Life + Style 2 February 2018

Mark Brazier

The Weekend Sun 1 2 February, 2018

SOS Edgecumbe Charity Ride Page 2-3

THE WEEKEND

My Gang

Piano, people and Pilot Bay

Orzo salad

Eat a Rainbow

life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015 2 February, 2018

Photo: Ciska Jong

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My gang I joined a motorcycle club!

I missed Sunday lunch at my sisters, telling her I couldn’t come as I’d joined a motorcycle club and we had a meeting.

My teenager inner self was tempted to try and surprise my whole family with: “I’ve joined a bikie gang” and project the idea of being a little bit of a rebel.

Charlie Langdon

Marc Duffy

My mother didn’t seem the least bit perturbed by this news about her eldest daughter, messaging me a ‘thumbs up’.

I was given my patch at a barbeque meeting during 2017, but hadn’t yet found an appropriate jacket to sew it on to. And I don’t have a motorcycle.

But that didn’t stop me clutching my patch and heading off to meet the rest of the ‘gang’.

We are planning the next SOS Edgecumbe Charity Ride. The inaugural ride, held in May 2017, was initiated by Tony Ngawhika in the short space of four weeks.

He and his fiance Kelly had gone to Edgecumbe to help with the clean-up when he had an epiphany.

“I thought ‘let’s do something for the people of Edgecumbe’,” says Tony. “My aunty over there was okay because she had insurance, but all of her friends around her didn’t. So I thought it would be good to show a bit of kindness and help those people out.”

Tony moved to Tauranga four years ago, and founded Tauranga Weekend Riders, which now has about 50 members, including me!

Organised by local motorcycle club Tauranga

Weekend Riders, the goal of the SOS Edgecumbe Charity Ride was to raise money for those still dealing with the fallout from the April 2017 flood.

More than 400 motorcyclists made the ride.

Tony was expecting around 200. The funds raised are administered by the SOS Edgecumbe Trust to help raise the morale of people in Edgecumbe.

A year on, Tony posted to the Facebook group: “We have forgotten Edgecumbe.” Later, aghast, he realised he’d mistyped and meant to write: “We haven’t forgotten Edgecumbe.” I pointed out that both statements were probably true to some extent.

When you don’t live in a place, it’s easy to forget what’s happened because you’re so caught up in your own day-to-day goings on.

This year, the ride is once again about raising funds and boosting morale in the town, providing an opportunity for the people of Tauranga to show love to a nearby town. This time, planning will happen over four months, providing enough time for other organisations to join in. There’s a poster, tee-shirt, logo, designer and more admin.

Already, four hot rod clubs from Auckland, car enthusiasts from Limitless Car Scene Tauranga club, and more than five North Island motorcycle clubs are planning to make the ride.

“We have people in Edgecumbe who will be planning a family day there,” says Tony.

“We’re excited, mainly to see the people. We have a whole bunch of friends there.”

Helping with the 2017 ride and back to help with this year’s ride is the Wahine Riders Club.

Made up of 16 women motorcyclists, it’s a close-

2 February, 2018

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“Already, four hot rod clubs from Auckland, car enthusiasts from Limitless Car Scene Tauranga club, and more than five North Island motorcycle clubs are planning to make the ride.

knit ‘sisterhood of the bike’.

“We’re an Australasian group of women that ride mainly Harleys,” says Wahine Rider Hiria McRae. “We’re a sister group to Tauranga Weekend Riders. Our group is about looking after each other, and supporting each other. Last year, at the SOS Edgecumbe Ride, we had a rider, Tania Cooper, who passed away just before the Edgecumbe Ride, so I had an opportunity to speak and we had a minute’s silence for her.”

The women rode to Edgecumbe that day carrying a sense of Tania’s presence with them, and returned to Tauranga for her funeral the following day.

This year, the Wahine Riders will again help with the admin, marshalling, traffic control, safety measures, taking care of registrations and selling badges. The money raised by the rider registrations, plus commemorative badge sales and donations, will go in to the SOS Edgecumbe Trust.

Administered by two members of the Rangitaiki Community Board, Graeme Bourk and Evan Harvey, funds were distributed after the 2017 ride to help alleviate the stress felt by many families.

“Because we live in the community, we see people with massive problems,” says Graeme, who has been unable to live in his home since the flood.

“They’re at the end of their tether, they don’t know what to do.”

Coupons are provided to help with petrol or food.

“We’re not supplying furniture - there are other organisations doing that.

“We have lots of opportunities to help with other things. The stress for many is horrendous.

The organising committee meeting in January to plan the 2018 SOS Edgecumbe Charity Ride.

Tony Ngawhika

“Lives have been really destroyed.”

Damien Fleming, from Bayride Motorcycles, drove the back-up vehicle that helped with four breakdowns during the 2017 ride.

“It was great. There were over 300 bikes. We had four restarts, bikes that wouldn’t start. But we didn’t have to do any pickups.”

