DIVERS Big Day Out

Just a little re cap, have a look at this new site Divers Big Day Out! and you’ll see what we’ve been up to, we’re looking at another boat ; not that I don’t adore my Molly, but she really is getting to be a wee bit small for what we are doing now.

Only time will tell when we buy another one; but hey, looking doesn’t cost anything does it.

We’;ve been experiencing some wonderful weather – good for us divers, but sadly not so good for the farmers and people on water tanks etc.. there’s supposed to be rain tonight, but I doubt it very much.

There’s a total hose and sprinkler ban in the bay of islands, but funnily not in Kerikeri – don’t understand that.

Hope you are all well, those who are reading this of course? bit weary right now, had a day where I copped it for stuff I didn’t know existed!

What you’d call a “Put Down Day” – puts one in a negative frame of mind, and I just seemed to walk into it here at home- just NOT in the mood for it thanks, so will have a nice read in bed before turning off the lights, tomorrow is ALWAYS a better day,

G’nite

Is it really only four more sleeps to….

Golly Gosh! When I was told this, I asked “4 sleeps to what?”  “CHRISTMAS you dopey thing!” was the reply, I nearly fell flat on my bum with a shock!

We’ve done it again, been so busy working & making sure ends meet its crept up on us again – do you know? This morning I couldn’t have told you what day it was, let alone the time or date…

On Christmas day this year, we’ll be out there on the water, get back in the afternoon and then work the radio just for an hour from home, hopefully sit back after that and relax around a BBQ with friends – minus the family as the children are all visiting their other parents and friends again, or over in Australia unable to come over and vice versa.  Can’t we build a bridge?…….

Christmas Day on the Marine Radio this year is a lot better organised.  We have volunteers pledged an hour or two, to cover the 12 hours – wonderful. Last year, I worked the full 12 hours! Very tiring and VERY emotional.

A wee entry

haven’t had time much lately for blogging for myself – been a bit busy. Really enjoyed my Saturday, went for a dive with Nadia, Trev, Andrew, Jamie & Mel.  Molly was full to capacity on her SSM, but very sluggish in the water with her 75 hp ob going full revs all the way there and back.

Everyone really enjoyed themselves and that’s the main thing.  I got some fabulous shots of an Octopuss, who didn’t want to move on – so had an agenda of his own, and decided to stay put, flushing from brown, green, grey, red and black to try to fool me~not so little fella, but thanks for being such a good subject to photograph!

It was nice to have Nadia back on board again~ I’ve really missed her.  We’ll try to go out for morning dives as much as possible before we get busy in the season.

Andrew & Jamie were doing their Open Water course, and they were VERY good in the water & excellent with their skills – must have had a good teacher (hee hee)

If I say a quick catch up will you kill me?

Well, I am sorry, but this is another quickie~!  I’ve been so busy with work ~Russell Radio, the pool ~ doing a Lifeguard Course (of which I am now fully qualified) ~ Porpoise Dive ~ absolutely fun while you work!~ and being “mum, housewife, trying to get over this GOD DAMNED FLU!! its been 4 weeks now, come ON! when is it going to go away?

Wally insists on scrapping with the black & white cat (no not Postman Pat’s cat!) and he’s coming in quite sorry for himself!  I think he does it for the cuddles and atttention?

Shawn came to surpise me (oh gosh! was it only a week ago?) and he fixed our Freeview, so Trev can now watch his rugby! albeit delayed, but I’m so happy for him, he really has missed out.

Its amazing, Rubgy being a “sport of the blood” in NZ, isn’t played on TV1, 2 or 3 – you have to pay for it?! I tell you, sometimes I am sick of our government, no I’m not “sometimes” I’m ALWAYS sick our government, I reckon they’re all ex school teachers who set rules, sit back and expect everyone to “comply” and then if that doesn’t work, they simply repeat themselves and make the SAME mistakes! year after year, after year.

Had an awesome day today! read all about it on Porpoise Dive.

Catch ya later………………………….

The dreaded lurgy

Yup the dreaded flu has caught up with both of us!  Just when we don’t need it, but its best over and done with before the season kicks in I suppose.

I’ve spent the last few days catching up on book work – but the damned printer blew a foo foo valve in our last major black out, and the energy company will not recognise its their fault even though I pay wiring and maintenance fees per month to cover this sort of thing. sigh…too sick to bother about it anymore.

Finally have time off and you get crook! How “murphy is that then?”…

The Ipipiri

As I looked out the window just now (god, I gotta wash em again!) there’s the Ipipiri over by the Bramptons, probably giving a history talk on Waitangi?

