Active living in later lifeBest of Times

Plus extra puzzles, giveaways, cooking free-range chicken, the year 1961, & more ...

renovating for the future

Vol 2, Issue 4, Winter 2011

Dementia:low-downs

& updates

$4.95 | Free to all RVA Member Village Residents

Get in line for online datinGvillages celebrate royal weDDing

Dispelling Diabetes myths

chilDren share their views on granDparents

what if princess Diana haDn’t DieD?Monica ali’s Untold Story takes the life of the world’s most famous woman as a point of departure, imagining a future and examining the

nature of celebrity, the meaning of identity, and the need to fi nd one’s place in the world. Like Diana, the fi ctional princess who is the novel’s heroine, is both icon and iconoclast. Will she ever fi nd peace and happiness in her own life, or will the curse of fame always be too great?

how to Draw nZ birDsHeather arnold provides a comprehensive guide to drawing

and painting new Zealand birds such as the kiwi, the kingfi sher, the kereru and the kakapo from start to fi nish in pencil and paint mediums. The introductory matter covers materials, drawing skills, techniques and a section on light. Each section gives step-by-step instructions, as well as tips on how to render particular techniques.

what happens when fulltime work enDs?My Time: How to Make the Rest of Life the Best of Life by Joan Baker and Mandy Fealy, delves into the question that more people will be asking

as the babyboomer generation approaches retirement. Covering many facets of life, from relationships and goal-setting to fi nancial planning and working, My time is the book for anyone who is asking “what’s next?”

granny’s kitchenthis book is a nostalgic collection of ‘granny’s’ tried and tested recipes of favorite biscuits,

cakes and muffi ns. includes 150+ recipes to choose from, with quick preparation and baking methods – the baking book every home cook needs.

how to watch the rugby worlD cup 2011 the essential guide to the world’s greatest rugby contest from one of the world’s great rugby writers,

Spiro Zavos. Will Robbie Deans bring the Wallabies to glory? Can Graham Henry’s All Blacks break their 20-year jinx? will a newly emerging team such as argentina shock the world? Zavos also unveils the inside stories and controversies surrounding all six Rugby World Cup tournaments to date.

true love aDventureIn 1943, Stead arrives in Sydney Harbour hoping to spend his shore leave with Marina, a woman with whom he shared three magical days before the war. But Marina is gone, and

has been missing for almost fi ve years. And so begins an extraordinarily journey. Mardi McConnochie’s novel The Voyagers: A Love Story takes you from london after the Blitz to booming shanghai and fallen Singapore.

new ZealanD’s hottest home bakerdean Brettschneider celebrates our love affair with home baking with this recipe book

from the hit reality show. Filled with tips and tricks, packed with beautiful food photos and action shots from the show and behind the scenes, this is a tasty giveaway!

insiDe storiesInside Stories: A History of the New Zealand Housewife 1890-1975 is frances walsh’s fun romp through women’s toil over the past 120 years.

it puts housework under the spotlight and shows the myriad ways in which resourceful new Zealand women dealt with the tyranny of keeping house – and keeping sane.

gooDness superfooDs!let’s celebrate the Goodness superfoods Kiwi launch of:• Digestive 1st. • Protein 1st. • Heart 1stall contain BARLEYmax, “a superior wholegrain”. These cereals provide you with the goodness you deserve. Prize includes a $10 petrol voucher!

2 to go!

3 to nab 2 coPies to sail off3, taKe ‘em aWay!

2 in our oVen3 inside our office3 to fly

2 halVes 3 to giVeaWay

Write your preferred giveaway, your name and address on the back of an envelope and post to: Best of times Giveaways, PO Box 200, Wellington 6011.Or email: prizes@bestoftimes.co.nz Closing date: 15 June, 2011.

limb protectorsas our skin becomes thin and frail with age, it can be easily bruised or torn by minor accidents around the home or while working outdoors. these injuries often take considerable time to heal and require frequent dressing. Impactwear® Limb Protectors are protective garments for the arms and legs made of a skin-tone fabric with soft fl exible gel padding concealed on the inside for comfort and protection. They are light and comfortable to wear and can be worn uncovered by clothing or under clothing without a bulky appearance. they are easy to pull on and come in three sizes to suit both arms and legs.

Get free stuff!

3 to coVer you

the teameditor: paul dagarinart director: Barbara la Grangesub-editor: alex stainesadvertising: tracy Johnsongeneral manager: (apn educational Media) Bronwen wilkinswriters: eion scarrow, Gayle philpott,

stock images: Getty images

phone 04 471 1600faX 04 471 1080websitewww.bestoftimes.co.nz 1 news, ed’s bit/puzzle answers/briefs

6 Travel: get ready to spring around NZ

8 Youth culture: online dating

10 Renovating for the future

12 Health: the latest on dementia

14 nutrition – diabetes myths

16 Your winter garden, with eion scarrow

18 Cooking – simple is best with free-range chicken

19 The year that was ... 1961

20 puzzles

Contents

froM tHe editor’s COMPUTER

8

10

16

You spend half of the morningjust trying to wake up,half the evening just trying to calm down. That’s from the Bill Callahan song

‘Feather by feather’. Bill is a musician and songwriter who sometimes goes by the moniker ‘Smog’. He’s part of a ‘school’ of music known widely as ‘lo-fi’ (an ironic play on ‘hi-fi’). It’s often wonderful music, a somehow comfortable marriage of country, punk and folk. Lo-fi is rooted in a DIY ethos, forged when recording music was exclusive and costly. Kiwis including The Clean and Chris Knox were massive lo-fi influences on musicians around the world. And some artists still use analogue equipment, complete with 4- or 8-track reel-to-reels, and they hunt around for the equivalent of Dunedin garages in which to record.

Most music is now digitally recorded, and all types have ready access to equipment and software. Funny though, with some artists (not Bill), the ‘i-recorded-this-music-on-a-tape-deck-in-my-garage’ brush-strokes pop up in the recordings even though the music wasn’t recorded on a tape deck in a garage.

Advanced technology is used to make it sound as if there was limited technology used, because those brush-strokes are part of that music’s culture. The lo-fi brush-strokes are an identifying and proud flag.

we fly these sorts of flags on our bodies and in our lives all the time: tattoos, a mohawk. We are promote the light in which we would prefer to be viewed. Many older people, for instance, dress as ‘older’ people: a zip-up cardigan; a cheese-cutter hat. Others want a different image. My point? ummm, i guess it is that we all have the right to a culture and identity: social, ethnic, etc. People are constantly asserting that right.

anyway, this is my last issue as editor of Best of Times. It’s been a blast – thanks for your overwhelmingly positive correspondence. I’m taking up a job as ‘whiskey taster and peruser of the world’s Most Beautiful Women’. At $100,000 per minute it’s just too good to refuse. Go well, go shell! And remember:

If you’re losing your wingsfeather by feather,love the way they whip awayon the wind.

published by apn educational Media, a division of APN National Publishing NZ Limited. Level 1, Saatchi & Saatchi Building, 101-103 Courtenay Place, PO Box 200, Wellington 6011printed by printlink, petoneissn: 1179-3252copyright© 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.

errors and omissionsWhilst the publishers have attempted to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publishers for any errors or omissions.

Vol 2

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ue 4

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ter 2

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terms and conditions 1. Entry into our competitions confi rms your

acceptance of our terms and conditions. 2. Entry is open to New Zealand

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lost, stolen, misdirected or incomplete entries. The publisher’s decision is fi nal and no correspondence will be entered into.

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Best of Times

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 1

2 Best of Times

reaDer feeDback / snippets / fun

We love letters and give prizes for selected ones! we also love ideas, complaints, COMPLIMENTS, images, stories. Go on, get in touch with the editor: by mail to Best of times, PO Box 200, Wellington 6011; email: editor@bestoftimes.co.nz; ph: 04 917 5997adVertise witH us – ph: 04 915 9785SUBSCRIBE TO US – ph: 04 916 4807

in one of tHe first studies of its kind in new Zealand, researchers have asked children for their views on their relationships with their grandparents. the research confirms what many people would automatically assume: young people enjoy the time they spend with their grandparents; it’s important to their development; and they miss it when they can’t get it. Co-researcher Kathy Glasgow says the research reinforced the role of grandparents as historians and carers, but also the part they play in developing pride and identity, and encouraging imagination.

