While I wouldn't welcome sleet or snow, I'm not welcoming 32C yesterday and today's forecast maximum. I woke up this morning at 5am to continue sorting out pillowcases and such last minute things. When temperature climb above 25C I find it challenging, above 30C I'm totally useless.
I know it's a silly detail, but I've just rediscovered the pillowcase with pawprints to use on the bed with the cat quilt made by my other sister-in-law.
I know my sister-in-law is better at technical stuff than I am ( actually most 10 year olds would be) so I'm going to ask her how to find the cooler setting for the heat pump. We have never had such a prolonged run of temperatures over 30C and I've only ever used 'the heating function.
It has not been a good week with the loss of two dear friends. One 97 from Sydney, the other 77 in Melbourne. Both excellent musicians and both were an inspiration to me for over 4 decades. RIP Ian and Emily.
Sympathy from our corner of the Valley, Dennis. It's been a similar week for us, the sad but expected passing of E referred to in the prayer thread and also the sudden death of J, a friend of five decades. So two funerals this coming week along with the usual round of health-related appointments. Covid seems to have left me with some lingering issues.
Sympathy from our corner of the Valley, Dennis. It's been a similar week for us, the sad but expected passing of E referred to in the prayer thread and also the sudden death of J, a friend of five decades. So two funerals this coming week along with the usual round of health-related appointments. Covid seems to have left me with some lingering issues.
Thank you, much appreciated. There will not be a funeral for our Melbourne friend so a few of us scattered around Oz and NZ are writing our memories and sharing them to give us all a sense of closure. The Sydney friend is having a memorial service but the times don't work for me.
I seem to have reached a stage in life when I go to funerals of friends and acquaintances most Fridays. I never seem to go to weddings anymore, but just to say farewell to people. Why do most funerals now have so many eulogies? The last one had five long offerings.
Anything more than one plus a few choice words given by the vicar (or another clergycritter who knew the deceased) is too many.
I've had to try keeping awake in the choirstalls at far too many funerals for total strangers while this one, that one and the next one troop up to the lectern and mumble incoherently about the dear departed's love for golf/whisky/cats/Manchester United.*
I seem to have reached a stage in life when I go to funerals of friends and acquaintances most Fridays. I never seem to go to weddings anymore, but just to say farewell to people. Why do most funerals now have so many eulogies? The last one had five long offerings.
When my Granny got to this stage, and she had lived all her life in the one town, so knew everyone, she decided to go to just one funeral a month. In my innocence I asked her how she would choose. She gave me the “silly youngster” look and replied firmly, “The first one.”
My brother who lives in Chicago has been visiting and is now in Auckland. Thank goodness he has a group of old friends there to bunk down with. He's booked to fly home from Auckland on Wednesday, whether he can or not depends on the weather. His partner flew home earlier as she had shorter holidays.
Christchurch is forecast to have rain all this week, but not the cyclone. We have been having much hotter temperatures than usual, I think the highest was just over 33c, which is a record and way beyond my comfort zone.
I seem to have reached a stage in life when I go to funerals of friends and acquaintances most Fridays. I never seem to go to weddings anymore, but just to say farewell to people. Why do most funerals now have so many eulogies? The last one had five long offerings.
I played for a funeral at my old church two weeks ago and there were four eulogies, four very long eulogies. The service was 90 mins too long!
Considering the age of many at funerals, 90 minutes overlength is far too long, and a great strain on the bladders of many. As one who's had that operation, that's a serious comment and I speak from experience.
I was at the funeral of our former Federal MP several years ago, when the family gave two longish eulogies, followed by a full Requiem Mass. A couple of former cabinet ministers were observed being discreetly ushered out to the facilities during the course of the liturgy. My eldest son is my executor and I've told him a family eulogy and a community eulogy of no more than five minutes each or I'll come back and haunt him. Save the rest for the wake!
Now Christchurch has a heavy rain watch until midnight on Wednesday. The North Island is still being battered and the Government has called a national state of Emergency. I have supplies for a few days because the drivers on my bus route have a stop-work meeting tomorrow. I wish they had waited until I bought a new bike helmet and pumped up my bicycle tyres. I also need to find Aroha's cage in case high tide and maximum rainfall coincide.
We've had solid rain here for a few hours, but not as much as you seem to have had. Perhaps an afternoon coffee in one of the nearby shopping centres where we can park and walk under cover
Light drizzle accompanied our arrival at E's funeral this morning and continued on and off throughout until after the interment when a softly soaking squall moved in. Hundreds of relatives and residents had turned out as her family were pioneers of the district in the 1830's, but were they discouraged? Not a bit of it. When the little hall was fully occupied and the portable pergolas and churchyard trees likewise they stood in the rain expressing condolences or catching up. Quintessentially country.
The cyclone has moved away from Auckland so my brother should be able to fly home as planned today.
The wind and rain here have picked up but knowing there is a stop work meeting for the bus drivers on all routes I can easily access, I am staying home today having done some grocery shopping yesterday.
