I CRIED LIKE A BABY

Christchurch Memorial service today on RNZ live stream.

LET IT GO!

Do you remember the great series of TV ads of Vogel's bread - 'Homesick Kiwis'?

Here's the New York one:

VOGEL'S AD - NEW YORK

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So why refer to this you might ask?

Well today after some activity - tennis in the morning, loading up a trailer with tree trimmings and taking to the landfill, swimming in the afternoon - I thought about preparing my evening meal.

I had something in mind, having kind of planned it a few days before.

LEEK AND POTATO PIE.

Last week when shopping for vegetables I bought the usual - capsicum, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, potatoes, garlic, spring onion and some other things but added a nice big stalk (?) of leek.

We didn't use this over the weekend and on the morning of The Old Girl going back to Auckland on Tuesday we agreed that we'd chop it in half with her taking half to the apartment and using it in a stir-fry during the week and I'd find something to cook my half in as well.

Well today I remembered LEEK AND POTATO PIE. 

I looked up a recipe on the internet, wrote down the ingredients and instructions and went to the kitchen to assemble and prepare.

I found a potato, butter, cheese, pastry (frozen), and egg, herbs and was almost ready to go. I looked for the half a leek. No luck. Half a leek was nowhere to be found. I had in my mind the idea of a delicious LEEK AND POTATO PIE for my dinner and what happens? NO LEEK!

Bummer!

I made other arrangements - my mind said pie so I found some frozen mince mixture and made a small mince pie and had that with mashed potato which was delicious but ..... no LEEK AND POTATO PIE!

Tonight when FaceTiming with The Old Girl I asked her about the leek which she at first denied taking the whole thing away and tried to tell me that she had only taken half but, on intensive questioning she 'remembered' taking the whole thing. A WHOLE LEEK!

She laughed about it and said I'd get over it and then said - "LET IT GO".

Women!

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This cartoon sponsored by Richard (ofRBB) - you can blame him.

I'M SORRY - I WAS WRONG

Simon Bridges believes that New Zealand spy agencies' balance between privacy and security has tipped too far towards privacy, and should be revisited and is calling for a Royal Commission of Enquiry following the Christchurch terrorist attacks.

The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) and the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), which have been criticised over an apparent lack of monitoring of right-wing extremists, will face some sort of inquiry - as well as the police, customs and immigration.
However, the terms of reference for the inquiry are yet to be established.
Both the SIS and GCSB have confirmed in written statements that they had no intelligence themselves or from any of their partners about the Australian man who's been charged with the shootings.
A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder, and more charges are likely, after a lone shooter killed 50 people and injured dozens at two Christchurch mosques on 15 March.
National Party leader Simon Bridges said yesterday New Zealand's security risk had "changed" and a review of security legislation was needed to make sure people were kept safe.
He said a decision made by the former National government in 2013 to abandon Project Speargun, a more intrusive regime which would have scanned internet traffic coming into New Zealand, should be reconsidered.
"I think we were overcautious in 2013/14," he told Morning Report today.

           - RNZ

A couple of years ago when the GCSB Bill was being debated I was in Auckland and went on the anti-bill rally. See:

LISTENING POST


GCSB

Admittedly my motive was driven by the unhealthy way that John Key's government was trying to rush through the bill but nevertheless I put my 'vote' towards a more liberal approach to government and public supervision.

I was wrong.

Unfortunately we have many people who hide behind political correctness and personal freedoms to foment and ferment their agendas of hate and intolerance. They are the winners here.



.

POPPYCOCK

Richard (of RBB) is obviously missing being a schoolteacher and being able to obfuscate students. An example is in his latest post where he put up an arithmetic test (not a mathematical one), where the answer depended on a belief in the dodgy principal of BODMAS.

According to BODMAS rule, if an expression contains brackets ((), {}, []) we have to first solve or simplify the bracket followed by of (powers and roots etc.), then division, multiplication, addition and subtraction from left to right.

To him and other Bodmasters this is fine if the mathematical formula was written down wrong - i.e. without brackets but to me, a purist, it's poppycock - POPPYCOCK (Pack Of Piss Poor Yobbishness Causing Obfuscation Contaminating Knowledge).