The study was financed through the Families Commission’s Blue Skies Fund. Grandparents in rural families: young people’s perspectives explores links and activities young people (11 to 13-year-olds) share with their grandparents and asks how they view their relationships. responses included work/school-focused activities:“Sometimes I go to work with him – he is an engineer.”“Building, teaching me stuff.”fun activities:“Have walks, have fish and chips.”“He has a lolly addiction. He shares them with me.”“Everything – we are good friends.”and communication:“She tells me lots of cool stories.”“Was in the army and I love army things.”“Talk on the phone and webcam.”

a royal gooD time in christchurchNew Zealand retirement and aged-care residents have held celebrations that might have eclipsed a similar event held in London.

“All our residents have had such a stressful time recently with the earthquakes, and it was a time to relax and have fun,” says Marcia Palmer, Alpine View Care Centre activities coordinator.

“we had residents playing all the main characters including Kate (95) and William (90). Everyone dressed for the occasion – TV3 came along to film.”

Over at Bupa’s Cashmere View Retirement Village, a red carpet was hired for the bride and groom to walk up to where the celebrant was waiting. They even had their own Queen and Duke attending.

Bupa’s afternoon teas consisted of traditional British fare with an accent on ‘tiny’, including tiny cucumber, tomato, egg and or ham sandwiches; miniature savouries; mini scones with jam and cream; tiny cup cakes; and, of course, a three-tiered wedding cake topped with the bridal couple.

“residents were looking forward to the wedding since the announcement,” said Bupa’s Lisa Chambers.

let’s ask the

kiDs

Cashmere View Retirement Village ‘royal wedding party’, from left: shirley Betty Kemp, Maureen Gaylor, Joan Hall; front row: shirley Marxen, Louise Cogl, Dawn Southon

Crowning achievements at Alpine View Care Centre

alfa mailPeter Courtier spotted the wrong caption in the travel feature in last issue: ‘Alpha Romeo’ appeared instead of ‘Alfa Romeo’. Congrats, Peter, you receive a band-new Alfa Romeo (it might be a wee bit smaller than you might have hoped for, but it’s a cracker nonetheless). peter also calls BoT’s team of researchers to task over the mention of the UK’s Brooklands “wooden” racetrack.

“Brooklands racetrack at weybridge, surrey, was definitely not wooden,” writes Peter. “It was, of course, cast in-situ concrete – and very rough in places. It gave the competitors a very hard ride indeed!”

peter is an ex-weybridge, Vickers-armstrongs apprentice, which places him in an authoritative position. Nevertheless, the BoT editor is defiant in the face of what appears to be overwhelming evidence presented by Peter.

The editor responds: “Concrete, as informed readers will know, is a composite material consisting of, among many other things, fly ash, which is a by-product created when coal burns. And coal, as we all know, is a rock formed from many materials, including ... wood!”

seriously, BoT has no idea where we got “wooden” track from. We stand corrected. Cheers, Peter.

(Some readers may recall that, in 1964, Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd became the Weybridge Division of the British Aircraft Corporation, or BAC. The reshuffle was part of a UK government push to centralise and simplify the structure of the domestic aircraft manufacturing industry.)

News

Talk to us

4 Best of Times

it’s all portuguese to me“according to wikipedia,” writes Maureen Mathie of paraparaumu, “portuguese is the seventh most-spoken language in the world, not the fifth as stated on page 19 of Volume 2, Issue 3.”

BoT is never one to argue with wikipedia (or Maureen, for that matter). However, BoT’s massive team of language researchers had this oar to dip:

“Maureen’s call is a good one. But it is a tricky area. BoT had ranked portuguese above Arabic because of arabic’s wide number of varieties. Further, some argue that english is further down the list when only native speakers are considered.”

all arguments aside, great spotting Maureen! She would have won the grand prize, but strictly speaking the error was not in a caption.

there are a few languages that BoT is unfamiliar with (for a start, we’d love to hear from speakers of three of the india-based languages: Kannada, Gujarati and Telugu).

reaDer feeDback / snippets / fun

keeping in balanceresearch has identified that simple exercise programmes increase older people’s balance and reduce falls.recent research conducted at australia’s national ageing research Institute in Melbourne identified that over two thirds of people recruited to a study, who were expressing some concerns about their balance, but who remained relatively active away from home, did have a measurable balance problem when tested.

Participants in the study, who were identified as having mild balance dysfunction, were then allocated randomly to receive either a home exercise programme (a set of exercises, developed by a physiotherapist after their assessment, designed to address the person’s individual balance problems) to be performed regularly at home over a six-month period; or to be in a control group who were encouraged to maintain their current activities.

Results showed that a quarter of the home exercise group had their balance performance return to normative range at the end of the exercise programme. Overall, the exercise group improved on the majority of the balance and mobility measures between 10 and 20 per cent, while the control group had worse performance on a number of measures at six months.

Researchers Professor Keith Hill, from La Trobe University, Xiao Jing Yang and Claudia Meyer said that older people and their families should bear in mind that while balance performance will slowly decline with age, these changes are relatively minor, and should not markedly impact on activity levels. If older people have concerns, these should be checked by a health professional.

after launching the Ministry of social Development report The Business of Ageing, Realising the economic potential of older people in New Zealand: 2011-2051, senior citizens’ minister John Carter said valuing the skills, knowledge and economic power of older people would benefit new Zealand’s economic competitiveness in the next 40 years.

“We need to think outside the square to maximise the opportunities that come with an ageing population that is like no other before it. This report poses some exciting possibilities,” Carter said.

the report looks at enabling older people to remain active in the workforce and tapping into the growing consumer market an ageing population presents.

It’s a view that is not new in Māori society,

as comments made to INsite recently by professor Mason durie suggest: “the standing of a tribe, its mana – as distinct from its size – relates more to the visible presence and authority of its elders than to the vigorous activities of its younger members,” said Durie. “Executive and industrial leadership may well rest with the young and the middle-aged but it is the older generation who carry the status, tradition and integrity of their people. Without leadership at that level a Māori community will be the poorer and, at least in other Māori eyes, unable to function effectively or to fulfill its obligations.”

Durie said the transformation of Māori health, education, communities and iwi over the past two decades owes much to older people, and that the leadership is also evident in public and community areas.

Age Concern welcomed the ‘official’ acknowledgement the report provided: the ageing population has many positive aspects and can produce economic benefits.

“Age Concern shares the Minister of Senior Citizens’ objective of improving attitudes towards, and increasing respect for, older people in New Zealand,” says Age Concern chief executive, Ann Martin.

“the report confirms that more older people are staying in the paid workforce after the age of 65.

“Many mature workers need the money because the pension is not enough to cover the basics, especially if they are paying a mortgage, rent or have dependents. We believe this should continue to be on a voluntary basis and should not affect their eligibility for New Zealand Superannuation.”

new report echoes age-olD mĀori views

Newsfor what it’s worth, here’s the saiD list (COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA)

1 Mandarin

2 english

3 spanish

4 Hindi

5 russian

6 arabic

7 portuguese

8 Bengali

9 french

10 Malay, indonesian

11 German

12 Japanese

13 farsi (persian)

14 urdu

15 punjabi

16 wu

17 Vietnamese

18 Javanese

19 tamil

20 Korean

21 turkish

22 telugu

23 Marathi

24 italian

25 thai

26 Burmese

27 Cantonese

28 Kannada

29 Gujarati

30 polish

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 5

in a fast-food joint, the retired gent placed an order for one hamburger, fries and a drink.

He unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half, placing one half in front of his wife.

He then carefully counted out the fries, dividing them into two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife.

