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Sun, Jul 13, 2025

3:58am EDT

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Musings from the shores of Lake Taupo

by Belingwe

Rated: E · Book · Personal · #2102670

This is a blessed spot, spoilt only by the people, in the central North Island of NZ.

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.

Previous ... 1 2 3 4 -5- 6 7 8 ... Next

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Soldier_Mike

Jun 3, 2025 at 11:41pm
In response to "Mid May"

Sounds like relatively good news re your hip replacement, and definitely good news regarding your wood stockpile. Too bad about the political stuff, though.

Elle

Oct 10, 2023 at 4:30pm
In response to "Spring"

I agree that all the choices seem a bit bleak this year. Usually I'm fairly confident in my choice of which party to vote for and just need to educate myself on my local electorate candidates, but this year I've had to do more research to figure out which party I feel will serve NZ best as we move forward. Haven't voted yet, still need to research my local candidates.

Apondia

Feb 28, 2023 at 11:22am
In response to "Cyclone"

I had to look up the word cyclone to understand the storm you have been through. I'm glad your family came through it safely. When I was a teenager, a tornado came across the ridge where my aunt and I were in her home. Before it reached her home it jumped off the ridge and sailed into the valley below her house. We actually watched it go through the big window in her front room. It is the kind of devastation you never forget. Your family is blessed.

1 Like

Belingwe

Jan 29, 2023 at 6:57am
In response to "Floods"

Now 4 dead and another storm hitting Auckland tonight. Very bad news. Also rained all day here in Taupo. Infrastructure damage is immense all over specially roads.

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jan 28, 2023 at 1:16am
In response to "Floods"

Much of the problem can be the bad way we designed, or maintained, the infrastructure or even where it was built. Massive storms, earthquakes, etc. have been happening for thousands of years. We're still learning how to build to survive nature. Maybe it's time to learn how to live with it instead.

Hope you and all those down there are safe and get back to being dry and comfortable soon.

Belingwe

Jul 30, 2022 at 6:24am
In response to "Mid Winter blues"

Have an update. The hip is fine so it must be something else. Am hopefully seeing quack next Wednesday. Hoping it just a trapped nerve.

1 Like

Charlie ~

Jul 24, 2020 at 1:21pm
In response to "Retirement"

Congratulations on retirement!! That's awesome. The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, I think. At least you won't need to be in the workforce for the remainder of it though.

Nada

Nov 19, 2018 at 10:16am
In response to "Purgatory"

There is one way things can get better...he has to want it....even so it is a lifelong commitment.

Nada

Nov 19, 2018 at 10:12am
In response to "Life"

I think he is ok, just has health concerns as do all of us in the age group! I will check on him.

lucky dog

Mar 21, 2018 at 8:13am
In response to "Leg Update"

I to am glad to hear your doing better. Out west were into the second day of spring, waiting for a major storm with lots of rain for LA and that area, but the high desert will be lucky if we get 1/2 inch of rain. Take the good with the bad.

May 3, 2020 at 8:02am

#982630

Cairns

Cairns trip was great. My wife and I flew Auckland - Brisbane then Brisbane - Cairns. Heat in Cairns was hot as hell.

Comment

January 30, 2020 at 8:59pm

#974575

Cairns Reunion

My wife and I are off to Cairns, Australia, in mid February for a military reunion . Survivors of 25/20 cadet course will meet for the first time in around 45 years! Less than half of us are alive now so am looking forward to it. This was my entry to the Rhodesian army back in 1977.

Comment

September 24, 2019 at 7:41am

#966701

October 2019 approaches

It has been a long time since my last blog. Since the end of 2018 I have been very ill with Cluster Headaches. They got me into a chronic situation where I was getting 4 to 5 episodes per day! In the end around late August it broke me. I could not accept the pain anymore. I have been off work for 5 weeks. I do 2 nights a week night manager for a luxury lodge on weekends. I will be back this weekend coming and hope it goes ok. I may have to resign if my health remains as it is. Cluster headaches are not so much life threatening but they are life changing. I felt absolute despair. Now I am on a medication called verapamil at high doses and I am seeing some improvement. Side effects are fatigue and slight hand tremors that make typing difficult. We are well into Spring here but still getting cold snaps. Summer is coming!

