Die FrauZhan

Today I went to the dentist. The health professional I see most often. It cost me $170.00 for a clean and polish and check up. I am sure I see the most expensive dentist practice in Wellington.

I pay the surplus because my dentist has a lovely Irish accent.


But, hello today she asked me to put on the shade things over my glasses. I begin to explain to her that I don't want t take my glasses off because I can't hear. To people that are short sighted this is well known sensory thing. She says "whatever". Hello, I do not pay my most regular health professional to say "whatever" even if it is in a lovely Irish accent.

She reminds me I should be seeing her every 4 months and to floss. I am scared my gums will give way and my teeth will fall out.

Oh, and somewhere between the dentist and my wallet I lost my Flybuys card. Which clearly is priceless given I am saving and close to the purchase of a digital camera - which will enhance this site postings.

Oh, and finally, I fear most the paraable of JG. This is when I over email, over txt, and over phone, never for the respondent to contact me again.

Nothing beats a well stacked wood pile

It is a beauty to behold. Majestic in its viewing. And comforting that there is wood - should there be a pandemic or such like. But hello, there wont be a pandemic. Not in my lifetime. And in the chance that there is, I'll be ok becasue I am in a relatviely low populated area and therefore OK.

The only flaw with my well stocked wood shed (probaly enough for 2 winters now) is my dodgy Kent woodburner.

Behold! Time for a new woodburner - but then the dliemena in that is the woodpile would not be so well stacked.

I'm actually a bit of a novice had the wood stacking game. My neighbour is the supremo numero at it. But hey, I've only had it as a serious hobby for the last few years so by the time I am retired I figure I will have refined my wood stacking, drying, storage skills. Woodstacking gives me so much pleasure. Either you are a "wood" person or you are not. I am.

Oh, there is another flaw. if only I had purchased a house in the days when you could install a swooped up open fire. That would be the cream.

You have to be an abortionist

This is the advice of the market man who is a market gardener. He sells plants and was selling swan plants. A lady stopped and explained her dilemena that she had sucessfully built up a fine collection fo catepillars only to see them disappear. I said "thats exactly the same problem I had". The market man then explained you have to be abortionist and take the eggs off the leaves when you see them and leave only 3 or 4 catepillars on the plant. This makes sense really. It was just the way he matter of factly stated it. Your kind of stuffed either way. If you do what the other lady and I did its leading the caterpillars to an early death and if you do it at the egg stage - is that my humane? Perhaps its better not to have the swan plant at all - and leave it to nature.

In contrast I purchased my veges from the purple pumpkin lady and leant about worm feed liquid as a fertiiser which I am going to try. The purple pumkin lady is my inspiration. She lvies within 2km of where I live but her veges are twice my size and her output. So I need to learn from her.

I finished my market purachase at the organic stall where I purchased crispy apples like they should be and handpicked wild blackberries. I turned this into a blackberrie and apple pie with home made shortcrust. It was a Jamie Oliver recipie.

I had wood delivered today - and peastraw which I purchased from the same Trademe supplied. I liked it when the wood men said to each other "doesn't that smell good". They were right. When I went to stack it it did smelll like good dried wood should smell like.

Now on Strongerlight's suggestion, am contemplating buying a puppy also for sale by the same supplier. A German Shepherd puupy. Details are as follow:


Von Hussar kennels"Strong Black Gold"Wormed & Parvo injectedNZKC registeredGood hip scores3 Dogs3 Bitches2 Long coats (1 Dog, 1 Bitch)

I am very very tempted.

Facebook and geckos

Well as previously disclosed, I have become a surfer on the edges of Findsomeone .........and Facebook. It remidns me people have lives and docment them. This is while I contemplate whether to join. I'm not sure I like the idea of being poked but at least it would prove I am alive. I also fear I would not have enough friends to be cool enough. Anyway, so there I was having a facebook surf tonight. That concept is probably a crimincal offence under facebook lore - but then its all about being public.

