For the record, our last night in New Zealand was marked by another wonderful dinner at our favorite Wellington restaurant, GREAT INDIA. Just a sad, but magic time leaving this country that has been so welcoming and enjoyable.
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OK! As Jody and I wind down our trip to New Zealand (Middle Earth), you knew that we had to bring some of Middle Earth back with us, right? But of course, I now have the ONE RING with the evil Mordor script burned onto its surface along with the chain that Frodo wore on his trip to Mount Doom. Jody has her EVENSTAR pendant worn by Arwen, who gave it to the future king of Middle Earth, Aragorn (AKA Strider), when she renounced her Elvish immortality for the love of a mortal. Pretty neat. Now, if only I can get enough courage to put my ring on and do something cool while invisible. 
As we enter the last two weeks in New Zealand, I have now devolved into playing with paints in the sandbox. My first oil painting since I painted by numbers as a child (don't laugh). Under Jody's tutelage, my impression of the Milky Way over the Church of the Good Shepherd in Tekapo, New Zealand about three weeks ago.  This is one of our favorite iconic pieces of popular culture artwork from New Zealand. It depicts Mickey Mouse transfprming into an indigenous Maori.    My hiking boots purchased from Target for $60.00 last December 2013 before leaving for New Zealand. These boots took me over volcanoes mountains, rivers, streams, Wellington streets, the Bush, etc without a problem. They kept my feet totally dry as well. Before leaving I read that I would need to spend about $200 on boots. Not true! I wear them virtually every day. I love 'em! 
Just two weeks after our wonderful "night sky" trip to Tekapo, another major event occurred last night - the performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony performed by the New Zealand Orchestra in Wellington. I've been waiting to hear this symphony performed "live" for 45 years. It was glorious. The NZ Symphony easily matches our major symphony orchestras in Sarasota and Tampa. This 1 hour, 20 minute work of musical genius held the audience in thrall. I consider it THE symphony of the 20th Century. It's the composer's "farewell" to life as he was dying from heart failure while composing it. It's filled with love of life and the heartbreak and final acceptance at leaving it. First performed in 1912, one year after Mahler's death, for me in many ways the symphony foretells the tragedy of the 20th century, a century marked with two world wars and unbelievable suffering and death on a worldwide scale. I defy anyone listening to this symphony not to be moved by its beauty, hence the NZ Orchestra's dubbing it "Terrifying Beauty". If you have never heard it, please do so, but have tissues ready. Jody and I followed this up with a wonderful Indian dinner at our favorite Indian Restaurant, Great India. What an unforgettable night! 
Happy Birthday Sweetheart! I get to be the first to wish you Happy Birthday as it is now August 1 in New Zealand, 16 hours ahead of the U.S. Love, Dick 
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July 2017
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