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This is a blessed spot, spoilt only by the people, in the central North Island of NZ. |
Size: 65 Entries
Created: November 14th, 2016 at 6:19am
Modified: March 18th, 2024 at 10:50pm
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Most of the time for me the glass is half empty. On rare occasions the glass is half full as with news of The Donald's activities.
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Tomorrow is our shortest day. Regrettably summer is not just round the corner and we have a long winter still ahead. Our night temperatures in Taupo are hovering around zero and below for the next week or so. We had a major car smash in South Island with 7 people killed. This is tragic and initial reports suggest driver exhaustion.
Our government here is in freefall but alas the opposition has very little to offer and may win next year by default. Election is Nationals to lose by the look of it. Saint Jacinda is losing her halo. Covid restrictions continue to be eased and we are slowly losing our hermit kingdom status.
I am in regular contact with my ex officer cadets via watsapp and it is great to chat. Out of 18 who passed the course there are now around 9 or 10 still alive.
We recently bought a new pallet mover and are now trying to get rid of the old one. You can't give it away! Makes me laugh. That's all for now. |
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| The next few months will be the dark ages here. But so far early winter has been wet and warm. The country is slowly opening up and continues to lurch along. I am now in regular contact with my ex platoon soldier and it is amazing. I am humbled. I have to say they certainly put on a good shindig for the Queen in UK. We are still a constitutional monarchy and long may this continue. |
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I have been contacted by one of my soldiers from the Rhodesian Bush War. He was my gunner for some periods and it is great to hear from him. He also is in touch with other soldiers from my Platoon so I am looking forward to contacting them as well. This has raised my spirits immensely and I am sure we will have great stories to tell.
Life in NZ continues to lurch from one crisis to another and no end in sight. |
March 24, 2022 at 10:38pm
March 24, 2022 at 10:38pm
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| So from 4th April many rules will be lifted. Mandates and vaccine passes will be mostly a thing of the past. It has been a long and hard 2 years and more. It went on too long and now government realises the enormity of consequences of rules. People who could not attend funerals and the like will probable never forgive and nor should they. I feel this period of my life has been a tragedy and I will never trust government again. Our opposition parties have been useless and have basically had a two year holiday. I feel despair. |
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| Well covid blessed our house and went through the family like nine pin bowling. The only one spared was my daughter Caitlin but the rest of us, yours truly included, had to dance with it. Two sons my wife and I. Now I have had far worse flu in the past but this left us sick for a few days and not at top of game. We also had to isolate and try to learn to get on with each other. We are still in one piece so it seems to have worked. Two of the kids are already back at work and last one starts Monday. What else can happen. Took wife for a drive today and we both enjoyed it very much. Simple pleasures these days. What a world we are in. No rain in March yet but a lot of wind. We are approaching drought conditions. Our govt is still not worth discussing. Govt and opposition are just one big party these days and our media have long since lost the right to be called such. Oz tourists are allowed back in April thank God for that at least. So a depressed entry but it is reality. And Ukraine goes on and on. |
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| As we head into Autumn the nights are a little cooler but still lovely warm days here. Typically this weather continues through March and April. Covid still continues to control us or be used as as excuse to. We are known as 'The Hermit Kingdom' as per North Korea and with some justification. We are also the laughing stock of the world. Prices are going up especially with fuel and there are significant empty shelves in the supermarkets. We go from day to day here with a myriad of rules and regulations to control us. I have faith that, in time, it will pass. |
September 9, 2021 at 1:57am
September 9, 2021 at 1:57am
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| So Spring is here at last although you would not tell from the weather. But we are getting some nice days and a hint of warmer weather ahead. The mountains still have plenty of snow and the ski season is going strong. We are in level 2 now but it is still a hassle with masks required when inside shops etc. We are surviving on grants given to our small business plus the pension but times are hard and many are much worse off than us. I have just completed a You Tube interview regarding my time in the Rhodesian Army and am glad the opportunity arrived to tell my story. It should be on the net in a week or two. We have to have faith in these times. We do not know what lies ahead but tyranny has to be resisted in whatever small way we each can muster. On nice days my wife and I cycle along the lake and we are thankful for what we have. God bless |
August 17, 2021 at 7:23am
August 17, 2021 at 7:23am
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| In an hours time, midnight, we go into another country wide lockdown level 4. The reasons appear dodgy but here we go again. It is a nightmare without end. But compared to Afghanistan our troubles are minor. I feel sad for the people there and especially the women. It is a sign of great change in the world and as I write this I am aware that I feel depressed. We need deliverance but from where it will come I cannot say. Meanwhile winter here draws ever so slowly to an end and in a week or so it will be Spring. In NZ fathers day is September 5th and am looking forward to calls from all my kids. My wife and I are getting used to living as pensioners and at least it is a steady income as our small business has been almost mortally wounded by covid. I will sign off now before I feel worse. |
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| As we pass through mid Autumn it is getting cooler. We had our first fire on the 27th and are now experiencing a decent cold snap. There is a long Winter ahead! |
January 19, 2021 at 5:57am
January 19, 2021 at 5:57am
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| Well we are a decent stones throw into 2021 and still grappling with the huge changes Covid has visited upon us. I now realise that at 66 years of age Covid in some way or form will accompany me to the grave. It is to be hoped in the future that we citizens will be told the truth about Covid and that it will not be used by politicians as a method of control. Here in NZ there is no lockdown and we move about freely during work and leisure. We are blessed compared to many countries and our death rate from the virus is 20 or so....in total! The down side is our small business took a hit and is now 50% of turnover pre Covid. Times are tight and our pension helps but we are not as well off as we were before. I know citizens in other countries are suffering worse and they have my prayers. Part of NZ success is that our borders are closed up very tight. This means our tourism industry is struggling and has to rely on the local market. We hope that this will eventually become a past nightmare and in our rear view mirrors. There is concern about free speech and banning's currently in play and there is no excuse for it. It is simply pure evil. I will not be watching the inauguration and I fear for us all as we move forward in time. What happens in the USA affects all of us world-wide in both a practical and literal sense. If this safety net is removed then we are all lost. Anyway all the best to everyone here for a decent and positive year ahead. |
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