On my toes?

I’ve been passing this billboard every working day for the past month or more. I haven’t been able to work out what it’s advertising ... until now.

The two black cut-outs fascinate me. What’s it all about? I ponder every time I passed..... then I forget about it till the next time.

Well, now I know! It’s the Onehunga Enhancement Society (T.O.E.S.).Apparently, Transpower have won the right to operate its power line at a much higher current rating than before. People living and working along the length of the line are naturally worried about how the increase in the Electro Magnetic Field strength (EMF) will affect their long term health.

People versus development – there are never any easy answers, are there?

I feel poetry coming on ....

Last night at 10 o’ clock I looked out of the kitchen window.... and saw the moon peaking out from behind the clouds. How pretty!

A quick glance at the calendar confirms my suspicion .... it’s a full moon.

A favourite.. almost forgotten verse floats though my mind. Immediately I have to go and look it up.

Aha! I find it in my well thumbed Penguin Book of Poems from the Sanskrit.

Blow, wind, to where my loved one is,
Touch her, and come and touch me soon:
I’ll feel her gentle touch through you,
And meet her beauty in the moon.

These things are much for one who loves –
A man can live by them alone –
That she and I breathe the same air,
And that the earth we tread is one.

Bloke legs

While I’m on the subject of blokes ... I saw these two specimens yesterday.

The one on the right turned up first.. not bad pair of legs thought I.

Then the one of the left arrived.... and spoiled the whole scene! Definitely a bit too much leg exposure wouldn’t you say?

Milk for blokes?

This ad has recently started appearing on the back of our local buses. What does it mean? Don’t tell me there’s a special kind of milk only for blokes? What could it possibly contain?

In an effort to find out more I had a look on the company web site. There’s no mention there of any kind of customised bloke milk! Looks like it’s just an ad encouraging blokes to drink milk ... unbelievable!!

Culture vultures ...

... that’s what we were last weekend.

Friday saw df and I watching and listening to a concert of pipes and drums that was part of the New Zealand Pipe Band Championships. Swinging kilts and marching drummers were the sights. The sounds were overwhelmingly the screech of the bagpipes.

And, of course, anything even remotely Scottish has to be accompanied by a wee dram. Or in this case a plastic tumbler of beer!

Saturday could hardly have been more different as we enjoyed the huge Pasifika Festival - a celebration of the art, culture and lifestyle of the peoples of the Pacific.

Two days, two very different experiences. Strangely even the weather cooperated. Friday was wet and overcast ... Saturday hot with brilliant sunshine.

Oh, and since it’s election year we got to see our PM wearing a silly hat!

Silly season - an example of the homogenization of cultures perhaps?

Oh Granny!

Granny tagged me! She wants me to tell you seven of the weirder facts about myself! Oh well, just because granny’s nice and in Spain, I’ll give it a go.

1. When I was a child I had my tonsils removed ... twice!

2. For a long time I believed that cows sit down when it rains so as to keep the grass dry for the fairies.

3. As a teenager I had my mother iron my hair. Picture the scene. I bend over the ironing board, hair spread out. Mother places brown paper over hair.. and irons. Were there really no such things as hair straightening tongs in those days?

4. I can recite from memory, the whole of The Walrus and the Carpenter.

5. I always count the numbers on the registration plates of vehicles. When the numbers add up to 17 ... I feel like something good is going to happen. If I find three ‘17s’ in one day then it’s going to be a WOW day!

6. I like to set my alarm clock to be 5 minutes fast so that I won’t be late.

7. I use tweezers to pluck the hairs from my legs. It takes time but is very satisfying and much better than using a razor.

Our Government in its wisdom, has just shepherded a new anti tagging bill through its first reading in Parliament. Sorry granny but I’m going to pass on passing this tag on.

However, feel free dear readers to have a go at listing your seven weird facts. I found it quite revealing so thanks granny ... and, oh yes, I love rainbows!

Sweet dolls

Yes ... it's true ... I ate two chocolate after my pizza yesterday!

I'm glad though because I remembered an old skill that I used many times to entertain sundry restless kids. How sweet!

An "Oh Deer" Mural

I keep noticing this mural which is just a few streets away from the other mural that I love.

This one is disturbing and I’m not sure why. It is probably something to do with the large red deer right in the centre. The deer is a bit scary. Maybe it’s because of the open mouth. There are a few areas of calm but my general impression is one of an unwelcoming place.

Sometimes I try not to notice the painting as I drive pass.

I suppose it does serve some purpose ... the waste bin has some graffiti on it ... but the wall has escaped attention!