew older, they would bring friends home. Our house was always filled with people. We would go on family skiing holidays, and we’d go overseas.

I’ve been around the world with business a few times, which is how I built my collection.”

Charles has lived in the Casebrook village for two years now. “Jennie thought I was being too fussy when we started to look into retirement communities. We saw a lot but what I liked about Summerset was the fact that it provides total coverage. There’s independence, assistance, and nursing care.”

The care aspect of Summerset turned out to be fortuitous, as six months after moving in Jennie was diagnosed with dementia. She now lives in the care centre 100m from their villa. “I visit Jennie every day,” says Charles.

“She’s happy and comfortable. I spend a lot of my time cycling now. I do around 200km a week. I love to see what’s going on in the city and see the scenery and get fresh air. It’s a great stress reliever. I have cycled competitively too.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Covid I would currently be competing at the World Masters Games in Japan!”

Charles is also a member of the local Rotary Club of Papanui and has worked with Anna, the Cavendish Activities Coordinator, to arrange an outing to the Rangiora Museum to share his collection with other residents. “You have to make the most of every day,” he says. “As they say, life is not a dress rehearsal.”

Top: Charles showing his fellow residents his collection at Rangiora Museum. Above left: Saddle bag lock and key. Above right: Charles’s favourite key. Centre: Charles with his museum collection. Bottom left: This key is more than 1,000 years old. Bottom right: A door peephole.

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Celebrating Summerset’s caregivers and frontliners On 25 March we celebrated Caregiver and Frontliner Celebration Day, a day of thanks and recognition to all our hardworking teams across our 30 villages nationwide. And what a day of thanks it was! Summerset’s virtual Gratitude Wall – acknowledging the tireless work our frontliners do – was packed with lovely comments from residents, residents’ families, and head office staff throughout the country. Below is a small selection: “It has been a very enjoyable first year in the village of Summerset by the Lake. Thank you most sincerely. The support from the caring and efficient staff has been outstanding, particularly during one of the most difficult years in NZ’s history.”

“To all our wonderful staff here at Summerset in the Orchard, [both] inside and out. Thank you for keeping us all safe over the past two years.”

“The care and attention that [my father receives] at Summerset at Wigram is outstanding and very much appreciated.

Thank you very much to all the hard working and caring staff.”

“Thank you to all our very caring team here in Papamoa. You are THE BEST.” “To the team of carers looking after my mother at Summerset Falls, I give you heartfelt thanks. Your unfailing cheerfulness and energy keep us all going.”

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OUR NEWS

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Summerset again recognised as a Trusted Brand by Kiwi consumers

i re & tV R e t i re m e n

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For the fourth year running, we have taken the Highly Commended prize for the Aged Care and Retirement Villages category in the Trusted Brands Awards, run by Reader’s Digest.

“This award is a real testament to the way everyone at Summerset brings their best to what they do, to bring the best of life to our residents,” says CEO Scott Scoullar. “Being consistently well rated shows that we’re really valued in the eyes of the communities that we’re part of.”

This continued recognition comes on the back of winning the top prize for Best Provider Nationwide in the latest Aged Advisor People’s Choice Awards.

LOVE TO SING Summerset is delighted to be sponsors of The Big Sing, the national group-singing competition for secondary school students run by the New Zealand Choral Federation. The nation’s largest choral event encourages a diverse range of students from all communities to participate. It also aims to nurture appreciation of te reo Māori and waiata; and provide a platform for New Zealand composers. Each year, almost 10,000 students from more than 250 secondary school choirs across the country take part in regional festivals. This year’s finale is being held in Christchurch on 25–27 August.

New village construction: Prebbleton and St Johns P R E B B L E TO N The first residents of our Prebbleton village are expected in October, with nine villas already pre-sold. Located just 11km southwest of Christchurch’s CBD, Prebbleton is an easy drive from the city and 2km from the suburb of Hornby. Once complete, the 9ha village will offer a range of homes, including two- and three-bedroom villas, two-bedroom cottages, and serviced apartments, in addition to Summerset’s industry-leading memory care apartments. The village centre will feature a pool, spa and hair salon, as well as a café, bar and library.

ST JOHNS Construction at St Johns village in Auckland’s eastern suburbs is now well underway, with a strong wait list of more than 200 potential residents. Pre-sales officially start in early 2023. When completed, the village will house more than 400 residents in seven apartment buildings, including the main building with its care and memory care centres.

Artist’s impression of Prebbleton once completed

Making far-flung adventures a (virtual) reality Always fancied seeing the Northern Lights? Or perhaps swimming alongside dolphins in the Caribbean or marvelling at the old masters on display in the Louvre?

Summerset has partnered with Australian company SilVR Adventures to bring these experiences to our villages. Through lightweight virtual reality (VR) headsets, residents can enjoy immersive encounters from the diverse library of virtual content, as if experiencing them in real life.

10 kits will be rotated around our villages, ensuring all our residents have opportunities to engage in the VR adventures. Research from MIT AgeLab has shown VR to be an effective and versatile engagement tool that increases positive physical, psychological, and emotional outcomes for seniors. Summerset believes they will be a welcome addition to both our village activity programmes and our diversional and recreational therapy programmes, bringing the best of life to all our residents, including those living with dementia. So, where would you like to go?

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JUDE ON

GET TING OUTDOORS In the first three months of this year, I managed to cross Mt Tongariro, walk the Milford Track and bike the Otago Central Rail Trail.

I am a bit pleased with myself that I can write that, because I am certainly not what I would describe as fit. To start with, there is more of me than there used to be in years gone by, and although I am happy to walk some distance (I once did a bit of regular walking), I am certainly not a runner or a gym goer.

I attempted the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in January with just my husband, as I wanted to test myself without others seeing how hopeless I might be! I certainly found some parts of the walk challenging. The Devil’s Staircase is not called ‘Stairway to Heaven’ without reason! But stopping is the answer. The view is amazing, so it’s a great reason to take a wee break and catch your breath. There is also a part where you scramble up a rocky area, which certainly got my attention, and the scree-covered slope on the other side of the peak coming down needed some focus too. But it was manageable and made eating my sandwiches for lunch beside the beautiful lakes most enjoyable, as I reflected on my achievement.

New Zealand in all its loveliness. With no internet either, it felt like going back to a simpler time, which was also appealing.

March saw me in Central Otago on my bike!

Well, not my bike, as I don’t own one. It was a rented e-bike, and really there is no other option. Pressing boost when the wind is in your face, or the hill is a little hillier than one expected, is just the best way to go. There’s something particularly gorgeous about this part of the country, and it’s quite my fave part of New Zealand. Heading to the local pub for dinner in Waipiata, or a café for lunch in Ranfurly, is good for the soul – especially for this city girl.

If you’re considering what your next adventures might be, have a think about some of New Zealand’s Great Walks or cycling trails. They get booked up even without international tourists in the country, so if they appeal then it’s best to plan ahead now for the warmer weather.

We have an amazing country and it’s great to be able to enjoy it with friends. If you have any yearning to head into the outdoors this coming spring or summer, go and do some research – and think of me when you finish. I’m sure you’ll be proud of yourself, just like I was!

The Milford Track is essentially three long days of about 20km each, with the middle section taking you up and over MacKinnon Pass. We had a group of ten, and it was great to share the scenery with mates, and to enjoy a glass of wine and a yummy dinner with them in the evenings after a hot shower. I went for the guided option, staying in fabulous lodges as I didn’t fancy cooking for myself after a long day of walking. It is truly beautiful to see

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Left: Jude at the Tongariro Crossing’s Blue Lake. Right: Jude and friends on the Milford Track.

Summerset’s village reliever programme Communications Advisor Hayley Fordyce says, “I oversaw managing family members coming into the care centre at Summerset at the Course This included rapid antigen testing (RAT), sighting negative RATs and keeping an eye on time to let the next two visitors in. I was trained well by the Trentham staff and met some lovely folk in the care centre. I’m so grateful for this opportunity – it gives a whole new meaning to my work in communications.”

There were some new faces in our villages recently, thanks to Summerset’s village reliever programme. As the Omicron wave surged around the country, volunteers got into action.

