YOU August 2011 by Ashburton Guardian

you

AUGUST 2011

CONGRATS

magazine

P4-5 PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 030811-CR-018

Your Ashburton Guardian publication

you What’s in

magazine P3

unsung hero

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COVER STORY: our biggest loser

new to town

your passion

P10

who’s out and about?

P11

do it yourself with Woodsy

P12-13

gardening

P14-18

weight-loss challenge

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parenting

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street smart are you spying on your kids?

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Welcome Raise your glasses and toast 11 people who have achieved a significant feat.

Editorial contact Peter O’Neill YOU Editor

The 11 took part in the Guardian’s weight loss challenge, an event that saw them become public property. For six months they undertook a programme of healthy ea ng and exercise to lose, in many cases, some remarkable amounts of weight. A quarter of their body weight in two cases. The scales have now told the final story and in this edi on of YOU magazine we share their weight loss journeys. They make for some great reading. We’ve also been encouraged by your feedback from our first edi on of YOU so will be bringing you more of the same. Our unsung hero is someone who’d normally slip under the radar but whose service to some elderly folk is invaluable. Our travel sec on features a local couple who’ve been fishing …

Peter O’Neill • 307-7959 peter.o@theguardian.co.nz

Advertising contact in Alaska, while the interna onal flavour con nues in our recipe secon. Find out how Argen nians cook spuds. In our “What happens” segment we look at how socks are made; we’ve got another piece of jewellery with an intriguing story; and a great gardening yarn. Also this month we profile a Christchurch man who brings an array of talents to Ashburton, and we see who is showing fashion flair on the street. And if you don’t mind feeling a li le jealous, have a look at our motoring page.

Nancye Pitt • 307-7974 nancye.p@theguardian.co.nz

Publisher Ashburton Guardian Co Ltd 307-77900 ashburtonguardian.co.nz

Material in YOU is copyright to the Ashburton Guardian and can not be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers

It’s all here for YOU. Enjoy.

take a trip to Alaska

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Lamborghini anyone?

P25

bringing history alive

P26

food from Argentina

P27

legally speaking married in Rarotonga

P28

jewellery

Motoring P24 Loving his Lamborghini

YOU passion P7 Keeping her culture alive

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YOU unsung hero

Barb Greasley treats Rosebank resident Kath Findlay to a hand massage. PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 200711-CR-106

Barb’s healing hands by Erin Bishop Barb Greasley has healing hands. But she’s not a nurse, or a doctor. She’s a volunteer. For the past 29 years she has been going to local rest homes and pampering residents by giving them hand massages, pain ng nails and even doing make-up. It’s something that brightens the days of residents, but it’s also something that Barb loves to do. Rosebank residents know she’s coming every Wednesday and she gets around everyone she can in that me. “It’s like a fish and chip run, people will say ‘don’t forget me please’,” Mrs Greasley said. Mrs Greasley started her volunteering career at Parklands (now Tuarangi) in 1982,

doing make-up, hand massage and nail varnishing. When Rosebank was being built, she put her name down for the same thing there and the manager thought it was a great idea. She started at Rosebank in 1992, hand massaging, nail varnishing and reading newspapers to the residents. The “hatched, matched and dispatched” column was always the first thing read out and talked about, she said. She said she had heard more stories about the residents’ lives than she could ever have read in a book. “Some of the stories I’ve heard made me feel quite humble, like the hardships some had as a child in a family of many children and only one wage coming in,” she said. “Going to school with no boots on in the

winter, farm children were able to warm their feet in the warm cow pat, going from one pat to another. The smell in the classroom must have been high when the pot belly stove got going.” She said the best reward for her when massaging hands was ge ng movement in fingers and hands that had been s ﬀ for awhile. “The look on the face of that person gives me a real warm buzz inside,” she said. It’s not just the women that look forward to her visits, her hand massages are also a hit with many male residents. No polish for them though. It’s the dark pinks and pearly colours which are the most popular among the rest home’s women. Although, there are some who like a splash of bright red. “I painted the nails of a 100-year-old lady.

She’d never had it done before and when I asked if she would like it done, she said ‘oh, I’ll give it a shot’,” Mrs Greasley said. “She picked out a bright colour so she could see her nails and while they were drying she looked at them and said ‘I wonder what my husband would have said when he saw these?’. She then looked at me with a grin and said, ‘I expect he would have called me a tart’.” Her husband had died 30 years earlier. Mrs Greasley said Rosebank had about 20 volunteers and each one had their own way of helping the residents. Mrs Greasley’s husband Trev is also a volunteer. He talks to the residents and takes them for walks while his wife paints nails. Surprisingly, Mrs Greasley doesn’t paint her own nails. She used to be a nail biter but underwent hypnosis to stop. And it worked.

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W ig We ight ht llos osss wiinn nner er, M Ma a ary r yan ry ann Heav He eaven en n. In I nin ine mo ine mont nths hs s e lo sh lost s 28 pe er ce c nt of he er bo body dy wei dy eigh gh g ht. t.

YOU cover story

Maryann’s our biggest loser by Sue Newman Ask Maryann Heaven about the legacy of having three babies in six years and she’ll tell you that along with the love and the cuddles it can be measured in weight gain. Six months ago with her youngest just over a year old, Maryann looked in the mirror and hated the woman who was staring back at her. Gone was the young, sporty, average weight person and in her place she was looking at the face of a woman who was seriously overweight. Somehow one had replaced the other and Maryann had barely no ced. She’s been too busy with motherhood, work and just ge ng on with life. “I had one child and got a bit bigger, I had another and didn’t lose the weight and then another and I got to this gargantuan size.” It was a moment of reckoning, but it was also a moment when opportunity came knocking, in the form of the Guardian’s weight-loss challenge. Desperate to gain control over her life, the Mt Somers-Springburn school teacher joined up for a programme that would see her lose 38kg, 28 per cent of her body weight. Husband Heath, who is stay-at-home-dad, also signed on and the Heaven family made a commitment that would change their world. At her first weigh-in Maryann was horrified. “I’d never seen those numbers on the scales before.” The 36-year-old’s first effort at exercise, a 5km ride on a bike that had been stored in the garage for years, was hell. She persevered and began clocking up the hours and the kilometres. When the weather turned bad, she simply swapped one exercise for another, turning to the squash court. What didn’t change throughout that exercise regime was her determinaon. “I chugged my way around the court at the start of the season, but now it’s so much easier. I’ve taught Heath to play. It’s been so easy with the two of us doing it, it must be hard for one person.” Life in the Heaven house has changed. They shop differently and they look at food very differently. “We s ll eat everything we did before, we haven’t cut stuff out, but we have cut down. Our por ons were way too big and we now keep treat food as just that, treat food, not everyday food.” And that’s simple. Instead of a bar of chocolate each, a bar of chocolate is shared – between the whole family.

Previously when she shopped, she’d weigh up the cost of a $4 bar of chocolate and a $4 bag of vegetables. O en the chocolate won. Now she’s an informed shopper and plans her supermarket trips to avoid the centre aisles where the bad things lurk. Shopping is done by list and it’s done with healthy ea ng in mind. Previously the Heaven family simply ate too much food. Maryann and Heath both thought that losing weight would mean being constantly hungry. Both were surprised that their new ea ng regime meant they seemed to eat constantly. The secret, they discovered, was in ge ng their food group balance right and their serving sizes right. They’ve also discovered that it’s okay to get it wrong somemes. No need to beat yourself up if you eat the odd serving of takeaways, Maryann said. Both had tried other diet programmes – unsuccessfully. This

I’ve lost more than I have le to lose and I just want to be an average-size person

‘

one worked and Maryann believes that had everything to do with the commonsense ea ng plan and the very public nature of the programme. Becoming public property wasn’t easy, but knowing that everyone in her community knew she was trying to lose weight meant s cking with the programme wasn’t an op on. “People would always comment and it’s hard to talk about it, hard to take a compliment too when you’re naturally shy, but I’m quite compe ve and the idea of winning I knew would drive me.” Unlike some of the others on the programme, Maryann said there was a lot of her to lose, but her body quickly set its own weight-loss pa ern – lose one week, plateau the next. While the plateaus were disheartening at the beginning, she accepted the rhythm. There’s another 20kg to go, Maryann said, and she’s confident that will quietly slip away too, the rewards for losing are too great to stop now. “The way we’re living now is our new lifestyle. For me, failure is not an op on.”

