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.............

Once upon a time, 10 years ago....

The Mickle went and had most of her large intestine removed, as you do (don't). Colon was severely diseased and barely functioning because of damage from Crohn's colitis. I don't have a stoma. The end of the small intestine was joined up to what is left (medico speak - an ileo-rectal anatomosis). N.B. bonus - they took the appendix out at the same time too.

Recommend having not only skilled, talented, experienced, wonderfully understanding, but also very good looking surgeon and a pleasant registrar.

That is where things were, recovering from the major surgery which included getting the "gut" to work again. The very dear family Friend who put up with me through my convelesance also got me onto our local tv Soap Opera "Shortland Street".

Thank you Judith, I'm watching it again. Watching out for "the look" at the end of each episode, and enjoying the acting of a bloke I knew back at university in 1984 (lovely Michael Galvin)

And especial thanks for Judith recognising and understanding my state of physical, and even more, mental health at the time (and beyond). Then there has been the gynae problems..... female body very badly designed with digestive innards included in the mix..

Oh - Judith loves cats too, yet was kind enough to shut her cats away in another part of her home when I was initially recovering.

And Dear Judith knows me so well - ever since I was a bump inside Mum. Now I will work out (or confuse myself on ) how to link this posting to an email to Judith. Useful advice welcomed.

Zeb gently snoring,

Mickle ......... kind of, ........but not yet getting there, uphill work with digestive system issues, especially with the exit/end, would like a redesign of the female plumbing, and my mental health is a struggle at the moment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and purrumbling from my snory cat, (and thanks for being there, blogworld).
Mickle- human and Zebedee-feline.

p.s. it is spring out here, reached 18 degrees C today. Mickle better start putting on the high protection number sunscreen. Always something, m'dears. However Spring = asparagus= yummo until Xmas at least. Nighty-night, dear Folks

Springtime in Tauranga

This is all the one clematis plant, that has happily spread along my Folks' back wall. It gives privacy from the neighbours. Plus something pleasant for both sides to look at.

I hope Dear Dad and Dear Mum are dining outside whenever the weather allows them to in order to enjoy such glory.

While the flowers will have pretty much finished, when I get there for Christmas the plant will be a mass of leaves. And the roses beneath and to the left should be flowering.

Thank you Springtime and Dear Dad for the photos.

Whoopsie with Words

Some NZ fourth estate "bloopers" noted this week.





"Bring back capital punishment in schools"








"Correction for last week's recipe 2 1/2lb butter was actually 2 cups of flour"






And my favourite, this week's gem-






"Antique desk
For sale: antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers. Ph..."






Oh dearie, dearie me (Mickle chuckling loudly, uproariously).

Yep - snory boy is asleep, for now

Wakey Wakey

For all, yes even the cat loathers,

Puuuurrrrrrumble...... from Zebedee :o)

Mickle and Antipo

Taken on a cold Welly winter day, Mickle (left) and Antipo catch up after 26 years since we last saw each other.

Special thanks to Antipo's dear daughter for taking sucha great shot, and putting up with 2 grown-ups yabbering away to each other.

It is thanks to Antipo that I found the blogworld and, eventually, got blogging.

I sent this photo to my dear Sister. Her reaction: But, my.... we are really starting to look like each other! I thought it was a mirror .


From a year ago here is dear Sis with her dear partner and our dear Mum in England. Easy to pick the kiwis - look for the bare feet.

This spring the dear Parents are building 2 raised pottager gardens - okay so dear Dad is doing the construction and shovelling of top soil. They're even going to grow so sugar snap peas for me (the innards don't like ordinary peas).

Roll on Summer and Christmas up with them. I'll take over in the kitchen and have a ball. I love cooking for them. Christmas dinner stressful? No, a joy to prepare and cook- once we settle on food that each of us can eat.

Now I'm hungry so off to make roasted pumkin and orange soup.

Zebby-cat gets a wee holiday at his Vet Centre's cattery, lots of lounging in the sun, cuddles from the vet nurses and keeping the other moggies awake with his deep, loud snoring.

Huggles and care

Definately Spring

The Kowhai Trees are flowering

It is a pity their brilliant yellow colouring reminds me of flowering gorse - that's happening too. Gorse is an introduced species that is a right nuisance.

The Tuis are getting drunk on the kowhai nectar

Next they will move onto the flax flowers, so will be at my place. The tui is incredibly noisy. They chortle and chuckle away before bursting into song. That is when they are not immitating the sounds around them, like cellphone rings. They are great mimics and very noisy flyers too. Check them out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tui_(bird

The funniest time is February when they go doolally over the purple berries on my Ngaio Tree. Unfortunately the tree overhangs the clothesline, so my laundry sometimes has to be rewashed to remove the purple splats!

All of a sudden it has warmed up here. Only eleven sleeps until we go onto Daylight Saving - a rather daft term as the amount of daylight is as always for the time of the year, we'll just be getting up earlier. The Brit term of "Summer Time" sounds nicer.

Zeb is no threat to the birdlife around our home - he can't even catch a dozy moth. And yes, he's snoring again.

Nighty night folks, enjoy your Tuesday.