WHEELY?

 I went for a nice long walk today along the wharves and waterfront. It was magic...

... warm and sunny and marred only by these idiots:

I tell you - it was a nice day for walking being sunny but not too hot and with no wind but there were as usual, fools who've given up using their legs to scooter along instead, along with, of course, the inconsiderate bike riders.

Zager and Evans had it right in their song:

"In the year 5555
Your arms hangin' limp at your sides
Your legs got nothin' to do
Some machine's doin' that for you"

It's bad and annoying but ... it's going to get worse.

Under new New Zealand regulations effective October 1, 2026, children aged 12 and under—along with their supervising parents or caregivers—are legally permitted to ride bicycles on footpaths.

Yes, get prepared for out of control brats riding freely along pedestrian footpaths and with a likely out of control adult riding along with them, most likely parallel.

So what's new you might ask? They do this anyway but now they can do it legally.

Get prepared for pedestrian outrage and arguments and they won't all be from me.

Sheesh!

ONLY IN AMERICA

 Before I forget here are some extra exclamation marks for Richard. !!! He likes these.

OK, let's start.

I heard an expression used on a TV programme last night which was "put a cap in his ass (sic)". This is American jargon for 'shoot him'.

It reminded me of years ago when I was attending a conference in USA, on a break day, we were playing golf. In the four was a warehouse manager from Chicago who was a bit of a character very much like those characters seen in American crime dramas except that he was for real.

I noticed that when he was climbing into a golf buggy he seemed to be in a bit of discomfort so I asked him if he was OK.

"I'm fine" he said "a few years ago someone put a cap in my ass (sic)".

He wasn't joking as, in Chicago someone had indeed shot him in the arse.

The thing was though that he stated it matter of factly as if it, and being Chicago probably was, just the normal risks of daily life like getting cut off in traffic, bumping into someone on a footpath or dropping an icecream cone. What a weird country.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing," 

- attributed to Socrates via Plato.

I don't consider Richard to be a philosopher - a philanderer, a Philistine or even a philatelist maybe and he could be described as being philharmonic so I don't know why he wrote this post this morning:

 

With Robert it would be expected and he excels at writing posts about nothing:  

"I can connect nothing with nothing" wrote TS Eliot in his poem 'The Waste Land (Section III, The Fire Sermon)' in which he was referring to modern day (in his time) collapse and despair but I don't think that Richard studied Eliot at school unless it was the comic version of 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'.

Maybe he's just run out of ideas.

PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE

 It's bloody cold outside this morning but, as my foot is up to walking I feel that I need to get out and do some exercise.

The Old Girl is here this weekend (up from her two month stint in Christchurch) so we'll head out soon for a stroll along the waterfront. 'Rugging up' will be necessary as I think there's a cold southerly wind lowering the temperature. 

No doubt Richard is huddling in bed doing a gaseous rendition of Krook from Dickens's Bleak House. I hope that he doesn't burn the house down. He has nothing to report in his blog post this morning which is, for the readers reader a blessing in there being:

• No scatological references
• No blasphemy
• No vulgarity
• No dullard wine advice
• No endless musical instrument anecdotes.

I might post again after the walk as I have lots to tell you.

PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE

 It has been nice out - I agree with Richard on that but don't approve of him going about  exposing himself.

*********

I was going to go for a walk to 'test' my foot but got busy doing housework.

The Old Girl is back for the weekend from Christchurch so I have had to get the house back in order. This means doing everything twice like vacuuming, dusting and generally cleaning. Even then the result isn't up to her standards. Hey ho!

The Prednisone medication I've been taking for gout inflammation has the side effect of blurred vision so my cleaning ability has been even further compromised. All these bloody medications have side effects and Prednisone being a steroid has many. Fortunately I'm only taking a very short duration dose so hopefully the eyesight will come back to normal, or what's normal for me soon.

I'm picking up The Old Girl from the airport tomorrow and she goes back Monday evening. On Saturday she will be going to World of Wearable Arts (WOW) with Geoff if he's feeling up to it and on Sunday we are out to dinner with her cousin and her husband. He's a professional chef so always cooks delicious meals.

Robert hasn't been posting for a few days. I imagine that AI slop he dishes out has shagged him out. I hope he hasn't been flashing like Richard has. If he has he should know that it's a sin so should read Richard's blog to get some pointers of what to do if he gets 'sent down'.

Wine time is calling and I have to get my dinner organised - Thai chicken curry and Jasmine rice. Yummy!

AND ANOTHER ONE

 I'm sure that you liked the joke we made in the previous post about Richard's doctor consultation.

Here's another one that could have happened:

This could be the start of a new series - RICHARD GOES TO THE DOCTORS.

DELUSIONAL

 "I went to the doctor yesterday and he told me I look 64. That's about the third time I've been told that by a doctor. Ah well, that could mean a bit of time yet for instrument practice. I'll push on."

          - Richard on Richard's Bass Bag 

WOO-WOO!

 The new owner of our house up north today sent me a catch-up email and in it said this:

"Just curious, we also "felt" a bit of a "presence" in the back of the house which was no worries at all. But a visitor who is very religious stayed and got somewhat agitated. So we have a kaumatua round to say a few words which amazingly has left the back of the house feeling warmer, drier and lighter. No doubt stranger things have happened. Just curious if you know of any history there for us to pass on with the story of the house to future visitors/ occupants".

What the hell?

We lived in that house for 16 years and the only spirits we came into contact with were Cognacs, whiskies, gin, vodka and rum with methylated for cleaning.

I don't believe in ghosts and certainly not that Holy one that Robert bangs on about but have been aware of eerie occurrences in the past. You may remember that I wrote posts about them years ago. No? Well, nevermind, here are a couple of links to them:

WAKE UP CALL

THEY'RE HERE

This house we're living in now doesn't have any mysterious auras, sounds. sensations or 'bumps in the night' other than the disconcerting double jolt from that earthquake last month. The only creaking is from the floorboards under the carpet as a result of modern (1990s) building techniques for townhouses where they use particle board and don't screw it down strongly enough.

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

THE BODY OF CHRIST

"IT'S IN THE GAME"

 I unpacked and hooked up the PlayStation 3 console yesterday and set up Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 golf game.

This is the best of the series of games produced and, while 21 years old still has good graphics and features. You will remember that I've mentioned this before:

HERE

HERE

It's just the thing for rainy days like yesterday and while I'm still resting my foot (which is getting better).

Perhaps the other old bloggers, on a rainy day, could come around for an indoors golf challenge.

I could arrange to have a special 'Most Golf' prize for Richard unless he manages to cheat.