Kurt of Gerolstein: A Wonderful Week of Birthday, or 77 and still standing

Who would have thought it...

76 years on from this day

My best birthday ever! And it lasted a whole week!

Why was it so wonderful? Because Paul and Wendy were both with me ... my 'husband' and my 'wife' ... and we have shared some delicious 'adventures' over the past days...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTCBRSZ5Dk0

Paul (yes, that's his one time alter ego being a fish!) arrived on Sunday, ferried from the airport by Wendy and the Boofie-car, in the company of Schnidibumpfl, the Berlinois dragon from Rosenthaler-Platz (Paul and I had our first coffe'n'cake date in the Rosenthaler-Platz, fourteen years ago ...)

and bearing a pair of my favourite slippers from Maclean, NSW

The first thing was to introduce Paul to the animals. Starting with the immediately friendly cats and the horses .. Paul, meet Kurt junior .. 1 year old .. no cake ...

Then to Motukarara, to visit the lovely Emily, now back in training ..

We stopped on the way home for a nice snack ... Wendy and I never eat out. Wendy cooks better than most restaurateurs, and getting dressed to go out, after a 6am start to feed the animals, is a bore ...

But this week we did!

We visited the Brick Mill and the Old School, but the best of all was LEMONGRASS, a Thai restaurant, situated near us, in Loburn. And it serves vegetarian alternatives. Wendy and I had talked, ever since it opened, about trying it, but ... well, we never got there. So, on day one I got out the little red car and Paul and I ventured forth ..

Yummmm.

We promptly booked the same table for three for the Big Birthday Lunch! Hoho. They didn't know what they were getting! One former chef, one former restaurant critic ... but, result: full marks! Then we came home to a delicious smorgasbord supper from our resident chef ... Oh, bliss!

Of course, its not all holiday, even when its Birthdays! Wendy had the eighteen animals to care for, the lovely Richard Marrett had installed a keyboard for Paul who was able to spend time each day composing and orchestrating .. and I, well, my days seemed to fill themselves, as they usually do, between Victorian vocalists and snoozing ... it was all perfectly, gorgeously grand, with a real 'family' feel ... I was so very and fondly happy.

But there was one more highlight to come. The Rangiora Harness Racing Club, with which I have been connected for over 20 years, was having a special raceday to mark its 75th anniversary. Racing at Rangiora still has the flavour of 'sport' which got me into the game in the 1950s, and back again in the 1990s. It is one of the few racetracks I still visit for pleasure. Daytime racing, sunshine (though years ago I was there in the snow!), jolly folk having a really good time, country atmosphere ... and in my 60s, when I was able to take an active part not only on the committee, but as an amateur driver .. what fun times, and what grand folk. Several of them are still my closest friends in New Zealand...

Well, racing is New Zealand is going through a bit of a crisis. It has become an 'industry' rather than a sport. And it has suffered hugely from its running being taken largely out of the hands of the clubs, and put into the hands of government and the gambling moguls. So, recently, the moguls declared a reduction in stakes. Yes, once again the poor bloody owners pay the gamblers' bills. Well, a couple of we old (and non-gambling) stalwarts decided not to lie down and let the Powers-That-Shouldn't-Be ruin our anniversary meeting. So, over a bottle of nice chardonnay, we decided to dip into our own pockets. Robin and Geraldine Wilson dug deepest, to keep up the prestige of the principal race, the revered Rangiora Classic which for some reason Authority is trying to downgrade. (Guys, could you just abolish 'Sires Stakes' instead?). I volunteered to sponsor the main trot.

All of which to say why I (accompanied by Paul, a harness racing virgin!) were honoured guests at yesterday's meeting, and its beautifully organised luncheon for the veteran (40-70 years!) members of the club.

The Classic was a marvellous race, won by 9yo HOMEBUSH LAD, a specialist of Country Cups victories, in a thrilling finish. Then it was Our Race.

The field was a full one -- already a thrill -- fourteen trotters, yum! And not one whom I wouldn't be pleased to see win. Although, I was a bit orf a horse called after that dreadful MARTHA STUART. But hey, we've had LENIN and SARAH PALIN and, Lord forbid, there may be a Jacinta Ardern, so ... its not the horses' fault!

I sha'n't relate the race. You can see it here ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkGSI6fjLIc

What you can see only here is ... well, Paul was filming my reaction watching the race ...

They've all got away? Brilliant!

Favourite's galloped!!!! (Not MY favourite, but I'm not allowed to have one!), weeeeelll .. friends, you know!

(trying to upload video!)

Come on! Come on!

Yeeeeeehhhhhhhh!

The very famous orange and chequerboard colours of the late Sir Roy Mackenzie and the pretty famous gold hat of Ricky May, zoom past the line in first place. Thrilled I am ... Paul helped me down the stairs and into the birdcage to shake the hand of good friend Chris McDowell, the horse's trainer ...