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NEED FOR SPEED CHARLIE STANTON • NEVER TOO OLD TO DANCE RONA WESTON • SUMMERSET CONNECT AUTUMN EATS SUPER SALMON CAKES • KEEP MINDS SHARP CROSSWORDS & PUZZLES

COVER IMAGE | Summerset at Bishopscourt resident Gaynor Haig with one of her piano students.

Hello from Emily

Warkworth Parnell

Milldale Hobsonville

St Johns

Ellerslie

Manukau

Karaka

Katikati

Rototuna

Papamoa

Hamilton

More than

5,000

Taupo

Pohutukawa Place New Plymouth

New Zealanders call

Summerset home

Te Awa Napier Hastings

Wanganui Levin

Havelock North

Waikanae Paraparaumu

Palmerston North Trentham Lower Hutt

Richmond Aotea Kenepuru Avonhead

Nelson

Wigram

Casebrook

KEY = Summerset village = Planned village

Wigram resident Colleen Sew Hoy has become the village’s self-titled librarian – a task she

Y, SUMMERSET HO AT W IG

Dunedin

thoroughly enjoys. Colleen tidies and manages the library’s books from 8.30 every morning, and visits the care centre daily to ensure residents have a book they’re enjoying. She is constantly refreshing the books and magazines available in the lounge and café areas, and lends a hand at each happy hour to tidy and clean dishes and tables. Colleen says she loves being able to help where she can, while she can. “It’s nice to help residents find something to read. I now have an idea of the types of books residents enjoy,

Good

SO RT

so I keep an eye out.” She adds that it’s a pleasure to give Nicki, Russell and other village staff a hand. “They work so hard and it’s nice to help out when you can. You just do these things for others. I don’t think what I do is anything special – I’m just the tidy-upper-er!” WANT TO NOMINATE A GOOD SORT? Email: magazine@summerset.co.nz or call: (04) 830 1175.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Happy new year! I hope you have enjoyed the long summer days and spent time with family, friends and loved ones.

Thanks for picking up the Autumn issue of Summerset Scene. We’re into our second year of publication, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. You can find a quick survey enclosed in the magazine – we’d appreciate your feedback so we can continue to make Summerset Scene a magazine you look forward to receiving and reading.

ice cream to enjoy. Try whipping up her super salmon cakes or spinach, cheese and onion scones if you’re having an afternoon tea (page 28). If you’re making poppies to remember Anzac Day, take a look at the crochet pattern in the craft section (page 35) – these beautiful creations will be an eye-catching addition to your village or outfit.

As always, this edition features interesting and inspiring residents, including Rona Weston, who travelled internationally with the famous hip-hop dance crew Hip Op-eration. Nelson resident Charlie Stanton built New Zealand’s fastest car out of an aircraft engine, and Karaka’s Tim di Mattina owned, raced and bred horses. Katikati resident Marlene Gillingham shares her story of leaving city life to buy and cultivate a kiwifruit and avocado orchard, and Hawke’s Bay resident David Daunton talks about wool classing – a job he’s still involved with at the age of 87. Our cover girl, Gaynor Haig, still teaches students the piano from her Dunedin villa.

Summerset is focusing on becoming a more sustainable company this year, so you’ll start hearing more about how we’ll be helping to protect our natural environment. Julian and Eleanor will be visiting Summerset villages across the country over the year, and they look forward to answering any questions you may have.

As the warm weather starts to cool, take a trip to Mt Maunganui for some extended sunshine and have a look at one of the country’s best beach towns (page 42). Jan Bilton provides some tips for Easter treats, as well as a quick Anzac cookie

I love hearing from you, so please get in touch if you know a Summerset resident who would be interesting to read about. I look forward to meeting many more of you soon!

Emily Elliott SUMMERSET SCENE EDITOR

This document is printed on an environmentally responsible paper, produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF), FSC® certified, Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources, and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

Contents F E A T U R E S

Story to share? We’re really excited to tell your stories. If you have an exciting or interesting tale to tell, get in touch with Summerset Scene editor, Emily Elliott. We’d love to hear from you! magazine@summerset.co.nz 04 830 (04) 8301175 1175

C O L U M N S

C H A R L I E STA N TO N

S P E A K E R S E R I E S 20 19

Need for speed

Summerset Connect

14.

MARLENE GILLINGHAM

GAY N O R H A I G

A land of avocados

The key to life

10.

16.

T I M D I M AT T I N A

RO N A W E STO N

Best hoof forward

Never too old to dance

12.

18.

COLUMNS

20.

IN THE GA R D E N

32.

22.

CRAFT CORNER

35.

M A K I N G M US I C FO R R A D I O

23.

BOOK R E V I E WS

36.

OUR N E WS

24.

D E L I C I O US R EC I P E S

28.

STA F F P RO F I L E

A LOV E O F WO O L

M OTO R I N G

FAS H I O N

38. 40.

E X E RC I S E

T R AV E L LO G

B R A I N T E AS E

A RO U N D SU M M E RS E T

D I R ECTO RY

41. 42. 44. 46.

47.

Need for

Speed

B Y E M I LY E L L I O T T

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Charlie Stanton didn’t have a plan when he decided to put an aircraft engine in a car. His only thoughts were, “If this works, it will make a very fast car!” It did work, and he and his brother went on to break New Zealand land speed records and win races against Ferraris – all in cars they built in their garage. ABOVE: The Staton Corvette raced by its new owner, Russell Greer, in Dunedin. PHOTO: David Wall

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Charlie grew up in Christchurch but is now a 98-year-old resident of Summerset in the Sun, Nelson. Although he didn’t come from a mechanical background, he was always interested in racing cars. “As a schoolkid I used to draw little racing cars in the corner of all of my school books,” he laughs. When the Second World War ended, he and his younger brother, Maurice, decided to get into motor racing after finding they could pick up de Havilland Tiger Moth engines for £10 each. “The War Assets Board was putting the aircraft engines up for tender. We tendered for one and decided to see if we could build a car out of it. We thought that because it was such a big engine, if we could build a little car, it would go fast.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Charlie designed the car, and the brothers built it together over two years. He says he learned his skills as he went. “We put the engine in the back, which no one had done before. We geared it for 140mph [225kph] in bottom gear, and 200mph [320kph] in top.” The Stanton brothers entered their creation in the 1954 New Zealand Grand Prix in Auckland. Charlie says they finished building the car only one day before the race. “We’d never driven it before we raced it!” Maurice was the driver, and started the race at the back in 24th place. He passed 17 cars to move into seventh. The brothers called the car the Stanton Special. Maurice took on the full-time role of driver, and the pair started competing in short races and hill climbs.

“We beat Ferraris at hill climbs – they didn’t take it too well, seeing that we built the car ourselves,” Charlie chuckles. “The Stanton Special held the New Zealand land speed record of 175mph [282kph] for 12 years. Three Ferraris and one Maserati tried to break that, but came short of it. It was a very successful car.” Much later, the car was invited to the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed, an exclusive annual event in England. “It was displayed and driven alongside other notable racing cars throughout the world,” remembers Charlie. However, the car was less successful in long-distance racing than in shorter events, so the brothers got to work again building their second car – the Stanton Corvette. “It was

our lives at the time – building and racing cars. We worked 40–50 hours a week on other people’s cars, then we would work until two or three in the morning on our own racing cars.” Maurice and Charlie imported a Corvette engine from America, and again put the V8 in the back – another world first. “There wasn’t a commercially available gearbox for an engine in the back, so we built our own.” After more racing success, Charlie was contacted by racing driver Bruce McLaren, who asked him to go to England. There he worked for Jack Brabham and was put in charge of Formula One driver Denis (Denny) Hulme’s engines.

PHOTOS Jason Goulding, Kerry Mayes, and Kathy Pantling.