And there’ve been some surprising changes at her school too. “Everyone lost weight because they were being so suppor ve. I was probably the bad influence and now we’ve even changed our morning tea.” To the people of Mt Somers, the overweight Maryann was the only one they’d known, but she was a person Maryann didn’t know or understand. She was desperate to rediscover the person she had been, the person she knew was hiding inside. She’s dropped four dress sizes now and has rediscovered the pleasure of walking into a clothing shop – any shop – and having a choice from the ‘normal’ size garments. “I don’t have to buy just what fits, I now have a choice again. It’s nice to get dressed in the morning and to put clothes on that feel nice and it’ll be nice to be able to see my arms in the summer and not hate them.” For some people, having another 20kg as a weight loss target might be daun ng, but Maryann is confident she’ll make goal weight. “I’ve lost more than I have le to lose and I just want to be an average-size person again. I like looking at myself now and like what I see. I’ve got more confidence. For the first me my daughter is saying, ‘mum that looks really nice’.” Husband Heath is almost at his goal weight and as parents they’re enjoying being able to run and play with their children rather than si ng back and watching. “It’s great being able to do the things I used to do. I play social netball but now I can get around the court and I couldn’t do that easily before.” The weight loss challenge ming was perfect for the Heavens. They’d completed their family and for Maryann the tempta on to pregnancy-eat had gone. “We’re pre y stoked now with the way things have changed and we know we can move on to the next part of our lives. We also sleep be er and I know I don’t snore like a freight train now.” The Guardian’s weight loss challenge saw 11 people commit to a nine-month programme of healthy ea ng and exercise. They weighed in regularly and were given exercise and dietary advice, but at the end of the day, how much they lost was in their own hands, Maryann said. “For me, it was the drive to be the best, to lose the most that mo vated me, it was the compe on and the winning that drove me, but, ironically, look at what I’d let myself get to.” Maryann took the tle of Biggest Loser in the weight-loss challenge, by the narrowest of margins from Anna Johnson who lost 24.1kg, 27 per cent of her body weight.

Anna’s story, page 18

Congratulations by Sally Rossiter l Biggest Loser nutritionist Congratula ons to all the par cipants in the Biggest Losers contest! They have all worked hard to make changes. In the process they have learned a lot. Some of what they have learned is about good nutri on and the benefits of physical ac vity. Much of their learning has been about themselves – their habits, their ability to problem solve and their ability to change. It has been a journey for each of them and they have all made changes at their own pace. I agreed to be a part of the contest as long as it was about healthy change, healthy ea ng and healthy physical ac vity. For me, the contest needed to be about learning to eat well for life, learning to lose weight in a safe and healthy manner and learning to add a reasonable and healthy amount of ac vity to each day. This was about life me changes and developing new life me habits. It was about learning to cope with relapse, stress, control and lack of control and all the many factors that influence our weight.

It was equally about learning how to tap into support and how to develop strategies to achieve and maintain success. Six months was a fantas c me for the contest as it gave each contestant me to work through life issues and challenges. Six months gave them me to develop new habits and ingrain them. As each kilo came oﬀ, we said goodbye to it forever! It was fantas c hearing about the changes and choices each person made. It was great seeing them work through their challenges. Seeing them overcome a problem or challenge, and knowing that that problem wasn’t going to feature as a weight-related problem again, was fantas c. For example, at the onset of miserable winter weather, one parcipant was ready to put on her jammies, hibernate and eat the cold weather away. This had been her habit for years. When she iden fied it, talked about it and worked through it, it was as if the challenge of winter over-ea ng never existed. It has been fantas c to be a part of this. This is a wonderful group and I enjoyed working with them and learned so much from everyone.

YOU new to town

Ashburton rocks By Sue Newman As far as Tim Chapman is concerned, Ashburton rocks – for all the right reasons. He’s one of dozens of Christchurch people who relocated to Ashburton a er the February earthquake. But for Tim, coming to Ashburton was very much like coming home. He was born here as were his parents, grandparents and probably his great-grandparents too. With a baby on the way and the world as they knew it rapidly falling apart, Tim and partner Mary decided they needed somewhere safe in which to begin a new life as parents. Family links made Ashburton the logical choice. Tim’s a barrista and a DJ. The last café he worked in has gone, the last club is closed. “A er the earthquake there were no clubs, no cafes, no certainty anywhere if you were in hospitality, you just couldn’t get anything in that line of work. Right now Ashburton is awesome compared to Christchurch, there’s no doubt about that.” Post February quake Tim and Mary lived in their South Brighton home without water and without power. Their home might have been structurally okay, but their nerves were shot and they knew the chances of Tim finding work in either of his speciality fields in Christchurch was almost nil. He found temporary work making coffee at Christchurch Airport’s cafe, but never felt safe. Every noise, every movement – and there are plenty of those in an airport – had him jumping. “You see people in Christchurch and they’re on edge all the me. You can feel every a ershock there if it’s 4.5 or over and every hour for about three weeks there was a good sized a ershock.” Tim and Mary moved in March and they say they’ve never had a moment’s regret. “This might be a small town, but it’s got everything you need. I’d have moved here even if things hadn’t happened the way they did.” Tim’s parents have also moved back to Ashburton and his sister has also returned to hometown Ashburton. Tim and Mary lived in the Philippines for a few months, but decided to return to New Zealand, for what they had an cipated would be a much quieter way of life. They’ve finally found that in Ashburton. ot only have they found the lifestyle they were seeking, Tim has found work doing the two things he loves – making coffee and entertaining. He’s now double shi ing, working as a barrista at the Somerset Grocer by day and doing regular s nts as a DJ at the Shed at the weekend. His partner DJ from Christchurch now joins him for regular gigs. He’s also moved here and works as a plumber by day. Their friends are travelling south in growing numbers for entertainment too. Almost uninten onally, Tim has created a mini-entertainment hub in Ashburton. “We’re just packing the place out. If they give me the venue and more dates, I’ll fill it. There’s just nowhere to go in Christchurch.” Tim is no ordinary DJ, however. He describes his style as “dub step.” It’s the biggest and latest thing in the music world, a variety of music brought together in one genre. “We’re proper DJs not top 40 stuff. I play the turntable, that’s my instrument. Basically, we put on a show.” It’s always hard to get a bar started early, but Tim said as the word is ge ng out, people are star ng to realise when Tim and Daniel are DJs for the night, you need to get there early or you’ll be queuing in the cold. The pair have been regulars at large scale events at Lincoln and Auckland university. “We’re not bunnies, we’re pros, what we do is of an interna onally high standard.” Tim was resident DJ in Christchurch clubs before the February earthquake, but the opportunity to make a living from that work has gone. Now he’s happy to make coffee by day and grow the DJ side of his business as the gigs open up. He’s loving what he does, says the Somerset Grocer are a great crew to work with and he’s loving the chance to get back into the club scene, describing the Shed as an “awesome venue”. Making coffee is a great way to make a living, but working as a DJ is his passion, Tim said. With the arrival of baby Nathan, he’s now learning new skills as a dad and is enjoying the challenge of dealing with the new demands in his life. He’s also realising how precious a commodity sleep becomes when a family of two becomes a family of three.

PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 010811-CR-042

Loving life in a quiet space, Tim and Mary Chapman with baby Martin.

YOU and your passion

Proud to be Japanese By Amanda Durry Chiyo Hunt may enjoy living in New Zealand but keeping her culture alive is a passion for the Ashburton woman. She moved here 14 years ago from Japan, met a man and started a family. But a er all that me, she’s never turned her back on her culture and takes great pleasure in sharing it when she can. One of the biggest requests is for teaching origami. “I’ve visited many schools to talk about my culture and origami always starts it oﬀ. The kids really enjoy doing it and I o en have some come back and ask for more ideas out of the book I use. “In Japan, everyone just knows how to do origami, they learn it at home or kindergarten so it’s very normal for me,” she said. Sharing her language is also very normal. She has taught others some Japanese and while she insists she isn’t a teacher, she doesn’t mind helping those who want to learn the language. Her daughter Chinatsu, 7, has also been brought up with the language. “It’s important to me and my husband that Chinatsu knows the language because otherwise she would not be able to communicate with my family s ll in Japan. I try to speak Japanese with her o en and I am just star ng to teach her more about her cultural background too. “It’s important she knows the tradi ons and how to act in Japan but it is her choice, it’s just to give her lots of opportuni es,” Mrs Hunt said. On their most recent visit to Japan, Chinatsu even went to school for four weeks, so has experienced a lot, Mrs Hunt said. Keeping the language alive in the household is also a great way to remind her of home, as she o en gets homesick. “I miss the food, the atmosphere and the people in Japan, mainly family and friends. I also liked the big ci es but Ashburton is a nice family town and I love it here too,” she said. She also loves keeping up her Japanese cooking and admits 95 per cent of the stuﬀ she cooks is Japanese, which always goes down a treat with New Zealanders. “I just love doing things for people and sharing my culture when I can, there will always be food or advice for everyone. I love living in New Zealand but I’m s ll proud to be Japanese,” she said.

