Dame Part 2 and Lawnmower ettiqutte

Dame Part 2

There are possibly 3 reasons I pay attention to the Dame that lives close by.

1. I like to think I launched her career or at least made her elevevation into the realms of management very comfortable. In my my first job out of school I was an administration clerk. I am probably still an administration clerk in some respects (I plan to change this in 2008). Anyway, one of my first tasks was to assist the Dame (at that stage she was a Dame in waiting) to buy the office furnitur for her very own office. This meant assisting her with selection couches and choosing pink fabrics and curtians from Maurice Kain which at the time (1984) was Tinakori Rd based and very cutting edge for the public service - and the Dame - who is not really known for her fashion sense or hair styles. Each time we see each other she smiles at me and I smile back. I am sure she does not know my name, but does recall I helped her select primo office furniture which set her on the way the bigger and brigther things or perhaps she associates me with:

2. She spent many years in charge of a psychriatric hospital. This leads me to:

3. My prompensity on occasion to stalk

Lawn Mower etiique

Now I love mowing lawns and due to the fact that I spent a year or so on a to ride on mower on an acre of land in addition to my already lifelong knowledge of lawn mowing know a lot about lawn mowing. The first thing is to observe whether your neighbour has their bedroom curtains closed. If they do then they are either having sex or are asleep. In my case I am clearly not having sex but am asleep.

I spend most of my year getting up at 5.30am. Therefore when I am on holiday I do not think it is a big ask to want to sleep in until 9.30 am due the fact that I can actually have the luxury of staying up "late". I just don't get it - Rule no 1. Check the curtains and don't mow until they are open. Let the lawn grow a little if the curtains stay closed. AND the fricken lawn didn't even need mowing!! I especially don't get that. But somehow as the year end approaches it seems to have become imperative for most of neighbours to mow the lawn. Well. of course the neighbour on the other side who um doesn't really mow her lawn at all! Gosh, one extreme to the other!

To live like a Dame

There is a well known Dame that lives in a street very close to me. She is a legend and her status as Dame reflects that. This is just one of her houses. To my knowledege she has at least 3. But she seems to be quite at home in this residence quite often. She is quite a mature Dame as in probably about mid sixties. She is became a Dame becasue she is outstanding in her field. Which also happens to be one of my fields of interest. If I could achieve as much as her in the manner that she has, then that would make me very happy and content.

But what rocked my world about seeing the Dame today was seeing her riding a tandem racing bike with her "partner". She was dressed in racing cycling gear and seriously looked about 21. I thought full credit to her and felt extremely guilty that I happened to be passing her in my car on the way to the bakery to get a loaf of bread whne ahem I could have walked there. That will be one of my new resoultions "to live like a Dame".

She also is a good gardener and puts in the effort there which is yet another reason she has my uttmost respect.

Market Rules and Rules of Life

Clearly, as Hebequeen I believe in a Queendom. And with a Queendom this means there must be some sort of rule. As there is no other Queendom such as the Hebequeendom I will share with you some of the fish rule as it illustrates well my point.

Fishmarket rules

When you "shop" at the market, you need to abide by market practice. This means not simply taking your flash recycling bag but applying some common market rules senses. Therein lies the key to the Hebequeen's rules. Its not so much as conforming to a strict regime, and its definitely not based on a structural class system of you are the working hebe and I am the Queenhebe. Let me illustrate this: The "fish lady" "Jean" sells fish two ways. One is filleted and the other is whole. There is a reason for this. Filleted fish is to be barbecued or pan fried. Whole fish is sold to be cooked whole. Hence it is "dumb" and not market protocol to ask for your whole fish to be filleted and look frustrated when Jean says she can't do this not least becasue there is a q of 10 people. Total respect to her. She smiled and quoted the health and saftey regs about not being able to fillet at the market. I seriously wanted to ask the lady in front of me if she was "retarded". Clearly she wasn't but if she actually was I would have much more patience. Anyway what the fish rule is all about is: respecting the fish, respecting the fish lady and respecting yourself as a customer in that you don't be an arrogant prat. These are good rules of coruse to apply in other contexts.

I'm putting learning how to catch a crayfish back on my New years list - well my new list for 2008. I'll add something each posting until the new year. Technically I'm not really list person, but i need to set a few goals for 2008.


Hebequeens 2008 New Years List
1. Learn to dive. This is becasue I LOVE crayfish. I LOVE sustainability. I LOVE the coast, and its crazy not to live so close to so many CRAYFISH and PAUA and not be able to catch the, myself. Number one will be related to some of my other numbers on my list but I'll keep to one a day.

to be continued each day until New Years Day

Oh, my car is making noises. I'm not sure I will feel confident driving it over the hill during the Christmas break. Buggar. Still I kind of feel like "staying home and being rotten". Just like Shona Koea's book. Except, actually, I feel quite at peace even .

And today's culinary tip:
A whole kawhai is meant to be be baked in cococunt cream, kaffir lime leaves from your garden, lemons from your garden and onions. Its technically (technically is my new favourite word) a cheap fish. But I reckon its the equivalent of what lamb knuckles were a few years ago. A cheap eat but a gourmet meal if you know how to treat it right.