He took a sip of the drink, his wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them.

as he began to eat his few bites of hamburger, the people around them were looking over and whispering.

They were marvelling at the poor old couple – all they could afford was one meal for the two of them! As the man began to eat his fries, a young man came to the table and politely offered to buy another meal for the old couple. The man said they were just fine – they were used to sharing everything.

people noticed the little lady hadn’t eaten a bite. She sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking turns sipping the drink.

Again, the young man came over and begged them to let him buy another meal for them.

this time, the woman spoke up and said, “no, thank you, we are used to sharing everything.”

finally, as the man finished and was wiping his face neatly with the napkin, the young man again came over to the little old lady who had yet to eat a single bite of food and asked ‘what is it you are waiting for?’

“The teeth,” she said.

these thoughts came from Joan matheson of the alandale lifestyle village.i came home in the bus from the city recently, mid afternoon, and was caught in the after school rush. Pupils from several primary and secondary schools soon had the vehicle packed full. I was amused – no, bemused – when i saw almost all the pupils using mobile phones.

Thumbs going – txting, conversations, games – what can’t one do with these modern ‘necessaries’?

i thought back to my childhood in the 1930s. Because my father worked in the post office mailroom and was on call to collect the mail from the wellington-auckland trains in our small town, we had a telephone in our house. Very few of our neighbours had one. Children did not use it. One neighbour, a high school teacher, came periodically to use our phone to call someone about 15 miles away – a toll call! The phone was a wooden box attached to the passage wall, with two bells at the top, and an ornate handpiece hooked on one side.

pick it up, turn the handle, hear “number please” from one end of the handpiece, speak into the other end, hang up, then wait till the operator rings back with “your call is through now”.

later, in the mid 1950s, my husband gave me a most exciting birthday present. He arranged a radio-telephone conversation with my Canadian penfriend. It took 11 days for this to happen – arrangements had to be made at both ends – but finally, we spoke to each other. For five minutes! it was a below zero night in saskatoon, and a warm autumn day here. My diary recorded it as “the most overwhelming thing anyone ever gave me for a birthday”.

And now, in 2011, we have instant communication via mobile phones, computers, facebook, twitter, skype, etc. I talk to the family overseas so clearly they could be in the same room. i see them on skype – they show me things as we speak. It’s telephone with pictures and it is wonderful!

My baby great-grandson in america is held up to “talk” to me – and we now ‘high-five’ each other. When he is more mobile he may well start looking for me in their computer. He will probably think I live in there.

technology makes for an exciting future, but i sometimes wonder if those of us in our 80s realise we have lived

in the best of times, as we have seen the evolution of so much our children and grandchildren take for granted.

we had time to play outdoors, to swim in the river, build huts and mud-slides. We walked to school; if we were very fortunate we had bicycles. We didn’t need a mobile.

We didn’t imagine TVs. If our parents had a radio, there were serials. (Remember The Sign Of The Purple Spider?)

and there were always BooKs to read. May real books continue to delight, and never be overtaken by the latest gizmo.

loas toung enjoyed her last read so much she wanted to share it with BoT readers.“after reading and enjoying The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards, I was very pleased to see that she had written this new book called The Lake Of Dreams. the story is about lucy Jarrett, who returns from Japan to upstate new York when her mother has a fall. Lucy is at a crossroads with her career as a hydrologist and her Japanese boyfriend and has to make some life decisions.

“in a window seat in her mother’s house she discovers some objects that at first seem like idle curiosities. However, they eventually reveal a hidden family history that changes the whole family. These revelations make for a fascinatingly captivating story as little by little a puzzle is solved. Edwards writes beautifully – some of her descriptions are stunning. I heartily recommend this book, which includes mystery, art, and love lost and found. A jolly good read that I couldn’t put down.”

o, the printeD worD!

From the mailbag

off to work, albertthis superb snippet from Mr albert sutton: “Your comments on ray McKinley in the latest issue of BoT triggered off a long-forgotten memory. During WWII, the USAAF band must have been stationed in England and they had an early-morning slot on BBC radio. They always started off with Ray McKinley singing their signature tune which went:

This is Sergeant Ray McKinley saying ‘how-de-do’And the boys in the band say ‘howdy’ too.“those two lines were the cue for me to start

out for work; they must have got ingrained in my brain. I did manage to hear a couple of their full programmes, and i think they were comparable with any of the American big bands of that era.”

Joke – ha ha

6 Best of Times

Phone Shavourn for further information.Twilight Travel & Tours 0800 999 887

www.twilighttravel.co.nz A division of Travel Managers Group – IATA Accredited and TAANZ Bonded

Adelaide & Murray RiverExplore Adelaide and the surrounding region.

Includes Barossa Valley tour and a 4 night Murray River cruise aboard the paddle-wheeler PS Murray Princess.

10 days departs 2 September 2011

Taranaki Rhododendron FestivalCoach tour to Taranaki’s Rhododendron Festival.

A variety of gardens are visited including Pukeiti & Crosshills. Includes a night at the Grand Chateau Tongariro.

6 days departs 30 October 2011

Norfolk IslandEscape to beautiful Norfolk Island for a relaxing holiday.

All inclusive with daily sightseeing, activities and fun themed dinners.

8 days departs 31 July 2011 Tours escorted from Auckland.

Shake off those winter blues by planning your bloomin’ great spring trip. ZINZAN CUNNINGHAM reports.

Mountside, the highest altitude garden in the taranaki rhododendron and garden festival. Photo: Jane Dove Juneau

While readers hunker down in front of fires and heaters with copies of Best of Times,

bulbs and shoots and plants are working quietly. Slow sap seeps around, preparing plants for displays of great beauty.

Plants of course don’t do this for our good. They are self-centred organisms keen on ensuring the survival of their respective species. But aren’t the flirtatious frolics of foliage so much nicer than our own clumsy manoeuvres!? Shrubs seduce pollinators with so much more beauty than bipeds do.

But where to perve at plants? The Ellerslie Flower Show could not go ahead this year because of the Christchurch quakes. But there are still plenty of options.

taranaki – late october One of New Zealand’s longest-running garden festivals, the Taranaki Rhododendron and Garden Festival, has been re-born as the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular.

PreParing to sPringSuzanne Porter, chief executive

officer of the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, which runs the festival, reckons it’s gone from strength to strength over its 23 years, with impressive rates of satisfaction being reported in surveys and more and more first-time visitors, including loads of Australians.

“The festival opens the gates to a selection of New Zealand’s best private and public gardens, including gardens of national as well as international significance,” says Suzanne. “There’s a wide variety of gardens, ranging from small, inner-city potager gardens, to art and Japanese gardens, to large and majestic country gardens.”

A special feature of the festival each year is a unique landscape design project. Last year the project was the largest living wall of plants ever created in New Zealand. Known as a ‘vertical garden’, the lush tapestry of plants transformed the outside of the festival office in New Plymouth into a living garden.

Dunedin – late octoberDunedin Rhododendron Week, organised and administered by the Rhododendron Festival Committee, was a progression from the more modest Rhododendron Day which the Dunedin Horticultural Society had been celebrating for some 25 years.

These days, the week-long Dunedin Rhododendron Festival offers about 50 events, including wine and food tastings, visual art, garden tours and demonstrations. Dunedin has an ideal climate for rhododendrons and azaleas, which thrive in private gardens, as well as three gardens

GardenSpectacular

taranaki

New Zealand’s Premier Spring Festival(formerly the Taranaki Rhododendron & Garden Festival)

www.gardenfestnz.co.nz or 06 759 8412

La rosaleda, a rose lover’s paradise, at new Plymouth. Photo: Jane Dove Juneau

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 7

traVel n gardens & celebrations

Phone Shavourn for further information.

Twilight Travel & Tours0800 999 887

www.twilighttravel.co.nzA member of the Travel Managers Group / TAANZ Bonded and IATA Accredited.