Workers from the corporate offices headed to villages affected by employee shortages, due to staff catching Covid-19 or having to isolate as a household contact.

The volunteers eased the workload for our frontliners, allowing them to recharge. The experience also proved to be invaluable for the volunteers, who are rarely exposed to day-to-day life in our villages, let alone during a pandemic.

Haromi Roberts works at Head Office as our Customer Experience Business Support.

She assisted at Summerset Mountain View: “I worked in the New Plymouth care centre helping with morning and afternoon tea rounds, restocking PPE gear and walking with residents around the village. The staff were really welcoming and made me feel like part of the great team they have there. It was an awesome learning experience.”

Above left: Haromi Roberts.

Above right: Hayley Fordyce.

GREEN MACHINE We’re proud to say we’re making the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) and bringing EV charging solutions to our villages. The Lexus UX 300e, our first EV, has arrived at Summerset at Avonhead. The second is on its way and is due to be installed at our Rototuna village. Summerset is also working with Meridian Energy to deliver EV chargers on the Zero network to some of our villages, including Summerset Avonhead, Summerset Rototuna, and Summerset on the Landing in Kenepuru. It’s all part of our drive to go greener and reduce our carbon emissions intensity.

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

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GOING SOLAR

MATES

in Construction

Nelson is known for its sunny weather, which makes it perfect for testing Summerset’s very first set of solar panels.

Summerset in the Sun now has 46 solar panels on its stand-alone clubhouse. The panels will provide around 27,000kWh a year, heating the outdoor swimming pool and providing electricity to the popular clubhouse.

Village Manager Susanne Harzer says there is much excitement about the solar panels.

“Residents are interested in how much electricity is being produced and how much we are saving.”

Sustainability Manager Debbie Summers says the installation of solar panels is our first step in understanding the benefits of solar power and how we can use it in existing and new villages. “We will learn about retrofitting panels, the maintenance required, and getting the right size of panels to suit our electricity requirements,” she says.

Solar energy has no direct greenhouse gas emissions because the electricity is made from sunlight rather than burning fossil fuels. Sunlight is a renewable energy source, meaning we will never run out of it.

Debbie says the solar panels can be tracked on an online dashboard. She adds that, so far, it’s more than enough for the clubhouse and pool – even on a cloudy day!

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It is seldom talked about and often regarded as a taboo subject, but the suicide rate in New Zealand is unacceptably high. The New Zealand construction industry is losing nearly one person every week to suicide.

We at Summerset want to reduce the stigma around mental health and support people to seek help when they need it. We have partnered with MATES in Construction, an evidence-based workplace suicide prevention model developed to reduce the high suicide rates in the construction industry. This work will help us create a workplace community where mates help mates.

Summerset is the largest constructor in the retirement village sector and is in the top five nationally. The physical and mental well-being of our staff is important to us. Dean Tallentire, Summerset’s General Manager – Construction, says, “Over recent years we have conducted a ‘Good Yarn’ programme and have seen really goodquality discussions, thanks in large part to our programme volunteers. MATES in Construction is the next step for us aligning with the sector-wide suicide prevention programme.”

MATES will provide our sites with the tools to identify that a workmate is struggling and have the tough conversations to make sure that they are okay. “It should really help our people be supportive and provide an environment that encourages well-being and awareness,” adds Dean.

FIVE QUESTIONS John Francis has lived in Summerset on Summerhill in Palmerston North for seven years. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he has been a Freemason for 58 years. A keen fly fisherman, he honed his skills on the Manawatū River and the Rotorua lakes. Here he talks about crossing the Southern Alps, creative pursuits and Rudyard Kipling.

What is your favourite recipe?

During my 10 years as a hotelier, I developed a keen interest in food and wine. In later years I did most of the cooking at home, leaving my wife free to quilt. My signature dish is chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. The garlic does not dominate when cooked en chemise, translated as ‘in its singlet’; you do not peel the cloves, just scatter them through the roasting dish.

Chicken thighs marinated in extra-virgin olive oil are fine, although a full leg is more satisfying. Use your fingers to squeeze the garlic out of their ‘singlets’ and spread them on a slice of French bread. A full-bodied red wine will top the dish off beautifully.

What skill or talent would you most like to learn?

I would truly have liked to have had my voice trained at an

early age. I studied art at Hutt Valley Memorial Tech, intending to become a commercial artist. That never happened, but I was introduced to choral singing there, which saw me join the local church choir and has been a major interest during my adult life. I have been a soloist from time to time. While I am a baritone, I think that with training I could have become a tenor.

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?

In 1959, under the direction of Harry Ayres and with two others, I did the Graham Saddle (2,635m) crossing of the Southern Alps. This involved one night at De La Beche Hut at the confluence of the Rudolf Glacier and Haupapa / Tasman Glacier, and a second night at Almer Hut, part way down and above the Franz Josef Glacier / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere.

What is your favourite book?

An impossible question to answer! However, in my library I had 26 titles by Rudyard Kipling, any one of which I would enjoy at the drop of a hat. I venture that this will put most people out of step with me. Too bad. Kipling is much more than a jingoistic Englishman. He offers humour, common sense, empathy and imagination.

What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

A quote that has been attributed to many: People will forget what you say, People will forget what you do, But people will never forget the way you make them feel.

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V I L L AGE PEOPLE

Take a look at some of the recent village happenings.

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Photo 1: The balloons were out in celebration of Mother’s Day at Summerset down the Lane.

Photo 2: A vision in green for St Patrick’s Day at Summerset on Summerhill.

Photo 3: The pétanque court has opened at Summerset by the Lake.

Photo 4: At Summerset at Karaka the piper plays his haunting tune to residents on ANZAC Day.

Photo 5: Summerset Palms ‘Have a go or knot’ craft group show off their creations.

Photo 6: Easter bunnies hop around Karaka village.

Photo 7: Carl and Muriel Mize from Avonhead seeing double at Prebbleton.

Photo 8: Enjoying high tea in honour of Mother’s Day at Summerset at Wigram.

Photo 9: Summerset in the Orchard residents gather for ANZAC Day.

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Photo 10: Indoor bowling at Summerset down the Lane.

Photo 11: Living in colour! An orange-themed Happy Hour at Summerset on Cavendish.

Photo 12: Staff at Avonhead celebrate Pride week.

Photo 13: Summerset in the Bay residents enjoying fish and chips at the seaside.

Photo 14: The luck of the Irish! Winning the St Patrick’s Day competition at Summerset Richmond Ranges.

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S TA F F P R O F I L E

Michaela Antico

BY ELLIE CLIFFORD

Service Coordinator Michaela Antico works at Summerset in the Sun. Michaela plans, coordinates and implements care and support services throughout the Nelson village, where she has worked for more than five years.

As part of her work involves identifying residents’ changing needs, Michaela works closely with nurses, caregivers, housekeepers and the Activities team. She also ensures residents and families are well informed about their options. Michaela does this so well that she won Summerset’s Applause Awards in the Strong Enough to Care category. “It was a total surprise to be nominated for the award,” she says. “I am very flattered. And to have won? Wow!”

Despite the Covid challenges of the past few years, Michaela thrives on her role. “My job is so variable, and no two days are the same. One great thing that has come out of this is seeing how well we work as one team. We all pull together to help one another out, wherever and whenever we can. We have all had to improvise so much and be so flexible, it has been quite amazing. Summerset management are supportive. My manager has an open-door policy and is so approachable.”

Michaela joined Summerset as a part-time Activities Coordinator, but her background in both social work and business administration in her native Germany made her the ideal choice for the then newly created role. “I completed a three-year apprenticeship in business management for wholesale and export, but realised that I actually prefer to work with people and decided to study social work,” Michaela says. “I have a bachelor’s degree in it and was a social worker in Germany and in New Zealand for a total of 15 years.”

The relationships Michaela has with the residents also keeps her motivated. “In this job, what has the biggest impact on me is enabling our residents to stay active and independent in a safe and supported environment. I get to know the residents and their families very well and form a strong bond with them.”

Like many Europeans, Michaela came to New Zealand to backpack and ended up staying.

