4 move 2 NZ

It is hard being an animal when it snows ...

2011-08-15T21:56:00.002+12:00

Christmas, our pet lamb has had it hard. His mum rejected him so he has had to stand on his own four hooves from an early age. Well tonight, his mum and brother are shivering in the paddock and is staying in a nice little house made from bales of hay and corrugated iron!

The cows on the other hand are having a hard time of it. Tomorrow I will be moving the sheep into the other paddock and I will be giving the cows the shed ... at least they will use it unlike the sheep!

Once in 50 year storm

2011-08-15T20:53:00.007+12:00

New Zealand is currently being hit by a 'once in 50 years storm'. The system that has brought the snow stretches 6000 miles from Antarctica to Papua New Guinea. The snow is expected to last until the end of the week and our pigs, cows ate sheep are already starting to complain - the poor things!

Strawberry Bags

2011-07-31T18:41:00.004+12:00

Its July in New Zealand so it is time to prepare the poly tunnel for the early crops. I wanted to try some early strawberries this year but we have already planted potatoes, tomatoes and egg plants in the soil and this means it is no longer suitable for planting strawberries due to a virus. So, this means that planting in bags needs trying.
I have taken a feed sack, un-stitched it, and sewn across the bottom and the middle with sea fishing line. I have then attached some handles that I had to hand stitch. Each plant hole has been re-inforced with some sticky tape and a cris-cross cut made. The compost has come from my compost heap. There are some 22 strawberry plants which should produce a reasonable crop. The back wall of the poly tunnel will also be planted with strawberry bags.

East Riding Free Tarmac Club

2011-07-28T23:59:00.015+12:00

It would seem that after UK MP Graham Stuart was taken to task over his 'free tarmac' it is reported this morning's Hull Daily Mail that another East Riding Tory politician, Cllr Charlie Bayram, has joined the 'East Riding Free Tarmac Club'.

This whole episode confirms my belief that these politician's are not fit to hold public office.

After the Quake the Snow

2011-07-25T08:40:00.003+12:00

After the earthquakes, Christchurch is being hit with the worst snow for 15 years. The buses have been withdrawn from town, the airport is closed and the police and advising only essential travel should be undertaken.

So, it is a fine time to give birth if you are a ewe! We found these two lambs this morning when we went to check the stock. They were both very cold and near death. One of them is perking up after being given a feed but it is too late for the other one.

Christchurch 6.3

2011-06-16T20:21:00.000+12:00

6.0 EQ Christchurch

2011-06-13T18:07:00.004+12:00

We have survived the 6.0 EQ. After the 5.5 I drove into town to collect Jake & Kirtsy from school in Christchurch. The senior school was on the field - so I collected Jake. However, the prep school, was still in their building - I am not sure why they had not evacuated athough I have asked the Rector. I collected Kirsty from her classroom and we headed towards the car. As soon as we left the building a 6.0 stuck. I had difficulty standing. However, we all left in one piece although I suspect they will not be back for a few days.

Food Glorious Food ....

2011-04-15T08:05:00.004+12:00

Its the time of year when my scouting friends - Ladle, Stitch & Broom make our annual pilgrimage to the west coast of the south island. This year we are planning to take a group of 10 scouts to make a knife from a piece of steel and a lump of wood. http://www.barrytownknifemaking.com/ We always go over before the the camp on a 'reconnaissance mission'.

My task has been to provide some of the food. We will be eating out for the evening meals as there will be no scouts to do the washing up!

I have been out in the garden this morning and had a bit of a forage.

So, we have potatoes, cucumber, courgette, carrots, parsnips, onions, corn on the cob and some tomatoes.

Men, and women, cannot live on veggies alone so I had a rummage in the freezer. I pulled out a duck which has been roasted and the meat stripped. I also found some kuni kuni bacon - it is a little fatty but quite tasty. The chickens provided the eggs and my wife very kindly let me take our last camembert!

Everything you see above has been grown or made on our lifestyle block. The chaps (actual and honorary!) have 9 hours to let me know if I have forgotten anything.

I think we are going to be eating very well!

PS. I have not forgotten the green salad Ladle - that is scheduled for lunchtime!

Here rests the case for the Pussecution!

2011-03-31T20:40:00.009+13:00

For more than a few months we have had a nightime visitor. He lets himself in to the house, eats the food and often falls asleep on one of the beds. Afterwhich he goes outside and beats up one of our poor defenceless cats.

We have complained to the neighbours but they don't believe us! But now we have the evidence! So who is this beneath our bed?

And who is this posing (under protest) with me?

It looks like Jimmy to me! Notice how he looks away not wanting to be recognised! Here rests the case for the pussecution!

This never used to happen when I lived in the UK ....

2011-03-12T10:25:00.007+13:00

When I lived in the UK I used to go sea fishing out of Bridlington with Peter Firth on the Rachel K charter boat. There were the old time when the trips were canceled due to bad weather or not enough people wanted to go out to make it financial viable.

I was due to go fishing this morning with the RSA Rangiora fishing section out of Motunau Beach. However the trip has been canceled due to threat of tsunami caused by the Japanese earthquake. It wouldn't be so bad but a trip last year was canceled due to a Chilean earthquake! It just goes to show that Kiwi's will only cancel fishing for something really significant.

My heart goes out to the Japanese nation as we all come to terms with this huge tragedy.

The Office - Episode 2 - Scales House Re-visted

2011-03-07T07:25:00.005+13:00

On Sunday 6th March 2011 we were allowed back into the office in Christchurch cbd post the M6.3. I was joined by Nick, Bart Andrae, Tian Neil & Mike to recover items of value from the office - an assortment of desktop computers, lcd monitors, keyboards, mice, routers and personal gear.

In the integration team area had taken quite a hit with one of the desks having collapsed.

The consultant area, where I sit, was a bit of a mess .

The sales area had been subject to some flooding. I can only assume this came from the rain over the weekend so the building must now leak rather badly.

The stairwells were quite badly damaged but they were too dark to take a photo. I understand it will be at least 12 months before we get to return to Scales house.

Christchurch: Immediately after the 6.3 earthquake

2011-02-27T16:37:00.002+13:00

22 February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake 6.3

2011-02-22T19:34:00.004+13:00

I had been out in the city to get my hair cut and returned to my desk at 12:45PM At 12 50PM the 6.3 earthquake struck. It was so violent. The 5 storey office building started to sway and twist. I dived beneath my desk. My computer fell off my desk, coffee went everywhere. Ceiling panels fell out, filing cabinets toppled over. When it finally stopped, I grabbed my keys and went for the emergency exits. Bits of the concrete structure had fallen into the stairwells. Outside there was broken glass everywhere.