30th October – 4th November 2011Escorted coach tour to the Taranaki

Rhododendron Festival.This popular tour, now in its 5th year, visits a variety of festival gardens from

small town gardens to large country estates. Includes Pukeiti, Cross Hills Rhododendron Gardens - Kimboulton and a night at the

Grand Chateau Tongariro.Tour includes accommodation, all breakfasts, dinners and admissions.

Options from Wellington and other centres available.

Secret Gardens of Taranaki

Cirque du Soleil is returning to auckland this august for a two-week season of saltimbanco, one of the company’s most loved, colourful shows.

saltimbanco is the oldest active touring show of Cirque du Soleil. The current show is an arena version, specially adapted from Cirque’s big-top productions for urban arenas. Saltimbanco is “a celebration of life” and it is known as one of the most colourful and positive shows on Cirque’s roster.

cirque Du soleil?tracing its roots to

Montreal, Canada, Cirque du Soleil is a non-animal circus of extraordinary splendour and success. It’s simply the world’s most famous circus. Cirque du Soleil shows employ some 4000 people from over 40 countries, with the permanent Las Vegas operation playing to 9000 people a night. Around the world, Cirque du Soleil shows pull in over NZ$1 billion.

There are no curtains in Cirque du Soleil. Everything, including the prop set-ups and changes, is a performance piece.

it’s not a garDen, but it is a celebration of life

tikorangi, the Jury garden, at Waitara. Photo: abbie Jury

of ‘national significance’ – Dunedin Botanic Gardens, Larnach Castle, and Glenfalloch Woodland gardens.

wellington – september/octoberHaving already pinched Nelson’s wearable arts extravaganza, the once-dowdy capital is not going to be in anyone’s shade when it comes to spring celebrations. But the Wellington Botanic Garden’s Spring Festival has actually been going for more than 40 years. There are events, walks, talks, workshops and music for all, including Otari-Wilton’s bush open day (17 September), the regional tree-climbing champs and Wellington’s iconic Tulip Sunday. The festival starts in a blaze of colour with Tulip Sunday and features workshops, concerts, guided walks, demonstrations, amazing floral displays, entertainment and more.

marlborough – early novemberGarden tours and specialist workshops will be as enticing as ever, says Garden Marlborough’s president, Frank Metcalfe.

“We will feature again this year the very successful alpine tour, and there will be a selection of new gardens and, of course, the perennial favourites on our other tours. And don’t forget the fete, always a brilliant day in Seymour Square.”

The celebrity chef – a popular addition to the workshop series – will be Fleur Sullivan, of Fleur’s Place at Moeraki.

“International seafood guru Rick Stein has visited there and raves about Fleur’s food. She will be a treat.”

Frank says that to spice things up a bit, the festival is reintroducing the Garden Marlborough festival evening – an evening of pleasure with great wines, live entertainment and other treats. n

8 Best of Times

t he search for love is a universal story. Hollywood releases a rom-com (romantic comedy) every week, and it’s the basis for almost any

song you can think of. But none take dating more seriously than

online matchmaking companies that have made it a profitable business. Online dating has grown in popularity hand in hand with the internet.

bye-bye taboosOnline dating has found a place with more than the hopeless romantics and the desperately lonely. It’s shaken the taboos associated with personal ads and it’s become a very normal way to meet someone ‘special’.

NZ Consumer Magazine had this to say: “Internet dating is now widely accepted as the way to meet people – it’s convenient, you can search for the specific attributes you are looking for in a partner, and getting to know someone online is not as scary as meeting them in the flesh.”

technologyAlthough Generation Y (those born between 1980 and mid-1990s) accounts for 28 per cent of online daters, the practice has found a place among all ages.

“Generation Y has grown up with the internet and social networking – so online dating is a very natural way for this group to meet people,” says Lija Jarvis, a spokesperson for RSVP, one of Australia’s largest dating websites which has recently expanded into New Zealand. RSVP has almost two million members.

According to RSVP’s study, there is a strong following among Generation X (born in ‘60s and ‘70s), who account for 53 per cent of RSVP’s membership. Now baby boomers are also taking to surfing the net for companionship – the number of members over the age of 50 has grown dramatically in the last five years.

Overall, RSVP’s membership has grown

safetyonline websites offer members security and privacy by allowing their members control of who they ‘talk’ with and how they talk. Communication can be via text/email posts on the website, or phone numbers can be exchanged.

when and if members meet in the flesh is up to them. And, of course, there is always a risk and websites offer no guarantees because – outside credit card details – there is a limit to their own security checks.

study resultsAs part of its business development strategy, rsVp commissioned ‘date of the Nation’, a survey of the behaviours and attitudes of 7000 australians towards dating, sex and relationships.

neilson report showed that 25% have used online dating and 15% of relationships formed in the last year were a result of meeting through an online dating website!

the three most popular ‘first’ dates

spots are: dinner and drinks (37%), a casual coffee at the café (35%) and the weekend lunch (23%).

City dwellers favour dinner and drinks, whereas rural singles rate a picnic as a favourite first date and the overall response (41%) for who pays on a first date is share the bill, although 63% of men believe they should pay.

Top five things people look for in an ideal partner: personality, sense of humour, morals, manners and sexual chemistry.

online dating – strange but true: in the online dating world, women are »afraid of meeting a serial killer. Men are afraid of meeting someone “fat.” thirty-three per cent of online daters »form a relationship, 33% do not, and 33% give up. the online dating industry generates »US$1.8 billion per year and the matchmaker/dating coach business generates US$260 million per year in the United States.

online for a dateOnline dating has found a place alongside conventional dating among all generations, writes ANDREW BLANCHARD.

bytes of online Dating

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 9

by 191 per cent in the last fi ve years. Lija believes one of the reasons for its growing popularity is people are fi nding themselves to be too busy to meet new people. Th ey are also looking for a service that off ers a great degree of privacy and control.

“Dating opportunities can be limited these days, especially if you’re spending long hours in the workplace, caring for family, or you’re the ‘single person’ in your immediate group of friends,” says Lija.

how Do the websites work?Many sites are free to join, especially for women, but will impose a cost-per-contact. Members can search databases for profi le pictures and profi le bios and information before making fi rst contact.

Many also off er some sort of personality profi le/automated matchmaking service that allows members to narrow down their search and use the tool to fi nd a personality that matches their own.

1911parents meet and confer1. Girl meets boy in the company 2. of chaperoneBoy asks girl’s father for her hand3. wedding4. date in public5.

2011Meet online1. Chat online2. flirt online3. date in public4. Boy asks girl’s father for 5. money for wedding

For instance, RSVP off ers a ‘MyType’ service. As in making contact, sometimes these extra services incur a fee.

But costs are never high – websites make their money through sheer numbers – and their popularity is probably because people can gain some common ground BEFORE they meet: “People can establish common interests and talking points from online communication to reduce the awkwardness of a fi rst date,” says Lija. n

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10Best of Times

Designs on the futurenew Zealand’s housing stock

is seriously inadequate when it comes to catering for everyone’s needs. ACC

and the Ministry of Health together spent $33 million last year adapting homes so people could stay in them. And for many older people, the time has never been better to re-think renovations and design.

Perhaps reaching a light switch, having a shower or simply getting in our front door may be things readers think twice about right now. But the reality is, simple actions can become very diffi cult as we age.

Former Consumer Institute head David Russell reckons it all comes down to how adaptable and accessible our living environment is to our changing needs as we age.

“Th e sooner you start thinking about this and taking action, the better,” says David, who is now an ‘ambassador’ at Lifemark – an independent tick of approval from the government-supported Lifetime Design movement.

Yet for many people it’s a huge challenge to start facing the reality

Take a lookLook at your own living environment and look at the environments of family and friend.

How easy is it to use your shower and toilet? are you »constantly concerned about slipping?Can you comfortably reach light switches and power »points?Do you have easy access to your main entrance or are »there multiple stairs and steep paths?are doors and hallways wide enough for comfortable »movement round the house?is it a challenge to cook in your kitchen? or is it »laid out to allow for easy movement and access to cupboards, benches, appliances and power points?