“Three months turned into six, and I came to the South Island and did seasonal work. I fell in love with the country and made a lot of friends.

That was 21 years ago!”

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In her spare time, Michaela likes to kayak, swim off Tāhunanui Beach and spend time with her husband, Karl, whom she met in Nelson. “We bought a minivan and went around the South Island together just before the Omicron outbreak. But otherwise, travel isn’t hugely on my radar any more. I live in paradise, so why would I need to go anywhere else?”

“O N E G R E AT T H I N G T H AT H A S C O M E OUT OF THIS IS SEEING HOW WELL W E W O R K A S O N E T E A M .”

DELICIOUS RECIPES

B R I G H T E N

T H E

SEASON R E C I P E S BY JA N B I LTO N

WINTER CAN BE A DREARY TIME, SO I THOUGHT I’D PROVIDE A LITTLE SEASONAL CHEER. THE FOLLOWING MENU HAS AN ASIAN THEME LADEN WITH SPICES THAT WILL REV UP YOUR TASTE BUDS. Dried spices are relatively cheap and can make that dash of difference to many a dish. Keep spices in a cool place in airtight containers if possible.

Five-spice powder is a combo of ground fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and Szechuan pepper. It’s great for sprinkling over meats and seafood before cooking, and can be included in marinades or rubs for barbecue foods.

Shaoxing wine is prepared from fermented rice and has a taste resembling that of dry sherry. It’s available from most supermarkets or

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Asian food stores. Add a little to sauces for meats or use in salad dressings.

Cauliflower has been in favour for the last couple of years, especially as buffalo cauli – florets dipped in a lightly seasoned batter, deep-fried and served with a buffalo (chilli) sauce. However, I prefer my cauli florets dipped in a zingy batter flavoured with Indian spices – a traditional pakora. These bites are great served as nibbles.

Invite your Summerset friends around and enjoy a warming get-together.

A TASTY GLUTEN-FREE STARTER

CAULIFLOWER PAKORAS SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

400g trimmed cauliflower

Cut the cauli into 3cm florets, trimming off any excess stalks.

1 cup chickpea (besan) flour

Place the flour, baking powder and spices in a bowl and mix well.

¾ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground coriander, salt ½ teaspoon each: ground

Whisk in enough water to make a medium batter.

Heat about 3cm of the oil in a small, deep saucepan or a wok. Dip the florets into the batter a few at a time, shaking off any excess batter. Fry until golden on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the cauli is cooked.

Serve with a fruity sauce dip or yoghurt.

cinnamon, ground chilli 1 cup water, approximately

TIPS

Rice bran or canola oil for frying

Serve as a starter or as nibbles with drinks.

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

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HONG KONG

CHICKEN SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

3 tablespoons each: sugar, honey,

Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in a jug. Mix well (use

soy sauce

a stick blender if preferred). Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade.

2 tablespoons each: Shaoxing wine,

Cut the chicken into 2.5cm cubes. Thread 3–4 pieces each onto about

grated root ginger 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons each: five-spice powder, sesame oil 600g skinned and boned chicken To garnish (optional): toasted sesame seeds, fresh herbs

eight skewers.

Place the skewers in a single layer in a flat pan. Baste thoroughly with the remaining marinade. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, turning often.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess.

Preheat a grill or ridged frying pan to medium. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, turning often, until the juices run clear.

Serve drizzled with the reserved marinade. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs, if preferred.

TIPS This is a simple yet super recipe, and is great served with a warm salad of steamed pumpkin cubes, diced avocado, mung bean sprouts and pickled pink ginger. Drizzle with the juice of a lime and a little of the pink pickled ginger juice.

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SESAME ALMOND

COOKIES MAKES 20

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1½ cups plain flour

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

½ teaspoon baking powder

Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt into a bowl. Stir in the

⅛ teaspoon each: ground

ground almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oils, egg, sugar

nutmeg, salt

and almond essence until well combined. Stir into the dry ingredients

¼ cup each: ground

and mix well.

almonds, sesame oil,

Form into small 25g balls about the size of a walnut. Place on the lined

canola oil

tray. Press the centre of each ball with your thumb to make a hollow

1 egg, lightly beaten

and place an almond in the centre of each.

¾ cup sugar

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool.

½ teaspoon almond essence 20 whole blanched almonds

TIPS I used a mild sesame oil, but you could use less sesame oil and more canola oil if you prefer. These are excellent served with tea, or with a fruit platter for dessert.

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What’s a fridge harvest?

There aren’t many people who knowingly throw money in the bin, yet it is something most of us do – in the form of food waste. According to the Love Food Hate Waste website, Kiwi families on average throw away three trolley carts of food a year. With food prices rising fast, that’s a lot of cash to kiss goodbye.

To reduce your food waste, how about trying a fridge harvest? At the end of the week, have a look at the contents of your fridge and make a meal out of them. Use any leftover fresh ingredients coupled with pantry staples to make a delicious meal instead of putting those ingredients in the bin.

INGREDIENTS

Stuck for inspiration? If you are tech-savvy, try supercook.com. This is a zero-waste recipe finder that allows you to add the ingredients you have available and finds recipes for them – and it is entirely free.

1 onion, thinly sliced

Wasted food is not just the result of overbuying or chucking out leftovers – improper storage is also a factor. The food that gets binned most often is bread. If you struggle to eat yours before it goes mouldy (thanks to our humid climate, this happens fairly quickly), store it in the fridge or freezer to help keep it fresher for longer. If you are freezing plastic-bagged pre-sliced bread, you can prevent the slices from sticking together by separating them in the bag slightly before freezing, or ‘concertina’ greaseproof paper or beeswax wrap and put the folds between each slice of bread.

3 cold cooked sausages, cut into chunks (if using

Fiona Downes from Summerset at Monterey Park in Hobsonville kindly shared the following recipe for her fridge leftovers. She says, “This is a good way to use up leftover sausages and makes a change from the usual bangers and mash. The only pantry staple you need to keep on hand is a 400g can of lentils.”

variety of vegetables, from courgettes to shredded

1 large apple or pear, peeled and cut into small chunks 20–30 raisins/sultanas 400g tin of brown lentils, rinsed and drained fresh sausages, cook earlier so that they are cool enough to handle) METHOD Sauté the onion until soft. Add the chopped fruit and sauté for a further 5 minutes, then add the raisins and lentils.

At this point you can add anything else you want from your fridge or pantry. For example, if you like spicy Mexican flavours you can add leftover salsa and tomato sauce, or if you prefer fruity flavours you can add a variety of leftover fruit chutneys and turmeric or curry powder. You can then add any cabbage, celery and so on. You can also add a little malt vinegar, or brown sugar or honey, or Worcester sauce.

Cook for another 5 minutes, adding and adjusting the flavour until it is to your taste. Finally, add the sausages, stir thoroughly, cover, turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes to heat through, stirring

Do you have a suggestion for a fridge harvest

once or twice.

recipe? Email green.team@summerset.co.nz

Presto! A meal in a bowl with several servings

to share!

of fruit or veges.

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We’ve teamed up with New Zealand’s original MasterChef winner, Brett McGregor, for our Cooking with a MasterChef show. It’s off to the Far East for a ‘Taste of Thailand’ in the latest episode. Ask questions, share tips and chat about all things food on Brett’s live ‘Chat with the Chef’ session on Thursday 23 June at 11am. Use the Zoom code 838 2419 6427.

Classical performer Will Martin’s Easter concert was music to our ears, and the international singer – described as a once-in-ageneration talent – will be performing songs chosen by Summerset residents for his upcoming July concert.

The An Interview With… series, hosted by Summerset friend and ambassador Jude Dobson, continues to be a resounding success. Look out for Jude’s upcoming interview with mountaineer and double amputee Mark Inglis on Tuesday 28 June at 11am. Use the Zoom code 874 5352 1510.

A Summerset World, our new variety TV show created and produced by New Zealand actor William Kircher, premiered on 7 June at Summerset by the Ranges in

Levin, our first featured village. The show is a smorgasbord of entertainment that includes features on village residents and staff, musical performances, comedy skits, theatrical readings and documentaries from Archives New Zealand.

