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Source: (consider it) Thread: Down under in the antipodes
Huia
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# 3473

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I'm avoiding the news at the moment because of the earthquake anniversary, but I believe NZ sent an Orion yesterday with emergency supplies. It will also be also used to fly over and assess damage.

Huia

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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Forget about funnel web spiders and snakebite and blue ringed octopus and other such things down under. It is Bunya pine nut season.

Here is a video of the nuts. Lanyon an historic house on the Murrumbidgee River just out of Canberra has beautiful grounds. However there are many of these trees and lots of warnings of the danger of the nuts falling.

I have tasted these, not unpleasant, and also seen flour made from the dried seeds.

[ 27. February 2016, 00:40: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Marama
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# 330

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Update on the Fiji Cyclone Winston:

The death toll has now risen to 42. Yesterday I learned that five of these were relatives of a friend and ex-colleague, killed on Koro Island, which was at the centre of the storm and virtually flattened. [Votive] Tara and her family

I had been concerned for my ex-students many of whom who are now teachers in rural high schools. Such schools often have some boarders, serve as the local evacuation centres, (and the teachers' houses are often old and not very well built). Few have been able to check in on Facebook (no power, and many other demands on their time) One however has posted to say he had been busy evacuating the entire student body to Suva after the school was flattened. Everyone lost all their possessions - but no casualties [Overused] [Overused]

And from a colleague still in Suva: Busy skimming off the weevils from my boiling pasta by candlelight. but at least there's gas to cook with.

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Much damage,as in Vanuatu.

[Votive]

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Doone
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[Votive] [Votive]
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
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Most Southern Queensland beaches are closed today because of the unsafe conditions generated by the tail end of Cyclone Winston. One surfer is missing. I was rather alarmed yesterday when the weatherzone site said there was a possibility of Winston reforming, but I note that the latest forecast is for it to weaken to a rain depression over the next 72 hours.

Having lived through 5 big cyclones in her 98 years, my mother is quite happy not to be living in Queensland right now.

The devastation in Fiji is really only just coming to light. It will take them years to rebuild. However some specially designed homes *survived okay. I hope someone important gets behind the building of more like this for the needy.

Sorry for broken link it went to ABC news site. Have tried fussing with iPad and it won't accept even a Tiny URL correction. Will try again when I am at bigger computer.

[ 27. February 2016, 22:15: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.

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Banner Lady
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Sorry Loth, that link seems to be playing up.

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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
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Sorry, BL. I will check it. It worked when I previewed the post.

I have spent quite a while trying to fix this. Will work on it again later on computer.

Hopefully this works for all. I have previewed it on computer and all seems well. Village survives cyclone.

cyclone housing Link to ABC news site

[ 28. February 2016, 00:31: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Gee D
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I had seen that on the ABC's site. If the particular design worked (and why can be explained), perhaps it should be replicated in other villages.

We have always thought of Fiji as rather an anomaly - no money and poverty in that sense, but in contrast to other countries where poverty rules, there seems enough money so that people are well fed and clothed. There a very, very few beggars to be seen, and while some of the clothing is pretty basic it is suitable for the climate. The same with the housing. Nothing elaborate and likely to be blown down in the next cyclone, but again suitable for the climate and reasonably easy to replace when it is damaged.

That may not be the situation this time and we may have been far too romantic in our assessment of the position there in good times. In any event, medical aid is needed badly, as is food.

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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

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Banner Lady
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Medical aid is also in train for Rowen who has arrived in town for knee surgery. We seem to be making a habit of picnicking in her motel rooms.

She seems remarkably cheerful for one who has had to drive over hill and dale, and through fire, flood and snow while in pain to get seen to at a proper hospital.

She really has earned her snow-country mountain woman stripes.

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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.

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Lothlorien
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Please pass my best wishes and prayer for recovery to her.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Rowen
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Thank you.
It was fun to eat lunch with Banner Lady.

Driving into Canberra yesterday..... A different world from my remote home!

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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...