Merry Hebemass
Merry Christmas from Ali and moi. nb Ali has already caught THREE birds tonight! Wow does he knows its Christmas or what?! we have a new rule where if he catches them I will watch him eat them if he stays outside. It makes me feel a little sick, but saves an increadible amount of mess in the house. It also means that sometimes the birds actaully get set free when they are outside. But not tonight becasue its Christmas.

Wont say happy new year quie yet because I will be posting over the "festive" season.

The best love story ever

Google "cow girl carterton" and you will be able to read it. I love this story. I've seen a Ken a few times from my car. He is a true legend. I have to request you google becasue I'm still learning how to do the linky things on my laptop - sometthing weird happens. Anyway, bear with me. It is worth the google.

I like it when I see old faces on the Terrace. I avoided it for awhile. I needed the space. But I'm back and hanging out on the Terrace - and its kind of special to see that the special and beautiful people of the world still inhabit it. Yep I', back for a short period and after Wellington anniversay weekend I will be truly back in that magical place of policy land.

Today I had my farewell at my workplace becasue even though my last day is Monday some people will be away tomorrow and Monday. The work people wrote lovely things in my cards and the cards were lovely and gave me a lovely present (well, it was cash for my garden) but it was the thought that counted - and the cash. Rambo wrote that I had been a "breath of fresh air"! That was kindof nice coming from Rambo. My cowo thanked me for my support. That was nice too. My manager said lovely words and baked me a Christmas cake. Such a contrast to my last direct-report manager who mysteriously went awol on my last day! My current manager said this random thing that wasn't so random in the context of the last 12 months. Something along the lines of I hope you will keep in touch and that when we pass each other in the street you will stop and say hello. With her, I will. Perhpas the secret to a preoper farewell is to stay only 3 months rather than 13 years. This is not to say that elements of my last departure were not nice, but the reality is that it was darkened by my previous direct report manager. Still, she has to live with her actions. Its been healing for me to be reminded that there are good, decent and caring people. Ok, that's my last entry on work matters until the next year. I just had to mark it though because its a penultimate (strongerlight loves this word:-)) and significant work milestone for this year.

My Christmas tree is rocking with happiness at the thought of impending visitors. It's even started singing carols.

Opportunity cost

Opportunity cost is when you give up work funded trips to Dublin, Dubai and Canberra to work in the Unisys building on the Terrace, Wellington.

Am I crazy? Tonight I think F*** having principles and yes, I must be v. crazy. But when I wake in the morning I will be glad again that I do have principles - and as Annie (lennox) would say "money can't buy it" . In the morning I will be glad again, just like I was today when "Don Johnson" appeared by my desk and I thought F*** you are a serious f-wit and twat. twat with a capital T so that is, Twat.

Sounds a bit self rightous and all that but sometimes its actually hard having principles - its harder though working with ex principals and Twats - well, at least I think so.

The Chirstmas Tree

is dressed and looks "hot". Build it and they will come.

Let's see.

The Human SIte Meter

The human site meter is not working. I have a readership of 0. That is, zero. I am considering
early retirement. It was brief but real for the brevity nevertheless. All those years in surveillance and "this is what they represent" - "do you know how I feel" - to quote Lennox. As in Annie. But then some people overuse lyrics. I can be one of those people. But maybe, lyrics are to me what sonnets were to Shakespeare.

Sheep and pine trees

Well, if you have been following the plot you will know that today was the designated Christmas tree felling day. Fortunately, the lady who does not read my blog was able to accompany me. This proved useful as I think the elves that are paid to assist you with the task were still waking up and seemed to want to hibernate in their little sheds. This meant that this year I chopped the tree completely by myself. That was quite satisfying. The lady who doesn't read my blog was then able to assist with some superb knot tying and then the tree was atop of the Toyota and I held my own version of a Baumfest circumnavigating the Square in Martinborough, waved to the fish lady and then back to Carterton. I splashed out this year and purchased a stand to prevent the bucket toppling occasions of last year. Unfortunately I think I may have screwed in the tree a little askew. So I have delayed trimming the tree until I decide tommorrow if this matters really. I have placed the angel on top. I am quite into angels.

This angel has a whakapapa back to Kickaldies in the Crabtree and Apple section. When I purchased her I had a brief conversation with the Kirkcaldies ladies about how beautiful l she was. She looked different then. She still looks beautiful but um today she looks a little like the angleic version of the scarecrow I created for Halloween/GuyFawkes. oh well, that in its own way is probably ok.

On the way to get the tree I hard to navigate sheep going for a walk en mass down a country road being shepherded into another paddock. To some people all sheep look the same. But not to me. Each sheep is unique. Much like the pine tree. From a distance they may seem different. but get up close and you can see they are each unique and also the smell is different.

I have temporarily lost the Next magazine due to the fact that I tidied the house. It will turn up like the Whittakers chocolate did today that I lost at Halloween/Guy Fawkes (it was at the bottom of the pot drawer). This means I have not been able to educate myself today on how to "attract people into my life" which is why I purchased it. My difficulty is not attracting people into my life. It's keeping the people I want to keep in my life. Sometimes people disappear from my life when I thought they would be there for ever. I'm not talking loss by death here. I'm talking how you get close to someone and then that closeness turns into a distance without any real explanation. Anyway, that only makes it more special for the people that do stay in my life, for the connections that remain strong. And that's as deep and personal as I will get. Guess I'm reflecting on this today because yesterday it was one of my of my "lost friends" birthday. I still remember.