“My engines won the Formula One World Champs, so I was pretty pleased about that. On my 85th birthday I was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for my engineering.” Charlie says that he decided to get married after he had finished working on the world championship engines, and jokes that he hadn’t had any time before that. “I then decided to take up flying. I

started in power planes, but got bored flying them around the sky, so got onto gliding at age 48.” He built a glider using plans he imported from America, but says it was a disaster. “I decided I could build a better one myself, which I did. I got many good years of gliding from that one, and it’s now in the Ashburton Aviation Museum.” Charlie glided for almost 40 years and retired as the second-oldest pilot in the country at age 85. However, age was but a number, and Charlie competed in Nelson’s Trolley Derby Day at the age of 88. He was dubbed the fourth-fastest rider in the region with a clocked speed of 65kph, thereby living up to his young-adulthood nickname of ‘Speed Stanton’.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

avocados A land of B Y E M I LY E L L I O T T

Katikati resident Marlene Gillingham enjoyed life in the cityscape of Wellington, but soon found herself buying rural farm land with her husband and four children, and converting an old cow shed into a home so they could develop a kiwifruit and avocado orchard. When Marlene’s husband, Steve, retired from the Air Force after 22 years, the family decided to make a lifestyle change. Living in Wellington, the family packed up their belongings. “We quickly realised we didn’t have an address for the movers to take our possessions to,” explains Marlene. “Over a weekend, my husband and eldest son drove to Katikati, and within two days had purchased an orchard.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

The family planted the land with avocados and kiwifruit, and realised more work was needed than had been anticipated. “We bought a caravan so we could live on the land during the weekends. We camped in it, with our four kids, and tried to run the orchard. I was also working as a local district nurse.” Marlene says she looked at the old cow shed on their newly purchased land one afternoon, and saw the sunlight streaming in. “We decided to live in it. The milk room was covered in grease, but we turned it into a lounge anyway, and we used furniture to create ‘bedrooms’ for the children.”

The family made a kitchen where the machinery was in the milk room, and initially had a porta-potty and a drop-and-run. Later, they got a plumber to install a septic tank. “My mother was mortified when we left Wellington. Initially she was disgusted that we would raise four children in a cow shed! It was definitely rural living,” Marlene laughs. Marlene says she would get up, take the children to school and then head to work. She would finish around lunchtime and then work in the orchard until the children got home from school. “There was family unity – we all pulled together and worked together.” The family

began working in a packhouse occasionally as a way to learn more about the business. “Packhouses were family-owned at the time, and fun!” The Gillinghams lived on the farm for almost six years before moving to Auckland, and Marlene says they learned everything, from planting to growing, grafting and pruning. “They were interesting days. We worked hard. It was an experience that united us as a family.”

ABOVE: Snapshots f rom the Gillinghams' time managing their avocado and kiwif ruit orchard.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Summerset at Karaka resident Tim di Mattina has always had an interest in horses – he started owning and racing the animals while working full-time, then, as a retirement activity, bought fillies and started breeding his own.

Best hoof forward B Y E M I LY E L L I O T T

Tim di Mattina, who with his wife Yetty Louie has lived at Summerset for three months, says horses have been part of his family for over 40 years. From buying his first yearling, the Auckland resident went on to own up to 12 horses at one time, and says it’s a pastime with highs and lows like no other. “There are yearling sales just down the road, and many will buy a young horse for between $50,000 and $750,000. However, the best performers on the track may not be the most expensive – otherwise racing would be about whoever has the most money. There are fabulously bred horses in New Zealand, and there are also the rags-to-riches stories of horses that don’t cost a lot but end up being the best.” Tim says that being able to judge what a young yearling will look like when it grows into a horse ready for racing can be difficult, which is why breeding and genetics become important. “Yearlings, like children, change. I studied breeding – I wouldn’t call myself an expert,” he laughs, “but it was fun. You’re able to get an idea of what a horse will turn out like based on genetics, and the performance of other horses in its family are also a good guide.” Tim spent almost 30 years owning and racing horses from afar. “Just owning a racehorse doesn’t give you any hands-on involvement. When you buy a horse at a yearling sale, the closest you get is a photograph with it. Otherwise, the trainer looks after it.” When Tim retired, he decided it was time to breed his own horses, so he purchased a few

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

fillies and reared them on his own farm. He employed an experienced horse handler to live on his eight-paddock property to help train them. “It’s a lot more satisfying. Your attachment is emotional rather than purely financial. You participate in the horse’s early life – you see it go to the races, and it gives you a bigger thrill. You look at it through rose-tinted glasses – the horse only has to blink and you think it’s smiling at you,” remembers Tim. Tim says the adrenaline rush you experience when your horse wins a race is a feeling like no other. “It can be as great a thrill winning a small race in Pukekohe as winning a big race in Flemington, Australia. There are highs and lows – it teaches you how to lose, which also teaches you when you win, to be humble about it.” Tim’s health meant he eventually had to start selling his beloved horses, as well as his property. “I only have memories of hands-on involvement. However, the horse I’m racing now in Australia, Rox The Castle, is the son of a horse I bred myself – and it was the very last horse I sold. I held onto it, and it may be lucky enough to be the best.” Tim says racing keeps him young. “You develop great friendships – with trainers, jockeys and the like.”

LEFT: Tim's current horse, Rox The Castle, winning his race in Flemington earlier this year.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

The Summerset Connect Speaker Series is back in 2019 TONY CHRISTIANSEN

ANNABELLE WHITE

It is 50 years since Tony Christiansen was told by doctors it was unlikely he would live past 20. When he was nine, he lost his legs after being run over by a train carriage near Mt Maunganui. Now a father of three and grandfather of four, Tony overcame the odds and has become one of the most in-demand inspirational speakers in the world. He is a bestselling author, scuba diver, pilot and surf lifesaver, and has climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, to name just a few of his achievements.

Annabelle White is synonymous with good food and fun times in the kitchen. She has authored 11 cookbooks and is a regular on TV and radio. Annabelle believes that keeping food simple, easy, ‘confidence building’ and delicious – mixed with plenty of tips, funny quips and great recipes – makes for good times with family and friends.

Tony will be speaking at Summerset Rototuna in May.

ANNIE BARRY Annie joined the New Zealand Fire Service in 1975, and after overcoming many challenges became Australasia’s first professional female firefighter in 1981. Her presentations humorously follow her struggle to become ‘Fireman Barry’ and her life on a fire station. Annie also talks about her ‘other life’, living on a self-built boat for seven years and then travelling around New Zealand and Australia in a customised bus for 12 years. Annie will be speaking at Summerset down the Lane in April, and Summerset by the Sea and Summerset by the Lake in July.

BILLIE JORDAN Billie Jordan is the founder of the Hip Op-eration Crew, a hip-hop dance group consisting of members aged 72 to 97 years old. She has spoken around the globe, including in Scotland, Canada and Australia. She is the star of the award-winning documentary film Hip Hop-eration, which has screened in cinemas all over the world, and now there are plans in Hollywood to turn the story of her life into a blockbuster movie. Billie will share the inspiring tale of how she changed the lives of her elderly neighbours and how they changed hers. Billie will be speaking at Summerset at Heritage Park in May and Summerset at Monterey Park in June.

PETER HILLARY Peter Hillary will take his audience on a journey through his many extraordinary experiences: to the summit of Mt Everest (twice), traversing Antarctica, feeding a pod of sharks, and making a terrifying descent on a vertical rock face in a vicious storm. He will talk about his father’s remarkable legacy and the schools and hospitals he now helps to run in the villages around the foot of Mt Everest. Peter Hillary will be speaking at Summerset at Heritage Park in September.

This year there will be three aspects to the Connect Series: Celebrity speakers, Dementia New Zealand talks, and Summerset Concert Series with the Dame Malvina Major Foundation. Seats at events are limited, so make sure you read your village newsletters or emails to secure your place as soon as possible.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Annabelle will be speaking at Summerset at Karaka in September.

P A T R I C I A P AY N E The hallmarks of Patricia’s entertainment are her humour, honesty and deep commitment. Learn the truth behind the glitz of the international opera circuit, and hear about her performances in almost every major opera house in the world. During her career, Patricia sang many times with Luciano Pavarotti, as well as other opera stars such as Placido Domingo, José Carreras, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Birgit Nilsson, to name but a few. She will also recount stories of meeting British and Spanish royalty, David Lange and Margaret Thatcher, among other public figures. Patricia Payne will be speaking at Summerset on Cavendish and Summerset at Wigram in November. Check with your local village for times and details of your speakers.

SUMMERSET CONCERT SERIES WITH THE DAME M A LV I N A M A J O R F O U N D AT I O N The Dame Malvina Major Foundation has partnered with Summerset to bring concerts featuring New Zealand’s up-and-coming performing artists right to your village. The artists will cover a span of genres, from opera to songs from your favourite musicals and golden oldies. Through the Summerset Concert Series, the foundation raises money for young artists to continue their education in the arts and follow their creative pursuits. Tickets are $40 and are available to the public, so this is an ideal opportunity to spend an afternoon with friends and family, or to check out your local Summerset village. Tickets are available from your local Summerset office and the price includes refreshments.

