A BLOG FOG DOG

Now then, for the wee scallywags out there (and you know who you are) NO, THAT IS NOT MY BUTT!
Have had a long week and although I have been flitting in and out of your blogs haven't had time or the inclination to do my own. Remind me to marry an obscenely rich old man with a bad cough next time round please, then I could stay off work for as long as I liked and not have to put myself through the "oh, shite, I'm now back at work" angst that has hit me at last. (OK, you can all stop sniggering). The only really good thing is that weather hasn't been as hot as it has been while I have been lolling about poolside, Sauvignon Blanc in hand, major smirk on my moosh....
Sunday night and Monday night I watched a two part drama programme called "Love Lies Bleeding" - and indeed it did. There was almost buckets of the stuff. Although it wasn't a really brilliant show, it was worth it to catch a glimpse of Martin Kemp's naked bum. That having been seen(oh for rewind TV!!), I then devoted the rest of the time to trying to figure out who the bad guy reminded me of. Hugo Speer, as it turned out and he has been in several other programmes/movies I have watched, and didn't get to see his bum either which I think is a monumental shame. I really think the plot would have been added to greatly if the final wrestling scene between Martin and Hugo had them both naked. On the kitchen floor.

What have all these famous people got in common with my 10 year old daughter? Answers on a $50 note please.

The above sign was attached to the Mandoline Slicer we bought as part of the Studs birthday presents...its a vegetable slicer thingy whatsit and I have no doubt that Nigella and anyone who is anyone has one. Well, d'oh...the sign says it all. What have we come to that necessitates signs like that on anything? Are we so dumbed down? Have our schools abdicated so much responsibility over the years? What do you think...seems like everything is impossible on the basis that it is someone elses responsibility or their fault...what about the self?
Oh, and I bought myself a new necklace. You know, it was raining (I may have mnetioned that and SOME of you may have rejoiced) and a gal has to do something to cheer herself up otherwise the family suffers...if the mama ain't happy, nobody happy! thats my motto.
Anyhoo, am off to Wellington in the morning...see ya when I get back!

Hey, its raining!

Some billboards you just can't miss eh? I really enjoyed explaining about censorship to my 10 myear old. It actually reminded me of when I was about 8 or 9 and saw a picture in newspaper that my grand-dad used to get ...the picture I suspect must have been of Freda Stark and she was covered in gold paint, with strategically located notices saying "Censored" (original eh?), well, my grad-dad had to explain to me why they bothered printing a photo if they weren't going to show all of it.
The Buskers have arrived in the city ofr the annual Buskers Festival. We took the kids down to see them at the weekend (its actually Tuesday as I type this but no doubt Blogger will have me a day late...why????) and while we enjoyed it, most acts were hard to see due to the sheer number of spectators. The crowd was good natured however, even tho' it was super hot.
You will all be thrilled to know that it is raining and colder here today than it has been for sometime. Whatever. I'm only at work now, who cares. Harumf.

The above photo is a pic of one of my Stud's tee shirts. I wonder how he/we would be treated goingthrough Custom's in the good ol' US of A of he was wearing that at the time? It would be a hard act for me to follow, I suspect!
Our grapes are starting to look like this...we are delighted! I always thought they just came in bottles, already pulverised and juiced ready to go. These ones are Chardonnay apparently, you can tell by the leaves I am informed. Whatever.
I am back to work tomorrow, have been "off" since 21 December so am really struggling to find that enthusiasm to get out there. The kids are in a dance programme for the week, then the Stud and I will juggle for a week before the kids go back to school on 4 and 5 February. Meantime, we have the Studs birthday to look forward to. I love him being 10 years older than me.........

The case of the dying great men!

Hone Tuwhare . Died 17 January 2008. Quite an extraordinary bloke, inspirational. We are very lucky in New Zealand to have so many wonderfully talented creative people - I think today I will try and celebrate those I know and those who have yet to come to my attention!

I love a good read and enjoy a bit of writing myself, something my eldest daughter has also tapped into (she had a poem published aged 10 while doing a creative writing course here). I find it hard work, therapeutic, frustrating and enormously satisfying all in one.

I hope you enjoy reading through some of Hone Tuwhare's work via the link. RIP.

Oh dear

I would do a post but I've been at the cider again........thanks, I can't wait until I am back at work next week and able to post more intelligently. Yeah, right.

Lazy Sunday? I wish!

Today I have been busier than a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest. I don't mind being on holiday, I just wish all the chores would stay hidden until I was back at work. Ironing, floor mopping, dishes...clothes washing...yadda yadda....
School is looming again for the small people in our house which means uniforms and books and shoes...at least when we hit the shops early this monring we didn't have to run ragged thru Xmas shoppers, a small blessing but you gotta take it when you can! THEN, having been given some vouvhers for Xmas I turned into a Xmas shopper and trolled about in some shops having sales and made sure I got my money's worth. My dear ol' Mum had sent me a blouse which (ahem) was too big so I had to return it, managed to swap it for 2 skirts that I WOULD be seen dead in. My two daughters were thrilled to know that there does indeed come a day when a mother shouldn't buy clothing for her offspring.

