NEW POST - THE CURMUDGEON'S AGONY AUNT

 

BROKEN DOWN

SLEEP

"Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,

Smiles awake you when you rise;

Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,

And I will sing a lullaby,

Rock them, rock them, lullaby …"

         - From  Thomas Dekker’s 1603 play Patient Grissel,  later stolen by The Beatles.

That previous post reminded me of sleep and sleeping.

My partner, The Old Girl has trouble sleeping usually only managing a few hours a night at best.

I normally don't have trouble myself, I’m so good at sleeping that I can do it with my eyes closed.

A chap at the tennis club who, since a serious health issue also has a sleep problem. He told us that he takes cannabis oil now which has cured him of insomnia and, so he claims, has helped with his various aches and pains.

Cannabis oil, or CBD oil is not yet freely available in pharmacies and requires a doctor's prescription to buy it.

Look, don't rely on my sketchy understanding of this. Here's what I got off the 'net'

Is CBD Oil Legal in NZ?

Yes, CBD oil is legal in NZ as a prescription medication and is available for you to purchase through your local pharmacy with a script or from our partner pharmacy. To obtain a prescription, you can consult with a Cannabis Clinic doctor or your own GP.

On a side note, cannabis oil generally refers to CBD oil and is, therefore, also legal in NZ with a prescription.

CBD oil has actually been legal in NZ since late 2017 and patients have been using it since then. Unfortunately there are still barriers to access for many Kiwis. Patients will often tell us that their GP has refused to prescribe. This is mainly due to GPs having a lack of experience and confidence in prescribing but it also reflects opinions about CBD oil as not being a genuine medication. 

While CBD oil is legal in NZ, it is not legal to substitute products. This means that whatever product your GP writes on your prescription, your local pharmacy must give you this product – even if an alternative product suits you better or is cheaper.

Now the more observant among you might have noticed that this 'advice' is a bit biased in favour of 'Cannabis Clinic doctors' and scathing of regular GPs and the medical profession in general. No doubt a 'Cannabis Clinic doctor' looks like this:

Certainly not what our GP looks like.

The chap at the tennis club, in his 70s is a bit of an old hippy and no doubt has his own sources for CBD oil.

I told The Old Girl about this and she was sceptical at her chances of getting a prescription or a legal supply and, besides, she has never smoked cigarettes so isn't keen on taking cannabis in any form other than as a tablet.

I suggested she use a hookah.

I got 'that look'.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

 

It seems that my previous post, Interview # 4 stirred up some memories among the Garden Road Boys.

Accusations and recriminations flew about like, well, things that fly about. The consensus though, was that the eldest brother 'He Who Cannot Be Named' was to blame for most of the indiscretions although Robert's admission to killing god's creatures like sparrows with his air rifle came as a shock. This has the hallmark of serial killer behaviour where killers demonstrate disturbing behaviour at an early age.

Still, we'd best leave all this where it belongs - back in the 1960s.

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

Moving on ........

It's Friday and tomorrow I'll be getting the new (old) furniture picked up - the kauri chest of drawers and the oak wardrobe. Luckily for you I recorded this in a previous post BUYING SPREE

The units are quite large and heavy and so not suitable for me collecting them in my trailer. I've made arrangements for a truck and driver to help me but this is proving much more difficult than it should be.

I have tried to arrange for the truck and driver to meet me at the pick up point where I'll help him to load the items and then I'll drive back home to help him unload when he gets here. The problem is in arranging a time. The driver, for whom it seems English is his second language keeps asking "what time pick-up". I'd told the seller that we'd pick up late morning Saturday and at least we got a date finalised but I'm trying to nail both down with a time. It's like herding cats. In frustration a few days ago I emailed the driver plus the seller and asked for them to agree on a pick-up time between them. I got a response from the driver asking, you guessed it, "what time pick-up". I repeated the email and a day later got a phone call from him asking "what time pick-up" although, given that he comes from Bangladesh or somewhere could just as well have been asking what colour my knickers are. I stressed, again. the necessity of contacting the seller. He said he would do that and confirm the time with me. That was Wednesday and I still haven't heard. I'll have to chase them up again this afternoon if I haven't heard. To him, I'll just send a text saying "they're blue!".

