The Shore is home

Judy Mulder, 56, author and teacher at Pinehill School helping children with learning support

How long have you been here and where are you from?

I have lived on the Shore for 40 years. I’m originally from Blackpool, England.

Describe your neighbourhood

My neighbourhood is peaceful and friendly. When you go for a walk, everyone says hello. It feels like you are in a smaller community even though we are living in a big city.

What is your earliest memory of the Shore? Coming up from Taranaki as a child, my parents had friends in Browns Bay and we brought up our trailer boat and stayed at the motor camp where Countdown now is.

What are the greatest advantages to living here?

I love living close to the beaches and the beautiful views of the Gulf.

What is your favourite North Shore beach and why?

As I live in Rothesay Bay, I would have to say our beach but we love to have a picnic on the grass at Castor Bay.

Who is the person you admire the most and why?

My parents for having an adventurous spirit when they emigrated to New Zealand with a young family .

What do you like least about the Shore and how can we fix it?

The sudden influx of apartments with not enough forethought to making sure the infrastructure is in place. We need to plan ahead to ensure we don’t lose what is special about the

‘‘My heart certainly belongs where my home is - on the Shore.’’

Shore.

What are you doing this weekend?

As I have recently published a children’s picture book, I will be spending time promoting it. Home is Where the Heart is, is the story of a toy pukeko at Te Papa, who begins an adventurous journey with a girl called Sophia. Contact rhymeinreading@gmail.com or visit Rhyme in Reading on Facebook to buy the book.