UPDATE ON THE DROWNING

The man who drowned in our bay on Thursday was Friedrich Bohme (Fritz).
I'm not sure exactly how old he was but believe that he was about 90.
I've seen him walk past our place almost daily and to often row his dinghy up and down the bay.
Only a couple of years ago he was still climbing Mount Aubry the small mountain behind our place. It's a hell of a climb with many, many steps that make much younger people puffed.
Here's the obituary that I found online:

BOHME, Friedrich Karl As a result of an accident on the water. Fritz, much loved husband of Pat, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather. A celebration of Fritz' life will be held in the Chapel at Maunu Crematorium, Cemetery Road, Maunu, Whangarei on Wednesday 3rd February 2021 at 2:30pm. 

 

I would have liked to attend the celebration of his life on Wednesday but cannot. I like that term ' a celebration of his life' which seems much better than 'funeral'. Fritz was an ocean swimmer and, I think a world class yachtsman. He recently - as in a couple of years ago attended the FINA World Masters* swimming event and must have been just about the oldest person there. I'm hoping that there will be an article about him in the media as he seems to have had an interesting life.

There was talk of a Rahui being put on the bay but I'm not sure if any local kaumatua did this. There was some discussion of it on the Neighbourly FaceBook site with one commenter saying that when she raised the question with someone swimming or boating where Fritz died the person said 'who cares".

Where are we going as a society?

* The FINA World Masters Championships is organised by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation [English: International Swimming Federation]). More than 9,000 former athletes and water sports enthusiasts from 96 countries participated in the 2017 tournament, including athletes as old as 97 years of age.
As a competition where water sports lovers gather from all around the globe it contributes to further developing the world of aquatic sports.

NEW POST - THE CURMUDGEON'S AGONY AUNT

 The Curmudgeon's agony Aunt has been on leave for quite a while and, in her absence a lot of readers' mail has accumulated. In an endeavour to clear the backlog The Curmudgeon's Agony Aunt has sorted through the correspondence and binned the most extreme, perverted and nonsensical letters (sorry Robert) and will answer ones that are most relevant.

AMARONE OR CHIANTI

MY PROBLEM TODAY

 There's a big clean-up happening at our place today.

People are coming to dinner this evening so the house has to be tidy.

I set about my duties with gusto and managed to very quickly smash two crystal Champagne flutes that used to belong to The Old Girl's mother. That went down well!

"Don't forget to vacuum behind the chairs and under the couch" she said

WTF! If these people are going to move our furniture around to check underneath I don't think I want them coming around.

The tidy-up according to The Old Girl is what I would consider to be deep cleansing after a COVID-19 outbreak - or worse! The cleaning extended to both bathrooms, the study, our bedroom, spare bedrooms, the snooker room, the other end of the house, the porch and - the deck!

All this for a few hours of entertaining.

I'm already shagged out. I decided to check the blogs for a break.

RAHUI BEING CONSIDERED

 There was a drowning in our bay yesterday.

It was actually in the beach not far from our house, which is surprising as not only is it shallow, it's sheltered and with very little wave activity.

NZ HERALD

There is speculation that the person suffered some sort of medical event which would explain drowning in such safe water.

Sad.

HUMAN NATURE

 It never fails to amaze me that committees often get involved in petty squabbles and in-fighting.

You've heard the expression 'like a tennis club committees' which refers to any group that is dominated by a few bolshy types who get a kick out of dominating others and who lose focus on the objective of running the club in an orderly manner.

I know, I know I've mentioned this a few times before in posts like these two:

HERE

AND HERE

Yesterday, at the committee meeting of the old folks club that I'm a member of the meeting dragged on and on and wasn't helped at all by a pedantic old codger (not me) who managed to upset several people including the secretary who afterwards resigned. WTF! It's a very low key club designed to have monthly meetings with guest speakers and a get-together for elderly members of the local community. There are about 90 active (not an accurate description) members who like to go to coffee meetings, sports (10 pin bowling and croquet), strolls and a monthly outing (boat or bus trip). It's not the US Senate or Congress!

I had a long phone conversation with the club president this morning and will call the secretary to try and dissuade her from leaving. I'll then start producing the monthly newsletter which will include details of the upcoming AGM and club activities over the next two months - if we still have a club by then.

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

HAVE YOU READ THE GOOD NEWS?