OK. Tonight I am creating a human site meter (because if you have been following the plot I am computer challenged). If you read this entry, please post a comment. It can be related to the topic, or it can be random. It can be who you are, or you can use another non de bloom. The key is the P factor: participation: to know make a hebequeen happy :-)

Angels and fairies

Today the Market Queen (you can generally find her on the organic stall - she grows very good herbs) shared with me her wisdom on how you tell the difference between an angel and a fairy this days. It is increasingly hard I concurred. We reached agreement that an angel really should have wings. But then some fairies have wings. Hence the discussion.

For lunch I had fresh crayfish with rocket and radishes. The fish lady told me that "he" was that fresh he had been cooked last night.

The flower man is back at the market too. I didn't really need flowers but I wanted to encourage him to come back next week so I purchased some.

My long black went missing at the coffee stand while I had been talking to the Market Queen, so they made made me another one.

Tomorrow I am celebrating Christmas, including the annual harvest of the Christmas tree. I will also be reading NEXT magazine and will post more on that NEXT time.

Chicago Christmas work party

Today was the day of workplace Christmas work party. It was held at Chicago on the Wharf. This took me back to the hey day of a decade or so ago. Or at least my heyday when I used to hang out there on a Friday night. It used to be hot happening place that you could dance and have good night. This was pre Dockside days. Different clientele. But back then it was for me what Dockside is to some people today I guess.

Anyway, it was nice. Nicer than than the last few work Christmas parties I have been to. Maybe becasue it was new. Maybe becasue it was my first and last Christmas party with my workplace and also that I kept to catching the 6.18 home.

There was a theme. It was dress up as your film stars. And a good 80% of the staff did. So I guessby NCEA standards they would get an "achieveved with excellence" or something like that. I didn't dress up. I've been a little preoccupied with other stuff this week to gvie attention to a suitable outfit. Although the deisgner records student did say to me "I really thought you'd be into dressing up"! That boy will go far in life with a line like that to a lady like me.

My boss dressed as Hotlips from M*A*S*H. And she looked quite hot. My favourite male cowo dressed as Rambo and he looked mighty fine. But then with that theme how he could he go wrong in my eyes. But what I liked about hs effort was he put a lott of effort into every aspect of his dress, inlcuding having a friend trim his wig to get the exact hairstyle right. Now thats class. There was Top Gun worried he would loose his hat and lots of assorted otherssuch as nuns and pink ladies form Grease. oh, one of cowos went as Olivia Newton John.

There were aspects of familarity. The CEO giving a speech. Luckily I was outside when this happened. But hey, she looked the most laid back I had ever seen her - and even had a lei around her neck - which I think may mean I lost a bet with my cowo that she wouldn't wear fancy dress.

The boobee prize went to the Deptuty CE who thought he was Don Johnson from Miami Vice. Hello, I watched enough epidsodes of this in my time to know that Don wore dark suits and pink shirts. Not pinstriped white suits. I don't think he hired his suit. I nearly told him he needed to put in a litgtle more effort like "Rambo" had. what c ould he do: fire me?! I lvoe that line. But I didn't. Kindof reflects who he thinks he is . Much like Fancy Dress does as a whole.

Today I've had it confirmed I've scarifeced a overseas trip to Ireland for my new job. I knew that when I made the decision to change workplaces. I had it confirmed today. That represents a business class return trip to Ireland, worth say $12,000. Still money can't buy happiness or career progession and I'm still sure in my decision I've done the right thing. I guess that's a bit of test of it though.

Which reminds me wone of teh highlighst of the day was the dam fine Irish music playing. Altthouigh no hot dentist fiddle player!

Tomorrow I will go out again. I could get used to this. Being sociable and having a good time. Tomorrow though I intend to live a little bit more danegrously and adventoursly while having a dam good evening with some of the best company I know to keep!.

New World Carterton Christmas Club

Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the Carterton Christmas Club shopping night evening. Tonight was that night. I was a late gatecrasher because the train was late (apparently if you move four carriages of passengers into three carriages the train goes faster: bullshit!). I am not a member of the Christmas Club. One reason is becasue Homeperm once told me it was false economy and it would be better to have a savings account with greater interest. Economically that maybe true, but not when there are social benefits. Pocession of the Chirstmas Club entitles you to fully fledged membership and rights to enjoy the Christamas Club shopping evening. What do you get for this?:

• Father Christmas
• Zappo the magician
• the local school singing Christmas carols
• the Mayor
• lots of free stalls like Premier ham samples, wine samples, just like they do at the Thorndon New World everyday
• and the best bit - all the shop tellers wearing Christmas red hats and quite quite tiddly on I suspect one glass of Lindaur.

I note the average age of the New World Shop assistant would probably be about 55. But they have a few young people too - it creates a nice sense of these are the people that make up my community. The New World is actually my main form of community interaction which is why I value it.

The trolley boy would be included in this. He too appeared quite tiddly wheeling his trolleys around.

It's a simple pleasure this give me.

