Friday 27th

Worked for Vic today. First time for a long time. An average sort of day and I quite liked it.

Takings not the best by average. Vic is away in Auckland.

Alex Palmer arrived this afternoon and is staying the night. He is on the way down to Central Otago with a friend. His mate is staying with one of his friends over Bryndwr.

Alexa has to be up in the morning and on his way about 8-30 a.m.

Andrew and Wen Lin came over for dinner and we all had a really nice roast pork dinner and rhubard sponge which Ruth had prepared for us.

I took Alex out to the caravan and showed him the satellite T V system.

Andrew and Wenlin left about 9 p.m. and had to go shopping before they went home.

We all retired about 10 p.m.

For Diary

Today, being Wednesday, is the day for Ruth's weekly meeting in the city.

We left the house at just after 11-30 a.m. and I dropped her at the venue in Latimer Square (Armagh Street) at just before mid day.

Ruth was going shopping afterwards so did not want me to pick her up.

I went to Racliff Electrical (wholsalers) and bough 8 f connectors to make ups some more leads for the LNB"s on my Satellite dish. I also bought a couple of joiners. I didn't need so many but I thought it a good idea to get a few extra. The whole lot cost $5.00 and would have been around $30.00 at Dick Smith.

I stopped at Harvey Normans on the way home and had a look through the computer section.

Then, home for lunch. After lunch, I spent a bit of time trying to get the second LNB fitted to the satellite dish on the house. I got it fitted alright but neither of them would work. I think the dish will have to be realigned.

The satellite dish on the house feeds to my computer room and I can have the receive and T V on my desk. I had extended it to the area near the front door a couple of years ago when I put my wireless router there (when I was with Telstra).

It wasn't needed when I signed up for broadband with Tlecom, so it has been coiled up in the bottom of the laundry cupboard. There was about 8 meters of spare cable also (all one length).

I spent some time taking it up through the ceiling and into the roof space and down to the cupboard in a spare bedroom.

The next step will be to put a fitting on the wall in my bedroom (on the other side of the wall to where the cable stops) and connect it, so that the satellite receiver can work there also.

I went outside and it was very hot and very sunny. Quite a contrast to the weather over the last couple of days - torrential rain.

I had another go with the LNB"s on the house dish but had no success.

It was getting on to 6 p.m. and I received a text from Ruth. She was on the bus on the way to Barrington Mall and wanted me to pick her up.

I was there about 10 minutes later. I sent her a text and told her were I was parked. She arrived soon after with a few things from Fresh Choice.

Seeing it was still warm and sunny, we decided to get a little ale and have a drink outside before dinner.

We did just that, but to get the last of the sun, we had to sit at the eastern end of the deck upstairs. Soon the sun was gone and it was time to go inside.

Blast those huge trees next door on our western boundary.

After dinner, we watched Coronation Street and Bad Girls which we had caught on the video last night while we were at the I P A meeting and dinner.

West Eyrton

On Saturday 6th March of this year, Ruth and I went to an A & P show at West Eyrton. I had seeen in advertised in the Email Newsletter which is put out by the Kaiapoi Promotions Office. We left home late in the morning probably about 11 a.m. It was a leisurley drive and we probably did not arrive until about 1230. It was a nice day with reasonable sunshine. One of the events there was ploughing. Although transport was provided from the main venue to the ploughing, we were not all that interested and we did not go over. I told Ruth that we were not going to spend long there but we were thorougly enjoying the afternoon and did not leave until about 4 30 p.m. It was like stepping back into the past. There were heaps of steam engines there, about a dozen of them. They are fascinating things. I have never really looked closely at them but I could not help thinking that the actual power plant on them is not very big.I was surprised to hear that one of the smaller ones was only 4 h.p. I spoke to the driver of one of the bigger ones and his was 8 h.p. There was a fair ground organ there. At about 2 p.m. it started playing music. I was surprised how enjoyable it was. Some of the music was quite modern. One was the Royal Airforce March. There was a 20 ton traction engine next to it. It was in tip top condition. It had a large electric generator mounted on the front and cables were running from it to the organ to power it. It worked by feeding in large cardboard cards each about ten inches square. They were like computer fan fold paper. They were fed into a mechanism and drawn through by a rotating cam powered by the Traction engine. Apparently the pass over an opening where air is passing through and the air can only pass through the holes cut in the card. This allows the notes to operate. There was a West Coast White bait stand next to this and Ruth and I had a very nice white bait sandwhich each. There were only $6.50 and very nice. There were also Clydesdale horses there and what beautiful animals they were. I enjoyed the day, the music from the organ and the smoke from the engines. I notice the big 20 tonner had a sign describing its history. It was built about 1890.It carried 8 (hundred weight) of coal - enough for about 25 miles. There were vintage tractors there and also some vintage cars - my favourite being a mark 1 zephyr Police car - probably owned now by Barry Thompson - x police officer and historian from Ashburton.

Test

he year is off to a good start. To start the record, I will go back to Xmas Day 2005. Scott and Andrew and Wenlin arrived about 1030.

We had the traditional opening of presents around the Xmas tree. I think it may be the last real xmas tree we have. The damn thing had just been put up by Ruth and the house decorations finisned and it fell down. She came in and found it lying on the floor and was not pleased.

We put it back where it belonged and it seemed quite secure. Some time after its decoration - or re decoration, it fell down again. Operation repeated and guess what, some time later it was down again.

Start Year 2006

The year is off to a good start. To start the record, I will go back to Xmas Day 2005. Scott and Andrew and Wenlin arrived about 1030. We had the traditional opening of presents around the Xmas tree. I think it may be the last real xmas tree we have. The damn thing had just been put up by Ruth and the house decorations finisned and it fell down. She came in and found it lying on the floor and was not pleased. We put it back where it belonged and it seemed quite secure. Some time after its decoration - or re decoration, it fell down again. Operation repeated and guess what, some time later it was down again. This time, I brought in some concrete blocks from outside - like we used to do - and this time it was there to stay. We had a very nice xmas dinner (mid day). Two chickens, boiled potatos and veges. Plum pudding courtesy of Ernest Adams, a Pav baked by Ruth and Brandy snaps. After the meal, Ruth and I left the others and we went to John and Dorothy Martyns, arriving about 1600 hrs. Brian Lill and his wife Noeline were still there. Also present was Dorothy's mother Evelyn White, Dorothy's sister - Lynette and her husband Andrew. John and Dorothys son Bill with his wife Karen. Also J and D's daughter Chrissy with her partner Sean and also Stacy and Ben. I very much enjoyed my chat with Brian. I was surprised to learn that he shared a lot of the views that I have held for over thirty years. We left the Martyns at about 1800hrs and went to the home of Andrea and Peter Sharpe. They were holding a BBQ. We enjoyed a few hours there and it was very pleasant indeed. I was disappointed that Peters father - Brian was not there. I phoned him to get the exact address before we left the Martyns - I could not remember exactly where it was. During our conversation, he told me that he had to be on duty at the Police station (Fire Control) and would miss the event. It was good to see Nerollie and Michael - Andreas parents - and also her sister Felesha and her husband Craig. Also present was her brother Aspin and his little girl. There were a number of others there and I cannot put names to them. Peters mother was there and it was nice to talk to her. I will continue this tomorrow.

New Years Day 2006 03

Andrew and Wenlin again. This is at Taumutu

New Years Day 2006 03

Andrew and Wenlin again. This is at Taumutu

New Years Day 2006 02

Andrew and Wenlin coming up the beach. Ruth in forground

New Years Day 2006

Ruth on the beach at Taumutu. Andrew and Wenlin in background