LISTEN UP!

 

There's a lot of good stuff in the latest NZ Listener.

Mike's book TAKING PAGODA MOUNTAIN (BY STRATEGY) got a great review. Well done Mike.

I just read Jane Clifton's article A ROCKY HORROR SHOW about entertaining house guests during the holiday season. The discussion of the 'dos and don'ts ' is funny and this is worth a read.

I particularly liked the section titled THE ONE WHO SPOILS IT ALL as this reminded me of Robert on the blogs:

"And what house party would be complete without the blowhard who, most scarily, may even mean some of the things they come out with: "Covid's just a 'flu', "Trump's a genius", "Bring back automatic weapons", "Colin Craig made some damn good points, you know", "Why's everyone spouting Maori all of a sudden?" and "Look, you can't tell me a bloke who puts on a dress can call himself a she!""

All good stuff and remember, it's just a quote - I'm not suggesting that Robert's a blowhard but the similarity between those comments and some of the things that Robert says in his blog are pretty close.

I'd better get thinking of an entry for the 'Wordsworth' column and send in the caption I thought of for the caption competition.

Keep on listening. 

TOO DARN HOT

 I wasn't going to insert a link to the obvious music clip but hey! It's too good to miss.

IT'S TOO DARN HOT - ELLA FITZGERALD

The very talented Cole Porter wrote this for his musical Kiss Me, Kate and this rendition by Ella Fitzgerald is, for me, the best. Lovely stuff.

Yes, it's hot up here today. Blue sky and sunshine but also a warm wind that makes everyone uncomfortable.

I played tennis this morning before the breeze came up but we had to drive into town this afternoon. Having the house closed up in this weather means that it gets very hot inside (26 degrees in the house and nearly 40 degrees in the roof according to the HRV sensor). I've opened all the doors and some windows but, as I said, the breeze is warm.

On the weekend I contacted via the internet a heat pump installer to arrange installation of a couple of Mitsubishi units (Mitsubishi is best). As expected I haven't heard back from them after two days which is par for the course up here. Tradesmen and suppliers must be making too much money or they are more interested in the fishing and swimming lifestyle rather than take on new contracts. Pissed off, I contacted Mitsubishi direct and, within a few hours got an acknowledgement that they had sent my request to their authorised Northland agent - you guessed it - the same slackers I contacted on the weekend.

Yeah right!

NEW POST - THE LITERARY CURMUDGEON

 

PAGODA MOUNTAIN

THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND

 Thank heaven for young people.*

Although the 'snowflakes' piss me off sometimes at least they know their way around technology. Sure, they won't be able to build a communication and entertainment system out of some string, tin cans, No 8 wire and an axe like we could  if there is an apocalypse or even just  an internet failure, but, given that it's unlikely to happen,  it's useful having them around.

THERE WERE NO YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND LAST NIGHT WHEN THEY WERE NEEDED!

Mike, Tony, Richard and I joined on a ZOOM call last night. What a misnomer that is. It was more like a SHUFFLE call. The call, organised by Mike for 40 minutes duration took the first 35 minutes with each of the old duffers trying to configure their screens to see themselves or the others.

"Where are you?"

"I can only see Richard and it's bloody awful"

"I'm in the dark here"

"Turn the light on"

"I can only see Mike's e-mails"

"What's this button for?"

"What?"

"Speak up."

Why is everything so small?"

"Help! Richard just filled my whole screen."

You get the gist.

Just when things seemed to be sorted and a conversation was going the call timed out and couldn't be reconnected.

I think that Mike should stick to writing novels.

* No, not a quote by one of Robert's catholic priests.

AND NOW FOR THE NEWS

 Well, Donald Trump has moved on and hopefully disappearing into Palm Beach Florida retirement like many other aged wealthy New Yorkers.

Good riddance!

The problem, for me, is that watching American news won't be as much fun (also not as frustrating) as it's been for the last 4 or 5 years.

I've been interested in world politics most of my life but ever since Trump came to the American political forefront I've read and watched events daily on the major and minor American news channels both the serious ones and the satirical ones. See here:

AMERICAN NEWS

It's been like watching a slow motion train wreck - interesting but horrible.