The brackets are essential otherwise the formula can be thrown away and started again.

I didn't get where I am today without knowing about mathematics having achieved an 'R' at university in the subject.

"I DIDN'T GET WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT  ...."

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

The Religious Curmudgeon has a new post:

HERE

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

WAIMARIE SMITH - PARADISE

I was up early this morning. It's another lovely day and the forecasters say we have another week of mid-20s weather before Autumn starts to show.

I did some gardening before it got too warm, chopping out some scrappy ferns and flax and felling an unhealthy punga that was obscuring the view from the bedroom window.

I was hot after this so went for a long swim as the tide was well in due to the full moon influence.

The Old Girl has gone for a walk, probably around Reotahi. I'm making a fresh loaf of bread so left her to go on her own.

I hope that you are having a nice day too.

NEW POST - THE CULTURED CURMUDGEON

Spurred on by Richard (of RBB) The Cultured Curmudgeon wrote a new post:

BLEAK HOUSE

AT LAST .... A GOVERNMENT WITH BALLS

Well it took a horrible tragedy but at long last, and long overdue, New Zealand has seen fit to ban unnecessary firearms and to bring some sense back into the regulations over firearms.

RNZ - BAN ON ASSAULT RIFLES

I'm proud of our Prime Minister, this government and the opposition who supported this. Well done.

After our Northland shooting of 18 months ago I ranted in my blog about the ineffectiveness of government in controlling guns:  HERE    and    HERE

It's good to see that something has been done and hopefully all the naysayers - and there are a lot of the pricks - won't get in the way of the implementation of the new regulations and we can make our society safer.

A CURE FOR TONE DEAFNESS

This interview should be watched by those who haven't quite grasped that the atrocity in Christchurch last week cannot be lumped in the 'them not us' bin nor does it matter what religion or indeed any religion was involved. The victims were people who live in this country, murdered by a narrow-minded, arrogant and selfish bastard.

RADIO NZ INTERVIEW

NEW POST - THE MUSIC CURMUDGEON

THE MUSIC CURMUDGEON  has posted a new post.

It's simple but not suitable for Robert since he's tone deaf.

ORTHOGRAPHY

NEW POST - THE DARKER CURMUDGEON

THE DARKER CURMUDGEON has a new post:

HERE

SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY

SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY - PAUL SIMON

What a great song that is. Paul Simon is a wizard.

I was reminded of it when I was thinking about writing this post about Richard's slippers and his hiking poles which he's been banging on about recently.

"Mumble mumble mumble step on a crack - break your mother's back mumble mumble"

Apparently his doctor, who believe it or not is even older than he is has recommended using them when going for walks. He got a bit confused when explaining this to me and in his latest post but one where he thought that the poles were for attacking dogs with.  Maybe he can find some other old geezers to share this new hobby with.

" At the top of the hill you can look down on Moera - well, everyone else does"

While his pals wear hiking boots and other firm footwear Richard continues to wear his old man outdoor slippers. All the better for shuffling in I suppose. What I wonder about however, since he lives in Wainuiomata Nuova Lazio is why he doesn't wear tiger slippers:

After all, it was one of his fellow inmates residents there who made this form of footwear famous if not exactly fashionable.

IS IT SAFE?

Yesterday I was in Auckland. It was a beautiful sunny day, not too hot - just right. I was filling in some time before playing snooker at the excellent Ponsonby Pool Hall with Gary and wandered down Queen Street in the morning, doing some shopping and ended up at my favourite little shopping arcade - Queens Arcade at the corner of Queen Street and Customs Street.

This has a neat little coffee bar I've been going to for nearly 40 years, the best record (music) store in the country and a hairdressers that I've always trusted. Now I used to, many years ago, have a good head of hair, now it grows sideways and continually disappears on top. The two gentlemen barbers always gave me a nice cut though and even when we moved up north 10 years ago I would, on the odd visit to Auckland call in for a trim. Yesterday I called in and discovered that my two gentlemen barbers had sold the joint. The new owner was an Asian woman (sub-continent). I don't know if she was Indian or Pakistani. I discovered that she bought the place two years ago and is making a real go of it, working hard and building up the business. We chatted while she cut and tidied my messy hair. It was very pleasant. I told her that I used to call in regularly when I lived in Auckland and occasionally since I moved away. When I told her that 10 years ago we had moved to Northland she asked:

"Is it safe?"

