Life in New Zealand - The move has been made...

[Blou Zebu]

It's terrible that Yoda can't make the trip 

Is his health too bad?

Your Echo Dots shipped this morning, will be there in 6 - 10 working days according to the lady at the USPS 

More his age and the stress related - we fear what it would do to him. Lilly is more independent doggie and couldn't give a rats ass if a bomb goes of next to her

aa thanks Gary  Much appreciate it bud!

Thank you for being willing to make a difficult decision. I hate this that people keep animals and it is all about "my" feelings but the suffering of the animal is not taken into account. How do I whatsapp you a beer?

[Ri]

It's terrible that Yoda can't make the trip 

Is his health too bad?

Your Echo Dots shipped this morning, will be there in 6 - 10 working days according to the lady at the USPS 

More his age and the stress related - we fear what it would do to him. Lilly is more independent doggie and couldn't give a rats ass if a bomb goes of next to her

aa thanks Gary  Much appreciate it bud!

Thank you for being willing to make a difficult decision. I hate this that people keep animals and it is all about "my" feelings but the suffering of the animal is not taken into account. How do I whatsapp you a beer?

I agree with you, but sometimes people get shamed for deciding to rehome their pets rather than put them through this. On another thread someone mentioned how the emigration experience traumatised their dog so badly, he was never the same again. They said if they had to make the decision again, for the dog's sake they would have rather rehomed him.

Pets' emotional and physical well-being must definitely be a consideration when emigrating. We should trust that owners made the right decision for their pets because they know them best, and support them, because either decision is hard on both owners and pets.

[silvrav]

@Mrs. Zog Yoda is touching 9 this year so getting on the older side of life. It is sad but we believe better for him in the long run. We will definitely not send him to the SPCA or pug shelters or or or. We will find him a decent home. Ri has already found an older lady that is willing to take him on. This is actually a perfect fit for him.

@Blou Zebu @Ri thank you 

[silvrav]

We experienced a heat wave last week, well at least what NZ considers a heat wave  Temps in Wellington reached highs of 28-30, some parts of the country did hit 35's, but it was still not SA heat. It was hot and humid but not Durban style. I still have to acclimatize so wasn't that bad for me.

This past weekend was gardening weekend. - The previous tenants left the garden in a state. The agreement is that the owner cuts and maintain the grass and the tenant looks after the small bushes and plants (of which there aren't much)

So I got some weed killers and sprayed it last weekend. This weekend it started taking effect but new ones popped up. Will need to get a stronger weed killer it seems.

I also want to remove all the grass in the one enclosed area and plant softer greener grass. Wellington grass is almost like "steek gras" that I am used to seeing on the farms. Not the nicest to sit or play on for kids.

I have also started designing a workbench as already made they quite expensive here. Bunnings, the local hardware store will cut pieces to size, just need to give them my cutting list 






Even with a heat wave, the mornings were cool and misty!

[TeeJay]

Nice man - check all those perlemoen shells - yum!

[silvrav]

First motorbike accident I read about since being in NZ - https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/110362737/driver-apologises-to-motorcyclist-after-moments-inattention-leaves-him-with-broken-femur

Heal up soon rider 

A driver who crashed into a motorcyclist in "a moment's inattention" has met with the man to apologise in person.

Valerie Mavis Gray, 63, was driving her Nissan Terrano at the intersection of George St and Seymour St, in central Blenheim, about 2.40pm on September 20.

Gray believed the road was clear and pulled out into the intersection, knocking down the motorcyclist and dragging his bike across the road, wedged under her front bumper.

Gray was still in the car when emergency services arrived, a police summary of facts said.

An ambulance took the motorcyclist to Wairau Hospital, in Blenheim, where he was treated for a broken femur and a broken bone in his hand.

Gray admitted a charge of careless driving causing injury last November, and reappeared for sentencing at the Blenheim District Court on Monday.

Her lawyer Laurie Murdoch said the case had been remanded off so Gray could complete a defensive driving course before sentencing.

"She had an elderly neighbour with her and they were both very shaken by the crash," Murdoch said.

Gray was "devastated" to be in the courts, as it was her first criminal charge during her 63 years, Murdoch said.

She had met with the motorcyclist through the restorative justice process to apologise in person, and paid the motorcyclist $1000 in reparation.

The motorcyclist said in a victim impact statement he had rods and screws put into his leg, and had been unable to work, and was missing out on wages.

But Judge Denys Barry, reading the victim impact statement, said the motorcyclist had accepted Gray's apology, and her offer of reparation for the loss of his bike.

"There was a moment's inattention, that resulted in harm," Judge Barry said.

"As it often happens in cases such as this, the harm is out of proportion to the lapse of attention, and the consequences went way beyond the norm."

Judge Denys Barry convicted Gray and gave her the minimum mandatory disqualification period of six months.

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

 minimum mandatory disqualification period of six months.

Try daai in SA!!

[Ri]

True story

"As it often happens in cases such as this, the harm is out of proportion to the lapse of attention, and the consequences went way beyond the norm."

