Addictive Eaters Anonymous
I was spiralling out of control
I don't have many memories from my childhood, but the memories I do have relate to food - picnics with bacon and egg pie, my mother’s home cooking, Sunday bread. I was never much of a sweet tooth, but instead I preferred savouries, pastries, breads and the like. I grew up on a farm and food was plentiful and was never restricted and I lived a pretty healthy, active lifestyle.
Once I hit my teenage years, however, I remember starting to get worried about my weight. (I'll just mention here that I don't think I have ever been overweight and I certainly wasn't overweight as a teenager). I'm not sure how this all came about, but it was around the time I started getting interested in boys and my body was changing. I would stare at myself in the mirror and think I was fat.
Have you driven past this King Country icon lately?
Months after launching a campaign to have Waitomo’s famous big apple refreshed, the woman behind it has closed her petition and claimed victory.
Once the apple of the eye of passers-by, the big apple had suffered years of neglect, which took the shine off the apple and left a bad taste in the mouths of locals, until Piopio resident Karen Barrett took a bite out of its owners - Tourism Holdings Ltd (THL).
Have you driven past this King Country icon lately? Tell us your thoughts in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Warnings about scams
This Fraud Awareness Week, we’re reminding everyone to stay sharp and look out for the warning signs of scams to stop them before they start.
Here’s what to watch out for:
🔍 Unrealistic offers or promises of easy money that are too good to be true
🔍 Pressure tactics: Scammers may rush or threaten you to act immediately.
🔍 Requests for personal info: Be cautious if you’re asked for bank details, passwords, or sensitive information.
🔍 Unusual payment methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
🔍 Unverified contacts: Emails, calls, or messages from unknown or suspicious sources.
How to protect yourself:
✅ Stop and think before sharing personal details or making payments.
✅ Don't click on any links until you know that it is safe.
✅ Verify the source: Contact the organisation directly using official channels.
✅ If something’s not right, it's OK to hang up, walk away, ignore it and move on.
If you wish to report a scam, contact Police on 105 or report it online via 105.police.govt.nz/use-105.