Quote of the week

From a lady by the name of Linda Mc Callum, co owner of Havoc Pork as said on tonights Country Calendar..." I never knew anything about pigs until I met Ian.."

Thoughts on ANZAC Day

My Dad was never real big on ANZAC Day. I think I remember him going to a dawn parade only once. He thought that much of his medals that he used to use one as a key ring. His opinion was that if they couldnt be bothered engraving his name on them then they didnt really mean much. You had to get him quite drunk to even talk about it, although the few friends he retained from this era were dearly loved. He had a lot of issues relating to the war, which really are nobody's business but my familys. Suffice it to say, that the short time he was in the Military embittered him for life. he was invalided home with amoebic dysentry & really bad dermatitis, both of which affected him for life. His company went on to be slaughtered at Crete, so I suppose it was a very mixed blessing.

I view the continuing closures of RSA's with mixed feelings. Our own one here in Thames is now a computer training center. Had I been allowed to join as a Service member , I would have. You see I do hold a commissioned medal for long service with The Fire Service, but even though I have risked life & limb for country, this doesnt qualify me to be a service member. The vcan be a bit fussy I fear.

Anyway, my Anzac day commemorations consist of quietly sitting & listening to these two songs...

Lest We Forget...

Damn I love this....

Somewhere around there are folk with waaay waaay too much spare time on their hands.. Enjoy it.. I know I did...

Recovery time

It has sort of been a time of recovery for me lately. I think that at last I have recovered my relationship with my eldest son. Time will tell on that one. We went to say goodbye to some dear friends who are moving to the South Island a little while ago & she gave me back a text book on Huna that I lent her about 5 years ago. I value the wisdom in it hugely. She found it too deep & didnt finish reading it.

We did our usual wander round the markets this morning. Herself, as is her wont, cast an eye over the book stalls, & came up with another gem, one which I also lent out & never got back, Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence.Needless to say, we bought it. Now all I need is to find a book by Carlos Castenada called The Teachings of Don Juan. I lent that one out too. As far as I know, its now down in the Chatham Islands.. Fat chance of getting THAT back.. Other than that, a busy week. For us, a short week only means cramming 5 days work into 4. Hopefully things will settle a bit now that the Financial year & Easter are over & done with. Who knows........

Talkin 'bout Cats

This is Bin Garden. She holds the position of Rodent Control Officer at Te Aroha Garden Concrete Products. As her name suggests, she was found in one of the bins there at about the time it was fashionable to vilify Osama Bin Laden. She is much loved & has had a series of name changes since, but I think the original is best












This is Chloe. She hold the position of Reclining Buddha or is
that a self inflicted Half Nelson. She maintains a feline presence in our lounge. Very much in to cheese, fish & bacon. We inherited her from my Mum...


















This is Tigs, one half of the Ginger Ninja's showing her delusions of granduer by parking her fat ass in the dogs basket & comandeering his bone.
















This is Fattums, Tig's sister, the other half of the Ginger Ninja's in her favourite spot in my rock garden. She aint a very happy puddytat at the moment as she is at the vets with a badly abscessed shoulder. We miss her















And this is Mister Dog, whom we also inherited from my Mum. He really doesnt have buckleys chance against the cats & has real identity crises