I'm more interested in the "restorative justice process".

[Fudmucker]

minimum mandatory disqualification period of six months.

Try daai in SA!!

In ZA, the biker gets buried and the driver keeps on driving.

[Slingervel]

It's just astonishing the difference between NZ and SA (1st vs. 3rd world).

I mean, everything about this whole story is different.
Admission of guilt, repentance, mandatory defensive courses, reparation in a personal capacity (even though it's forced), disqualification (from driving?).

It's refreshing. That how things should be.

[silvrav]

Family tickets booked and paid for - 5weeks and counting...cant wait to see them.

We had a public holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand on 6 February since 1960.

I decided to just chill at home, watch some movies and clean around the house. It was a cold day so outside activities were not on the table 

Its been a rough week for the south island. A fire that sparked on Tuesday is still out of control and of this morning are covering 2,000 hectares. They are now evacuating another village of 3,000 people.

Currently, it is unknown how it started but firefighters have been at it for 4 days and the fire is still out of control. 1 house so far destroyed and estimated $2mil damage to date. Really hope they get it under control soon.

[Mr Zog]

We had a public holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand on 6 February since 1960.

I could google this, but then only I would learn something 

Tell us more about this Waitangi... 

[silvrav]

We had a public holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand on 6 February since 1960.

I could google this, but then only I would learn something 

Tell us more about this Waitangi... 

   Gladly. Did a bit of research on in over the past weekend. But I would be typing pages if i had to cover everything,

Waitangi signed treaty of 1840 is considered the founding document of New Zealand. It was signed by representatives of the crown and 40 Maori chiefs across NZ. The treaty secured British sovereignty over the islands of New Zealand. - The Treaty guaranteed that individual Māori iwi (tribes) would have undisturbed possession of their lands, forests, fisheries and other taonga (treasures) in return for becoming British subjects. The Maori chiefs also hoped this would bring unity and stop the musket wars between Maori tribes that took place from 1807-1842)

However this did not bring peace as there were various conflicts between the British and Maoris from 1845 to 1875 and is known as the New Zealand wars. The biggest problem as in most countries where the British (   ) landed was over land and smaller groups refusing to acknowledge the crown.  Eventually, in 1860-1875 the british and NZ armed forces got involved.

New Zealand has a rich and complicated history. Here is a timeline I came accross

About 1807: First use of muskets in battle in New Zealand, by Ngāpuhi
1809: Crew of Boyd killed by Ngāti Uru at Whangaroa
1818–25: Ngāpuhi raids across North Island
1821–6: Ngāti Toa and other iwi migrate from Waikato to Wellington area
1829–37: Ngāti Toa and allies fight Ngāi Tahu in South Island
1835: Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama invade Chatham Islands
1840: Treaty of Waitangi; first large-scale British settlement
1843: Twenty-two Pākehā and 4 Māori die when land dispute between Ngāti Toa and Nelson settlers turns violent at Wairau
1845–6: Inconclusive Northern War which splits Ngāpuhi for and against and government
1846: Fighting near Wellington as Ngāti Toa resist expansion of settlement
1847: Fighting around Whanganui as up-river tribes attack settlement
1858: Coronation of Māori King symbolises opposition to further land sales
1860–1: First Taranaki War ends in stalemate between government and local iwi
1863–4: Waikato War – Kīngites expelled from lower/mid-Waikato and Tauranga
1863: Suppression of Rebellion Act enables confiscation of land of 'rebel' Māori
1864–8: Many small conflicts, most between Pai Mārire followers and other Māori
1865, 1866: Campaigns in south Taranaki by imperial troops
1868–9: Titokowaru's War threatens settler control of Whanganui area
1868–72: Te Kooti raids across central North Island and is pursued by kūpapa
1881: Māori autonomy in south Taranaki ends with occupation of Parihaka
1884: Survey of King Country; Pākehā no longer excluded
1890s: Urewera Māori resist land surveys
1898: Hokianga Māori assert rights in ‘Dog Tax Rebellion’
1916: Arrest of Rua Kēnana at Maungapōhatu ends Māori autonomy in Urewera


In the end, Waitangi Day means everything – it's whānau, community and helping others. It's wāka, kapa haka, tupuna, karakia and kai.

For more to read go here : https://teara.govt.nz/en/treaty-of-waitangi/page-1

[Beebop]

I just spent 2 weeks in Aussie and a week in NZ. It seems they have the exact same history as SA.
The white man came and stole their land. Now the respective governments pay them to live in their own areas.
Not much different to SA except that they represent a tiny fraction of the population.
I was in Aussie for Australia day, in fact in Sydney at the Opera house where they had
a huge event. There were also protests by those who believe that  Australia day should not be
celebrated as the day Australia was founded by Captain Cook, as they were there before him.
I guess it happens in every place that was colonized.

[Blou Zebu]

Family tickets booked and paid for - 5weeks and counting...cant wait to see them.

We had a public holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand on 6 February since 1960.