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Piglet
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Prayers ascending, Rowen - hope it all goes well. [Votive]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Worm in the Grass
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prayers and good wishes for the surgery, Rowan

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Christian satire attracts people who are serious about religion. It's a method of coping with the difference between what religion ought to be about and what it is. (Jengie Jon)

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Galloping Granny
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Another nasty little twitch – thinking of Huia and Macrina. Or maybe it didn't wake you? (Yeah, right).

[Votive]

GG

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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113

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Macrina
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quote:
Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
Another nasty little twitch – thinking of Huia and Macrina. Or maybe it didn't wake you? (Yeah, right).

[Votive]

GG

I wish [Razz] my poor flatmate is really unnerved and knocked on my door last night to talk after it. I got her PRN Milo today.

This thread has reminded me I need to donate to Fiji! That sounds like a nasty bit of weather up there.

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Ian Climacus

Liturgical Slattern
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Prayers and best wishes, Rowen.

And prayers and best wishes also for our shaken friends across the Tasman.

And [Votive] s for all in Fiji. I too read that housing story.

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Huia
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Although it was smaller than the Valentine's Day one, I think those early morning wake up ones are horrible and that one seemed to have a long tail where you're not sure whether it's actually stopped or not. Unfortunately Radio NZ failed to have Vicky McKay on duty as the Continuity announcer - she was brilliant during the first September 4th quake.

Besides listening to the radio my other strategy is to have a recorded book on hand as it's like having a bedtime story to lull me back to sleep.

The day got worse after that as I lost my kindle in the mall or at the bus stop [Waterworks] I was feeling both angry with and sorry for myself when I bumped into one of the children from school whose infectious enthusiasm totally broke my mood.

Tomorrow is my Nordic Walking class which released so many endorphins last time I thought I might become addicted.

Huia

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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.

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Marama
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Oh Huia, that's dreadful - both the loss of the Kindle and another earthquake.

On Fiji housing: Yes Peter Drysdale's houses at Koroipita, and the Habitat for Humanity design (superficially similar - not sure about the technical details) both seem to have stood up to the cyclone very well. As I understand it the key is the use of screws not nails to join pieces of wood, and plenty of cyclone strapping to attach the roof (and a few other, fairly cheap, techniques).

What will happen now is that people in villages and squatter settlements will collect up as much building material as they can from the wreckage and rebuild their houses. Which is fine - but much better if they can be persuaded and funded to use the more secure fastenings etc. It is clear that big improvements in durability can be made quite cheaply, but even so I'm not sure about the financial and technical support govt and aid organisations can give, especially in a tight time frame.

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Banner Lady
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I had no idea New Zealanders were this innovative. First the cardboard cathedral, and now the licensing of this celebrant.

Funny, I always thought of you guys as rather conservative in your outlook. Clearly not!

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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.

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Tukai
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# 12960

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What an ironic co-incidence ! The film Spotlight, about child sex abuse by RC priests in Boston and the cover-up thereof won the Oscar for best picture on the same day that Cardinal Pell began his 4 days of testimony to the Australian Royal Commission on child sex abuse.

On All Saints, it may be appropriate that we pray for the victims of these long-ago sins, and for the avoidance of such practices in the future. For those who might like to make more robust comment on these issues, including about the Cardinal's "I knew nuttink" testimony, I have opened a thread in Hell.

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A government that panders to the worst instincts of its people degrades the whole country for years to come.

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Welease Woderwick

Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424

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Thanks Tukai - [Votive]

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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details

What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?

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Huia
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quote:
Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Funny, I always thought of you guys as rather conservative in your outlook. Clearly not!

I'm not sure how you gained that impression.

First country in the world where women won the right to vote, women Priests in the Anglican church before much of the rest of the Anglican Communion, amongst the first countries to ordain women, (the Methodists and Presbytarians beat the Anglicans IIRC) equal marriage laws... If mymemory was better and this wasn't in All Saints I could probably dredge up more examples. I could probably bore you all rigid on the topic [Razz]

We are a bit wacky too, which is trait I prize
[Biased]

After complaining loudly about the Government's lack of support for mental health in Canterbury, I've just seen a news item that they will increase the funding following the Valentine's Day aftershock. I really hope some of this is directed at children. The behaviour of the new entrants to school has definitely been affected, and more teenagers are showing signs of post-traumatic stress. The burnout of Mental Health workers has also increased greatly.

