Public Address | Cafe | Random Play: A Day In The Life Of . . . https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/ en-us Copyright (c) 2026 Public Address Rob Stowell https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40211#post40211 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40211#post40211 Steven- that's the wildest holiday story of the season. You've certainly been through the mill! And remarkable luck with Vitamin Sea.
It reminded me of the story of one of the yachts in the (infamous) Tonga race (I think that's what it was). The couple were rescued by a French…

]]> Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:20:36 +1300 Neil Johnson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40159#post40159 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40159#post40159 Thanks for a touching piece of writing about a day in the life of Auckland and of an Aucklander. It was especially poignant for those of us who are sons and fathers.

I was taken by the uneasy mix of Auckland's natural beauty, which we often take for granted, and…

]]> Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:18:59 +1300 Stephen Judd https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40105#post40105 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40105#post40105 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:08:57 +1300 Jackie Clark https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40103#post40103 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=40103#post40103 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:03:36 +1300 Sylvie Zlami https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39821#post39821 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39821#post39821 I should have been working but read this story instead. Procrastinating couldn't have been more wonderful or inspiring.
Thank you so much for the magic!

]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:47:02 +1300 Jason Kemp https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39587#post39587 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39587#post39587 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:03:30 +1300 ange wither https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39525#post39525 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39525#post39525 ... and for our last swim at Whiritoa (base of the Coromandel), we knew from the roar down the path all night before the long drive home that the surf would be too big. I like the fickle sea.

__On the subject of iconic people breathing their last, sadly....Hone Tuwhare,…

]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:53:30 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39441#post39441 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39441#post39441

Kite flying, dog walking, swimmers of all ages, the lovely sky, the warm water,old people just sitting and watching the goings on ...

For our last swim on Waiheke, we decided we'd had enough of surf and boogie-boarding (there was an excellent swell for a couple of days) and chose…

]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:15:15 +1300 Danielle https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39407#post39407 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39407#post39407 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:01:47 +1300 Jackie Clark https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39403#post39403 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39403#post39403 On the subject of iconic people breathing their last, sadly....Hone Tuwhare, whom I adored. Lovely, lovely writer.
And about beaches, and the joy of them, a group of us took our dogs, and ourselves, to Long Bay for a play. It was serene, and the beach is so big that…

]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:42:01 +1300 Mal McDonald https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39389#post39389 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39389#post39389 Nice piece Graham

On the subject more or less

Find myself reading the obits more and more these days

Over Christmas Hugh Massingberd, Obits editor of the Telegraph died. He is the chap credited with putting the laughter back in the obit.

His own obit in the telegraph is excellent…

]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:13:02 +1300 Shayne Stuchbery https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39352#post39352 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39352#post39352 Lucky indeed mate.

You evoked beautifully a feeling I am just finding my way out of after an idyllic six week stretch back in NZ. I think the writer Jim Harrison calls it 'returning to earth'.
Six weeks entirely dedicated to my immediate family (thus no beer/tasty red with Graham…

]]> Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:30:36 +1300 Graham Reid https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39315#post39315 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39315#post39315 Just a couple of quick comments from me, as the author humbled by your responses:

Andrew! You can get a novel out of siuch things? I could distill it to a haiku but not embellish it to a book. So that's where the real money is, huh?

Colin! Your Dad…

]]> Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:50:04 +1300 John https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39314#post39314 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39314#post39314 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:05:55 +1300 Colin Ross https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39306#post39306 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39306#post39306 Thank you for the elegant references to Mission Bay.
In the late 40's early 50's, my Dad lived there, right on the beach in the Bath House, where he had a single room.
He was responsible for keeping the reserve clean, he was allowed to rent out Canoes and Deck-chairs…

]]> Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:10:58 +1300 David Brem https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39305#post39305 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39305#post39305 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:04:34 +1300 Geoff Lealand https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39263#post39263 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39263#post39263 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 10:37:33 +1300 Andrew Feltoe https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39255#post39255 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39255#post39255 Know what you mean. Jumping on Guardian's website (I'm in London) Ed Hillary was its leading story. He's had a great run but you still feel a pang that you can't quite place. No doubt NZ media will go Ed-barmy for a while.

Oh, and BTW, Graham not sure if…

]]> Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:56:05 +1300 Belt https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39253#post39253 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39253#post39253 "I took myself to Tony's on Wellesley St"

Bugger.

The only thing I miss about Auckland. A 6pm eye fillet with bacon and mushrooms at Tony's. Surrounded by fries and seasonal veges. Only one bad meal in 2 decades.

In the end, it's the little things.

RIP Ed.

]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:12:55 +1300 Public Address https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39252#post39252 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/random-play-a-day-in-the-life-of/?p=39252#post39252 Discussion from blog post.

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