In the place where the oak wardrobe will go The Old Girl has a newish rimu wardrobe that I bought second hand a couple of years ago. She doesn't really like it (women huh!) and it is a bit small.

Yesterday, while in town waiting for the car to be serviced I mooched around furniture shops looking for a tall tallboy. There's a narrow alcove in the bedroom where I have a small chest of drawers but it's not a very efficient use of space.

I'm looking for something taller with more drawers. To date I haven't found anything suitable on Trade Me or other sites as I've been looking for something old and well made (kind of like me really). In the stores yesterday I did discover a few well-made pieces (most modern furniture is junk unless you want to pay a lot) and will consider buying one of these:

INTERVIEW #4

 You will have noticed that Robert has too much time on his hands today and, instead of writing posts on his own blog, has been leaving confusing and illogical comments on other people's blogs.

I've written a couple of religious oriented (or the opposite) posts about Robert's religion but don't want to do any more at present so thought that a distraction is required. Fortunately I have the transcript of an interview for you.

INTERVIEW FOUR - MRS O'SULLIVAN

The Curmudgeon: Hello Mrs O'Sullivan and welcome to The Curmudgeon's Interview page where ....

Mrs O'Sullivan: Thanks TC and you can call me Madge.

The Curmudgeon: Oh, OK, er Madge. Now as you know this page is dedicated to significant characters in this blogging world who have not been given much of a chance to put their own stories forward. As you have featured strongly in Robert's history it seems appropriate for you to be one of our earliest interviewees.

Mrs O'Sullivan: Gosh, thanks TC. I do like your blogs you know and do forgive you for getting my name wrong sometimes.

The Curmudgeon: Your name wrong?

Mrs O'Sullivan: Yes, sometimes you refer to me as Mrs O'Connor. 

The Curmudgeon: Oh, damn, sorry about that.

Mrs O'Sullivan: No worries Robert knows who you mean.

The Curmudgeon: Right. Back in 2018 Robert admitted to have been watching you through a window. We've got a record of that somewhere .... just a mo' ...... ah, here it is:

Mrs O'Sullivan: Ha ha. I knew he was there you know.

The Curmudgeon: What! You knew?

Mrs O'Sullivan: Of course I knew. Those Prowse boys all thought they were clever but my daughters and I could see right through them.

The Curmudgeon: Like that window?

Mrs O'Sullivan: Now, don't be naughty ..... yes, my daughters said that they were always trying to get a peek at their knickers. That second oldest one used to ..... no, best not.

The Curmudgeon: Oh come on Madge.

Mrs O'Sullivan: OK, the oldest one ... now, listen to this he used to .......

The Curmudgeon: I'd better stop you there Madge otherwise we might get a law suit on our hands. Look what he threatened Richard with.

Mrs O'Sullivan: Yes, I read that. We'll stick with Robert then seeing that he's on record of admitting that he peeked through my window.

The Curmudgeon: So, you say that you knew then, Why didn't you say something at the time?

Mrs O'Sullivan: Well, and this is a teensy bit embarrassing TC, but I liked it.

The Curmudgeon: You liked it!

Mrs O'Sullivan: Yes, it gave me a wee thrill you see. I'd noticed him hanging about. At first I thought he was trying to get a peek of the daughter's - you-know-what's, like his brother used to but then I noticed that he was in the bushes even when they were out.

The Curmudgeon: Mmm, tell me more.

Mrs O'Sullivan: Well this one day I heard rustling, I hope it was just the bushes, and so I quickly did a strip and walked from room to room - lingering you know.

The Curmudgeon: Ooooh, I do know, I do know.....

Mrs O'Sullivan: Are you all right TC?

The Curmudgeon: Yep, carry on Madge.

Mrs O'Sullivan: Well I walked about a bit, pretended to drop things and pick them up and then picked up a feather duster and you know, flicked it around.

The Curmudgeon: And what happened?

Mrs O'Sullivan: I don't know exactly. I heard some moaning from the bushes, a gasp and then scurrying sounds. I then heard my daughters arriving home and so had to quickly get dressed and act normal.

The Curmudgeon: Ha ha. That's great Madge. That's all we've got time for but we've got the makings for a good interview here.