This year he plans to provide the same service.

The ride is planned to leave from Club Mount Maunganui on Saturday, May 26, travel to Edgecumbe for a family fun day, and then return again to Tauranga.

Tony stresses to me that we’re not the stereotypical ‘bikies’ people sometimes imagine.

“We don’t wear patches, we’re not gangs. We’re just normal people who care about the community.”

I stick my Tauranga Weekend Riders patch to my computer. My teenaged inner self is happy.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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2 February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015

Piano, people and Pilot Bay When lives touch

This man tracked down the piano from his home country of Portugal after seeing photos of it on his Facebook.

When I started wheeling a piano down to Pilot Bay, I didn’t know I would meet hundreds of people, each with their own story. Like a magnet, it draws individuals and groups to gather around, listen, play, chat and sometimes sing.

The Pilot Bay Piano Appreciation Society

Constanza Tagini Nightingale

Pat Liddle

Gareth Morgan came along one evening, rippling over the keys while chatting about his cat Bugsy.

Selwyn Ridge School’s music teacher Andrea Meredith and daughter Jenna Meredith played a duet, former Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby busted out a tune he remembered from childhood, and Leilani Taula sung while accompanying herself.

My mum plays ‘Robin’s Return’ which I refuse to learn, enjoying hearing her play it instead.

There was a guy called Marty who happily strummed along on his bottle ‘guitar’ with a $2 coin while singing ‘Three Blind Mice’. A French mime artist spun hoops in the air. Narin Wetini turned up most nights last summer with his ukulele, singing through a medley of songs including the Glen Campbell classic ‘Try a Little Kindness’. There are boogie, jazz and classical pianists, and onc e banjo player Matt Owens from ‘Albi and the Wolves’ came by busking his way home.

As cruise ships depart, people gather around the 128-year-old Farrand piano singing ‘Now is the hour’ and favourites like ‘Pokarekare Ana’.

Along the boardwalk are tables and picnic blankets.

People bring out platters of grapes and cheeses, or home-cooked meals, sushi, Turkish, fish ‘n chips and curries from Mount Mainstreet.

Cruise ships, sunsets, romantic cuddling, dancing with live music from a range of passing musicians.

Covered with images of sunsets, pohutukawa trees, surfers and seagulls, the piano was painted by eight artists from The Incubator. Bought off TradeMe for $30, photos of it with the backdrop of Mauao have been shared across social media.

One February evening in 2015, while wheeling it to its usual spot, a young man pursued me along the boardwalk. From Portugal, he’d seen photos come up on Facebook and made it a travel ‘must find’ when he came to NZ. Delighted, he snapped a photo and then continued on his way. Similarly, Ian Ritchie, who I hadn’t seen since I was nine at Aka Aka School, leapt out of his car one evening, having told his driver to detour to Tauranga so he could go to Pilot Bay and see for himself what he’d seen on social media.

Across the road, the self-proclaimed ‘Pilot Bay Piano Society Committee’ set up food and glasses on a balcony, ready for an evening of live music.

Everyone has a story. There’s Shirley Lee who, when she first arrived at the piano, told me how she’d lost her husband of many years. A bench seat carries her husband Ron’s name plaque.

A young mum with a two-month old baby wandered over, I introduced them to each other, and the next minute Shirley was holding the baby in her arms, a smile breaking out on her face.

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“Why are you playing the piano?”

“Why are you smiling?”

“Because you’re playing the piano” “That’s why”

Comfort from loss. Strangers becoming friends.

Connections formed and renewed.

A lot of simple human connecting happens around a piano. I just play on, and say “hello”.

This week, Brian and Heather Vincent were enjoying the evening when I turned up with the piano. Brian couldn’t resist. He asked if he could sing along.

He started off quietly singing the first verse of “How great thou art” and I chimed in, admittedly a bit off key, but wanting to encourage him.

He didn’t need it. He settled into the song, his strong bass voice growing in volume and resonance. A small crowd gathered to listen.

It was an unforgettable moment.

It turns out that he and Heather have a story too. They live in Matua and this year celebrate 50 years of marriage. They have walked a difficult life journey with a family history of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Their son David was wheelchair-bound for most of his 28 years and died in 2002. Both of their daughters have sons with this disability - two of whom live in Tauranga. This means three of their four grandsons are in wheelchairs.

Heather was inspired to write It’s All Right Mum!, published in 2004. It’s full of courage and faith, outlining their belief that the God Brian was singing about was with them and in charge on this journey.

The book, downloadable on Kindle, has touched hundreds of people.

Brian and Heather Vincent

Brian, clearly a gifted singer mellowed by personal grief and loss, has written several of his own songs and recently produced his first CD, He Guards My Soul.

I marvel at how people rise above broken life experiences.

It’s inspiring. Winston Churchill once said: “We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.”

People often have so much pain inside them that they’re not even aware of.

