Madness hamsters or Mad Hamster?

Anyone heard of the Hamster? Aka Richard Hammond - one of the hosts of Top Gear. Mad, I tell, mad. But then, all the Top Gear guys seem to be...

Last year the Hamster nearly died in a crash

Then he was all better - miraculously - and ran home in the middle of the night during the floods in the UK.

And now, another crash...

Any wonder why I'm addicted to the show?

Photo stolen from the Daily Mail site... it's in in the 2nd article.

School holidays

Something I was listening to the other day made me think of what I remembered from school holidays... what did we do?

So... my most memorable school holidays are (in chronological order) [and, if my memory is wrong - tough! I was only little!]

Kaiwaka! I hadn't even started school at this point, but staying in shearers' quarters in Kaiwaka counts as one of the all time great family holidays! We were all there. The parents, the siblings, the sister's boyfriend, and one set of grandparents. There was fishing - I got to fishing with the big kids for the first time! I caught my first itty bitty fish (and wanted to get out of that boat away from them fast!) There were horses to ride. There were horses to play around - and freak out the family, as one was supposed to be mean (he was lovely, to me at least). And this really cool house on the way with twisted brick columns. The columns stuck in my head for years and it was only as an adult that I found the house again, and learnt it was in Kaiwaka.

Camping with Dad, my sister and brother-in-law, and an (adult) family friend. I remember the setting up of the tent; the blowing down of the tent (in the dark); the moving of the tent site to somewhere with less gravel. I remember the friend having morning sickness. And the highlight? Losing one of my front teeth! The joys of being six!

Going on holiday in Rotorua with Dad and his parents. Staying in a motel for the first time! Going to the motel spa. Seeing my Dad in swim wear (he didn't swim!). Being the only kid spoiled by three adults for a whole week! Years later I found out the holiday was because my grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted a family holiday to remember. Happily she managed many more, making it through to my first year of uni.

And, the last holiday visiting my mum up north. The best holiday ever! The one when my mum and dad got back together... Mum came home to us the next holidays.

Sorry for the ramble!

Thoughts go out for all those trying to keep their little darlings amused these holidays - in the lovely spring weather - and all of us library staff dealing with the influx!

Ranty McRanty #2

They say Auckland has four seasons in one day - I just experienced at least three in 20 minutes!

10am - beautiful sun through the windows... 10.20 we'd had torrential rain, lightning & thunder and hail!

Welcome to spring, indeed!

Why am I surprised? I always have leave the same time of year and last year I spent it in glorious springtime! And came back to work in winter... same again this year!

Speaking of last year - it's been a year since I've been able to wear heels. Damn that standing up from kneeling down! I spent two weeks after the initial 'injury' (which didn't hurt!) doing things like wheelbarrowing loads and loads of mulch up hill and down dale, walking lots. And what happens? Go back to work - one day in my beloved heels - ONE DAY! - and that's that... no more heels - and ache every single day.

Grieving and bitter over the heels... so yep, big rant today!

More photos...

Yeah, I know... I should be putting them on flickr... but just too much today...

So, this is the side view of the church just up the road from the bach, taken from beside my dad's grave.

And, to the right, the view from my dad's grave - accompanied, at the moment, by the melodious sounds of lambs.

Back at work!

Well, the tech issues at home continue... hence the delay!

In answer to some comments... I forgot the buzzy bees! Utterly hopeless! The significance of the buzzy bees is: my dad worked at the buzzy bee factory in the early 50s during his school holidays.

And - how to get rid of the annoying outlook pop-up, in case you're wondering!
Go to Options - Preferences - Email options - Advanced email options - When new items arrive.

Unfortunately we were trapped up north with only TV2 and TV3 to watch! At least we could watch rugby... but no Prime (Doctor Who! part 2 and everything!) - no Sky... so no Twenty20... and no Tony Veitch doing the sports news....