Mrs O'Sullivan: What happened to Robert by the way?

The Curmudgeon: Oh, he went all religious.

Mrs O'Sullivan: Oh dear. I am sorry.

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMEDGEON

 Oh dear, the Religious Curmudgeon has written a new post.

HOW DOES THAT GO AGAIN?

Sorry about that but at least he has his own blog.

DON'T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME

 

Richard, channeling his late mother, would call me a COVID crank no doubt, but I'm not taking this OMICRON scourge lightly as many others are doing. It's not just another 'flu and we still don't know the long-term effects of the virus. I don't want to get it and certainly not the looming new strain - the XE variant which is said to be more virulent.

We take care where we go, always wear masks and don't and won't travel anywhere unless it's absolutely necessary. We will not go to gatherings of people we don't know. I even wear my mask at tennis (not while playing but while sitting down waiting for a game).

I'm not attending any ANZAC Day commemoration services today which, for me is a rarity. I've only missed a very few in my lifetime including last year when there were no public services.

This morning, as I was putting out the recycle bins and rubbish bag, Rod stopped to chat. He was off on his daily walk (puts me to shame as he's older). Rod is a 'close talker' and even when you slowly move away from him he continues to close in. This is annoying at any time but, in a pandemic is downright unnecessary. *

DON'T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME - THE POLICE

It's hard to decide what to do in these situations (not schoolgirl's coming on to me, as, oddly, that doesn't happen) - I mean the 'close talker'. You don't want to offend them and you know that if you mention it you will. I know that Rod is doubly vaccinated and has had the booster and that he and his wife never go to public gatherings but still .........

* I've written of this before. See: SPACE INVADERS

INTERVIEW #3

 

This INTERVIEW series is going well.

Interview #2 elicited six comments and only three of them were from me. It looks like a third interview is required.

INTERVIEW THREE - FATHER FREDERICK BLISS

The Curmudgeon: Hi Fred, er I can call you Fred can't I?

Father Bliss: Yes, that's OK The Curmudgeon. I've been called worse - ha, ha.

The Curmudgeon: Yeah, I'll bet.

Father Bliss: What's that boy?

The Curmudgeon: I said I'll let you call me TC if I'm calling you Fred.

Father Bliss: Yes, TC it is. Hey! Weren't you at St Pat's in the 1960s? I remember a young man with outstanding promise and prospects. Was that you?

The Curmudgeon: (embarrassed) Yes, that was me. I ...

Father Bliss: So what happened?

The Curmudgeon: (Sotto voce) Prick.

Father Bliss: What's that?

The Curmudgeon: Pick. I said, pick a topic that we can talk about if you like.

Father Bliss: Righty-O lad. I remember that, in 4P in 1976 you were slipping away from the faith. That's true isn't it?

The Curmudgeon: Yes, slipping on all of that greasy crap that you and the others promulgated...

Father Bliss: What's that? Speak up lad.

The Curmudgeon: You propagated ideas of Catholicism and Christianity as Religious Master I recall.

Father Bliss: That's right and I made you a Sacristan to get you back on path didn't I?

The Curmudgeon: True, true, and remember how that turned out.

Father Bliss: Yes, well, we all have our little mistakes.

The Curmudgeon: You fired me as I remember.

Father Bliss: Well, sonny Jim, if you'd cut me in on the 'profits' then things might have been different mmm? Even priests like a mince pie and coke now and then.

The Curmudgeon: Is that some kind of a euphemism?

Father Bliss: Ha, ha. You always were one for the words TC. One of the many benefits of being in the 'P' classes I guess but I am a bit concerned at that aspersion you seem to have cast.

The Curmudgeon: Yes, well, let's get to the core of this interview. I know that you haven't had a chance to give your side of the story over that incident when you were 'Head Religious' of schools in Wellington.

Father Bliss: Ahh. You mean that chap Woodcock. Funny name that ...

The Curmudgeon: Yes, Father Alan Woodcock, a priest and music teacher.

Father Bliss: Mmm, they are always suspect those ones.

The Curmudgeon: Priests?

Father Bliss: No, music teachers.

The Curmudgeon: Woodcock was accused of criminal sexual molestation - paedophilia - in 1982, but the Catholic Church knew about his proclivities years before that and you simply moved him around different churches and schools.

