October 9 is a significant date for several people in my immediate circle. One friend turned 70. It wasn’t until yesterday that I realised she’s a “twin” of John Lennon. I wonder why she’s never told me?
Another friend turned 50 and had an afternoon tea celebration. This was a great way to be able to invite many guests without a huge amount of preparation or expense. We met some interesting new people and renewed some old friendships.
The day was also our sapphire wedding anniversary (yes, I was a child bride). Although I didn’t get any new sapphires, I proudly wore my grandmother’s sapphire ring (as I do most days). In the garden there’s lots of bluebells and forget-me-nots at present – nature providing sapphires for the day.
We celebrated by dining at Cafe Valentino. Earthquake damage means that their verandah has had to be braced by scaffolding, but the food and ambience is as good as ever. I had beautiful baked monkfish with roast vegetables. Stephen had lambs kidneys. He said these were a little stodgier than when he cooks them, but he still managed to eat them all. We both finished with my favourite tiramisu – a generous helping which was more than I could manage.
Then we went home to watch an episode of Inspector Morse – just like an older married couple.
“October nine’s a special day
to celebrate in every way.”
Ruth's Reflections 
Many congrats on the anniversary, glad to hear you had such a nice time.
I also bought a copy of Anna Minton’s book. I saw a review of it in a planning law magazine, about the first item of any interest at all I had seen in one of those (!!!) so I went and bought it. It was interesting, although personally I would have been interested in a much more detailed analysis of the way that planning law and procedure has been manipulated in this country to the benefits of certain interests and the detriment of others. I accept that wouldn’t make a riveting read for many people, but I do think that there is a strong element of obfustication – make it all so hard and so opaque that only those who can afford professional help and several appeals can win. One of my clients, a Kiwi who trained in Australia to be a planner, tells me it is all so much simpler and better organised in NZ.
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Planning may be better organised in NZ, but I was disturbed yesterday to drive past a new development in Madras Street which proudly announced it is to be an “exclusive gated community.”
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