On the pavement outside, there was an aftershock. The land was moving like it was alive. Four men carried a young girl to the hospital - she had a blue face so I fear the worse. People were crying, being hugged, desperately trying to contact loved ones on their mobile phones. We heard stories that office buildings had collapsed - later confirmed. We saw a dust cloud rise from parts of the city - it was either a fire or buildings collapsing.

After 15 minutes I left and started walking towards my car. The pavements are all buckled, kerb stones raised. The front of buildings had collapsed. You could hear sirens and car alarms. Water was coming up from the ground due to broken water mains. I crossed Mortimer Square and people were sat around supporting each other.

I eventually got to my car and drove to Jake's school. There is liquified sand and water on the road. The school chapel is missing part of its wall and roof. The bridge over the stream is all buckled. All the pupils are on the school field. I signed my son out and drove via the side streets to Harewood in search of some diesel - I didn't have enough have get home! I found a garage that was open and I fill up a happy man.

We are all home and our house is intact. Kirsty is on a school camp near to Akaroa but she is safe. What a day! The death toll is 65 souls and set to rise.

Shaken but not Stirred

2010-09-05T20:38:00.005+12:00

Early Saturday morning we were woken at 04:36am by a high speed train that was rumbling past our bed room window. Given we don't have train line anywhere near it woke both me and Yvonne up. The bedroom started to move from side to side. Jake and Kirsty came through to our bedroom as the shaking continued. We heard breaking glass. The shaking continued. We all assumed ...... its an earthquake .... and the shaking continued for a minute or more.

We turned on the tv and .... nothing Dorkland was still asleep. I started a thread on www.netweather.tv and we learnt the quake was 7.4 on the reichter scale. There was nothing on the tv until 07:30AM.

We suffered damage. Two wine bottles fell from a shelf in the garage. Thank-fully they were both empty!

Bob Parker, the mayor of Christchurch, was on the telly at 0730am. I had been with Bob on Wednesday at our scout group where he had been talking to our scouts about leadership. Well, he has certainly earned his keep this weekend! I asked him a question on Wednesday, what one thing he had done that had made a difference. He said at the time that the merger of Banks Peninsula with Christchurch City council was his biggest achievement. I suspect that representing Christchurch over the last couple of days will now surpass this achievement!

We drove into Rangiora today and the place has been untouched. However, drive another 10 km down the road to Kiapoi and you will see a different picture. The town has been totally decimated. The town is built upon silt and sand. The effect of the earthquake has caused whole buildings to sink. The town centre is awash with sewage. One of my colleagues lives in the town. I understand his house will need to be demolished and totally re-built.

Yvonne had a call from one of her teacher colleagues who lives in Christchurch. He was telling her that his house has moved into next door. The whole house, foundations and everything has moved sideways by 8 foot!

At Jake and Kirsty's school in Christchurch they have just had an astro turf pitch installed. The pitch is now on two levels .... it has a 50cm shear drop in the middle! The main building has also suffered damage and the school is closed until al least Wednesday.

We hear the city is a real mess. I will no doubt find out tomorrow how bad things are when I try to get into work.

Girlie Weekend Away to Hanmer Springs

2010-04-08T23:20:00.016+12:00

When the girls said they wanted a weekend away to Hanmer you have to arrange suitable transport.

A surprise helicopter was laid on to whisk them away.

They flew up the coast to Kaikoura.

Stopped off at the heliport to ask, 'Which way for the whales?'.

Only two whales were in the bay so they had to make do with a pod of dolphins. Times are hard!

Afterwards, they flew over Hanmer to spend some un-winding time in the hot thermal water.

Throw in a chalet with duck pond views .. and you have a perfect weekend and 4 very happy and content girls.

I got to spend the weekend looking after my dad, the kids and I had the cleaning to do ... poor me!

Mum and Yvonne had a total blast! My sincere thanks go to the people who made this happen.

Quack

2010-04-08T23:16:00.002+12:00

I nearly forgot the ducks. We acquired a flock of ducks too.

Grandad bought them a paddling pool that they use for recreational and procreational purposes alike - they are not fussy either way!

A Summer of Acquisitions

2010-04-08T23:09:00.003+12:00

We diversified this year and made a few acquisitions. '42' is a 6 month old kune kune boar (he thinks he is a dog!) .

Mrs Weasley (left) is a 8 month old sow and Amber is a 10 month old sow.

'42' and Mrs Weasley will become our breeding stock and Amber ... well, she's going for sausages in a few weeks time!

Vegetable Garden

2010-04-08T22:56:00.006+12:00

We have spent a lot of time this year with the veggie garden and it has paid dividends.

We havent had to buy any veg for quite a few quite a few weeks. We have enjoyed potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, beans, peas, onions, courgettes, pumpkins, beans, leeks, sweet corn, beet root, lettuce, egg plants, cabbage, cauliflower, raddish and a few others that I cannot remember.

The deep freeze is stuffed full of vegetables that will keep us going well into winter.

TSS Earnslaw

2010-04-08T22:43:00.003+12:00

Launched in 1912, the TSS Earnslaw is the largest and grandest vessel ever to ply Lake Wakatipu. Today, the TSS Earnslaw is believed to be the only coal-fired passenger-carrying vessel still operating in the southern hemisphere.

She is a stunning vessel and enjoyed by the many thousands of tourists that come to Queenstown.

Lupin Fields, Open Plains and the Homer Tunnel

2010-04-08T22:34:00.005+12:00

Driving between Te Anau and Milford |Sound there are some lovely lupin fields.

And some lovely open plains.

Some spectacular waterfalls.

And lets not forget the Homer tunnel leading down to Milford Sound.

Beaver Liquor

2010-04-08T22:32:00.001+12:00

I just had to stop the truck and take a photo! Spotted in Queenstown.

Welcome to 'Shield' Country

2010-04-08T22:19:00.005+12:00

Over New Year I took my parents for a road trip down to Fiordland. Just through Queenstown we saw this sign, ' Welcome to Shield country'.

Needless to say, we felt very much at home!

And very tasty it was too!

2010-04-08T22:16:00.001+12:00

Christmas dinner was great!

Home Kill Lamb for Christmas

2009-12-20T10:23:00.010+13:00

Jeff had his 50th birthday last night and we all trooped over for a hog roast and a quiet drink (or four!). There were some fireworks to enjoy and a bar that Kirsty ran for most of the night ... she had the job sussed in a matter of minutes (not bad for a 9 year old!) . She would have given Betty from Coronation Street a serious run for her money!

I started talking to Mark's (of electric fence testing fame) Uncle Gavin who is a farmer from the north island. Gavin asked me if I would like him to kill one of our lambs for Christmas. It was an offer I could not refuse.