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 030811-KG-035

Chiyo Hunt has been in New Zealand for 14 years but has not lost her passion for her culture in her home country – Japan.

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YOU house advertising feature

Sensational Style Left: The modern kitchen is stylish and practical with ample bench and storage space. Above: The large entrance was a special request of Colleen’s, with feature lighting and a large glass wall that looks upon an old magnolia tree. Right: The main bathroom looks fantastic with feature shelving, a large marbled tile look shower and hidden toilet.

Story: Amanda Niblett When a strong-willed passion for building combines with intelligent design and superior workmanship, the result is an award winning masterpiece. Smith and Sons, formerly trading as Cartney Construc on, built the contemporary home a er owner Colleen Prendergast consulted with architect Bruce McClelland from idesign.

A er building many mes before, Colleen had a clear idea of what she wanted to achieve with this build, improving on previous designs and future-proofing rooms and access points, allowing for a comfortable living space in years to come. Bruce from idesign said that the process was more successful when the client had an idea of what they wanted to achieve, to ensure that the end result was desirable. “The ght elongated sec on that Colleen’s home was built on gave us limited op ons on design and placement, but these restric ons made it easier to focus

on the important features of each area, defining the overall design,” Bruce said. Our current regula ons state that a building must be a minimum of four and a half metres away from the edge of the boundary, so with Colleen’s home having three frontages, Bruce obtained a consent that allowed for an extension on one of the rooms, to ensure that the space within the home befi ed the design and gave Colleen the space she desired. On the recommenda on of family in the building trade, Colleen contracted Paul Cartney to build her

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YOU house advertising feature home. By her own admission Colleen said she could be a bit of a task master, but was impressed with how accommoda ng both Paul and his team and Bruce were during the build. “They were absolutely brilliant, I knew what I wanted, and if I insisted on a feature, then they made it happen. There were some tricky design features that Bruce had to accommodate, like planning for extra reinforcing so I could have a triple door leading from the living area, but he always made it happen and then Cartney Construc on completed any altera ons to the plans to perfec on. I couldn’t have asked for a be er combina on,” Colleen said. Visually striking from the exterior, the mono-pitch roof adds unique class, while inside crea ng a spacious high pitched point of diﬀerence in the living area. One of the features that Colleen desired the most was a large entrance-way, which Bruce and Paul successfully designed and constructed to become a talking point. The space is visually stunning, contras ng crisp white space lovingly adorned by art on the le side leading to the hallway, with dark grey panels similar to the led floor on the right which leads to the kitchen and living areas. Funky ligh ng that mimics sparkly co on balls highlight a large glass panel directly opposite the main door, a clever feature which allows the view of a beau ful old magnolia tree. Dougall from Andersons Joinery cra ed an extremely stylish and highly prac cal kitchen, finished to the highest of standards, allowing for ample bench space and no shortage of storage op ons. The kitchen flows eﬀortlessly into the living and dining areas, the spaces clearly defined despite being enclosed together. The main feature of interest is the gorgeous gas fire in the living area. Designed purely for ambience, the horizontal fire featuring black glass panels set into the wall is chic, modern and oh so stylish.

The living area opens to a private courtyard, with exposed aggregate concrete for a stylish, textured finish. Open plan living area with a mono-pitch ceiling gives the impression of endless comfort space.

The living area opens up to two further places of relaxa on and socialisa on. The first, a beau ful outdoor courtyard, using exposed aggregate concrete for a textured surface, crea ng a private and func onal space with lovely landscaped surrounds. The second is a cosy snug which opens from the main living area. The triple doors slide into a cavity within the wall, saving space while also enlarging the open flow living area once more. It is a favourite area of Colleen’s as it captures all day sun, and is an area where she can sit and relax with visi ng grandchildren. Although the overall floor space was limited, Colleen had ideas on what she wanted to feature in her main bathroom. Working together with Bruce, a large bathroom was created, featuring a king sized shower space with a beau ful marbled le effect, and a long horizontal window lets in ample natural light while s ll maintaining privacy. Although the bathroom is open, the toilet is tucked away in a private corner, a design that Colleen specifically asked Bruce to incorporate and one which he gives her full credit for. It works well, and with the unique addi on of stylish storage shelves, full use was made to enhance space while keeping a stylish finish. The building process was also a family affair, with Colleen’s two sons able to offer their individual exper se

toward crea ng her dream home. Bryce Prendergast from Electraworks fi ed all electrical fi ngs, while Kelvin Prendergast from P&T Plumbing took care of the plumbing requirements. The end result was one of quality workmanship and style which led to Colleen and Cartney Construc on, (now trading as Smith & Sons), to take away a coveted Silver Award at the recent Master Builders House of the Year Compe on. The new homes are strictly judged under two main criteria. Workmanship which includes structure, external cladding and roofing, weather-proofing, selec on and installa on of products, finishing and general workmanship. Also judged on design, func onality and style which includes entry and access, fit to site, func onality and design, marketability and future proofing. To win a silver award the home needs to have scored more than 82.5% of the scoring points available, which this house achieved. Colleen is thrilled with the end result, and impressed with the professionalism and quality of workmanship of all who helped to create the house of her dreams. She now has me to make the most of its fantas c style and comfort with her children and grandchildren.

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YOU around town

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Vintage Car Club annual dinn ne er

Above – Audrey Bruce (left) and Wilma Wolfreys. Right – Alan Begg (left), Trevor Begg (centre) and Craig Begg. 210711-SC-032 220711-CR-054

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House of the Year awards

David Oakley (left) and Bruce Selbie. 210711-SC-035

Jeanette Begg (left) and Ken and Fenn Leadley.

Paul and Anna Cartney. Above – Mark Wilson (left) and Greg Fleming. Below – Rebecca and Nathan Busch.

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From left: Gary Hawke, Shirley Hawke, Fiona Lambie and Peter Lambie. 210711-SC-040

Marg and Alister Lilley.

Owen Wilson (left), Peter Knight (centre) and Ernie Ludemann.

YOU do it yourself

Solving storage problems If you are looking for extra storage space around your home, hanging shelves on walls Shane Woods is a great op on if you are low on floor space. Ordinary Kiwi bloke Shane It is best to drive screws into ‘Woodsy’ Woods is handy solid supports such as a wall around the house with a hamstud, but that’s not always mer. Each month we’ll check possible as they are not always in on what his latest DIY project has been. where you want them. You need to use the right anchor or toggle to support shelves, mirrors, pictures and other hanging items in hollow walls. Which anchor you use depends on the size and weight of the item you are hanging and the type of wall, so inves gate what you need before you hit the hardware shop. When you get there you will find hollow wall anchors, toggle bolts and other assorted fixings. Read the packaging to find what suits your walls – drywall, plaster, masonry – and what you are hanging. They all depend on how much weight they are required to hold, the type of wall and the damage to the wall you will leave if you ever want to take the item down. Fixings are broadly grouped into light duty and heavy duty. Anchors and augers The lightest duty moun ng hardware for use on drywall are plas c anchors that fit into a pre-drilled hole and sit flush with the surface of the wall or plas c augers with screw-like fins that drill directly into the drywall, both designed to hold the screw in place. Plaster walls require diﬀerent moun ng hardware than drywall. While a plas c sleeve-type anchor is less eﬀec ve on drywall, it can hold up to 10kg on a plaster wall. For heavier loads use a toggle. Toggles Gravity toggles or spring toggles are the most reliable design for holding anything to drywall, and can even be used in ceilings. They have a set of spring or screw driven arms that fit and hold on behind the drywall and have a greater holding capacity than plas c anchors. Once a toggle is a ached to a wall, it stays in place. Use studs for maximum strength The strongest method of hanging anything to drywall is to mount directly into the studs behind the drywall if possible, or at least find one stud and anchor or toggle either side of it. To find a stud you could use an electronic stud finder that indicates whenever you are on or near a stud, or tap the wall and listen for changes in tone. A hollow sound means you are cold, a solid sound means you have found a stud or you are close. Look for clues like slightly raised nail heads or imperfec ons in the surface. Studs usually lie directly behind these areas. Also, you can press on the drywall. If the wall does not move at all, you have probably located a stud. Now you have sorted out where to hang your shelf, place it against the wall and use your spirit level to make sure you hang it straight and at the right height. Use a pencil to mark the spots on the wall you need to drill the holes. Use a drill bit that matches the size of the anchor you are using and push the anchor into a nice firm hole so it is flush with the plaster or masonry wall, or push and screw an auger into drywall. If you are using a toggle, place the screw into the shelf and screw on the spring toggle arms, then push the arms into your pre-drilled hole in the wall, holding the shelf out so the toggle arms catch behind the wall. Screw up ght.