So I typed in a old friends name (A) and the name of a very good frined of A, (B). Well A as a facebook entry but nothing in it. Whereas B as a facebook entry and the notification that at the end of the month she is going to live in Germany. Drawing the dots together I think that this will mean that A and B are going to live in Germany. This would mean perhaps I never ever communciate with A ever again. But then I haven't communciated with A for 2 years. So why should this bother me. Well clearly it does as demonstared by my stalking behaviour. What do I do? As it happens I saw B in Astoria the other morning. B tried to make eye contact with me. I pretended that I never saw her and if I did see her that I didn;t know her. I can hardly contact A and say I was stalking B and it looks like they are leaving the country. Its a strange dliema. I should let it go, but clearly I cant.

Oh I retreated to personal musings. So for the home enrty:

Tonight Ali caught a gecko or lizard. They maybe the same. he was very happy. This mand me very happy. Because when he is engaged in such activity he is not damgaging my furniture. It also gave me some assurance that he is not catching aliens form the back garden as I first thought when he frist caught a baby gecko/lizard and I couldn't work out what it was. As for aour cathc nad release programme. I watched him torment it and then when ihe lost entry relaeased it back into the wild of my north neighbours garden.

One of my greatest sporting moments

One of my greatest sporting moments was attending the Halberg Awards back in the late 90s. Somehow I obtained free entry into the awards which that year were alcohol fueled and held at the Queens Whard Centre. I think it had a lot to do with the ladies who accompanied me that night. One is now a senior civil manager, the other is a forigen affiars diplomat. Anyway that night we slipped in through the back door, secured oursselves a table and drank ourselves into the small hours and then went dancing at the "Opera".

I note this becasue tonight I wacthed the Halberg Awards. A rather stale event held in an an auditorium in Christchurch - my "hometown". I watched the event from my bedroom, least you think I am straying from my 7 week Lentian vow to keep to a house and garden theme. I though pleased with the lady that won the surpreme award.

But back to that night in the late 90s. That was a memorable and awesome nit. I haven't had a night on that scale for quite some times - years in fact.

Home and Garden

If depression is the "new black" as Homeperm suggests then I am in fashion. However, it is a colour I have had in my wardrobe for a number of years. And in general. I'm not known for my leading edge in fashion.

I've decided I am not really depressed. Just simply slightly stressed which is having side effects. The cause of this stress is coping with my new job. The problem is its not my dream job. I don't come home and think yeah, wow what a day - that rocked my world. There's a fundamental underlying factor at the cause of it - and that's I don't think any job in the "career" I am currently in is going to do that. So, its ot the job, its me. For now I need the income. But thats a line I've used for the last 20 years or so. I also in part need the social interaction and stimulus it provides. What I need to do is find other ways to focus on what is important to me.
In the short term this will be making improvements to my house and garden becasue this at least gives me satisfaction.

This is my last introspective posting on my job and "depression". For the next 7 weeks my entries will be focussed on house and garden issues which afterall was the original intent of this blog which I have strayed a litte from. Why seven weeks? Well my southside neighbours are going away for seven weeks. It provides a target for me to make progress in their absence.

Someone stole my green recycle bin. This is annoying. Did it blow away? No it couldn't have becasue it wasn't windy and there were empty bottles in it weighing down. Do I steal someone elses?. No. Do I buy a new one. Anyway, maybe I could try and exist without it. I don't use it for paper - I already recylce that. I've reduced my empty bottle usage and perhaps could eliminate completely "home empties". So that just leaves empty plastic bottles which I could take to the main depot behind the post office.

If I could be someoneelse - I would be Sarah Beeney from Property Ladder on Channel 8. It kind of answere my career question. Now I need to work out a way to make that happen in a realistic way. The LJ Hooker man from the seminar I attended last week I dont think will be calling me. This is becasue I don't have a "husband". Still, the seminar did serve its purpose in reminding me I will not be able to live on $20,000 a year and I want a lifestyle better than I currently can afford.

Vinegar

I have spent the last 24 hours attemting to remove a "cat pee" stain from my rimu bookcase. Now I love my cat but he seems to have a behaviour problem - I checked google (both to address athe stain and the behavioural problem) - its probably casued form leaving him alone.. This was exhibited last night when he jumped on the bookcase and did a quick pee in front of me. I was pretty bloody annoyed becasue the bookcase had beautiful markings.

Nearly 24 horus of vinegar, baking soda and washing has almost taken the stain out but its alos taken the complete stain off. I guess I can cover it up with ornaments and stuff - but I am annoyed because it was previously unplemnished. Oh well.

