David and Helga
We are the Seniors and we moved to Christchurch in 2001, swapping one small island, Bermuda, where we had lived, to a slightly larger island, the South Island of New Zealand. We live in Cashmere, a suburb to the south of Christchurch, on the edge of the Port Hills, which means there are lots of places to walk and cycle. We have two adult children, who have both long since left home. Liam who lives in Japan and Caitlin who lives in Auckland.
We retired from teaching in 2020. David used the opportunity to walk the Te Araroa, New Zealand's 3000km tramping trail. When not going walkabout, David spends his time reading, listening to the news and chasing Myrtle, our pet rabbit, around the garden.
Helga has been busy learning how to play the piano and paint using watercolours. She spends a large amount of time in the garden, growing vegetables and looking after our bee hive and bee friendly garden.
We play croquet socially and are members of the Cashmere Croquet Club. Swinging mallets is such fun
We enjoy travelling and we are off to Japan again in 2027.
Painting and Community Planting
Helga started to learn to paint using watercolours while on a cruise and has enjoyed it ever since. Helga's painting is of the torii (shrine) at Miyajima, which we visited in 2025.
Helga is also busy with the community planting along the Heathcote river, running between some local bridges. She spends one morning a week with other volunteers. The work has been ongoing for about the last four years, planting, mulching and generally tending to the plants we've put into the ground during this time. The local community love the results of our work, commenting on the difference the natives make to the bird life and general aesthetic of the environment , it looks great!
Tramping
David is a member of the Over Forties Tramping Club based in Christchurch. The club has a full programme of short and long tramps across the South Island. New Zealand has some stunning scenery.
The photo shows David making slow progress up Crooked Spur above Bush Stream in the Two Thumb Range. This coming October he will be tramping the five day Old Ghost Road again. Hopefully he will have some good weather when crossing the Alpine Ridges on days two and three before entering the rainforest.
