Thursday 31 March 2016

March 30th Radioactive

My toes certainly looked radioactive with the nail polish I picked today. This is how they appeared as they were under the UV light drying. Fortunately they took on a different hue away from the UV. I don't mind standing out in the crowd, but as for this look?




Wednesday 30 March 2016

March 29th I have E.S.B.L.

Yes I have ESBL - not to be confused with ESPN.  You may well ask what the heck is ESBL Not only is it nothing to do with ESPN, it also does not stand for Extra Serious Bulls**t Load!! Also prior to today I had never heard mention of it.

Let's start at the beginning. I had an outpatient hospital appointment - nothing serious, so I was happy to go public and be put on a waiting list - and which as it happened was only a few months, which I actually thought was surprisingly fast given it was public and not urgent.

Fortunately I had a fairly early morning appointment at 9:15am, and rocked up to find a practically empty waiting room



From the outer waiting area I was taken into the inner sanctum by a nurse.  We did our Meet and Greets and then she said to me "don't be put off by the apron I am laying out for the Doctor. This is just a precaution because of your ESBL"

That is when I replied in total shock and amazement..."ESBL!  ESBL - what the heck (in my head I silently thought of another 4 letter word and it wasn't fork) is ESBL?)

Nurse looks at me in amazement. "You know,  ESBL - as mentioned here in your medical records"

Me "I have got no idea what ESBL is or that I even have it:

Nurse "It is  infectious, which is why we have the apron. I will go and get you a brochure that explains it"

Me to myself "What the hell, WTF, and that isn't for Wednesday Thursday Friday believe me"

When the nurse returned with the brochure and by then she could see I truly had no idea what she was talking about. ESBL stands for Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (producing Bacteria).  It is infectious and health professionals need to be aware of it, and if hospitalised, a patient should have a single room.

Fortunately all records are computerised, and the Nurse was willing to go back and investigate when this happened. Lo and behold a Pathologist report from surgery required in November 2013,  detected the presence of ESBL - of which not only myself, but my GP should have been notified of.  And no one has ever thought to pass on this fairly piece of important information!

Just when I thought I was over all the drama associated with surgeries in 2013 - another surprise rears its head to meet me.

Oh well, I wonder if there is an elite ESBL Club in existence (G & Ts at 5 with cucumber sandwiches darlings?) or if this affliction is as common as mud. Who knows??? I do know I am of at no risk of passing it on in general to anyone - so don't panic if you see me. It is only something for the medical profession to be aware of when they are treating me.

Tuesday 29 March 2016

March 28th Food, Glorious Food

Today was the fourth day of our Easter Holiday, and with George having to work the first three days, today was definitely going to be a stay at home day. Apart from me taking Minnie out, to enable her to check out and leave her mark on some power poles and clumps of grass.

So what do you take a photo of when you have a day like that? It has to be food of course!!

From eyeing up the wonderful selection in the fruit bowl. Better eat these bananas soon and if anyone has any passionfruit they would like to gift, I would not say no.


Then it was time to pick another bunch of grapes from our vine


I opened a carton of farm fresh eggs that George had purchased from a work colleague. What a pleasant surprise to see how lovely and white - and large - they were


The eggs were for our dinner. Ham, Cheese and Egg Capsicums (or Peppers as some in the world may refer to them as), cooked to perfection in the oven. These are so good that I had seconds (and George had thirds)


Yes, the day definitely had a food slant to it!

Monday 28 March 2016

March 27th Do We Have the Same Easter Bunny?

I am sure there must be more than one Easter Bunny.  Everyone else gets left Chocolate, and look what we have received over the years. Very pretty, but a little bit of chocolate wouldn't go amiss

Oh well. Happy Easter everyone


Sunday 27 March 2016

March 26th A Mystery Chilli Plant

Hopefully someone can help identify this mystery Chilli plant for us.  We purchased what we thought was our usual Chilli plants for the garden at the beginning of the year. However what we have ended up with is not your usual Chilli  I am not even sure if they are ready for picking or not.

If anyone can identify these please, it would be appreciated.





Saturday 26 March 2016

March 25th A Good Friday Walk With Minnie

It was Good Friday and Minnie and I enjoyed a good walk. Which is something we haven't done for a long time due to work commitments and I was beginning to feel that my office chair was fused to my rather round posterior.