ZINZAN CUNNINGHAM looks inside the homes of the future.

andrew olsenandrew olsen

Take a look

the opening of the 200th lifemark home, summerset by the lake

Salvation Army’s new homes in

auckland accredited with the lifemark

of whether or not their current home is going to become impossible to live in as they get older.

“Certainly it can be an emotional leap to face the fact that as we get older, our homes may become more diffi cult to live in,” says David. “But it’s going to be a reality. I strongly urge people to take time out to think about their older relatives or friends who are now struggling to stay in their own homes. Life can become very, very diffi cult.”

Ultimately, we all want to be able live independently in our own environments for as long as possible. Our homes are critical to this. Yet, if the stairs are so steep, it’s impossible to climb them carrying the laundry or using a walker; or the doors won’t allow a wheelchair through and the sinks are too high – we are prevented from achieving our right to age independently in our own homes.

David says one solution is to start applying design principles – usability, adaptability, accessibility, inclusion and lifetime value – to all our living environments, to cater for the needs of people of all ages and abilities.

New Zealand now has ‘lifetime design’ principles available through the Lifemark, a trade-maked quality assurance system which has at its foundation the above fi ve core principles.

“Homes that work well for people of every age, stage and ability are harder to fi nd than you might think. So we should be applying Lifetime Design principles to our homes

whether we are modifying them or building a new home.”

keys to solution For most of us, there are likely to be many factors in our living en-vironment that could be altered to improve our life. UK studies show that retrofi tting an exist-ing house is considerably more expensive than designing with the future in mind at the point of construction. So the sustainable approach suggests the answer is to design and build homes that are adaptable from the start.

Andrew Olsen, the general manager of Lifetime Design, says that many features can make this a simple reality.

“Much of it,” says Andrew, “is commonsense, but it can make a world of diff erence to a mum with a pushchair, someone in a wheelchair, or using a walker. For example, we have level entrances for trouble-free access, with the threshold to a main entry having a step no higher than 20mm accessed via a slip-resistant pathway at least 1200mm wide. bathrooms. Future-proofed with room for a wet area and pre-strengthened walls to accommodate handrails. Prepared for the future and designed and equipped to change and adapt to suit your needs as they change. Th e strengthened walls are ready to be fi tted with a handrail and the shower is large enough to fi t a shower seat. If parents visit, or someone in your family is temporarily disabled, there’s very little extra eff ort to accommodate them. entranceways. Th ere must be well-lit and generous doorways to make it easy for parents carrying children and shopping from the car or for older people using a walking aid. In the kitchen, the busy area of the home, the emphasis is on safety as well as convenience. space for access. Make sure there is enough space around appliances and cupboards to move about easily, while the layout, fi xtures and fi ttings

Vol.2, Issue 3 >> 2011 11

Designs on the future

wise desiGn n the future

How we work The aim of cbm’s work is to provide medical care, education and rehabilitation to as many blind, low vision, deaf and physically disabled people in low income countries as possible.

●• 0800 772264 ●PO Box 303477, North Harbour, Auckland 0751 ●www.cbmnz.org.nz

When Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, cbm worked to ensure people with disabilities received the support they needed to rebuild their lives. As the UN’s lead agency for disability we worked to meet the needs of around 300,000 people who were disabled as a result of this disaster, as well as people with existing disabilities.

When Christchurch was tragically hit by a major quake in February this year, cbm responded by bringing its international expertise to assist local organisations respond to the needs of people with disabilities who were affected by the quake.

From Haiti to Christchurch.

Please see reverse to find out how you can get involved with cbm

When the most vulnerable people need help, cbm is there.

Manukau City Council’s Gallaher Court development in Manurewa

all help you to cook and clean in comfort even when using a mobility device or wheelchair. for all. Th e living room should be designed for everyone in the family to enjoy whatever their age or ability. Switches, power sockets and other controls are at a handy height in order to avoid unnecessary bending or reaching. bedroom. Th e space makes it easy to move around so parents can help children, people using wheelchairs can manoeuvre and there’s space for your walking frame right by your bedside.

“Ultimately, as we age, we should not adopt the attitude of our forebears to just accept things as they are and make do,” says Andrew. “We need to create homes that are designed to be accessible for everyone, easy to adapt as our needs change over time and ultimately prevent accidents, save money and encourage independence.” n

Manukau City Council’s Gallaher Court development in Manurewa

12Best of Times

y ou might have made health-related New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of 2011 such

as vowing to eat more healthily, exercising more, making more time for friends and family or taking up a new and stimulating hobby. As a double incentive, all of the above are also ways to help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Although there is no known cure,” says Alzheimers New Zealand’s Cass Alexander, “research suggests increasing physical, mental and emotional health can help prevent dementia, which aff ects 43,000 New Zealanders.”

Dementia is caused by the build-up of plaques and tangles in the brain, causing structural damage and resulting in memory loss, changes in cognitive function,

personality, mood and decline in the ability to communicate and reason.

“Th ere are around eight forms of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common (50 to 70 per cent). Vascular dementia, which is also known as multi-infarct dementia and is usually caused by one or multiple strokes, is the second most common with 20 to 30 per cent of people aff ected.”

Other types of dementia, says Cass, include fronto-temporal dementia (also called Pick’s disease), which, more so than other forms of dementia, aff ects a person’s personality and inhibitions.

Even though dementia is often perceived as an ‘oldies’ disease’ – and indeed the strongest risk factor is age – more and more people as young at 45 are being diagnosed.

“In the not-too-distant future,” says Cass, “dementia is going to take

a huge toll on our health system and economy with the eff ects of the disease already widely felt.”

So what can you do to decrease your risk?

A recent study in the Journal of Neurology suggests people who walk at least 9.5km (about six miles) per week lessen their risk of age-related brain shrinkage, which can cause memory problems and dementia. Walking, the study suggests, contributes to building brain volume.

“Other forms of exercise such as such as aerobics, yoga, strength training or swimming have shown to have the same positive results for cognitive function. Exercise also helps to prevent or beat depression, due to the ‘feel-good’ factor produced by endorphins, the body’s naturally produced drug, which last well after heart rate slows.

health n liVinG well

liVing Well to helP PreVent dementia

ZINZAN CUNNINGHAM talks to Alzheimers New Zealand’s Cass Alexander to get the latest on dementia.

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Donate online: www.cbmnz.org.nz

Please send me more information

Any amount you are able to give will help cbm’s work. Here is some guidance:

$25• will provide a child with a leg brace or special shoes$50• will contribute to a prosthetic limb or wheelchair$200• will assist in providing access to school

●• 0800 772264 ●PO Box 303477, North Harbour, Auckland 0751 ●www.cbmnz.org.nz

610B

oT

cbm – providing ongoing support for the most vulnerable people in times of crisis and beyond.

When the most vulnerable people need help, cbm is there.

People just like Rodensen, a nine-year-old Haitian boy who lost his foot saving his younger sister from the catastrophic January 2010 quake. By providing urgent medical treatment, and ongoing care and training, cbm has helped Rodensen regain his health and flourish.

Help us make a difference in the lives of children like Rodensen today.

– providing ongoing support for the most vulnerable people

cbm works to improve the quality of life of the world’s poorest people with disabilities and those at risk of disability, living in the most disadvantaged societies.

We are there in immediate crisis situations, and we stay for the long haul. In 2010, cbm provided support for more than 25 million people in the world’s poorest countries.

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es ©

cbm

Post to: PO Box 303477, North Harbour, Auckland 0751

Cass

Ale

xand

er

yCass

Ale

xand

er

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 13

Exercising also helps prevent heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure, all factors which can lead to vascular dementia.”

Past experience of depression has also been identifi ed as a risk factor for dementia.

“Physical activity, getting enough sleep, practising mindfulness or meditation and having a network of support people can help manage or prevent depression. People with dementia may experience depression, especially in the early stages where they may have insight into the changes in their memory and brain function and may be anxious about their future.”

Remember too that primary carers can also face poor mental health due to the stress of caring, lack of sleep and nutrition, and equally, anxiety about their future.