Just did a google search for Carterton New World and found that it s has 38 members on Old Friends - by far the largestm workplace listing. Then I found this entry for someone lcoal - I think it is great:

"Running a Bed & Breakfast in Carterton (Camcraft Villa & Cottage) with husband of 41 years, Warren. 3 children and 6 Grandchildren. Playing the tenor drum with the local Pipe Band, but this may not be for much longer. It is not easy keeping up with the long legged pipers when carrying a drum. :-) Warren plays the snare drum and marches in the row behind me and gives me a nudge when I'm too slow."

Post resignation: I am so glad I did it. So so glad. For a number of reasons. It's about learning what's right for me. I've got a lot of work ahead of me in the next job and think there will be more demands on me. I'm quite looking forward to that. But at least I will not have to observe collegaues pampering to the needs of the white middle aged chauvinistic male. I expect they will be there in disguise somewhere as they always are, but not as my manager's manager.

I've decided Christmas is coming and I will celebrate it. The tree cutting will be this weekend. I aske my sister if she would like to help me. She more or less said she would't be seen dead driving with me with a Christmas tree on top of my Toyota driving through Featherston, Greytown and Carterton. That's one of the best bits. Luckily, the lady who gets bored by my blog does not get bored by real Christmas trees and shares my excitement in the tree process. Goodness my sister even suggested I purchase a Farmers tree. I do not think so.

The tree though can only ever be as special as the people who visit it.

Random

Here are some random notations. I was going to aim for one of those 100 meme things. But I don't think I will make it so, makybe instead I will aim for ten. OK, here we go:

1. Tonight I recieved my latest TradeMe rating from the letterbox seller in Raumati. I was beginning to worry that he wasn't going to post. He did and he has said that I am a "good trader/recommended trader" This means that I have five positive feedbacks from five transactions. trademe rankings are trademe rankings, but I think its important to strive for simialr rankings in other life endeavours.
2. One of my Queendom - HebeWiri Grace is now over 5.5ft tall. This is quite amazing given this Grace is the grandchild of of the original Grace still residing in Wainuiomata - or at least I hope so.
3. Today I resigned from my job. I will be offically unemployed on Christmas day. But hey, its ok in the new year I will start a new job. Apparently if you last 3 months then you will last awhile in a job. I didn't last 3 months. I will in my next job. I will do better than last. I will secure a position within 12 months befitting a hebequeen. It's all about positioning. And that's what I'm doing. This is all about moving forward.
4. My current boss did not understand me when I talked about the determinants of health or in fact social policy. That explained quite lot. We talk different lanaguages. It made me feel better about resigning.
5. Plant a lot in HighSt Carterton sells single tomato plants. These are intended for single elderly people who live alone the Plantalot lady advised me. She did not recognise me as a single elderly woman who lives alone. So, instead I purchased a six pack of russian reds. I'm aiming for the tomato crop of a couple of years ago that kept me sustained through the whole of winter.
5. According to National Radio yesterday if I was truely sustainable nothing green would leave my property.
6. According to my neighbour, if I was truely sustainable I would not have two hoses going when there are water restrictions on.
7. Tonight there is a new moon.
8. I watch too much Living TV - I have seen the ASB ad for getting a home loan at least ten times because it is played after proprty development programmes. You can learn a lot from Living tv such as the importance of form and function.
9. I lovee groper and especially the bit right in the middle that is a littel like the middle in a cheap cut of lamb, but tonight I got a little disturbed when at the fish shop I could smell janola or chroline cleansing stuff.
10. Tonight I played the piano. I always go to the piano in time of change. I can't play it like I used to simply becasue I don't practice like I used to. But the piano will always connect me.

One final thing. imagine walking along Lambton Quay on your way home from work, and who should you meet, but the person you had lunch with. That's what I call random and nice, and other former collleagues who stop and say hello and smile at you. These small and not so small encounters are what count.

Ok, must go and move my hose, like one of those ladies of the resistance in the war, that moves within the shadows of the night, when hopefully the nieghbours can't see. But I know they know nevertheless!

Christmas

Christmas is in vogue at this time of year. I can never bring myself to spell it it Xmas. This is becasue a vicar once preached to me to use the term X was to annoymise Christmas. To take the Christ out of Christmas. This was preaching before the X generation was even recognsied. I still believe that even if I don't give testimony to my belief by sitting in a pew each week and the weekly ritual of church. So, Christmas will always be for me about Christ.

This is why I struggle when I pass the Kirkcaldies Christmas Display and theres a whole window devoted to what looks like a model version of Burger King. Like, wheres the relation to Christmas to that. This is somewhat ironical given Burger King is more or less directly located opposite Kircaldies. I think its fine to adapt Christmas to what it means to you, but I just don't get where Burger King fits in with Christmas.

I have splendid Christmas decorations located in my spare room. So far, I don't know if I can be bothered with them this year. Hopefully this will pass. And I will think of an alternative way to celebrate Christmas in new ways - like invite new neighbours over. I am going to be be an orphan this Christmas. I am in adult orphan already. It's quite dramatic when I say it like that and I really only do say it for dramatic effect. But I really will be an orphan this year as my whanau will be offshore in Australia. This is one of the pitfalls of having a small whanau. I've got the Christmas cards to write this weekend. I think I may go back to the handwritten card this year rather than the generic one. Each year I wonder now "will I get to send this card t my aunt and uncle" next year.

This Christams I'm going to have four weeks off week. Potter round the house. That will be awesome. That reminds me my workplace don't send out "Christmas cards" they send out "holiday cards". Guess I'll be taking one long holiday:-)

Just had the last two days off work. I slept for most of them. I am very skilled at sleeping and will post seperately on that another time.