Minnie has several routes for our walk. There is Route A, which she decides upon and if we haven't been out together for a couple of days,, this is her walk of choice and for her little legs this is a sufficiently long walk. Then there is Route B, which when I walk her a lot, this is shorter and is a doddle.  These two are her choices

Then occasionally I spring others on her, which she is not happy about. Route C appears to mimic Route A. But when we get to a turn left now point, I make her cross the road and carry on straight ahead. This she does not like and initially displays some resistance. After conceding defeat she makes her way to where, according to her the next turn left now as a short cut exists, and we can hook back up with Route B.

Route D. she loved in her younger years, but is a lot less frequent now. This is Route C extended even further so we can reach the nearby lake and walk around it.  I selected this one today, as I needed the walk. Minnie kept trying to return to Route C for all of about 20 seconds, and then discovered who really is the boss and decided like me to enjoy the scenery.

Here are a few shots from Route D, which is a lot more scenic and longer

Until a few months ago, this was an ugly concrete monolith. Amazing what a lick of paint can do!

I love this plant on Route D. The leaves have a velvet texture

The wonderful Forest Lake


My favourite 'Hug A Tree' tree

Friday 25 March 2016

March 24th Out With The Old And In With The New

When it comes to my own coffee cup I am extremely pedantic and anal. Once I find a cup that has the right feel, the right handle, the right weight it is mine, mine, mine. To the extent that if someone offers to make coffee, if they have grabbed 'MY' cup, I try and point out quickly just whose cup that is, and if I can't stop them in time I grin (and grimace inside) and bear with it.

I have had this cup since 1999. It is starting to fade with the passing of time (just like myself), but is intact with no chips and every now and then gets thrown in the whitening bucket with pillowcases that need whitening, to brighten it up (handy little tip of the day thrown in for you)



I almost feel a traitor now. Unwittingly I have found a bigger and better replacement. On Wednesday evening I attended a Joint Airline Workshop, and there were door prizes. I actually was one of the winners and came away with a lovely Aircalin Coffee cup and some beautiful New Caledonian ground coffee.

But the cup, the cup. The minute we locked eyes with each other it was love at first sight. The handle had that perfect mold to it, the weight, the size - it was perfection in a ceramic cup. The fact that I have been to New Caledonia and and flown with Aircalin, has a wonderful memorable touch to it as well.

So Smiley Face is being relegated to the cupboard. I am not sure if I could bin him after all these years of service. And Aircalin is the new kid on the block, whom I hope will see me out for as many years as Smiley





Thursday 24 March 2016

March 23rd Warm Fuzzies All The Way From Tumba, Sweden

It was lovely to have dinner this evening with Caroline who is here in NZ and has travelled all the way from Tumba (near Stockholm), Sweden.

I could say she was here just to see me, but alas not  Caroline is based in Sweden at the international Head Office for George's work, and was in Hamilton to present a training program, which he attended on Monday and Tuesday.  Caroline was still in Hamilton on Wednesday and we had arranged to meet for dinner as she had a free evening.

In the meantime George had to fly down to Wellington for a day's work and couldn't make it. Even with George as an unable, it was lovely to spend the evening with Caroline.

Caroline, in life people cross your path in the most unexpected ways, and whilst it may be a long time till we get to meet again, fortunately due to modern technology (here's looking at you Facebook) I know we can keep in touch. And who knows! We may get to enjoy dinner with you in Sweden sometime. Enjoy the rest of your stay in our beautiful country and the South Island

Ka Kite Ano 




Wednesday 23 March 2016

March 22nd The Harvest

Our Grapes are ready for the picking  This is just a tiny portion of what is ready to be picked  Not too bad for a little suburban garden and they taste amazing!



Tuesday 22 March 2016

March 21st My Wine Protector

It may have well been the Equinox, a realisation that just came to me now, but that doesn't stop the little mozzies and fruit flies from flitting about. Which can be a nuisance at dusk, which is the time when I enjoy my end of day wine.

As I had to work into the evening, I decided a little grape would provide some sustenance. And I also came up with this ingenious solution to the little insects buzzing about.

So you think you can drink my wine. Well you can go and get zapped you little bothersome waste of spaces!


Sunday 20 March 2016

March 19th - 20th A Freaky Occurrences Weekend

It certainly has been a freaky occurrences weekend for me. It started on Friday. One of my business customers had travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan. That may have not been his exact location whilst in the States, but it was both his arrival and departure airport.  I hadn't really heard of Grand Rapids before. But then....