Father Bliss: I did?

The Curmudgeon: The Church did but you were accused of hiding the fact. In 1982 three sixth-form boys alleged Woodcock had fondled them. The principal, Father Vincent Curtain, asked you, the Marists' chief at the time,  to remove Woodcock but you decided to leave him at the school until the end of the year.

Father Bliss: Well he was a damned good priest and music teacher ....

The Curmudgeon: No he wasn't. A 1979 report by Father Noel Delaney described reports of Woodcock's teaching ability at St John's as "rather undistinguished".

Father Bliss: Well, yes but as I said, he was a music teacher.

The Curmudgeon: OK, let's move on. You, while knowing what was going on and being aware of Woodcock's earlier convictions and treatment for inappropriate sexual behaviour and molestations, still said glowing things about him.

Father Bliss: Like what?

The Curmudgeon: Like this that you endorsed in the St Patrick's Silverstream yearbook of 1982:

"Father Woodcock's stay at Silverstream has proved all too short. He quickly established himself as a friend and confidant to those boys with an interest in music and others who came to recognise and appreciate his availability and sympathetic approach."

Father Bliss: Eeew, yes, maybe, have you proof of that?

The Curmudgeon: Here: 

Father Bliss: OK, fair cop.

The Curmudgeon: So?

Father Bliss: OK, so, I'm sorry OK. I missed it.

The Curmudgeon: Like you missed the behaviour and history of Father Minto when he was rector and you were Religious Director.

Father Bliss: OK, OK, stop being a molestation crank. There were some good Christian people at St Pat's you know.

The Curmudgeon: OK, I'll rise to the challenge, name one.

Father Bliss: Er, um, er ..... Robert! Robert something or other. He was always hanging around wanting to be a Sacristan. I wouldn't make him one - he was far too religious. He had this unhealthy interest in The Virgin Mary - always trying to take photographs up her skirt - that type of thing.

The Curmudgeon: Come on. Up her skirt! How could he do that as the statues 'vestments' were made of plaster.

Father Bliss: I said that he was very religious. I didn't say that he was the sharpest knife in the drawer.

The Curmudgeon: OK Fred, I guess we'd better leave it there.

Father Bliss: Nice meeting up again TC. Thanks for letting me have a say .... I think.

The Curmudgeon: "Therefore you are".

Father Bliss: Ha, ha TC, there's that knowledge and wit again. Say, if ever you want to get that communion host business going again. I have some supply contacts.

The Curmudgeon: Sounds good Fred. I know how we can move it. Robert has access to a Church Shop.

  

INTERVIEW #2

 Well I'm quite surprised at the success of Interview #1 which received a rating from Richard and more than a "I read it" comment from Robert. Obviously I'm on the right track here.

The second interview is with someone you all have heard of who has been quoted and misquoted for centuries. To my knowledge no-one has ever given him a chance to tell his side of the story.

INTERVIEW TWO - PONTIUS PILATE

The Curmudgeon: Hello and welcome , er, how should I address you?

Pontius Pilate: My full name is Marcus Pontius Pilatus but I've discovered that every college boy doesn't have the good fortune to make the 'P' classes, being taught sewing or something instead of Latin in the 'G' classes so my name is often mispronounced. You can call me Mark if you want.

The Curmudgeon: Oh, well, I was one of those fortunates who did make the 'P' classes so can we settle on Pontius?

Pontius Pilate: Pontius is acceptable.

The Curmudgeon: Great. Super. Let's move on then. Look Ponty ...

Pontius Pilate: Pontius.

The Curmudgeon: Oh, sorry, look Pontius, I've been reading up on your history with particular reference to, let's say, that episode in about 30 AD in Jerusalem where you were the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordered his crucifixion.

Pontius Pilate: Now hold it right there Matey. Yes it's true that I was the Governor of Judaea - 'Guv' they called me - and this Jesus guy was brought before me but I didn't order his crucifixion. I ....