Huia

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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.

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Piglet
Islander
# 11803

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quote:
Originally posted by Huia:
... We are a bit wacky too, which is trait I prize ...

Quite right too; wackiness is much under-rated. [Big Grin]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Mr Curly

Off to Curly Flat
# 5518

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It is with much joy that the end of the cricket season can be announced - Middle's with a whimper, as they were forfeited to today in the (rather pointless) playoff between 10th and 11th in local club comp.

Biggest, on the other hand, has taken 5/11 and 2/9 in the last 2 games, and with one other result falling their way, the school has ended up winning the competition. There was much rejoicing.

And yes, there were soccer trial games today....

mr curly

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My Blog - Writing, Film, Other Stuff

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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
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Rowen has returned to the south (well, souther than here) after an unfortunate deferral to her knee surgery. I am amazed that though she cannot walk, she can drive herself such long distances (5 hours). I hope it is all sorted out soon - but it looks like the good folks of Swift's Creek will have to do without her for a bit longer while she yoyos up and down the ranges with a bung knee. [Disappointed]

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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.

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Tukai
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A Canberra shipmeet might be in order when Rowen hits town again. Depending of course on how she might feel about it.

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A government that panders to the worst instincts of its people degrades the whole country for years to come.

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Rowen
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Indeed! We can sort out details later on!

My thanks to Banner Lady, who was kindness itself.
Presently, holed up in the pretty seaside town of Mallacoota, Victoria, with friend, high on massive amounts of antibiotics. But I will go home by Sunday, and do church and things like that. Back in Canberra by the 18th
And I can walk, but it hurst and I am slow.

[ 07. March 2016, 05:16: Message edited by: Rowen ]

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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...

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Gee D
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# 13815

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I can think of few more restful places to be than Mallacoota. Peace and quiet, and prayers for a steady recovery.

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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

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Piglet
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Take care, Rowen. [Votive]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Ian Climacus

Liturgical Slattern
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[Votive] Rowen.

I dropped by Mallacoota on a driving holiday in January; a lovely spot. Rest well.

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Mr Curly

Off to Curly Flat
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[Votive] Rowen

Those who have watched as Middle has grown up may choke on your evening glass of wine at the news that he is now a learner driver.

With me having pronounced the cricket season "over", Biggest was called up to play for the representative CAS team in the NSW Schoolboys Carnival to cover an injury. He managed 4-33 today with the ball, with no complaints about missing another 2 days of school.

After spending 105 minutes operating a clutch in the monumental Sydney traffic snarl this morning, I need a massage.

mr curly

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My Blog - Writing, Film, Other Stuff

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Mr Curly, eldest grandson is now a licensed driver, as of three weeks ago. First go and in a manual. I was behind him at Christmas and was impressed by his steadiness. He went for the test having arranged it by himself and asked his dad to take him. Apparently the first thing he wanted was to arrange to take me to his dad's wedding this Saturday. Then he let his mother know about getting license when he came home from school. I feel honoured he wanted to take me. Midday at church and then afterwards at Lachlans at Old Government House. Honeymoon is a month in France in April.

That was an appalling mess on bridge this morning. I was not impressed thst 99% of reporting was about accident and nothing about the motor cyclist. News tonight showed his boots and gloves on road.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Piglet
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# 11803

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Curly:
... 105 minutes operating a clutch in the monumental Sydney traffic snarl ...

Automatic transmission is a wonderful thing. [Smile]

Like most Brits, I passed my test in a manual, but my Better Half had an automatic (and has almost exclusively since), so I did some of my learning in that as well, and decided that it was much better.

