Brits--- get your buts over to NZ now---Why? (part 1)

Heheheh I said I wouln't stick pictures on--this goes with the 'Mysterious bowls blog--- check it out!

Don’t worry, I am not going to shove a whole lot of pictures of gorgeous scenes on here--- You already know that NZ is beautiful and has heaps of wide open spaces. Add the fantastically friendly locals and you complete the picture.

I think that you should ponder upon what it is like in Britain and look out your window, or down the street and lastly, check out the news and you will find reason enough to book a flight with the maximum allowable time and get your butts here now.

It’s not so hard for you to get the necessary travel documents (unless you have been naughty boys and girls--- then take it from me--- stay at home----it’s a long to come to have your sorry arses stuck back on the plane eh---mate!). OH another thing--- don’t go bringing any of that shit that will get you offside with customs--- that means unwanted food items and the old drugs crap. Just watch ‘Border Control’--- the Aussie/ NZ version and you will notice that we don’t employ ‘grass-skirt technology to apprehend the bad stuff.

 I’d be a lair if I said you couldn’t get that stuff here anyway. I won’t paint you a picture of some innocent little pacific country that does not have an issue itself with the above mentioned low-life territory. Come with a good heart and enjoy yourself. If you want to get a bit lit--- take it from many of your own compatriots--- our wine is excellent and out beer fantastic, if you know where to get the best examples.

What’s ya gonna do when you come to us?  MMM is that a song---- Hehehhe. Well,----- get outside of the big (by NZ standards) cities--- OK, there is only one of reasonable size and that’s Auckland with its 1.5 million plus and growing (heaps of Poms coming every year------ to stay). Oops, Poms--- that’s you lot eh.

Yes you could have fun in the big smoke--- it has many incredible things to see and do and if you are a young’un--- well there is the night club/bar scene and if you really wanna behave like those twats on TV in Britannia who drink their tits off and then get arrested and have no money left for the rest of their week, then go ahead, but be careful. I’d be a lair if I said we don’t have that here too, but you really do take the cake.

For the more sophisticated amongst you, and I know there are rather a lot of them, well there are many restaurants, swerving a full range of ethnic food and they range form the cheap to the bloody over –the-top. Mind you, don’t you pay about 100 quid for a decent steak meal for four and that’s without the wine. A tip---use the BYO option and don’t expect to pay heaps for the corkage fee. Always ask upfront about that, perhaps when you book. If you want to know the better options, ask a Kiwi or get in touch with me. See my other blogs for café options in Auckland.

Auckland is blessed with two lovely harbours and the city itself strides the isthmus separating the two. There are dozens of clean beaches with less than an hour’s drive of the central city. If you jump on a Ferry, then you can add some island hideaways, with beaches that are deserted for much of the year, even in the height of summer. While you are having a few beers or wine, get friendly with a local. You never know--- they may own a boat. After all, Auckland is not called ‘city of sails’ for nothing.

I have been talking About Auckland and I have barely scratched -the surface. What about the rest of NZ? You will have to wait for the next instalment. Catch ya later mate!  Damn--- <Looks like I have another series on my hands.

PS--- if you think I have been a bit cheeky about POMs--- well I am well-qualified--- I was once one, about five generations ago, with some Scottish chucked in there.

Daylight saving--'Fall back and spring forward.'

I am glad daylight saving is ending tonight. I have been finding it increasingly difficult dragging myself out of bed at 5.20 in the morning. That extra hour will make all the difference---for a while. I am usually pretty good at getting up early. Hell—for a while there I was walking Perdy at some crazy hour each morning--- that lasted about three weeks, so maybe now I can do it again for a while. I know it benefits both of us.

There is of course a ‘down-side.’ It gets darker quicker and by the time the middle of winter arrives, some grey days mean that it’s dark at 5. It is even more dramatic in the far south--- but of course they get those wonderful long nights in the summer--- swings and round abouts.

I remember all the kafuffle when daylight savings was first mooted in the sixties. Do you remember that song by Sandy Edmonds—? ‘Hey Daylight savings time---’ unfortunately it didn’t work--- we didn’t get it. The arguments put forward were ridiculous--- ‘the cows wouldn’t adjust and plants wouldn’t grow---give me a break--- there are some dumb asses out there eh.

I do of course have sympathy for the mums trying to put their kids down (Oooo--- that sounds bad) for the night in the middle of summer, but overall I think most of us love the long evenings. What a contrast that must represent for those who never see their homes in the daylight, in the middle of winter (during the working week- that is).

