Late Night Out ...

... and a few wines!

Thoughts Turn to Christmas Lights

I don't want to start until it's actually December, but I do enjoy Christmas decorations - particularly lights. Some fellow bloggers have made a most enthusiastic and comprehensive start in this department and I salute their efforts. I am inspired! Watch this space.

Voting at the Beach

There's a definite pacifica feel to Petone voting. Apparently, since I turned up to participate in the democratic prcess, I am now fully entitled to bitch and moan about anything and everything for the next three years. Those who didn't bother enjoy no such rights. Heavens knows how this is monitored, but it must be right because I heard it on talk-back radio!

The End is in Sight

I will be so pleased to see the end of the election campaign. We will awake in the morning to all the ghastly hoardings gone and can turn on the television without fear of stumbling onto an election debate or the endless analysis of who did the best. These zealous campaigners I snapped a few weeks ago struggling on a slippery slope to raise their sign will have to return and remove it. It's not all beneficiary bashing and tax avoidance when you're true blue, sometimes you actually have to roll up your sleeves and raise a sweat!

If the Thorn of a Rose ...

... is the thorn in your side,

Then you're better off dead if you haven't yet died.

Sage words. This is my favourite Elton album, though I could list scores of songs from his other ones that I love, too.

Christmas Countdown

Suddenly, it's all on. The first Christmas card arrived today and above is the scene looking down on Santa's throne and the giant tree at Queensgate as seen at lunchtime. I do like the polar theme Queensgate have embraced this year.

Wellywood and Beyond

I quite like the latest, and apparently chosen, sign for Wellington. I do hasten to add though, that I really think the whole 'windy Wellington' thing is greatly overplayed - it's really not that bad. Springtime has brought some expected equinoctial winds, but surely not to the Wellington region alone. Anyway, since a weta or tuatara have been ruled out, this will do just fine.

Paleo

I have been a paleo lifestyler for over three years now. I eat well, as much as I like, whenever I like. I am full of energy, feel great and love life. Over the three years the sound science I have followed is slowly becoming more and more mainstream, and the nonsense of low-fat dieting is being finally exposed for the con it is. I lost a little weight when I started this way of eating, and it has stayed fairly constant since. Not that it's about that for me any more - I just want to feel great and skip as many of the modern diseases that plague the western world as I can.

In Praise of the Renga Renga

I have never had the pleasure of renga renga in my garden before. The ones here have produced stunning flower heads and are making a great show both outside and in. I rate them right up there with the delightful hydrangea and agapanthus - high praise, indeed!

Another Working Week ...

... neatly packed away. A weekend awaits . Life is good!

Pretty

A meeting in town and dinner at Portafino this evening. I enjoyed seeing this gorgeous outdoor Christmas tree on Lambton Quay. I love the build up to Christmas - and the Christmas music. Kirkcaldies are yet to reveal their Christmas windows, so must have a day in Wellington to take that in and turn my attention to some serious shopping. And summer is practically here!

Fine Dining in Petone

A selection of seeds and fruits are on offer at our stylish new bird feeding station. We will add some fancy feeders into the system as money allows, but in the meantime Millie looks forward to welcoming lots of feathered friends into our garden.

SweetPea, Petone

As if there weren't already enough reasons to love Petone, now we have an AMAZING place serving high teas! The food is fantastic, staff are so friendly and efficient, the decor delightful, the china Wedgewood and the pricing is very reasonable. Had a wonderful time there today with good friends, so perfect all round!

A Good Doco

You can't beat a good documentary, and the place to find them of a reliably high quality is Maori Television. Saw one tonight about a Maori boy, only 16, studying at Yale. Lovely portrait of family and community life. A refreshing change from endless programmes about fat people and crime scenes on TVNZ. They show some brilliant movies, too. I need to keep a much closer eye on the schedules.

Friday

Two sleep-ins ahead, a fair bit of school work and a little socialising. Works for me!

Second class Citizen ...

.... or at least second class shopper. I think that's how Farmers view me. I am the sort of shopper they really can't abide - I have the audacity to only buy what I can actually afford, and have the cheek to want to do so with cash. I therefore cannot participate in the special 'cardholders day' because, essentially, retail is not the key area of business for this chain. The big money is in credit cards and this is what the Farmers card is. The Queensgate branch was thronging with shoppers today, eagerly running up credit on assorted crap. Happily for me, I don't think I'll be joining the club any time soon- as 'exclusive' as they claim it to be!

The Best Day of the Week ...

... television-wise! How comforting is a solid British costume drama after a busy, though very pleasant, day at the chalk-face.

Mad World

Election times are a real downer. Wouldn't it be nice if all the nonsense made any real change for the good, but in the end I doubt it will - regardless of who wins.

Pottering

The new garden in the front is coming along nicely. The lovely garden lights I received recently are the perfect addition. They act as a guard against the hose being inadvertently pulled over the lavenders when I am watering the pots and look extra pretty at night. I also put in a kowhai in the back garden and had a general day of pottering in the house and garden - bliss!

Sunny Saturday

Millie examines garden ornaments

How lovely to wake to a sunny morning and an absence of wind. Did cloud over towards midday, with brief rain and hail, before sunning up once more. The weather for the last few days has been very unpredictable and that wind was horrendous. Millie was enjoying the sun on the deck this morning, after a tense time last evening. She is really terrified of fireworks, and some neighbours made a start a day early. She will have a dreadful time tonight and I will be out at a function - poor baby, all alone. I love fireworks, but I loathe Guy Fawkes putting them in the hands of idiots. Hope to see the Wellington display from the beach at Eastbourne if I can sneak out of the festivities.

Classic Ad

It used to be the 'always blow on the pie' cop, but now the definite latest thing is any version of the 'I can't eat your ghost chips' ad to battle drink driving. A very good ad, and VERY kiwi. This particular spin on it really appealed to me.

At the Movies

I really enjoy The Inbetweeners on UKTV, so the movie was a must for me. I had to slum it with the general riff-raff at the Events Cinema complex, but the early time slot meant there were only about eight of us in total, so not too bad. Warnings of sexual scenes, full-frontal nudity and foul language proved pleasingly correct - a good mindless, but well written romp that only British movie makers can really do well. Meanwhile the reports are still waiting, so I have revised the timetable. Instead of one per day, the aim is two - which may be revised to four if I don't get going very soon!