We got up early this morning and played a game of sheep dog in the front paddock. After being given the run around for 15 minutes or so, Mark finally caught the biggest lamb; it weighed in at 26kg. After looking at my array of blunt knives, Mark took them over to his place and got his grinder out.

Some minutes later, with the now sharp knives, Gavin promptly dispatched the lamb and we took it over to the wood shed to skin and gut.

Once complete, the lamb was dressed in a muslin cloth and left to hang to cool. I should be able to move it to the garage later today and butcher it on Monday evening. I used to work as a butchers boy as a young lad in Tom Horsefield's shop in Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, so I am quite happy cutting it up into joints.

I guess we'll be bar-b-que-ing over Christmas and the New Year and no doubt the neighbours will be coming round to help!

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Oxford Sweet Oxford

2009-12-12T11:54:00.019+13:00

Oxford is the largest settlement close to where we live in Canterbury. It has a population of approximately 2,000 people. However, it enjoys some fantastic amenities that would put my old village of Holme-on-Spalding Moor, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, to shame. Both villages are about the same size. I have listed a few of them below:

No1: Clean and working public toilets.

No 2: A fire station (eat your heart out Cllr Engall - you can't close this one!)

No 3: A farmers market on a Sunday morning

No 4: A council service centre, library and post shop

No 5: A police station (not that we have much crime)

No 6: A skate park (didn't Holme-on-Spalding Moor used to have on of these - what happened to it?)

No 7: An outdoor heated swimming pool

No 8: A sports ground with squash courts, a bowling green, cricket and rugby pitches and a nice sports pavilion.

No 9: An adventure playground for the children

No 10: A community hospital with beds (so the old folk can be cared for close to home and friends)

No 11: The Town Hall

No 12 - A monthly craft market.

No 13: An observatory at the local school

No 14: The A & P Showground

It just goes to show, 'There is no place like Oxford!'.

I'm a Dad again!

2009-12-12T11:23:00.005+13:00

The first chick hatched out this morning. I had been told it was really hard work to hatch chicks - I found it to be really easy - I was laid in bed at the time!

You have to remember to turn the eggs 2-3 times a day and make sure the temperature stays as close to 102 degrees F as possible but it is very easy to do.

I feared I may have lost the eggs due to the temperature surging well past the recommended level on the first day. I now know not to adjust the thermostat when you first set the eggs in the incubator!

The chick will be going into a nursery in the pump shed and hopefully joined by its brothers and sisters in the next couple of days.

Rural Broadband speed in NZ

2009-12-09T22:26:00.010+13:00

I see there are complaints regarding the speed of broadband services where I used to live in the UK, a small rural village called Holme-on-Spalding Moor in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

I live in rural Canterbury about 7 Km away from the village of West Eyreton. NZ Telecom have invested in fibre to the cabinet and I can download in a very rural location (I am 500 metres from the nearest road!) at 4.8 Mb per second which is very reasonable especially when you consider the service is sold with a theoretical maximum speed of 7.6Mbps.

If New Zealand can deliver the services out in the sticks then I have to wonder why the UK struggles to provide similar services? Perhaps more importantly, why do the local politicians allow British Telecom to provide a sub-standard service?

All credit to Howdenshire Cllr Paul Robinson for raising the issue even though he lives outside of the village. What is the resident Conservative councillor, Cllr Doreen Engall, doing about it? My guess would be very little!

Tunnel House Update

2009-12-05T20:05:00.005+13:00

The tunnel house is running away with itself this year. We have been already eating lettuce, basil, spring onions and radish. I can now report the new potatoes are rather tasty too.

Tomatoes and peppers to look forward too soon.

Vegetable Garden starts Growing

2009-12-05T19:52:00.007+13:00

Our vegetable garden is starting to grow. We have put a lot of time and effort into the garden this year and it is starting to come together. We have lost a lot of seedlings germinated in the tunnel house due to late frosts; the last of which was earlier this week. The potatoes are doing well as are the cabbages, cauliflowers, beans, peas, pumpkins, courgettes and sweet corn.

Over 300 leeks have been planted this week along with a load of onions. There are a load of tomatoes in the tunnel house that we will be planting outside very soon.

It is all work in progress but it is coming along very nicely.

Sheep Shearing

2009-12-05T19:20:00.007+13:00

My four ewes needed shearing so I gave Gayle a call.

He came over this afternoon to give the four ewes a short back and sides.

He checked out their hoofs and teeth and concluded that I am actually running an old folks home for elderly ewes! I will now refer to them as a parish council of sheep - over the hill, not fit for purpose with too much to bleat about!

I should get some more lambs next year from the the remaining 3 ewes who are still fit for purpose and the new one born earlier this year. They are still a good return on $200.

Anyway, they all seemed pleased to be finally rid of all their winter woolly coats.

Eggs in the homemade Incubator

2009-11-21T20:58:00.009+13:00

In you have the chicken run you might as well have an incubator to populate the chicken run. This incubator is built from MDF, some chicken wire, two light bulb fitments, two light bulbs, a PC power cable and a central heating thermostat. The whole project came in at under NZ$20 - about GBP8!

I have 24 eggs (Shaver and Leg Horn cross) that cost a NZ$1 each with another 2 dozen to follow. It will be fun to see how many eggs hatch.

Garden Expands

2009-10-10T16:31:00.005+13:00

With all the planting I have had to increase the size of the vegetable plot to over 250 metre square.

I still need to dig some of it over and pick out the stones which will be re-used as a foundation for the drive up to the garage. There is still quite a lot of preparation to do but the hard work is largely completed.

The Fruit Orchard

2009-10-10T16:27:00.002+13:00

We have expanded the soft fruit orchard by planting another 12 trees. We had added a walnut, nectarine, apricot, green gage plum, cherry, bramley apple, mandarin, pear and a couple of others whose names escape me.

The Tunnel House

2009-10-10T16:21:00.003+13:00

Our tunnel house is stuffed full of seed trays, salad stuff, potatoes, cauliflower and brocolli. This year we will be growing a whole load of vegetables including tomatoes, cabbage, sweet corn, leeks, onions, courgette, cucumber, lettuce, basil, peas, beans, water melons, pumpkin and many other things besides.

Spring at White Rose Farm

2009-10-10T16:11:00.002+13:00

We have had a cold snap over the last few days. A cold southerly came through and dumped a load of snow on the Oxford mountains. We escaped the worst of it although we were concerned for our lambs which were born a few weeks ago. Our four ewes (we had 5 but the dog got one of them .... a 22 rifle then shot the dog!) have had 5 lambs - 4 boys and a girl. We have named the boys Fisher & Paykel, Kelvinator and Electrolux.