What now though? I'm sort of pleased that Biden has replaced Trump although a better Democrat president would have been preferred and I'm looking forward to the new administration bringing some sense back into America's place in the world, and a proper buffer to China, Russia, North Korea, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other nasties expansionist plans. I won't be reading, watching and listening to events daily though. I won't be alone in this so I guess that the American, and some international news entities will do a bit of a starve after the boom times they've had (like supermarkets during COVID-19 lockdowns).

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

You might have noticed that I give Robert a bit of stick on his blog ROBERT THE UNFORTUNATE SINNER but, on writing the above it occurred to me that if Robert did see sense and abandon that silly catholic religion then he wouldn't bang on about it in his blogs and I'd have nothing to get all uptight about. What would I have to make scathing comments on? Commercial cleaning? Trade Me purchasing? Home maintenance? Beer? No. It would be pretty boring. Hang in there Robert otherwise I won't be able to post video links like this:

CAMPING

A DIVERSION

There was a lovely moonlit night last night.

Photo posted on Neighbourly by a local resident

It reminded me of this little ditty.

LITTLE FLO 

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

 

A PERFECT DAY

I teed off on the first tee, just missing the green but chipped on and easily putted for a par three.

Heading off to the second tee I noticed a copse I hadn't seen before with verdant grass beneath it. "Strange" I thought and went over to investigate.  Stepping into the grass I found, easily, thirty or forty golf balls. They were good ones. New, or used only once and good and expensive brands. I filled my pockets, the golf bag and went back for more until .... I woke up.

I told The Old Girl about my dream and she said "That's weird. You worry me - you are very strange."

Bloody rude!

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

Later this morning we went for a long walk around the bays which is good for our fitness, our old bones and our failing sensibilities.

After lunch The Old Girl said she would do three or four hours work in the study so I set about tidying up the frames of some paintings that need hanging, reading my book and generally filling in time.  That dream bothered me though so, at about 2.30 I put the golf clubs into the car and headed off to the golf club.

I played very badly. The other day I played the same holes very well. Go figure. Just when I was about to give up after hitting my ball across a dry stream to a 'no man's area' between two fairways I saw an area of dry grass that I hadn't seen before. I went to investigate and, blow me down, everywhere there were golf balls. Good ones. I filled my pockets to the point where the weight was dragging my shorts down. Eighteen balls! I would have kept fossicking but a pukeko family were getting a bit anxious as they obviously had a nest nearby so I  left.

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

When I arrived home I turned on the television to watch the Prada Cup match between Team UK and Team Italy. I was hoping that Team Italy would win but those pesky Brits did instead and have gone through to the final - I think - but with this silly sport who knows as the rules are so esoteric.

The Old Girl and I started to prepare dinner - roasted potatoes and pumpkin, wilted spinach and garlic and crumbed lamb medallions - and then cracked a bottle of Deutz Blanc de Blanc while playing a couple of games of pool ( a draw).

Dinner was superb, accompanied by a bottle of Yalumba Grenache Shiraz Malbec - GSM- a beautiful grape combination that the Aussies do well albeit borrowed from the French in the Cotes Du Rhone.

After dinner The Old Girl has retired to the other end of the house where the second television is located

(a clever purchase I made late last year so she can watch her chick flicks and other 'fulfilling and worthwhile dramas').

I'm in the lounge/dining area (where I've been banished to write my blog posts) listening to a Van Morrison mix on YouTube and, after publishing this will search for an action film are series on the TV.

It's been a beautiful day. 

A perfect day.

Life is good.

THE GRAMMAR POLICE

 

I live with an ex school teacher. The Old Girl, many years ago used to be an intermediate school teacher and often uses her teacher's discipline, correction and training on me. I can recognise when I'm being herded railroaded directed into doing the 'right thing'. She also corrects my grammar from time to time but fortunately doesn't read my blogs.

Richard, another ex school teacher, who fortunately I don't live with also likes to correct my grammar - and Robert's grammar (a full-time occupation there) and everyone else's grammar. He's been known to alert shopkeepers and business owners of the misspellings on their external signs, an offer that I'm sure goes appreciated.

Here's an example of his interfering:

Annoying isn't it?

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

JESUS CRUST

STILL BUSY

 I woke at the crack of dawn today (7.30) and got up and made a start to my busy day.

I connected the trailer and made my way to the garden place where I bought two scoops of potting mix.