The Sauvignon Blanc made me do it!

Temp reading in the SHADED part of our yard today.

The kids making a splash of it all.
Our flag flying at half mast in rememberance of Sir Ed Hillary. Great man, great life and the best thing for me has been the fact that we let him know how much we valued him while he was still alive. RIP, mate.

What did I do today?

We finally got the pool finished! It has been in need of TLC for ages, finally drained it and sanded, fixed leaks and repainted it. Then the kids decided they wanted to draw stuff on it as well...see how clever they have been? A crayfish/lobster and a seahorse no less. They also did jelly fish, starfish and dolphins.
While the kids splashed about, the "grown ups" (and I use that term loosely) did this.....
I also bought my husband some of this stuff 'cos he really likes it! Good ol' Wobbly Boot (yes it really is self explanatory) from Harrington's Brewery.
The Wobbly Boot reminds me a brew I tried in a funny wee pub years ago somewhere in Surrey, UK (I think)...theirs was called Tangle Foot for obvious reason.
As for me, well I am quite fond of their Scrumpy. It's perfect for that end of the afternoon, sun's finally on the run and the wind has dropped...What did YOU do today?

Tee shirt messages

Over the years my husband has had quite a few tee shirts with messages on them, they have ranged from hilarious to downright tacky. This one and the one below are my favourites from last year.
As for this photo, what in blue blazes...do you think he is changing his mind manually??? (And no, that ain't my husband)

The Beach. Just incase you don't believe me. The proof.

bababababba, that's all folks!

We have crabs!

I have to say I was rather peed off myself. I had great plans for today...picnic and everything. we had the hamper all but packed and what happened? Ok, maybe I deserve this (thanks from you guys up "North")...it rained.
Anyway, I decided what the heck, my parents forced me into many a rain-filled picnic and it never did me any harm. Just ask that guy in the white coat....
Anyway, my eldest daughter and I toddled off anyway to a beach. Where we found this duck. yep. A duck. Kinda like finding a pork pie at a Jewish wedding really, but a duck none the less.
Then we headed off to Sumner (one of our favourite places in Christchurch any time of year). This building caught my eye mainly owing to the spacey buildings being built (too many builts?) above it. Its an old part of the City anyway.
And there you have it. We got crabs, my daughter and I. Just goes to show the importance of going to the right places at the right time. I have to say we beat many a grandparent and their rather smaller grandchildren to these crabs...there is an art to it. Come visit sometime and we will show you. If you think you're up to it that is!

I reckon it would be fun if I introduced you all. I only stated blogging because Pixie said i shoud give it a go. Anyway, the above photo wa taken by me...it's a pine cone stuck between two boulders...you rudeys!!!

Since then, I have visited so many blogs it's not funny. And I feel bad about the ones that Ihaven't got back to as quickly as I should, if at all, however...it seemed to me a great idea if i could introduce at leat those blogs who I had found throught Pixie. So, from Pixie Idecide to get nosey. From there I decided to follow my interest in Coronation Street, there I picked up on Flaming Nora and from there I nosed on thru the Blogs that were there....which led me to The Diary of an Old Cheeser, to Bloggertroplis....to others and also Meggie (the first person I didn't know who bothered to comment...) and from the wonderful Meggie, who has such a wonderful blog, I also found Mike! That has actually been a good thing, he is such a docile bloke we should all have 'em in purse size.....Of course, I have been an obvious tart when it comes to shopping. What do I want...when do I want it...anyway, I want to make it clear that I have valued EVERY comment that you have made. I didn't realise that it would make any difference to me if anyone commented or not. But. As Reluctant Blogger has said,yep..it does...thanks. And if I win LOTTO I will make sure we are together in a very nice way....so. I guess, in some ways if I wanted to and you wanted to...the you have all been tagged to explain your presence. I am just thankful. Jeez, if you knew me like Pixie we would all be phucked.

Thank you so much. And. On the strength of comments by Old Cheeser I'm waiting on acceptance or not from a promenant magazine...cheers, Simon, you gave me the courage to press the "send" button. Yikes!!!!!

Big wide sky. I love New Zealand.

New Years day and we had the kids at a river, swinging out over it on a big rope....summers like we used to have...back when the summer was longer and hotter............
and sea shells weren't that odd...this one looked like a toe-nail.
Of course, chocolate comes in many forms and colours...this is fudge.

Happy New year to all. Let's hope it is, even tho' tonight I watched with horror about the people who attempted to take refuge in a church only to be burned alive in it. Jeez. OK. so the news artcile on the link doesn't mention kids but the verbal one did. Either way, people died. What the fuck? Jeez. Louise. Am I missing something here? How smug are we.

Happy New year. Let's actively try to make surethat it ain't the "same ol...same ol..."