I guess daylight savings is here to stay, but like all things seasonal, we have to make the best of it. Make the change a reason for a nice meal or a celebration. We need excuses for that.

Cheers!

Phill Goff Dropped in today---Onehunga Foreshore--part 4

Phill Goff was in my area today and he popped in to see me. We go back a long way (school ect), so it was great to see him. I must say he looked bloody relaxed--- I am sorry he didn't win, becuase he would have made a great PM but that's OK--- He is going to be rthe best local MP along with his obvious atributes in his 'shadow area' in Foreign Affairs. I think I need to say that he is no snake in the grass like his Australian counterpart.

Naturaly, I had to bring up the Onehunga Foreshore issue. Wow--- he was onto it---well informed and making enquiries. He was a step ahead of me for each of my concerns. he knew about the discharges and who to talk to. He is meeting with a reporter (Rhiannon Horrell) next Moday on the foreshore on the other side of the motorway. If anyone can get some traction and keep the wider picture re the environment in focus, it is Phill.
  Good on ya mate!

Poor Perdy

Perdy is feeling bad today. Actualy she has been doing this weird hacking coughing for the last day or so. She seemed to have heaps of energy and was eating well, so I decided to wait ofr a while. She has something similar last year and I took her the emergency vet. They didn't give a clear diagnosis and sent us away, but on the proviso that she didn't have any contact with other dogs. It could have been a mild Kennel Cough.
Well this time she is throwing up a frothy white fluid and then settling again. She has all the right injections so if it is KC it should be mild.
No--- I'm not waiting. She means so much to us and we hate to see her sad. It's off ot the vet at Animates at 3.30. I know some of you folow the blogs about Perdy, so don't worry (lke I am!) I owuld put her before my own comfort anytime.  For those of you who know me well, you know that to be a fact. Why am I doing this blog--- because its only abut 2 PM and I'm filling in time. I dopn't wnat to take her there yet---- I will reallly will portray and over anxious, over-the-top pet owner---- or should I say----Parent.  I shall let you know the verdict later.

UPDATE
I took Perdy to the vets at Animates in Mt Eden Rd. Perdy threw-up just as she got out of the car. I took her in and she would not cough. Luckilly the receptionsist had heard her on the phone when I rang. The lovely vet (actuallly all the staff there are reallly understanding--- I think they are as affected by the animals' distress as much as we are) examined Perdy  and found the usual fleas. We are going to experiment with a pill that allows Perdy to carry on swimming. Apparently constant swimming halves the effectiveness of the stuff you stick on the neck---so maybe she will have better treatment now.
Remember I said that Perdy threw-up by the car---- I mentioned that--- so what does she do--- the vet I mean? She accompanys me back to the car, gets down on her knees and starts poking around in the vomit. That's gotta be the definition for Vet of the month award! Not only does she reallly get stuck in--- she takes what could be a long worm to examine under the mocroscope. The verdict?---- it looked like vegetative matter, with little back- sloping hooks, that could easily cause discomfort to the throat. However  Perdy then started to cough again and the diagnosis is heasding back towards Kennel Cough.
We are treating her with some antibiotics and anti-inflmatory stuff. It will take a while for the cough to go away, but with the pill for the fleas,she will be able to swim again in a few days. I won't take her to see her mates down at the Onehunga Lagoon for a day or too, but she will get her leashed walks.
All up---- didn't cost that much and my little Perdy is insured anyway.
I am really happy with the way this company has handled Perdy and my otherr Pets. THEY CARE!  GO ANIMATES. I hope my lovely vet isnt embarrassed by my description, cause I think she is going to read this. She Rocks.

(9pm Sat NZ Time)   Perdy had her medication, but still throwing up. Poor little thing even goes outside when she starts that horrible coughing, then comes back in and tucks herself up with Rio. She keeps looking at me with those beautiful sad eyes, imploring me to make it all go away. We will give her the medication in the morning.

(7.30 Sunday morning )  Perdy got up many times in the night. I could hear her start coughing and then running out through the cat door-- Poor wee thing. We gave her her Medicarion this morning and she wanted to eat too. Her tail wags despite her discomfort. I don't think I will take her far and people look at me if as if I am an abuser when she coughs in public. Oh--- she's barking at the cat too, so maybe she's feeling a little better. I may take her out later, after I have cleaned all the yucky stuff off the car properly.
PS-- I DID NOT USE WORD TO DO THIS SO THERE ARE BOUND TO BE ERRORS--LOL We all know what my typing is like.