The woman drove the tractor to a huge pile of mix and proceeded to load two tractor scoop loads into my trailer. It was quite a lot - all for $25 - much less than buying it by the bag load at supermarkets or garden centres.

I headed of back up the gravel road and got quite a fright when the trailer wheels failed to get traction in the gravel. Instead of rolling along the trailer seemed to be dragged through the deeper areas of gravel "Fuck - a puncture" I thought with apologies to Robert's sanctimonious parish priest. I didn't fancy jacking up a loaded trailer and changing a wheel on an uphill slope. I checked the trailer wheels (2) and the car wheels (4) and all seemed OK so I got going - slowly). At the crown of the hill the gravel gave way to seal and we rolled along properly.

Before going home I called in to Rod's place. Do you remember Rod, the friend that I had a falling out with? Well, we're talking again and I gave him a couple of barrow loads of mix from the trailer. He was most pleased. At home I shovelled the mix into a big pile by the woodshed. I covered it with some plastic sheeting I have but it's a bit scant so next time I'm in town I'll have to buy a big tarpaulin to cover the pile.

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

I noted today that Richard wrote a post on his 'Richard's Bass Bag' blog attempting to parody the style of my last post and generally Robert's posts. I won't inflict you with a link to this. Just read the back of a can of baked beans or something instead.

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

I also note that Robert has deleted all his posts on his silly 'Medievil Brother Rob' blog. He will probably post again soon once he downs a few cheap beers and he might change the name of his blog.

Here's a suggestion:

BUSY DAY

 The blogs have been a bit boring recently with the highlight from Richard's blog being  a "WHAT I DID ON MY HOLIDAYS" bit of fluff.

There have been no highlights from Robert's blog.

I thought I would keep to the vein of Richard's last post with a "WHAT I DID TODAY" post.

I'm glad you asked.

This morning I played tennis at the local old folks tennis club. My tennis, like my golf is getting better with pr..... no, with more playing.

I then loaded up the trailer with more stuff to take to the dump (recycle centre in town). I wanted an empty trailer because The Old Girl has plans for my macrocarpa planters and the numerous pots on the deck which will require lots of potting mix. By chance a local commercial garden operation advertised used potting mix for $12.50 a scoop (2 scoops make up a trailer load). This is a helluva good deal.

I drove into town with the well secured trailer (it has been very windy here today. I was half expecting to see Richard's undies fly past in the gusts). The only hold up was at  the Lower Hatea bascule bridge:

Bascule bridges themselves are relatively common worldwide, but the type of bascule constructed at Lower Hatea is rare. Lower Hatea is a single leaf counterweighted rolling bascule, meaning that it is opened hydraulically using rams, from one side in the centre of the bridge, and makes use of counterweights which work with gravity to reduce the energy needed to raise the deck. As one of only a handful of bridges of this type in the world – and certainly none with such a distinctive design - there was really no precedent for how to manage the construction of the bascule section to ensure it could open smoothly, safely and in a reasonable timeframe.

          Or so said the blurb from the builders McConnell Dowell.

That's my car and trailer stopped while the bridge opened to let a tall-masted yacht motor through.

I successfully dumped my rubbish along with some recycle stuff I left there - the old petrol lawn mower and the petrol weed trimmer both of which I've replaced with EGO battery ones. Cost - $45.

I drove home but, as I had the empty trailer kept going around a few more bays and found the road that I thought the garden place was on. I drove a long way up a gravel road but couldn't find it. Eventually I reached a dead end and had to reverse the trailer back along the gravel road (uphill at that point) until I found a narrow driveway (steep) to reverse into and turn around. I was really glad that there was no other traffic as, although I'm competent at reversing trailers I'm not confident. I gave up looking for the garden place and went home. When I looked up the address on the computer ii was listed as being along a side road that I had passed but THERE WAS NO BLOODY SIGNAGE! 

I'll ring them tomorrow to check that they still have stock and get proper directions.

When I got home The Old Girl told me that the removal company had rung and a truck was on the way with all of the stuff she sent up from the Wellington apartment. It was just as well that I didn't have a trailer full of potting mix as I had to disconnect the trailer, push it around the side of the house and then drive my car out onto the road to make way for the imminently arriving truck. This would have been impossible with a fully laden trailer. My plan is to leisurely empty it and wheelbarrow the contents up to where the planters are.

The 'truck' soon arrived. It was a bloody great container tuck with a 20ft container on it!