Sterling Collapse

2009-09-24T16:55:00.007+12:00

When we moved out to New Zealand in 2006 we got NZ$2.89 for every£1 we brought with us. If we were emigrating this week we would have received only NZ$2.26 for every £1. By my reckoning, that is a de-valuation of the UK pound of 22% against the kiwi dollar in just three years! This is on top of any loses we would have incurred from the UK property market slump which has been struggling for the last couple of years.

It is not bad for a country at the bottom of the world that only has a population of 4.5 million and exports milk solids, meat, wool, timber, coal, wine, kiwifruit, apples, aluminium and has some of the most breath taking scenery in the whole world!

New Zealand ... you cannot beat it!

Scout Geek Camp

2009-08-16T10:29:00.004+12:00

It is Pre-JOTI (Jamboree on the Internet) aka Geek Camp time again but this year it is bigger and better. We have again returned to Cotswold School to give 18 Harewood & Bishopdale Scouts a change to get familar with the chat program we will be using for JOTI.

We have replaced all of our old computers with 40 Pentium 4 machines kindly donated by Chrischurch City Council and the University of Canterbury. Each workstation has a 19 inch monitor and upto 1Gb of RAM and will be used for a variety of scout activities.

Jaymo_Black can be seen in the above photo running a workshop showing the scouts how to embed scripts within the chat program for doing things like writing text is different colours.

The Southern Alps

2009-06-15T14:09:00.006+12:00

On my last trip to Perth (and the one before that for that matter) I flew with Pacific Blue to Sydney and then onto Perth. The cloud cleared over the Southern Alps so I got chance to take some photos as the sun went down.

If you look closely you can just see Mount Cook in the distance. The next photo is my favourite as the aircraft leaves the west Coast and heads across the Tasman to Australia.

Bah ...... Bah

2009-05-31T13:35:00.007+12:00

When my parents asked me what I would like for my birthday I replied by saying, "I would like a flock of sheep please.". Above is our latest addition to our small holding - 5 Romney and Corriedale cross ewes. The black face amoung them is Rambo. Rambo is a Suffolk ram whose services have been kindly lent to us by some friends who live just up the road.

When he first arrived, Rambo had a bit of an attitude problem; he was tapping the bottom of the trailer with his front hoof to express his disgust at being moved. However, after being introduced to his new lady friends he seems to have put that all behind him. He is so comfortable here, I think I am going to have to build a holding area to stand any chance of getting him back in the trailer to get him home again!

I have never played midwife before ........... but I have watched James Herriot on the telly. How difficult can it be? I'll probably be in Perth anyway!

I am already looking forward to the spring.

The Wood Shed

2009-05-31T13:27:00.004+12:00

After spending too many cold Sunday afternoons chopping wood last year we decided to get our winter fuel in early and fill up our wood store during the summer. The tunnel shed holds something like 8 cubic metres and it looks like we have already used something approaching 4 cubic metres. Will we have enough to see us through until the spring?

It's Cold Outside

2009-05-31T13:02:00.003+12:00

Will somebody put another log on the fire?

Thanks!

It's Snowing Again .....

2009-05-31T12:50:00.003+12:00

A cold southerly is working its way up New Zealand with snow down to sea level ...

One to Avoid ......

2009-05-31T12:34:00.008+12:00

I had a book a room at short notice for my visit to Perth. I looked on the internet and I found a hotel which was described as a three star. Alarm bells started ringing when I checked in and they gave me the tv remote control.

My worst fears where confirmed when I entered my room. The room was small, it had no desk, the paintwork was generally grubby, the bed spread had a cigarette burn, the only ironing board was on the 4th floor - it was grim!

The fan in above the bathroom sink had not been cleaned for months.

The bathroom door was also coming apart.

I have to go back again to Perth this week and needless to say, I will not be booking in to Aaron's Hotel!

Nobody is Flying .... ... oink, oink

2009-05-31T12:11:00.007+12:00

Last Monday I was sat at my desk in Christchurch looking forward to a quiet week in the office. Cutting a long story very short on Tuesday I was on my way to Perth to help our partner finalise their project plan.

The international departure lounge at Christchurch airport was deserted as I boarded DJ73 for Sydney to make my Perth connection.

When the aircraft arrived at Sydney we were asked to remain seated. Two Australia quarantine officers boarded the aircraft. They went to the back of the aircraft to see a young man. They put a face mask on him and escorted him off the plane before the rest of the passengers were allowed to leave.

The travel industry now not only has to face the economic slowdown but it also has swine flu to add to its current list of woes!

Beware ... Slumps Ahead!

2009-05-19T00:31:00.002+12:00

This road sign on the road between Reefton and Westport provided advance warning of the current economic conditions.

Papabear 'washing' his Dishes in Reefton

2009-05-18T23:46:00.005+12:00

It is almost the Queen's birthday weekend so it is off to the West Coast with a party load of scouts. Myself, Roger and Reinhold (aka Papabear - pictured above) paid a reconnaissance visit to Reefton (http://www.reefton.co.nz/) which is to be the destination for this years camp.

Reefton was the first town in the southern hemisphere to enjoy the delights of electricity (scouts take note!) and was one of the major centres of the gold rush in New Zealand.

We have a range of activities planned for the long weekend which include a treasure hunt, a trip around a working gold mine, some tramping and not forgetting Jorja's cooked breakfast with bacon, sausage, egg, baked beans, fried bread and black pudding!

As to to my favourate pie ... well that has to be the one with wild bore from the bakery across the road from the Three Miners! Again scouts take note!

Hopefully Papabear will remember to pack a dish cloth, some washing-up liquid and a tea towel although I feel absolutely sure he will manage without!

Snow-time

2009-05-18T23:32:00.004+12:00

It is that time of year again! Snow fell last week on the Torlesse range (and for that matter over large parts of the south and north islands). Mt Hutt http://www.nzski.com/mountain.jsp?site=mthutt one of the ski resorts about 40km from where we live has already opened for business two weeks ahead of schedule with a snow base of 1.2 metres. More snow is forecast too! I can't wait!

In the above photo you can see the snow on the mountains at the bottom of our road.

Weekend in Dunedin

2009-05-18T22:34:00.023+12:00

We recently took advantage of a weekend in Dunedin courtesy of Air New Zealand. We have never been to Dunedin before so it was a chance to spend a bit of quality time and explore.

Myself and my wife secured return flights from Christchurch to Dunedin and enjoyed a night in a rather nice hotel for an all inclusive price of NZ$300 (approximate £120) - that price is together and not each!

As soon as we got off the plane we picked up our hire car and drove towards the city. Our first port of call was Lanarch Castle and Gardens. http://www.larnachcastle.co.nz/index.pasp

The castle was built by William James Mudie Larnach in the 1880's. Cutting a long story very short, the house lay in ruins until the 1967 when the house was discovered by Margaret & Barry Barker who have restored the house and gardens over the intervening years.

