Capital hit by over 100 lightning strikes in hour

Well, that was nice.
Wellington was hit by thunder, lightning and hail after a sudden storm broke over the city this afternoon. The thunder was right overhead and incredibly LOUD and the hail was thunderous. Then it sleeted and rained.

A crispy frost is now forming for tomorrow. Has been snow down to sea level in the South Island, with vineyards there using helicopters overnight to prevent frost settling and attacking the young shoots and leaves.

Is Summer next month!

Up in Tauranga the parents are already eating strawberries from their garden, so I guess there is some hope............

And tomorrow I'll just crunch through the frost and any ice to the polling station, ready to make my 2 ORANGE ticks. At least it will be sunny, no rain, light winds, just a bit nippy.

(Yes - cat was scared by thunder, was given loving hugs etc - Zebster is fine now)

Huggles and purr-rumbles from us

Septic Truck Sign

With our own general elction still to come on Saturday, I guess I'm politically weary.

Living in our capital city since age 4, having worked in the public service, and now for a private company but for a Govt contract, Mickle is also very cynical.

I come across the politicians on the street, see some of them out jogging, or in my supermarket.

Walked through Parliament Grounds to get to High School, and now to get to Supermarket, view said place when I look up from my desk at work.

Don't worry - I will definately be voting come Saturday. Is way to close to predict results.

Never mind - thanks Dear Dad for sending me this funny photo. Has me laughing a lot.

And yep - Zebby-cat is snoring once more!

This Week's Important Events

A wee reminder to remember:

Tuesday the fourth - Australia comes to a standstill for THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Wednesday the fifth - UK and NZ go "Bang" for Guy Fawkes

Saturday the eighth - Dear Sylvie's Birthday. Our Sylv (http://sylvssilverspoon.blogspot.com/)
heads to London to celebrate in style.

Do have a wonderful time, Sylv, huggles from Mickle and Zebby-cat.

Oh - there are a couple of national elections happening too.

Voting Kiwi Style

Just watched the final of a Brit tv series I enjoyed, thinking "I wonder what we'll get next Saturday?"

Silly me, is only the general election results.

Now voting in NZ is very high tech. I'll line up at my nearest polling station (a local school) already for them to look up my name in electoral register. Once found they write my line reference onto my voting papers and note the ref in relation to the voting paper number, and draw a line through my name on the printed register.

Next I wander over to the voting booth - made of corrugated cardboard so can be flat packed between elections - and get to weild a bright ORANGE mini marker pen and make my two ORANGE ticks. Only ticks are acceptable.

Two votes - yes one for the my choice of electorate mp (out of 14 candidates) and the other for my party vote (from a choice of 19 parties).

The ORANGE mini marker is attached to the cardboard voting booth by a length of knotted string. String colour may vary.

The votes get placed in a cardboard box which has plastic tie thingies on the corners for security.

(The school is only a 5 minute walk from my home, and always has great artwork from the kids on display.)

Party Politics

Yes, here in New Zealand we have an election coming up too - a general election. So Party Political Broadcasts are interrupting our listening and viewing (radio and tv) pleasure.

Usually I change chanels, however 2 nights ago there was nothing much on so I just pressed the tv's mute button. Now this is how to view political broadcasts. It is hilarious to make up your own version of what they are saying. Especially as that night it was all the minor parties (i.e. not the 8 parties that curently have seats in Parliament).


There was ALCP - I have no idea what it stands for and don't really care.

The Family Party

The Workers' Party (The people's flag is deepest red....)

RAM - Residents Action Movement

The Democrats for Social Credit - they want a Republic, confused?

and ( I did turn on the sound for this one)...

New World Order - who will stop all wars and all poverty. 2 earnest looking young blokes in dark suits, they ended by asking for donations because they need $1,000.00 for their campaign!

Oh dearie, dearie me.............

Urban Mountaineering

Its just a slight climb from my front door up to the footpath and letterbox. 54 steep narrow steps. Then a further climb up the driveway to get to the road.

When I first bought my wee home 1990 the City Council rubbishmen would come right down to my door, load all my rubbish into a sack, and carrying it up the steps to their big rubbish truck.

All changed with "restructuring". Now I have to lugg my rubbish and recycling up the 54 steps. But that isn't far enough. Our joint driveway is classed as a Private Road, so I have to carry my trash up to the top of it to the Public Road. If I've used the official City Council rubbish and recycling bags...then their contractors may take it away....

So this evening I've lugged up 2 bags of rubbish and 1 of recycling. Combined Step and Weight training!

On the plus side - ours is the fifth lot of these flats as you head down the street. After all the steps of the other 4 lots of flats only the most persistent door-knockers make it to me. A relief as we've a nationwide election sometime this year.

Have a happy Monday Folks,

Huggles and care :o)