I asked The Old Girl what the hell she was having sent up. She said that she was expecting 25 boxes!

I know that 25 boxes would only take up a small amount of space in the container but - bloody hell!

The driver reversed up the drive which is steepish. He was a much better reverser than me but I guess that he does it all the time and doesn't know how to market New Zealand wines overseas. I was impressed though. I wish that I'd taken a picture as the truck and container dwarfed the sheds and was nearly as high as our very high house.

The Old Girl and I helped them bring the boxes in, waved them goodbye and I brought my car back up the driveway.

Exciting eh?

THE RAVINGS OF A LUNATIC

 Richard went on holiday recently and was away from his blog Richard's Bass Bag which he laughably describes as 'The original bass bagging site' - as if anyone else would want to copy it.

Before he left he apologised for disruption in his posting and indeed, during his holiday he couldn't help himself from commenting on other posts in the blogging community. In some, or most of these he touted that the community needed him to return ASAP to write new posts.

Yes, this did sound like the ravings of a lunatic.

Here's an example:

Deluded isn't he?

So, now he's back and what do we get for posts?

THIS

Pathetic! It's enough to drive one to read Robert's posts.*

* Not really. That was just a statement made for ironical effect.

HOISTED BY HER OWN PETARD

 I cooked dinner last night - it was my turn.

I made chicken piccata (Italian lemon chicken) with salad and oven roasted Hasselback potatoes.

Images from the internet but mine were just as good.

The meal was delicious and afterwards I said I would clean up.

"Not on your life Matey" said The Old Girl, "I can do it better."

She did.

Unbeknown to me though she took some before and after pics on her camera and emailed them to me today.

She was making a point and told me that when I clean pans and dishes I miss a lot.

OK, she can be in charge of this in the future.

MORE PLUMBING

 Well, as I reported earlier: HERE , AND HERE  we had some plumbing issues at Christmas which were fixed. The plumber is on holiday but we are making arrangements to get him back to replace all of the old black pvc piping and connections that will surely fail in the future.

Last week I crawled under the house again, right to the far reaches where the plumbing problems have been and, unfortunately at the lowest level of the basement, to see if there were any more leaks. While I couldn't see any leaks from either the old joins or the new joins the ground was soaked and there was a pool of water below some piping that goes up into the end of the house bathroom and laundry. The Old Girl had done some washing that morning so I assumed that there was a leak in the joins somewhere.

I crawled out and asked The Old Girl to give me warning when she was next going to use the washing machine so that I could get myself ready to crawl under again and be in position when the machine rinses and empties. This requires donning knee pads, old clothing and my new ($10 from the OP shop) overalls  and then the disposable overalls that I haven't yet disposed of even after 3 or 4 uses although they are getting a bit ragged.

On Saturday, The Old Girl said she was going to put some washing through so I got ready, told her that I was going to get in position under the laundry area and crawled in again. I waited and then when the washing machine did its first rinse, water pissed out everywhere from a hole in the white pvc pipe that runs down.

This hadn't been easy to see before. I was getting drenched and pressed two fingers into the breech to stem the flow and held them there while the water coursed through the pipes. I felt like that little Dutch joker.

Finger in the dyke (no rude comments please)

I kept pressing my fingers to the hole while the machine went through its cycle (The Old Girl of course had set it to the longest wash cycle!). I was waiting for her to tell me, by calling down through the gap where the laundry pipe goes through to under the house, when the wash load was over. I couldn't hear the machine going so was unable to judge this but kept my fingers pressed on the pipe just in case. I was starting to get cramp so I called out to The Old Girl. No answer so I called out again. No answer so ..... this went on for a while and I, from the cramped position while lying on my back, tried to bang on the floorboards. This was ineffective.

The house is fairly large (280 square metres) which is a large footprint so unless The Old Girl was in the laundry and bathroom area at the end of the house (where I believe she should have been) she would not have heard me. She didn't as she was in the bedroom listening to an audiobook with earphones on!

I tell you!

At normal times, wherever I am The Old Girl can hear what I'm doing.

"What are you doing?" she will call out if I make a noise connected to something she thinks I shouldn't be doing like rummaging in the fridge or pantry for a snack, breaking something, dropping or slopping some food or drink on the floor - all several rooms away from where she is. I don't know how she does it - I think she has bat's ears.