I decided to just chill at home, watch some movies and clean around the house. It was a cold day so outside activities were not on the table 

Its been a rough week for the south island. A fire that sparked on Tuesday is still out of control and of this morning are covering 2,000 hectares. They are now evacuating another village of 3,000 people.

Currently, it is unknown how it started but firefighters have been at it for 4 days and the fire is still out of control. 1 house so far destroyed and estimated $2mil damage to date. Really hope they get it under control soon.

https://www.news24.com/World/News/700-evacuated-from-new-zealand-town-as-wildfire-threatens-20190208

700 evacuated from New Zealand town as wildfire threatens
2019-02-08 13:00


(AP)

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About 700 residents were evacuated from a New Zealand town on Friday as a forest fire threatened the area.

Civil defenCe authorities decided to evacuate parts of Wakefield on the South Island. Authorities opened up a sports stadium as a welfare centrE and said they could accommodate people who didn't have friends or family to stay with elsewhere.

Others in the town of 3 000 were waiting to hear if they would also be evacuated, and many were choosing to leave.

Police and civil defence responders were knocking on the doors of about 250 affected homes to makes sure nobody remained behind.

The wildfire began on Tuesday and had spread to about 2 000 hectares by Friday. It had burned down one house. Authorities believe it was started by sparks from farm equipment.

Other, smaller fires were also flaring up in the dry region, including in the city of Nelson, which is home to about 50 000 people.

Richard Kirby, the group recovery manager for Civil Defence, said it might be four of five days before the fire is contained.

He said the drought-like conditions in the region are causing problems for residents and farmers alike.

"The general feeling is one of consternation. There's no rain on horizon and it's very dry," he said. "The realism is coming through that perhaps the worst can happen: that the rivers go dry and we can't irrigate, and have severe restrictions on urban water use."

Australia and New Zealand have been experiencing a hot Southern Hemisphere summer.

Australia sweltered through its hottest month on record in January and there have been wildfires razing the south and flooding in the tropical north. New Zealand's weather hasn't been as extreme, although it did experience a heatwave over the last few days of January.

[silvrav]

Busy but relaxing weekend - I am starting to get "cabin fever" without the family. So I took out my camera this weekend and charged it. This coming weekend I am heading out a bit to go take proper photos. Just not to far as $'s are tight and I try and save where I can.

One of my tenants are the News and film commission for New Zealand and I went to go introduce myself last week Friday. WOW what an office  I'll snap more pictures next time as I was in to much awe of the memorabilia they have, from original Aliens movie posters to lkife size statues of tin tin etc. I did snap a photo of their private theatre in the basement that they use from time to time to review movies before they approve them for NZ market...What I wouldn't give to be invited to some 

One thing I missed being close to the ocean in east London was seagulls. They relax me and their noises are always welcoming. In Wellington, they are everywhere! and very tame as people don't scare them off. Often you will be walking with 2 or 3 just sitting close by not batting an eye. Some, however, are just downright cocky and won't move when they in your way.

I also picked up some fubar chair and height adjustable table on Sunday from an old lady living in a retirement village bought it for $1 and perfect for the garage. Both are on wheels so can wheel it around the garage as need be.

Then NZ racism story for the week - https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/110487760/woman-slams-racist-service-after-group-referred-to-as-asians-on-auckland-cafe-receipt

Also, my package arrived from the states with a Mr Zog touch to it  Thanks @Mr Zog ! Now I just need to find a spot for them!


Private theatre


Retirement village and seagulls!





Mr Zog 


Table and chair for the garage

[Sardine]

Thanks for the updates! 

As for the "racist" restaurant... when I was working as a bar tender, I came with all sorts of things to remember customers. "Guy with weird shoes." "Lady with ugly shirt". "Cool hairdo". "Pale lady with freckles".
Even in Botswana, we would meet 10-20 people at a time. Ain't no way I could remember every person. As they were normally different nationalities, that is how I remembered them "Loud Americans". "Asian group". "Vodka".

People are just too sensitive and quick to jump on the racist train as an easy way out. 

[silvrav]

@Sardine and its only getting worse. People of today wont survice the 80'90's but I do believe its needed. Really show people that they focusing on the wrong stuff.

Now, on that subject Americans are very much disliked in NZ.  Wellington often has these huge cruise ships stop in the harbour (2-3 a week in peak season).

We had 2 this past week and all my colleagues  that come back from lunch immediately stated, "F* americans", with one even going on a bit of a rant, the fat F*'s that they are, eating non stop and screaming at each other in the streets forcing the locals to squeeze past their obese stomachs.

Then @Ama ride ride decided its time for a change and started a new job in wellington. So we had a whiskey last night and he will be staying with me during the week while looking for a long term place for him and the family    Good to have some company 

4weeks! 4weeks as of today till the family flies!



Shamelessly stolen from google but this is what it looks like currently.

[Mr Zog]

:Lekker to have some company from the "old country"... 


And the time is flying, just like I told you it would. only 4 weeks left! 

[TeeJay]

Nice - 4 weeks is nothing