PHOTO MANDY WOODS 080811-MW-004

Above – Use a spirit level to make sure the shelf you hang will be straight and at the right height. Inset – Spring toggles have arms that fit and hold on behind drywall.

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YOU great gardens

Jade’s roots planted deeply in the soil by Sue Newman She might not have had gardening parents, but with two grandfathers who knew their onions from their spuds, Jade Temepara had plenty of knowledge to draw on when she decided to start growing her own vegetables.

con nued next page

Passionate gardener Jade Temepara, keeping her family of six fed from her backyard. PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 220711-KG-096

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YOU great gardens

13 IItâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real accomplishment and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m quite proud of it.

It probably wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the norm for a 19-yearold to be rolling up her sleeves and ge ng dirty, but Jade didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care. She dug, she planted and most mes she harvested. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had virtually no experience and there were a lot of things that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grow well, it was all trial and error.â&#x20AC;? When Jade and husband Wiki moved to their Hampstead home five years ago there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a vegetable garden in sight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; plenty of roses, the odd fruit tree and a plot of scruďŹ&#x20AC;y lawn. The roses came out and the vegetable plots went in. Today there are vegetable plots in numbers, thriving fruit trees and a healthy compost heap. Jadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a no-fuss gardener. Her beds are o en li le more than straw, compost and newspaper. She digs when she has to but avoids it when she can. With a young family, her gardening me is limited, so the less eďŹ&#x20AC;ort required the be er. She counts her gardens in the years the family has lived in their home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; five years for the big plot behind the shed, four years for a couple of raised beds and so it goes. Each year a new plot is added and now Jade is threatening to turn the front yard into a giant vege garden as well. Conven on has very li le to do with the way she gardens. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My grand-dads and I have lots of discus-

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

sions about the way I garden, I think theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re quite disturbed by it and they try to get me to do it their way with Roundup and Derris Dust and sprays.â&#x20AC;? Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resis ng and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re star ng to accept that their grand-daughter might actually know what sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing, Jade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grow my potatoes on pea straw and cardboard and they s ll canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand how that works. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had some fun arguments about that.â&#x20AC;? Last year she wanted to extend her garden and knew she was running out of me for the plan ng season. Rather than dig up the lawn, she simply covered that lawn with squares of pea straw, topped it with compost, le it a few weeks and then planted. The results were amazing, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had the most ridiculous amount of beans because it seemed to create its own li le micro-climate.â&#x20AC;? The compost she uses doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come in a bag, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made in the backyard from vegetable scraps. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only thing that goes into my garden.â&#x20AC;? Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big on crop rota on to ensure soil health; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important when you grow organically, she said. And she tries to companion plant where possible, but with so much garden and so much that needs to be grown to feed six people, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not always possible.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Occasionally Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve dug a green crop in and that does help because if your soil is healthy then everything will grow. It really is the soil that does it for me.â&#x20AC;? Her garden produces year round. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always the makings of a meal, whether thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fresh from the garden, out of the freezer or a jar of preserves or, in the case of potatoes and pumpkins, out of the back shed. Last year she grew seven diďŹ&#x20AC;erent varieties of potato and one of those was a variety that had been in her family for five generaons. Each year the family gardeners save a few spuds for the coming season and as new gardeners come on stream theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re given a few to start their own link in the family gardening chain. er children now range from 11 down to three and that means she has a li le more me to grow vegetables from seed. In the early days impa ence and a lack of me saw Jade head to the garden centre to buy plants. Now she has po les of seedlings sprou ng in warm spots in her house and garden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Originally I just wanted food and not the hard work, but now I enjoy the challenge of growing from seed. Last year I gave hundreds of silverbeet plants away.â&#x20AC;? Heritage vegetable varie es are top of her list of must-haves. She obtains first year seed

wherever she can and then tries to save her own each year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my gardening style, heritage and old spuds. I like to grow diďŹ&#x20AC;erent food.â&#x20AC;? About the only thing that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be found in Jadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vege patch is kumara. The climate is her only limita on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But in saying that, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give everything a go. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried just about everything you can think of but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not drama c about it, if it works it works or I try something else.â&#x20AC;? As a commi ed vegetable gardener, Jade said she gains a huge amount of pleasure in having her daughters po er in the garden with her. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hoping her enthusiasm will rub oďŹ&#x20AC; on her children and turn them into gardeners for life. For any gardener knowing how to freeze or preserve food when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a surplus is an important part of the food-to-table chain, Jade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned to preserve a couple of years ago. It was amazing. I now make jams and chutney. When I first learned to make chutney I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop. I try to use everything in my garden and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve even sold some jam.â&#x20AC;? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something incredibly sa sfying about taking a seed, growing it, ea ng the produce and then knowing the surplus is stored away for the winter, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real accomplishment and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m quite proud of it.â&#x20AC;?

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YOU 2011 weight-loss challenge

Our diaries –

Time is up, but we’re only just beginning

@ 24 weeks

Maryann Heaven

Anna Johnson

Weight lost in total: 39kg 1st place

Weight lost in total: 24kg 2nd place

The past six months have been a long, hard journey. It seems like only yesterday I walked into a wee room with Sally at the Gym Company and weighed the heaviest I had ever weighed in my life. At 140kg, I had hit rock bo om. Over the next six months, I would ba le to lose an enormous 39kg at home. Like other contestants, I was fortunate to have support from Sally and Frank. I also had the total support of my amazing husband, Heath. Along the way, I would also get help from the team at FitBiz and be introduced to the wonders of electric crosstrainers. In the coming months, I look forward to seeing Sally each month to weigh in and visi ng Frank at the Gym Company for fitness assessments in the school holidays. My goals are to lose a further 15kg, run 10km and take part in the sprint course of the half marathon at Lake Hood.

Six months – it seems such a long me, but it can also be such a short me. These past six months has seen me go through many challenges, which have le me with new understandings, changes in behaviour and a new-looking body. I started this compe on with the thought in mind of using it as a way to lose weight, with it being this public there was no way I could not push myself. I have achieved this goal but what I have really achieved is a belief in myself as someone who has the control to make my life the way I want it to be. Before this challenge I always had excuses for why I had put the weight on, and some of them were valid and real, but they were just excuses in the end because I am the only one who controls my mind and so I am the only one who can control my weight and exercise. I have faced a range of hurdles in these six months from good ones like a trip to Phuket, which saw me challenge my exercise and ea ng plans, to not-so-fun things like breaking my foot. Both of these hurdles could have been used as excuses to eat more and exercise less, but I had learnt by then that I had control for this not to happen and I used this control and strived forward. In my last weigh-in, with such excitement, I got to my goal weight and this has meant a lot to me, but this isn’t the end, like any addic on I can never go day to day without thinking about my food Thank you to everyone who has watched/read about my journey over the past six months your encouragement has been so pivotal. To the other compe tors, my family/friends, Sally and the Mountain Gym Methven, what a challenge but what fun, thank you.

Heath Heaven

Become a shadow of your former self

Weight lost in total: 18kg 3rd place In the past six months, I have gone from a guy who got exercise from walking to the le erbox or walking around the lounge looking for the remote to playing squash four nights a week and joining Golden Oldies rugby. I feel great and look forward to a much longer and healthier life. I would like to thank Sally for her support of Maryann and I. Her ea ng plan was simple and steered us in the right direc on with ea ng the right foods in the right amounts. It didn’t involve diﬀerent expensive foods – instead was straight forward and worked with the foods we already ate. Her down-to-earth nature made her easy to talk to and realis c about life. Frank was a great help for me and was inspira onal. He helped me to be realis c about my weight loss and set goals that were achievable. I will con nue to work with Frank as I work on my fitness and body shape. In the challenge, I lost 18kg at home. I would recommend ge ng help from Frank and/or Sally if you are looking to turn your life around. They are great and helped me heaps!

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YOU 2011 weight-loss challenge

Angela Ross

Barbara Rodgers

Weight lost in total: 16kg

Weight lost in total: 21kg

Two things I have learned these last six months are â&#x20AC;&#x153;Knowledge is Powerâ&#x20AC;? and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change your body shape. Knowledge is power. We have all heard that from me to me but probably never actually thought about it. By knowing what my body needs, and knowing what each food group does and how diďŹ&#x20AC;erent chemicals in the body react to certain things, it has given me the power to be able to make changes. I am a pear shape, I will always be a pear shape. No amount of weight loss is going to change that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but I have made that pear a smaller pear, and can now maximise those assets that I do have. For this I have Amanda Nible from the Ashburton Guardian to thank â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for her star ng this challenge I would never have made a successful change. I have Sally to thank â&#x20AC;&#x201C; her support has been amazing and the informa on that she has gi ed to us has all led to each and every one of us losing!! And to Frank â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he has given us all so much of his me and by doing a fat test on us he has helped boost morale when the scales havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t budged. Thank you so much Amanda, Sally and Frank and thank you to the other contestants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have met some wonderful people through this challenge. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these people that have made it a success, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these people that have made it so much fun along the way. Good luck to all of you. I have succeeded in making a change â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can too!! Frank and Sally are amazing people and very approachable. They have both helped so many people lose amazing amounts of weight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to call or visit them. If you are ready, take that step and make the change â&#x20AC;&#x201C; knowledge is power.