D E M E N T I A N E W Z E A L A N D TA L K S Dementia New Zealand will be holding talks throughout our villages in order to provide anyone who is interested in learning more about dementia with relevant and practical information.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

T H E

Gaynor Haig ’s Kawai 6ft baby grand piano sits in the spare bedroom of her Dunedin villa, where music students visit her for lessons weekly. “It makes all the music come alive,” the piano teacher of 60 years says fondly. The Summerset at Bishopscourt resident has been playing the piano since her parents suggested she take lessons at the age of eight. “My parents made sure I practised regularly,” Gaynor says with gratitude. She fell in love with the instrument, and says music became the vessel through which she chose to make her mark on the world. Since Gaynor and her piano moved into Summerset five years ago, her students have come to her villa for lessons, and sometimes perform recitals for residents in the village centre. “My pupils have been with me for a number of years. I make sure the music chosen is enjoyable for them so that practice is not a chore. I also make sure they have the technical expertise needed to produce good sound."

“I LOVE MEETING AND WORKING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES THAT COME TO LEARN MUSIC, AND FINDING WAYS TO MAKE MUSIC RELEVANT TO THEM.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Born and bred in Dunedin, Gaynor became a registered music teacher at the age of 18, and has since taught music to around 500 students – as a teacher at local schools, as well as through private lessons. She spent 18 years teaching music at Columba College, and is a very well-known member of the community. “Adults still come up to me to say, ‘Mrs Haig, we’re still playing the piano!’ It’s amazing to know I’ve given them enough to keep going.”

One of her four children studied architecture, and redesigned their family home’s living area to allow for recitals and events. Gaynor says they often hosted small community events and gatherings around the piano, as well as concerts performed by her students. Gaynor’s music is part of village life – she plays in the care centre, as well as for her local church. She says piano-playing was what kept her going when her husband passed away at the early age of 47. “For me, music is a release. After my husband’s death I would play until two or three in the morning sometimes. Music is such an important aspect in people’s lives. It helps them through the hurdles of life. Music talks to people.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

NEVER TOO OLD TO DANCE BY LOUISE NOLAN

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Rona Weston was helping with the care and craft group at a Waiheke community hall when Billie Jordan walked in and asked if anyone would like to dance. Rona put her hand up straight away. She didn’t know she was about to join Hip Op-eration, a dance group that now holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest hip-hop crew. “I used to tap dance in the Bay of Islands as a teenager and I’ve always wanted to dance again. Billie came in and here was an open gate,” remembers Rona. Hip Op-eration was founded by Jordan in 2012. She wanted to use hip-hop dance as a vehicle to promote an attitude change towards old age and to help form strong connections with young people. The group started doing flash mobs in Auckland restaurants and shopping malls, and soon grew into an internationally recognised dance crew. In 2013, Hip Op-eration travelled to Las Vegas to perform at the World Hip-Hop Dance Championships. “It gave us the opportunity to travel the world! We loved the fountains in Vegas and we went to Alcatraz in San Francisco. Billie made all of this possible,” says Rona.

Following the successful Vegas trip, the group was invited by the chair of the Hondao Foundation in Taiwan to perform at its seniors’ festival at the Taipei Arena in front of 15,000 people.

“WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO GO ON STAGE, AND I THOUGHT, ‘I DON’T THINK I CAN DO THIS.’ I LOOKED AT BILLIE AND SHE SENSED IT STRAIGHT AWAY. SHE PUT HER HAND ON MINE AND SAID, ‘GET IN THERE AND DO IT!’ SHE ALWAYS GAVE US A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT.”

The best thing for Rona about being in Hip Op-eration was the companionship and reigniting her passion for dance. “I liked learning the Michael Jackson moonwalk. It took a long time to learn but it was wonderful!” Rona spent three years in the dance crew. Now a resident at Summerset at Monterey Park in Hobsonville, she advises everyone to grab every opportunity they can. “I still do now – I’m into table tennis, cards, knitting – everything they can offer.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

S TA F F P R O F I L E

Stephanie Meehan B Y E M I LY E L L I O T T

Christchurch’s Stephanie Meehan has been Summerset on Cavendish’s Village Manager for a year. Her passions include running, yoga and her dog Bentley, and she loves going to work every day too. Being part of a developing village is exciting for Stephanie, who says every day is different. She has worked at Summerset for almost three years, and has spent the last year at our new village in Casebrook, north Christchurch. She deals with everything from construction and management meetings to sales, and also organises the village’s activities calendar and welcomes new residents. “I’m very involved with village life, and because the village is in development, you really get to set the tone for the village and know residents intimately. I have the privilege of working here, but it’s residents’ homes and their village,” she says. “As a Village Manager I am also able to lead staff, which I love. Some staff have a passion to build on their role to become trained nurses and office staff, and I enjoy being able to help with that process.” Stephanie has worked for other aged-care providers in the past, and says working with the elderly is very dear to her heart. “I have a huge respect for our residents; they’ve worked hard and lived amazing lives, 20

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

they have so much wisdom and knowledge, and incredible stories. It’s really important to me to provide them with a lovely, fun place to live.” Stephanie originally studied social work, before becoming a full-time mum to four children. It was her grandmother who inspired her to learn about aged care. “My nana needed to go into rest-home care, but she really didn’t want to go. I was helping to name her clothes in preparation for her move, and I felt awful – I knew nothing about aged care but I was sending her there. So, I decided to learn about it.” Stephanie says that working at Summerset is like having 100 sets of grandparents you see every day. “You learn so much from them.” When Stephanie isn’t at the village, she spends time with the three of her four children who still live in Christchurch, and with her grandson. “Yes, I’m now a grandparent too!” she laughs. “I enjoy going to the beach, and I do a lot of running and yoga. I love hanging out with the kids too, and my dog Bentley.”

STEPHANIE IS FROM SUMMERSET ON C AV E N D I S H Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

A love of wool BY JENNY BRIDGEN David Daunton isn’t letting a small thing like age stop him from doing what he loves. Now 87, David drives the 45 minutes from his villa at Summerset in the Vines in Havelock North to the family farm in central Hawke’s Bay several times a week to help out his grandson Robert. David originally took over the 334-hectare farm in Omakere when he was in his late 30s. He’s made many improvements to it since then, and it now runs 2,300 Romney cross-bred ewes and lambs. Over the years, David has received recognition for his fleeces, as well as one particular task on the farm – wool classing. Wool classing is a critical part of the shearing process. Shed hands pick up the newly shorn fleeces and fling them onto sorting tables, where the wool classer inspects the fleece for quality, checking its strength and colour, and ensuring the wool is sorted correctly. David still has his unique wool stencil, used to denote the farm and classer on each wool bale.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Last year, David was shocked to be made a patron of the New Zealand Wool Classers Association at the annual awards ceremony. He was attending in order to receive a merit award. “It was a big surprise,” he says. He’s enjoying his time at Summerset. “There’s always something happening at Summerset. I take part in as much as I can. It’s also very convenient getting my meals prepared for me seven days a week.” Will he turn his grandson into a wool classer of repute? David laughs. “He’s not a wool classer – yet.”

Dunedin makes music for radio More than 100 musicians took part in a special recording in December involving Summerset at Bishopscourt residents and Dunedin’s Balmacewen Intermediate School. The Dunedin village’s ukulele group was joined by the neighbouring school’s ukulele orchestra and choir, and the team at Otago Access Radio (OAR) recorded the performances, which were broadcast several times in the lead-up to Christmas. OAR FM’s volunteer radio host Richard Stedman says Summerset residents have developed a close relationship with the station through a programme called Sounds of a Lifetime, where they come on air. “A number of the residents have taken the plunge and been heard talking about their interests and musical favourites,” says Richard. “It had long been an ambition to include members of the village’s ukulele group on the programme,” explains Richard. “The idea was then floated to set up a session at the village, which was soon expanded to include students of the Balmacewen Intermediate School next door to Summerset, with whom the village has developed a close relationship.”

The station set up a recording date at the school and its staff organised the technical aspects of the recording, as well as filming the performances. Summerset resident Donn Livingstone, who has played a key part in the village ukulele group, says they were practising seven songs with the school in the lead-up to the recording.