Strawberries: best easten small and a littel impfect straight form the strawberry basket. The quantity is small but the quality is unsurpassed.

Risk

Can never really go wrong with KM advice (even if its hard to follow - and followed in an abstract way - that's the art):

Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices
Do the hardest thing on earth for you
Act for yourself
Face the truth

I first heard Witi Ihimaera say this to me (well me and about 15 other people in the Von Zedlitz building at Vic.) So I always replay it in my head with his tone. Somehow it makes it nicer for me.

It's a good quote though and lasted me for number of years. I just have to remember to remind myself of it now and again. Its simple but its hard too.

Today's culinary tip: Groper steaks: simple. Distribute rock salt and pepper on Groper steaks. Place lemon slices, preferably sourced from your own lemon tree or a very good friends all over. Drip olive oil onto the lemon slices - if you read the last entry you will know I reccommend Olivo on top. Bake until the lemons caramelises and the skin on the groper crisps up. Can serve this with tomato salsa - tomatoes onions and coriander - picked form your garden - finley chopped and blended together. One of Jamie Olivers recipes from his early days. Pukka Tukka. Classic but great. Creates more dishes than the artichokes but worth that extra effort.

How to eat an artichoke

First, source your artichoke directly from a reputable artichoke grower. (There is a very good one at the Masterton Farmers Market where you can buy huge artichokes for a $1.00). Boil a big pot of water - biff your artichokes in and boil until they change colour. Drain and place on a plate. This is a magnificent feast, even for a meat lover like myself. Grab a fine bottle of olive oil - olivio is a good medium priced one - tip some into a desert bowl and swoosh around. Then one by one pull the "petals" off each artichoke flower and dip into the olive oil and then eat the tips. Repeat this taste sensation until you get to the "heart". Then grab a small vegetable knife, peel all the prickle bits off (otherwise you will will feel like you are eating a Thistle - which actually, you proabably are!) and then duck the artichoke "heart" in olive oil and eat. Repeat until artichokes are finished off your plate. Makes a helluva mess, but not a lot of dishes, so is one of the best vegetarian dishes I know. Devine. Recycle used flower petals into your compost bin. This is not only a very cheap meal it is also a very "sustainable" one. This meethod of artichoke eating comes no where near to sourcing your artichokes from Moore Wilsons all neatly packaged in olive oil. Try it!

Speaking of hearts, I heart the Farmers Market Queen. At the weekend, she came up to me and gave me a little bunch of beautiful flowers in the form of a tussie mussie because she said I was a regular customer and supporter - which hello I am. The Markert was celebrating its first birthday. It was better than getting quadruple flybuys from Noel Leeming and being served by the CEO of Noel Leeming and given a free pie maker. Tussie Mussies and the Market Queen rock.

Buns, buttons and bums

Today "at work" a young woman I work with was joking about a young man I work with. This particular man is quite well buffed, takes pride in his physique and has his own wardrobe much like a former colleague I worked with a few years ago. The exception is this young man reminds me of the young men I used to box with. (Note I have been reminded today of the importance of anonyonmity) hence no subject names are being used.

Clearly my hearing is not that good because i thought the young lady was referring to the young mans "buns". I thought she was a little young to use this term but that I would pick up on the conversation. There were strange looks as I started referring to the young mans "buns" later in the day. A few sentences later it was explained that the the young women had in fact been referring to how he wears his "buttons" to far down to show off his chest. This is as you will appreciate quite a different from reference to his "buns". I blushed. He blushed. And he could quite legitimately accuse me of sexual harassment.

One of my readers today advised me that my blog is marginally better than being bored at work. I may or may not mailmarshal this reader. Although I guess that wont be necessary
!

Today, I moved back into a space I was in a few months ago. But it was different today. Today that space fitted. Much like you can't fit a bambino in the same space as a rolls royce. Always important to know what car you are driving, where to find your park, and what car you want to drive and where you want to get to.

All is calm all is bright - the outlook for Thursday is fine

Today I had my consultation with Clare O'Brien (I also met the women who works for a national organisation that has advised me that grammar is important. She is a wench. But a powerful wench who knows how to use her verbs, her commars and apostrohes. She is still a wench.)
Clare O'Bren who has no google history is not like my dentist. She is middle 50ish, olde enough to be my dentist's mother, she is not Irish and she wasn't particularly funny. She wore a lot of brown. But actually had very "posh doctor shoes".

Her office as such was very 80ish. It included and Atlas and book on AIDS which possible came out the year that AIDS was first notified. The only unique thing about her consultation room were the feathers on the curtain. Very American Indian. But wait, its a room. Its just you and the dr - why do you need a curtain? Ah, this is all newish terroiotry to me. She was perfunctory and effiecnt in her tasks. She read my medical history. It is a quick read. She didnt make any comment. She didnt ask me where I work. In that moment and now it doesn't matter. She didnt know that I actuially know A lot about screening, a lot about Health. I am not defined by my work. I am who I am like th great Broadyway musical. However, she quickly ascertained I do not knwo a lot about my body.