I was reading of a local Rugby League hero who was back here in his nearby old hometown and visiting his old school. The reporter asked him where he now resided as he had to retire from the game due to head injuries, and his answer was ... you guessed it... Grand Rapids, USA

On Saturday morning I received a phone call from my customer, who due to being stuck in traffic, got to Grand Rapids Airport only to find he was two minutes late and the gate had closed. I had to make like a Travel Agent on Saturday morning, and work some miracles to get him flying out of Grand Rapids Airport asap.

Does the freakiness end there. No it doesn't.  We decided for our Saturday night TV viewing, we would watch a movie that George recorded way back in July 2015. Guess which city in the US the movie was? I don't think you even need three guesses for that one. Yes it was in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Then we get to Sunday, and at 9:19am to be pedantic, I hear the front doorbell ring. I expected it to be family, so wasn't too fussed about appearing glamorous. Only it wasn't family. It was the lovely Lisa and Donald Templeton, who had flown here from Timaru in the South Island,  for Lisa to demonstrate her awesome cake decorating skills and her creativity with making flowers.  Lisa and Donald's other momentous claim to fame is that they are leading a custard invasion throughout the world, with their phenomenal, mouth watering custard squares.

So before I get to my photo of the day, you may well ask why is this a freaky occurrence. Yes, a wonderful surprise but freaky? Because later in the day I was checking my Facebook as you do, and my memories came up. And five years ago to this very day, Lisa called in here on March 20th. Donald remained home in Timaru in the South Island, but Lisa and her at that stage two children and one bun in the oven, who starts school this year, plus Lisa's best friends were here at our house.

And then I realised I did NOT take a photo of Lisa and Donald this morning. I could kick myself. So as a recompense, I am just going to have to post a photo of a box of their world famous custard squares, that were sent up as a lovely surprise gift for my birthday, and are still dwelling in the freezer, waiting for that perfect oink oink, I really feel like a pig out and I refuse to share day, well okay I will share but only with a significant other.


Here's the photo from 5 years ago to the day when Lisa last visited


Oh and where's Saturday photo you may well ask. Well this was another oink, oink, I am going to pig out and I do NOT have to share with my significant other as he doesn't like them day.  The new season's Bluff Oysters, enjoyed raw and dipped into a Japanese Soy Sauce with just a gentle squirt of Wasabi. Absolute Heaven!


Saturday 19 March 2016

March 18th Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Even  more of a winner when I am not the cook. George threw this together tonight, to be cooked on the BBQ.  I did play a miniscule part and peeled the garlic, carrot, potatoes and onions, which I am sure made a huge contribution to the wonderful taste


Friday 18 March 2016

March 17th Surrounded By Balloons

This week in our hometown of Hamilton, there is a Balloon Festival being held. Not the hand held ones silly - the ones that transport you to magical places, give you magnificent views and sound like a dragon's breath when they fly overhead.

Here are images taken, all from our house as they flew overhead







Thursday 17 March 2016

March 16th Mrs Anna's Motel for Small Dogs

Hi. It's Minnie here. Before She Who Is My Slave gets on here, I thought I would act like a Mutineer, take over and update you on how I am, or should I say how I feel I am being grossly neglected.

Please don't take me the wrong way with regards the neglect! I  have a full belly, a lovely comfy bed to sprawl on at night (it is with great delight that I manage to maneuver each of them to the edge of the bed, so I get all the in between space to myself), I get brushed and taken out each day to pee on power poles and to show off to my peers. Ahhh I do have a good life. Wait! Hold On!  I was talking neglect. Let's get back to the neglect They do neglect me. By swanning off and sending me to Mrs Anna's Motel for Small Dogs (obviously that isn't the real name, but that is what I call it). 

It sounds like absolute luxury, which it is. But they swan off and leave me there. I started  hearing about 4 nights in Fiji. Sipping cocktails and lying in the hot sun. I was about to dig out my dog-kini and then on the day of departure, I found myself being left at Mrs Anna's Motel for Small Dogs I ask you! Isn't that neglect?