“The recording took about an hour. It was wonderful. The school also sang two Syrian songs, and we sang a traditional Māori song.” Donn says the relationship Summerset has with its young neighbours is fantastic. “A lot of our residents, particularly ex-teachers, frequently visit and read with the kids. The school choir often comes over and sings songs for us. And now we’ve played and recorded together too.” Donn says he was impressed with the village’s Activities Coordinator, Ron Hielkema, who taught himself the ukulele in order to join the recording. “Seven of us have musical backgrounds. It was excellent to see him put in so much time and effort.”

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

OUR NEWS

December travel voucher winners announced An early Christmas present was in store for the latest winners of Summerset’s quarterly travel vouchers. Every three months, Summerset gives away travel vouchers worth $3,000 to three members of staff, whose names are drawn at random. During this round, Levin Caregiver Sandy Campbell, Aotea Property Manager Lester Napier, and Wellington Office Accounts Administrator Sara Wong were the lucky winners. Sandy says that she was brought down the hallway, where people were yelling and clapping. “Regional Operations Manager Stu James came up to me and gave me the voucher. I was gobsmacked, and nearly in tears. It was wonderful. I didn’t know what to say, and couldn’t say anything anyway! It’s still trying to sink in. People keep telling me, ‘Congratulations, you deserve it.’ I just feel truly blessed.” Sandy says that she and her husband want to visit a friend in Australia who is celebrating his 70th birthday. “We’d love to be able to go over for it! We’d also love to go down to the South Island as I’ve always wanted to go whale watching, as well as up to Rotorua to do jetboating.” Lester knew about the vouchers but says he never thought he’d win one. “I was in shock. I wasn’t planning on doing any travel – until now!” He has five children, and says he’s looking at going to the Gold Coast. “I’ve never been out of

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

New Zealand. I’ve always planned to go away but something has always come up, so I just haven’t.” Sara’s voucher was secretly drawn during the Wellington office’s secret Santa. “I was so shocked, I never thought I’d actually win. We have planned to go to Vancouver in February, but we held off booking the flights. This is perfect timing! We lived in Canada for five years, so this means we can go back and see all of our friends – and hopefully do some skiing, and take a trip to San Francisco too!” Summerset at Pohutukawa Place is the official name of Summerset’s newest village in New Plymouth. Residents at Summerset Mountain View, as well as some of those on New Plymouth’s Friends of Summerset Waitlist, were asked to suggest names for the new village when they attended a Christmas Lunch. The list of names were compiled in order of most frequently suggested, and CEO Julian Cook picked the winning name. The winning nomination was submitted by John and Dawn Corbett. However, Dawn insists John was the mastermind who came up with the name. Summerset villages will now have ‘neighbourhoods’, or mini-suburbs, to help residents and visitors find their way around. The competition included possible names for these, with individuals Ray Willy and Viv Baty submitting the winning entries.

New land sites purchased around New Zealand Summerset recently announced that new villages will be built in Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast, and at Milldale north of Auckland. Over the last 20 years, the company has grown from one village in Wanganui, to 34 that are up and running, in development, or being planned. CEO Julian Cook says that each of the new locations offers unique benefits for future residents. “The 300-unit Waikanae village will complement our popular Paraparaumu village, and will have our first Kapiti Memory Care Centre for people living with dementia. “Milldale, near Orewa on the Hibiscus Coast, is interesting as it will be part of a brand-new suburb, currently being built. The planned township will have around 3,000 residents, and we’ll be offering 290 homes there. ” To find out more about these villages, take a look at Summerset’s website: summerset.co.nz

Queen's Service Medal for Elizabeth Summerset in the Vines resident Elizabeth Curtis was surprised when she received a letter last year letting her know she was being awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for her music career, which spanned more than 50 years. “Receiving the letter was unbelievable. I really don’t know that I do any more than other people,” Elizabeth says. She adds that she correctly guessed who had been ‘the instigator’. “He then passed on the folder of all the people he had contacted and all the things they had said. It was very humbling the way they had regarded me.” Elizabeth started piano lessons when she was six, and went on to become the school’s pianist while she was in high school.

“I hadn’t decided what I wanted to do when I left school. I was asked to stay on for a year as my music teacher’s assistant. It was then that I made up my mind I would go to teacher training college.” She gained a number of qualifications in the field of music as well as in teaching. “Music is part of me. I can’t imagine life without it,” she says. Elizabeth will receive her medal in May.

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SUMMER BOWLS WITH SUMMERSET Summerset’s sponsorship of Bowls New Zealand was in the limelight over the summer, when the 2019 Summerset National Championships were held in Auckland. Hosted at the tournament headquarters, Carlton Cornwall, the finals delivered heart-stopping action, thrilling encounters and drama aplenty for the crowds and global social media followers picking up the live stream on the Bowls New Zealand Facebook page. Taylor Horn and Debbie White were crowned as, respectively, men’s singles champion and women’s singles champion, the women’s pairs event was won by Val Smith and Lisa Prideaux, and Jordan King and Chris Lowe took out the men’s pairs. The Summerset National Fours competition is coming up in March. It will be held at the Naenae Bowling Club, Lower Hutt, and no doubt will attract a crowd of dedicated bowls fans from around the Wellington area.

PAT’S PAINTING PASSION Avid artist and Taupo village resident Pat Vesey says he has always had a passion for painting. Pat has spent the last few months painting Taupo’s famed lakes and mountains in outdoor spaces around the village. Recently, a local artist was contracted to paint murals around Taupo’s town centre. It brightened the place up, and Pat thought, “Why not do the same at Summerset?” With the support of the Summerset by the Lake team, 90-year-old Pat set to work. To date, he has painted five scenes in the village. “I design the drawing before I paint the mural – I have to plan it out. Then I undercoat the surface or base I’m painting on.” His most recent painting features Lake Taupo, Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro, and local spot Acacia Bay. “In total, it took a couple of days to paint, but that had to happen over a few months due to the weather. I was painting onto steel, and the weather was against me! First, it was cold and miserable, and paint doesn’t soak into steel like it does on other surfaces. Then, the weather got too hot and the brush would stick to the hot steel. It was definitely a

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challenge,” says Pat. “I enjoy getting outside though; it’s what keeps me going!” Pat is working on a few more artworks too. “I’ve always enjoyed painting. My mother painted, and there were always paints in the house! I loved watching my mum paint, and I’m virtually self-taught. Anything to do with art I’ve loved.” Pat says he uploads photos of his works to his Facebook profile, and that he also used to run a painting group in the village. Residents and staff are enjoying seeing his works spread throughout the village.

Cruising around the country Sally Morch moved into New Plymouth’s Summerset Mountain View almost a year ago, and became instant friends with Jackie Mayne at the village’s happy hour. Sally began attending many village activities and events with her new friend. While shopping at her local Black Pepper clothing store one day, Sally entered her name into a draw to win a cruise. “I entered my name in the draw, left and never thought anything more about it. You don’t, do you? In my mind I thought, ‘No one ever wins these things.’” So, Sally was surprised to get home one Friday evening after a busy day to find two messages on her phone. “I initially hadn’t answered them because they were overseas numbers, so I thought they were hoax calls. I checked my emails to find that I had one from Black Pepper informing me I’d won the cruise!” Sally popped into the store the next day with flowers as a thank you, and found out that she could take a friend with her. “I have three daughters, and couldn’t only take one. I had a bit of thinking to do, plus knew it would be tricky sharing a room with my son. Then it came to me – I’ll take my friend Jackie!” Jackie had recently lost her husband, and Sally says she was like a soulmate to her through her introduction to village life. “The boat leaves from Sydney and cruises for 13 days around New Zealand. We’re very excited, and grateful to Black Pepper!”

We’re red and purple but getting greener At Summerset we are beginning our sustainability journey and have recently sought Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) certification to ensure we actively manage our carbon footprint. We have collected data from suppliers, such as those for electricity, gas and waste management, to help identify the areas generating the most carbon emissions. OUR FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE:

WASTE

TRAVEL

FERTILISER

PAPER

ENERGY

This year we’ll be taking action to reduce these emissions, helping combat climate change. Residents are unlikely to notice anything different at their home or village. Many of the changes will be simple things like using more environmentally friendly fertilisers in shared gardens and installing energy-saving LED lighting where possible. We believe everybody at Summerset – both staff and residents – can do something to reduce their impact on the environment, and we’re looking forward to working on this together. Once we have our sustainability programme up and running with staff, we’ll be inviting residents to help make Summerset more sustainable too.

