World Cups in NZ

Surprised to find this picture doing the rounds here in New Zealand - would have thought it would be all over the 'opposition press' -  but not local!

But then, given the fact that the AB's haven't actually WON the esteemed trophy since 1987 - the average supporter could be excused for having such thoughts as expressed in this picture!

At the end of the day it just looks incredibly uncomfortable!!
Dis al!

World Cup rugby

Our little town will be hosting the rugby team from the USA for a while during the course of the World Cup and in anticipation thereof came up with the idea of having a very special welcome for them including a 'waka' trip down the Whanganui River. To everyone's horror and dismay, the team spokesperson let the powers that be in Wanganui know that they wouldn't really like to do that.

For the uninitiated, let me just mention that to be offered a trip in a 'waka' (maori canoe) with paddlers in their traditional regalia, faces tatooed and carved artwork paddles is more than just an honour - it is something deemed almost sacred and offered extremely seldom. Now the haka happens much more frequently and is used for lots of different occasions - no doubt the Yanks will get a haka or two with their arrival, but to have turned their noses up at the waka trip was tantamount to committing suicide -  clearly the team in question was unaware of this. Having been quietly informed about the metaphorical slap in the face they have dealt the Maori of this area, the American Rugby Team has recanted their initial reply and have said that they will be 'honoured and delighted' to take the aforementioned waka trip.
Let's just hope that someone informs them up front about how one should behave in a waka - there will be no standing up, half clad, arms aloft and clutching beer while singing The Star Spangled Banner.
On a similar note, the English team has been offered a traditional Maori reception in one of the smaller coastal towns where oysters are the claim to fame of the whole area - the menu was planned to revolve around oysters and other traditional seafood like whitebait fritters. Evidently, the RSVP was returned saying that the team 'would prefer the menu to be more like finger foods and crisps' (for heavens' sake!) Let's just hope above all hope that the locals can muster up some warm beer for them.

The photo above is of the Rugby nations flags which Andre and Martie have put up at the entrance to their Top Ten Holiday Park - we are all taking bets on which ones get stolen first!
Dis al!

If you are doing wheelies on your cooler box - watch it!

"Birthday boy Richard Evans was celebrating notching up a half-century this week by doing wheel stands on his new motorised chilly bin.
His family paid $695 to buy the machine - called a quad chiller - from Christchurch firm Elite Direct for his 50th birthday gift. It is powered by a 49cc four-stroke motor driving the rear wheels and it has disc brakes.
Mr Evans sells cars for Mark Cromie Holden, but he said he was not expecting chillers on wheels to join the line-up of cars on display at the company premises in Hannah St.
Nor was he expecting them to be on the firm's race team, although he was anticipating some high-revving antics in speed sprints against a couple of his friends who also own mobile coolers.
Mr Evans said his chilly bin held four dozen stubbies plus ice. He intended taking it to the family bach at Tapeka Pt, Russell, where it would ease the hard work involved in carrying beer 50m to the beach."

Went hunting for this article on the Internet after this morning's tail piece on the news was about a motorised chilly-bin owner/driver having been arrested for driving in a reckless manner and was subsequently found to be three times the legal alcohol limit!! Ha ha - and he had his incredibly flash chilly bin confiscated just to add insult to injury!
Dis al!

'Happy Feet'!

When we realised the racket on the roof tiles was interfering with our piano lesson, Jackie went dashing outside - bare-footed and full of the enthusiasm and exuberance of lassies her age and was leaping about amidst the hail stones, shrieking with incredulous delight! It was a pleasure watching her!
Hail is not a very frequent occurrence in Wanganui - (given that folks here are proud to announce to anyone who will listen) - Wanganui has the fifth most temperate climate in the world - hence, it is seldom that we have hail and even more seldom that folks on the other side of town are snowed in for a day!
The whole of New Zealand is still in the grip of an icy blast, set to last for a couple more days.
Dis al!

 Wanganui is apparently quite well known for being culturally 'busy' - there is a constant buzz about- from exhibitions of glass blowing to historical photography at the museum - our riverbank boasts sculptures and there is always something happening at the Opera House. This past week we went along to a charity performance at one of the cafes in town - this group of seven ladies and three gentlemen entertained us over a really good 'tea' with a singalong -  all played on ukeleles!

 Most of the performers took a turn on the mike and solo-ed their way through their couple of minutes of fame. This lady featured here with the mike is the owner of the interesting ukelele made from a biscuit tin further down in this post!
Apparently her son acquired it for her in London UK and it's a 'one of a kind' numbered instrument - who would have thought such things existed!

Of course Jo and I were fascinated by this 'little' uke - it's amplified and has special polyurethane strings or some suchlike - but the SOUND that is produced defies belief! We immediately did some research and thought about HAVING one - they are quite dear! In fact they are very dear! But nice to know they are out there! This chappy, although he looks quite fierce in the picture was not averse to donning Elton John shades for the appropriate number and was literally the foundation of the entire show! But then the bassist usually is!!

 A 'lead solo' has to be amplified  - so this one was - although a lot of the music was kind of presented in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, it was still great fun and sometimes not to shabby musically either. I think someone, somewhere had great fun doing the actual arrangements  - especially when you consider that the majority of these ladies don't 'do' music really and don't read it either! 

 Their enjoyment was very evident at times!

A very special ukelele!

 Bonnita (centre) - who has in fact appeared on this blog before, has once again done us ex-South Africans proud! This time named 'Apprentice of the Year' for her hairdressing.

Wanganui doesn't really have what it takes when it comes to seamstresses who are willing to do alterations! 
Hannah's blue dress for the prom needed fairly major altering - so we altered it!
Luckily for her, her partner (and his parents) come from sunny South Africa and her dad works with Jo -IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW.

 Its been very cold and white in New Zealand - this picture is of two of my students who have recently moved to Christchurch - their dad will be part of the rebuild there - they had enough snow in their front garden this week to create a really impressive snowman.
It's even snowed (not terribly much I do hasten to add) in Auckland - for the first time since 1939 - so quite an event.
The news broadcasts on television are pretty much about the weather - one could be forgiven if one thought we were in the UK - where weather is such an integral part of life!!

And for those of you who would like to stay updated - here she is in her summer dress! Matilda, sweet granddaughter! Cuddles from us in New Zealand!
Dis al!

No way out

Our computer is struggling along - hanging on by a thread at present. Am feeling like this picture suggests - cannot see into the outside world. Apologies if we owe you a decent mail, but it's nigh on impossible getting anything done. Please bear with us, the computer will go to the friendly (and not unreasonable) boemelaar computer repairman in town tomorrow m'thinks - otherwise could find itself tossed unceremoniously onto a garbage heap somewhere in sheer frustration! Dis al!