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

Yesterday I bought some pvc repair tape from the hardware store and crawled under the house again and wound the tape onto the hole in the downpipe. It's not a pretty job but hopefully it will work for a couple of washes until the plumber gets here.

FOR ROBERT

 Look, I know that it's late and I admit to having had at least one more glass of chardonnay than I should have this evening but I thought that it's important to steer Robert in the right direction.

Richard wrote a very minor and pithy post this evening that even for him was a bit, well, pithy but Robert still managed to get over-excited about it and said this:

Richard had used this image of robert in his post:

Which just begged the question which I posed:

Well, here's where Robert needs to plant that big smacker.

SYMBOLISM*

 * Not those silly Dan Brown novels: 

or Robert's churchy things:

No, I'm referring to yesterday's happening on the Waitemata harbour.

America Magic, the USA hopeful in the America's Cup spectacularly went airborne at the 5th turn and tipped over thus losing the race to Prada, the Italian contender.

America Magic also carries the name PATRIOT which is emblazoned on its stern.

The part-owner of the American Magic team Doug DeVos - whose net worth is $7b - is related to Betsy De Vos the abysmally performing Secretary of Education in the Trump Administration. She sunk herself in even greater fashion than American Magic.

The symbolism is the irony of this high profile American boat collapsing and almost sinking in an event that also carries America's name, at this time, just over a week after the US Capitol was overrun by riotous 'patriots' and less than a week before Donald Trump gets the wind taken out of his sails when he gets kicked out of the White House.

AND THIS ONE FOR THE NIETZSCHE MARKET

 Robert's been banging on about Catholicism again (and agan) in his recent posts.

He's even had a go at me in comments on my posts .....

..... but then you got on to your anticatholic band wagon...

 

And then he wrote a post after that comment that seems to  negate his comment:

But that's Robert so don't take what he says too seriously.

On that thought here's a cartoon for him.

"SOUTH OF THE BOMBAY HILLS" *

 * A saying Aucklander's used meaning that "New Zealand stops at the Bombay Hills" 

The most discerning disparate desperate of you will have noticed that Richard's Bass Bag is out of action.

It is no longer publishing the usual entertaining entangled  entropic posts for which it is famous for known for sometimes mentioned.

The good news for some is that this will only be a temporary situation.

The bad news for most is that this will only be a temporary situation.

Richard's Bass Bag will return, unlike, hopefully, Donald Trump.

"Where has Richard gone?" I think I heard one person ask. Well, this, from his last post explains it:

As we know, Richard is geographically challenged but he did get the picture of the bridge right.

Here is a little more information on Tuakau, also borrowed from Wikipedia:

When I managed Murphy's Wines and Spirits in Manurewa, Auckland back in the early 1980s Tuakau was indeed part of Auckland and was a town that we serviced with ancillary alcohol supplies along with many other towns, villages and communities in the greater South Auckland area. An 'Ancillary' license back then  was a liquor license (not retail, wholesale or on-premise) that gave authority to sports and social clubs to serve alcohol to members. Murphy's as one of the largest wholesalers in the area used to compete fiercely with other wholesale liquor providers and we used to have to offer increasing amounts of sponsorship (money, fixtures and fittings, uniforms and gear etc.) to the bowling, rugby, rugby league, soccer, and other sports clubs along with cosmopolitan and working man clubs. As manager I used to have to attend annual prize givings to present sponsorship cheques and play in bowling tournaments. Most times it was fun but a two day bowls tournament, in Summer playing with members who wanted to have a beer or other drink after each 'end' was hard work. Have you ever drunk rum and milk?

Note that the above is what Richard would term 'the alternate universe' where one person's story is borrowed and embellished. Well, in the case of Richard's stories they can only be improved upon.

What does Tuakau mean?

Well, nothing to do with  'two a cow' which Richard used in an attempt to make a pun - that's for damn sure.

NZ History .govt.nz tells us that  the meaning of Tuakau is:

Tū: to stand; ākau: shore, river bank. The reference may be to the high bluff on which the Alexandra Redoubt was built during the Waikato War, which lends a commanding view down the river.

Now, aren't' you glad that Richard is away?

To close here's a picture for Robert.

