This is a tale that goes nowhere, what’s the point then you may wonder, why does there have to be one? I might respond. It’s kind of like an open discussion, designed […]
Somewhere else
People are awesome!
Who knew we loved Lions so much? We knew we loved Polar bears of course, but now we really love Lions, we don’t love Melissa Bachman much even though she helped us […]
A word to the unwise
I spoke to someone the other day who is going for a big adventure overseas. Traveling they said. They’d not been far from home before and were having an epic adventure out […]
The nature of New Zealanders
So here’s a thing. well two things. This is about us, not our nature, but our nature. I’m also going to put a couple of images of the incredible New Zealand scenery […]
Our name is still on the boat!
Well that was pretty devastating. You know what I’m talking about. If you are a kiwi you do. So many New Zealanders got up, stayed in, stayed home, didn’t get to where […]
An open letter to Emirates Team New Zealand, from Team New Zealand.
Manukau Heads lighthouse G’day Deano and the crew. This is from us back home. You’ll be having some strategy meeting. Knocking around a few ideas. Hell, you might even be asleep. Us […]
Some enlightenment
I’m not what you would call a Sci-fi buff, I’m pretty sure I’ve never read a science fiction book but I do like the odd science fiction movie from time to […]
Going for a drive
I’ve been back in New Zealand for just over a month now. For three weeks of that month I went for a bit of a drive, just to have a look around, […]
The trip home
The 2nd of July 2013. 8:30 am on the 2nd of July, my dear friend Dawn, my colleague, the person who does what used to be my day job in another part […]
The Extinction of the Falcon
As you probably know, I’m off back to New Zealand in a month or so. When I say a month or so I mean I set off a month today. At the […]
Going home
Momentous day today, it’s worth a note. Friday 17th of May 2013. Sounds non-descript, a day like many other days in mid-May. However, it’s my own May Day, nothing to do with […]
Just words
‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. That’s a pretty common phrase, as though great imagery is better than great description. While it’s a nice concept, it is almost entirely rubbish. That’s […]
Wisdom
I’m not sure how long this post will stay up for, but it needs to be said. It’s not part of my usual repetoire, but it’s something I need to say and […]
New Zealanders at War
NZ Memorial to the lost in the battle of the Somme. I was in the New Zealand Army for a while and take quite an interest in NZ military history. There are […]
On The Hobbit.
This is not a film review. It’s an essay about how you view things can affect how you see things. It’s written off the back of the recent release of The Hobbit […]
The truth about Dragons
This post is primarily intended as an educational resource for young people but clearly the information contained here is useful for adults as well. I think it’s time to unveil my greatest […]
East Cape, revisited
This post is special. It’s about an amazing part of New Zealand. I wanted to get some proper images up of the location this story is about. It’s an incredible area and […]
A look to the West
It seems there is a bit of a travel theme setting in to the blog now, this is, what, Three in a row? My blog isn’t a travel blog but I do […]
On getting robbed in Italy
This is going to be something like a travel essay. I had to look up what an essay actually was though. For your information in case you don’t know either, it’s a […]
The games boys play
I have friends who have boys. Young men, little chaps, whatever they call male children. It appears there is no consensus but little bastards seems a common description as well. My friends […]
Who knew?
If you look up from this and look around you, you will notice quite quickly that the world about you is not a barren dusty wasteland with self-replicating Amoebas as the only […]
On France
I live about two hours from France as the crow flies, to coin an expression. I think that would be a particularly fast flying Crow given how fast I usually drive. But […]
Carrot or stick?
It was the BAFTA’s last night, or the Stephen Fry show depending upon how you look at it. Lots of thespians getting gongs for being fabulous. There was much gushing and eye […]
Waitangi Day
The 6th of February is Waitangi Day in New Zealand. Also known as New Zealand day. It’s sort of our little version of the American 4th of July but with an awful […]
On what’s written on things
I had a momentous day recently. One of those days that only comes around every few years if you are me. I had spent a few days doing what is one of […]
Les Misérables, Sandy’s review
Although by no means qualified to be a movie reviewer, I am incredibly well qualified to review this movie on its merits as a standalone production rather than as a comparison with […]
On travel
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, will be to decipher the bits of this post where my tongue is in my cheek and where it is not. I live overseas […]
I’m on the phone!