The Curmudgeon: Come on Pontius. It's in the records. The main sources on the crucifixion are the four canonical Christian Gospels although the accounts of which vary and are dependant on the political views of each gospeller. Tacitus the Roman historian also said you did it and said - I quote: 

"Christus, the founder of the name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate, and the pernicious superstition  was checked for a moment..." (Tacitus, Annals 15.44)

Josephus also mentioned Jesus's execution by you at the request of prominent Jews (Antiquities of the Jews 18.3.3) 

Pontius Pilate: Yes, but ....

The Curmudgeon: Plus Alexander Demandt, Ignatius, Philo of Alexandria, the chroniclers at the Nicene conference - in fact just about every Tom, Dick or Harry ...

Pontius Pilate: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

The Curmudgeon: What? Oh, funny, anyway, what I'm saying is that everyone say's you did it.

Pontius Pilate: Have you ever heard that old joke about the soldiers request "Send reinforcements we are going to advance" being mistakenly heard as "Send three and fourpence we are going to a dance"?

The Curmudgeon: Yes but ...

Pontius Pilate: It's like Chinese Whispers and probably explains all of the misquotes, misunderstandings and misleading narratives in the bible and the Gospels.

The Curmudgeon: Yes but what's that got to do with the crucifixion?

Pontius Pilate: Let me explain. The chief priests and elders brought this guy Jesus before me right?

The Curmudgeon: Yes.

Pontius Pilate: And they asked for judgement against him, frankly they were looking to get rid of him right?

The Curmudgeon:Yes, but ....

Pontius Pilate: So I told them to take him away, rough him up a bit, let him go and then cruise by and report to me. Right?

The Curmudgeon: So you're saying ....

Pontius Pilate: Yes. Those bozos hearing must have been a bit off, which isn't surprising given all those damned bells they ring.

The Curmudgeon: Oh. So ...

Pontius Pilate: So, it's not my fault that they got the wrong idea and crucified him.

The Curmudgeon: But what about that washing of hands thing?

Pontius Pilate: Do you know much about ancient Judaea and the sanitation methods of the time?

The Curmudgeon: No, why.

Pontius Pilate: Well, let's just say that they didn't clean up properly after doing their business.

The Curmudgeon:You mean ...

Pontius Pilate: Yes. And when that chief priest Caiaphas insisted on shaking my hand I cringed. I just needed to wash up as quickly as possible.

The Curmudgeon: Right. Gotcha. Well, I guess that wraps up the interview. Thanks Ponty - er, Pontius.

Pontius Pilate: Vade in pace.

 

INTERVIEW #1

 OK, we've had fun with religion, Robert's buggered off again and Richard has a hurtee hand so it's up to The Curmudgeon to keep this blogging community going.

I thought that a series of interviews with interviewees that haven't had a chance to put their stories forward might be a good idea. First up we'll talk with THAT dingo.

INTERVIEW ONE - JOHN THE DINGO

The Curmudgeon: Hi there ..er.. do you mind if I call you John?*

John the dingo: Nah, no worries go for it mate.

The Curmudgeon: OK, er, John, um, you have had a lot of bad press in the past. How has that affected you?

John the dingo: Well, yeah, I mean, it wasn't expected yannow. I was just yannow doing what I usually do and then, yannow, all bloody hell broke loose. Strewth, it was like flat out like a lizard drinking.

The Curmudgeon: Yes, I see that. You probably weren't used to much attention before the, er, incident. So, tell us your side of the story.

John the dingo: Crikey! Mate, you're the first person who's asked that ya beauty. Fair suck of the sav I've seen all these drongos bullshitting about it. At first they said the sprog's mother did it and then they said I or my mates did and then they said the mother did it ... around and around. I was chasing my tail mate , and that's not one of them megaphones.

The Curmudgeon: Metaphor.

John the dingo: Meat for who?

The Curmudgeon: No, metaphor - where you say you're chasing your tail about but  you really weren't ... never mind.

John the dingo: I'm not. No worries mate.

The Curmudgeon: So, you've been following the events  then?

John the dingo: Can't help it mate. Those newspaper bozos have been here like cockroaches over a sugar-cube. Blah, blah, blah - they changed their minds so often it was like watching a Canberra polly order a takeaway.

The Curmudgeon: Ha ha .... so you think that they did a bad job?

John the dingo: Mate, they made a dog's breakfast of it - no pung intended.

The Curmudgeon: Pun.