Hi guys, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already been six months since star ng this challenge. Even though the challenge has finished, my own personal challenge con nues, to lose more weight. A er all this challenge has changed the way I think about food. Knowing now that food doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make you happy (even though once I would have said it did), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you make of life and how you face the challenges, not what you put in your mouth. Someone once said to me that exercise is good for depression and of course I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe it. Now I can say that it is definitely true, as since doing MORE exercise I am feeling a lot be er. I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Sally, Frank, Viv and the ladies at Curves Gym for all the mo va on and support they have given me over the past few months. The support has been great, and to all the people out there who have given me encouragement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thank you. The challenge for me con nues, to carryon with this weight loss . So thanks guys, also to Amanda Nible and YOU Magazine (The Ashburton Guardian), if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for you thinking of this great idea where would we be now!

Paul Wylie Cyclerama

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Congratulations Contestants

2011 weight-loss challenge Rob Stevenson Weight lost in total: 9kg

BEFORE

Welcome to my challenge wrap-up. I would firstly like to reiterate my thanks to all the professionals who assisted myself and others through the past six months, par cularly Frank at the Gym Co for the use of facili es and Sally, who, in my view, was the single biggest factor in the overall success of the programme. Her professionalism, determina on, knowledge and empathy were outstanding and I applaud her for addressing both the mechanics and psychology of weight control. I know all the par cipants learned many new things about weightloss, nutri on, exercise and ourselves over the course of the challenge. The interes ng thing is that few of those revela ons will be exactly the same for each person. I ini ally believed feeling be er would be a result of the weightloss, I was largely wrong. About halfway through I realised weight loss was a result of feeling be er, losing weight became secondary to the posi ve eﬀects of changes to diet and lifestyle. In my mind the programme’s success will be measured in six months’ me, when I suggest, most, if not all par cipants will be at or below our current weights. In fact I will donate $100 to a charity of the editor’s choice if our combined weight is higher.

AFTER

NOW

IT’S YOUR TURN g k 0 1 e s o o L

Kelle Mingay Weight lost in total: 8.5kg

WIN YOUR HIRE MACHINE* X-TRAINERS TREADMILLS

ROWERS

That was the fastest six months ever! I cannot believe the challenge is over. I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, especially Sally and Margaret who have been my rocks through this en re challenge. The challenge is over, but the change is not. I have made a change for life. I have set myself a whole new set of goals, including running 5km, to keep myself on track. The diet is a lot easier to control, with Sally’s help. I will con nue to see Margaret, from the Mountain Gym in Methven, to keep my work-out fresh. The last day of the challenge I decided to try a pair of jeans I could not fit into six months ago, actually I could not pull them above the thighs. Well I can now bu on them up, to be fair I cannot move in them, but at least I can see the diﬀerence. This is what is driving me to keep the changes up. Everyone looks so good now and their hard work and dedica on is an inspira on to all.

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Adelle Brown Weight lost in total: 4.5kg I can’t believe this is the end ... at the start it seemed so far away, and then suddenly it was the final week and now the challenge is over. We have had our celebratory get-together and it was great to see everyone looking fantas c! I believe Amanda Nible , Sally Rossiter and Frank Connely have done a great job suppor ng us, and would like to thank them for all the me they have put into suppor ng us all. I am sure that all of us will be con nuing along, and we now have the support of each other for as long as we need it ... CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

YOU 2011 weight-loss challenge

Jo Wickett Weight lost in total: 4kg Eighteen months ago I began a journey of fitness and weight loss. I had lost 10kg when Amanda Nible put the challenge in the Ashburton Guardian. I s ll have a way to go, to where I want to be. I can have many excuses (don’t we all) and there are mes I wonder whether I can do it or not. Can I work through plateaus? I just keep in mind that as fat reduces and rate of loss slows, the plateaus become longer. This means that the body is becoming used to its new weight and is less likely to go back to its previous weight. Woohoo. For the past month I have been out of ac on – physically and emo onally. My kids Grannie and a dear friend died and any focus for the challenge disappeared. Children and grandchildren all came sharing sadness and treasured memories. I couldn’t/didn’t do any exercise. It has been an exhaus ng month. Weigh day – mixed emo ons. The thrill is to find out that I lost over 6kg, broken down becomes 4kg fat lost and over 2kg lean muscle gained. This is an awesome journey for life and I have so many people to thank, especially with the support from my husband, Gavin, and family members. They have been so encouraging. Thanks everyone.

Grant Russell Weight in total: 10kg Thanks to all those that made this challenge possible, and to those that supported me. Linda you’re the one that got me there, I couldn’t have done it without you. To all the guys and gals it was great to meet you and make new friends – stay on track and live a longer healthy life. I have learnt some very valuable lessons over the past six months and hopefully they have been set in concrete. Once again thanks, enjoy what life has to oﬀer. I can’t wait for the reunion.

Amanda Niblett Weight lost in total: 10kg Six months. What an incredible ride of jubila on, frustra on, grins and tears. Similar to a booby-trapped rollercoaster, the traps being the hurdles that life can throw at you. Knowing that the challenge is over is a mixture of immense relief and happiness, but also sadness and fear. Sadness that I won’t spend as much me with 10 other amazing people that have impressed and inspired me every month, and if I’m honest, a li le fear that I may slip back into old habits. I think that’s only natural though when you work so hard to achieve something that you have struggled to overcome your en re life. Although for me the personal challenge con nues, as I realise that the changes I have made don’t end today, I will need to con nue to set goals to become the person I know I can be. The biggest reward for me has not come from my own success, but the success of the others on the challenge who have worked so hard to change their self-esteem, physical ability and their health. Knowing that this challenge has actually made a diﬀerence in people’s lives is definitely what makes me proudest from this experience. With my own ba le, I had a great final month. I only managed to nudge the scales by 3kg, but my fitness improved immensely and I had shed quite a few cen metres. It’s taken six months of trial and error, but now I understand the way in which my body reacts to food, be er than ever before. I owe everything I have learned to the constant guidance and advice from Frank at the Gym Company, and Sally Rossiter. I’m looking forward to using their knowledge and advice to make the next six months even more successful than the last.

THE DOWNTOWN WINTERGAMES

YOU 2011 weight-loss challenge

Anna shapes up by Sue Newman Look at Anna Johnson today. She’s fit, trim, energe c, has lost 24.1kg and is pre y upbeat about life. The Anna you see today, however, is not the Anna who became a new mum to daughter Tilly and 21 months later to son Pat. For that Anna, there was li le joy a er the birth of her babies, instead there were only tears and a sense of hopelessness. As other mothers celebrated, as the post baby hormones raged in her body, Anna spiralled into depression. “Within three days of Tilly’s birth I started having these feelings of wishing I hadn’t had children, I’d have this sadness where I’d just cry and cry. People said it was post-baby blues, but it just went on and on from there,” she said. She’d suﬀered a period of depression as a student and felt the same sense of hopelessness. “I kept ge ng periods of anxiety a acks where I’d think I wasn’t feeding her well. It was horrible.” But having been through depression before and having a midwife who was alert to the signs, meant Anna’s post-natal depression was quickly iden fied. She began a course of medica on. Slowly the clouds cleared and she began to enjoy her daughter and life as a new mother. “It was almost an instant turnaround, but as soon as I felt right I also felt ashamed. I was a pre-school teacher and I believed that meant I should have coped.” Anna soon realised that post-natal depression had nothing to do with how prepared she was for motherhood, that it had everything to do with chemicals within her brain. For her, one of the side eﬀects of that depression was ea ng. While she might have dealt with the problem with medica on and the consola on of food, Anna said she was fortunate to have a big support network around her. Making it through that tough period would have been very, very tough without family and friends, she said. “With Tilly I felt I was a bad mum, but with Pat, I felt it was okay, it was my body not dealing with the chemicals. For me, I was lucky the medica on clicked early on and because I’d taken it before I knew it would work, but I also knew it would get worse with each baby and I’m lucky to have had a boy and a girl.” nna’s depression cleared and she pulled her life back together, but bad ea ng pa erns had become established and by the me Pat was nine months old, her baby bulges were showing no signs of disappearing. “I had about 20kg extra on, I’d never been that big. I knew if I didn’t do anything it would just con nue. When I put on that weight I had no goals, no challenges.” Between Tilly’s birth and Pat’s pregnancy, Anna trained for and completed Methven’s Girls on Bikes event and while she improved her fitness, the post baby layers remained. Anna decided the public nature of the Guardian’s weightloss challenge would provide her with the incen ve she needed to drop the extra kilograms. “I like a challenge and I like compe on and this was so public. People around Methven have been very interested and that’s kept me on track.” For her, the big change has been in reducing the quan ty of carbohydrates she eats and for someone who admits to loving bread and pasta, that hasn’t always been easy. Today she eats mainly vegetables, fruit, meat and eggs and balances this with plenty of physical ac vity. Husband Jeremy is the family cook and while he s ll prepares plenty of carbohydrates for himself, he makes sure Anna has the right food in the right quan es for her body’s needs. “It’s very hard not to have carbs when you go to a café. I don’t not go out to avoid it. When I do go out I have carbs and then work to control it at home. And when I have something like a poached egg, then I do have toast.” Ea ng too much has never been a problem for Anna, but snacking was. Now with her tailor-made food guide, ge ng it right is ge ng easier. She’s training for a half marathon and says if she hadn’t lost weight this would have been an impossible challenge. “Now everything’s achievable. I’ve done this through an