UPDATE-- WED 4TH APRIL--- SHE IS HARDLY COUGHING NOW AND IS BACK TO HER CRAZY SELF--- ME TOO!

Onehunga Foreshore (part 3) The Mysterious bowls (UPDATE)

Update at the bottom of blog!

OK--- I have calmed down a little. I read an article in the Central Leader, written by one of their promising reporters, Rhiannon Horrell. She wrote about how the Foreshore project is about to go ahead, after of course the obligatory 15 days to allow for anyone putting in submissions to object.

As far as I am concerned--- go ahead, but only after we are assured of quality water and thereby staying true to the Council’s 30 year plan around a healthy environment. Now, I shall tell you a ‘nice’ non-controversial story.

On the Friday night, before the ‘cancelled’ Onehunga Festival at the lagoon, something unusual occurred. Firstly I better give you some background. Many people walk their dogs, often forming groups, possibly because the time they come is convenient for their particular lifestyles. One group seems to walk the park around 3.30 each afternoon. It consists mostly of ladies approaching retirement or well into this ‘golden’ time. There are others, slightly or much younger who attach themselves because they know that their dogs are going to be well stimulated by the crazy antics of the younger dogs and more controlled model behaviours of the dogs who match their ‘parents’ in behaviour--- that is, they are wise.

This group is quite well known and many people visiting the park comment on this regular activity. The dogs draw attention, especially when they are in a more frolicking mood. Children point and adults smile--- possibly wondering if they too should get a dog for their kids.

Around the park there are two areas where the dogs are able to drink. On summer days this is particularly important, as some of the dogs tend to drink the salty and probably POLLUTED water from the lagoon. The ladies make sure that the hose that fills the green bowl is always maintained have even been known to fix it themselves when it is damaged. At the other end of the lagoon, by the car park there is another tap, which from time to time has been vandalized. There is usually a plastic bowl there too. The ladies make sure that it is always there. Ice cream containers are just fine. There is little point in leaving more expensive examples, because they regularly disappear or are broken--- I don’t know if it is kids using it to make sand castles or someone who hates dogs. I would not want kids to play in the sand given the less than pristine nature of the surrounds.

It is quite frustrating to walk our dogs and then have to go and find a new bowl when they keep disappearing. One of the nice ladies seems to have a supply of them in her car, and she brings her own bowl out each time, with water from home.

On the Friday night, before the festival, two expensive stainless steel bowls appeared by the car park, where the ladies (and friends) usually sit after their sojourn around the lagoon with their dogs. It is a pleasant time, when they (WE) chat before heading off home with our more relaxed (well not my Jack Russell) dogs. We were amazed--- did the Council leave these TWO bowls for the dogs? Was it some kind person who has watched us from the cars as we play with the dogs, throwing balls for them to fetch. It is quite a sight. Was it someone who had taken the other ones and somehow felt guilty?

I don’t know why, but the two bowls are still there, but now placed near the tap. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the bowls actually stay? It has been a week and I expect that I will be updating you soon that they have gone. Please let me be wrong. It has left a warm fuzzy feeling amongst the dog walkers. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for this act to be replicated in a wider sense? Let the water be clean and everyone continue to use this great space. If the bowls are still there this afternoon, I will take a picture.

They've gone--- the bowls lasted about 3 weeks. I am both surprised that they lasted that long and really pissed off at the low-life that would steal them--- probabaly selling them on Trade Me--- Maybe they eat out of them!

Onehunga Shi---shore-- Why don't I just say it? (part 2)

          The tide coming in.                                          We can do without this in the bay!

The Guava bush.                                                 We would love our dogs to be safe too!

It has been a day since I started to write about the Onehunga Foreshore and in that time my anger has been bubbling away, building to the point where I feel I must continue and get people onside to confront the arrogant Council, who think they know best. I recall the crazy days in the late 60’s and 70’s, when I joined many marches against NZ’s involvement in the Vietnam War. I thought I had mellowed since then, but remember, I said that people should find a cause bigger than the stupid row over the ‘Pack and Save adverts’ (see my previous blogs), well here it is.

It is local and it is an example of how we are bullied and ignored by the ‘grey man in suits’ (I guess there’s a few women in there too), residing in the ugly high-rise building next to the Town Hall in Queen Street. I bet they had no trouble finding the millions they needed to refurbish that lovely old building.