The second episode is set at Summerset at the Course in Trentham.

Day-to-day life inside our villages has looked a little different under the red Covid-19 traffic light setting. But our innovative Activities Coordinators (ACs) found ways to keep bringing the best of life to our residents. Some of our residents have been making the most of the great outdoors. “Our SAYgo exercise group has kept on going, and thankfully the weather has been kind,” says Christine Peters, AC for Summerset at Avonhead. At Summerset by the Dunes, scavenger hunts were organised, and the walking group would often visit the beach. Mr Whippy brought Summerset at Heritage Park residents rushing to the kerbside, bringing ice creams and smiles all round.

Now that the traffic light system has changed to orange across the country, we have been able to relax our restrictions in villages that don’t have active outbreaks. Our village centres are fully open to residents, and there are no longer restrictions on the size of gatherings for indoor events and happy hours – life is starting to return to normal!

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

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TALL

IN THE GARDEN

POPPIES A R T I C L E BY LY N DA H A L L I N A N P H OTO S BY SA L LY TAG G

Poppies have long inspired painters, poets and plantspeople alike.

Scatter the seeds now for months of colour to come, says Lynda Hallinan.

I have a soft spot for poppies. Who doesn’t? I love them all, from the red soldier poppies (Papaver rhoeas) worn on Anzac Day to the happy-go-lucky crêpe-paper blooms of Iceland poppies (P. nudicaule) cheerfully blooming their socks off in council gardens during the coldest months.

In winter, these hairy-legged lovelies burst out of their bristly pods like spring-loaded jack-in-the-boxes to flower defiantly in the face of even the most inclement weather. Their large crinkled petals unfurl as magically as monarch butterflies emerging from compact chrysalises; both remind me of the sleeping bags we took on family camping holidays when I was a kid. (Those puffy sleeping bags, once unzipped, were nigh impossible to stuff back inside their shiny nylon carrier bags.)

Every year when I sprinkle poppy seeds around my country garden, I think of the American writer, poet and painter Celia Thaxter (1835–1894), the lonely child of a lighthouse keeper, making friends with the flowers she grew in her small Victorian cottage garden on Appledore Island off the coast of Maine.

Thaxter adored poppies of all persuasions and captured their charms in her final book, An Island Garden. This cottage gardening classic was published the year before her death in 1895 and is still well worth a read.

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“Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God,” Thaxter wrote, “nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof. Take that poppy seed, for instance: it lies in your palm, the merest atom of matter, hardly visible, a speck, a pin’s point in bulk, but within it is imprisoned a spirit of beauty ineffable, which will break its bonds and emerge from the dark ground and blossom in a splendour so dazzling as to baffle all powers of description.”

Her description couldn’t be more perfect, for poppy seeds are notoriously tiny, with some species producing as many as 5,000 seeds per single gram. Shirley poppy seed is as fine as dust, and even the biggest black breadseed poppy seeds are easily lost to the wind when sowing.

In pots on a patio or in big drifts in a meadow garden, poppies are a gift that keeps on giving.

Simply pop in a punnet of seedlings from the garden centre, or scatter a packet of seed, and they’ll happily self-seed forever more, cross-pollinating and popping up in the cracks between paving stones or among the salad greens in a vegetable garden. They’re the prettiest and most welcome of weeds.

The poppy’s ability to grow in inhospitable places was first noticed not by gardeners, but

The easiest way to establish poppies – in a country field or in a city courtyard – is to scatter a packet of wildflower seed and see what pops up. But there are dozens of connoisseur varieties to choose from as well, ranging from the cool-climate sky-blue perennial Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia) to the purple Hungarian breadseed poppy (Papaver somniferum), famed for its edible black seeds.

Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale) have larger, sturdier flowers with splotched throats, while ruffled peony poppies (P. paeoniflorum) boast plenty of petals. And thanks to the efforts of plant breeders, plain red soldier poppies now compete for attention with other evocative shades, including ‘Amazing Grey’ (silvery lavender), ‘Bridal Silk’ (white) and ‘Mother of Pearl’ (mixed pastels). Both Kings Seeds (kingsseeds.co.nz) and Egmont Seeds (egmontseeds.co.nz) have captivating mail-order selections to choose from. by poets (and irritated farmers tilling their fields and inadvertently kickstarting their germination). In 1790, the Scottish bard Robert Burns wrote in ‘Tam o’ Shanter’ of how “pleasures are like poppies spread / you seize the flower, its bloom is shed”, while John Keats described poppies hanging “dew-dabbled on their stalks” in his 1818 poem Endymion. But it was John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’ (1915) that turned the red soldier poppy into an international symbol of remembrance with its haunting opening lines: “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row”.

Before they came to represent wartime loss, the poppy fields of Europe were favoured by painters ranging from John Constable to Gustav Klimt. In the late 1800s, Claude Monet was captivated by the fields of wild red poppies that grew around his home in France, while Vincent van Gogh painted half a dozen poppy-themed masterpieces, capturing their delicate-looking flowers growing wild on the edge of a wheatfield, keeping company with cabbage white butterflies and in vases with cornflowers and daisies.

S E ASO N A L C H EC K L I ST •

Sow winter salad greens in tubs. Corn salad, mesclun, perennial rocket, miner’s lettuce, baby kale and bok choy also make for nutritious microgreens.

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Sow baby beets, carrots and turnips in buckets. Radishes also do well in winter if grown in pots under cover.

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Plant pansies, Iceland poppies and polyanthus for instant colour in containers.

•

Sow broad beans in empty beds; you’ll get a bonus crop of fat pods in spring, as well as protecting the soil by sequestering nitrogen and preventing run-off in heavy rain.

•

Finish planting spring bulbs. If you’re chilling tulips in your fridge for 6–8 weeks prior to bedding them in, don’t forget to get them out and get them into the ground!

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STYLE

Well coated

ARTICLE BY LUCY CORRY

Get ahead of winter’s wild weather by starting the search for a great top layer now.

When it comes to making fashion faux pas, I like to think I’ve learnt a thing or two over the years.

I know now, for example, that shoes that feel uncomfortable in a shop won’t magically become more wearable in real life.

But there’s one lesson that I seem unable to learn – a fashion crime I’ve committed every year for the last decade, in fact. At the start of winter, I look at new coats arriving in stores and think, “Oh no, not yet, I’ll buy one later”. By the time midwinter comes, all the lovely coats are gone. This year, I’m determined to break this cycle and invest in a truly great coat. If you’re in the same boat, here’s some advice.

S H O P YO U R WA R D R O B E If you’ve been smart about buying coats in the past, the chances are that you have a wide selection of outer winter layers to choose from already. Shop your own wardrobe to assess your needs before hitting the mall. It’s quite likely you have a fab coat that just requires freshening up – a quick press or dry-clean often works wonders. Most good dry cleaners also offer alteration services, in case an old favourite could do with being shortened or taken in.

GET PUFFED If your idea of winter adventuring involves walking dogs, taking the grandkids to the park

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or hitting the golf course, opt for a wellinsulated showerproof coat that will keep you both warm and dry. The mighty puffer jacket – quilted, slightly padded and very lightweight – is a great option. Yes, you might look a bit like a Michelin Man wearing one, but you’ll also be very warm and cosy. Outdoor gear stores are your best bet here.

A D D A DA S H O F C O L O U R What fashion people call ‘saturated colours’ – bright, eye-catching shades – are great in winter coats because they’re so unexpected.

Why be in drab grey or black when you can be in vibrant scarlet, green or blue? If that doesn’t convince you, the Pantone colour for 2022 is a deep lavender shade called ‘Very Peri’. The global colour authority says this new hue’s “courageous presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity”. If you’re not quite ready for that kind of razzle-dazzle, olive green or petrol blue are beautiful winter coat colours that will help you stand out in a crowd.

CONSIDER A NEW TEXTURE Leather trench coats – think dashing spy rather than furtive flasher – were all over the catwalks at international fashion weeks as a valid winter option. And so were coats trimmed in all manner of fake furs. Traditional tweeds and herringbones are still valued for winter style – just choose one in tones that suit the rest of your wardrobe. Or go all out and embrace a perennial favourite like leopard print.