It turns out my "breast cancer" is a boil. It can be fixed with magnessiusm and ointmemt. She did note that it was quite unusual but not a lump and not breast cancer. She didn't quite know how to record this 'event'. She did not give me andy other medical advice. Instead on the train home I read the following info on the back of the Bactroban 2% ointemnet leaflet:

Take care and build good liefstyle habits....

• Have regualr daily exercise such as a brisk 30 minute walk
• Walk whenever possible, and watch your wieght
• Eat a healthy balanced diet
• No smoking, moderate alcohol and a postive attititude
• Keep your midn active with games, puzzles, reading, friends
• As your body ages and needs extra care you will appreciate these healthy liefstyle habits

All things I knew, but it was good to be reminded.

on the way home in the railway subway the guitair man was playing his rendition of Silent Night. It was the frist time aI had heard him play this. It makes a chaneg from what he usually plays. No doubt now that he has a new tune I'll hear it numerous times befroe Christmas,. But today it was good to hear.

Today I realised it snot about being in the space I was or could be, its about being in the space I am now.

Oh, also on the way home I passed a lady wearing a pink ribbon. It is not soemthing I udnerestiamte - cancer. But I am not going to be scared by it. I am going to face it and life full on. I consider my boil a timely reminder about life and living. I know I am fortunate that my breast cancer was a boil - its funny but the bit about reasssessing is not funny.

I'm finding my space again on a number of levels. Slowly and surely. It doesn't mean I still don't do the dumb thing. It just means I'm human.

Eftpos, Lady Doctors and the train ride home

I will continue my discourse on my love for the wheelie bin and the provenacne of my wheelie bins later this week. Tonight I will merely note that one of the things I love about the wheelie bins is their shere basic function of mobility - being able to wheel ones rubbish around. But other things of note happened today.

1. While standing at teh Westpac etfpos machine, the man in front of me left his receipt behind after he had completed his transaction. I had a hunch he did so on purpose. So I deliberateley did not look at it and put it down as if was not going to read it and pretended I had put it in the waste disposal part of the machine. Once he had clearly got out of sight I turned it over. His account was in excess credit of $17,000. Wanker, I thought. You jsut wanted me to know that you have that amount in your account.

2. Today I made an appointment to see a lady dr for a ladies issue. This is a big event for me. I have not had a signicant "medical issue" since I had scarlet fever when I was 5 years old. I am hoping my issue is not that significant now. I get freaked out at seeing a dr for personal reasons. This is ironcial given I worked for Health for so long. Anyway, today i learnt it pays to be registered with an inner city dr otherwise you cant get an appointment. My drs name is clare obrien. I found her in the telephone book after two unsucessful attempts at pratices. My ea (well the team ea) couldn't udnerstand why I wanted a telephone book. She advised me to use the internet to look up a telephone becasue it would be quicker. It is hard to fin telephone books at my workplace! - this does not allow for the fact that you don't know who you are ringing. When you are rining an unknown dr it is easier to go by the hard copy of a telephone book. I hope she is as irish, funny, and hot at her job as my dentist is. And I hope that its a not serious, but if it is serious then I will deal with it. Problem is I am just not medicalised enough that this all quite an event for me. last night I cried. I was very worried. But tonight I know I can do it and face it. Gosh, just think how many people go to see a GP every day.

3. Today I lady and her son travelled on the 6.18. They came puffing into my carriage about 6.17 with their luggage. they had been to the South Isladn for a trip and their train from Christchurch had been delayed and the ferry had been delayed. I was so pleased they were pleased. Usually, its just another train ride. They were very animated and were talking baout how pleased they were. They also talked a lot about what they would eat for dinner, which dairies would be open in Greytown and what they would do when they got home. One passenger then moved and went to another carriage. I think she was a train snob. IO think she thought the lady and her son were too remedial. Perhaps I am being as judgemnetal in calling her a train snob. The ladies son was I think a little remedial. How could I tell? he didn't really talk that much. What? can you call someone remdial because he smiles a lot and his protective of his luagge and his mother. or, just ebcasue he listens to walkman with one headphone. Music is music whether yu have a MP3 player or a telphone thant plays music like a mP3 player - which hello, I do:-) - although my remedial thing is I need to learn to download cheaper than gettiing that telecom monkey to do it for me.

The four boys sitting in front of me boys heading back to one of the private boys iN amsterotn noted they thought the adult son was remeidal it when he got off the train with his mother. They had just completed a NCEA exam (NCEA is now in my vocab). They didn't know was anarobic was. Whtehre it was not enough oxygen or too much oxygen. The lady who got off at Greytown with her son knew in detail Just before she got off the train she stopped by them and gave them a full definition. She explained she knew so much becasue her husband was a dr. She smiled and left. I wanted to say "good onya lady" and heck I didnt know that but then I dint do 5th form science. But thats a seperate story.

Anarobic - its all about oxyegen. Whether we have enough or not and how we use the space we are in.

Now I must iron my clothes, becasue tomorrow is going to be the peak of my career at my new workplace to date. I have a "workshop". Theoretcially its a workshop in partnership with others. But its the first time I meet all my key stakeholders. I need to wow them and woo them and treat them like our lvies depend on each other. I will put on my happy interview face and disposition. Everyone is my best best friend and we will all work happily together for great learning outocmes and to maximise all our potential Or, something, like that.

then at the end of the day I will see the dr.