Oh and just before that I hear about this wonderful, wonderful birthday party. There was to be cake, candles, lots of music and guests - all there to admire what a wonderful creature I am and to wish her a Happy Birthday.  Next thing I know... Yes you guessed right. It was Hello yet again to Mrs Anna's Motel for Small Dogs

I am thinking of running away. I spend so much time at Mrs Anna's Motel for Small Dogs, I might as well head there permanently. I was plotting all of this tonight. She wanted to take my photo and my response was my arse, you are getting a photo. And then she started that little massage thing. Right on that spot in the top middle, just above my back legs.  Ah yes, yes, do it again. Oh I love your long fingernails. Oh yes. OK I will stay. Oh yes. OK I'm yours. You're forgiven. Until next time...

Wednesday 16 March 2016

March 15th Back To Reality

Back to the reality of work and everyday life. However if life wasn't composed with everyday humdrum and routine and earning $$$ to make it go round, we wouldn't appreciate it when something out of the norm does happen.

No Chef's cooking for me tonight and no choice of cocktails Yes it was back to wondering what to have for dinner, no choosing what to select from the menu, and back to the peeling of the spuds. Note to self: Put Potatoes on the shopping list, current ones are starting to sprout


Tuesday 15 March 2016

March 10th - 14th Fiji Me!

Radio Transmission has been silent here because we have been in Fiji. I was very lucky to win 4 nights accommodation in Fiji with two nights at The Naviti Resort, and two nights at The Warwick Resort. All together now - sighhhhhhhhh!!

Yes it was that lovely, and the stress of modern life melted away the moment our toes touched the pool. Well from the time we boarded our flight actually. And our stresses slipped even further away when the realisation hit that we had only one hour free internet per day. Which wasn't cumulated from usage, but from the minute you first logged on Really! In this day and age? So no Facebooking photos of cocktails in the pool, ocean views from the room, garden views mixed with car park views at our second hotel, hot sun and wondrous meals.

After that realisation on the first day, I decided that the world wide web and myself were having a temporary separation. A case of it's not you, it's me. I think we need our our own space for a few days. Look when I make it back to civilization maybe we can hook up again.  Which actually didn't happen, because even Nadi Airport charge for net access.  For which I refuse to pay. Usually you waste a lot of GB and $$$ due to slow connections, and I would rather do without.

So here is a small selection of photos from our 5 day mini break. I may have been cut off from the world, but my trusty phone is always with me, and I still indulge in taking photos each and every day

The lovely Ranesh, who met us on arrival for our transfer to the hotel



Being Welcomed at the Manager's Cocktail Party







Miriam's First Day on the Job as a Teppanyaki Chef




People who know me well will splutter,  but this is a Mocktail






Seafood and Steak House at The Warwick

You're leaving me?

A farewell bubbly at the Airport. Let's give you Prosecco in a Moet and Chandon 'Glass' which is made of Plastic
 I am going to finish on this little note. The food was wonderful, but the Fijian slant on some recipes was delightful. For instance I was thrilled to see Congee (Asian Porridge) at the Warwick Hotel's Buffet Breakfast. I love it when I see Congee on the breakfast menue. However the Fijian version is vastly different. This trend was noticeable in quite a few foods, but the one that got me the most was the Garlic Naan Bread.  This is what I got. Not quite what I expected!




Wednesday 9 March 2016

March 9th Is This A Coincidence Or What?

Well they say the couple that plays together, stays together - or is that families?  However what about the couple that lose teeth together? They have to be destined for longevity.

Facebook brings up memories and four years ago to this day, I actually posted a photo (on 9th March 2012 to be exact) of a crown of two teeth that totally fell out of my mouth, for no reason whatsoever. One minute I was talking away, and not even eating, and to coin a Kiwi phrase, Nekk Minnit......

Well the plot sickens. Fast forward to 9 March 2016.  George was relaxing after a hard day's work. I still hadn't stopped (in his defense he did start his working day a good three hours before me), and Nekk Minnit.... from the lounge I hear .."oh no, oh god, what the hell?"  As any good wife would do, I went running in to see what our current catastrophe was.

Well blow me down with a tail feather (or a seagull feather, or a chicken feather, or whatever). George showed me in his hand a plate that for no reason had just fallen out of his mouth. We can't blame shoddy workmanship as it has resided in his mouth for 40 years.

But what sort of coincidence is that? Four years to the day, we both lost some teeth, and I subsequently incurred and George is about to incur a hefty dental bill.