This surprised me and I assured her that it was and that she and her husband would enjoy trips up there to take in the beaches, the bays and the bush walks. I didn't think much more about it until later  when talking to Lynn about this and we decided that the bad press that troubled towns like Kaikohe and Kaitaia get - see NORTHLAND TOWNS BATTLE HIGH VIOLENCE RATES  do influence people's opinions. Only a week ago the newspapers were full of a story about German tourists having all of their possessions stolen when they took in some scenery.

This of course was yesterday morning and my, now to be proven naive response was - "of course it's safe". This was from my perspective of a white, I guess privileged  fifth generation New Zealander.

The distressing events of a couple of hours later in Christchurch was to prove me wrong.

I don't know if my hairdresser was a Muslim or not. I do hope that she and her family do not lose faith and heart at living in this country. This barbaric act by one or more selfish, sick fucks will have a long-lasting effect on so many good people.

Bastards!

AFTERLIFE

I've just finished watching the short 6-parter of ricky Gervais' new series on Netflix.

Ricky Gervais - like him or hate him? I like him and the groundbreaking shows he's created and starred in. This latest doesn't disappoint:

AFTERLIFE

This is smart stuff - humour and pathos combined without being sentimental and cloying.
In one episode when Tony (Gervais) contemplates death and the afterlife he muses that how stupid it is that some people live crap lives and cling to the idea of a life after death when in fact there is none. Death finishes life which is what makes the life we have so precious. This comes from a desperately sad man who contemplates suicide or an end to his existence every day.

This is well worth watching and leaves for dead the christian mumbo jumbo crap that clogs up the web like this bullshit here of a tosser who wants us to believe that he's met 'god':

TOSSER

WHO MADE ME?

 

It's been a great day here today. I played tennis for a couple of hours this morning, then went to the gym for a workout. The bay was dead flat so I went for a swim afterwards to cool down. Magic.

I swam around for about 20 minutes and then stepped out to get my phone to take this photo.

************

That was the good stuff.

The afternoon involved housework - vacuuming carpets, washing floors, cleaning bathrooms and kitchen, dusting, cleaning the car, sweeping outside  + + + + ......

The Old Girl's been away in OZ for a few weeks and returns on Thursday so I've got to get the house in order. I may not get much time tomorrow as I have to take the car into the dealers for its 12 month service. This is an effort as we live a half hour from town. I take the car in at 7.30 and then hope that they do the job and have it ready by 11. I'll have to wander about town for a few hours to fill in time. I hate shopping so I'll probably go to the library and, if the weather is nice like today, mooch around the town basin (waterfront) where there are some nice cafes.

On Thursday morning I get the bus down to Auckland to meet The Old Girl at the airport. I'll stay in Auckland overnight as we're going to see BLANC DE BLANC which is described thus:

EMBRACE YOUR WILD SIDE AT THE NAUGHTY CABARET THE WHOLE TOWN WILL BE GOSSIPING ABOUT!

The Spiegeltent smash-hit from the acclaimed creators behind Madonna’s Rebel Heart tour, and 2015 Festival hit Limbo, is coming to Auckland!
Come to the place where the champagne sparkles, eyes glimmer, and the sensual and salacious combine for an evening of breathless abandon. BLANC de BLANC brings the finest cabaret and acrobatic talent from around the world, serving a blend of vintage glamour, high-end spectacle, and titillating acts to infatuate and delight.
But be warned: this award-winning show, sold out in London and at Sydney Opera House, contains everything you’d ever want from a burlesque circus. Packed full of incredible physicality, gasp-inducing danger, decadent artistry, hilarious routines, and glittering performances, BLANC de BLANC will be the toast of Auckland’s nightlife come March. Be sure to see what all the fuss is about!

          "A night of glamour, nudity and wonder ... simply unforgettable"

We saw a similar Spiegeltent show about 10 years ago and it was magnificent so I'm looking forward to this.

 Lynn will no doubt go to work on Friday and we get the bus home on Friday night.

****************

I won't have time to ponder WHO MADE ME?.