Today I chopped my back fence back to the borderline. I don't think the westside neighbours were that happy - but I don't like conifers - and if Mr Westside nighbour had not chopped his half of the trees down relying on my half it would have not been a problem, Ichopped it down so there will be light for the bamboo to grow. Plus the trees are technically on the property of Mr Westside nighbour and Mr Westside neighbour as previously noted as applied this landscape method to my tree. Anyway, there will be a gap for small period of time until the bamboo does actually grow - and Mr Westside neighbour should appreciate that I have spent at $11.00 per bamaboo plant quite a considerable amount on our resolving opur joint fecning issue..

Did quite well on staying awake today! - hence the tree chopping exercise - plus went to the market - the market is very seasonable at presnent. PLus today today there was the bonus of it being an a&p show.

A seagull with one leg

Today I had lunch with a seagull with one leg. Sometimes, when I have lunch by myself I grab a ham and egg sandwich and wander down to the wharf and sit on the new flash wooden seats. Specifically, outside the final building still being developed becasue it allows some shade. Today about 5 seagulls descended and one huge big brown sea fowl thing. I noticed one seagull appeared to have only one leg. I wasnn't sure though. So I relented and threw it some crust becasue I felt sorry for it. It flew off and sure enough it did only have one leg. It returned and I threw it some more. I was quite pleased that I was able to mkae sure the one legged seagull secured what I had to offer against quite tough odds. But then I figured being a one legged seagull is probably not an easy life. After this sucess it then became extremely noisy and competetive amongst the bridlife so I walked to the other side by Frank Kitts park - inspired by the one legged seagull.

I'm still thinking through on how to cope with my borderline depression. The other night I saw John Kirwan on tv. Apparently, according to John if you write H.O.P.E in sand on a very nice beach it helps. I guess it would. Also, if you sit in a nice old tree and your kids come up to hug you and you get paid a nice re sum for appearing on tv. So, I went out to my backyard grabbed a stake and drew the word hope. Its not the same as a beach and I didn't get paid for doing it. The pumpkin plant also got in the way.

I don't like those mental health ads. I hope somebody does. But I think they suck. Think about it. The stats. Its normal people - its "people like us". But there's another very nice chap with a bipolar disorder and he too gets to hang out at the beach, and his wife/partner/friends/ love him. This is not meant to be a woe is me posting. Its just meant to be a statement of discontent that those ads don't resonate with me and my life and quite frankly I wonder who they do resonnate with. According to the media awards, lots of people. But I would argue recognition is quite different from resonance.

Anyway, I'm thinking positive re the upcoming weekend. My challenge is to reduce my sleep from last weeekend. If I achieve that it will be a good step.

Findsomeone.com

I thought I'd enrol for Findsomeone.com. I filled out the most random hapharzard listing. I gave a false listing. I was looking for my ex brother in law. To find him but not for any romantic reasons. I wanted to see how he described himself. Kind of a futile exercise really. And I can't really justify why I did it. Just that I happened to be on facebook - I typed his name in and there he was adn cross linked to findsomeone.co. Randomly and sperately, it was probably triggered by the work I am looking at at present - which is about who will care for you when you are sick, infirmed, old etc.

Well, my first "smile" was from a man with a snake around his neck. My second encounter was from a man who describes himself as "great package". A few others in between have siad we seem to have a lot in common. Where the heck they get that idea from is beyond comprehension from what I wrote on the profile.

This exercise has made me a little depressed. As in if I was doing this seriously what would I write: hate housework, don't read much, don't see the movies much, don't go scubadving, live like a hermit.

This brings me to the fact that I think I am a little depressed. I slept a lot again this weekend. Perhaps I am worried about my job. I don't know. I do feel a little overwhelmed that a lot of my colleagues have Phds. Why I get overwhelemed by this I don't know. Its not as if I haven't worked with intelligent people and actually do yo need a phd in some random topic to work in policy?. I really don't like ambiguity and talking in the clouds. But I'm elected to place myself in a workplace where I have to cope with this and master it. Now I have to make it work, but its taking effort.

I'm going to put in a plan of action re my depression. eg reduce sleeping, reduce alcohol, eat more protein and energy food and exercise more, and think posititvely ect - but heck it takes effort. If only it could all be magically transformed during my sleep periods.