The Wheelie Bin - Part 1

Monday night is the night of the "wheelie bin". I love the wheelie bin. I also love the rubbish dump. I am not sure what these two things tell you. My love of the rubbish dump has been distanced by the Carterton Rubbish dump lady who sits in a little office. It's like a toll office and she has a figurine of Mr T from the A Team that sits by her cashier. My first visits to the Carterton Rubbish dump involved encounters with the rubbish dump lady that bordered on serious interrogation and requiring the furnishing of a little red ticket to prove I was indeed a rates paying Cartertonian and therefore eligible to use the rubbish dump. These were followed by the more in depth questioning of whether my boot was really lined with green waste only or whether the green waste was actually camouflaging something more sinister such as "household rubbish". I was nearly deterred from using the rubbish dump, but perseverance is building up trust with the rubbish dump lady.

I love the wheelie bin because you can fill it with whatever you want and there are no questions are asked - although generally I do only fill it with green waste. What I love most is.or standing on it to squeeze as much I can. However I have been advised by the wheelie bin man not to overfill my bin hence the development of the strategy to stand and squeeze and squash. This ritual occurs preferably on a Sunday, foll lowed by a last minute squeeze and condense on the Monday night and then I wheel the wheelie bin ready for its weekly pickup on Tuesday.

I love the wheelie bin so much , I own four wheelie bins. More on the history of my wheelie bins tomorrow, because I realise I have to keep my entries shorter than yesterday. I also have to change my clock on my calendar so it reflects the right day.

There is a good article in this weeks on "carbon sinners" in the ecological column. Are you a carbon sinner. If so, "guilt, as the church has known for centuries, is a rich vein".

Check it out
and also:

http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org and www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/august06.pdf

Today I learnt how to use the spellcheck. This will not improve my grammar, but it will improve my spelling!

A long way to get a letterbox

Today I am the proud owner of a new letterbox. Did I need a new letterbox? No. The old letterbox was perfectly functional at delivering those bills that still come in the post and other miscellaneous mail that proliferates at this time of year. In fact, this weekend has been quite a lettebox weekend for both Ali and myself. Yesterday Ali recieved his first hardcopy mail. Well, actually it was addressed to both Ali and I at our street address. Ali's name was spelt in full: A. Burk. This is due to the fact that I told some marketing caller that my partner's name was Ali Burk. What prompted me to do this was that so the person on teh end of the phone did not think I lived alone. So, I suddendly found myself saying that my partners name was Ali and then when they asked for the surname volunteered Burk - which was my mother's maiden name. The telephone person inisted that it was best I take my partner to the LJ Hooker evening being hosted at the Solway Park Hotel so we could get maximum benfeit from all they have to offer. I don't really want to go the LJ Hooker evening. But apparently there will be light refreshments and the chance to go in a lucky draw. I do though quite like the thought of being a property invester. This is unlikely to happy in the immediate future as I am barely find time to develop the one property I have to the potential that it is capable of being. There art imitates life or something. Anyhow, I thought why not? So I'm enrolled or RSVPd to go to a session at the Solway in early December. I think LJ Hooker and Solway people would be quite astounded if I took Ali along to the evening. And in fact so would he. So, I wont! I will have to make some excuse like he does shift work or something. I shouldn't really be making any excuses. Why do you need to have a partner to invest? The obvious answer is that it doubles your income. But even if I had a partner, surely you have some financial independence, at least until you are married, or in that stage of full om commitement. LJ JHooker and their representatvies make to many assumptions. For this reason I shouldn't go to the evening. However, I wish to use it as a motivational opprtunity to advance m retirement planning and property developmenet aspirations futehr than watching Property Ladder on Channel 8.

Back to the purchase of my letterbox. I discovered it on TradeMe. http://tradme.co.nz/ It is a macrcocarapa letterbox. I am having a macrocarpa phase. Essentially it is a slab of macrocarpa (last week I purhcased a slab of macrocarpa and turned it into a seat on Trade me - this is what inadvertendtly led me to the letetrbox) that has been turned into a letterbox. It was advertsied as being like no other in your street. In fact I think it will be like no other in my town. Design wise it will be a triumph once it is mounted. But that is some way off. I may have to ask Ken my neighbour to help me mount my letterbox. It needs a hole in it possibly one that can be bolted to the post. I dont think I have the equipment or skills to do this without smattering it into the firewood that it would otherwsie be. I do though have the letterbox. Although I trsut my neighbours I have invested too much in this letterbox to let it be stolen.