A LITTLE BIT OF NONSENSE

Robert in his last post (probably to be deleted soon) for a reason known only to himself and his triple god decided to tell us about heaven. He chose not to provide any empirical evidence nor a reasoned argument but instead said this:

"Heaven is a great place. Obviously better than hell.The way to heaven is through Christ's church which is the Holy Roman Catholic Church.The road is narrow and the gate is small.The road to hell and damnation is wide and many people take it.The road to heaven is paved with humility and self sacrifice and sorrow for sin and contrition and ultimate forgiveness and love."

I did a Google search and found  another christian nutter's writing about heaven that is just about as silly:

"Christ was clear that most people don't make it to heaven, despite the fact that ... St. Chrysostom said the road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops. ... Enter ye in at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that ..... Purgatory doesn't exist it's a fake place created by the catholic church it's not biblical at all."

I kind of like the bishop's skulls reference in the second one.

Robert's is a bit like an outtake from a kindergarten catechism. Definitely something written for infants.

I then did a Google search for 'catechism for infants' and found this rubbish which I've edited down a bit. There were 145 questions and answers for the poor little buggers:


Q. 1. Who made you?
A. God.
Q. 2. What else did God make?
A. God made all things.

Q. 6. Are there more gods than one?
A. There is only one God.
Q. 7. In how many persons does this one God exist?
A. In three persons.
Q. 8. What are they?
A. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Q. 9. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, and has not a body like men.
Q. 10. Where is God?
A. God is everywhere.
Q. 11. Can you see God?
A. No; I cannot see God, but he always sees me.
Q. 12. Does God know all things?
A. Yes; nothing can be hid from God.
Q. 13. Can God do all things?
A. Yes; God can do all his holy will.
Q. 14. Where do you learn how to love and obey God?
A. In the Bible alone.
Q. 15. Who wrote the Bible?
A. Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit.
Q. 16. Who were our first parents?
A. Adam and Eve.
Q. 17. Of what were our first parents made?
A. God made the body of Adam out of the ground, and formed Eve from the body of Adam.
Q. 18. What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies?
A. He gave them souls that could never die.
Q. 19. Have you a soul as well as a body?
A. Yes; I have a soul that can never die.
Q. 20. How do you know that you have a soul?
A. Because the Bible tells me so.

Q. 31. What was the sin of our first parents?
A. Eating the forbidden fruit.
Q. 32. Who tempted them to this sin?
A. The devil tempted Eve, and she gave the fruit to Adam.
Q. 33. What befell our first parents when they had sinned?
A. Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable.



Q. 54. What kind of death did Christ die?
A. The painful and shameful death of the cross.
Q. 55. Who will be saved?
A. Only those who repent of sin, believe in Christ, and lead holy lives.


Q. 69. Why do you need Christ as a prophet?
A. Because I am ignorant.
Q. 70. Why do you need Christ as a priest?
A. Because I am guilty.
Q. 71. Why do you need Christ as a king?
A. Because I am weak and helpless.
Q. 72. How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?
A. Ten commandments.

Q. 78. Is God pleased with those who love and obey him?
A. Yes; he says, "I love them that love me."
Q. 79. Is God displeased with those who do not love and obey him?
A. Yes; "God is angry with the wicked every day."



Q. 122. How many sacraments are there?
A. Two.
Q. 123. What are they?
A. Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Q. 133. What is the Lord's Supper?
A. The eating of bread and drinking of wine in remembrance of the sufferings and death of Christ.
Q. 134. What does the bread represent?
A. The body of Christ, broken for our sins.
Q. 135. What does the wine represent?
A. The blood of Christ, shed for our salvation.

Q. 137. Did Christ remain in the tomb after his crucifixion?
A. No; he rose from the tomb on the third day after his death.
Q. 138. Where is Christ now?
A. In heaven, interceding for sinners.
Q. 139. Will he come again?
A. Yes; at the last day Christ will come to judge the world.
Q. 140. What becomes of men at death?
A. The body returns to dust, and the soul goes into the world of spirits.
Q. 141. Will the bodies of the dead be raised to life again?
A. Yes; "The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised."
Q. 142. What will become of the wicked in the day of judgment?
A. They shall be cast into hell.
Q. 143. What is hell?
A. A place of dreadful and endless torment.
Q. 144. What will become of the righteous?
A. They shall be taken to heaven.
Q. 145. What is heaven?
A. A glorious and happy place, where the righteous shall be forever with the Lord.