Our next port of call were the botanical gardens close to the centre of the town.

Then we went to the railway station - what a building that is!

We were very tempted to go on the Taieri Gorge Railway http://www.taieri.co.nz/ but we decided to go to the beach instead.

On the beach at Sandfly Bay we came across some sea lions who were having a bit of a frollick.

So back into town we went and we paid a visit to Baldwin Street which is the steepest street in the world with a gradient of 1 in 2.86.

It was a lovely weekend - Dunedin comes highly recommended!

Larry the Lamb

2009-03-14T13:23:00.013+13:00

You are probably thinking. 'Larry ... that's a good name for a lamb!', but this 9 month old Corriedale ram is called Burt. Larry the Lamb is the name given to a scouting activity that Bishopdale & Harewood scout troop run for the senior scouts every three years or so.

Before the event can really get under way the boys have to dig a reasonably large hole and apply some of the knots and lashings they have learnt to create a tripod.

Burt is humanely dispatched and dragged by the scouts towards the freshly dug offal pit and the tripod.

The lamb is then suspended from the tripod to allow it to be skinned.

The scouts take particular interest in the internal organs of the lamb.

Once the gutting is complete, the lamb carcass is covered with a tarpaulin while the oven is prepared.

How to use a Nokia E61 as a broadband modem on 3 in Australia

2009-02-10T21:52:00.007+13:00

I have been struggling to use my Nokia E61 as a broadband modem in Perth on the 3 network. After a frustrating day I have finally got it to work. There is nothing on the internet explaining how to get it to work and 3 care are totally unhelpful so I thought I would throw something together.

I am running Windows XP. Below is a point by point guide:

Throw away Nokia PC Suite because it does not seem to work - I couldn't make it work anyway!
You need to use good old dial up - just like you did pre-broadband days.
Goto Start > Connect to > Nokia E61 USB Modem # 2 (OTA) or similar.
Set-up the modem to dial *99# as the phone number (it works, believe me!)
On the Networking tab, untick 'Enable LCP extension' & 'Enable software compression'.
Goto Start > Control panel > Systems > Hardware > Device Manager > Modems : select your modem : Nokia E61 USB Modem # 2 (or similar) > Advanced > 'Set Extra initialisation command' to AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","3services"

Put a dial-up icon upon your desktop. Plug in your phone - I am using USB. Select PC Suite on your phone. Double click on your dial-up icon and ..... you should be connected.

Fire wood prices fall

2009-02-07T21:55:00.004+13:00

Last year I was very pleased with myself when I bought a trailer load of firewood for $10. This year I have done one better and bought a trailer load or firewood for ....

$7 (about $2.50). However, I am going to use some of the wood to build some more raised vegetable boxes so it is even more of a bargain!

And the winner is .......

2009-01-30T23:43:00.007+13:00

One of the evening events run at the Staveley Scout Camp was Lip Sync which was hosted by the local Kiwi tv stars, the Topp Twins. It is a 'Stars in their Eyes' event but (thankfully!) we were spared the singing!

My 8 year old daughter, Kirsty, decided to take part. Her High School Musical number was changed last minute to Abba's Mama Mia. She has only seen the movie 4 times since Christmas. She performed in front of 250 scouts and she won the solo artist event!

She was well pleased with herself and won a MP3 player!

Canyon Adventure

2009-01-30T23:33:00.005+13:00

One of the activities at the Staveley scout camp was a drive in a 4 by 4 followed by a 12 km walk through some spectacular country. The scouts can be seen here negotiating a suspension bridge.

I feel sure Lord Baden Powell would have definitely approved!

Wool Shed Creek Hut

2009-01-30T23:14:00.009+13:00

A network of huts is maintained by the Department of Conservation to encourage Kiwi's and tourists to tramp (walk) in the countryside. This is Wool Shed Creek hut which is a few km's away from Staveley near Ashburton.

In this hut you can get warm by the fire, enjoy a hot meal, top up your water, get a good wash, and have a good nights sleep .......

for a whole $15 (about £6). I passed through here when I took a party of scouts through on a day walk at the Staveley Camp 2009. The more I see of NZ the more I love the place!

ps. The flag flying on the hut belongs to Lyttelton Sea scouts! :0)

The Vegetable Garden

2009-01-30T23:03:00.002+13:00

This year we have spent a lot of time developing the vegetable garden. We have relatively shallow soil so we have been using raised beds in wooden boxes.

We have been successfully growing radish, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, rhubarb, peas, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cabbage, sweet corn, peppers, courgettes, sprouts, leeks, basil, lemons, grapefruit, marrows, beetroot and a few other things besides. So far this month we have not had to buy any vegetables or salad.

Sausage & Beef Burger

2009-01-30T22:55:00.004+13:00

We have been warned that you should never name your cattle because it makes it more difficult when the day of reckoning comes. However, we have already names our two Hereford Friesian crosses Sausage and Beef Burger. They cost $300 (approx £120) each and will be 350Kg of beef each in 18 months time. After slaughter costs of $1 per kg, the meat will be about $2 (80p) per kg.

Chickens move into their New Accommodation

2009-01-30T22:46:00.004+13:00

'Keith the Fencer' came before Christmas and started paddocking up the section. We installed two chicken enclosures 20 metres by 20 metres each. Our existing chickens have moved into one of the enclosures.

We have noticed an improvement in the quality of the eggs since their move. The eggs yolks are now a brilliant orangey yellow colour largely because the chickens are eating grass and insects to supplement their diet.

The second enclosure will shortly be filled with some other birds which we will keep for meat but I cannot decide between chickens, ducks, turkeys or geese. Now what will it be?

intentse newspaper

2009-01-10T22:04:00.004+13:00

While at scout camp I was involved with the creation of a un-official camp newspaper called intentse. intentse took a fun look at camp life and the first three editions were printed underground and delivered late at night. Cutting a long story very short, by day four we became part of the camp team and published under the Staveley News banner. PDF's of intense can be found by clicking through to:

http://staveleynewsintentse.googlepages.com/

Six Scout Leaders & a Trampoline

2009-01-09T20:44:00.005+13:00

The last week has been spent at the Staveley Scout Camp. About 250 scouts from the South Island converged on the Staveley camp near Methven and had a total blast. Pictured above are some of my colleages from Brussle Scouts (combination of Harewood and Bishopdale troop and Russeley troop) celebrating Jon's 21st birthday. From left to right is Roger, Ian, Peter, Jon, Reinhold and Andrew.

Lettuce Galore

2008-12-25T11:40:00.007+13:00

The lettuces have been another success in the garden. The cold frame is stuffed full of lettuces of all different kinds and varieties. They are real easy to grow and they have saved us a fortune.