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged
Galloping Granny
Shipmate
# 13814

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We drove manuals until well into our sixties (I think!) – feeling that we wanted the control of choosing gears after decades of experience. In the end we were persuaded that older drivers benefited from the less stressful experience of driving an automatic.

This led to a hitch when we rented a car and a manual seemed a good choice. The Grandad started it up and complained that he couldn't get it into gear – he'd forgotten he had to use the clutch.

When our children got their licenses we felt totally safe being driven by either of them from the word go. Both are great drivers.

GG

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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
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I feel safe with A. I drove home from local pizzeria many months ago with him. Down a busy suburban side street, right turn into my street, round the underpass at end of my building. This is two way but many hoon around it and take corner from middle of the road. Then parking in a fairly narrow spot. I found out later this was his first time on any public road.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Strange event #5783.

My brother has morning coffee everyday at coffee shop near station. The talk this morning is of a woman who arrived in a battered hatchback from which she took a goat. Said goat is now tethered in council carpark, hopefully with some water.

A local identity had a pet goat which went everywwhere with him. That goat died recently so perhaps this is a replacement? Or a political stunt? Or an allegory?

Guess I will hear more later.

This is in North Shore car park, not some place out in the sticks.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Rowen
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# 1194

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Thanks for your support, dear people. Operation next week.

Anyway, the work four wheel is an automatic. Police advised us so, what with the mountain roads, mostly dirt, winding, in snow...
There is a saying out here. "Drive a manual- change gears every time you breathe"

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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...

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Piglet
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quote:
Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
... The Grandad started it up and complained that he couldn't get it into gear – he'd forgotten he had to use the clutch ...

My late father-in-law had the opposite problem. Back in the early 80s when D. was teaching, he acquired a little chamber-organ (it's about 5' high by 3' wide and a foot deep) and had to transport it from the south of England to Orkney. His car (his first automatic) wasn't big enough so he and his father swapped cars until the end of the next school term. There's a notorious stretch of road about an hour from the north coast called the Berriedale Braes, with lots of steep inclines, treacherous drops and hairpin bends. On one of the bends my father-in-law forgot that he was in an automatic and when he went for the clutch he got the extra-wide brake pedal instead.

D. said there were still visible skid-marks on the road for months afterwards ... [Eek!]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged
Galloping Granny
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I recently had a guest from Canada staying for a couple of nights. As I drove her along narrow suburban streets that snake around the hills, with cars parked sometimes on both sides, she couldn't stop exclaiming at my exceptional driving skill. If you live here, it's just normal. But I've seen experienced drivers from, say, Christchurch or Hastings, in a state of real terror.

An older colleague when I was teaching in Napier in the fifties reported having driven to Auckland in her Morris Minor. To cross the city, she hired a taxi. As they chatted she admitted she didn't have the nerve to drive in the city traffic. But the taxi driver confessed he wouldn't drive over the Napier-Taupo Road (which some people are still a bit wary of sixty years later).

Not much later I drove the Skippers Road but I wouldn't do it now. Crown Range is doesn't deserve its fearsome reputation though.

GG

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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113

Posts: 2629 | From: Matarangi | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged
Arabella Purity Winterbottom

Trumpeting hope
# 3434

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Napier has its exciting streets, particularly on the Hill. When I sat my drivers license, in 1980, the traffic officer hadn't checked the route beforehand. He first took me into very complicated roadworks, then to get away from them, down a street that rivals anything in Wellington for narrowness. Where, lo and behold, a large moving van was stuck in a hairpin bend. I got to show off my backing skills for around 200 metres. At this point, the officer was so freaked out, he apologised, told me I'd passed, and we went back to the station.

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Hell is full of the talented and Heaven is full of the energetic. St Jane Frances de Chantal

Posts: 3702 | From: Aotearoa, New Zealand | Registered: Oct 2002  |  IP: Logged
Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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When I went for my test, I was driving a Renault R4. Gear box is right behind radiator and lever comes straight through over engine for several feet. Then though dashboard and a rightangle bend up.