SILLIEST THING I'VE DONE # 1 - HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN

I haven't had a post series for a while and today something happened that has stimulated the idea.
With this -SILLIEST THING I'VE DONE - series there will be no shortage of material so this could go on for ever.

Do you remember that I was having trouble with seagulls eating the bread that I put out for the smaller birds?
If not, never mind as here are some links: HERE   and  AND HERE


After failing to find a spud gun or a slingshot to buy in toy shops and the blowguns proving to be unsuccessful I went to a sporting goods store and asked advice.

ME:   I'm having trouble with seagulls coming on to my deck and eating the food I put out for the  other birds. Have you got something that I can scare them away with?

          SALESMAN: Mate I've got just the thing here - a Beretta Double Barrel 686E Sporter 12                                            gauge. It has 6 chokes, brass snap caps, tools, a cleaning kit and an ammo box ..

ME: Um - no, I want to scare them away not hurt them. Have you got something a little bit less murderous?

After a discussion over several alternatives from Winchesters through .22 repeaters to crossbows we agreed on a paint ball pistol - the Splatmaster 0.50.

This fires soft paintballs that can be loaded into a magazine.

The problem is that the paintballs tend to soften and leak when left in a warm room so I've taken to keeping the loaded gun and the pellets in the fridge.

As it turned out since I bought the pistol I haven't had and visits by seagulls when I've put bread out.  What's that about?

Today good friend Rod called around and after we had a swim and a coffee I showed him my pistol (make of that  Pier Paolo Pasolini what you will) and left it on the kitchen counter after he'd gone.
Later I noticed that in the warmth of the kitchen with the sun streaming in the paintballs had melted and leaked in the pistol. Bummer! I stripped the gun down, threw away the melted pellets and washed the pistol and the magazine. Whilst the pistol and magazine are made of plastic there are some metal components - springs, screws etc and I was concerned that these might rust if not properly dried.
So, what do I do, in a warm kitchen with a sun-drenched deck outside?  I had a good idea.

I chose to put the pistol and the magazine into the oven 'for a few minutes'.

I did this and went into study to see what Richard and Robert were up to on the blogs. Robert was banging on about some idea of heaven and hell that was probably last used in a catholic kindergarten and Richard, to his credit got over his ambition to acquire a huge number of comments and wrote a decent post.

I smelled something funny. Not me as I'd had a shower after the dip in the bay. It was strange.
FUCK! The oven.

I had forgotten about the 'warming of the gun' and tried to rescue it.

No such luck.

The gun was munted. About $70 down the drain. It's lucky that The Old Girl doesn't read my blogs - "Too silly" she says as I'd be getting a right bollocking if she knew.

THE TRUMP EFFECT

We've mentioned in previous posts (please request back-issues. Unlike other blogs The Curmudgeon Inc.ⓒ retains all posts from previous years and can provide copies on demand) that Richard's Bass Bag demonstrates worrying disorders that, if the blog was actually read by anyone could prove to be dangerous. Fortunately it is being contained but occasionally new posts pop up that merit concern. See HERE.

If you were to read this and be worried, have a read of this:

NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

Some outtakes are:

Symptoms:
Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder and the severity of symptoms vary. People with the disorder can:
Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration
Expect to be recognised as superior even without achievements that warrant it
Exaggerate achievements and talents
Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people
Monopolise conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior
Expect special favours and unquestioning compliance with their expectations
Take advantage of others to get what they want
Have an inability or unwillingness to recognise the needs and feelings of others
Be envious of others and believe others envy them
Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious
Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office.

Our recommendation at The Curmudgeon Inc.ⓒ is to ignore him and to certainly not indulge him in his fantasies. Who knows where that would lead?

DO YOU COPY?

I'm sure that we all do. I do.

Richard wrote a nice post this morning and had a photograph of some Frida Kahlo masks (self portrait*) in it.
Lynn admires Frida Kahlo's art and years ago when in Vietnam or Laos bought a copy of Kahlo's Nude With Calla Lilies.

