1st Feb to 28th Feb – Birthdays, Birds & Booze

Update time again, struggling to remember so far back so please bear with me while I try and get this infernal thing up to date.

Kelly Tarlton’s

As a precursor to Aidan’s birthday we took him up to Auckland to Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World.

Aidan then spent most of the day wishing he had taken his fishing rod with him.

(Picture: As Steve Irwin once put it…Ouch!)

(Picture: Under the sea)

(Picture: A deadly creature – and a Sting-Ray)

(Picture: Something fishy)

(Picture: Do ya know what it is yet?)

(Picture: One of them colour-changing Octupus thingummys)

(Picture: Du du…dud du…du du du dud du)

Due to time constraints/length of the queue we didn’t bother going to see the penguins although Aidan has vowed to come back with Auntie Sossie and go swimming with the Stingrays.

Birthday Boy

02/02/2000 – The day that Aidan made his way into this crazy world we live in.

02/02/2010 – The day that Aidan made it to double figures. For a 10yr old he has experienced quite a lot. Doesn’t look like there is much chance of holding him back either.

(Picture: Anybody remember this little guy?)

Not so little now is he? Anyway, on the morning of February the 2nd I got woken up at a ridiculously early time of the morning by a not-so-little boy who wanted to open his prezzies.

(Picture: Aidan at stupid-o-clock)

(Picture: Having been instructed to read the cards first!)

(Picture: Hmm, a Wii controller, I don’t have a Wii Console!??)

At this point we wound Aidan up and told him that the Wii controller was so he could play on his friends Wii without having to borrow a controller. We let him stew for a few minutes until we told him to go and take a look in the spare bedroom.

(Picture: This parcel was a little heavier)

(Picture: A delighted birthday boy)

All in all I think Aidan enjoyed his birthday.

Doodles

Most of you will have heard of ‘Doodles’ by now. This is the latest addition to the household and seems to fit in quite well. It’s as crazy as anybody else here.

(Picture: Doodles)

(Picture: Do the Doodles dance)

Doodles is an Australian Rainbow Lorikeet and has a rather strange personality. Oh, and he can talk. At the moment his vocabulary is quite limited but I am planning on teaching him some “new” words. ;)

(Picture: He also likes getting his gut tickled)

Booze

February also saw a few beers, a few games of pool and all the usual nonsense.

(Picture: Da Local)

(Picture: Da Bar)

(Picture: Da Pool)

Can’t really remember what else happened. Around the weekend of the 20th we had Louise and Wade staying so Heather and Stu came over for a meal. The weather was bloody warm again with Tauranga once again being the Warmest for February.

(Picture: Aidan’s haul of Passionfruit)

So, that was February.

25th January to 31st January – UHA/ACDC

 

Still alive.  Just in case anybody was wondering.

Up Hella Aa 2010

Tuesday the 26th of January was a sad day.  Up Helly Aa arrived and I wasn’t there to be a part of it.  Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I did however get to experience it. 

2010 is the first year they have broadcast the days events live on the internet and it worked surprisingly well for a trial run.  We managed to watch them setting off at the start of the day and kept an eye on it until the burning at the end.

Between Facebook, email and other forms of digital wizardry I was kept in touch with what went on with Sigurd ‘Snake-Eye’ Ragnarsson and his band of merry men.

I was happy that the billhead and banners were appreciated by many having spent many a day and night with Rae trying to get the things to look right.

(Picture: The Billhead being moved to the Market Cross – Picture courtesy of Shetlopedia)

(Picture: One of the banners – Picture courtesy of Shetlopedia)

This year was also an interesting one as it was the first time that the a third-generation Guizer Jarl has been in charge.

(Picture: Halfdan the Black 1968, AKA Grandad – Picture courtesy of Shetland Museum)

(Picture: Ragnar Lodbrok 1987, AKA Uncle Mitnie – Picture courtesy of Shetlopedia)

(Picture: Sigurd “Snake-Eye” Ragnarsson 2010, AKA Cousin Rae

– Picture courtesy of Shetland News )

Weel done to Rae and his squad, it was good to see it all.

Tsunami

We were planning to go off fishing with a friend on the 28th but that idea was thrown out the window when we were told that impending doom due to a tsunami was imminent.  Turned out to be more like a fine day doon at Wast Voe.

For those about to Rock…

To get over the sadness of not participating in Up Helly Aa, I flew down to Wellington.  That was interesting in itself.  It is the first time that I have taken an internal flight in New Zealand and was quite surprised by the security procedures.  Or rather the lack of them.  I have never had such a relaxing time travelling through an airport in my life.  I checked in and then walked on to the plane.  No security checks, nothing.  Absolute bliss.

Lowrie picked me up from Wellington Airport and we headed back to his temporary abode.  His balcony overlooked the Parliament Buildings. 

(Picture: The iconic ‘Beehive’ and…what’s that?  Ah it’s none other than Sigurd “Snake-Eye” on the cover of the Shetland Times!!)

That afternoon we headed into town and sat outside a bar having a few beers in preparation of the night ahead.  During this time, I heard someone calling my name which was a bit odd, didn’t think very many people would know me about these parts.  Turned out it was my next-door neighbour wondering who was looking after her cat seeing as I was in Wellington.  Small world.

It was good to see Lowrie again, he hasn’t changed a bit.

(Picture: Lowrie…unchanged)

I forgot to mention the reason for the visit………..

AC/DC!

 

The 2nd video is my very own recording.  Unfortunately the speakers were too loud for my phone to pick up.  Wait until the end.

The setlist was bloody good and they played a whole bunch of old stuff as well as some of the new:-

1. Rock N’ Roll Train
2. Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be
3. Back in Black
4. Big Jack
5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
6. Shot Down in Flames
7. Thunderstruck
8. Black Ice
9. The Jack
10. Hells Bells
11. Shoot to Thrill
12. War Machine
13. High Voltage
14. You Shook Me All Night Long
15. T.N.T.
16. Whole Lotta Rosie
17. Let There Be Rock
ENCORE
18. Highway to Hell
19. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Not bad for a bunch of old farts.

January Summary

So that was January, which has taken me an age to get up to date.  Tauranga was also the Warmest & Sunniest throughout January.