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TRYING OUT JAN’S RECIPES?

DELICIOUS RECIPES

SEND US A PHOTO AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

E N T I C I N G

RECIPES BY JA N B I LTO N

AUTUMN EATS Greetings Summerset cooks! March brings cooler weather – a time to enjoy being back in the kitchen. And April is a month of events that include traditional eat treats centred around Easter and Anzac Day. Not quite so traditional are these suggestions for combining seasonal delights in everyday menus.

CHICKEN L I V E R PÂT É SERVES 8–10 This easy yet flavoursome pâté can be frozen in small ramekins and is a great treat to bring out when your Summerset friends pop in for a cuppa or a tipple. INGREDIENTS 50g butter 1 large shallot, diced 350g chicken livers salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves ½ teaspoon dried oregano ⅓ cup red wine or brandy

HOT CROSS BUN BURGERS Fill sweet hot cross buns with something complementary, such as hoisin-marinated grilled chicken, then add crisp lettuce and cucumber for crunch. Use traditional buns, not those with chocolate. ANZAC COOKIE ICE CREAM Slightly soften some good-quality vanilla ice cream. Add little chunks of Anzac biscuits and refreeze. This is right up there with hokey-pokey ice cream as a taste treat. HOT CROSS EGGS BENNY Top halved, toasted hot cross buns with steamed spinach, grilled bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

M A K E YO U R OW N E A S T E R E G G S Wrap one large egg in brown onion skins and another in red onion skins, then wrap each tightly in double muslin or similar and tie with string to hold the onion skins firmly in place. Place the parcels in a large saucepan of water and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, then cover in cold water. When cool, unwrap these tie-dyed eggs – they will be stained myriad colours. Nestle them into a small cane basket or a box to give as a gift.

Toppings: freshly ground black pepper, melted butter (allow to solidify before serving) or finely chopped fresh herbs METHOD Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the shallot until softened. Wash the chicken livers, pat dry and halve. Season them and then sauté in the butter for about 2 minutes on each side until just cooked. Add the herbs and red wine or brandy, and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Cool, then place in a food processor and blend until smooth. Spoon into small ramekins and smooth the tops with a spoon. Top the pâté with freshly ground black pepper, melted butter or fresh herbs. Serve with crackers or crostini. The pâté will keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, or tightly covered in the freezer for 2 months. Garnish after thawing.

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Summerset Summerset Scene Scene || Summer Autumn Issue

SPINACH, CHEESE & ONION SCONES

SUPER SALMON CAKES

MAKES 10

SERVES 2

These Texas-sized scones can be frozen, and if too large for a single serving, they can be

These make a delicious light meal for two.

shared. They are excellent served with morning tea, or with soup or a salad for a light lunch.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

100g baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease an oven tray.

125g butter melted

Soak the spinach in boiling water until soft. Drain. Rinse and

1 cup each of cream and plain acidophilus yoghurt 1 small onion, diced 2½ cups grated tasty cheese 4 cups self-raising flour ½ teaspoon baking powder salt and pepper to taste Garnish: ½ cup extra grated cheese

drain again well. Wrap in a cloth to dry, then chop finely. Mix all the liquid ingredients together, then add the onion, grated cheese and spinach. Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and seasonings together, then mix into the liquid ingredients quickly. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more cream – it should be just moist enough to bind. Divide the mixture evenly into 10 portions, then gently roll these into balls. Place on the oven tray – do not squash down. Sprinkle the tops with the extra grated cheese.

INGREDIENTS 350g mashing potatoes, peeled 180g wood-roasted salmon 1–2 teaspoons each of wasabi paste and finely grated lemon rind 1 spring onion, diced salt and pepper to taste 1 egg, lightly beaten panko breadcrumbs to coat 2 tablespoons rice-bran oil

METHOD Boil the potatoes until soft. Drain and mash well. Cool. Break the salmon into small pieces. Combine with the cold mashed potatoes, wasabi, lemon rind, spring onion, seasonings and egg. Using wet hands, form the mixture into four round cakes. Coat in panko crumbs. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the cakes until golden on both sides and heated through – about 5 minutes. Serve on wilted spinach, garnished with lemon wedges or preserved lemon.

Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 175°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the scones are golden brown and cooked through.

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PHOTOS: Sally Tagg and Derek Hudson

IN THE GARDEN

Bright bulbs A RT I C L E BY LY N DA H A L L I N A N

Downsizing your garden doesn’t mean lowering your expectations for a colourful display. If you plant bulbs now, says Lynda Hallinan, you’ll get loads of bang for your buck. From souvenir teaspoons to nanotech gadgets and diamond rings, good things often come in small packages. In a garden, I’d go so far as to say that the best things come in small packages: ‘Russian Giant’ sunflower seeds, silver fern spores, cuttings taking root in pots on a sunny windowsill and, of course, flowering bulbs. Bulbs are one of nature’s miracles. When you buy a bag of gnarly, papery brown dormant bulbs, it’s hard to imagine that, like a jack-in-the-box, everything they need to bloom beautifully is already tucked neatly inside. Despite their diminutive size and unassuming appearance, these small packages bring joy in spades once buried deep in the soil, where the

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magic begins. And the beauty of planting bulbs is that, even in a downsized garden, there’s always enough room to accommodate a colourful collection in containers. Ask a botanist to describe a bulb and they’ll speak of its structure: “a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases that function as food storage organs during dormancy”, according to Wikipedia. But ask any gardener to describe their favourite bulbs and they’ll sigh romantically over fields of golden daffodils, bluebell woods and fragrant spring hyacinths; spectacular summer lilies, dahlias and gladioli; cheeky naked ladies in autumn; and carpets of naturalised cyclamen in winter.

While some bulbs, such as spring-flowering daffodils and tulips, never go out of style, others have fallen in and out of fashion. It wasn’t long ago that dahlias, along with mophead hydrangeas, were scoffed at by fashionable gardeners. However, last summer the dirty-pink decorative dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait’ sold out in New Zealand, forcing bulb nurseries to limit their sales to one tuber per customer. This unusual variety, with its huge ruffled blooms the colour of weak tea or watery peach cordial, is suddenly all the rage in bridal bouquets. Mail-order catalogues from specialist nurseries such as Bulbs Direct (www.bulbsdirect.co.nz) and NZ Bulbs (www.nzbulbs.co.nz) offer something to suit every green thumb, from bulk bags of daffodil bulbs to costly connoisseurs’ collectables such as fancy fritillaries and saffron crocus, which are best cosseted along in pots.

At Summerset at Bishopscourt in Dunedin, daffodils line the main drive each spring and several residents also grow blooming bulbs to spectacular effect, including Neville Hay and his wife Shirley. The Hays were the village’s first official residents when it opened back in 2002, and Neville immediately set to work on his garden. There was very little topsoil, so he wheeled in “a few hundred free bags of horse manure” from the Forbury Park Raceway and started from scratch, bedding in dozens of bulbs – mainly dahlias, lilies, daffodils, tulips and gladioli. “Occasionally I put a spade through them when I’m planting new things, but that’s the way it goes,” he says. Neville says his varieties are nothing special – he’s content to pick and choose from the local garden centre. In contrast, fellow resident Eric Dyer freely admits to blowing the budget on choice daffodils each year.

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ARTICLE BY LOUANA MCCORMACK

Eric hasn’t so much downsized his gardening passions as relocated them to Summerset. Having bought into the village five years ago with his partner Jim Williams, he continued to commute to their old home in Mornington to work in his bone-carving studio, returning with snips from the garden, where he grew 180 varieties of chrysanthemums in his glasshouses. “I’ve always been a gardener,” says Eric. “I love poking my hands in the soil. Mum had me helping in the garden when I was five. She had a huge garden. She grew all our food and extras to sell, such as sugar bags of kumara to trade for potatoes, because Dad preferred them,” he recalls. Like Neville, when Eric moved to Summerset his first priority was soil improvement. Out came the clay and in went loads of compost, followed by hundreds of daffodil bulbs. “I can’t

help myself,” he says of his annual springtime habit of seeking out rare and unusual varieties at bulb shows, although he jokes that he “limited himself” to ordering only 40 or so last year. Eric ingeniously plants up lots of pots with bulbs to stack and slot into his garden beds for extra height. By planting in pots, you can wait until they’re growing well before you park them on full display to show off, or you can employ them as gap fillers to brighten up any bare corners that need a pop of colour.