It's a pretty good copy and hangs nicely in the kitchen at the rear of the house.

Image from the web of Frida Kahlo's original

We also, years ago at an art exhibition at the Unitec art school in Auckland, bought a Ralph Hotere copy by a young and talented artist. This is painted on cloth that we had float-mounted in a frame. It's a big painting and hangs nicely in the study.

This one's not a direct copy of a Hotere painting. It's more of an homage to his style with references pictorially and in writing to Hotere's influences including Bill Manhire.
It's really good and we are pleased to have bought it.

Ralph Hotere - A Wind Goes Out - a Poem by Bill Manhire

There's so much talent out there.






* Self portrait of Frida Kahlo, not of Richard (of BBB).

SOD 'EM

I've just finished watching two series of GOMORRAH on Netflix.

This Italian crime series based on the Camorra in Naples is pretty gripping stuff that leaves American Mafia-type productions for dead. Richard, you might like it as they haven't overdubbed it the way they've done with other French and Italian series so you will be able to practice your Italian, albeit in a Neapolitan dialect.

The creator, Roberto Saviano wrote the series based on his book of a few years ago which was filmed as Gomorrah in 2008. That was also a powerful film.

This is gritty stuff with very unsympathetic characters who basically you don't care if they get blasted away as they are all bastards -from the top guys to the little underlings. Sure you can feel a bit for the shitty life in Naples that produces these rats but hey! Everyone has a choice in life of what to do. You don't have to be a gangster, a drug dealer and a murderer.

***************

“Ad aver dato fastidio alle organizzazioni criminali è il mio lettore, non sono io. Il mio lettore è ciò che loro non vogliono, il fatto che in questo momento ne stiamo parlando, che ne hanno parlato tutti i giornali, che continuano ad uscire libri, che continuano a nascere documentari, è tutto questo che loro non vogliono, è l'attenzione su di loro, sui loro nomi, soprattutto sui loro affari.”

“Everyone I know is either dead or in jail. I want to become a boss. I want to have supermarkets, stores,
factories, I want to have women. I want three cars, I want respect when I go into a store, I want to have
warehouses all over the world. And then I want to die. I want to die like a man, like someone who truly
commands. I want to be killed.”

Tutto posto.

A CLASS ACT

It was raining today so I decided to 'go to the movies'

I hate that expression see: HERE  and prefer to say "I went to see a film'.

The film I saw was THE GREEN BOOK  directed by Peter Farrelly. It was really good and had Viggo Mortensen at his usual best.

THE GREEN BOOK

This is a great little film that tackles some big issues without getting high handed about it. The characters don't change the world but they do go through some changes in their own personal attitudes and prejudices. It's beautifully filmed creating a 1960's America setting. This is well worth seeing.

I note that Richard (of RBB) has already seen this film. If it wasn't for the fact that there's a music theme in it I'd have suspected that Shelley had dragged him along as neither Bruce Willis nor Liam Neeson are in it and **SPOILER ALERT** apart from 2 gunshots (in the air) there are no shootouts and only a couple of punch-ups.


I'm not surprised that Mortensen was nominated as best actor for his role at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards, BAFTA, The OSCARS and the Golden Globe Awards.

IF THE CAP FITS

.

I don't wear hats like the ones that Richard does. You know, those cowboy hats he's been photographed wearing.
I left my cowboy hats, guns and boots back with my other toys in childhood.

Up here where I live the sun is fierce so wearing some sort of hat while gardening, walking or engaging in any outdoor activity is advised.
For gardening I have a neat straw hat that I've stuck a feather in. The Old Girl hates it but it gets the job done.

For walking, kayaking, golf and tennis I prefer caps. These allow the wearer a bit more flexibility in movement and don't interfere in what you are doing.

The problem is though that most caps to buy are bloody crappy and the designs have hardly moved on in half a century or more.

The American baseball cap or the farmer's cap has become the design for most freebie advertising apparel and the expensive sports clothing brands have followed suit so that most of the offerings are  simple variations of the above designs.

