Arrowtown book buyer Miranda Spary continues her regular column about her recommendations for a good read and life as she sees it ...
My beautiful tree peony went from tight little green buds to gaudy and glorious, bosomy pink flowers almost overnight.
And to make things even better, my ordinary (what a horribly inaccurate adjective for my favourite flowers) peonies are bursting out in their wild and wanton ways, as well.
On top of all the garden excitement was the sweepstake.
I watched THE rugby with a group of die-hard rugby experts.
Actually, I watched the anthems, the haka and the last two minutes.
The rest of the time was spent getting nourishing, soothing food sorted to feed the shaky, anxious mob pacing round in front of our TV.
Before the game, everyone had to choose who would win and what the margin would be.
My not-so-secret passion for Frenchmen meant I couldn't bear to imagine them being thrashed and humiliated by anyone, so I decided to let the All Blacks win (I do have New Zealand genes, after all) by just one point.
And so it was.
I tried not to notice the fearsome looks as I collected my large and lovely wad of cash, generously donated by all those who know everything about rugby.
But, of course, I am delighted that New Zealand has the cup - so many people have had such a rotten couple of years that I hope this great big dollop of happiness will make things look sparkly and fresh again, and give the next four years some pride and pleasure.
Now we all have to knuckle down and start thinking important election thoughts.
If you haven't got any, do get along to the ASB Great Debate on November 3 and get some.
Jim Hopkins is hosting it, and you can hear what the parties are promising to do for you.
It's on at the Queenstown Memorial Hall and tickets are $15 each.
It's also the church fair at the Lake Hayes showground tomorrow.
Wakatipu Presbyterian jumble is of a very superior quality, if previous years are anything to go by.
Those Presbyterians certainly know how to run a good fair, and no wonder, with superwomen such as Audrey Taylor, Evelyn Caldwell and Clarice May, who are all my absolute heroines; in their church.
I heard a rumour Clarice is 90 next week, but I can't believe it is true.
A very happy birthday on November 2, Clarice.
She is still racing around visiting the elderly at the Wakatipu Home and baking up a storm.
As is Evelyn, now 91, who is knitting furiously to make sure not a single Croatian orphan is without warm handmade clothes this winter (that is when she isn't making jam to send to former Lake Hayes resident Pat Grant, who distributes it to the people in Christchurch).
And Audrey, with her magnificent plants that she sells to raise money for an orphanage in China. I am still certain that my favourite tree peony is the one she very kindly gave me from her mother's garden, but she assures me I am wrong.
As ever.
I really don't need any more plants, but I cannot stop myself driving to Cromwell every Labour Weekend for the Cromwell Polytech plant sale.
Jo Wakelin, the Gibbston-born garden whizz, runs the horticulture programme there and each year they sell all the plants and trees that the students have learnt to propagate.
She gets in all sorts of rare and interesting plants for the students to practise on, and then opens the gates to the public and sells them all.
I have already been rapped over the knuckles for not mentioning this sales event last week, but I didn't know there was anyone who didn't already know about it. My biggest apologies, and next year I promise to remind you.
This weekend is happy wedding day for local boy Nico Evers-Swindell, who played Prince William in the made for TV movie William and Kate, and his beautiful bride-to-be Megan.
They are getting married in Megan's hometown in Georgia, in the United States, where weddings are much more exciting-sounding events than here. I have never been invited to a Welcoming Dinner or a Pig Pickin' before, and I worry I may never get the chance again.
A very happy birthday wish to Charlotte Spary, who is 40 today (so immature), and it's also Queenstown Montessori's Sue Wilson's birthday this week.
I have been accused of reviewing too many books for women (I am one, so it is a little understandable), but I am trying to make amends.
Murray Doyle recommended Paul French's Midnight in Peking, which is the true story of a young girl murdered in Peking in 1937.
Everyone is on edge as Peking looks set to be taken over by the Japanese, and the brutal murder of an English schoolgirl is a shock.
All the main characters have two sides to their personalities (don't we all?) and Paul French keeps you on your toes as you think you know where the story is going, then swivels it round so the spotlight is somewhere else.
The distraught father spends years trying to discover what really happened and get the perpetrator tried.
It's hugely tense and frustrating and a terrible picture of British diplomacy at work.
I loved it. Thanks, Murray.
My other great discovery this week was Gift from the Sea, by aviator Charles Lindbergh's wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
An aviator as well, and a best-selling author, she wrote it in 1955 and this is the 50th anniversary edition.
It was a little book of essays she wrote for herself to sort out some meaning to her life.
Lindbergh was living in a beach cottage when she wrote it and she talks about the need for everyone to take time to be alone so that they can find peace and happiness.
It's astonishing to think it was written so long ago, as it feels so modern.
This is beautiful, poetic writing and it is easy to follow her recommendation to slow down and savour life. When you are reading it, that is all you want to do.
I see on the Dorothy Brown's website that my new title is "Personal Shopper" and that you can make appointments to have me recommend books for you.
Give them a ring, I'm looking forward to it!