Anna Johnson battled her post natal depression prompted-weight gain, by joining the Guardian’s weight loss challenge and dropping 24.1kg, 27 per cent of her body weight.

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 040811-KG-012

ac vity and diet mix. I think I would have lost weight just on a diet, but you get be er endorphins and the feel-good factor with exercise in the mix too.” She believes she’ll always have to be vigilant about food. “It’s like being an alcoholic. You s ll have to consider what you’re ea ng. I’ll always have to think about it, I’ll always have to consider what’s going in my mouth.” One of the big rewards for losing weight has been the need to buy a new wardrobe. She’s lost two or three dress sizes. Before she started the challenge she was s ll wearing maternity clothes. Weight gain is something most people can relate to, postnatal depression is not and while it’s not always easy, Anna says the first step on the healing path is talking. “That’s not always easy because people o en don’t want to talk about it. I could have not told people how I felt, but I stood up and shouted it out, I cried out for help. Don’t be quiet about it, it isn’t like breaking a leg, it’s a sickness you can’t see and you need help.” When she started talking about her depression, she was

surprised by the number of women telling her of their own experiences. “All the ads are right, you have to talk about it, it was no judgment on me personally, it wasn’t me at the me. I was controlled by a chemical reac on in my brain.” Post-natal depression is not just hard on the new mother, it’s hard on the whole family, Anna said. “Jeremy wanted to be happy about Tilly but he had to watch his wife suﬀering. “With all the emo ons you’re having, you’re very, very red. I was lucky, I had the tools to be able to talk about it and being involved in the community helped me get through it because I knew I couldn’t shut life away.” Being involved in the community also helped with her sense of iden ty; she was more than just Tilly and Pat’s mum. “It was a big key, knowing that I’m me with an iden ty of my own. It’s the lowest of the low having post-natal depression, but if that’s all I get in life, then I’m lucky. “My challenge now is to get through the next six months. Ge ng to your goal is easy, but it’s now about staying there.”

YOU and your family

19 What makes your family ck? YOU’s Susan Sandys asks the ques on of local families. This issue features Liz McMillan and her children Floyd, 6, and Estella, 4. Liz is chairperson of the Methven Community Board, and is undertaking supervisor training through Methven Playcentre.

Keeping to a routine works! What is the main thing you would like your children to learn from you? To live life to its fullest, to make the most of every opportunity that presents itself, and to have fun doing it. And respect – respect for others and respect for the Earth.

Do you have any tips for harmonious family life, such as discipline methods and parenting techniques? Paren ng is not easy and there are days when you feel like you aren’t doing the best job you could be doing. I am learning a lot through the courses I am taking at Playcentre and I find keeping to a rou ne works. A good catch-up with friends to talk about how you are dealing with things also helps.

How long have you lived in Methven and what is it that keeps your family here?

PHOTO SARAH CHAMBERLAIN 040811-SC-009

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I came to Methven in winter 1996 and for the next four winters. I returned in 2003 and have lived here ever since. I can’t imagine moving from Methven. I love the strong community, living near the mountains, and the fact that it is a safe place to bring up my two children.

What activities in Methven do you enjoy doing as a family? We go skiing when we can, and o en in summer will head to Awa Awa Rata Reserve or the Rakaia Gorge for a walk. As Floyd and Estella get older I am looking forward to taking them hiking on the Mt Somers walkway. We also spend me at our farmers’ market in the summer; some mes the children will sell bits and pieces from our garden. We also love just hanging out at home, which usually involves the lounge floor covered in toys, a bit of dancing, and lots of laughs.

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YOU street smart and technology

The YOU team will be running a monthly series on interes ng, flash, classy and/or fresh looks on the street. Guardian photographer Carmen Rooney and sub-editor Lisa Fenwick caught Ken Pow recently who was out and about shopping with his wife. We thought he looked pre y dapper, so YOU photographer Carmen Rooney chased him down, literally, and we got the lowdown on his fashion views.

Dapper in winter gear Ashburton College interna onal director and head of languages, Ken Pow, likes to dress smartly at all mes, and while fit and comfort are important, the look just has to be right. He wears a shirt and e to school at all mes and believes the younger generaon could do with leaving oﬀ the black every now and again and adding more colour. He has no preference with colour for himself, but does lean more towards earthy tones. The hoodies and trackpants don’t do much for young people either, according to Ken. He would like to see them in clothing a bit more fi ng. And while he has always been a jeans wearer, he has relaxed on the ‘breed’. It

doesn’t have to be Levi’s, Levi’s and more Levi’s anymore, he wears any brand as long as they fit nicely. “Fit is most important,” he said. Ken said he and his wife were not sale people, but they do try to shop locally and he would say he’s a careful, measured shopper rather than a bargain hunter. His jeans, shoes and shirt were bought locally, while his jacket is a wool blend bought in London. The scarf was a gi , but is Italian-made, 100 per cent wool. As a blast from the past, his shoes were bought at Brown’s Shoes on special seven to 10 years ago … so buying good quality has certainly paid oﬀ.

Right – Ken Pow, keeping warm on a chilly day and looking good doing it. 200711-CR-108

Spying on your

children? by Amanda Durry Social networking sites may be foreign language to some parents but a study in the United Kingdom has shown more parents are logging on to sites to spy on their children. The study found 55 per cent of mothers and fathers thought nothing of snooping around on their children’s profiles to see what they were up to, with almost one in 20 logging on through friend’s accounts to avoid detec on. However, 40 per cent said they did not spy on their children and the remaining 5 per cent said they would if they knew how. Just under a third looked at pictures their children had uploaded, 41 per cent monitor their children’s status updates and 39 per cent looked at their wall, where they and friends can write things. While we haven’t seen results from a similar survey in New Zealand, it’s clear it also happens here. Anyone with a Facebook profile might be

friends with their own parents, family members, friend’s family members and a ra of other adults. As Facebook grows in popularity, now up to 600 million members, is it really that surprising? It is just a case of adults realising the worth of being on social networking sites such as Facebook, much like they took to cellphones. Not only is it a great way to stay in touch, it makes them more accessible and is also a great way to keep in touch with their own friends. One Ashburton parent, who did not wish to be named, said she only joined when her 18-yearold daughter went overseas. “I knew Facebook was the way she keeps in touch with people and it’s instant. “I try not to snoop too o en but all the informa on is in the public domain so some mes it’s more informa on than I want to know. “Most people I know don’t even want to know what their kids are up to or their kids won’t add their parents as a friend so it just depends on the rela onship really,” she said.

YOU Christmas functions advertising feature

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either with con nuous ac on, MCs, prize giveaways and a visit from Santa. With that on oﬀer and a brand new look, Christmas at the Races is well and truly set to grow on a successful 2010 campaign. On-Course Marke ng and Events Manager Janice Hill said customer feedback about the Christmas at the Races experience had been overwhelmingly posi ve, with people enjoying an exci ng racing element that made for a Christmas party unlike any other. Whether it’s with friends and family, workmates, those making their on-course debut or seasoned punters, there’s something for everyone at a Christmas at the Races event. For more informa on, visit theraces. co.nz, email info@theraces.co.nz or call 0800 102 106 for a free brochure

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YOU and your travels

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Above – Selwyn Allred with the catch of his trip – a tyee salmon. Left – Lois Allred with some halibut caught while on a fishing trip at sea from Hommer, Alaska. Below – The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Cananda – a highlight of the Allreds’ trip.

