Friday, April 09, 2010
- A trip to the newly reopened Carter Observatory with Dave and his son Dan. Maggie, instinctively, homes in on the room with the ceiling-high ladder (that would be the one with the great big telescope in it). Dan and Becca squabble over who has seniority. (I'm six! – I'm six, too! – Yeah? Well, I'm six and THREE QUARTERS!) I learn that New Zealand adopted standard, nationally-observed time in 1868, possibly the first country in the world to do so. Becca is very impressed with the planetarium, and excitedly turns to her neighbour and announces: Excuse me, sir: I think the movie's going to show ON THE CEILING! During the show Maggie is excited by the rotating firmament. We go round and round! she exclaims.
- Riding the Cable Car up to the Observatory is equally exciting: the girls make friends with a young woman who gives Becca her seat by the window, and helps them count the tunnels, before getting off at the University.
- A do to celebrate Maxine's 30-year assocation with the crèche. There are a few speakers, and then Veronica asks if anyone else would like to say a word. A dad comes forward to thank Max for welcoming his autistic son into the centre.
- Theye've asked me to play fiddle at Maxine's do. So I do a bit of klez, kicking off with 'Yoshke, Yoshke', which sets a couple of the teachers dancing. Max is delighted, and sings along, when I finish with 'Someone to watch over me': it seemed fitting.
- A day so astonishingly blue that complete strangers turn to each other to point it out.
- Brian sends me more photos from the archives. If you fancy a laugh, here's one of me in Village Person drag.
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