6th August to 14th August – Jeez has it been that long?

I knew I hadn’t updated for a little while but I didn’t realise it had been quite so long.

So, what’s been happening?  We had Wade staying last Friday night.  We met up with him and Carol and Graham for lunch and a beer which was fine, followed by a roast and a bottle of vino at night.  Tania had a job interview which seemed to go well, unfortunately she hasn’t heard back from them yet though.

On Saturday we went to the Classic Flyers exhibition at Tauranga Airport.  Quite a collection they have on display, well worth visiting.  Even the cafe was appropriately named – “Avgas Cafe”.  Aidan seemed to enjoy it.

 (Picture: “No Aidan not the red button!!!”)

(Picture:  Too late…EJECT EJECT)

There was even a whole display dedicated to ‘Robertson Air Service Ltd’.

(Picture: Robertson Air Service – The Tiger Moth era)

(Picture: “Take ‘em out young Robertson!”)

(Picture: ‘Peerie Toots’ and ‘Little Toot’)

 (Picture: Aidan taking FU910 out for a hurl)

Entry gets you to see both the Aviation Museum and the Military Museum.  The Military Museum is the result of a collection from one man, a chap called Andy Moreland.  The quantity of exhibits is simply astonishing and highly unbelievable that one man has managed to gather it all together.

(Picture: Another hangar full of exhibits)

  (Picture: The M*A*S*H chopper being towed out for a run)

That was Saturday. What else has happened?

You may recall in an earlier post about our trundle over to Rotorua where we passed through State Highway 36 which I described as, “almost off-road/quarry driving”.  Turns out I was right, they had a rockfall the other day sending a car off the road and crushing another.

(Picture: Squished car on SH36)

(Picture:  Showing both cars)

Miraculously all occupants of the vehicles survived.  Needless to say they have closed the road in the meantime until they get it all cleared up and check for other possible rockfalls/land slips.

I hope you all enjoyed the Perseids this year.  Unfortunately in the Southern Hemisphere they never really appear above the horizon but there is still a chance you might see them when they are at their peak.  Aidan & I set off on a journey to find a prime viewing spot…just in case.  Needless to say, the sky was completely covered in cloud.  Not a star to be seen.  Just as we were about to drive off again, Aidan suddenly burst into life!  He had seen something!  As we scoped the horizon for this streaking light to reappear, our hearts beating fast and beads of sweat coagulating around our eyebrows it happened!  The beam of light, peering through the clouds, emanating brightly from the lighthouse it had set off from.  Never mind, always another year.

Still tracking our container on the good old internet.  We got slightly concerned when the Hyundai Brave left Singapore and started heading back northwards.  Turns out the container was offloaded in Singapore and loaded onto the ‘Kota Permata’ for shipment to Auckland.  It left Brisbane yesterday and as far as we are aware hasn’t sunk yet.

(Picture: The ‘Kota Permata’ hopefully still afloat)

Yesterday was an interesting day.  Parent/Teacher day at the school.  Lets just say that Aidan has promised things will improve!  Not only that but it was Lefthanders day!  Did you celebrate?  Did you take notice of all the objects around you that make life difficult for lefthanders?  Bread Knives, Tin Openers, Vegetable Peelers, Notepads, Rulers, Golf Clubs, Tape Measures, Stanley Knives, Pencil Sharpeners, Keyboards, Bank Pens, Cheque Books, Buttons on TV’s, Microwaves, goddammit even Boomerangs.  The list goes on and on.  To finish the day off we headed to a ‘Shetland Night’ in town.  Kind of weird being in the middle of New Zealand and walking into a hall to find Shetland Flags strewn around and the majority of people wearing Fair Isle ganzies!  One of the speakers was Linda Brown (nee Mouat o’ Clumlie) who did a good job of explaining Up Helly Aa to the non-shetlanders in her Jarl Squad outfit.  Aidan spent most of the night playing with her boy, in between demolishing the Tottie Soup and Reestit Mutton on offer.  Aidan was chuffed to see a picture of himself in one of the touristy brochures that were lying around for people to read.  Thoroughly enjoyed it and thanks to Ruth for bringing it to my attention.

The weather this week has been pretty sub-standard.  Weather warnings have been issued for this weekend with heavy rain forecast.  There has been 22mm of rain in the past 12 hours with up to 120mm forecast for the next 24 hours.  This is quite good though.  It has given me time to play around a little with piccy taking in the house. :)

(Picture: Self portrait, self lit, self clicked, self posed, selflife expired)

 (Picture: Aidan in a similar light)

After those exciting photos we took it upon ourselves to make a mess in the kitchen.  The following pics were taken under extreme studio conditions.

   Quite chuffed with how these have come out.  Never really attempted any sort of abstract photos before now but one of the pics from this venture has made it onto my desktop wallpaper.  What?  Oh, you want to know the extreme studio conditions?  It involved me, a tripod, a dimly lit kitchen, two metal bowls, a sink, and Aidan standing on the bench with his juice bottle squirting it towards one of the bowls of water.  A little bit of timing, a little bit of luck and a handful of photos I am happy with.  Aidan enjoyed it so much he wants to do it again so that can’t be a bad thing.

Not much else to report at the moment.  Got a phone-call from a chap that interviewed me for a job to let me know that I had not been successful on this occasion (I am beginning to hate that sentence).  He also apologised for not letting me know before now but there had been a spot of confusion over who was going to inform me.  Each person thinking the other was going to do it.  He did go on to say that out of 168 applicants for the job I had taken 2nd place.  So either he was lying or I didn’t do that badly at the interview.

To round it off with a little bit of good news, Aidan has been chosen to play for his school/class in the Annual Soccer 7’s Tournament on the 1st of September.  They recommend shin pads and a mouth guard.  Dunno about that malarky.  Shin pads fair enough but a mouth guard?  Isn’t that what teeth are for?

Will let you know how he got on nearer the time.