This will be a good time to start the colourful elephant needlework I have planned for my oldest brother's birthday (probably for next year, rather than this, depending on my diligence and whatever life brings). I know G will like it as it combines lots of different colours and an elephant, but I am less enthusiastic.
The cyclone has moved away from Auckland so my brother should be able to fly home as planned today.
The wind and rain here have picked up but knowing there is a stop work meeting for the bus drivers on all routes I can easily access, I am staying home today having done some grocery shopping yesterday.
This will be a good time to start the colourful elephant needlework I have planned for my oldest brother's birthday (probably for next year, rather than this, depending on my diligence and whatever life brings). I know G will like it as it combines lots of different colours and an elephant, but I am less enthusiastic.
No violent storms here, but some much needed gentle showers - just the sort of day to sit down with some gentle needlework. Are you at any risk of flooding if heavy rain sets in? We know that lots of Christchurch is.
Only if high tide and maximum rainfall coincide. So far I think it's OK as we are on a weather watch, rather than a weather warning which is more serious.
Thanks for your concern Gee D. Christchurch hasn't had the rainfall that was forecast, for which I am grateful. Today the sun is out and although the wind is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, it's a good day.
Unfortunately our situation isn't enjoyed by much of the rest of the country. People are separated from their families and as both cell phone coverage and internet are disrupted it's a nightmare situation. Wairoa, a small town on the east coast where I lived and taught for a year is totally cut off and army personnel have been helicoptered in to cook barbecues to feel people.
To be honest I've stopped listening to the news for a couple of days because I was feeling totally overwhelmed by it, especially when it was compounded by a strong earthquake north of Wellington (it was mag 6.3, but was about 50 kms deep). I feel a it guilty about this, but it was a strategy I used during the quakes here to cope with the information overload. If I'm home I will listen to the mid-day and 10pm bulletins, and avoid a particular reporter who follows the "If it bleeds, it leads" school of journalism.
We have a bunch of Aussie firefighters headed towards the flood damaged areas on a search and rescue mission. There is still a large number of people unaccounted for. The hope is that they are OK, but don't have cell phone coverage, but some of the areas are remote, so it's difficult to know.
It may be cowardly, but I'm limiting my exposure to the news. It's not that I don't care, but I'm doing what I can through donations etc. I did the same during the devastation of the Christchurch earthquakes.
Thinking of you Huia and the other NZ folk as clean ups go on, very hard for so many people. I do hope however, that you are having good family time with your visitors. Things are very quiet where I am, but a friend was out doing his volunteer bit at a grass fire a week or so ago. The black swans that were visiting on the local pond have now disappeared. I wonder whether it was time for them to move elsewhere as the cygnets looked as though they had lost all their down and were getting quite large. I'll be watching to see if they come back later in the year. The recycling men have just been, so had better go and retrieve the bin!! I'm wondering where the recycling is going at present as our recycling centre had a fire and needs to be rebuilt. I hope this can be achieved fairly quickly as it's one thing that everyone really embraces and I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking with dismay about stuff being sent to landfill.
Yes, it always feels like such a waste of potential when the recycling isn't working. One of the local supermarkets has a bench made of recycled plastic, but I think the product that surprised me most was glass recycled into road surfacing. Most recently I've seen pens advertised as being made from recycled bottles.
The other positive note is my superannuation is paid into my bank the day after the yellow topped recycling bin is emptied.
The other positive note is my superannuation is paid into my bank the day after the yellow topped recycling bin is emptied.
My pension is paid same day as our recycling. When I was working it was same day too. If the recycling days are changes I will be very confused indeed.
We have 3 recycle services, so an odd pattern for garbage removal. Each week sees the small general rubbish bin emptied. One week is for green rubbish - we don't have much as we put as possible into the compost heap. The other week has 2 extra bins emptied - one each for paper/cardboard etc and the other for glass and other recyclable waste. These extra 3 bins are half as large again as the general bin.
Monday is collection day here: red top bin for landfill, yellow for glass/ plastic/ paper recycling and green for garden waste (large) and kitchen scraps ( small). I don’t have a composter ( other than one large pot which receives coffee
I’d put red bin out 3 monthly if lucky and yellow bin every 3-4 weeks unless neighbours have had a party & have excess rubbish.
Lucky enough to get a second go Thurs morning as other side of street is another local government area so can sneak a small bag of landfill into someone else’s bin under cover of darkness. No doubt they return the compliment Sunday night.
Yes, 38 in central
sydney, 39 at Penrith (58 km
west) and cannot imagine the heat further west at Hill End ( near Bathurst). Fires could easily break out closer to home in Blue Mountains and down the South Coast.
And yet the sky here is a typical autumnal one - lots of small fluffy white ones with a dash of grey underneath, all against deep blue
Was pouring rain here in Cairns from late last night until lunch time. Lots of water lying around. The road to Kurandah is closed due to trees down and a land slip.