PRETTY POPPIES

CRAFT CORNER

Red poppies are a universal symbol of remembrance for our fallen servicemen and women, and this crochet pattern is a beautiful project for Anzac Day. This crochet pattern is written using UK terms. Abbreviations: CH = chain; DC = double crochet; SC = single crochet.

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES • Small amounts of 8ply cotton in red, black and green • Size 2 crochet hook • Scissors • Darning needle • Brooch back or large safety pin (optional)

TO MAKE THE PETAL THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS TO A SMALL GARDEN, ERIC QUIPS: “WHEN EVERY INCH IS PLANTED OUT, WEEDS DON’T STAND A CHANCE, ALTHOUGH THEY STILL DO TRY!”

Row 1: With black yarn, CH 4 and join with a slip stitch in the first stitch to form a ring. Row 2: CH 2, 10 DC into the middle of the ring, then join at the top of the first 2 CH. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing the petals together.

Row 3: Attach the red yarn to the top of any DC from the previous round. CH 2 and DC in the same space. DC in the next 3 DC of the previous round, finishing with 2 DC in the last stitch. CH 2 and turn.

H OW TO G ROW B U L B S • If you want bountiful blooms in spring, now’s the time to start planting cheerful daffodils, dainty jonquils and richly fragrant ‘Erlicheer’ narcissus, which are among the first to bloom in spring. • Tulips can be planted up to May, and if you live in a region with mild winters, pop a labelled bag of bulbs into the vegetable bin of your fridge for six to eight weeks prior to planting. This tricks them into thinking they’ve already endured winter and it’s time to get on with the job of blooming in spring. • Bulbs are solar-powered, self-contained beauties. Provided they have full sun and free-draining soil, they’ll do the rest of the work for you, as their foliage generates enough energy to store and save for the following season’s performance. For this reason, it’s vital you let the

foliage die down naturally (don’t cut it off or tie it up) until the bulbs return to dormancy. • As a general rule, you don’t need to feed bulbs, but an annual sprinkle with slow-release bulb fertiliser helps to maintain their vigour, as does lifting and dividing the clumps every few years to avoid congestion. Refresh the potting mix for container-grown bulbs at the same time. • Plant bulbs in freedraining soil (if you have heavy clay, plant them in pots to dot around the garden instead), as if it’s too wet before they shoot, they’re liable to rot. Don’t plant too deep (generally, plant as deep as the bulb is long) and usually with the pointy end facing up.

Row 4: 2 DC in the first stitch, then DC in each stitch to the end of the row, finishing with 3 DC in the last stitch. CH 2 and turn. Row 5: DC in the first space, then DC in each stitch to the end of the row, finishing with 2 DC in the last stitch. CH 2 and turn. Row 6: Miss the first two stitches and DC in each stitch until you

reach the last two stitches. Miss these stitches and DC in the top of the turning chain of the previous row. Row 7: Repeat Row 6. Cut the yarn and fasten off.

TO MAKE THE LEAVES CH 20 in green cotton, then slip stitch into the fifth CH from the hook. SC in the next 3 CH. *CH 6, slip stitch into the base of 6 CH, SC in the next 3 CH. Repeat from * twice more. 3 SC in the last stitch. Working on the other side of the chains, repeat the same stitches to make a mirror image of the first side, finishing at the base of the first

6 CH. Fasten off.

TO MAKE THE STEM CH 10 in green cotton, then SC in second CH from the hook and in

each stitch to the end. Fasten off. To finish, weave in all the red ends. Place one pair of petals over the other, lining up the black centres and positioning the pieces to form the poppy shape (use the photo as a guide). Using the black tails of cotton, sew the two sections together, then the ends of the green cotton to sew the leaves and stem to the back of the poppy. Finally, sew on a brooch back or safety pin if required.

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R E V I E WS BY N Z B O O K LOV E RS W W W. N Z B O O K LOV E RS.C O. N Z BOOK REVIEWS

YAT E S TO P 50 I N D O O R P L A N TS A N D H OW N OT TO K I L L T H E M ! by A n g i e T h o m a s As its title suggests, this book is an invaluable guide to all you need to know about 50 indoor plants. Houseplants are definitely on trend again, and they’re a great way to bring the outdoors in and make a room feel fresh and welcoming. Indoor plants also help to purify air and making a home healthy.

HarperCollins RRP $39.99

The book starts with recommendations of which plants are suited to different parts of your home, including low-light rooms, bathrooms and kitchens, bedrooms, large spaces and small spaces. A colour photo of each of the 50 plants featured is

H E A DS YO U W I N by J ef f rey A rc h er This novel from Jeffrey Archer is extremely clever, with a ‘sliding doors’ premise in which the fate of the characters is decided on the toss of a coin.

included, as well as a description and suggestions of where it is most suitable. Included are recommended products, along with a step-by-step ‘How to Grow’ guide and growing tips.

The story opens in Leningrad in 1968. After his father is assassinated by the KGB, Alexander Karpenko flees from Russia with his mother. At the docks, they are confronted with an irreversible choice: should they board a container ship bound for America or one heading to England? Alexander tosses a coin, and their new lives begin.

At the end of the book are chapters on indoor plant care, including everything from types of potting mix and pots, to how to water and feed specific plants, and general troubleshooting tips. Author Angie Thomas certainly knows her stuff – this book is impressive.

Macmillan RRP $44.99

G R A N DZ I L L A by L i s a Wi l l i am s To say that grandmother Tillie and her granddaughter Tessa don’t get on is an understatement. Tillie is a real-estate mogul, and she stands for everything that Tessa, a young activist, doesn’t like. Tessa calls her grandmother Grandzilla behind her back and resents the time she is forced to spend with her while her mother is away overseas with work.

Crummer Road Press RRP $28.00

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But then Tillie’s cousin Dawn turns up on their doorstep – someone Tillie hasn’t seen for more than 50 years. Dawn wants to make amends, but Tillie wants nothing to do with her. Dawn was part of a militant group active in Germany in the late 1960s, but Tessa soon discovers that she

The storyline splits here. In one version, Alexander is called Sasha, and he and his mother journey to London. Life is tough to begin with, but then he goes to

Cambridge, his mother opens a successful restaurant, he marries for love and he enters politics. In the other version of the story, Alexander goes to New York and becomes an entrepreneur, his mother establishes a successful pizza business, he marries for love, and he becomes involved in the banking and art worlds. There are twists and turns aplenty in the book, as the story goes back and forth between London and New York in these two parallel lives. In both, Sasha and Alex return to Russia 30 years later, providing an ending you will either love or hate. Heads You Win is a thrilling page-turner that is both intriguing and enjoyable.

T H E Q U E E N’S C O LO N I A L by Peter Wa tt In 1845, Ian Steele works as a blacksmith in a village outside Sydney and struggles to support his widowed mother, all the time dreaming of serving in uniform for Queen Victoria’s army. But then he meets Second Lieutenant Samuel Forbes, born into an aristocratic English family, who wants nothing more than to discard his officer’s uniform. When the two men bump into each other in New South Wales, they are struck by how similar they look, and they develop a friendship. In time, Samuel asks Ian if he will take his place in the British Army, and Ian eventually agrees to this dangerous plan.

isn’t the only one with a radical past and that there is more to her grandmother then she thought! The action in this book moves between Berlin in the turbulent 1960s and contemporary America. Grandzilla a superb, engaging read, with wonderfully drawn characters and a great sense of place and time. The tension comes from a mix of the past and present, all culminating in a well-crafted ending. This book is definitely recommended: a story of growing up, growing old and getting ‘woke’.

It’s a risky undertaking. Ian must travel to England, fool Samuel’s family and then accept a commission into the army. Samuel’s father and brother are alarmed at the return of their long-lost prodigal son, and they immediately hatch a plan that will put Ian in grave danger. Once in London, Ian finds love with a beautiful but enigmatic woman, but he is forced to part with her to face battle in the Crimean War. The Queen’s Colonial is an exciting adventure and the first in a new series of books. It’s an engaging read, with lots of intrigue, love, action and tension.

