I have no patience for lactose, and I won't stand for it (Jerry Seinfeld)

Bottle (the male - shaped like a..well, bottle) and Mo

Two new Purdy family members to introduce during this post - Mo (really Maureen but shortened to Mo - like the first Mrs Ringo Starr - Maureen Starkey) and Bottle.

These beautiful Lorikeets decided to adopt us (we checked everywhere - nobody reported them lost) by accepting SWMBO's hospitality (cheap dates - it only took a bit of chat - they repeat phrases they've heard, and some apple).

We grabbed an aviary off TradeMe and hey bingo - Mo and Bottles are happily eating their daily fruit and thanking their lucky stars!

Projects are usually a big part of my school holidays and these ones conformed to the pattern.

Weather and various interruptions (our over-night trips to Russell and Auckland) meant that the horse yards are an on-going proposal. 

The digger guy didn't get to our place until the end of the first week - then that process took three days - digging out the top soil, putting loads of lime stone down as a base and then loads of quarry dust on top.

After that I got onto concreting in the posts with the help of the family heirloom. It looks a tad weird because, in a cunning plan - put a tail on it/ call it a weasel, the posts supporting the roof are sloping down to join the garage roof's gutter system (that in turn feeds the water tank). Cunning, right?

Next steps involve the framing for the roof, putting up the iron, and rails for the two yards. For that I'll need some fine weather and some time!

While waiting for the digger guy, we decided to get stuck into the kitchen redecoration - the before and after shots indicate the replacement of all the Formica surfaces and eradication of all the varnished wood.

Before - dark, heavy varnish...

After

Apart from all that we managed to catch up with old friends and three of the brood during the break: Adam and Ashleigh (we hadn't seen them for two years), Keegan, Jade and William. We saw Fanfa last Christmas, so we feel reasonably caught up!

And, now - so are you!!

Love and peace - Wozza

Love like lightning, shaking till it moans (Paul Simon)

Week 11 - Book 12: The Hottest State (Ethan Hawke) 
Yes - that Ethan Hawke.

Another book from the recent grab at The Piggery in Whangarei. 

Hawke's name attracted me. I enjoyed Boyhood and this book - fiction but the protagonist is a conflicted young male actor, made me think of Hawke's character of the dad in that film.

It traces the arc of a love affair - not really my favourite thing unless done by a master like William Goldman. Although patchy, it's generally well written and who hasn't had a first doomed love affair like the one Hawke describes between William and Sarah.

Readers should be able to identify with the intensity of the feelings exposed and the nutty things William does. I know I did!

My lost copy!

Week 11 - Book 13: Mother Tongue (Bill Bryson) 
I left a copy of this on a Thai Airways flight about thirteen years ago. I forgot to retrieve it from the seat pouch! Doh!

I hadn't finished it and I was very much put out.

I had been enjoying it immensely, and was delighted to find a second hand copy in a Keri Keri bookshop on the weekend, during our 33rd wedding anniversary road trip.

The new one!

Bill is funny, knowledgeable, erudite and entertaining. 'Nuff said.

I easily picked up from where I left off thirteen years ago. It's warmly recommended, but as an English teacher, I would say that!

Here's an example of the juicy stuff waiting for you:

"To be fair, English is full of booby traps for the unwary foreigner. Any language where the unassuming word fly signifies an annoying insect, a means of travel, and a critical part of a gentleman’s apparel is clearly asking to be mangled.”

It's a jolly good book.

Love and peace - Wozza 

Is there a certain age you're supposed to be? (Arctic Monkeys)

Week 10 - Book 10: The Fire Witness (Lars Kepler)  

Week one of the school holidays and I've finished this one, provided by a colleague from school. It's a rapid fire murder mystery set in Sweden and written by a young Swedish couple writing as 'Lars Kepler'.

It's similar in feel to Steig Larsson - gritty/ violent/ Swedish. 

Interestingly, I was nearly done and had wondered why it was called The Fire Witness. I guessed it was alluding to a key character but I had no idea. Sure enough - 450 pages in the answer is revealed.

Actually, my most interesting question while reading it was - how do two people write a book?

A few times I'd thought I'd noticed a change in style but the short sentences and short chapters keep the integrity pretty seamless.

Anyway, great book if you've looking for something quick and addictive!