I was angry enough to almost put a title saying the ‘Onehunga shitshore.’ But I stopped short. Forgive me, the more genteel amongst you, but I hope you become involved in this struggle to achieve a result that matches the Supercity’s stated aims in the 30 year plan around health and environmental issues.

What a crock of shi---oops I almost said it again.  I said in my last blog on this issue that—OK—at least plan for a solution to alleviate the problem of polluted storm water and  outflows containing faecal matter.

I walk my dog at the Lagoon and we have been worried for ages about the state of the water and sludge that appears at low tide. There is also the poor drainage generally that besets this potentially wonderful space for people and dogs. Take last week for example. The Onehunga Festival was supposed to be held on one side of the lagoon. Many community groups would have been disappointed because the Council had to cancel this yearly event on the Saturday morning because of the state of the field. They tried their best to make it usable, but it all comes down to the original set up of the lagoon and its surrounds. The drainage was never good enough to cope with more than a moderate downfall.

I have to be careful here, but it is said that a private establishment has illegally built an outflow into the harbour on the other side of the motorway. Is this the reason that the Council announced yesterday that one of the beaches will have to be layered with shells and pebbles? Is this action supposed to keep the beach safe, while the crap continues to flow?

WHAT CAN WE DO---COLLECTIVELY? Send this blog on--- talk to your Members of Parliament---talk to your local Community Board Members.

The bottom line----- the Council is going to spend $28 on the Foreshore (and Lagoon?). Great---- but get it right so that we don’t have to worry about ‘outflows,’ faecal matter or any other undesirable organisms. We do not want the users of this wonderful area being struck down by nasties like Campylobacter (one of our friends probably got that from the water taps at the Lagoon). Let’s have a foreshore and lagoon that not just Onehunga residents, but the whole of Auckland can be proud to play, swim and exercise in.

PS. Look at that picture with the red berries. We stumbled across it today, right on the edge of the wall at the northern end of the lagoon. They were Guavas; only about a dozen, but they were fat, juicy and yummy---hopefully not contaminated with anything. Isn’t it amazing that this little shrub can survive in such an environment? We even pick mushrooms there!

Neilcolemanauthor.blogspot.com  

Onehunga Foreshore and Lagoon---second best again?

Over the last two years there has been a discussion about the development of the Onehunga foreshore. The aim is to bring back the days whereby the Onehunga Beach is once again a focus for local residents to enjoy the harbour. There was a time when families picnicked and cavorted on the shoreline. It wasn’t until the motorway was constructed in the 1970’s that the area compromised, although the pollution from the nearby sewerage plant had curtailed swimming and fishing activities for many decades, as Auckland spread-eagled beyond its early boundaries. One would have to look back to the 19^th century to truly see how important the area was, both for shipping and leisure pursuits.

Over the years the Waitemata harbour became the darling of Aucklanders. For those of you reading this blog beyond NZ, take a look at the map and you will see that Auckland sits on an isthmus between harbours, both blessed with their own character. However, it is the Waitemata that has been the focus of development for the last hundred years, leaving Onehunga and its foreshore lagging behind, left to a few stalwarts to fight a rear-guard action to maintain some sort of respectability for the area.  

Finally, it has been decided to spend $28 million dollars to revamp, redesign and reclaim three new beaches on the seaward side of the Onehunga Lagoon. It has even been rumoured that the lagoon would benefit from being dredged and re-sanded to make it a safe swimming beach. Rumour is probably the best we shall achieve for the lagoon and already there are some doubts about the reality of three safe, clean new beaches. Perhaps those of us living near the Onehunga foreshore have become used to the fact that it will always play second fiddle to our more wealthy and influential Eastern residents.

Pollution, sewerage and storm water contamination, emanating from several outlets (some allegedly illegal), endangers any claim that both areas will be suitable for humans swimming, never lone dogs frolicking in the water. Several claims have been made that human faecal matter has been found, both in the lagoon and near one of the proposed new beaches. What is the Council planning? It was reported in the New Zealand herald on Thursday the 30^{th March}, 2012, that gravel and shells will be placed on the said beach to discourage swimming.

What is the point of spending so much money, then to turn around and say that the plan is already compromised? Does the Council really believe that such a move will stop people swimming? Would it not be better to find the source of the leaks, punish those who have contributed to the pollution and fix what I can only assume are old and damaged systems?

I suppose the question of financing such works will be the hard question. Well--- at least let us see a plan  to fix the problem and include the lagoon, so that once gain we can eventually look forward to what is after all, something that was been taken from us in the first place. It is time that we are treated equally in the West.