Macmillan RRP $29.99

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

MOTORING

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO TI ARTICLE BY CAMERON OFFICER

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

It’s a funny old world. Whereas 20 years ago, performance

MOTORING

brands like Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati might’ve sneered at the idea of a fully fledged SUV in their ranks, these exotic marques now clamour to join the club. Buyer tastes change, you see, and every sports car manufacturer in the world has realised that, in order to ensure lots of lovely R&D dollars for that roster of performance coupes and cabriolets, you need a solid unit-shifter in the stable too. For a dictionary definition of ‘solid unit-shifter’ in 2019, see: SUV. And that’s why this rather attractive thing exists: the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Right now, there are three grades available, two with petrol engines like the range-topping Ti shown here, and a turbo diesel. The 505kW Stelvio Quadrifoglio is on its way too, which promises some genuinely dynamic abilities and a fruity exhaust note.

BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER THOUGH, LET’S ADDRESS THE ST YLISH ITALIAN-SUIT-WEARING ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM There’s that old adage that to possess an Alfa Romeo you have to be a true motoring enthusiast, prepared mentally and financially to cope with both the joys and sorrows of ownership. Traditionally, reliability has been a subject of discussion.

I’m happy to be convinced otherwise, but anecdotal evidence would suggest that the modern Alfa is far removed from this stereotype. And if ever there is a moment the manufacturer needs to bury such conceptions, it’s right now. To that end, the Stelvio is stylish looking, and it has plenty of headroom and legroom in the back, plus a reasonable boot for a mid-sized SUV. The Ti grade I tested features 206kW worth of peak power and a good slab of torque (400Nm) too, and the ‘D’ setting in its Drive Mode Selector system ensures responsive and engaging back-road fun. The switchgear feels a little fragile (especially the rotary controller for the infotainment system, which wiggles worryingly), but the Ti is very well specified, with every comfort, convenience and safety tech tick-box checked. The thing to watch in this part of the market, though, is the sheer breadth of choice. Few other manufacturers with similarly dimensioned SUVs might be able to offer such pedigree as Alfa Romeo, but nameplates like CX-5, Sportage, Q5 and Tiguan all speak of solidity in a way that won’t elicit the same face-pulling response from some people.

THE STATISTICS ENGINE: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo POWER: 206kW TORQUE: 400Nm FUEL ECONOMY: 7.0 litres/100km PRICE: $99,990

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ARTICLE BY LUCY CORRY

ARTICLE BY KRIS TYNAN

FASHION

EXERCISE

EYES RIGHT

TRAIN YOUR

BRAIN

Three movements to get your brain exercising

Your eyes may be the windows to your soul, but sometimes they need a little polishing.

JUST BROWSING Eyebrow trends change as quickly as fashion, but a pair of well-groomed brows will never go out of style. However, the ageing process affects brows and lashes just like the rest of your hair, and even those blessed in these areas may find that their brows are becoming patchy or non-existent. If you’ve never had your brows shaped professionally, now’s the time to try it. Brow shaping takes about 15 minutes and is worth every cent. Good brows lift your whole face and can make you look less tired or cross! A good beauty therapist will give you tips on how to maintain the right shape, so you can do it at home in front of a well-lit mirror with a pair of good tweezers. The beauty industry also has lots of different ways to help boost disappearing brows. People who have lost their eyebrows and lashes due to cancer treatment often swear by serums to help them regrow. It’s worth investigating these with an expert. If you’ve still got your brows but they’re a bit patchy or unruly, you can transform them

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

yourself in about a minute with brow gel. This is a clear, or often slightly tinted, product that comes in a mascara-like tube. You can splash out on designer brands, but they all do essentially the same thing, which is to hold your brows in a neat shape. Using a tinted brow gel (a light brown or taupe shade suits everyone and looks very natural) also helps fill in any patchy sections. Brow gels are much subtler than eyebrow pencils and can look more natural – and they’re also often easier to apply. REFRESH YOUR EYES If summer winds or allergies have left your eyes feeling sore and gritty, try this easy home-made eye treatment. Special bonus: you get to lie down while it works! Put two teabags (ordinary tea is fine, or you can use green tea or peppermint tea) in a small bowl and add about ¼ cup of cold water. When the bags are wet through, squeeze them gently and tip the water out. Take the teabags in the small bowl to a bed or sofa. Lie down, then put a teabag on top of each closed eye. Remain in this position for 10–15 minutes (or longer!), then remove the teabags.

Until about 25 years ago, scientists thought that we started losing brain cells in our 30s and that this cognitive decline was an inevitable part of ageing. However, this has since been proved completely untrue, and research continues to show that new neural pathways can be formed at any age by challenging the brain. At Summerset’s Use It or Lose It (UIOLI) classes, residents practise brain challenges by performing multi-tasking movements, such as patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time. Challenging the brain means processing instructions that change regularly and keep our mind guessing. Although this can be frustrating, our brain is forced to find a solution – this is when adaption and learning occur. When your heart rate is raised, such as through a little aerobic exercise, your brain-derived neurotrophic factor is stimulated. Neuroscientists have likened this to Miracle-Gro for the brain. Do regular aerobic exercise. Walking is an easy and accessible option for most – however, it needs to be as brisk as you can manage, rather than an easy stroll. Swimming, cycling, tennis and dancing are also excellent for raising the heart rate. Aim to carry out this kind of exercise for 10–30 minutes every day. Not only will your brain benefit (what’s good for the body is good for the brain), but aerobic activity is excellent for heart health, bone health and blood glucose management as well.

Do two movements at once that involve thinking and co-ordination. For example, march on the spot or tap your toes, then bring in some hand movements such as the mashed potato, hand jive or spinning hands.

Combine a cognitive task with movement. For example, while walking, cycling or marching on the spot, spell a word forwards (such as a ‘vegetable’), say how many letters it

has, then try to spell it backwards. You can challenge yourself with longer words, but don’t stop moving!

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

ARTICLE BY AMELIA NORMAN

For a special evening meal, head to the popular Post Bank Restaurant & Bar. Renowned for its high-end fare and amazing cocktails, Post Bank is located in an artfully decorated historical building and promises excellent service and a cosy atmosphere.

TRAVEL LOG

ACTIVITIES

MT MAUNGANUI With the summer hordes thinning out, autumn is a great time for a visit to the coastal community of Mt Maunganui in the beautiful Bay of Plenty. Although technically a suburb of Tauranga, Mt Maunganui (known as ‘The Mount’) is a gorgeous beachside holiday destination in its own right.

ACCOMMODATION

DINING

It’s all about the ocean views when you’re staying in Mt Maunganui, and they don’t get much better than from the Oceanside Resort & Twin Towers. This notable structure stands tall at the northern end of Marine Parade, directly across from the beautiful Main Beach and with stunning views out to Moturiki and Motuotau islands. The resort also boasts beautiful private gardens, a gym, a sauna, an outdoor lap pool and a hot pool. When booking, be sure to specify an ocean-view room – and the higher the better for the vista!

With more than 60 eateries to choose from in Mt Maunganui, you’ll never go hungry. While by-the-sea al fresco dining is always a delight, there are also some hidden gems to be discovered away from the seafront.

Another option, located conveniently close to the shops and eateries of Maunganui Road, and with easy beach access, is the highly rated Atrium Apartments. These four-star apartments are comfortable and well equipped, and offer private balconies for soaking in the sun and scenery – each room boasts a view of either Main Beach or Pilot Bay. 42

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

For a memorable breakfast or brunch, book in at Eighty Eight Café on Maunganui Road. Their gorgeous cabinet food, scrumptious breakfast menu, fresh juices and excellent coffee are sure to have you raring to go. They also make fabulous cakes and slices if you’re looking for a snack later in the day. You’ll be spoilt for choice at lunchtime, with cafés peppering the busy northern end of Marine Parade. For a holiday treat, grab yourself some fish and chips from one of the nearby takeaway outlets and enjoy them on the beach. Follow this up with the obligatory visit to Copenhagen Cones for a superb waffle-cone ice cream.