John the dingo: What?

The Curmudgeon: Never mind. So Lindy's been finally believed - that a dingo did eat her baby. How do you feel about that?

John the dingo: Look, mate, fairs fair I have to tell ya - I did eat that baby.

The Curmudgeon: That's all we've got time for . Interview closed at 1:37.

* Not her real name

ONLY A LITTLE BIT ELITIST - MOSTLY PRETENTIOUS REALLY

I got a fright this morning when, bleary-eyed I looked at my NZ Herald on-line app and read this:

INSIDE; THE SCANDAL ROCKING ARISE CHURCH


A sprawling multimillion-dollar church organisation is facing a string of misconduct allegations from former members.

Churchgoers who interned as part of a ministry course and volunteered their services claim they felt used, underappreciated, overworked and burned out by the church.

Independent journalist David Farrier, today's guest on the Front Page podcast, has been investigating these issues and reporting the accounts of congregation members on his Webworm blogFor the last six months, I've been hearing from members of Arise saying: 'Look, this church has a darker side and there are people being spat out on the other side that have really been broken by what's gone on,'" Farrier says.

Farrier says it's important not to confuse this with a tiny church group that meets over the weekends to worship.

He says the church has over 10,000 members, spread over 12 campuses across New Zealand. The members are encouraged to tithe, which entails a donation of 10 per cent of your salary to the church.

"Holy-Moly" I thought, "we've been rumbled", still reeling from Robert's and his son's accusations and his presumed defection after deleting all of his posts. "Robert's made allegations to the authorities".

When I rubbed the 'sleep' out of my eyes and read the report properly, an exercise not often undertaken by members of this blogging community, I realised that it wasn't The Church of the Blessed Curmudgeon (temporarily parked) that was being investigated, it was the ARISE church.

Oh well, as old T.S. said:

Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow

Robert might arise again I suppose but we'll have peace while he's gone.

T.S. again:

In this decayed hole among the mountains
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel
There is the empty chapel, only the wind’s home.
It has no windows, and the door swings,
Dry bones can harm no one.

 

NEW THINGS

 I've had a few new things delivered this week which is cheering given the atrocious weather that's been battering us.

First up the replacement Mac-book Air arrived on Tuesday. You might remember that my previous Mac-book Air went phhtt recently. In case you don't remember here's a link to the post that I wrote on it: HERE

It was a 2013 model and the internet told me that these things can only be expected to last 8 years so I guess that was bang on, or should I say 'phhtt on'. I bought another one, a reconditioned one from the Apple store. It's a 2021 model so hopefully will see me out.

I've been setting this 'new' one up with all of the Apps I need for the very important blogging and am good to go. It's a nifty little machine with a few more 'bells and whistles' than the old one so, who knows, the blog posts might be (even) snappier. While these Mac-books are great the best thing about them is portability for when we travel. I prefer using the desk-top Mac which is in the study. Over the Easter break, The Old Girl hasn't been working and won't be until next week so I've been able to use the bigger Mac. Luxury.

The next thing I bought on-line is replacement ear muffs for the headphones I use on the desk-top Mac. These are PS ones came free when I bought the PlayStation 4 on Trade Me (which I promptly sold again on Trade Me). The pads were worn so I've replaced them.

Cool, eh?

The third on-line purchase came today. This is a pair of prescription lens swimming goggles. I just ticked the box for maximum magnification and when I tried these on I'm amazed at how clear my vision is. They are actually better than the damned expensive prescription spectacles I have to wear and cost about a tenth of the price. I might just go about wearing these. What do you think?

COOLING THINGS DOWN A BIT

 Well it seems that Robert is getting way too excited over my new church The Church of the Blessed Curmudgeon.

It reminds me of those silly little 4P classmates who wanted the Communion hosts to put into their sandwiches. Robert, I think would like to start up his own church or religion so is getting vicarious pleasure by interfering in advising on mine.

It's time to cool things down a bit so I'll park THE CHURCH OF THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON  for a while and update you on what we did this Easter. What better way to do this than write a post in Robert's style.

Geoff came to stay from Friday through Wednesday which provided good company along with my sister and her tribe who came to play snooker on Sunday.