The R Tucker Thompson is berthed alongside the Russell Wharf – looking splendid too!  They’ve just had a week of  Youth Sail Training around the Bay of Islands and the Cavalli’s – they were very good at calling in each mornig and evening with a different radio operator; apparantly I ROCK!! as they kept saying each night to me – and they left me some chocolate cookies and a box of mixed nuts covered in chocolate!

YUMMMMMMM — thanks everyone, that was nice, I shared them round.

Hmm that mornig breeze is getting up now, quite chilly in fact, its only 13 degrees and the humidity is 40% brrrrrrrr

And then there’s work -

I truly love my job – working the marine radio – its awesome! absolutely awesome! Just one drawback though? – internal politics, it drives me crazy, and I’m constantly battling to stay out of it.

I now have new approach – I come to work on the morning ferry arrive here between 7.30 and 7.40am depending on wind and tides, open up the radio rooms, get the weather maps out to everyone, then start broadcasting at 0800 and take calls and GIVE CHEEK to all the boaties out there until 2000 then close down and go back home on the evening ferry.

 

Oops, another memory

The vege patch is coming along nicely  – I had a “tutu” with Trev’s irrigation system.

Shot into town and purchased a packet of sprinklers that screw directly into the hose pipe.  Right side up only irrigated the bark surrounding the containers and the neighbours lawn and windows!

Okay, now what~!  I had nothing to lose (apart from shrivelled and dying veges) so I twisted the whole water pipe and now the sprinklers are upside down, and only watering the vege plants -

unfortunately! where I didn’t have enough sprinklers to fit all of trev’s holes it trickled down along the pipe, but I have another idea for this later on.

With the pipe lying directly on the soil mix wasn’t a good idea, so I had been given a whole lot of plastic “straw” type sticks that tie on the the end of balloons, never threw them away thinking they’d come in handy one day.

Well by Golly they did!  I made half hoops, stuck one either end of each container, then simply got Trev’s plastic ties and affixed the water pipe to each hoop.

Wallah!!  one VERY inexpensive irrigation system – and it works too!

 

A Quickie Maniac?

yet ANOTHER quickie to catch up on the “goss”

Well, what else do you call it then? ha ha ha (satyrical chuckle) So much has happened over the past few months that I don’t know where or how to begin!

So, how about randomly then? ….okay…I know!…oh maybe you know already though?….never mind, I’ll just tell it as it comes to mind.

We’ve had the most awesome visitor out from the UK, on a well deserved holiday – GEMMA (now nicknamed GG – for “giggling gertie”) always welcome back anytime.

I think the first day GG was here, I threw the keys of the car to her with only one stipulation – bring it back in one peice please?  I know its hard being in a different country, let alone a different town while your hosts are working their butts off 7 days a week, and you’re left to “fend for yourself” in a lovely tourist town.

What was going to be a “few days” turned into a week long stay – we were truthfully quite sad when GG had to catch that bus for Auckland and her “road trip”, thanks for the farewell Pizza GG.

You take care in your travels – we want to see you again another time – oh, and don’t forget to give “Queenie” a huge hug from us okay?

Well, this is my humble vege “patch”

For what its worth, I have happily raised and looked after these little fellas, but something is definately quite off! Perhaps my mix of compost, potting mix, soil & blood and bone wasn’t right?
Hmmm – We’ve had some very dry days, warm winds, lots of sun, and all I can afford to do, is water them twice a day for about an hour each time.

We had two days of non stop rain and this wetted the mixture down nicely, over night it dried out, if you plunge your hands into the mix, your fingers are damp, but the rest of your hand and arm is dry…no matter how much you water them.

The lettuce look decidedly ill – but then again, I thought that when I bought them in their pots. Why are the beans and courgetts covered in little black flies? Why aren’t my tomatoes looking healthier and fatter in the stalks? The ones on the left of the shot are the ones that survived my growing from seeds, the ones on the right (Russian something or other) haven’t grown more than a quarter of an inch since planting 3 weeks ago! I removed their lower branches in the hopes that this would make their “stuff” go into the roots and make them grow,

Thyme, Chives & Parsley - new beginnings

I’ve tried talking, pleading, but nothing helps – yet… what you think of Popsy’s irrigation system then? I would like to raise it and have little sprinklers in the hose so you get a better and bigger water cover area – OR? – stick the sprinkler in the top and you’d get the same effect wouldnt’ you?

Anyways – its my first attempt & maybe if I add more blood n bone? – the soil didn’t look that good – it was full of rusty old iron nails, broken glass – you name it, and keeps sending up Lily type plants – so it must be okay (I guess)

Never mind, its a start and I’m really happy – I have some more ideas – hopefully much improved from this experience.