No trip to Mt Maunganui is complete without time spent at the beach. Whether you’re enjoying an early-morning stroll, a spot of swimming, fish and chips on the sand or even a surf lesson, Main Beach is the most picturesque destination in town; so great, in fact, that it’s been voted New Zealand’s best beach in the past, as well as one of the world’s top 25 beaches! If you’re able, the other must-do in this neck of the woods is a walk up or around Mt Maunganui (or Mauao) itself. The 232m-high summit takes around 45 minutes to reach for those with good fitness and mobility, and the 360-degree views from the top are definitely worth the climb. For those unsure about the climb, Mauao can also be enjoyed via the much more accessible base track. This very popular option also takes around 45 minutes to complete, and there are numerous benches and photo opportunities for a break en route. After all that walking, pay a visit to the centrally located Mount Hot Pools. Open daily until 10pm, these hot salt-water pools are a gorgeous way to relax, soothe tired bodies and wind down after a busy day. The Mount Hot Pools also have on-site massage therapists, allowing you to indulge in the full spa experience. Boutique shopping is another top attraction in Mt Maunganui. Head to Maunganui Road for stores aplenty, beauty salons and gift shops sprinkled among welcoming cafés and restaurants. Strolling along the shopping strip beneath phoenix palms and within a stone’s throw from the beach makes for a very pleasant way to spend a day. Stunning in all seasons, Mt Maunganui is a delightful destination for a few days’ R&R and is a must-visit holiday spot for every New Zealander.

RESIDENTS' OPINIONS Tony & Heather Dodunski SUMMERSET BY THE SEA, KATIKATI

We lived in Mt Maunganui from 1989 until two years ago, when we moved to Summerset. During our honeymoon there we decided we’d retire to the Bay of Plenty, and we did just that. We love the people, the atmosphere near Mauao and the cafés around the base of the Mount. We love the beaches from the Mount all the way to Papamoa – they’re clean and tidy, and the whole area feels so safe. Our favourite spot is Pilot Bay. We go down there for picnics and to watch the cruise ships going out at night. We always stop in at Zeytin at the Mount for coffee. There is also a fantastic ice cream parlour, Copenhagen Cones, opposite the Mount Hot Pools (which are also really good!)

Marilyn & Tom Petersen SUMMERSET AT MONTEREY PARK, HOBSONVILLE

We have a timeshare in Mt Maunganui, so go there often. We enjoy it whether it’s summer or winter! Seeing the enormous cruise ships leave the harbour at dusk is awesome. A day cruise on the Kewpie is a good way to explore the beautiful Tauranga Harbour and learn a little of the city’s history. McLaren Falls Park is a great picnic spot, and after heavy rain the waterfall is spectacular. Close by is the Kaimai Café, with good food and, in winter, a fire. If you like pies, Patrick’s Pies in Bethlehem make the best in New Zealand! We take them to the Minden Lookout for views of Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and the surrounding orchards.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

PUZZLES

BRAIN TEASE

SPLITDECISION

Reveal a completed crossword by deleting one of the two letters in each divided square.

TARGET

Good 16 Very Good 21 Excellent 30+

R N U T R E I F U

WORDWHEEL

WordWheel

L L

A S I R

1684

? T OWordWheel S I N

Insert the missing letter to complete an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise. Previous solution: DERISION

3 CROSSWORD

ACROSS: 1 Enhance, 4 Catalogued, 9 Hoarded, 13 Vile, 14 Iguana, 15 Groggy, 16 Perform, 19 Shrivelled, 20 Invested, 21 Blank, 24 Retort, 25 Sprang, 27 Barricade, 32 Macaroni, 33 Swampy, 34 Servant, 38 Overload, 39 Nitwit, 40 Rain, 41 Comic, 42 Eased, 45 Indiscriminate, 52 Sauna, 55 Loyal, 56 Solo, 57 Trench, 58 Omission, 61 Rafters, 62 Pierce, 63 Intended, 66 Sovereign, 68 Fiends, 69 Adonis, 73 Frays, 74 Disclose, 76 Hysterical, 81 Console, 82 Backed, 83 Leeway, 84 Town, 85 Crayons, 86 Letterhead, 87 Tannery. DOWN: 1 Eaves, 2 Hilarity, 3 Engulf, 4 Craze, 5 Thaw, 6 Lagging, 7 Groove, 8 Edges, 10 Oven, 11 Ruffled, 12 Erring, 17 Overhauled, 18 Heart, 22 Pacifies, 23 Octet, 24 Rissole, 26 Pool, 28 Aspirin, 29 Salami, 30 Bantam, 31 Ensign, 33 Sewer, 35 Viola, 36 Less, 37 Mist, 43 Anorak, 44 Exact, 46 Noon, 47 Ironing, 48 Caters, 49 Irene, 50 Inclined, 51 Ermine, 52 Suspenders, 53 Unit, 54 Annuals, 59 Freed, 60 Stud, 64 Fetid, 65 Anecdote, 67 Odyssey, 68 Fielder, 70 Armour, 71 Locket, 72 Strait, 75 Crave, 77 Yield, 78 Lanky, 79 Clan, 80 Clue. WORDWHEEL: 1. GORILLAS. 2. CORRUPTS. 3. MALINGER.

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue

Insert the missing letter in each puzzle to make an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise WordWheel

L A ? E

1686

M R

P U ? O

1685

R R

Insert the missing letter to complete an eight-letter word reading clockwise or anticlockwise. Previous solution: GORILLAS

Insert the missing letter to complete an eight-letter word reading clockwise or CODECRACKER anticlockwise. Previous solution: CORRUPTS

SPLIT DECISION

TARGET

fern finer fire firer fret frier frit fruit FURNITURE future inert infer inter inure nitre nurture refit reft rein rent rerun return rife rift rite ruin ruiner rune runt tern tier tire trier trine triune true truer tuner turf turn turner untrue urine

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre letter. The nine-letter word will definitely be familiar to you. No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb.

All puzzles copyright The Puzzle Company

ACROSS 1 Heighten (7) 4 Indexed (10) 9 Squirrelled away (7) 13 Repulsive (4) 14 Tropical lizard (6) 15 Dazed (6) 16 Act (7) 19 Withered (10) 20 Put money into (8) 21 Dummy bullet (5) 24 Sharp reply (6) 25 Leapt (6) 27 Rampart (9) 32 Tubular pasta (8) 33 Marshy (6) 34 Domestic employee (7) 38 Excessive burden (8) 39 Nincompoop (6) 40 Precipitation (4) 41 Joker (5) 42 Alleviated (5) 45 Done or acting at random (14) 52 Steam bath (5) 55 True (5) 56 Fly alone (4)

57 Ditch (6) 58 Non-inclusion (8) 61 Beams (7) 62 Puncture (6) 63 Deliberate (8) 66 Ruler (9) 68 Demons (6) 69 Very handsome young man (6) 73 Unravels at the edges (5) 74 Reveal (8) 76 Wildly distraught (10) 81 Comfort (7) 82 Supported (6) 83 Permissible tolerance (6) 84 Settlement (4) 85 Waxy sticks (7) 86 Red athlete (anag)(10) 87 Hide-processing plant (7)

DOWN 1 Roof overhang (5) 2 Great merriment (8) 3 Inundate (6) 4 Mania (5) 5 Defrost (4) 6 Insulating wrap (7) 7 Furrow (6) 8 Borders (5) 10 Kiln (4) 11 Discomposed (7) 12 Going astray (6) 17 Reconditioned (10) 18 Core (5) 22 Mollifies (8) 23 Group of eight (5) 24 Breadcrumbed fried patty (7) 26 Small lake (4) 28 Analgesic drug (7) 29 Seasoned preserved sausage (6) 30 Small breed of fowl (6) 31 Flag (6) 33 Waste drain (5) 35 Stringed instrument (5) 36 Minus (4)

37 Haze (4) 43 Waterproof jacket (6) 44 Precise (5) 46 Midday (4) 47 Household chore (7) 48 Reacts (anag)(6) 49 Girlâ€™s name (5) 50 Of a mind to (8) 51 Stoat fur (6) 52 Garter straps (10) 53 Component part (4) 54 Yearly books (7) 59 Liberated (5) 60 Horse farm (4) 64 Reeking (5) 65 Short entertaining story (8) 67 Long eventful journey (7) 68 Red file (anag)(7) 70 Defensive coating (6) 71 Jewellery item (6) 72 Narrow sea channel (6) 75 Hunger for (5) 77 Surrender up (5) 78 Tall and thin (5) 79 Family (4) 80 Inkling (4)

Summerset Scene | Autumn Issue