Back home on Wednesdays
27C in FNQ is cool. Try 35 with 100% humidity for a proper summer up there.
Mind you it’s 32C here in sunny Sinny, where we’re all recovering from the 3 week party that was World Pride.
Back to work tomorrow😳
Hope you have an easy back at work
Thanks Dennis but it won’t be: a mad rush for STI testing and treatment now that the party’s over. It’s never quiet but and we certainly did a lot of testing and treatment but there’ll be a wave now.
Comments
I know it's a silly detail, but I've just rediscovered the pillowcase with pawprints to use on the bed with the cat quilt made by my other sister-in-law.
I feel like a small child waiting for Christmas.
Thinking about all of you Shipmates!
Thank you, much appreciated. There will not be a funeral for our Melbourne friend so a few of us scattered around Oz and NZ are writing our memories and sharing them to give us all a sense of closure. The Sydney friend is having a memorial service but the times don't work for me.
Anything more than one plus a few choice words given by the vicar (or another clergycritter who knew the deceased) is too many.
I've had to try keeping awake in the choirstalls at far too many funerals for total strangers while this one, that one and the next one troop up to the lectern and mumble incoherently about the dear departed's love for golf/whisky/cats/Manchester United.*
* delete as appropriate
When my Granny got to this stage, and she had lived all her life in the one town, so knew everyone, she decided to go to just one funeral a month. In my innocence I asked her how she would choose. She gave me the “silly youngster” look and replied firmly, “The first one.”
Christchurch is forecast to have rain all this week, but not the cyclone. We have been having much hotter temperatures than usual, I think the highest was just over 33c, which is a record and way beyond my comfort zone.
I played for a funeral at my old church two weeks ago and there were four eulogies, four very long eulogies. The service was 90 mins too long!
Never a dull moment.
The wind and rain here have picked up but knowing there is a stop work meeting for the bus drivers on all routes I can easily access, I am staying home today having done some grocery shopping yesterday.
This will be a good time to start the colourful elephant needlework I have planned for my oldest brother's birthday (probably for next year, rather than this, depending on my diligence and whatever life brings). I know G will like it as it combines lots of different colours and an elephant, but I am less enthusiastic.
No violent storms here, but some much needed gentle showers - just the sort of day to sit down with some gentle needlework. Are you at any risk of flooding if heavy rain sets in? We know that lots of Christchurch is.
Unfortunately our situation isn't enjoyed by much of the rest of the country. People are separated from their families and as both cell phone coverage and internet are disrupted it's a nightmare situation. Wairoa, a small town on the east coast where I lived and taught for a year is totally cut off and army personnel have been helicoptered in to cook barbecues to feel people.
To be honest I've stopped listening to the news for a couple of days because I was feeling totally overwhelmed by it, especially when it was compounded by a strong earthquake north of Wellington (it was mag 6.3, but was about 50 kms deep). I feel a it guilty about this, but it was a strategy I used during the quakes here to cope with the information overload. If I'm home I will listen to the mid-day and 10pm bulletins, and avoid a particular reporter who follows the "If it bleeds, it leads" school of journalism.
And enjoy a wintry day that has longer sunshine hours.
We have a bunch of Aussie firefighters headed towards the flood damaged areas on a search and rescue mission. There is still a large number of people unaccounted for. The hope is that they are OK, but don't have cell phone coverage, but some of the areas are remote, so it's difficult to know.
It may be cowardly, but I'm limiting my exposure to the news. It's not that I don't care, but I'm doing what I can through donations etc. I did the same during the devastation of the Christchurch earthquakes.
Ditto from us
The other positive note is my superannuation is paid into my bank the day after the yellow topped recycling bin is emptied.
My pension is paid same day as our recycling. When I was working it was same day too. If the recycling days are changes I will be very confused indeed.
Fixed your quote tags
Nenya - All Saints Host
I’d put red bin out 3 monthly if lucky and yellow bin every 3-4 weeks unless neighbours have had a party & have excess rubbish.
Lucky enough to get a second go Thurs morning as other side of street is another local government area so can sneak a small bag of landfill into someone else’s bin under cover of darkness. No doubt they return the compliment Sunday night.
Mind you it’s 32C here in sunny Sinny, where we’re all recovering from the 3 week party that was World Pride.
Back to work tomorrow😳
sydney, 39 at Penrith (58 km
west) and cannot imagine the heat further west at Hill End ( near Bathurst). Fires could easily break out closer to home in Blue Mountains and down the South Coast.
Small hope of rain….
Hope you have an easy back at work
Was pouring rain here in Cairns from late last night until lunch time. Lots of water lying around. The road to Kurandah is closed due to trees down and a land slip.
Back home on Wednesdays
Thanks Dennis but it won’t be: a mad rush for STI testing and treatment now that the party’s over. It’s never quiet but and we certainly did a lot of testing and treatment but there’ll be a wave now.