It’s a jungle out there, even if the temperatures are dropping.

THE ROAD TO WELL-BEING IS PAVED WITH

WELLNESS

GOOD INTENTIONS

ARTICLE BY DAN HARDIE

With all that is going on in the world and our lives, taking care of our health by exercising is a worthy decision.

Before beginning any exercise routine you should first consider three key points. Sort these, and you’ll be much more likely to stick to your plan and achieve consistent and sustainable results.

1. Choose which days you will exercise on. For moderate to intense exercise, this should not be every day of the week. Remember also that it’s easier to build up your goals gradually than it is to rein in your expectations. Picking a few days per week that you will absolutely commit to exercise (aside from, say, a family emergency or ill health) will largely increase your chances of keeping it up.

2. Choose the time of day you are going to Whether you are starting something brand new, picking up an old sport or trying to create a fresh routine that you’ll stick to, it’s worth mentioning that the fact you are really trying to make exercise part of your life is something to celebrate. This is because the world has become much more sedentary – tasks have simply become easier to do. As a result, opportunities for incidental exercise have become less common and less obvious.

I’m not talking here about the fact that we no longer need to run after our food to eat, but rather about the general lack of day-to-day exertion. Furniture is now lighter, doors are easier to shut, taps can be turned with minimal effort, and even closing a car boot can simply require pressing a button or waving a hand. This means that we absolutely must make even more effort to exercise regularly, not just for the sake of our physical health but also for the sake of our brain.

move. Pick a time that you are normally awake and alert. If you usually wake up at 7am, for example, it will be counterproductive for you to plan your exercise time for 5:30am. This is because you will then be lengthening your normal ‘awake time’ as well as needing to train.

3. Eliminate as many factors as possible that will hinder your routine. If you are reliant on the perfect time of day, weather, travel, lots of equipment or other factors, then it is less likely you will start your routine and keep to it.

So to ensure success, take your time to get organised. If you need to reschedule your week first or communicate your plans to others, do that before you head out the door. If you’ve been out of action for a while, be kind to yourself.

Crucial behaviours such as discipline, focus and consistency are also needed, but provided you are committed to the long-term vision of improving yourself, then these will come.

All the best with your journey!

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

35

CRAFT CORNER ARTICLE BY MELISSA WASTNEY

HANDMADE SCENT, TWO WAYS Keep the joy of summer blooms going through the colder months by making your own perfume. With a few essential oils, you can blend your own special scent or make one for a friend. I make liquid perfumes up occasionally in small roller bottles, but you could use any small vessel with a lid. The soothing scent of my little bottle of lavender and rose goodness is almost like a rescue remedy for me as I go about my busy day. I love knowing it’s in my bag.

Here are instructions for making both a liquid and a solid perfume. The solid one can be applied a little like a skin ointment or cream. One thing to keep in mind is that the scent of natural perfumes doesn’t last as long on the skin as synthetic perfumes, so a few applications throughout the day might be necessary.

I D E AS FO R O I L B L E N DS Headaches: peppermint, lavender, lemongrass Relaxation/calm: bergamot, lavender, ylang ylang Clarity/focus: rosemary, peppermint, sweet orange Earthy floral: lavender, geranium, rose, patchouli Happiness blend: rose, geranium, sweet orange, lavender

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

LIQUID PERFUME SUPPLIES Essential oils you love (I used a blend of three, from Kereru Natural Products) Cotton pads or scrap fabric Small bottles (I used 10ml amber glass bottles with metal roller balls and screw-on lids I found on TradeMe) Eye-dropper Neutral carrier oil such as jojoba or similar (I used organic almond oil from Kereru Natural Products) Labels

SOLID PERFUME This is a nice way to carry a little perfume with you wherever you go! You can collect small sweet tins or lip-balm containers for your solid perfumes. I’ve found that they last a little longer on the skin than the roll-on scent.

SUPPLIES Approximately 15 drops of essential oils you love (you could use one or a blend – see sidebar for ideas) Cotton pads or scrap fabric 42g neutral carrier oil (I used organic sweet almond oil) 7g beeswax, grated or chopped

METHOD 1. First, decide on your oil blend. Do this by testing out blends on cotton pads or scrap fabrics until you get a pleasing combination.

To choose your essential oils, focus on top, middle and base notes, mixing them in the following proportions: 50 per cent middle-note oils, 20 per cent base-note oils and 30 per cent top-note oils. Vary the ratios depending on your preference.

2. Drop your essential oils into your bottle (remove the ball first if you are using a roller bottle). For a 10ml bottle, you will need to use about 40 drops altogether. For my favourite blend I use 20 drops of lavender oil, 10 drops of rose oil, 5 drops of sweet orange oil and 5 drops of geranium oil. Swirl the bottle to mix.

3. Using the eye-dropper, add your carrier oil until the bottle is half full. Replace the lid and shake to combine. Then remove the lid again and add more carrier oil until the bottle is nearly full.

4. Replace the ball roller and lid, and add a label describing your blend.

Small glass jug Digital scale Wooden iceblock stick or similar Two small pottles or tins

METHOD 1 / Decide on your essential oil or blend. You can use cotton pads or fabric scraps to test out blends before mixing them together.

2 / Place the carrier oil and beeswax in the jug (I used a digital scale to get the quantities exact), then melt together in a microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring with the iceblock stick in between. If you don’t have a microwave, sit the jug on a pot of boiling water and stir until melted and smooth. Once melted, add in your essential oils and stir again.

3 / Carefully pour the mixture into your little pots and add lids and labels when cooled and set.

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

37

REVIEWS BY KAREN MCMILLAN

BOOK REVIEWS

Unholy Business N O R A W EST Unholy Business follows the story of Alice and her family. It opens in England in 1963, when Alice is finishing off her final years at boarding school. Meanwhile, her mother, Sylvia, is drinking in her bedroom as her husband, Quentin, embarks on another affair, this time with a young secretary. But Quentin is full of grand plans to expand his poultry business to Europe, so the family sets off on a business trip to Rome that will have dramatic ramifications for all of them.

This is a fictionalised account of a real story the author is re-creating some 60 years later, and it is even more engaging for this personal connection. It captures the crippling effect of boarding schools in maintaining class and gender divisions and the constraints placed on young women in the 1960s. It also captures the glamour of 1960s Italy and a scandal in the Vatican.

What an engaging, cheerful and utterly absorbing read! Unholy Business is KORORĀ PRESS RRP $28.00

an upbeat but insightful novel that transports the reader to 1960s England, with a headstrong schoolgirl navigating the restraints of a constricted ‘privileged’ upbringing, with unexpected events thrown her way that change the course of her life.

The Water’s Dead CAT H E R I N E L E A The body of a young woman is found in a volcanic rock pool in Northland, New Zealand. DI Nyree Bradshaw begins investigating the case, and it becomes a race against time when she discovers that Lily, a six-year-old child who is diabetic, was last seen in the care of the murdered woman.

Nyree must find the killer in the hope of finding Lily.

But from the outset, everything is working against finding the child alive.

Everyone has something to hide, and no one is telling the police the truth. The murdered woman’s parents are acting strangely, the boyfriend is on home detention for drugs and is openly belligerent, and then there is the problem of one of Nyree’s own officers, who is undermining the investigation …

The Water’s Dead is a compelling, page-turning read, with characters to care for and a great sense of place. It’s full of twists and turns, and it’s lovely to read a book set in New Zealand’s beautiful Far North. It’s BREAKLIGHT PRESS RRP $34.95

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

the first in a new series, and I can’t wait to read the next case DI Nyree Bradshaw tackles.

Seventy Years Worth of Travel PAT BAC K L EY Pat Backley dreamed of travelling as a girl and was fortunate to venture from England’s beautiful, bucolic landscape to destinations and adventures all around the world before settling in New Zealand. In this entertaining memoir, she takes the reader on her travels, starting with a school trip to what was then Yugoslavia and then winning a trip as an 18-year-old and choosing to head to Tunisia. She goes on to visit France, Italy and Spain.

