Now the time has arrived to again to tread the nature trails of Palmer Road. (one of the prettiest Road in New Zealand). Time to leave the city with its potential for hustle and bustle. Time to leave the temptations of the malls and the dens of iniquity - the bookshops - time to venture into the bush to wake to the call of the bell bird and the chatter of the creek.

The household is moving inland for a few days so that I can recuperate and recover from a day when nothing has happened. I can go to a place where it is less likely that anything will happen. On my return the world will have changed. Someone would have beaten someone else at rugby.

A politician would have made an embarrassing statement which they will regret. FB would have made another change which no one requested. An Evangelist would have been caught with his pants down and the hand cart to hell would have stopped for a while while waiting for my return.

Now to check the clothes and back pack and see if my boots have been greased and my sleeping bag aired out.

Hi Ho for the wild West wander.

Prince Phillip is 90

How do we in today's world get to be positive without it all sounding saccharine and patronising? With all the gloom around- (particularly now that winter is here while the rest of the world revels in sunshine)- we feel the upset and pain of each other.

So how do we bring in those rays of joy? Do they exist?

How do we actually push our own boundaries of tolerance and accept the gifts out there?

How well do we stand up to the injustice an cruelty of past memories supported by present injustices?

Is it enough to live our own lives free of those negatives?

Those elected to positions of power and those who have grabbed power for themselves co-exist in a strange world. There we are sitting on the sideline and we watch because so often we are unable to intervene. Then we watch the psychopaths and narcissistic twerps playing out their games against each other.

So what is the answer to the first question? Perhaps -and I may have only one answer- we somehow detach ourselves and become compassionate observers and think of a nice cup of tea and a good lie down after the fray. After all to quote Walt Kelly - "Don't take life to serious it ain't no way permanent."

Left overs

Of all the most neglected dishes in the world the most neglected one is the 'left over'. Or sometimes it is called the 'wait and see'. With my cook and the rest of the household staff away enjoying the cosmopolitan delights of Australia I have been perfecting these two dishes.

The current 'left over' is based on braised venison neck chops - much favoured by my friend Charlie our security specialist- mushrooms, peas, leeks, and what ever else slowly cooked in a cast iron casserole is so yummy. Next day add rice and water to the left overs and bung it back in the oven. Even better next time round. Hunger is a great appetiser.

Now there hangs a possibility of a metaphor in life. What you have left over after an experience has some additional value if you just tweak it with some new ingredients and new spice.