Comment

October 30, 2018 at 12:54am

#944513

Life

Life goes on. I have been battling health issues but we are almost into the last month of Spring and things are looking up. It is time for planting and Guy Fawkes day is just around the corner. This will be the first time I let off fire crackers with my grandson Logan. This unique Anglo Saxon tradition has survived for over 400 years and is a lot of fun. Of course there are those controlling citizens who would like to see it banned citing safety and pet anxiety etc ad nauseam. I hope they do not succeed. If we ....and our pets are wrapped in cotton wool we all end up the losers. That's all for now but I hope to get back to regular contributions health permitting. I see Don Young aka 'Lucky Dog' seems to have disappeared. Does anyone know if he is OK?

Comment • View 1 comment

August 3, 2018 at 10:23am

#939035

Update

Greetings all. I am still around. The year so far has not been good to me but I am on the improve finally. I seem to be getting on top of the cluster headaches finally but there is some way to go. It is like I lost a year of my life. Anyway we have another month of Winter and then Spring will be here. Life waits for no one!

Comment

March 9, 2018 at 5:57am

#930280

Leg Update

We are now well into the first month of autumn here in NZ and it won't be log before we put our clocks back one hour at the end of daylight saving. This manipulation of time certainly works well for the vast majority of citizens. We get really long warm evenings out of it. I can read a newspaper outside and 2130 hrs no problem. At the bottom of the Sth Island I have heard the same paper can be read at midnight! Three weeks after the leg injury I am still on crutches. Alas it may take time to come right. I have torn a major thigh muscle called the quadricep.I may be off work for another three weeks. At least I can drive short distances now. My wife is in charge and so far has treated me kindly.

Comment • View 2 comments

February 20, 2018 at 4:55am

#929200

Limping

Last Sunday I was delivering papers at work. It is the last task I complete before knocking off and this time I slipped on a path and landed flat on my back. After 8 days I am still on crutches and cannot bear any weight. They say nothing is broken but I have my doubts.This was the last thing I needed together with a resumption of my cluster headaches! The leg will be rexrayed plus an ultrasound. I hope I get good answers from these tests.

Comment • View 1 comment

February 14, 2018 at 4:57pm

#928931

Late Summer

This summer has passed so quickly and it has been very warm. Our fans have been going 24/7 but amazingly the power bill has not gone up! I have finally finished my Cadet recollections from my year on officers course in the Rhodesian army. The other cadets have completed their recollections and we are now ready to begin editing.This has been a satisfying project even though I have been tardy and it has taken a year to get to this stage. Out of 18 cadets who passed the course only 13 are still alive.I will try and keep updating as we progress through the process. I will be looking on this site for any advice as to editing and such. All help will be gratefully received.

Comment

November 1, 2017 at 7:41pm

#923064

New Govt

We have a new government and not a moment too soon! The previous shower were selling us down the river. Specially to foreign speculators.

Comment

October 8, 2017 at 5:15am

#921698

Purgatory

The last two months have been a nightmare and still not over. I have not been able to keep blog contributions going. My better half had a lump on her back that was melanoma or cancerous. Fortunately after it was cut out and a scan no further cancer was found. My sonds drug use finally reached the tipping point a few weeks ago. He buys drugs and cant pay for them as he cannot hold down a job. Then he gets beaten up or has stuff like his shoes taken. The tipping point was earlier this week when 3 heavies arrived at my house when my son was out and claimed he owed them money so they wanted to take my motorbike. I told them f...k off and I was so angry they are lucky they were not hurt. I have taken to carrying weapons with me at all times and this drug stuff has been stressful. They left after I called the cops even though the cops never showed up. I wanted to inflict great violence and know that I have to calm down. On a positive my son has now started rehab so lets see how it goes. He has been an addict for 10 years or so and maybe we were wrong to turn mostly a blind eye. Wife and I are not in a good place now and we have installed security cameras etc.plus left weapons strategically placed hidden round the yard. Hoping it gets better.

Comment • View 1 comment

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