Now the Trademeseller clearly stipulated that it was pick up only. He was located in "Kapiti". I thought the letterbox was so uinique that if I won the acution then it would justiify driving from one side of the lower north island to ther other and return. Under normal circumsatnces this would have been the case. Howeever once I got over the Rimutakas I had an idea. I could save time and drive through the Akatarawa Rd. This would bring me out at Waikanae. This was not really an inspired idea in retrospect because where I needed to come out was Raumati. It is long time since I have driven this road. So long I had fogtten what a terrible road it is. It is a road that in some parts barely fits a Toyota Corolla little own a Toytota and someones Tonka Toy four wheel drive. That was the least of my worries. I had barely stareted off down Akatarawa Rd when I suddely heard what I thought was a siren. It was a siren with flashing lights. As I was the only one on the road then I realised the unmarked large red POLICE car was wanting me to stop. I stopped. And I noted here that both I and the POLICE car wer stopped on a double yellow line. So surely that means that the POLICE lady driving the POLICE car commited an infringement. She asked me if I had seen her. Well, no celarly I had not. She being Officer number X146. She then advised me taht I had been going 15km over the speedlimit. That is I was going 65km in a 50 km zone. She asked me if I was in a hurry. Well, the correct answer to that was of course I was in a hurry. In a hurry to buy my Trademe letterbox. I said no, and that I had just come off the Rimutakas and hadn't realised how fast I was going. I wanted to say that one can only go so fast in a 1990 Toyota. Instead I attemtped to look as remorseful as I could. She asked for my drivers license. I fumbled and it took me at least every docoument in my purse to locate it. She then went to her POLICE car to verify my address and perfect driving record. Well, thats what I thought she was doing. It transpires that she was writing me a ticket, or as the official piece of POLICE paper records it Notice N 6817096. She handed it to me. Smiled and said "It's not the crime of the centrury". Well there you go in purchasing my letterbox I became a minor criminal. The fine cost $80.00. The exact cost of the letterbox. It could have been worse I guess. At least my car was registered and warranted.

After navaigating the long and expensive winding road of the Akatarawa and encoutering a few flash backs from when I used to visit Moss Green and Reikorangi Poterry with a special friend from a few years ago now I arrived at the agreed address for the letterbox pick up. I had left phone messages earlier in the day but appranetly not on the Trade Me sellers phone. As I entered into the agreed address driveway I noticed lots of windows and doors open. Great, I thought the owners and the TradeMe seller are home. I knokced on the door. A lady called out Hi. I responded in kind and then advised I was there to pick the letterbox up. "What letterbox?" she said. It turns out she was a real estate agent running an open home. She was not interested in selling me a letterbox. She was only interetsed in selling me a house. She looked at me in disgust. I walked off. With an incorrect phone number all I had was the sloace of coffee on Rosetta Road. The cafe is still there. It is still good coffee and food. The house I used to visit just up the road is still there too, but its been done over. I walked on the beach and then decided I would go back one more time. I did and the

He opened his garage. In it there were two late model cars parked and an old lady. She was either his mother or mother in law. I dont really think she was parked like the cars but happended to be looking for something jsut as he opend the door. The thought did cross my mind. I hope this is not elder abuse. The the old lady spoke. She advised me the letterbox was big enopugh to fit a possum in. I note here I actually think it would have to be small possum but if you live ina garage I guess it would seem big. I paid my cash and took the letterbox.

It is a very nice and unique letterbox. I feel like I 've rescued it from being stuck in a nondescript Raumati street. It will go much better by my hedge.

However the letterbox took me nearly all my Sunday, over 200km and and cost with petrol and fine would be in excess of $200.

Please rememebr this when you post me your Chrismas cards!

Annie Lennox

Well as Homeperm has pointed out (here there would be a hyperlink thingee) but becasue I am tired of seeing the circle go round and round and can only cope with upskilling so much in one day there is no hyperlink, this blog has been a long time in gestation so there is much to write about. First of all, today I spend a time taking photos today but cant down load them yet. It is frustrating for me.

Ok, this site is Hebehobo. It is more fitting that Hebehob as Hebequeens subject writes these entries. There is possibly an apostrohe that goes after Hebequeens but I have not included. An academic resgitrar would remind you that good grammer is important. I am not saying it i snot important. Just that it is unlikely to be a feature of this site. Focus on the content. For the first few entries. The photos will come. People on Trademe have been known to comment that Hebehobo is a very nice lady and it is a pleasure doing busniness with her!

But this posting is really about the subtitle of this blog. It is the refrain, chrorus of Sing from Annie Lennox latest new album "Songs of Destruction". It's a great album. Possibly her best for a very long time. This particualrl song is dediecated to those who work in Africa towards HIV/ AIDS reduction. The whole album is dedicated to "humanitarian workers, peace activists and NGOs across the globe"/ It's actaully quite dark in places. But I like that. What I liek most about the pratcicular quote I have used it is reminds me of two things. The first is that we must use our voice. This is what this bliog will be about. Using my voice, and of coruse that of Hebequeen. Also Sister Henry, a nun who taught piano at Sacred Heart in Lower Hutt was the first person that taught me that phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". She was going to be my piano teacher after my Mum becasue my Mum and I had decided that well it would be good to get the benefit of someone else teaching me. Sister Henry died after I had only a few lessons. And my mother died not long after Sister Henry. They were both strong women in each their own ways. They both as piano teachers knew the improtance of singing, music, harmony and finding ones voice.

Hebehobo enters the world

This is the blog of the Hebequeen. The Hebequeen is not very IT savvy. Thus she has created an account in cyberspace with her royal title but the blogpeople wont let her on. It is probably quite fitting in any case that the Hebequeen has two names. Hebehobo is thus the blogchild of Hebequeen. The Hebequeen is a Gemini. This start to Blog life is a little like one of those firecrackers that sizzles slowly and you think ho hum but then suddenly ka-boom there is a spectauclar flowering and there she goes. You wish you'd never moved your eyes. Much like the flowering of a Hebe. This site will be a dedicated gardening journal and observation on life. More on that in my next entry. Just need to get my plantings in place first and also my settings in place.