Week 10 - Book 11: On Experience (David Malouf) 

Went to The Piggery (second hand book store in Whangarei) to score some fresh titles and this one appealed. 

On Experience contains a couple of essays written by Malouf, published by The Melbourne University Press.

It's very interesting. Easter saw SWMBO and Wozza enjoying the visit of some family. Of course storytelling is always a big part of such reunions. 

Malouf: In the word-of-mouth world that is a family, storytelling is still part of the complex give and take of daily intercourse, a means of weaving the past into the present to create continuity.

A casual listener would not have a clue what we were talking about - boomats and ootwag, Schwana McTwa and The Director dolls, family ledges and DeeDoo, Woody picture and Nerf guns, Fanfa and the Bruins. It's our own language and the storytelling is peculiar to our family.

We headed to some local sights - waterfalls and caves, and so, some new stories joined the past. 

Experience. Fascinating.

Love and peace - Wozza

Older times we're missing (Little River Band)

Various Purdys in the kitchen at Rochdene, Easter 2017,

The young and the restless crew met up for Easter. Adam and Ashleigh were visiting from Melbourne and Keegan joined the party from Auckland.

Predictably we talked about Jade and Samantha - elsewhere on the planet this time 'round, while catching up on news, reminiscing and dodging intellectual family banter (Adam - "shut up Keegan").

Good times. Good times.

Love and peace - Wozza

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go 'round and 'round (John Lennon)

Outside looking in.

I'm not yet in control of my news feeds and, as for email - don't get me started!

No doubt my job is busier and my lunches are not my own any more. At Woodford I'd grab my peanut butter cruskets and get back to my computer to read medium.com and Vox and all the other news feeds rocking into my email accounts.

Cannae do that in this new job - for one the internet blocks a lot of the links from Walrus Gumboot, James Whatley, medium.com and others. For another it doesn't seem right when a lot of staff want to talk with me at lunch.

And fergetaboutit during the working day - it's full on from 7am until 5.30 each day - no non-contacts fer me.

Then I get home and I'm too cream crackered. I know right - would you like some cheese with that whine Wozza?

So yeah - not yet under control. Which I spose means - not yet into my daily routines. By that I mean, my morning rituals before school. 

I guess I need to hack out a regular time for that and some personal brain sustenance during the day - my goals for Term 2.

Love and peace - Wozza

Nobody wants to be left out, uh-huh (Sly and the Family Stone)

Family ledge - 2017 version

Recently, Fanfa rang from San Francisco, having seen the post about BRG and made enquires about...her dolls!!

Realisation dawned that I had only partially created a new family ledge. Jade's bears, Keegan's fish, SWMBO's painting, Adam's CDs. They were all in cupboards/boxes/or somewhere in the main house. Calling to me.

But all is well now - the family ledge is BACK. 

Week 8 - Book 8: Teacherpreneurs (Berry, Byrd, Weider)  

Baggy trousers has a post, if you are keen on my opinions on this one.

Week 8 - Book 9: John lennon in My Life (Pete Shotton and Nicolas Schaffner)

I visited Piggery Books in Whangarei last weekend and came away with this little beauty - Pete Shotton's autobiography.

Did I already have it back home in ART? I wasn't sure, but at $14.50, it was worth the punt. 

Turns out I didn't and so this week I'll be indulging in this and a backlog of Mojo Magazines!

And, of course, gazing at the family ledge and trying to cope with the eyes from Fanfa's dolls that follow me about the room!!

Love and peace - Wozza

You studied to portray me in ice and greens (Joni Mitchell)

Welcome to BRG - the Bodvin/Rowbotham Gallery!

A very exclusive gallery. You should feel extremely privileged to be given this sneak peek. 

We've paid a fortune for special security measures at Rochdene but you get this post for free!! You lucky lucky bastards!

Both Bodvin and Rowbotham are American artists from the east coast.

Dale Clayton (Clay) Bodvin hails from Seattle but now resides in Huia Road (Auckland, NZ), while Jesse Rowbotham was born and bred (and still lives) in San Francisco. 

Both are exceptional artists (Clay in paint and latterly digital mixed-media; Jesse in photography). 

They are also fine human beings and funguys.

 

Whas that? Oh, you're very welcome!

Love and peace - Wozza