Pokice sergeant had never seen anything like it and told me if I could drive that, I could drive anything. Reluctantly he asked me to drive around the block. Teo minutes later I had my luttle piece of paper.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Galloping Granny
Shipmate
# 13814

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If we're getting our licences...

I was several years into teaching when one of the senior girls (Napier again) offered me a ride into town and remarked 'I suppose you drive, Miss G?' So when I went home for the holidays I asked Dad to teach me. For the next year, each time I came home he had me drive slowly round the block, changing gears, up and down. In the end, teaching in a country town, I got the local driving teacher to take me on. It was such a flat area that the only place to learn a hill start was where a road went up over the railway embankment. So when the time came for the local policeman to test me, we drove round a block or two, and then he said 'Well, if Laurie D says you're good enough, I'll pass you.'

How very different from today's palaver.

Hard to believe I could once double-declutch quite smoothly, thus greatly impressing a young student I was taking home from a school event.

GG

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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113

Posts: 2629 | From: Matarangi | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged
Welease Woderwick

Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424

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When we first bought the jeep in 1998 Himself had a licence but had never really driven so I had to sort of re-teach him and, with The Big City resembling a pancake in its flatness, we had to find a bridge for the hill start bit - it is not part of the test here but we were going drive across the mountains so thought it was a good idea.

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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
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What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?

Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005  |  IP: Logged
Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002

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quote:
Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
If we're getting our licences...

I was several years into teaching when one of the senior girls (Napier again) offered me a ride into town and remarked 'I suppose you drive, Miss G?' So when I went home for the holidays I asked Dad to teach me. For the next year, each time I came home he had me drive slowly round the block, changing gears, up and down. In the end, teaching in a country town, I got the local driving teacher to take me on. It was such a flat area that the only place to learn a hill start was where a road went up over the railway embankment. So when the time came for the local policeman to test me, we drove round a block or two, and then he said 'Well, if Laurie D says you're good enough, I'll pass you.'

How very different from today's palaver.

Hard to believe I could once double-declutch quite smoothly, thus greatly impressing a young student I was taking home from a school event.

GG

My Dad says when he got his licence if you could drive around the block without hitting anything, you'd pass. Although he did have to do a reverse park, the Policeman looked out the window and said "That's as close as bugger is to swearing" and gave him his licence.

[ 11. March 2016, 01:31: Message edited by: Evangeline ]

Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004  |  IP: Logged
Rowen
Shipmate
# 1194

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I was at the test centre. I pulled the car out on to the highway. The worst storm of the year hit at that exact same time. I was asked to drive round the block, and go back into the compound.
I did that successfully, and we exited the car, shaking like leaves in the wind.
Got the licence!

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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...

Posts: 4897 | From: Somewhere cold in Victoria, Australia | Registered: Aug 2001  |  IP: Logged
Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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The day has finally arrived for Miss M's dad's wedding. It is hot and sticky, but fine. Eldest grandson asked specifically if he could be my chauffeur to the church. I was proud to accept his offer. I am being collected ridiculously early. 10:15 for midday, but Parramatta Road and M4 can be even more clogged on a Saturday than at weekday peak. I don't want him rattled, he does not drive down this area often.

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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002

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Hope you all have a wonderful day Loth!
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004  |  IP: Logged
Arabella Purity Winterbottom

Trumpeting hope
# 3434

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quote:
Originally posted by Evangeline:
My Dad says when he got his licence if you could drive around the block without hitting anything, you'd pass. Although he did have to do a reverse park, the Policeman looked out the window and said "That's as close as bugger is to swearing" and gave him his licence.

My mum said much the same. I think there were about 20 cars in the area at the time and the roads were still dirt.

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Hell is full of the talented and Heaven is full of the energetic. St Jane Frances de Chantal

Posts: 3702 | From: Aotearoa, New Zealand | Registered: Oct 2002  |  IP: Logged
Piglet
Islander
# 11803

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quote:
Originally posted by Lothlorien:
The day has finally arrived for Miss M's dad's wedding ...

Hope you all have/have had a wonderful day. [Smile]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged



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