My Account
Light relief
Nigel Thomas and Roy Forster, Red Beach
Christmas has come and gone but we cannot let it completely go until saying a few words of praise for the residents of Vista Motu and their magnificent free light display they put on over the festive season. They have been doing it for many years now and it just gets better and better every year. It’s not just the plethora of countless thousands of shimmering lights, it’s the imagination that goes into it. This year there was a waterfall, a helicopter, giant cone like Christmas trees, a miniature village with an ice skating rink and Santa presented in all manner of transportation. We were lucky enough to walk the street a couple of nights before Christmas and it must be walked to get a full appreciation. It’s amazing enough looking down from the top of the road, but from the bottom looking up it would rival Disneyland at night. And it’s not just the main road itself, it’s all the driveways that branch off with their wonderful displays. Thank you to all the residents as it must come at some expense to you, but we can assure you your efforts are very much appreciated. What you do really helps to spread the spirit of Christmas as families, toddlers to great grans, marvel at your splendid effort.
Caught in the act
Vern Rule, Stanmore Bay
Recently, while working in Karaka Reserve on Whangaparaoa Road, I came across someone who’d stopped her car nearby to spend an hour clearing up a large spill of polystyrene along the road, before it got blown into the Weiti River. This was none less than the editor of Hibiscus Matters. Thank you Terry.
Editor’s note: Cheers Vern! And a shout out to Betsy Kettle at Whangaparaoa Recycling Centre who took the polystyrene for free to recycle it, when there is normally a charge. Apparently it is melted down and used in shoes and picture frames, so it’s a great place to take all that polystrene packaging!
Photo owners found
A joint effort by Rodney Age Concern and Hibiscus Matters located the owners of these photos, which were found inside a book purchased at Age Concern in Orewa. Louise Hilton of Kumeu claimed the photos after seeing them in the paper’s December 16 edition – one of them is her own wedding photo. However, Age Concern later located the person who had actually left them in the book – Louise’s cousin – and returned them safely.
Celebration of family
A family with five generations all living on the Hibiscus Coast sent in this photo saying how privileged they feel to have all their relatives living close by, so they could get together at Christmas. Clockwise, from left are Lynn Jury, Paul Musker, Kyal Musker and Great Grandmother Lona Brockliss, aged 96, with four-month old Fraya Musker.
A Robbie Burns night at Hibiscus Coast Village on January 25 was a roaring success, attended by 135 residents. It included all the traditional elements, including the haggis being piped in, and a formal address to the haggis by village resident James McFadden (pictured with the dagger).