YOU and your travels

Tracking down an elusive Alaskan ‘king’ by Erin Bishop Selwyn Allred went to Alaska in search of an elusive Alaskan king salmon. And a er 10 weeks of fishing and sightseeing with wife Lois, the couple arrived home with 20kg of frozen fish to fill their freezer, but no big Alaskan king salmon. A keen fisherman for more years than he can remember, Selwyn said Alaska provided some of the world’s best salmon fishing and the sheer size and number of the Alaskan king salmon was the drawcard. Alaska, the most north-western American state, has a rich fishing history. And the fishing, scenery, local wildlife and history of the area, made for one unforge able trip for the Methven couple. Their journey began in Vancouver, Canada, where they bought a 28-foot camper. It was their third trip to Alaska and in the past they’d hired a van but with the cost and the limit on how many kilometres they could do a day, and with a 14,000km journey in front of them, buying was for them. With their temporary home on wheels ready, they went searching for fishing spots. “We knew what we wanted to do and made the plans as we went along,” Selwyn said. They plo ed a route through western Canada including Bri sh Colombia and Yukon to Alaska, with Seward providing the first fishing of the trip. They travelled to Hommer on the Southern Alaskan Kenai Peninsula where Selwyn fished a number of streams and rivers. While Lois has a fishing licence in New Zealand, she didn’t fish in Alaska because they were only allowed to bring 10kg of frozen, commercially packed fish home each. So she learned to crochet on the banks of some spectacular rivers while her husband fished. Rivers and streams provided the bulk of their fishing spots but they did make a trip out to sea from Hommer and caught some halibut, and what didn’t get turned into delicious meals in their camper was frozen along with other fish they’d caught like sockeye salmon, for the trip home. hey took the Top of the World Highway from Tok through Chicken to Dawson City and were pointed in the direc on of the Dempster Highway by some of the many friendly locals they met along the way. They took a 748km trip up a dirt and gravel road, passing wolves, foxes, grizzly bears and moose and crossed the Arc c Circle then onto Inuvik in the North West Territory It was summer and with around 22 hours of daylight each day at their disposal, from Inuvik they flew to the Arc c Ocean, where they dipped their feet in the water, and ventured into an underground natural freezer chamber, 30-feet underground, where families store their catch. With Selwyn being Methven’s fire chief, a trip to a fire museum and a Canada Day parade featuring fire and rescue appliances, was also a feature of the trip. Selwyn’s fishing rod came out again on the way back through Canada, and while he did manage to catch a sizeable Tyee salmon there it wasn’t the Alaskan one he was looking for. They drove to Prince Rupert and ferried down to Port Hardy, on Vancouver Island, before going on to Victoria where they explored the magnificent Butchart Gardens, in an old lime quarry – a highlight of the trip for Lois. Back in Vancouver they put their camper into storage ready for their fourth Alaskan adventure next year when Selwyn hopes to snag his elusive big king salmon. He said everywhere they went they were told that they were two weeks early for what they were looking for. So next year they’re hoping to me it right. But there’s more travel on the agenda before then. Next up, they’re taking their five grandchildren to America where they’ll go to Disneyland and Lois will add to her collecon of Christmas decora ons. Her souvenir buying on the couple’s adventures involves Christmas tree decora ons, which means every year when she sets up her Christmas tree, every decora on has a story and a memory.

Above – On top of the world – Selwyn and Lois Allred at the Arctic Circle. Right – The Allreds in an underground natural freezer chamber. Bottom left – Wildlife was everywhere to be seen in Alaska, including this grizzly bear.

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YOU car-mania

Vehicles of all shapes and sizes are seen on Mid Canterbury roads. One that may have caught the eye as the flash of white flies by is a Paul Clark’s Lamborghini. Just for YOU, Jonathan Leask looks at a true sports car.

Hot

sports stuff! Above – Power and precison, the Lamborghini Murciélagois is a real raging bull. Left – Wendy Liu and Paul Clark stand beside the “ultimate sports car”. Right – Inside its all elegance packed full of all the mod-cons.

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The Lamborghini Murciélago is the ul mate sports car, according to proud owner Paul Clark. A mechanic by trade, Paul is re red with a dis nguished line-up of cars in his garage, but the 2008 model Murciélago is his prized possession. “I’ve got a Bentley turbo, a Ferrari 355, a Ferrari RX7 but the Lamborghini is the favourite. It is the ul mate sports car.” The Lamborgini raging bull logo that adorns the bonnet is fi ng indeed for the Murciélago. “It’s a powerful machine with a V12 engine and 640 horsepower. It’s an E-gear, so a manual, but has electronic gears, and has ceramic brakes like a Formula 1 car.” It may also be Paul’s favourite because, although it has a large price tag, it was somewhat of a “lucky purchase”. “I pulled all my money out of South Canterbury Finance and put it towards buying the car. “I thought at the me it was a bit of a silly thing to do but in the end it turned out to be

pre y lucky because the company went belly up not long a er. “Now I’ve got something I can see, touch and enjoy rather than nothing.” The Murciélago is an all-wheel-drive, midengined super sports car, with the LP 640 indica ng the engine’s orienta on (Longitudinale Posteriore), along with the newly uprated power output. “It’s 4WD and handles like a dream on the road. It’s like driving on rails ...” It is not only powerful but also elegant. One of the vehicle’s most dis nguishing features are its scissor doors and angular design. It has an excep onally low-slung body with the highest point of the roof being just under 4 feet above the ground. “Even though it’s low, it’s a big car and is hard to park because it’s quite wide.” However, a Murciélago is not an everyday car by any stretch of the imagina on. “It’s not just for running around in, it’s a true sports car and it only comes out for special occasions. I’ve had for just on a year and haven’t clocked up 1000 miles yet.”

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YOU and your travels

Local history brought to life by Lance Isbister Gilbert Donaldson has learned plenty about his family’s past and Mid Canterbury through his research. He’s as talka ve as he is passionate about the history of Mid Canterbury, a place six genera ons of his family have called home. Over the years Gilbert has brought the district’s history to life through a collec on of photos, facts, diaries and obituaries, which have been handed down through the family or sourced from local and na onal archives. Gilbert’s home is a treasure trove of rural relics, which reflect the rich agricultural heritage of Mid Canterbury, a heritage of which his ancestors were very much a part. His family’s roots run deep, his great-great grandfather Joseph Armstrong first came to Mt Somers from England in 1859 as the first gardener for estate owner Percival Cox. At the me Mt Somers was undeveloped and barren with no fences or roads, and it was Joseph’s job to establish Mr Cox’s expansive property with trees. However it was that early bareness of Mt Somers which led to Joseph’s death in 1875. He was travelling to get groceries from the local store, and was caught in a snowstorm which le seven feet 2.7cm of snow on the ground. Because there were no roads, fences and li le in the way of farm structures, Joseph could not get a bearing to make his way out of the storm and died from exposure. It was not un l the snow thawed, that his body was found. For many years Joseph Armstrong was believed to be the first person to be buried in Mt Somers’ first cemetery behind the domain. It wasn’t un l Gilbert did some more research that he discovered a young girl by the name of Margaret Harrison died a decade earlier in 1868 but had been mistakenly buried with the date of her headstone reading 1886. Joseph’s wife Anna was le to raise their three children (two daughters and a son). Their daughter Eliza went on to marry Robert Todd (Gilbert’s great grandfather, a wagoner who le Ireland in 1866). obert carted limestone from a quarry from Mt Somers, which was used in the construc on of Christchurch’s early churches. Through the lucra ve trade he also bought a farm at Mt Somers. Their three sons and three daughters were first-day pupils who a ended Mt Somers School when it opened in 1876. In 1918 Robert died in an accident when car ng a load of mber out of Mt Somers sta on on a wagon. He drowned driving the wagon through a creek when one of the wagon wheels collapsed and the wagon-load of mber collapsed on top of him. Robert was buried in Mt Somers’ second cemetery. Gilbert’s paternal great grandfather William Anderson came from Ireland with his sister Martha in 1868. He also made a lucra ve trade from cartage in Mid Canterbury. He ini ally bought a 200 acre (81 hectare) farm at Lakeside and later moved to Longbeach in 1878 where he bought a 1000 acre (162 hectare) farm. Before long their parents and brothers, who heard of William’s prosperity, came to Canterbury to pursue their own farming fortunes. All four brothers would eventually own around 1000 acres (404 hectares) each in Mid Canterbury. William’s sister Martha married William Fleming, whom the region is named a er. By the me their children went to school a er it opened in 1881 there were five Flemings and 14 Anderson children in a endance. William kept me culous records of his wheat thrashing business, which harvested wheat, oats and barley and had a run which included Flemington, Lowcliﬀe, Hinds, Maronan, Mayfield, Westerfield and Tinwald throughout the harvest season. From William’s account book, Gilbert learned the opera on consisted of a trac on engine, teams of horses, a whare and thrashing mill, un l he sold the business in 1907 a er 12 years. The account book itself is a prized family heirloom which details the workings of the business more than a century ago.