I cut my hedge to the council standard. I guess now in another year it will be how I wanted to look this time.

Crikey,as I type this, my negighbour (westside) has parked their car in their garage in and out at least 3 times. Odd. This reminds me being Chinese New Year, I pruchased bamboo. To plant and grow. It was revenge on my westside neighbour for cutting my beuatiful tree down.

"Meeting your expectations"

Today I purchased "hair product". It cost circa $60.00 for shampoo and conditioner. I recieved a loyalty card that entitles me to one free set should I purchase ten or something. I'm not a mathematicin but even I know that is $600 on hair product. Anyway the loyalty card of the well known hair establishment has embossed on the bottom of it "meeting your expectations". Well today my my hairdresser and the hairdressing establishment did not meet my expectations. I will not be going back. I paid $100 for a hair cut to look like "Betty Anne". Now Betty Anne is a fine lady. But she must be late fifties or early sixties. Given I am early forties I think it is a little early in my life cycle to look like Betty Anne. Now that I am home I am less distressed. But hello my hair cut was not worth a $100 bucks. Next time I will going local. As I am actually growing my hair all I need is a basic hair trim.


Today I had a catch up meeting with my manager. It was scheduled for 3.30. We had it at 5pm. This is becasue she decided to hold two meetings with other staff before me. What I think, is that she should have said to the the other other staff, I'll meet you at 4pm. She apologised profusely for reschduling. But in my view such an apology is shallow and has no meaning. Its one of my old fashioned traits. I like to be on time. I don't mind being "bumped" or even postponed if important matters arise. But from my analysis the staff that went before me could have waited. Being on time for me is a sign of showing respect. Its also a good sign of time management. I kept my cool. It went well. But it still irks me. Still, that is the nature or the beast. Not to let the irk show. But its ridiculous. I spend time preparing for the meeting . My manager wastes my time, her PAs time, and her time. Its about respect. Its about time anagement. I will have to learn to be relaxed about being accomodating about it. But hello, I have decided that time management is one of my values. And it should be a core competency of good management. I think good managers do do time management well. This is not to say that I don't think my manager is a good manager.

I ended the day by sawing branches that had fallen in the storm. Sawing is good therapy. I reccommend it. And it contributes to the sustainability theory fo minimalising stuff that leaves the property.

ALERT: The FINAL BONFIRE of ALL TIME will be happeining probably early MARCH. The final bonfired as in the last bonfire. Because once the last BONFIRE happens I will laying a nice repsectable lawn:-)

Oh and I have a super duper new old Oak table purchased via Trademe. This means that should I seat you at my table in future you will not have to worry about your arse falling thorugh the chair even if you have a small arse - and neither will I!

Waitangi pie

Last year on Waitangi Day I made Peter Gorden chicken pies. This year I made a steak, mushroom, pea, gravy, onion pie with a slab of pastry on top. This incluee steak from last nights dinner. I would challenge you to find a better pub pie. I think now I will make it a tradition to make a pie on Waitangi day.

I also purchased Ryobi hedge trimmer. Mitre 10 had GST free day today, so I drove to Martinborugh and purchased it. Its a basic model but I think it will provide the nice edge I am looking for. Saturday will be the big day. I need to have a task set that will keep me out of bed at the weekends. The last two have been consumed by sleep. Not the best use of free time.

While I was in Martinborough I carried out some surveillance on two former colleagues who I used to work with who happened to be renting my friends homestay. Actually, they were on my old land. Two public health doctors - who I do believe are now married. And what were they were doing? Reading the newspaper and reading a book. They seemed content. There was something quite odd about being in the position to be able to put under surveillance surveillance experts. But I must be careful, what with last weeks neighbour surveillance.

Still, I quite imagine that I will be udner surveillance when I cut my hedge. Last time I was.

The Hedge part 2

I think I am contemplating contacting the council. But I need to assess the risk about this. What do I do if I contact the council? Implore them them into a sustainability arguement and that I have been growing my hedge for the last year. But then I would draw attention to myself that I am the ratepayer that has a very high water usage. Maybe the interim pricc of the water usage for this season is cutting my hedge to council spefecifcation. But it irks me - there are lots of very nice green hedges in my neighbourhood that are not cut back to the fenceline. Do I highlight this?