To make it worse, companies wanting to promote their identity or brand select the cheapest suppliers (usually from China and India) so the quality of the materials used are usually crap.
Sports brand companies (Nike, Adidas, and all the rest) who sell their caps at outrageously expensive prices also use the same basic designs and the cheapest supplier so the 
quality of the materials used are usually crap.

I've got dozens of caps at home. Most are company branded from the companies I've worked for and brands I've marketed along with supplier's company names that I've dealt with and brands that I've purchased. Others are the sport's company brands I've purchased or been given. Yet more others and becoming the greatest percentage by far are the caps I buy in the op shops. These only cost me a dollar or two and seem OK in the store but when I bring them home and toss them in the washing machine (some are brand new) they seem to be too flat, too tall, too wide, too awful for other reasons or, quite often, portraying brands or services I don't believe in.

Whenever I bring a new cap home The Old Girl remonstrates and threatens to throw all the old ones out. I have to remind her of the number of pairs of shoes she has and it goes downhill from there.

What I really need is a reliable supply of a few - four at the most, good quality and stylish caps that fit well and will suit me.

There's a wellington hat making company Hills Hats that I need to check out.
A few years ago I bought a nice (and very expensive) cap in a 'Gentlemen's Outfitters' in Auckland. It's an English wool tweed baseball cap made by Hills Hats and still fits well after about 6 years.

I got the image from Hills Hats' website and saw that the new price of this cap is $123.90. Ouch!

It does fit well though and has lasted so I will have to pay a visit to their factory or showroom sometime in the future. Then (without telling The Old Girl the cost of the caps) I might be able to buy a few different ones for different occasions and, to her joy, throw out all of the old ones.

********************

Even millionaires have trouble buying caps that they look good in.

I SLEEP ...

Rene Descartes

Yes, I've told you before that I like my sleep.

Here's a reminder:

MR SLEEPY

One of the advantages of not deleting your blog as Robert does frequently and Richard sadly once did is that you can find old posts to refer to:

Well I like it!

When we moved up north 10 years ago we bought a new bed with a great 'memory foam' mattress. This provides a really good sleep that is essential to well being.

So why am I discussing this apart from finding an excuse to regale you with old blog posts?

Well I watched again this clever advertisement for Ecosa mattresses and want to share it:


ECOSA ADVERTISEMENT

“LIFE IS TOUGH BUT IT'S TOUGHER IF YOU'RE STUPID" – John Wayne

I like some John Wayne films especially those directed by the great John Ford. The Searchers is my favourite.

There were a lot of other ones, directed by lesser directors that I didn't like. I particularly didn't like the real stupid macho ones like The Green Berets and those made when he was clearly too old for the character he played like Lt. Colonel Vandevoort in The Longest Day. Vandevoort was 27 at the time and Wayne, playing him in 1962 was 54.

Wayne died in 1979 but now 40 years later he's news again as his son is battling to stop the removal of his name from Orange County airport in California.

CNN report on a resurfaced John Wayne controversy:

Outrage after John Wayne's old interview resurfaces

‘Ya don’t get lard less’n you boil a hog!’

OK, SO I LIED.

I said in a previous post that I was studying for a Doctor of Divinity (DD).

BACK TO SCHOOL

I wasn't telling the truth. I only said that to wind Robert up but it didn't have any effect - maybe his spring's broken.

I had in fact signed up for a Creative Writing course. This was to have started on Wednesday and to last for 7 weeks but I developed a migraine with accompanying visual aura and couldn't drive to the course and over the last couple o days when attempting to do assignments I developed another migraine so I've flagged it.

SATURDAY - DAY OF REST?

It's Saturday and I've been up early: doing housework; running through 3 loads of washing; fixing, starting and using the weed-eater; mowing the lawns, and doing the odd chore around the house.

What's that about?

I have all week doing mostly nothing and now at weekends find things to do!

I think I'll treat myself this afternoon by going to the cinema in town.
They are showing GREEN BOOK which looks interesting.

***********************

I just heard a good song on Music 101 on National Radio.

It was:

STAND UNSHAKEN

This is from the video game RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

I've been listening to the soundtrack and there's lots of good stuff on it. Some of it reminds me of T- Bone Burnett's music which I like.

Video games have certainly come on in recent times. I think I'll buy RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 if I can convince The Old Girl that we need to upgrade PS3 to PS4.