Combining exercise with a friend, family member or a group ticks off another box. Research suggests good social relationships can help decrease your risk of dementia. A Harvard School of Public Health study found older people with active social lives are at less risk of developing memory problems. For the purpose of this study, a positive social life was measured in marital status, contact with children, parents, neighbours and engagement in volunteer activities.

Surprisingly, surfi ng the web – due to the fact that more than one

pathway is used at once – is more stimulating than reading, according to researchers from the University of California, says Cass.

“Researchers scanned the brains of participants during online sessions and found the memory and decision making parts of the brain were activated, helping to reduce the risk of developing dementia.”

Maintaining positive social relationships also reduces the incidence of loneliness, isolation and depression, risk factors for both dementia and mental health issues. A Finnish study in 2009 found people who lived with a partner in their middle age had a 50 per cent less chance of developing dementia, compared to those who lived alone.

“Learning a new language, combining physical and mental stimulation such as dancing or tai chi and doing crosswords or sudoku helps keep your brain cells active. Learning is never limited to age and can be as simple as taking the time to make a new friend, learning to play a new game or using a new computer programme. Make sure your activities give you enjoyment; they should be fun and rewarding as opposed to stressful.”

Th e message is clear: start or continue to exercise, maintain healthy relationships and adequate social support, eat well and keep the brain ticking over by engaging in new and stimulating activities. n

for more info anD resourcesalzheimers new Zealand has 23 local organisations which provide support, care, education and information. To be in touch, please call 0800 004 001; and find alzheimers new Zealand on facebook: www.facebook.com/alzheimersnewzealand

alzheimer’s australia’s brochure, Mind your mind: how to keep your brain healthy and reduce your risk of dementia is a great resource for dementia prevention tips. It is available at www.alzheimers.org.au

are you still playing footie?If you are, good for you! However, if you’re not, it may interest you to know how things are going these days.

In 2009, for the first time ever, the American football league publically admitted a much higher risk for dementia in players as compared to the general public, due to concussions suffered during the game. And although the head is so often used as a battering ram in us football, rugby is played without helmets and by a comparatively huge percentage of our population.

accordingly, the new Zealand rugby union has provided extensive resources for managing head injuries, especially concussion, for some years. Mandatory rugbysmart sessions, in conjunction with NZRU and ACC, provide tools to identify concussion and other injuries. These sessions are completed annually by all coaches and referees of contact rugby.

Mouthguards are now compulsory in new Zealand rugby, and they are said to be as good at reducing head injuries as they are for dental protection. The mouthguard acts as a cushion between the teeth to absorb the forces from a blow. The guard will also separate the lower jaw from the base of the skull, thereby reducing the collision between the two bones.

Mediterraneanthe “mediterranean diet” has become a buzzword for optimum health and alzheimer’s disease prevention, especially when combined with exercise. this diet consists of fruit, vegetables, cereals and fish and is low in red meat, poultry, dairy and alcohol. “but even a glass or two of red wine per week has been said to help prevent alzheimer’s disease!”

the “mediterranean diet” has become a buzzword for optimum health and alzheimer’s disease prevention, especially when combined with exercise. this diet consists of fruit, vegetables, cereals and fish and is low in red meat, poultry, dairy and alcohol. “but even a glass or two of red wine per week has been said to help prevent alzheimer’s disease!”

14

what is diabetes?Insulin is a hormone which acts like a key to allow the sugar present in the blood to enter into the body’s cells. Diabetes is a condition whereby the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the insulin it produces doesn’t work eff ectively (the later situation is called ‘insulin resistance’ and is more likely to occur when people are overweight).

Once inside a body’s cells, sugar is used as fuel, a bit like petrol in a car. If the insulin is at low levels or of low quality, the sugar can’t get into the body’s cells, and so it remains in the blood causing high blood-sugar levels.

Let’s fi rst dispel a common myth and then get down to basics.

adults don’t get diabetes because they previously ate too much sugarAdults get diabetes because they are genetically susceptible. And when a person is genetically susceptible, if they are overweight, diabetes will most likely develop sooner rather than later.

so where does the issue of sugar come in?Once a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, they will be asked to restrict the amount of sugar they eat in order to control their blood-sugar levels. Maintaining blood-sugar levels within a healthy range is important because over time high levels cause damage to the body’s blood vessels, particularly those in the heart, eyes and kidneys which can lead to heart disease, blindness and kidney failure.

Only carbohydrate foods directly aff ect blood-sugar levels. Fats and protein foods are not broken down into sugar so don’t directly infl uence the level of sugar in the blood. So when a person says to me, ‘my blood sugars were high yesterday because I ate too much

cheese’, I know that it wasn’t the cheese that raised their blood sugars but rather the number of cracker biscuits or slices of bread that they ate with the cheese.

terminologyDuring and prior to the 1970s, the terms ‘sugars’ and ‘starch’ were used and are still appropriate today. Sugar refers to any form of sugar which is added to sweeten foods. It also includes the sugar naturally present in fruit and fruit juice. Starch includes foods made from grains such as breads, cracker biscuits, baked items, breakfast cereals, rice and pasta, but also potato, kumara, taro and yams.

However, during the 1980s and early 1990s it became common to refer to sugars as ‘simple carbohydrates’ and starchy foods as ‘complex carbohydrates’. Th e belief was that ‘simple’ carbohydrates were quickly digested and absorbed so should be avoided by people who have diabetes; instead, ‘complex’ carbohydrates, which it was thought were digested and absorbed more slowly, became the preferred choice.

By the mid 1990s, it became evident that this categorisation did not accurately describe how quickly diff erent carbohydrate foods were digested and absorbed. Research showed that some starchy foods were digested and absorbed more quickly than some sugars!

gi?Absorption rates gave rise to the era of the Glycaemic Index (GI), where diff erent carbohydrate foods were ranked according to how quickly they raised blood-sugar levels. Carbohydrate foods with a low GI ranking (less than 55) raised blood-sugar levels more slowly than those with higher rankings. Obviously it was

diaBetes n nutrition

Diabetes: myths and

terminologyGAYE PHILPOTT, a registered dietitian, looks at diabetes.

Best of Times

desirable for people who have diabetes to eat low GI choices such as wholegrain breads and porridge rather than high GI choices such as white bread and cornfl akes.

But to be guided only by a food’s GI is to assume people eat carbohydrate foods in isolation, and that portion size doesn’t matter. At meals especially, protein foods like meat, fi sh and chicken help negate the eff ect of high GI carbohydrate choices such as potato so that there is no expectation that people with diabetes avoid potato. It is also the reason why small quantities of sugar eaten as part of a mixed meal can be appropriate for someone who has diabetes.

However, no matter what its type, all carbohydrates contribute to and aff ect blood-sugar levels. Controlling blood-sugar levels is therefore also about eating appropriate-size portions. At each meal, a portion of carbohydrate the size of a person’s clenched fi st acts as an approximate but useful guide.

fat intakeWhy are people who have diabetes given so many recommendations about fat? Fats and oils provide the most kilocalories or kilojoules – more than proteins and carbohydrates. And because people who have diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease than people who don’t have diabetes, they should caution particularly animal fats such as butter, the visible fat on meat, the skin on chicken, cream, too much hard cheese, and biscuits and cakes made from butter or hard vegetable fats such as palm oil. n

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 15

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Zo Rub cream for joints contains Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Menthol, effective ingredients for proven results1 on stiff, distressed joints.

References: 1. Cohen, M. et al, Topical Glucosamine Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate for OA of the Knee, The Journal of Rheumatology 2003; 30:3 523-528. Always read the label and use strictly as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional. AFT Pharmaceuticals, Auckland. TAPS 1311HA.

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2011

Brown vs whitewhite bread is made from wheat flour, but after the bran and germ have been taken away, which is where pretty much all the nutritional value of bread is.

