This period of time in New Zealand was marred by a couple of health issues. One was a lesion which had grown on my lower lip and had to be removed by laser surgery – one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced. The other was the continuing deterioration of my right hip. 

But the period was largely very happy and busy. Adam came over for a few days in October which gave us a chance to catch up. The weather was balmy so it was a treat to have breakfast al fresco. As usual it would have been lovely if he’d been able to stay for longer.

And then, after so long in the making, it was time for the launch of my book, ‘its your thoughts that count’. This took place on 19 November 2010 and was a particularly special occasion. I’d sent out over 500 invitations and over 150 turned up so I was very happy about that. It was held in the Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua City and I sold 80 books which was amazing. 

Anne did all the designing, Pamela project managed the evening. Peter lent his video camera, Graham took photos and Pete produced a fabulously edited video of the event. And several of my good friends helped with the organisation. What special friends. I was very grateful to all of them. And on the morning of the event, I received the most beautiful bouquet from the four ‘children’, none of whom could be there for obvious geographical reasons.

The accompanying card read, ‘We’re incredibly proud of you, Mum, and your first book launch. We all would have loved to be there and wish you every success tonight. All the best love, Suzi, Julie, Adam and Kate

And it wasn’t over after the launch. News spread and I received some requests to send books and then some surprising and unexpected feedback. Both Chris and Jenny Clarke from Christchurch, the World No 1 man and woman croquet champions read my book and gave me glowing references. 

After the launch, I sent Kate a flyer I’d designed in Word which I thought I’d take around when I gave presentations. Within a very few days it came back, beautifully produced in publisher so I took it into Porirua to get it colour printed and laminated and it’s invaluable.

I delivered quite a few presentations to market my book – to several Rotary Clubs, which required quite a bit of travel and enabled me to catch up with friends further afield at the same time, local Probus Clubs, secondary schools, the Cancer Society and others - and made heaps of sales which was all great fun. In fact, I was speaking so often that I treated myself to a beautiful small data projector which I can carry around with me in case the venue doesn’t have the technology that will talk to my lap top. And it works extremely well.

I was also asked by the Travel group with the University of the Third Age to deliver a travel presentation in March which is always a pleasure because it gives me the opportunity to sort through all my photos. And I’m always allowed to market my book at these talks so it’s a great opportunity to make more sales.

Apart from talks here and there, I actually thought I’d retired from consultancy work but a really lovely client asked me to do some leadership and management training for their senior management team. It involved quite a bit of preparation but went off very well. And with all the changes that will continue within the organisation, this is likely to be ongoing for the next few years.

And finally, work-wise I was asked to work with a few individuals on counselling issues which is always very satisfying.

Visitors came and went and there was time to socialize with friends. Bob came down from Auckland to MC a military band concert at Southwards and we managed to do a bit of Wellington sightseeing while he was here including a visit to Stonehenge Aotearoa near Greytown and a tour of Parliament which he’d never experienced. We also took in a visit to the tomb of the unknown warrior on the way to the airport.

My good friend Eric moved from just up the road to the retirement complex at Whitby Village where I think he’ll settle in happily in due course. A few of us helped a bit with the move and the cleaning and will look forward to visiting him there in the future.

Christmas was spent with Eric and his lovely family where Ellen and David spoiled us all and we had a very relaxing day.

My very good friends Megan and Dermot invited me up to Masterton for a few days to celebrate my birthday at the beginning of January. We had a great time and visited some of their friends, picked fruit and generally chilled out.

My old neighbours, Rose and Ross came down from Hastings for a visit. When we’d lived next door to each other we’d organise neighbour parties from time to time. So I invited some of the neighbours round and we had a little ‘party’ in the garden, which was fun.

One morning, Rose very kindly followed me along the Plimmerton foreshore to take some photos of me on one of my morning bike rides. It’s such a wonderful place to live and it’s so good to have a record of the enormous pleasure it gives me to live in such a fabulous environment and be able to exercise fairly gently surrounded by such beauty.

A promise made by my Rotary Club to convene the District Youth Leadership Programme for three years was in danger of having to be broken with both the Rotarians who’d agreed to run it facing new responsibilities which meant they wouldn’t have time. Somehow, I put my hand up to take over and so began an enormous task which was sometimes more than full time.

But it was very satisfying and I became a fly on the wall at the first of the three programmes in January as I tried to learn the ropes. It was amazing to see the transformation in the 44 participants after five residential days, jam-packed with leadership and teamwork activities.

But once it was over, the preparation and planning for the 2012 (and 2013) programmes began and I started to set up some systems that would be easy to follow when another club takes over the programme in the future. It was a massive job!

Meanwhile, croquet continued fairly normally and, because of the pain in my hip I thought I’d restrict play to club only. However, I broke the rule in February and accepted an invitation to play in an A Grade invitation tournament in Devonport in Auckland. Tom also received an invitation so we travelled up together and stayed with Bob who also, very kindly, lent us his bright red sporty Mazda for the week!

We very much enjoyed the week and the company of players from all round the country. It was very hot and a bit humid and, speaking personally, my standard of croquet was not at all good and it was probably not wise to have played with such a sore hip. But while we were in Auckland it was great to catch up with old friends, Peter and Cheryl Sewell and to hear about their family and also Megan and Dermot’s daughter, Emma, and her four children. It was a very pleasant interlude.

The following week I’d entered the Wellington Veterans event, not thinking ahead to how tired I’d be after the week in Auckland. Surprisingly, back on home lawns I played very well and reached the final, only to be brought back to earth with a bump on the last day!

And then in early March the two health events had to be faced and I had an excision for the lesion on my lower lip and arranged a date with my Orthopaedic Surgeon to replace my right hip. With the very painful lip out of the way it was good to focus on the fact that the pain in my hip was finite and I’d be able to go to Europe and come home early to get it dealt with. The surgeon also wrote a letter asking the airline for a wheel chair so I could face the waiting times without having to worry about not being able to stand still for more than about 10 minutes at a time. A great relief.

Meanwhile, my garden needed planting before I left the country so I put in brussel sprouts, silver beet, leeks, broad beans and broccoli and hoped they’d all be ready to eat by the time I get home again.

I wanted to give my house the usual annual present so I bought eight very thin panel heaters and had them installed throughout the house, just to take off the chill as there’s very rarely central heating in New Zealand and there certainly isn’t any in my house. They’re hardly visible because they fit so flush wall and can be painted the same colour as the wall. And they just give off enough warmth to make the rooms comfortable.

While I was checking things out I thought I’d also ask the Fire Brigade for advice about my smoke alarms so I rang them. They said they’d come straight round and give me advice. Imagine my surprise when the fire engine pulled up outside my front door (makes sense really when you consider that they’re always on call).

And three lovely firemen all came in to give me the advice I needed!

They advised me to upgrade one of my smoke alarms and to buy three more – overkill but good to be on the safe side. And they told me to ring them when I’d bought them and they’d come back and fit them. And they did.

But what was even more surprising was that they told me to ring them every six months and they’d come and change the batteries! I thought they were joking but they assured me that it was all part of the service for every New Zealander and preferable to being called out to a fire.