The cold frame was built out of some timber left by the builders so it cost me nothing. I bought the plastic sheet and some rope to keep it secured from Bunning's (a DIY warehouse).

There is another side to the cold frame which is just as big and this is being used to germinate some native seeds for a shelter belt which we will plant out next year.

Christmas Dinner New Potatoes

2008-12-25T11:32:00.005+13:00

A couple of months ago we planted some sprouting potatoes into the garden. This morning we went outside to dig up some new potatoes for our Christmas dinner.

We were really pleased to see loads of potatoes when we started pulling up the roots. Some four roots later we had more than enough.

Dad in Da House

2008-12-25T11:27:00.005+13:00

Mum and dad have been staying with us and yesterday we took them to Hanmer Springs to enjoy the hot water. Dad let his hair down (the best he could!) and got dressed up in a rugby shirt, three quarter sports pants and not forgetting his lid (a base ball cap).

I have to say the clothes rather suited him!

Perth Royal Mint

2008-12-03T02:50:00.005+13:00

The Perth Royal Mint is literally just up the road from where we are staying. We have no idea what used to happen inside because we have been too busy working to go and visit!

You can see the gates are firmly closed!

More information can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth_Mint

Mike enjoys a nice Green Salad

2008-12-03T02:45:00.005+13:00

After being told by our client that he was 'piling on the pounds' Mike has gone on a diet. You can see him enjoying a nice green salad for his tea.

"Fishing Trip"

2008-12-03T02:37:00.002+13:00

My line manager asked what we where going to achieve on this business trip and I replied that we were planning to go 'big game fishing'. During the last couple of days that is exactly what we have been doing! You can see myself and Mike after a hard days graft 'out at sea' out at Fremantle Harbour.

The Perth Skyline

2008-12-03T02:30:00.002+13:00

The Perth skyline is seriously impressive with many sky scrappers in the central business district.

The Bell Tower

2008-12-03T02:18:00.003+13:00

The Bell Tower is an impresssive piece of architecture down by the Perth waterfront.

This historic ring of bells was gifted to the people of Western Australia as part of the national Bicentennial celebrations. The Bell Tower includes the twelve bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields which are recorded as being in existence from before the 14th century and recast in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I. The bells were again recast between 1725 and 1770 by three generations of the Rudhall family of bell founders from Gloucester in England, under the order of the Prince of Wales who was later crowned as King George II. They are one of the few sets of royal bells and are the only ones known to have left England.

A taxi driver told us the structure cost $6 million dollars to build and it cost the politician who wanted to build it his job! I must admit to rather liking the structure.

More information can be found at: http://www.swanbells.com.au/

Trip to Perth Western Australia

2008-12-03T02:09:00.004+13:00

After some 10 hours travelling myself and Mike, one of my colleagues, arrived in Perth in Western Australia. We had a few problems connecting with our shuttle bus but we eventually arrived at our accommodation and we both jumped in to the pool to cool off.

Mike is showing how many times he tried to blag our way into an Air New Zealand Koruclub lounge. Needless to say he was successful on at least one occasion.

I have to take my hat off to him for his determination and effort!

The Mighty Waimakariri

2008-12-03T02:02:00.001+13:00

One of the major landmarks that you see flying out of Christchurch is the mighty Waimakariri river. The Waimakariri is a threaded river teaming with fish and other wildlife and flows from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean just north of Kaipoi.

Air New Zealand Empty Seats

2008-12-03T01:54:00.005+13:00

Flying out of Christchurch on the international connection NZ90 brought home to me the scale of the current slowdown in the travel industry. The back of the Boeing 777 was just about empty with plenty of spare seats. I hope my former colleagues at House of Travel are all doing okay.

Two Jags

2008-11-24T22:49:00.006+13:00

My brother and my sister-in-law have been to stay for a couple of weeks on their world tour. Andy has been working as a political lobbiest for a homeless charity and often meets with senior politicians in the UK and Europe.

On our obligatory day excursion to the 'West Coast' we called in to see his mate 'Two Jags' between Reefton and Greymouth. The two Jaguars have been up-ended and have been used as gate posts.

Sky ride

2008-11-09T21:45:00.004+13:00

One of our neighbours has a helecopter and Jake and his mate Jordan have been promised a ride. Today was their lucky day and they were taken for a flight out towards the Torlesse mountains.

Our house can been seen on the top right hand side. If you look hard enough you will see me on my red tractor mower!

Papabear sets up Blog

2008-10-20T22:58:00.002+13:00

After the very successful JOTI 2008 camp this weekend, papabear has set up his own blog. This can be found at the appropriately named http://oldbearnews.blogspot.com ;0)

Please feel free to pass on your comments!

JOTI 2008

2008-10-19T14:50:00.004+13:00

It is hard to believe that the Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI) has come around yet again. We have again been back to Cotswold School this weekend and have been using IRC to contact scouts and guides around the world. We have had over 80 people attend the event.

A great time has been had by all and a big thank-you goes to the Bishopdale and Harewood Scouts team who have organised the event on behalf of the Torlesse scouts zone. I personally haven't laughed so much in a long time!

I have been running a seperate blog for the event which can be found here:

http://joti2008.blogspot.com/

I have a nasty feeling my colleagues are going to 'get me back' for some of my posts at the annual zone scout camp in January! I'll keep you posted on what happens.

The Vegetable Garden takes Shape

2008-10-14T15:44:00.003+13:00

After a lot of hard work over the last few weeks the vegetable garden is starting to take shape. I decided to use raised beds because it makes it much easier to look after and it gives the plants some protection from the wind. I have been using some of the firewood that I bought earlier in the year so it has only cost me price of the nails to put together.

Real Compost

2008-10-14T15:34:00.005+13:00

Rangiora Landscape Supplies do a 'veggie mix' compost which is ideal for putting on your garden. The compost is a mix of wood chippings, horse manure, chicken manure, pig manure and mushroom compost. It is a real wholesome product and it helps your veggies to grow. It costs NZ$15 (£5.25 ) per 1/3 cubic metre scoop and four scopes just fits in my trailer nicely.

The thing I like about this product is it is totally natural. It does NOT contain chicken blood, feathers, hatchery waste, meat products, food waste, human sewage or any of the many other unsavoury ingredients that DEFRA allows to be composted in the UK.

Rainbow

2008-10-08T10:02:00.002+13:00

A weather front has just passed through and we have been left with clear blue skies and a beautiful rainbow.

The Veggie Garden Starts to Take Shape

2008-10-05T21:03:00.004+13:00

The firewood has again been put to good use to make raised beds for the vegetable garden. We now have some 7 raised beds in production with another twelve cut out and ready for construction. The wooden frames provide protection from the nor'wester winds which can burn the leaves of the seedlings.

This box is a metre square and is about 30 cm high; it contains red cabbage and celery. The stones have been collected from digging the ground.

