Moonshine Valley news is brought to you by the team at Upper Hutt Leader
Recent posts
Thank you for using Neighbourly
A bonus this week, Jack the cat and Lily the Maltese Sydney Silkie cross.
Jack belongs to Catrina Nicholson.
"Jack is seven years old and we have had him for under two months now. I put out a post asking if anyone was trying to find a home for a cat they could no longer take care of. So we… View moreA bonus this week, Jack the cat and Lily the Maltese Sydney Silkie cross.
Jack belongs to Catrina Nicholson.
"Jack is seven years old and we have had him for under two months now. I put out a post asking if anyone was trying to find a home for a cat they could no longer take care of. So we had two on the day we went to see them. And we went for this boy Jack, settled in so fast."
Lily belongs to John and Virginia Francis, from Paraparaumu.
"Our Lily is a Maltese Sydney Silkie cross. At 17 months she is fully grown at 3kg. Loves meeting children and other small dogs."
If you want your pet featured, email us on yourpet@dompost.co.nz with a recent photo.
There was a short but quite intense earthquake this morning, centred near Upper Hutt. Did you feel it?
Need to see a doctor over Christmas? Don’t bother calling Waikanae Health. It would be quicker to go and wait in A & E to be seen.
For the past seven months I have been attempting to make an appointment with Waikanae Health without success. Most of the time when I called I have just been… View moreNeed to see a doctor over Christmas? Don’t bother calling Waikanae Health. It would be quicker to go and wait in A & E to be seen.
For the past seven months I have been attempting to make an appointment with Waikanae Health without success. Most of the time when I called I have just been permanently left on hold. I tried for days at one stage to get a Covid test and ended up going to Team Medical, who did the test the very next morning and I didn’t even have to get out of the car. They were brilliant. I have been unable to get through to Waikanae Health using manage my health which appears to have crashed. Once, I did get through to Waikanae health and managed to arrange a telephone consult. I waited for hours but no one ever called. I subsequently found that a script had been faxed through to the pharmacy, but no one bothered to tell me that. Believing that perseverance pays off, I managed to get another appointment for this morning for a repeat prescription. I had written the time down as 9.30 and when I arrived I was 5 minutes late.
Firstly, the receptionist told me there was no booking for this appointment in the system. After searching for some time she told me it was a telephone consult, also incorrect. Finally she found it and went to talk to the doctor. By this stage I was 10 minutes late and the doctor refused to see me. When I mentioned that manage my health appeared to have crashed, the reception informed me that they were using another computer system. No information was given about an alternative patient portal so I can only assume that patient’s needs are too much of a bother for this provider.
Todays refusal to be seen was the final straw for me and I left feeling furious. I am seriously considering a formal complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner about the lack of access to health care. I am usually a fairly assertive person with good health literacy. If I can’t get access to health care, how are others getting on? I read on one neighbourly post that a patient believed Waikanae Health were hiding from their patients and I chuckled when I read it. Now I’m thinking maybe they were right. I noted there was no one else in the clinic when I went there.
My concerns about the level of health care given by this provider go back even further, with my regular doctor permanently on leave. Some twelve months ago the doctor I saw informed me bluntly that, at a size 16, I was obese. Having taught med students for many years, I do not believe they are invincible. As a lifestyle block owner I routinely engage in hard physical work 4-6 hours each day. I have a high level of muscle mass and, despite carrying a little extra weight, I am strong and reasonably fit. The doctor couldn’t see past the empiricism to consider the social determinants of health. I am well aware of the limitations of the BMI (for example, the All Blacks are considered obese as the calculations do not differentiate between fat and muscle tissue) and also the current aging research (my PhD area) that suggests that carrying a little extra weight in older age can be advantageous. I felt the treatment I received was offensive, tactless and poorly informed.
I’m not that impressed with Mahara Health either, given some of the feedback I have received. I have also had dealings with some of the medics there in other health settings and encountered attitudes toward disability that properly belong in the Dickensian era. So looks like I will have to leave the district to find a decent doctor. Can anyone out there recommend a good one?
For 18 months, Nikki Guthardt’s thought her cat was probably dead. She’d even mourned over what she thought was his body.
But then, the cat came back.
Romeo the cat was last seen running out Guthardt’s front door not long after her family shifted to Upper Hutt in June last year.
Month … View moreFor 18 months, Nikki Guthardt’s thought her cat was probably dead. She’d even mourned over what she thought was his body.
But then, the cat came back.
Romeo the cat was last seen running out Guthardt’s front door not long after her family shifted to Upper Hutt in June last year.
Month after month she posted about Romeo, asking people to keep en eye out for him on community pages and lost pet registers.
They are known around the traps at Wellington Hospital as the three wise men, but Christmas Day triplets Elia, Rumi, and Sameer Alqudah were only born in the capital because there was no room at the Auckland inn.
The three boys – Elia and Rumi are identical twins while Sameer, or Sam, is… View moreThey are known around the traps at Wellington Hospital as the three wise men, but Christmas Day triplets Elia, Rumi, and Sameer Alqudah were only born in the capital because there was no room at the Auckland inn.
The three boys – Elia and Rumi are identical twins while Sameer, or Sam, is their non-identical triplet – were delivered by Caesarean section in Wellington Hospital in that order at 11.49am, 11.50am, and 11.53am on Friday.