At the age of 25, Pat lived in Fiji for two years. This beautiful place became a big part of her life story, her spiritual home and a place she returns to often. Following this, she travelled through the United States, Singapore and the Bahamas – all places of marked contrast. At age 40, she made it to Egypt, and she went to Venice for her 50th birthday. The following years were filled with yet more adventures around the globe.

PAT BACKLEY PUBLISHING RRP $24.95

Seventy Years Worth of Travel is a wonderful book of small, perfectly formed vignettes that capture each destination with a great sense of place and a slice of the era when Pat visited.

A Better Brain for Life A N G E L A CAU G H EY “It is possible to reduce your risk of developing dementia or at least slow its progression by 30 percent if you work at keeping your brain healthy.” This is the good news Angela Caughey shares with us. You can achieve this by eating healthily, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, drinking alcohol wisely, socialising regularly, minimising stress, sleeping well, keeping your brain active, and keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol at suitable levels. Taking these actions will also help ward off other chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Angela shares the latest research on how the brain develops and what can go wrong with this incredibly intricate organ at each stage of life in a way that those without any scientific background can understand. Her important message that dementia can be prevented or slowed down needs to be spread far and wide. Knowing that taking action can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia and other chronic diseases will be a CALICO PUBLISHING RRP $34.95

great incentive. People of any age will benefit from reading this book and taking Angela’s advice to practise healthy living to nurture our brains.

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

39

GO GREENER

Green Update FAREWELL FOOD MOUNTAINS New Zealand households throw away 157,389 tonnes of food a year, equivalent to the weight of 271 jumbo jets!

Residents at Summerset at Karaka plan to start contributing their food waste to

How do you reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill? Play our Zero Waste Bingo – horizontal, diagonal, four corners, or will you get them all?!

Auckland Council’s organic recycling service. Each of the village’s 184 villas aim to have a 23-litre green bin for food scraps, to be collected weekly by the council, even though the rural village is not within the

Zero Waste Bingo tick a box each time you complete a waste-reduction task until you get bingo

area covered by the recycling service. “Our residents are keen to do their bit to save on waste, and they often mentioned food waste,” says Property Manager Craig Brant.

According to Auckland Council, food

CHOOSE A

TAKE YOUR

RECYCLED

OWN COFFEE

PRODUCT

CUP

scraps currently make up close to half the weight of an average household’s rubbish bin. The collected food waste is made into compost, which is then provided free to people living in south and east Auckland.

USE A REUSABLE CLEANING CLOTH

BUY AN

CREATE LIQUID FERTILISER

GROW YOUR

WITH FOOD

OWN HERBS

SCRAPS

BUY A

ORGANIC

REFILLABLE

PRODUCT

HAND SOAP

USE A REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE

Craig says that, hopefully, some of the compost will be used in the village gardens in time.

USE YOUR OWN GLASS

Another way to combat food waste is by

JAR

BRING YOUR OWN GROCERY BAGS

REUSE A PLASTIC CONTAINER

USE A REUSABLE FOOD WRAP (BEESWAX)

using your leftovers (see our fridge harvest article on page 30). You can preserve them with reusable beeswax wraps. Food to Love, a Kiwi website, shares instructions and a video for making your own beeswax wraps. Check it out at foodtolove.co.nz

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

FREEZE LEFTOVER FOOD

COVER

BUY LOOSE

LEFTOVERS

FRUIT & VEG

RINSE YOUR

WITH A PLATE

INSTEAD OF

RECYCLING

OR CLOTH

PACKAGED

POET’S CORNER A Crisp Winter Day A Mouse?

Snuggle deeper under the bedclothes

One day a mouse, came into our house.

The minute hand eats into the morning

I chased it around – it was then that I found

Of another day in paradise

I can’t run as fast as I did in the past!

Time has passed and can’t be retrieved It ran under the table, and I was unable The minute hand eats into the morning

to get past the chair that the old man

Places to go, people to see, stories to write

leaves there!

Time has passed and can’t be retrieved I force my hand to throw aside the

So I just let it be – let the wee mouse

bedclothes

go free.

Places to go, people to see, stories to write

Yep, just left it at that; we’ve now got a CAT!

Wrap myself in extra layers to face the chilly air I force my hand to throw aside the

By Fay Tuffin, Summerset Rototuna

bedclothes Pull up the blinds, pop the kettle on, porridge in the pot Wrap myself in extra layers to face the chilly air Warming mug of tea, porridge bubbling Pull up the blinds, pop the kettle on, porridge in the pot Mug of tea in hand, retreat to the bedroom Warming mug of tea, porridge bubbling Snuggle deeper under the bedclothes Just an interlude before I face Another day in paradise

By Christine Donehue, Summerset by the Sea

PINIONED POETRY:

Ears

(One, two, three, four, five syllables, then four, three, two, one) Ears!

Crucial Body part!

Hook my glasses And sun fit-overs.

Hold hearing aids, Covid mask, Earrings.

Wow!

By Margaret Rushbrook, Summerset on the Landing

If you would like to submit a poem for consideration in Poet’s Corner, send it to magazine@summerset.co.nz

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

41

TRAVEL LOG

AKAROA ARTICLE BY AMELIA NORMAN

A historic French settlement perched on a scenic volcanic harbour, Akaroa is a destination quite unlike any other in New Zealand. Whether you’re looking for a wild excursion, a boutique holiday or an active weekend away, Akaroa has it all.

ACCOMMODATION For a luxurious stay in central Akaroa, historic Beaufort House is a must. Built in 1878, this gorgeous B&B sits nestled in a beautiful garden and private vineyard within walking distance of the village’s main attractions. All rooms are sumptuously decorated to conjure the feel of a bygone era, with luxury additions to ensure the most comfortable of stays. Each morning you’ll enjoy a delicious breakfast served in the grand dining room with a full setting of silverware, crystal and china – just like the good old days.

If you’re looking to make the most of Akaroa’s seaside location, book in to Akaroa Waterfront Motels. As the name suggests, this comfortable accommodation is perched right on the waterfront for glorious harbour views (keep your eyes peeled for dolphins!), and is just a stone’s throw to the shops and eateries of Akaroa’s main street. Hire bikes or kayaks to explore your immediate area, or just kick back and enjoy the birdsong and seaside views.

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

For those seeking a bit of an adventure, see if you can secure one of the cottages at Mt Vernon Lodge. The lodge and its various accommodation options are located on expansive grounds high above Akaroa village, affording vast coastal views and delightful birdlife right outside your door. The Pheasant Cottage and Maison Cottage are two rustic, cosy cottages tucked away among the trees for ultimate privacy.

EATING French-inspired pastries, delicious coffee and full Kiwi breakfasts are on offer each morning at the various cafés around central Akaroa, but if you’re seeking something a bit different (but still Euro-inspired), make a booking at Waffle Haus. Enormous waffles are served up with a range of sweet toppings and will likely see you right for the rest of the day! Bookings are essential – weekends only in autumn and winter.

Eating fresh, local seafood while you’re gazing out to the ocean is something that Akaroa does particularly well, and nowhere better than at Ma Maison. With a lunch menu focused largely on fish and seafood, this seaside restaurant offers brilliant harbour views, relaxed indoor and outdoor seating, and a drinks list so extensive you may happily find you’ve whiled

away an entire afternoon in the pleasant environs of this eatery.

For a fine dining treat come evening, head for the Little Bistro. This charming Akaroa institution has an exceptional menu with a focus on fresh, local, seasonal ingredients and an excellent Canterbury-centric wine list to match. Bookings recommended.

ACTIVITIES Tucked away up a steep street off Akaroa’s main road is an unexpected delight known as the Giant’s House. Artist Josie Martin has turned the grounds of her historic Akaroa home into a Garden of International Significance, full of huge sculptures, mosaic creations and amazing ceramics. Expect to discover quirky surprises at every turn as you explore the sprawling garden at this delightful visitor attraction.

You simply cannot visit Akaroa without a trip out onto the water to spot dolphins. Banks Peninsula is known as one of the only places in the world where you can see the rare Hector’s dolphin. Akaroa Dolphins offers a comfortable two-hour nature cruise during which you can enjoy the dramatic coastal scenery of Banks Peninsula while their on-board dolphin-spotting dogs will keep their eyes peeled for the tiny,

playful dolphins. The company has a 98 per cent success rate in spotting dolphins; if you don’t see any, you can cruise again for free.