Sunday, November 18, 2018 at Tuakau saw a large gathering of Marist Brothers, former brothers and old boys assemble at the Tuakau Hotel for a reunion luncheon on what promised to be an historic day for this “Marist family”. The occasion was to commemorate the return of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the restored grotto at La Valla, formerly the site of the Marist Brothers Juniorate (1922-1974).

APOCALYPSE NOW*

 * Or, maybe soon.

We had our own taste of the apocalypse yesterday.

No, it didn't feature Robert's four horsemen 

nor any of those other hallucinogenic fantasies.

But, it was still pretty darn serious. We had no internet for a day and a half!

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

On Sunday, The Old Girl, who will be working from home this year looked at me and said. This internet is too damned slow matey. She looked right at me so I knew that it must be my fault.

I said that I'd look into it.

I did an internet speed test which came up at the high end for ADSL settings but The Old Girl is  used to working in an office with higher speed internet. I looked at the likely speed increase of VDSL (we cannot get Fibre here yet) and the speed increase is quite a lot more.

I contacted SPARK to request a change from ADSL to VDSL. I was assured that this could be done within 48 hours. We received a text from SPARK yesterday saying that the changeover was happening and then ....THE INTERNET WENT DEAD. DEAD! I checked all the fittings and settings but no internet.

We use the internet a lot for The Old Girl's work, email, Facebook (to access Neighbourly), reading NZ Herald and international news , YouTube, on-line banking and - TELEVISION. We don't have access to cable TV or standard TV frequencies except via our Broadband where we access YouTube, Netflix, TV On Demand, NEON etc.

Well, I tell you, yesterday was a nightmare not being to access these and especially not being able to access the blogs. What the hell were Richard and Robert up to? A whole day went by without knowing about Richard's New Year resolution to practice practise try and play his ukulele more often or whether Robert has found out yet why women can't be Catholic priests. I could see how a global collapse of the internet could be the fifth horseman.

I slept fitfully.

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

This morning I received a text from SPARK saying that the changeover from ADSL to VDSL had been successful. I texted back saying that it hadn't and rang the 0800 number to talk to a technician. The (very helpful) guy, after we ran some tests on our current modem to see if it could be VDSL compatible, apologised on behalf of SPARK for them not telling me earlier that this could be the case. He advised that a new modem was needed and started to run through some payment options. I interrupted him to say that The Old Girl really needed the set up immediately (I didn't mention the importance of accessing the blogs to him or The Old Girl). He said that I could get what I needed from the SPARK store for $119. I thanked him and drove into town which is only a mere 1 hour return trip. It's best to keep The Old Girl happy you see.

The new set-up is working fine and I can see that the speed is much greater than before.

Imminent cosmic cataclysm averted.

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

WHY ARE THERE NO WOMEN PRIESTS?

NEW POST - THE WINE GUY

 Listen up!

The Wine guy has posted after a bit of an absence.

YOU LITTLE BEAUTY!

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 We haven't heard from Robert since that odd post on Samuel 2. Maybe he's still busy flicking.

This might wake him up: THE GOD DELUSION 2

LOOKING FOR A BLACK HOLE?

 I don't want to be picky but there is a limit sometimes.

I've been known to write some dull posts. I admit it but, in my defence I try to limit those posts to the blog THE MUNDANE CURMUDGEON: HERE

The posts on the main blog THE CURMUDGEON tend to arouse curiosity or interest and hold or catch the attention of readers. They are usually interesting, topical, salacious, invigorating, absorbing, engrossing, fascinating, riveting, gripping, compelling, compulsive, spellbinding, captivating, engaging, enthralling, entrancing, beguiling, appealing, attractive, amusing, entertaining, stimulating, thought-provoking, diverting, exciting, intriguing, action-packed, unputdownable - but, you get the picture.

I read a mind-numbingly boring post on Richard's Bass Bag this morning that is at the nadir of interesting. It's like ant-matter is to matter, light to dark, religious nutter to atheist - a black hole in other words.

.

Beware reading this post, or indeed anything from the blog.

Here's a sample from the post:

I"'ll  (sic) be away for five days next week it'll be harder to fit in practice then because I have a lot of driving to do - and I'll only have my violin with me. I'll try to fit in an hour each day, but it'll be tricky at times. The more hours I can do before we leave the better."

It's actually more than a sample - it's almost the entire post.

The post is only saved by this codicil. 

        "In other news...

        There is no other news."

Remember - you have been warned.