Moan, Moan, Moan - 2011

[Lesley Cox]

Is this when the tide's in Tom, which case it would be deep, meaning full?

A meaningful observation Anthony.

Golly I hate that word!

[ranunculus]

In fact we have been mourning his loss for many years now. If he comes up every morning, maybe someone will, in time, have the gumption to put out a helping hand and haul him to the surface again for a second life. Just occasionally those who miss him rebel and make such a fuss that the powers who destroyed him retract and give hime another chance.

Sorry Cliff. I'm writing a lot of twaddle here. What brought on this particular and heartfelt note?

I'm afraid I don't know, Lesley ... it came to me as it came to you ... mere words on the internet.

[Hoy]

Who needs Common Sense when we have lawmakers?

What I mourn is the loss of quite a few Fritillaria bulbs. Yesterday I planted them thoroughly and today some creature has found and eaten all the bulbs

[Anthony Darby]

I sent some postcards to friends and relatives from Napier in July. They arrived yesterday. Apparently New Zealand doesn't have "surface mail" for Christmas etc. cards. I wonder how these were sent?

[Lesley Cox]

Who needs Common Sense when we have lawmakers?

What I mourn is the loss of quite a few Fritillaria bulbs. Yesterday I planted them thoroughly and today some creature has found and eaten all the bulbs

As American TV detectives say, when they push into a grieving families to grill them, "I'm sorry for your loss" Hoy. I mean really sorry. Do you know what has eaten the bulbs?

Regarding common sense and lawmakers, we certainly can't have both! My particular bete noir, a thoroughly nasty man as right winged as Hitler and with as much compassion in his body as a bulldozer, now talks of de-criminalizing cannabis. This is ONLY to get votes at our Nov election and the reason he gives is that "it does no-one any harm." The de-criminalizing argument is a valid one among thoughtful people who deal with addicts and the results of cannabis use within families and society but that it should come from this man is obscene. That cannabis does no-one any harm is a downright lie. I know. I have had to deal with it in close family.

[Lesley Cox]

I sent some postcards to friends and relatives from Napier in July. They arrived yesterday. Apparently New Zealand doesn't have "surface mail" for Christmas etc. cards. I wonder how these were sent?

By rowboat? You're right, we have no surface mail outside NZ and even within the country much mail goes by air, say from Dunedin to Christchurch let alone the North Island. To the UK it goes economy - up to 3 weeks, by airmail 5-10 days or priority 2-5 days. Courier takes 1-2 days but costs the earth. The others cost the earth too, but smaller bits of it. I generally go for airmail, 5-10 days but they all seem to be flexible and to depend on what volume is going. I sent my Frit Grroup seed list by email but either the attachment didn't work or maybe I forgot to attach. However, on the same day (9th Sept) I sent a paper confirmation with an email received from FG to say the paper arrived on the 11th but my sub, in GB pounds and payment for seeds, sent on the same day to a different officer of the Group, is confirmed by email as having arrived on the 24th! They went from the local PO together and surely should have been on the same flight so.....?

[Hoy]

Who needs Common Sense when we have lawmakers?

What I mourn is the loss of quite a few Fritillaria bulbs. Yesterday I planted them thoroughly and today some creature has found and eaten all the bulbs

As American TV detectives say, when they push into a grieving families to grill them, "I'm sorry for your loss" Hoy. I mean really sorry. Do you know what has eaten the bulbs?

Regarding common sense and lawmakers, we certainly can't have both! My particular bete noir, a thoroughly nasty man as right winged as Hitler and with as much compassion in his body as a bulldozer, now talks of de-criminalizing cannabis. This is ONLY to get votes at our Nov election and the reason he gives is that "it does no-one any harm." The de-criminalizing argument is a valid one among thoughtful people who deal with addicts and the results of cannabis use within families and society but that it should come from this man is obscene. That cannabis does no-one any harm is a downright lie. I know. I have had to deal with it in close family.

I don't know the culprit - I had planted the bulbs on my shedroof to avoid slugs but some kind of bulb-devouring animal had found them. They left only holes in the soil. The holes looked similar to what rodents dig (they eat the corms of emerging Crocuses in spring but discard the shoots).

Some politicians say anything to get votes - I wonder what they really think? I once heard about a politician that he didn't need to collect his thoughts as he never had more than one.

[Lesley Cox]

Some politicians say anything to get votes - I wonder what they really think? I once heard about a politician that he didn't need to collect his thoughts as he never had more than one.