Fruit Bushes Planted

2008-10-05T20:55:00.002+13:00

Over the last couple of weeks I have been busily planting the fruit bushes. To date, I have planted gooseberry's, red currents, black currents, raspberry's (early and late varieties), boysenberry's, blackberry's and blueberry's.

Roll on the summer!

Dining Room Sunsets

2008-10-05T20:52:00.001+13:00

The sunsets from the dining room are breath taking ... absolutely fantastic.

Tunnel Shed

2008-09-27T13:36:00.007+12:00

Cutting firewood in winter is not much fun. What we need is a big shed to provide some shelter when cutting the wood and to keep the firewood protected from the elements.

Mark, my neighbour (of electric fence testing fame) has a business called L. T. Sheds and he kindly offered to knock me up a wooden frame for a 2.4 metre by 3 metre tunnel shed. He makes tunnel shed kit sets in his workshop and offers them for sale via www.trademe.co.nz. The sheds can be either clad in corrugated steel or they can be clad in plastic to create a green house. To keep costs down I found some recycled corrugated steel on www.trademe.co.nz for NZ$70 (£26) which has been more than enough to clad both the shed and the roof of the chicken run with plenty left over to spare.

I am really very pleased with the end result which could only be improved by a lick of paint.

A big thank-you goes to Mark for all his help and time.

Work Permits successfully secured for Hens

2008-09-27T13:04:00.012+12:00

Work permits have finally been secured for 8 point of lay Shaver hens who moved into the hen house earlier this week after a long selection process. Spokeshen, Marjory Clucker pictured on the right hand side said, 'We are delighted to have secured employment although we were not very happy about the transport provided from the hatchery. It was undignified to have to share a cardboard box with 7 other hens.'.

Despite the complaints over the travel arrangements the girls have settled in very well and have already started laying some three weeks ahead of schedule. Each hen has been given 3 weeks to meet their production target of one egg per day.

The hens came from Heslips Hatchery which is near Fairlie in South Canterbury.

Let it rain, Let it rain, Let it rain

2008-07-31T16:55:00.013+12:00

We have had a bit of rain in the last 24 hours. The River Eyre 'runs' about 400 metres from where we live. However the river is a dry river bed and seldom has any water in it.

However, judging by the water in my wheel barrow (System International Unit of Rain Fall - or at least it should be!) we must have had 15 cm of rain overnight!

Anyway, the Eyre is ... er, flowing like a river again.

I was talking to a chap who was also taking photos and he said that in the 8 years he had lived here, he had only seen water in the river twice.

I bet he drinks Carling Black Label!

Fishing at Kekerengu

2008-07-15T01:49:00.009+12:00

Over the weekend we stayed in a lovely batch on the north east coast of the south island between Blenheim and Kaikoura. Jake (my son) and I spent all day Sunday fishing on Kekerengu beach. It was a lovely winter's day and we literally had the whole beach to ourselves.

We usually have a small bet with each other when we go fishing - a dollar for the first, biggest and the most fish. I can blame my brother Andrew for starting this family tradition! We were fishing with two 8 foot rods and using oily fish as bait.

Jake caught the first fish - a small but very respectable red cod. 1:0 to Jake.

After being 'down' for most of the morning I pulled back by catching a couple of medium size dog fish making it 2:1 to me. Jake then struck into a good sized dog fish - it was now evens at 2:2!

I pulled back by catching another good dog fish making it 3:2 to me before it was time to call it a day.

Jake won $2 for catching the first and the biggest fish although he had to give me a dollar back for catching the most fish. Jake was more than happy - he was a dollar up aferall!

You can eat dog fish but I couldn't be bothered to skin them so we threw them back. The red cod had no such escape ....... I am pleased to report it lived upto expectations and was very tasty!

Best NZ Rump Steak

2008-07-11T04:23:00.005+12:00

When we lived in the UK rump steak was always a bit of a treat because it was so expensive - you could pay upwards of £3.99 per lb.

I was in Pak 'n' Save Northlands yesterday evening and they had a special on their rump steak at NZ$8.95 per kilo. With the exchange rate of $2.60 to £1 that makes it £1.56 per lb!

We enjoyed some porterhouse steak last week but it was a little more expensive at NZ$9.95 per kilo or £1.74 per lb.

Where is the bar-b-que? Yum!

Enjoy a Diet Cat Break

2008-07-06T09:04:00.001+12:00

Meet Mango who is one of our two resident mousers. She is into just about everything!

Death in the Cook Islands

2008-07-05T18:32:00.004+12:00

Death in the Cook Islands is regarded very differently than by the western world. Loved ones who have passed away are kept close to home and are literally buried in the back garden.

The memorials also provide a cool place to sleep in the heat of Summer.

Welcome to the Rarotonga departure lounge ...

2008-07-05T18:24:00.006+12:00

An outside departure lounge at Rarotonga airport - absolutely fantastic!

To Aitutaki and back

2008-07-05T15:48:00.022+12:00

One of the perks of working for a travel agent is you get to go and see some interesting places. Last Christmas, my team won a team trip to any destination on the Air New Zealand network. After much debate, we decided to go to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

We flew out to Rarotongo and stayed at the Edge Water resort. However, we had a surprise excursion to Aitutaki.

We flew with Air Ratotonga leaving Rarotonga at 0800 on a small Saab turbo prop.

After flying for 40 minutes we started our decent into Aitutaki. We flew over the lagoon and approached the island from the north, landing on an air strip built by the Americans in 1942 during World War 2.

The airport at Aitutaki is a little bit basic (an under statement!) but the welcome was very warm.

A man playing in his ucayali welcomed our arrival to the island - Pacific Islanders know how to make people feel very welcome!

Our tour host for the day was a man called Phil who was originally from the island and was a mind of information - he seemed to know most of the island inhabitants.

1900 people live on the island. Power is provided between 0600 and 2359 by two diesel generators. The container ship comes once a month, but if it is too rough it doesn't stop and steams onto Auckland.

The bus took us to the main town and we had chance to walk around.

After a short time we joined our boat and cruised around the lagoon for the rest of the day.

The TV series Shipwreaked and Survivor is filmed in Aitutiki and we payed a visit to 'Sharky Island'. We went snorkling and enjoyed a tuna lunch. After which we sailed to One Foot island.

One island has no inhabitants but it has a post office (UK eat your heart out!) so it was a great opportunity to sit under a palm tree and write my post cards while drinking a cool beer.

Alas, it was time to go home so we went back on the boat, steamed back to Aitutiki and caught the flight back to Rarotonga.

I'll be going again ...... but next time I will take my wife, Yvonne!

How I miss Holme-on-Spalding Moor!

How much for a trailer load of firewood?