I’ve got one of those smart phone things. Not a silly one which the people who really want an iPhone have, but a proper iPhone and not just any iPhone but the […]
Round Robin
I know I said happy Christmas and all that on my last post but the post wasn’t very christmassy. This is going to be along the lines of a ’round robin’ thing […]
A spot of lunch
Are we sitting comfortably? I want to tell you a story about a lunch. Fresh homemade bread, some thick slices of cold ‘off the bone’ Ham, a bit of chutney, a Kit-Kat […]
The Greatest Show on Earth
Recently, Jen and I took a trip to Lille for the night. That’s something I love about living in England and Southern England in particular. On a whim we can hop in […]
Christmas Shopping tips
Apparently recycling is a good thing to do at Christmas. So I’m doing just that. Spot the 2nd helping! Christmas is coming and while some people might think that it’s all about […]
Social Awareness
I’ve coined a phrase, it already exists in a roundabout sort of way but the existing phrase is some crap about consciousness and how society works within itself or some such hippy […]
Casting a vote
I haven’t had a proper rant for a while. I’ve been too busy being reflective or trying to be more about having a glass a little bit more than half full. Today […]
On Advertising
I heard someone the other day say “the bloody ad’s ruined it” while discussing some television program or other they found enthralling but was interrupted a number of times by breaks for […]
Signs of the times, Redux!
This is just a nonsense post to keep the pages ticking over or people will think I have run out of ideas. Well I have but lets keep up the illusion I […]
Guest post ‘Droving days’ (by my late father)
If you have read my last post you will know I talked about the importance of recording your own corner of history, writing down what you’ve done for those that come after […]
You are part of history, record it!
This is more of a plea than a post, pay attention! Back in 2009 my father died suddenly. He had a massive heart attack about 5 kilometres into a 110 km bike […]
Skyfall, Sandy’s Review
Firstly, It’s safe to read this if you’ve not seen the film. I’m not going to reveal any of it’s secrets or plot details. I’ve never done a film review before and […]
A Hero
A couple of simple numbers inspired me to write this particular post. They are the numbers 102 and 116. I’m writing it because it is nice to have a positive tale of […]
Christmas is coming!
I’m getting all excited. It’s only a few weeks until my Birthday and once that is out of the way it’s only 6 weeks until Christmas. This means the doom merchants and […]
Driving a statement
It’s all very well having nice pictures of the highlands on my blog but I’m more about words than images. I am in the mood to make some wild generalisations about one […]
Scottish Highland scenes
I don’t usually do photographic blog posts but I think this particular trip deserves the distribution of a few of the images. I hope you enjoy them. This weekend I spent some […]
Now and then
I wrote a thing recently called formative years about how parents form the opinions of their kids largely by accident. This is an elaboration on that theme in a roundabout sort of […]
Giving thanks
The season of getting together is upon us. Christmas, Thanksgiving and lots of other meals together with friends and family. Many like a grace, a thanks, a recognition of the event […]
Formative years
This is the one I started on holiday a couple of weeks ago but typing a blog post on holiday on an iPad is far from easy and I like an easy […]
Once upon a French holiday
I’m sitting on a comfy chair with an iPad on my lap, there is a bit of a breeze, not much but just enough to move the air without chilling it.It’s amazing […]
Something for supper?
You may recall if you pop here from time to time that I put a post up recently called ‘on food’. If you missed it, go and have a look, it’s just […]
What a song and dance
This is a bit off beat for me, excuse the pun but it’s meant to be a cheerful post as I’m in a good mood. It’s Friday evening, this time next week […]
On The Olympics
So the Olympics have finished, I’ll miss the Olympics because I love the Olympic Games. I’d no more go to a track and field meeting than fly to the moon. I have […]
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