A beautiful Spring day at Otihanga

 Wednesday 21st September

A cracking day weatherwise. Thought about doing some chores for a microsecond, but naaah, decided to go for a walk from Otihanga domain to Waikanae beach.

Just some photos



Kapiti Island from Waikanae Beach



Saw the above and panicked! What a crap Christmas (but a great piss-up on my birthday). Kapiti Coast Council assured me that it only applied to the beach thank God.

Some big white birds on the nest (and why not?)



Lagoon with artistic jetty and bewildered duck



There were lots of fishermen out in the Waikanae River estuary with frame nets. They were waiting for the tide to turn and for the whitebait to come upstream. Whitebait over here are not the same as at home - sort of frogspawn with balls on. Bloody expensive in the shops (hence fishermen) but bloody good in fritters.

This afternoon I had a rush of blood to the head and cleared the weeds from the vege (?) patch and dug it over in preparation for living off the land.

Before



After



Things that tickled my fancy

1. A billboard outside a church in central Wellington (and just around the corner from the Sprinboks' hotel) proclaims 'Jesus loves the All Blacks'. I thought He loved all of us poor souls, but this is further evidence of my theory that He didn't die (just like Elvis) but moved to the South Island (just like Elvis) and now plays gigs around the Invercargill as part of trio consisting of Himself, The King and ............? All suggestions greatfully received. Aaron and I thought at one stage it might be Adolf, but he was crap on the drums. By the way, if you think I'm making this up, look here.
2. A brilliant safety jingle from the New Zealand Fire Brigade aimed at preventing pissed RWC visitors setting fire to themselves (and Aotearoa). Sung to the tune of the South African National Anthem Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, it features the memorable lyrics "Don't drink and fry / go and purchase a pie". Go on sing it - you know you're longing to!
3. If you thought 1 (above) was sacriligeous, how about today's Dominion Post headline that "Jesus is an All Black". Christ (oops!) the Kiwis are pulling out all the stops in their quest for World Rugby Domination. The theory is that of Dean Frank Nelson, a raving lunatic cleric from the Wellington Cathedral of St. Paul where a painting of JC in an All Black jersey is now on display. I don't know if they still burn people at the stake (steak - see 2 above) in New Zealand, but heresy trials can't be too far away.



The Lunacy of Religion