Saturday, February 8, 2003
I was helping my brother move this afternoon. Well, move is probably too kind a term, mostly being strong for him and filling plastic bags with rubbish. I had forgotten what Auckland student-type hovels look like after even the rats have moved on to more salubrious surroundings.
We were carrying some stuff up to the car when we started talking to this slightly older guy next door. He must have been in his 50s, probably late 50s. I could tell he was an ex hippy by the tibettan hat he wore, the japanese mon prints on the front door and the jungle of beautiful plants that were threatening the sidewalk.
Anyway he was cleaning and sanding in the lower flat next door (it was a converted bungalow, flat up top, one built underneath), painting too I think. Generally tidying up. We chatted about this a bit. He said he he lived upstairs and that he was doing this so he could get some nice people in. The last ones had just moved out and he was spending a couple of weeks fixing up.
Now I immediately thought that he had just bought the place and was fixing it up. But no, he was even renting upstairs and had been there (with no rent increase) for 10 years. He was cleaning and painting just so that he could get nice neighbours.
A true NZ moment. That’s what makes me want to come home.
Saturday, February 8, 2003
Here’s the view from my parents back porch at about 7am, just as the sun was coming up. Ahhhh….
Saturday, February 8, 2003
There’s a full on tiered amphitheatre for watching arrivals at Auckland airport. None of your hustling for position behind the storm fence, or being held back at sub-machine gun point by black dressed security. No, this is very civillized. It’s a pity its all stalls and no balcony. But there is a big screen that shows what’s going on in customs so you can see your loved one get busted.
Wednesday, February 5, 2003
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
I am amazed. I stuck a tracking tool on my homepage about a week ago. I was just looking through the search terms used by people before they came to my site. Some very bizzare stuff which doesn’t appear on my site at all…
japanese girl pee full size
“on their hind legs” bbc
soylent green kitten
“how to pee standing up” pictures
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
Was just tempted into doing an ego search after looking at some of the search terms that I’ve got on my google referrers list. Another interesting Daniel Dixon on the web.
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
Things Dixon has going for it: A Soroptimist Club; A population of 16,000, almost evenly split between men and women; and an Arts Council which runs touchy feely californian get in touch with your artistic side courses.
And it’s history, including the fascinating reason that its called Dixon and not Silveyville. (Makes me think Shelbyville).
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
There is a Dixon city in California. Perhaps I can go and settle down there. Mind you it looks fairly boring, smack in the middle of the californian green belt. Not on a mountain, not by the sea, not in the desert. So not my cup of tea.
Still there is a post open at the district library.