Their mother, Dina Wahid, can't praise the staff at Wellington Hospital enough.
Happy New Year to everyone on Neighbourly. This week we feature Rosa Marie, who took her camera out on Christmas Day. You have got to love the picture of the pied stilt chick!
"Before the festivities began, it was a quick drive over the Pauahatanui Inlet to try and capture some Kingfishers on… View moreHappy New Year to everyone on Neighbourly. This week we feature Rosa Marie, who took her camera out on Christmas Day. You have got to love the picture of the pied stilt chick!
"Before the festivities began, it was a quick drive over the Pauahatanui Inlet to try and capture some Kingfishers on camera, but it turned out to be Pied Stilt kind of day as we couldn't see any Kingfishers. Most of these photos are taken from one of the hides! There were Pied Stilt chicks too so their parental concern was quite evident from lots of noisy flapping of wings at other birds when they got too close. They were quite grumpy with each other too!"
Where: Te Horo Community Hall, School Road, Te Horo,
When: Sunday 3 January 10am - 1pm
A truly friendly, community country market - Shop local and support your community!
Lots of stalls both inside and outside including Plants, Quality Handmade Crafts - Designer Face Masks, Quality Stationery, … View moreWhere: Te Horo Community Hall, School Road, Te Horo,
When: Sunday 3 January 10am - 1pm
A truly friendly, community country market - Shop local and support your community!
Lots of stalls both inside and outside including Plants, Quality Handmade Crafts - Designer Face Masks, Quality Stationery, Doggy Bandanas, Mosaics, Ceramics, Pottery, Tiles, Quilts, Tableware, Clothing, Knits, Merino Goodies, Hats, Gloves and Scarves. Jewellery, Skincare, Books, Bric-a-Brac, Up-cycled and Re-Purposed Home Wares and Furniture and lots lots more.
There will be Food - Artisan Breads, Gourmet Sauces, Jams and Chutneys, Olive Oils, including a fundraising Popup Café selling yummy Food along with Tea/Coffee.
Do come and enjoy a day out at a real country market day - There’s plenty of parking.
Make a day of it and enjoy what the Kapiti Coast has to offer. NZ COVID Q Code Tracer Poster, Sign-In Forms and Sanitizer will be available.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday 3 January at the Te Horo Community Hall. All welcome!!
Hi Neighjbourly folk, I am doing a story on the various colours pohutukawa and rata come in.
If you have any pics or know where any yellow, orange or white variants are, I would love to hear from you.
nicholas.boyack@stuff.co.nz or 027 6420086
Planning on doing some op shopping? Good idea – make sure to pop into your Red Cross Shop, we have more than 40 around the country! It is also a great time to drop off your unwanted Christmas gifts or to find someone else's pre-loved treasure.
We can't wait to see you and happy op … View morePlanning on doing some op shopping? Good idea – make sure to pop into your Red Cross Shop, we have more than 40 around the country! It is also a great time to drop off your unwanted Christmas gifts or to find someone else's pre-loved treasure.
We can't wait to see you and happy op shopping!
Meet Ralph! This sweet boy spent months in SPCA care waiting for a forever family, and just ahead of Christmas, his dream came true.
His new dad Roger shares how Ralph is settling in.
"On day one of our adoption trial, we drove home together and Ralph held my hand the whole trip home (how … View moreMeet Ralph! This sweet boy spent months in SPCA care waiting for a forever family, and just ahead of Christmas, his dream came true.
His new dad Roger shares how Ralph is settling in.
"On day one of our adoption trial, we drove home together and Ralph held my hand the whole trip home (how cute!).
That evening as we were heading to bed after sniffing everything in the house, he leapt onto our bed, burrowed under our blankets and dozed off. We hadn’t even turned off the lights! From that moment, we knew this was meant to be.
He is a sweetheart, he has opinions, he loves to cuddle on the couch, he likes rides, he likes walks, he likes our other dog, Bandos. Ralph may be deaf but that does not stop him from living his best life. We love Ralph and we wouldn’t change him for the world. He’s also well-loved by his new aunties, uncles, grandparents and great grandparents!
We are sorry that Ralph took a bit longer to find his new forever home but are happy that he found it with us."
It has been a trying year with the Covid-19 outbreak, the resulting job losses, financial fallout and our closed borders.
What is the best thing that happened to you in an otherwise gloomy year? It could be getting to know your neighbours, learning how to make bread or pizza dough, or just staying… View moreIt has been a trying year with the Covid-19 outbreak, the resulting job losses, financial fallout and our closed borders.
What is the best thing that happened to you in an otherwise gloomy year? It could be getting to know your neighbours, learning how to make bread or pizza dough, or just staying healthy.
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
This is Boston aka Boss Dog. He is a Schnauzer-Westie-Cairns Terrier mix. Keily Neilson from Whitby says Boston came to her via a chance visit to a pet shop.
"One look at that little face and we were in love. His favorite thing to do is play with his four human siblings and annoy the family … View moreThis is Boston aka Boss Dog. He is a Schnauzer-Westie-Cairns Terrier mix. Keily Neilson from Whitby says Boston came to her via a chance visit to a pet shop.
"One look at that little face and we were in love. His favorite thing to do is play with his four human siblings and annoy the family cat Bonnie."
If you want your pet featured, email us on yourpet@dompost.co.nz with a recent photo.
© Neighbourly 2026
Loading…