2008-07-05T15:38:00.004+12:00

It is winter here in New Zealand. During the evening the temperature can drop and you need to keep warm. There is nothing better than snuggling down in front of a roaring log burner.

So how much is firewood? Well, the trailer below which is 4 foot 6 inches by 7 foot cost cost a whole NZ$10 to be filled up with firewood. That is just under £4 for a whole months worth of heat. What a bargain!

It's all work and no play being a scout leader ............

2008-06-09T21:58:00.004+12:00

It's all work and no play being a scout leader ... er, except when you get to enjoy a coffee at the Cafe Paris. I hastern to add we were watching the scouts do a treasure hunt around Hokatika and the outside tables gave Roger and I a great vantage point to 'watch what was going on' while we enjoyed a much needed caffine fix.

The stonz-n-bonz Workshop

2008-06-09T21:43:00.005+12:00

In the stonz-n-bonz workshop there were all the tools we needed to work the green stone. First of all we had to chose a design - we could either use a standard template or create our own. The design was then scribed onto a piece of green stone and cut on a diamond saw.

We then used a variety of drills and rotating sanders to work the stone. The stone had to be worked with running water to ensure the tools did not overheat.

Once the basic shape is completed, the stone is polished using wet and dry to get the required finish.

The final touch is to dip the green stone in oil and thread a string through the hole.

Hokatika - green stone carving - www.stonz-n-bonz.co.nz

2008-06-09T21:16:00.007+12:00

On the Queen's birthday weekend, I helped take over a party of scouts over to Hokitika to do some green stone (jade) carving. Hokatika is a small town on the west coast of the south island of New Zealand. It was the centre of the gold rush that occurred in the late 19th century.

We did the green stone carving at Stonz 'n' Bonz (http://www.stonz-n-bonz.co.nz/)

We each picked out a design and we set about carving a piece of green stone. Steve, the owner, spent the day helping us to use the tools to work the stone into a pendent.

Steve was literally blown away by the effort and the quality of the work achieved by our scouts. It was a really enjoyable day - I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

This is a must do for any traveller who ventures to the west coast.

First Significant Snowfall of the Year

2008-06-09T21:02:00.005+12:00

We experienced our first winter snow this weekend. A cold southerly front pushed its way across the south and north islands from the southern ocean on Saturday afternoon and dumped a good couple of inches of snow on the Canterbury Plains.

It only snowed for about an hour but it was still worth getting out the sledges. We intially went over to Cust cemetary but we later found an awesome place to sledge just to the north of Cust. A good time was enjoyed by all.

New Brighton Pier

2008-04-30T23:36:00.006+12:00

The pier was opened on 1 November 1997, on the site of the original New Brighton Pier which had been demolished more than 30 years previously. It is the biggest ocean pier in Australasia.

The original pier was opened back in 1894 by the Governor General, Lord Glasgow, in the presence of large crowds who travelled to the beach by special trams. The pier provided the citizens of Christchurch with a recreational destination in the traditional British style - the pier had a “penny arcade” full of games and amusements and even a nightclub.

By 1965, the pier had become so run down that the council ordered that it be demolished. On the night of October 12, between 2.30am and 7am workmen, demolished the pier using a bulldozer. About 100 20 ft piles were winched out or cut off 18 inches below ground level.

A group of residents formed the Pier and Foreshore Society to try to save the pier and they continued to campaign for a new pier after its destruction. Thirty years of lobbying and fundraising in the community saw almost $2 million raised from the community which was matched by a further $2 million from the Christchurch City Council and a new pier design was finally approved in 1994.

The pier is used today for recreation and fishing. Hector dolphin can often be seen swimming in the waters immediately around the pier.

These historic photographs of New Brighton show the pier over the years.

Pier facts:
Length: 300 metres
Height: 7 metres above high tide
Width: 6 metres
Deck: 900mm thick pre-stressed concrete
Piles: 17 piles, 1.4 metres diameter, 20 metres apart

Is Madame Staying in the Chicken Palace or the Chicken Hut?

2008-04-30T22:40:00.008+12:00

Once we had got settled into our new house we always intended to keep chickens. After buying 10 pallets of firewood for $200 I had more than enough timber to build a fine chicken residence.

My first attempt was losely based upon an A frame and is 8 foot long by 7 foot wide. It was a big structure and it was christened the 'chicken palace' during its day long construction. I was thinking that would be amply big enough to keep plenty of chickens for both eggs and meat. However, I had not reckoned on my two children, Jake & Kirsty, claiming squatters rights and moving in to immediately after it was built. It has now been reclassified as the 'childrens den' and is used for sleepovers - it can easily accommodate three youngsters on camp beds. I have since received requests to install a carpet and some shelves!

The Chicken Hut is again made from the firewood and is a much smaller affair. It will not accommodate children as the perch will get in the way (I have made sure of that!) but should be good for 6 chickens to live very comfortably.

Cow Sitting

2008-04-30T22:23:00.007+12:00

Canterbury has had a very dry year and good pasture is currently at a premium. Our neighbours have six head of cattle and they were getting concerned about the amount of grass left on their section for the stock to eat. Their paddocks desperately need time to recover and they did not want to use the feed that they have put aside for winter.

We have not had the time to cut the grass on the other half of the section so we were very happy to put their cattle to work ..... cutting the grass and fertilising as they go. They are doing a cracking job.

Mark (our neighbour) has been 'testing ' the electric fence (without any test equipment ... he's a kiwi .... what did you expect?) and this has proved to be excellent entertainment throughout!!!

Hot Air Balloons

2008-04-30T22:11:00.004+12:00

I was laid in bed on Sunday morning when a hot air balloon drifted by my bedroom window. It got me straight out of bed and running for the camera. It was magical seeing the balloon float past on what was a frosty morning. The balloon eventually came to rest in a farmers field about 400 metres from the house.

Tekapo B Hydro Power Station

2008-03-22T14:17:00.003+13:00

The South Island of New Zealand has a network of lakes and canals for the storage and movement of water for the generation of hydroelectricity.

Tekapo B station (shown above) was commissioned in 1977 and is located at the end of a 26.4 kilometre-long canal which takes wayter fron Lake Tekapo. It was built on dry land and was surrounded by water after the Pukaki High Dam was built. About two-thirds of of the powerhouse foundation is now below the water level. There is a 147 metre height difference between canal and Lake Pukaki and it takes a bath full of water to pass through its turbines to generate enough power to boil a kettle.

Nominal annual generation: 800 GWh
Installed capacity: 160 MW

Mt Cook

2008-03-22T14:09:00.003+13:00

Mt Cook has become a bit of a mecca for people seeking outdoor pursuits like ski-ing and mountaineering. There are some totally fantastic views and the coffee and cake is not bad either!