Geoff had sent up by courier a 6 pack of Te Mata wines (I'm sure that The Wine Guy will write about these) plus he brought another few bottles with him. We didn't get through all of the wines and have a bottle each of Coleraine and Awatea to drink sometime in the future.

We also managed to knock off two bottles of Champagne, a bottle of Deutz Rose and another German riesling. We did well.

In addition to bouts of drinking we went for walks around the area including Ocean Beach ....

.

.

The newly installed rescue buoy at the beach. Let's hope that no idiots steal or damage it.

 ....... and showed Geoff the natural jetty at Taurakura Bay.

My great nephew gave me a painted Easer egg.

On Wednesday we visited at the outstanding Hundertwasser Art Centre and had lunch there.

View from the top across the Town Basin with rainbow.

Dinners were:

• Salmon and goat cheese flan and salad
• Lemon Chicken Piccata with hasselback potatoes
• Duck risotto
• Hamburgers
• Fish and chips

How was your Easter?

NEW POST - THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON

 THE BLESSED CRUD

NEW POST - THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON

 

MOVING ALONG

NEW POST - THE CURMUDGEON'S AGONY AUNT

 

NEVER LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

NEW POST - THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON

WHERE EVERYONE GETS A BARGAIN?

 In the good old days blokes had sheds.

In the shed could be found bits and pieces of every known household item known to man at the time (the 1960s). Of course life was simpler then and large format retail shops hadn't been created, warehouses were well, warehouses. There was little in the way of mass produced items except for the disposable junk coming from China and Japan. Household items from electrical items through plumbing, furniture and even electronics were made to be fixed. Fixed with purchasable (and storable) components from screws, grommets, wiring, fuses, nails and anything required to do simple reconstruction of maintenance.

The advent of large format retail, some of which call themselves 'warehouses' from supermarkets through Amazon, Costco,  Briscoes, Placemakers, Bunnings, Mitre 10 etc and, of course, The Warehouse brought mass produced and disposable items like never before. These are sourced from China and Japan but also from South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Indonesia - and anywhere that cheap (child) labour and low costs make this junk stuff 'affordable'. 'Affordability' of course is a sliding scale with cheap but disposable (and necessity for early replacement) items at the one end and expensive but lasting items at the other. Most people have opted for the cheap and glitzy stuff which is not surprising given that the outlay is low and most people don't have much money beyond weekly earnings. This is exacerbated by advertising and the creation of the 'I want it now" consumerism.

The problem with this is that the growth of the 'instant satisfaction' stores has brought about the shrinking of the reliable appliance store operators and the old-style hardware stores that stocked virtually every item required, available for purchase loose, so that if you only wanted one bolt and nut you could buy one bolt and nut without having to buy a whole pack of them and have 19 left over. Sheesh!

Planned obsolescence in manufactured items too has accelerated this demise. What need is there for a store selling essential components if the item in question cannot be opened for repair? Most household items 'from electrical items through plumbing, furniture and even electronics' are plastic molded and can't be opened for repair. When they fail, and they do, they are simply thrown away adding to the world's junk problem.

"OK" you may ask "what's this got to do with anything?"

Well my reader readers, I have a problem.

I recently bought, collected and installed several shelving units in the basement area under the house. I've stored on these most of the items that The Old Girl informed me were cluttering up the laundry area. These were: electric drills and other tools including my large tool chest; several EGO batteries and chargers - for my EGO chainsaw, lawnmower and line-trimmer; The Old Girl's tool set which she never lets me use (and for some reason wasn't a problem and is staying in the laundry area); boxes, jars and various containers of screws, nuts, nails and bolts, washers and myriad other useful bits and pieces; chemicals, paints, varnishes, weedkillers and lots of other things in tins, pots, jars and bottles. I have to admit that clearing out this laundry area has made a huge difference and given us more space not to mention that it's tidier. The problem I mentioned is to do with the battery chargers.

We don't have a power outlet in the basement. Years ago I drilled a hole in the bedroom floor and ran an old-style electric cord down to the basement. At one end is the plug which I've connected to a socket in the bedroom. At the other end is a bulb connection. This works well. To install it, as it's 'old-style technology' I simply unscrewed the plug, undid the electrical wire connections, poked the wire through the hole, reattached the wires and screwed back the plug housing. Easy peasy. What I want to do now is run an additional wire down through the hole to a power box that I can plug in the battery chargers and an industrial strength lamp I bought. Easy?

