Category: Random

Fee Writes

Random

All Things Come To An End

And house-sits are no exception. A bit of a quick post today.

Yesterday I moved out of the lovely home in Devonport road and went to stay with my fab friends overnight and, of course, their lovely dog, Scotty who I have got to know over the years.

But before I left I went to visit the neighbour who has a great B&B in a really old home that has been lovingly restored. Well, a few modern bits and bobs e.g. kitchen!!! It dates back to 1880 when it was built as a private home and the couple who own it now are only the 4th owners – not bad for an old shack.

Of course, I wanted to take a look around, as you do, and I have to say what a place to stay if you’re coming to these parts and want to be in the city. Pics below.
But, being two floors and on a different section, the view was different from the one I had been enjoying in my lovely house-sit. That’s where the featured image up there at the top came from. Yup the day was not the best, but it still is a stunning view!

So, “where to next?” I hear you ask. Yes, I’m off to another home oddly enough at the completely other end of the same road. This time it’s looking after Lily while “mum” is away in the U.K. A shorter stay, but still long enough to get used to the place.

More on Lily later. Right now – enjoy some of the images from the historic home named Taiparoro.

Fee Writes

The Kiwi Icon The Batch

I’m sure that most of the kiwis reading this fondly remember the batch

And for my other readers who are not kiwis, the definition of The Batch is really a knocked up shed on steroids. The batch was a summer holiday home and basically made from recycled whatever the dad and his mates could get their hands on.

Our batch had been an army hut before it was hauled off to a piece of sand at the beautiful beach, Whangamata. The wooden, recycled, french doors opened up to a sea view and us running off over the sand dunes to the sea.

Now, that batch has gone – there are two holidays homes on that one piece of land, the outside dunny (toilet) has been replaced with sewage and there is now a road with houses on either side where we would run to get to the sea.

Last weekend Jess (my fellow SAFE cor-ordinator) and I had a meeting at a cafe in Papamoa – a beachy part of Tauranga that is becoming the “place to be”. After our coffee and cake (lovely vegan cake mmmmmmm), we went for a drive to have a look at the new developments that have sprung up.

Some of the old places are still there and, obviously, being used in a variety of ways as you can see by the close up below.

But what made us the happiest was seeing some of the original batches are still there. I only managed to grab a couple of photos – Nostalgia reigns!

This one is three stories and is very typical of the “let’s go up one more” mentality of the time …. no building consent needed!

There were quite a few of this style at many beaches, although how it gets on when it rains with the flat roof and no eves ???? just lots of buckets I guess.

And just in case you can’t remember what the Kiwi Icon is called …

Although this next one isn’t a “batch”, both Jess and I wondered what on earth the bits of timber were for ….. Please comment if you’ve got any idea.

What we found intriguing about the old batches (and there were lots more), they are all in prime position – a spit of a walk to the beach. And all the flash homes – well, they’re in the “suburbia” area and have to drive. It’s wonderful to see, although how long it will last is anyone’s guess!

Fee Writes

Random | Rants

News Is Just a Fleeting Moment

This is a serious post this time … it is a post that I hope you will think about.

The reason I’m writing is that I had a very stark reminder of how fleeting news items can be. And how bizarre our perception of what is important and what is not.

Now I like my Facebook – can’t speak for anyone else, but I like mine. I have very few friends compared to most, but my friends post good stuff about what they’re doing, or something they’ve come across that they have laughed at/cried over/thought about etc.

All my “friends” I know personally – I have actually spoken to them in real life and that’s why I enjoy my Facebook. I also have “liked” a number of pages that cover my interests.

Yes, Facebook is changing, and there’s more sponsored posts, but that’s o.k. – hey, I have a business on Facebook and do some of those myself, so I’m cool with it.

Unfortunately, sometimes the “you may like these” posts that pop up in a group, aren’t exactly synced.

Take a close look at this this – can you see what’s wrong with it?

I had watched a video for Whittaker’s chocolate … yes, I love Whittaker’s ’cause they have yummy vegan chocs. And when I finished the video this came up.

Do you see what is wrong here?

The horror of the war in Syria is outted by the two chocolate videos. Which leads me to my heading – News is just a fleeting moment.

Because it doesn’t affect us, because it is something that is happening on the other side of the world, because the people are not “like us”, because we here in this isolated island country have absolutely no idea what these mothers, fathers, sons and daughters are experiencing – we go for the chocolate.

We go for the chocolate because it’s “known”, we go for the chocolate because it’s “sweet”, we go for the chocolate because it can’t hurt us and it is safe.

This little boy has been labeled the “pin-up” for the Syrian war. I remember another little Syrian boy about a year ago who was rescued off the Greek island of Lesbos – he became the “pin-up”. I’m sure there will be another one.

News is just a fleeting moment.

I know there is nothing we can do, but please take time to appreciate what you do have.