But wait, there’s more ... flour is often bleached, using – depending on the baker and the country – potassium bromate, benzoyl peroxide or chlorine dioxide gas. These names don’t sound very nice, and they aren’t, either.

white bread is lower in zinc, fibre, thiamin, niacin, trace elements and ‘good’ fats and oils. Brown bread actually has more fat but the same number of calories.

But beware when you buy brown bread. Make sure the first ingredient is listed as whole wheat or wholemeal flour rather than ‘enriched’ wheat flour or just wheat flour.

the general rule of thumb is the less ingredients in the bread the better, and if there’s loads of wholemeal flour, then it’s OK.

But either way, bread is not the greatest way to provide you body with carbohydrates. White bread has a high GI, so it acts more readily as a sugar. Mind you, brown bread does not have a low GI, but it’s better than white bread!

paul dagarin »

16

tiPs & tubers

BoT’s gardening guru EION SCARROW looks ahead to the sun and the flowers.

The fl ower gardenMany bulbs and roots may be planted, including agapanthus, Japanese irises, liliums and peonies. Plant out earlier-sown seedlings, including antirrhinums, hollyhocks, carnations, pentstemons, as well as herbaceous plants.

As the early spring fl owering shrubs go out of bloom, they should be pruned where necessary. Lawns that were not attended to in autumn should be top-dressed and any bare patches resown with good-quality grass seed.

the home orchardFor fruit trees covered with moss, a spraying with lime sulphur should clear lichen or, if you have access to a water-blaster, this does the trick effi ciently.

Lime sulphur will also help in the control of leaf curl and brown rot on stone fruits.

Complete the planting of fruit trees, and prune back hard as soon as planted. Th is means the root system can establish before having to supply sap to the top branches.

the greenhouseShake out the tubers of tuberous begonias and gloxinias from any old soil mixture. Make up a rich mixture containing plenty of compost and animal

manure, and ease the tubers into this moistened mix, keeping the tops of the tubers above ground.

Achimenes can also be started now. A quick way to increase these is to rub the corms into small pieces in the hands, then sow the fragments like seed in a genial temperature. Start

dahlia tubers to provide cutting

material.

Am

orph

opha

llus

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 17

gardening With the scarroWs

a foucs on amorphophallusAmorphophallus is pronounced: a-mor-fo-fal-lus. Taken from the Greek amorphos (deformed) and phallus referring to the suggestive shape of the tubers. Th e literal translation of the botanical name of this genus of bulbous plants is ‘deformed penis’. It belongs to the arum lily family, the infl orescence (fl ower) structure or shape is typical, with a large encircling bract (spathe) from the centre of which grows a fl eshy spike of tiny fl owers. Th e fl owers stink and if you ever have smelt it you will never, never forget it.

One member of this family grows quite tall – up to 2.4m tall – and is called A. titanum. I remember seeing a plant in fl ower many years ago in the Tropical House at Kew Gardens in London where it had been growing for over 100 years. Th is particular species fl owers every ten years or so.

Most of the hundred species in this genus come from tropical Asia and Africa. During the dry season – which coincides with our winter – they die down, and

the tuber rests for the winter. In late spring (October) they send up their fl owers, shortly followed by a single, deeply lobed leaf (a leaf with deep indentations like dandelion). Some of these leaves can be quite large. It’s a plant grown as a curiosity in many botanical gardens, but some species are grown for their edible roots such as the Japanese konjaku and the Asian elephant yam.

Th ey are frost-tender and tropical and like a sheltered position in deep, compost-rich soil. Th ey must have plenty of water in summer. As autumn approaches the leaves die down and tubers like it dry. In some parts of New Zealand it will pay to lift the tubers, wrap them in newspaper, and store them in a warmish, dry place.

Propagate them by transplanting tubers grown from small off sets in late spring.

Meanwhile, I have just had a little heart surgery done – a ‘triple by-pass’ – but am back on my feet, back in my garden, and feeling nearly 100 per cent! Take care of each other. n

Apart from their beauty and their song, birds also have significant benefits for your garden by creating a more balanced ecosystem. Birds will eat insect pests, and many natives such as the ubiquitous tui and bellbirds (korimako or makomako are just two of the many Māori names for this bird) will pollinate plants. Other birds, such as ruru (moreporks) or hawks might visit your garden and prey upon vertebrate pests such as mice and rats.

water. Provide a constant source of fresh water, such as a pond, bird bath or even a bowl under the tap.fooD. Provide a variety of trees and bushes that become a suitable food source – don’t forget natives. Every little bit of native planting helps the environment and out bio-diversity. And remember that native plants and our birds and environment have had quite a bit of time to get used to each other. There are of course a myriad of relationships between them, most of which we probably don’t understand. So it’s worth planting natives even if you’ve got only a wee bit of space. Try flowering plants like hebe, flax and native fuchsias.protection. Cats and poisons don’t mix with birds. See www.sustainability.govt.nz for some tips.

Attracting the birds

www.cancernz.org.nz

ANY CANCER, ANY QUESTION0800 CANCER (226 237)Cancer Information Helpline

eion’s birD puDDing recipe1 middle-sized pot1 tablespoon of honey 1 pudding basinBacon rinds or meat scraps1 plastic bag1 stirring stick700 gm fatstale bread, cakes, breakfast cereal, etcBirdseed, wheat, raisins, broken biscuits, etc1 person to help (grandchild preferably)A length of string (how long? You tell me!)this is a great way of putting to good use the old bits and bobs in your pantry.

Mince or crumble fat and melt in saucepan. Add some bacon rinds or meat scraps and honey. Crumble stale bread, cakes, scones, etc into a large plastic bag; add birdseed, wheat, raisins and broken biscuits.

when fat is nearly melted begin to add dry ingredients from plastic bag. Continue to add and stir as long as when you press, you can see fat oozing out of the mixture. Otherwise it will be too crumbly.

put mixture in basin, put a saucer on top and press down until you can see fat oozing around the edges of the saucer. Leave for 1 ½ days to cool and set, then put it outside either on a stand or hanging from a line so cats can’t get it.

You might like to make a list of the different birds that eat the pudding.

18 Best of Times

cooKing n chinese chicKen

BoT steamed chicKenWhat you need1 free-range chickenpiece of gingerBunch of spring onionsaltricesliced tomato or cucumberWhat you doBring a large pot of salted water to the boil and gently place a whole chook, breast up. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Then turn the bird and simmer gently for 40-50 minutes.

Cover and set the chicken aside to rest. Then cook jasmine or long-grain rice with the water from the chicken or other chicken stock. You may also like to add a small clove of chopped garlic.Meanwhile, roughly mash thumb-sized knob of ginger in a mortar and pestle (or with flat of knife). then add a bunch of spring onions

(after chopping them first – only use the white-dominated half of each stem), and mash together. add about a tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil, a good pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of sesame oil and mix well. Don’t go overboard because you don’t want a puree.

Cleaver the chicken into Chinese-style pieces if you’re comfortable with this approach, otherwise just portion it out how you like. Serve on a platter with rice, the ginger/shallot sauce, and any chili condiments. Garnish with cucumber or tomatoes. Season the stock and serve in small bowls alongside the chicken. tiP 1. You may also make a dipping salt from one half salt and one half Chinese 5-spice with some pepper and/or dried chili.tiP 2. A perfect vegetable with this is bok choy. Just dip it for a minute in the bowling chicken water, and serve with oyster sauce.

home on the range?‘free-range’ chicken should be accredited and, crucially, delicious. Tasting a lot like … chicken! But what does it mean?

FREPA is an Australian group now active in New Zealand as well. It consists of free-range farmers who are committed to setting and upholding the standards of production and quality. they take a holistic approach to their chickens' care and environment. These standards were created to ensure all free-range poultry enjoy a good life in a stress-free environment. Carefully managing pastures, growing trees for the chickens to nest and enjoy the shade, ensuring sufficient amounts of food, preventing disease and protecting birds from predators are all important.

easy-Peasy brussel sProutsCut sprouts roughly into shreds. Heat some butter and olive oil and fry some garlic and diced bacon until beginning to colour. Add brussels, stir to coat and sauté for a few minutes. Then cover and cook with a tablespoon or so of water for a couple more minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve as a side dish or with mashed potatoes as a main.

cooK, chooK, cooK …

Free-range chicken needs only the simplest preparation, writes BoT chef PAVEL THOMPSON.