For the real foodies, the Akaroa Cooking School offers a holiday experience that is as tasty as it is enjoyable. Spend a day eating, drinking and learning as you create a menu of recipes with other like-minded students. With classes ranging from ‘A Day in France’ to ‘Fresh from the Wharf’, ‘The Ultimate BBQ’ and ‘Asian Inspirations’, there is something for every budding chef.

A relaxing coastal retreat, with a good pinch of history and an abundance of boutique attractions, Akaroa has plenty to entertain and delight, however long your visit.

STATS Region: Canterbury Airport: Christchurch Airport Main road: Rue Lavaud Population: 756

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

43

L E T ’S TA L K A B O U T

B R A I N H E A LT H

Being diagnosed with dementia takes some adjusting to – both for the person with dementia and their family or whānau. There will be many changes along the way, and it is important to know that there is support available as you continue to live your best life every day.

Together, make plans for the future. These might include updating a will, appointing enduring powers of attorney, making an advanced care plan or sorting out banking issues. Let loved ones know what is important so that the person with dementia can be supported in all aspects of their life. Getting a circle of support around you, including local dementia services, will ensure others are walking alongside you. All of these changes will help reduce the stress when changes happen.

Your general practitioner has a significant role in the health care of the person with dementia.

Any time there are changes, they will need to know so they can ensure their patient has the best support and outcomes for care.

There are many tools and strategies to help navigate life with dementia. It is very useful to establish routines – a digital day clock may help with this and is specifically designed to help those experiencing memory loss. It displays the date, the time and the day of the week, it automatically adjusts brightness based on the time of day or night, and it has an alarm/ medication reminder function. Calendars and diaries are also very useful for helping those with dementia keep to the routine of the day, week or month. A whiteboard on the fridge is another useful tool to act as a reminder for appointments, important phone numbers and

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

scheduled activities. Remember that it will be necessary to modify and adapt to different ways of performing daily life tasks.

Communication may be difficult for both the person with dementia and their family or whānau. Minimise distractions when you are communicating and speak clearly, allowing time for the person with dementia to comprehend and respond to what is being said. Try to keep yourself from becoming impatient as this can come through in how you are communicating, thereby causing more stress and anxiety for you and the person with dementia. Remember, communication is 7 per cent words and 93 per cent body language and voice tone.

GETTING A CIRCLE OF SUPPORT AROUND YOU WILL ENSURE OTHERS ARE WALKING ALONGSIDE YOU

Using distraction to overcome upsets and frustration is another good strategy to have, and if you are a care partner you may occasionally need to take a break and seek support and advice. Your local dementia service may hold carer support groups.

Prevent the Flu. Protect You.

Get your FREE flu vaccine (65+ years) at Summerset to protect yourself and others from the serious health threat of influenza this winter.

Speak to your village or care centre manager if you have any questions about the flu vaccine.

We’ve got you covered. Let’s get vaccinated and stop the spread of influenza.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) celebrates 75 years in 2022 with a season of great music, soloists and conductors from Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

YEARS AND COUNTING

Summerset is a proud sponsor of the NZSO, and our residents receive a 25% discount on any NZSO concert in the 2022 season!

You can view their full programme online at www.nzso.co.nz/2022 When booking, simply just enter or mention the code* summerset25

*Subject to availability

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

45

46

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue Puzzles © The Puzzle Company DOUBLE CROSS

SUDOKU

WORDWHEEL: 1. TEMPLATE. 2. IMPOUNDS. 3. ENORMITY.

Across: 1. Commute, 4. Pass muster, 9. Dentist, 13. Ache, 14. Seance, 15.

Tanker, 16. Obvious, 19. Parsnip, 20. Antony and Cleopatra, 21. Punter, 22.

Demise, 24. Stevedore, 29. Estimate, 30. Salary, 31. Problem, 35. Outdated, 36. Baboon, 37. Load, 38. Baron, 39. Paw, 41. Dense, 43. Tandem, 47.

Tempo, 50. Keg, 54. Gavel, 55. Babe, 56. Blotto, 57. Anaconda, 60. Boulder, 61. Pursue, 62. Decrease, 65. Overpower, 67. Permit, 68. Novice, 72. Bark up the wrong tree, 75. Imagine, 77. Jointly, 78. Hijack, 79. Butter, 80. Cede, 81.

Persist, 82. Centennial, 83. Satisfy.

Down: 1. Cramp, 2. Maharani, 3. Exempt, 4. Pancake Day, 5. Sleet, 6.

Matinee, 7. Sundae, 8. Emend, 10. Embroidery, 11. Thin air, 12. Square, 17.

Understand, 18. Clove, 21. Pea soup, 23. Inexact, 25. Turtle, 26. Pigeon, 27.

Plunge, 28. Decode, 30. Spoon, 32. Bear, 33. Stow, 34. Fame, 40. Amazon, 42. Sway, 44. Abbess, 45. Drone, 46. Matador, 48. Mantel, 49. Occasional, 50. Kind, 51. Granite, 52. Deal, 53. Secure, 58. Metropolis, 59. Accidental, 63. Mocha, 64. Pitiless, 66. Vikings, 67. Pigskin, 69. Parole, 70. Cobalt, 71.

Biceps, 73. Write, 74. Rabbi, 76. Enemy.

eight-letter word reading clockwise or CODECRACKER anticlockwise. Previous solution: IMPOUNDS

CROSSWORD

Insert the missing letter to complete an

3

T Y

Insert the missing letter to complete an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise. Previous solution: BAGPIPES

E T 1

A L T E

E N I

?

R O

Insert the missing letter to complete an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise. Previous solution: TEMPLATE

1733

?

PWordWheel 1731

S D

N U I

?

P O 2

1732

Insert the missing letter in each puzzle to make an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise WordWheel

WordWheel

WORDWHEEL Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9

SUDOKU

Reveal a completed crossword by deleting one of the two letters in each divided square.

DOUBLECROSS

PUZZLES

BRAIN TEASE

1

2

3

13

4

5

6

14

7

8

9

15

11

12

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

26

25

27

29

28

30

31

33

32

34

35

39

10

36

40

41

42

37

43

52

44

45

46

38

47

48

49

50

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63 65

51

64

66

67

69

70

72

73

77

78

81

82

ACROSS 1. Travel to work (7) 4. Be of acceptable standard (4,6) 9. Tooth puller (7) 13. Dull pain (4) 14. Meeting of spiritualists (6) 15. Bulk liquid carrier (6) 16. Easily discernible (7) 19. Whitish root vegetable (7) 20. Shakespeare play (6,3,9) 21. Gambler (6) 22. Death (6) 24. Port worker (9) 29. Educated guess (8) 30. Annual pay (6) 31. Predicament (7) 35. Obsolete (8) 36. Large monkey with a dog-like muzzle (6) 37. Burden (4) 38. Lowest rank of British peer (5) 39. Animal’s foot (3) 41. Solid (5)

68

43. Bicycle for two (6) 47. Pace (music) (5) 50. Beer barrel (3) 54. Judge’s hammer (5) 55. 1995 film about a pig (4) 56. Drunk (6) 57. South American snake (8) 60. Large stone (7) 61. Chase after (6) 62. Diminish (8) 65. Defeat (9) 67. Allow (6) 68. Beginner (6) 72. Follow an incorrect line of thought (4,2,3,5,4) 75. Form a mental picture (7) 77. Together, in agreement (7) 78. Seize a vehicle, boat or plane by force (6) 79. Dairy product (6) 80. Yield (4) 81. Persevere (7) 82. 100th anniversary (10) 83. Gratify (7)