Fee Writes

Random

Past The Half Way Mark

It’s now week 6 of the 10-week stint I have in this home. Have to admit the location is pretty spot on. It really is true – “location, location, location”.

Two blocks from Grindz (the fav cafe), three blocks from the start of the CBD, around the corner from the Saturday farmers market and to top everything off – three op shops (thrift stores) within a one-block radius…what could be better? Ha, I’m in my element.

Of course, it’s been winter so even though the above paragraph sounds ideal … it’s been either raining or just too cold to go out walking the streets too often.

And, speaking of winter, although this is a really, really lovely home, it doesn’t get much sun in the area where I work on my computer. The view is awesome from the table window and quite distracting at times, but just on the wrong side of the house to catch some warming, winter sun. Mind you, good excuse to get up, make a coffee and take a break in the courtyard and the sunshine.

Now, this is not complaining, not at all, just a mere observation regarding the lack of sun. In fact, it did get me thinking. “here we go again” I can hear you say “thinking…nothing good comes from her thinking too much”. Well, I have been thinking and here’s what my suggestion is. Anyone who is considering building a home should go house-sitting for awhile.

Why? Because each place I’ve been to have wonderful things and not so wonderful things about them. Take, for example, a double sink, one big, one a bit smaller (the sort used for those compost thingies), but the tap is positioned incorrectly. It fits over the small sink perfectly, but only just gets into the large one.

So if rinsing out pots or larger dishes, it is a little more difficult with the tap over the large sink … the tap should have been moved over a just a tad to give more leeway in the bigger sink.
Then there’s the matter of a shower cubicle being big enough. I mean, I know I’m only little, but if I struggle with not having enough space to step back a bit so I’m not being drowned from the water which comes from a fixed shower head, then I pity anyone who is bigger than me.

Enough of the downers, obviously there are good things and they come under the category – “now this is a brilliant idea”. For example, a full house water filter, an automatic light in the pantry … that actually lights everything, not just one shelf – and the best one I’ve come across so far is an extra hot water tap that delivers boiling water. Oh, how easy was making the cup of tea with that!!!!! – no jug needed.

All the homes I’ve looked after have been really lovely, homey and with such a good feel to them all. Do I have a favourite? Not really. A bit like the cats I look after … don’t have a favourite there either as each one has been different.

Winter is nearly over, the sun seems a bit warmer and today the sky is blue. Life is delicious. I’m now going to go get a cuppa, sit in the sun and do some more thinking.

ps – would love you to scroll down and put in an odd comment or, even subscribe to this silly old blog.

Fee Writes

Environment | Random

Weather Around The World.

Perhaps I should become a weather girl … Not!

But the other day when I was skyping with my friend in Florida she was telling me how the weather over there is so very unusual. I already had an idea that it was, what with the fires on the West coast and the rains and floods on the East.

Then she told me that friends were in Los Vegas and it hailed – yup, Los Vegas – Hail – Go figure. The hailstones were of a decent size too – O.k. so the hail didn’t stick around for long as the heat melted it, but that’s not the point – it hailed in Los Vegas!!

My curiosity got the better of me, so while Googling an image of this hail I also searched around to see if it had happened before. So far there’s been 9 reports of hail this year in Los Vegas. If you go back in time there was only one report of hail in the years 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013. So what’s happened this year to make it hail more often?

Hey, I’m no meteorologist which means I have no idea, but I’m going to step out on a limb here and surmise that the weather is changing all over the world.

It seems like North America has more hot air than even the Donald can muster and these absurd weather patterns are striking with great force over the entire country.

So what about the weather in my neck of the woods?

Well, New Zealand is not missing out on the bizarre weather patterns either.

It appears that June 2016 was the 3rd warmest on record. Overall the temperatures were well above average and the rainfall was below normal. (Mind you, where I live apparently the rainfall was above normal which would be right).

And here’s what the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research says:

“The first 6 months of 2016 have all been warmer than average and January to June 2016 is the warmest such period in the seven station series temperature history with a departure from average of +1.4°C.”

Now I hope you’ve realised that I haven’t at any point in the above drivel mention the words climate change … if you are at all interested in it – I’m sure you’re capable of doing your own research.

Bored yet?

O.k. I hear you – so I’ll change the subject.

Geez, it’s been a bleak, wet and cold old day today.

Category: Random

All Things Come To An End

And house-sits are no exception. A bit of a quick post today.

The Kiwi Icon The Batch

I’m sure that most of the kiwis reading this fondly remember the batch

News Is Just a Fleeting Moment

This is a serious post this time … it is a post that I hope you will think about.

Past The Half Way Mark

It’s now week 6 of the 10-week stint I have in this home. Have to admit the location is pretty spot on. It really is true – “location, location, location”.

Weather Around The World.

Perhaps I should become a weather girl … Not!

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