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 230511-KG-021

Ashburton man Gilbert Donaldson has accumulated a wealth of Mid Canterbury history through records of his family who were early farmers and settlers in the area.

YOU foodies

Try some gnocchi Recipe of with pesos for luck the month Congratulations to last months winner Stephanie Winchester Ashburton

A warming winter soup â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no ordinary vegetable soup! Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 5 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins 1 Tablespoon canola oil 2 Tablespoons Tandoori Palace Tandoori Paste 1 medium onion, peeled and diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and diced 1 kumara, peeled and diced 2 sticks celery cut into 2cm slices (optional) 1 litre vegetable stock (or water)

Mirna Dassano from Argentina with a traditional meal of gnocchi.

Gnocchi

Ingredients:

cially for Kiwis to try,â&#x20AC;? she said. When making her chosen tradi onal dish, gnocchi, at events such as the mul -cultural bite, the response has been mixed. In Argen na, on the 29th day of every month, it is common to order the dish in a restaurant or prepare it at home for friends and family. To bring them luck and prosperity, two pesos are placed underneath the plate.

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 200711-KG-012

Tandoori Vegetable Soup

A change in lifestyle hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meant a change in a love of food for Mirna Dassano and her husband. The Argen ne couple has been in New Zealand for 10 months, and hopes to stay permanently, but Mirna admits they s ll enjoy food from their homeland quite o en. But the food is not so diďŹ&#x20AC;erent here in New Zealand, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We s ll have two big meals during the day though and I like to cook, espe-

-002 11-KG 2007

Method: 1. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan and stir fry paste and onion for 1 minute. 2. Add remaining vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes until well coated and slightly browned. 3. Add vegetable stock, bring to boil and simmer until vegetables cooked. 4. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and chopped coriander.

Ingredients

â&#x20AC;˘ 2kg potatoes (about 6)

â&#x20AC;˘ salt and pepper â&#x20AC;˘ 2 eggs

â&#x20AC;˘ 2-3c flour, plus more for dus ng

Handy Hints:

Method

Serve with warmed naan bread. Baby new potatoes look and taste good in this soup.

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T d Tandoori i Palace P l Giveaway Post your self addressed envelope to: Barkers Giveaway, Amanda Niblett, PO Box 77, Ashburton 7700. E-mail: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz, subject header: Barkers Giveaway. Please include your name, address and phone number. Only complete entries will be included in the draw.

TO TEKAPO

TO TIMARU

TALBOT ST TO CHRISTCHURCH

Peel and cut the potatoes, pu ng them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add a scant handful of salt. Put the potatoes on to boil un l they are tender when pierced with a fork, but not mushy. Drain them. Put the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, salt and pepper and mix well using your hands or a fork un l a consistent dough is formed. Add the flour a half cup at a me, mixing each me by hand un l there is so , pliable dough. The dough should not be s cky, and it should not be hard. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too s cky or so , the gnocchi will be mushy, but if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much flour, the gnocchi will be chewy and tough. This is the challenging part! Knead the dough a few mes un l uniform, and divide the dough in half. Flour a work area, and roll the dough out into a long thin roll. Cut these tubes

of dough into sec ons about 1cm long. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. There are a variety of ways to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the gnocchi but this is just a style choice, since at this point, they are more or less done. Here are some sugges ons: Mark an indenta on in the centre of each gnocchi with your index finger; or roll over the side of a cheese grater to make pa erned indenta ons; or roll over the backside of a fork, or roll over the centre of a wooden gnocchi tool. At this point, the gnocchi can be frozen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; laid out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. A er they are frozen, they can be stored in a freezer bag. Frozen gnocchi are just put into the boiling water like the unfrozen ones. Throw the gnocchi one at a me into the boiling water. They are cooked when they rise to the top. Collect with a slo ed spoon and transfer to a plate. Serve with the sauce of your choice.

YOU wedded bliss

Rarotonga perfection A er 10 years together, Mark and Rachelle (nee Harvey) McDowell wanted a simple, stress-free wedding. The couple wanted to be barefoot on the beach and keep it easy so they could just relax and enjoy their day with family and friends in lush tropical surroundings. What they got, according to Rachelle, was perfec on. They chose Muri Beach, Rarotonga, for their July 11 nup als. “It was everything you dreamed of. I wouldn’t change a thing.” The Muri Beachcomber, which only holds two weddings a year, organised everything, so the relaxed bride and groom just sat back and enjoyed it. One of the highlights for Rachelle was her 88-year-old grand-dad, Reg Unwin, making the four-and-a-half hour flight to give her away. One trusting bride: Rachelle shows off the lovely simple lines of her white and purple-trim gown.

Newlyweds Mark and Rachelle (nee Harvey) McDowell. Left – Rachelle, her grand-dad Reg Unwin and groom Mark. Right – Perfectly poised, bride Rachelle has a moment to herself.

YOU legalised

Quake damage issues to be aware of Each month YOU gives readers the opportunity to ask that burning legal ques on. We’ll take it to a lawyer to get a response. Email your ques on to peter.o@theguardian.co.nz or drop it oﬀ at our oﬃce in Burne Street. Your name is not essen al for publica on, but please include a contact point in case we need to clarify anything. Ques on: I am considering buying a property but am concerned about any exis ng or poten al earthquake damage. How can I deal with this?

Answer: Since the September and subsequent earthquakes there have been numerous issues arising in rela on to property transac ons and there are several things to be aware of. Before signing a contract to buy a property, you should consider including in the contract specific clauses sta ng that the contract is condi onal on you being able to obtain suitable finance and insurance and that you may obtain professional reports, such as reports from a building inspector, structural engineer or geotechnical engineer. Your bank and insurance company may also require these reports.

Christina Clarke

These clauses should be dra ed so that if you are not able to obtain finance or insurance, or you are not sa sfied with the professional reports, you can cancel the contract. If the property has been damaged by earthquakes, you should make sure that the vendor has made appropriate Earthquake Commission (“EQC”) and insurance claims in rela on to the damage. You will also need to

include a clause in the contract sta ng that if the claims are paid out prior to se lement, the proceeds must be held in trust for you or used to repair the damage. If the EQC claim is not paid out prior to se lement then the claims would be assigned to you and you would then be able to deal directly with EQC. You may also want to state in the contract who will be responsible for paying the excess on the claims. If there is further earthquake damage a er the contract is signed, but prior to se lement, this will be covered by the standard provisions of the contract, unless otherwise agreed. The contract provides for cancella on if the damage is so severe that the property is “untenantable” or for the price

to be reduced to reflect the damage if the property is not untenantable. In prac ce, further earthquake damage is usually dealt with by a further EQC claim which can be assigned to the purchaser on se lement as described above. This publica on is intended only to provide a brief summary of the subjects covered. It does not cons tute legal advice and should not be relied on as such without first obtaining specific professional advice based on your par cular circumstances. If you have any queries regarding this ar cle or a property law query in general, please contact Chris na Clarke at Nicoll Cooney Silva Limited on 03 308-4188 or chris na.clarke@nicolaw.co.nz

YOU and your gems

Family treasures

by Sue Newman Cynthia Tindall might spend her working life surrounded by other people’s treasures, but that doesn’t stop her having a few special pieces of her own. For the an que and collec bles specialist the story behind two pieces of jewellery make them extra special; their story is her family’s story. A striking amber and pearl bracelet speaks very clearly of its 1930s art deco past. It belonged to Cynthia’s godmother and in every way it reflects its original owner, in that it is a strong piece, she said. Cynthia has just had the amber bracelet restrung and remodeled; the pearls are a modern day addi on and one she knows her godmother would have approved. “She was a lovely lady, a spinster, but she was

a woman ahead of her mes. She worked for an engineering firm in Timaru as a book-keeper, but if it had been today, she would have been an accountant.” As one of the new wave of career women, Miss Alison Whi on, who died in 1994, also enjoyed a smoke and the odd gin. As part of her family’s jewellery heirlooms, Cynthia wears her grandmother’s engagement ring. The London Bridge three-diamond ring is desned to make its way down the family chain. She inherited it from her mother and it will eventually be worn by her own daughter, Rachel. While her grandmother wore li le jewellery, her engagement ring was always lovingly cared for and worn with pride. While the ring had big sen mental value for her grandmother, Cynthia suspects for her investor grandfather, its value was monetary rather than emo onal.

PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 050811-CR-064

Keeping it in the family, Cynthia Tindall with two family heirloom pieces of jewellery, her godmother’s amber bracelet and her grandmother’s engagement ring.

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