No. I don't have an old-style power cord with detachable plugs. Every frickin' cord we have is modern, plastic housed that cannot be dismantled and reassembled. I've looked on-line at the inventories in electrical shops and 'warehouses', Bunnings, Mitre 10, Placemakers and, of course 'The Warehouse' but to no avail.

I'll have to find an old-style hardware store somewhere or trawl the jink and Op shops.

Sheesh!

BUYING SPREE

 I had set an alert on Trade Me for an old kauri cupboard that we could use to store clothes.

I waited until 5 minutes before closing and put in an auto-bid up to $614. This was chased down and exceeded so, with the extended minute and a half to spare I checked on the competitive bidder and saw that he was a trader. I then adjusted the auto-bid (twice) to $1254. He chased me down and put in a $1400 bid I decided we didn't want the cupboard that much so let it go.

I'd decided that a dealer knew the value of the cupboard (circa 1900) and would be on-selling it for more so that is why I bid way above my comfort zone. Of course the other bidder might have been an auction junkie like me and had a rush of blood to his head. The seller will be happy though as when I entered the bidding it was at $395.

I clicked on the 'similar items' button on Trade Me and up popped a kauri dresser that was closing in 7 minutes. There were no bidders but a start price of $199.

I called The Old Girl and she liked the look of it so I put in a relatively high auto-bid of $567. No one else bid so we got it for $199.

As I was about to contact the seller I looked at his 'other listings' and there was an oak wardrobe at action - closing in 5 minutes.

I quickly called The Old Girl and we checked the other photos, the listing and used the measurements to see if it would fit in the bedroom - it will - so I quickly put in an auto-bid of $653. This time there were other bidders but I'd put my bid in a couple of minutes before closing and managed to buy at $405. The Old Girl is happy.

I'm happy too as we get two pieces of classic furniture for less than we were going to spend for one piece and they both come from the same seller. I checked his address on-line and there is plenty of turning room for a car and trailer. It's just as well that Geoff is staying with us this weekend as I'll shanghai him to help me collect them.

All good.

BRING THREE AND FOURPENCE , WE'RE GOING TO A DANCE*

 * I guess I won't be mishearing things so much now because I've got myself a couple of hearing aids.

The Old Girl has been on at me for ages to do something about my hearing so, a couple of weeks ago I had my ears tested which showed that I have significant hearing loss. My hearing has been getting worse over the last couple of years and I haven't been able to hear her when she talks to me from another room (why do women do this?)

The crunch came when I started using subtitles while watching Netflix films and TV series. I found that the dialogue was being overridden by music and sound effects. This annoyed The Old Girl hence the 'ultimatum'.

Yesterday I had hearing aids fitted and I will be wearing them for a two week trial. After that they can be either adjusted or replaced. They are working well though and the additional hearing is dramatic. I can hear the 's' sounds and other consonants better and now can differentiate music and sounds from dialogue on the television.

Many people, especially those with age-related hearing loss, lose the ability to detect high-frequency sounds. Because consonants are typically higher-pitched than vowels, the loss of high frequencies can make it difficult to tell consonant sounds apart. As a result, speech sounds muddy — in some cases, almost beyond comprehension

        'The Real Sounds Of Hearing Loss' - NPR

I bought Specsavers hearing aids which are bluetooth capable.

The bluetooth function is a treat as it allows me to listen to music and audiobooks via my phone and is useful in phone conversations. Previously I used audio earbuds which never seemed to fit properly and I was forever losing one. The hearing aids fit snugly over the ear with the receiver locked well within the ear canal so it won't fall out.

For any old codgers out there with hearing problems I suggest that they investigate hearing aids. The benefits outweigh the cost and, for those over 65 there is an $1100 government subsidy.

NEW POST - THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON

 GETTING STARTED

NEW POST - THE CHURCH OF THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON

 Welcome to The Blessed Curmudgeon who has started up a new blog to support his fledgling enterprise THE CHURCH OF THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON.

HALLELUIAH