Perhaps the only honest politician in history!

[Anthony Darby]

I sent some postcards to friends and relatives from Napier in July. They arrived yesterday. Apparently New Zealand doesn't have "surface mail" for Christmas etc. cards. I wonder how these were sent?

By rowboat? You're right, we have no surface mail outside NZ and even within the country much mail goes by air, say from Dunedin to Christchurch let alone the North Island. To the UK it goes economy - up to 3 weeks, by airmail 5-10 days or priority 2-5 days. Courier takes 1-2 days but costs the earth. The others cost the earth too, but smaller bits of it. I generally go for airmail, 5-10 days but they all seem to be flexible and to depend on what volume is going. I sent my Frit Grroup seed list by email but either the attachment didn't work or maybe I forgot to attach. However, on the same day (9th Sept) I sent a paper confirmation with an email received from FG to say the paper arrived on the 11th but my sub, in GB pounds and payment for seeds, sent on the same day to a different officer of the Group, is confirmed by email as having arrived on the 24th! They went from the local PO together and surely should have been on the same flight so.....?

Even a slow boat to China wouldn't have taken as long! Perversely, three parcels sent from the UK last week arrived here in 4 days! I don't understand economy. The fact that it is sent airmail suggests otherwise. The mail still has to travel in the same way. Is it just stockpiled?

[Lesley Cox]

Exactly that I think. The more paid for the trip the quicker it goes and the other stuff waits until there's a build-up, maybe enough to fill a container or something instead of a small bag.

[Anthony Darby]

Headline in our local free paper (The Howick and Botany Times): "Scots no-show hoodwinked fans". Howick "adopted" Scotland as their world cup team, as they were based at the Pakuranga Rugby Club, nearby, for the last pool match, and one local Niklas Hansen had spent two years practising Flower of Scotland in preparation. However, the opportunity never came, as the Scotland team declined to make any public appearances in Howick during preparations for its final pool B game against England! Shame on you Scotland!
 
At last week's extraordinary Auckland Council meeting, called to commit more money to expand fan zone areas, one councillor said the communities of Howick, Pakuranga and Botany felt they had been "hoodwinked". She said Scotland was "the team none of us got a chance to see". "Howick never got the opportunity to truly host the team and show them some good old hospitality." This councillor was one of 9 who voted last week against an extra $1.5 million to come from Auckland ratepayers to top up the $4m committed by the Government for additional spending on the downtown waterfront fan zone.

In contrast to Scotland, the entire All Blacks team turned out at Pakuranga Rugby Club, just over a month ago, for a free gala day with coaching tips for the youngsters. 5000 fans attended! I went to James's school (Botany Downs Secondary College) sports awards dinner last week. The guest speaker was Tana Umaga. What a nice guy, and his speech was just what aspiring sports stars should hear. He then went back to the ABs training camp where he is helping with the coaching.

I must admit, I have been impressed with the organisation of the rugby world cup. I've been to two matches. I had hoped the second, quarter final 4, would have been the ABs against Scotland! We got a free bus from Botany Town Centre right to the stadium. It took half an hour and then the buses took us back after the match. Sweet as!

[Lesley Cox]

Pleased to see you are taking an interest in local politics Anthony. To the rest of us plebs it seems as if Auckland has unlimited money to spend on the RWC and will no doubt be calling on the rest of the country to pay for its new conference centre, just as we pay extra petrol tax to pay for Auckland's motorways and public transport system (remembering that my ancestry is Scottish and therefore inclined to be frugal, except where plants are concerned of course.

[Lina Hesseling]

I am really disappointed!!  The two main Galanthus events in our region is at the same weekend AGAIN!
Why? Galanthus weekend at Kalmthout, Belgian, is at the same time as Galanthus weekend at Nettetal!
This is not funny. Why donn't they communicate? I think Nettetal was first with their date. So Kalmthout should communicate about this.

Sorry, but I really am disappointed.

Lina.

[Maggi Young]

This seems to be a real mistake from the organisers, Lina.... it  cannot be best for their  reputation even if they do think there is enough business for them both at one time.

[Darren]

There was a large muscular bloke on my bus to work this morning. He was wearing only ladies underwear. It was 7:20AM, 8 degrees C and raining at the stop where he got on.

Why is this a moan?

Because being the most eccentric person on that bus is MY job!  I can't top this without getting arrested so I'm throwing in the towel and going back to being as boring as the other commuters