Sometimes I find they start to empty this pain at the end of the keyboard.

A piano also seems to be a simple connection point between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’, as people simply meet people and say “hi”. A homeless person has sat down on the seat next to a millionaire and they’ve laughed and chatted.

And only I’ve known both person’s circumstances. It doesn’t matter. Music is a universal language.

People often ask: “Why are you playing the piano?” “Why are you smiling?” I reply.

“Because you’re playing the piano.”

“That’s why.”

Life is made up of moments and people.

Memories created together. Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Takiri Jade Smith, Paula Smith and Stevie Smith

Phil Hurn with his grandchildren Jakob Fowler age 8 and Ellie Fowler age 7.

EXCELLENCE IN DERMATOLOGY

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February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 212 August, 2015

Sundried Tomato and Orzo Salad Summer is all about easy meals that can be prepared ahead of time. This, of course, includes lots of lovely light salads. Be it lettuce, potato, pasta or couscous-based, a nice salad is always a hit.

For some variety try Orzo as a base. Also known as Riso or Risone, this pasta makes super easy delicious salads.

Try the one below and when you’re picking up the ingredients at Vetro grab the four other great recipes on offer. his simple, yummy salad can be made ahead of time, is great to take as a plate, and is sure to please everyone.

2 cups uncooked orzo (aka riso/risone) 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 cup olive oil 2 cups sundried tomatoes roughly chopped (ask for the beautiful ready to eat soft ones at Vetro) 2 cups Kalamata olives – pitted and halved 3/4 bunch fresh parsley – finely chopped (roughly chopped basil if you prefer) Half-a-cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese – (Grana Padano or Reggiano from Vetro are fantastic, or replace the parmesan with some cubed feta) Directions 1. In a large saucepan, cook the orzo in lots of boiling water until tender. Drain well.

2. In your food processor blitz the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

3. Add the oil and blitz until blended through.

4. Pour this over the orzo while it is still warm.

5. Add the tomatoes, herb and olives and mix gently with a large spoon.

6. Sprinkle with the cheese and then mix again.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Recipe from Serve immediately while warm or refrigerate and serve later.

It is nicer at room temperature, so take out a little prior to serving.

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2 February, 2018 21 August, 2015

“They’re also learning, at a young age, the concept that eating fruit and vegetables is a good thing”

Eat a Rainbow An app for eating Entertaining and educational, Tracy Hardy’s ‘Eat a Rainbow’ app is also simple and brilliant.

Photo: Bruce Barnard

“How did you come up with the idea?” I ask her.

“Well you know how you get told to eat all the colours of the rainbow?” she asks.

“No,” I reply, fascinated. She refers me to Dr Michael Greger, who wrote: “The best science tells us that a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts is the healthiest diet for children. Both variety and quantity are important, so kids should eat all of the colours of the rainbow to be healthy and strong.”

I know fruits and vegetables have antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. I’d not heard it portrayed as a rainbow before. Tracy explains further.

“Fruits that are darker are better,” she says, “so it’s better to have a red onion than a white onion.

Some berries are better than others. Red kumara, beetroot - vegetables with strong colours - have lots of nutrients in them. I kept reading ‘Eat a Rainbow Every Day’ and thought ‘let’s turn that into an app’.”

She drew a picture on a big piece of paper with some stickers and arrows and contacted a game developer. They turned her diagram into an app which can now be downloaded onto Android devices as well as iPads and iPhones.

A simple guide, and perfect for early childhood centres, the app shows children how to eat something from the rainbow every day.

“When they first learn to speak, they often learn the names of fruit and vegetables,” says Tracy, “so this is a

great initial tool for them, also learning vocabulary.”

The app voice is in English. When clicking on a banana, the child sees it, hears the word for it, and learns to spell it.

The app asks: “What have you eaten today?”

As each food item is selected, the rainbow starts to develop a deeper colour, based around the colour of the food choice.

Activities selected add sparkles, while another link takes the user to an interactive game.

There are approximately nine fruit and vegetables listed in each of the five rainbow categories of purple, green, red, orange/yellow, and white, making a total of around 45 food items. Two other categories are exercise and activities.

“Children may grow up never seeing a nectarine, spinach or a red onion,” says Tracy. “It teaches them about things that may be outside of their home.

“They’re also learning, at a young age, the concept that eating fruit and vegetables is a good thing. This makes it easier to carry on as they grow older.”

I play with the purple food groups, putting eggplant and purple cabbage into my rainbow.

Then I choose some mango, pineapple, pumpkin and carrot for my orange section, and raspberries and capsicum, some greens, followed up with seeds, nuts and potato which are all in the white/ brown category.

Adding an activity, my rainbow starts to sparkle.

Feeling happy and healthy, I click over to the game and find myself playing it for nearly half-an-hour.

It’s all been designed for three-to-six year olds, but I suspect it will keep older children and adults Rosalie Liddle Crawford mesmerised too.

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Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015

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