71 74

75

79

76

80

83

DOWN 1. Muscle spasm (5) 2. Maharajah’s wife (8) 3. Not subject to tax (6) 4. Popular name for Shrove Tuesday (7,3) 5. Mix of rain and snow (5) 6. Daytime theatrical performance (7) 7. Ice cream dish (6) 8. Make corrections (5) 10. Decorative needlework (10) 11. Where things vanish into (4,3) 12. Four-sided figure (6) 17. Comprehend (10) 18. Part of a garlic bulb (5) 21. Thick fog (colloq) (3,4) 23. Imprecise (7) 25. Long-lived aquatic creature (6) 26. Bird, kereru in Maori (6) 27. Dive (6) 28. Decipher (6) 30. Item of cutlery (5) 32. Ursine creature (4) 33. Pack away (4)

34. Renown (4) 40. World’s longest river (6) 42. Move to and fro (4) 44. Mother superior (6) 45. Unmanned aircraft (5) 46. Bullfighter (7) 48. Shelf above a fireplace (6) 49. Intermittent (10) 50. Considerate (4) 51. Type of hard stone (7) 52. Hand out cards (4) 53. Make safe (6) 58. Large urban area (10) 59. Unintentional (10) 63. Type of dark coffee (5) 64. Without mercy (8) 66. Norsemen (7) 67. Old term for a rugby ball (7) 69. Conditional release from jail (6) 70. Metallic element, Co (6) 71. Arm muscles (6) 73. Inscribe (5) 74. Jewish religious teacher (5) 76. Foe (5)

Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

47

PETS

PETS OF

SUMMERSET It’s anyone’s guess which breeds make up Chloe the cat, but for owner Lorraine Jamieson, it’s like she has two pets rolled

pats my shoulder and purrs really loudly until I

into one. The Summerset at Karaka

get up.” Chloe doesn’t behave like an elderly

resident likens her mixed moggie to a

feline either. “She’s not the sort to sleep the day

dog, as Chloe knows (and follows!)

away. Sometimes she behaves like a toddler. I

commands, and likes to chase other cats.

have curtains that she knows she’s not allowed

“She knows she’s allowed to sit on my lap only if I have a towel on it, as I like to wear black slacks and she is very fluffy and moults. She sits when I ask, and when she is being too noisy – usually if I am being too slow serving her food – I just

to touch. Just the other day she put one paw on them and then looked at me as if to challenge me. I had to look away as I didn’t want her to see me laughing, and when she saw she wasn’t getting a reaction, she stopped.”

say, ‘Stop’, and she does. She is very like a dog

Chloe sleeps in the living room of Lorraine’s villa

in some ways,” says Lorraine, who has lived in

in front of the ranch sliders, where she can keep

the village for two years.

an eye on the comings and goings of the street

It is third time lucky for Chloe, who has lived with Lorraine since June 2021. When her previous two owners became unable to care for her, the ten-year-old feline ended up moving in with Lorraine. “She has been an expensive cat,”

outside. “She is well known in the village, especially by the nurses as they go past each day to the care centre. Lots of cats disappear when there are visitors in the home, but not Chloe. She will come right up to you.”

says Lorraine, laughing. “She had to have three

Unusually for a cat, Chloe doesn’t mind her car

teeth removed and was very fat. She then lost

journeys to the vet either. “She sits happily in

too much weight. She has come right now but

her basket in the car, and when I open her

she is on a special diet to keep her that way.”

basket on the vet’s table, she marches straight

Chloe may have a special diet, but it is one she enjoys immensely, especially at breakfast time.

“She wakes me up at 5am. If I ignore her, she

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Summerset Scene | Winter Issue

out and stands on the scales. She’s got personality in spades.”

DIRECTORY AUCKLAND–NORTHLAND

BAY OF PLENTY

Summerset on the Landing

Summerset Mount Denby

Summerset by the Sea

7 Par Lane, Tikipunga, Whangārei 0112 Phone (09) 470 0282

181 Park Road, Katikati 3129 Phone (07) 985 6890

1-3 Bluff Road, Kenepuru, Porirua 5022 Phone (04) 230 6722

Summerset Falls

Summerset by the Dunes

31 Mansel Drive, Warkworth 0910 Phone (09) 425 1200

35 Manawa Road, Papamoa Beach, Tauranga 3118 Phone (07) 542 9082

Summerset at Monterey Park 1 Squadron Drive, Hobsonville, Auckland 0618 Phone (09) 951 8920 Summerset at Heritage Park 8 Harrison Road, Ellerslie, Auckland 1060 Phone (09) 950 7960 Summerset by the Park 7 Flat Bush School Road, Manukau 2019 Phone (09) 272 3950 Summerset at Karaka 49 Pararekau Road, Karaka 2580 Phone (09) 951 8900 Summerset St Johns 188 St Johns Road, St Johns 1072 Phone (09) 950 7980

HAWKE’ S BAY

Summerset in the Bay 79 Merlot Drive, Greenmeadows, Napier 4112 Phone (06) 845 2840 Summerset in the Orchard 1228 Ada Street, Parkvale, Hastings 4122 Phone (06) 974 1310 Summerset Palms 136 Eriksen Road, Te Awa, Napier 4110 Phone (06) 833 5850 Summerset in the Vines 249 Te Mata Road, Havelock North 4130 Phone (06) 877 1185 TARANAKI

Summerset Parnell*

Summerset Mountain View

23 Cheshire Street, Parnell 1052 Phone (09) 950 8212

35 Fernbrook Drive, Vogeltown, New Plymouth 4310 Phone (06) 824 8900

Summerset Half Moon Bay*

Summerset at Pohutukawa Place

25 Thurston Place, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 Phone (09) 306 1422

70 Pohutukawa Place, Bell Block, New Plymouth 4371 Phone (06) 824 8530

Summerset Milldale* Argent Lane, Milldale, Wainui 0992 Phone 0800 786 637

MANAWATU–WANGANUI

Summerset in the River City

WAIKATO

40 Burton Avenue, Wanganui 4500 Phone (06) 343 3133

Summerset down the Lane

Summerset on Summerhill

206 Dixon Road, Hamilton 3206 Phone (07) 843 0157

180 Ruapehu Drive, Fitzherbert, Palmerston North 4410 Phone (06) 354 4964

Summerset Rototuna

Summerset Kelvin Grove*

39 Kimbrae Drive, Rototuna North 3210 Phone (07) 981 7820

Stoney Creek Road, Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North 4470 Phone (06) 825 6530

Summerset by the Lake

Summerset by the Ranges

2 Wharewaka Road, Wharewaka, Taupō 3330 Phone (07) 376 9470 Summerset Cambridge 1 Mary Ann Drive, Cambridge 3493 Phone (07) 839 9482

* Proposed village

104 Liverpool Street, Levin 5510 Phone (06) 367 0337 WELLINGTON

Summerset on the Coast 104 Realm Drive, Paraparaumu 5032 Phone (04) 298 3540

Summerset at Aotea 15 Aotea Drive, Aotea, Porirua 5024 Phone (04) 235 0011 Summerset at the Course 20 Racecourse Road, Trentham, Upper Hutt 5018 Phone (04) 527 2980 Summerset Waikanae 28 Park Avenue, Waikanae 5036 Phone (04) 293 0002 Summerset Lower Hutt 1A Boulcott Street, Lower Hutt 5010 Phone (04) 568 1442 NELSON–TASMAN–MARLBOROUGH

Summerset in the Sun 16 Sargeson Street, Stoke, Nelson 7011 Phone (03) 538 0000 Summerset Richmond Ranges 1 Hill Street North, Richmond 7020 Phone (03) 744 3432 Summerset Blenheim* 183 Old Renwick Road, Blenheim 7272 Phone (03) 520 6042 CANTERBURY

Summerset at Wigram 135 Awatea Road, Wigram, Christchurch 8025 Phone (03) 741 0870 Summerset at Avonhead 120 Hawthornden Road, Avonhead, Christchurch 8042 Phone (03) 357 3202 Summerset on Cavendish 147 Cavendish Road, Casebrook, Christchurch 8051 Phone (03) 741 3340 Summerset Rangiora* 141 South Belt, Waimakariri, Rangiora 7400 Phone (03) 364 1312 Summerset Prebbleton 578 Springs Road, Prebbleton 7604 Phone (03) 353 6312 OTAGO

Summerset at Bishopscourt 36 Shetland Street, Wakari, Dunedin 9010 Phone (03) 950 3102