This is variation of a south-east Asian and southern Chinese classic dish

For the freezerred wine reduction. don’t chuck out that ¼ bottle of wine left over from the party. And don’t bin the bad red wine either. Stick it in a saucepan and simmer until reduced by about half. Then pour in ice cube trays or small plastic containers and freeze.

Every time you need to deglaze a steak pan, or add a kick to your stew or casserole, drop in a cube or two. Magic!tomato paste. Bewildered and frustrated by the cost or small servings of tomato paste compared with the larger jars and cans? But frustrated at finding barely-used tins of tomato paste in the back of the fridge growing white mould? You are not alone, brothers and sisters. But remember: the freezer is your friend. Buy a large can of paste, and place portion-sized dollops on pieces of plastic-wrap, and loosely wrap and place into the freezer. Problem solved and convenience restored!ginger. do you run out of ginger? or do you find shrivelled ginger that looks like a hobbit’s nose in the bottom of your spice rack? Buy good-quality fresh ginger then wack it in the freezer. When you need some, grate or slice off what you need and return the rest to the freezer. No need to wrap it.

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 19

19611961Focus on1961 at home

the french rugby team tour »new Zealand, losing all three Tests: Eden Park, 13-6; athletic park, 5-3; lancaster Park, 32-3.an english fa selection tours »new Zealand and mercilessly pounds us 0-8 and 1-6.the death penalty is abolished »when 10 National government MPs vote with Labour.

the worlDJohn F. Kennedy succeeds Dwight Eisenhower as US president. »The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club for the fi rst time. »The last public trams in Sydney, Australia, cease operation. (Note: NSW offi cials are »currently reintroducing more ‘light-rail’ to the city.)South Africa opts/is chucked out of the Commonwealth. »Yuri Gagarin becomes the fi rst human in space. »The 'Bay of Pigs' invasion fails miserably. »The Apartment » beats Psycho to be Best Picture at the Academy Awards. US civil rights Freedom Riders get off a bus in Jackson, Mississippi, and are promptly »thrown into the slammer for “disturbing the peace”.Abdul Karim Kassem, the president of Iraq, says he is going to annex Kuwait. The »Arab League takes over protecting Kuwait as the last British troops leave.The UK puts its hand up for membership of the European Economic Community. »Stalingrad gets a name change to Volgograd. »the Vietnam war, as we now know it, begins with 400 us troops and a load of »helicopters arriving in Saigon.

birthsdiana spencer, princess of »wales Hamu Warren, New Zealand fl ag »football representativeBill english, politician »Peter Jackson, fi lmmaker »John Key, prime minister »Blyth Tait, equestrian »

arts & entertainmentaucklanders get a boost »when television is pumped up to a full two and a half hours a night, seven nights a week! On the downside, commercials appear. Christchurch and Wellington get their fi rst TV broadcasts.the satirical masterpiece »by Joseph Heller, Catch-22, is published. The novel becomes the inspiration for M*A*S*H.

Vietnam war

The Beatles at the Cavern Club

peter Jackson

John Key

diana spencer

20 Best of Times

sudoKu 1

To solve a Sudoku puzzle: Every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: •Each of the 9 horizontal columns •Each of the 9 horizontal columns •Each of the 9 3x3 boxes. remember: no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

MeMorY laneacross 1. German-Jewish teenager

whose diary of her time in hiding in wwii amsterdam was fi rst published in 1947 (4,5)

6. Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible, was set in this Massachusetts city (5)

9. Jean Cocteau directed the fi lm, Beauty And The ... (5)

10. Sub-atomic particle identifi ed by James Chadwick in 1932 (7)

11. Early record company (1,1,1)12. Film, The Affairs Of Dobie ... (6)13. TS Eliot poems, Old Possum’s

Book Of Practical ... (4)15. Michael Landon was the star

of TV’s Little House On The ... (7)

16. Holy Land citizen (7)18. ... The Red-Nosed Reindeer (7)20. Paul Newman movie, The ...

summer (4,3)21. Actor, ... Guinness (4)23. The North Atlantic ...

organisation (nato) was created in 1949 (6)

24. “I am ... a number: I am a free man,” said patrick McGoohan in tV’s the prisoner (3)

27. Baltic nation taken over by Soviet Russia by the end of wwii (7)

28. Elizabeth Taylor’s fi rst husband, born Conrad Hilton but known by this name (5)

29. South American dance adapted in 1922 for the ballroom (5)

30. Scary fi lm starring Tyrone Power, ... Alley (9)

Down 1. Scandalous novel Forever ...

appeared in 1944 (5)2. British protectorate in Africa,

now the nation of Malawi (9)3. Singer, Ella ... (10)4. Author of Winnie-the-Pooh

(1,1,5)5. Thor Heyerdahl’s raft which he

sailed across the Pacifi c (3-4)6. Marx Brothers comedy, Duck ... (4)7. Classic movie, ... Doone (5)8. Worn by Jean Shrimpton at the

Melbourne Cup in 1965 (9)14. What we tied before we joined

the scouts or Guides and learned the sheet bend, reef or bowline (6,4)

15. By 1926 we used this word to refer to a lasting artifi cial wave for the hair (9)

17. Traditional medicine extract of a daisy-like fl ower taken to boost the immune system when we feel a cold coming on (9)

19. ... Göring was put in charge of German economic affairs in 1936 (7)

20. John Denver song, ... On A Jet plane folk (7)

22. Singer ... John was born reginald dwight in 1947 (5)

25. Simon & Garfunkel album, parsley, sage, rosemary and ... (5)

26. Eugene O’Neill play, Long Day’s Journey ... Night (4)

Puzzles page

WORKING SPACE

Vol 2, issue 4 >> 2011 21

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

supplied BY

ANSWERS SUDOKU 1 MEMORY LANE CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

across 1. There is no moving forward with

this gear (7)4. Can keep damaged part of leg (7)7. Orator from widow’s peak era (7)8. More in next race (5)10. I cursed so badly at lecture! (9)12. Thanks bandleader - rings

forbidden (5)13. Nerve disease affecting new

writers, it’s said (8)15. Listen out for Mum (6)17. Precious metal sliver I swap with

fi fty (6)19. Do they clap and cheer at formal

reception with the pope? (8)21. Cover walls with document (5)22. Idea of Spooner making Wayne

brave! (9)25. Inexperienced but keen to save

environment (5)26. Redcoat refashioned in 1920s

style (3,4)27. Made splashing sound? Was in

shed (7)28. Wild horse seen with Sally (7)

Down 1. Inhabitants beheaded US leaders

(9)2. Change wives’ opinions (5)3. Mistake to make less of terror (5)4. More avid than funeral wailer (6)5. He makes sure his customers are

powerfully connected (11)6. Semi-Olympian duck is only a

baby? Grand! (5)9. Bleat about dining surface (5)11. Peace offering from type of oil fi eld

(5,6)14. Health resort in cyberspace? (3)16. Signature tune or the tune for

egomaniacs? (5,4)18. Bit of a mistake to have left church

recess (5)20. Declined a bat with Ed (6)21. Book leaves boys at weddings (5)23. Kind of clock that creates fear (5)24. Are not applicable in stadium (5)

APN Educational MediaCryptic 059 blank gridAPNCryptic059blank.pdf© Lovatts Publications 11/02/2011

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15 16

17 18 19

20

21 22 23 24

25 26

27 28

APN Educational MediaCryptic 059APNCryptic059.pdf© Lovatts Publications - 11/02/2011

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sudoKu 2

To solve a Sudoku puzzle: Every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: •Each of the 9 horizontal columns •Each of the 9 horizontal columns •Each of the 9 3x3 boxes. Remember: no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

answ

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sudo

Ku 2

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