This week’s blog is a shout out to the suburb I live in – Pt Chevalier Auckland, and all the great things I can do locally.  I live here more by good luck than good management but I feel very blessed that I do.

• We have some wonderful parks including Coyle Park which has a wonderful view over the Waitemata Harbour towards the Shore and the Bridge

  

• I feel absolutely safe taking Bad Billie for a walk at 5:15 in the morning
• Although this always feels to me like a safe area, our wonderful bakery Take 5 run by Hannah who is only 20 (and makes the bestest sweet treats) is taking no chances

  

• Being on a point we are always only a few minutes walk from the beach

  

• We are really handy to good reliable public transport, and they are building big tunnely, bridgy motorway stuff right at the end of our street.  And our street will also connect up with the wonderful cycle way

• Here is actually a cool clip of what it looks like to go through the tunnel and end up in Pt Chev http://www.nzherald.co.nz/national/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503075&gal_cid=1503075&gallery_id=150097

We also have within walking distance a supermarket, great coffee, a couple of bars, an upholsterer,  a great library, two service stations and all manner of little retailers having a go and making a living.  I am actually not sharing this to make you jealous, but because I think that what we experience should be available for everyone in New Zealand.  Ok not living by the beach or having heavy construction equipment at the end of the road.  But living in a community where you feel safe and connected, where you access amenities easily and in a timely manner and you don’t have to earn a gazillion dollars to be able to do so.  And I don’t think it shouldn’t be a privilege for a lucky few.

Because of this I am incredibly supportive on any initiatives around improving public transport and thoughtful city planning, and extremely dubious about just building more subdivisions further and further out of the city.  With no thought given to how they connect and the quality of life people will experience living out there.  So if that means that there need to be more levies for public transport and more intensive housing closer to the city, than so be it.  If planning is done thoughtfully and properly – not always an occurrence in Auckland local politics, (and as long as Nick Smith doesn’t ride rough shod over the Council) maybe more people could live in a happy and safe community like I do.

I also need to do a shout out to the Neighbourly website.  I have used this a couple of times to request local services and both times I have had great service and found people really quickly.  Recommended

https://www.neighbourly.co.nz/about-us

Anyway enough of the public service announcements, the Warriors had a win.  Hooray.  It was in the last minute, but great stuff guys.  Onwards and Upwards.

And mention has to be made of the great win the Kiwis had over the Kangaroos.  An awesome effort.  You really did us proud.

My Dragons play the Bunnies tonight.  Another tough game, and they will both be really wanting the win.  Will just cross my fingers and toeses like I always do and hope the Bunnies get skinned.  (Lordy, the more time I spend on the League Fan sites and Facebook pages the more crazy analogies ensue).

I also had another Run Auckland 10km run on Sunday, out at Barry Curtis Park in Botany  It was a stunning day for it, and I was really pleased with my time.  Although I did start out a bit quick, so there were a few profanities used by the end.  This is the third I have done now, and each time I get a bit quicker.  Might be time for me to stop 🙂

And finally things that make you go hmmm.  Just as I wrote this tonight, and mentioned that I thought Auckland could be awesome if Nick Smith didn’t ride rough shod over the Council’s plans.  This came to light http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/273293/ministers%27-figures-off-the-mark

Hmmmm