The thing is: I have actaully been building up to cutting my hedge. I want to cut my hedge. But I do not want to cut it back to the exact boundary line. I do not want to cut it so it conforms with some "environemental officer" specification. Environmental officers have a certain mindset and OK my conflict of interest is that I have a certain predujice against environmental officers. But I consider there are valid reasons for my preduijices. Eek, that has made me realise that is probably the mindset of the bigot that justifies there inane comments and perspectives and viewpoints on life.

Ok, I think this highlights that I don't like regulations and rules.

As it happens the single woman who lives alone next door - much like the mirror of myself was served the same notice a few months back. She contacted the council but to no avail. I suspect that although she is articualte she does not know how to deal with the bozos in the burecratic local governemnt. This is perhaps why I am irked. I'm not going to be defeated by that - but in probability I will be.

Hmmmm. Maybe part of me just wants to prove that I can wrestle with the council and win.

On a completely seperate topic, today I was pleased to learn I had made the blogroll of the Morgue man. I consider that an honour and a privelege. Also to be a line item against Homeperm. I'd do the linky things. One day. One day soon - I hope! - oh and the photos - teh photos - a few more Flybuys points and I will have the Song digital camera to enable this.

And finally. Highlight of the day: It was.....yes, it was PAYDAY. I am back on the PAYROLL of the government. I'd liek to be a self employed gardener and dreamer, but the reality it would not on my gardening rate pay the mortgage. So yay for the Labour market and my active particiaption in it!

Fence issue

Today I recieved notification from my local council that I am required to cut back my native hedge to the "fenceline" so they can undertake footpath stuff. Heck, I have spent the last year growing it. This will completley stuff up my hedge plan. I have 14 days to do this or they will do it for me and charge me. I wonder how much they charge? Perhaps it is cheaper than my buying a hedge trimmer or equivalent. In general, I think my local council is quite good - well, with the exception of Mr T's Mrs T from the A team at the rubbish dump. I guess it could have been worse. It could have been a bill for my excess water usage. But council grrrr. They really could do their footpath stuff without me having to completely stuff up my hedge for local body requirements.

Working Bee - Part 2

Well I did a few domestic things, like get dressed and some hadn washing and went out for coffee. To my knowlegde (and yes, clearly I am undertaking some unofficial surveillance of this activity) for at least a good 2 hours the working bee has not been working. Given its 3.30pm and that the working bee arrived about 11.30am this means they haven't actually worked that long.

And now my neighbour is in her garden alone looking at things. Envisaging how it would be if her working participants were working. The working bee participants must be in her house. Perhaps it is too hot for them. I suspect they are from Wellington.

This has become quite a sad working bee. I think I share my neighbours disappointment for her that it has not worked out.

At the same time I feel a little like the working bee participants. Life can be exhasuting. Perhaps they to have the burden of solving "world peace" during the week and it has tired them out. Its tired me out.

My neighbours working bee

My neighbour is having a working bee. I get a birds eye view of this working bee from my study and where I type my blog posts. It's most odd for me to see people in my neighbours back yard at all - but the sight before me is even odder.

The task for the working bee seems to be lay a pile of bricks. Clearly there is a plan becasue I have seen it form a distance laid out before the working bee partipants. The bricks appear to be going to be laid in two circles. This in my opinion will only make the lawn harder to mow.

So far I have observed four people all attired in what must be their "weekend gardening gear". I note this becasue it includes each of them wearing straw type summer hats, and gardening gloves. They all spent a long time putting their sunblock on today but today it is actually quite cloudy. I note these things becasue I never wear a hat, gloves or sunblock - or sunglasses.

There doesn't seem to be a fair dsitribution of labour. One man appears to be doing all the hard work - digging. Gosh given the dirt is bone dry, I think had I been asked I would have suggested soaking the ground that was to be dug up first yesterday.

If I was in charge of this working group I would fire 2 of the ladies. They spend most of the time watching the activity of the 2 men. Still, that perhaps is their task. They could be pout to better use doinmg general clear up tasks.

I havenn't seen my neighbour. She must be making them lunch.

To be conitinued.