Another teenager at home

Duncan is now 13, so all we have left at home is teenagers. Duncan assures us he is not going to turn into a non-communicative grunting teenage boy, but the signs are there already, sigh.

But we had a great day yesterday, lots of good food (went out to Nando's for lunch), and then a game of electronic Monopoly afterwards, and then homemade hamburgers and chips in the evening.

Air New Zealand Cup approaching

I am looking forward to provincial rugby, roll on Air NZ cup.

North Harbour fixtures can be found here

Partying at Mangawai

As Alison has just hit that big five oh milestone, we thought it would be good to celebrate by renting a holiday house away from Auckland and inviting a few friends around. So off we went to a great place at Mangawai heads. there we 8 of us there, me and Alison, her sister Gillian, Janet, Greg and Sharon & Kevin and Charmaine. Joan came up for a while but had to head back to look after the family.

Unfortunately for me I came down with a cold/cough on the Thursday, as we left for a long weekend on Friday lunchtime, but I was still able to enjoy the weekend even if I was a bit quieter than normal and took the occasional nana-nap.

My folks very kindly came up to look after the kids which was very nice of them, I think Megan & Duncan would have been very bored with the weekend, and Megan was suffering from the same cold she gave me.

The weekend went as expected, too much food and drink, some walks outside to work a little of it off, and plenty of good company. Altogether, very worth while.

Digital economics

Article that made sense to me how technology is fundamentally changing the basic principles of economics

NZ Beaches

I have decided that I really enjoy NZ beaches. Over last weekend (Waitangi day weekend) I spent time at a number of beaches, each of them with their own charms and pleasures.

On Friday we swam from Island bay in the Waitemata harbour around to the Chelsea sugar refinery, with a naughty jump off the mooring 'bollard' at Kauri Pt. Island bay was very plesant, but most of the swimmers won't leave thinking too much of Chelsea. Rocks covered with shells meant most swimmer came out with cuts or scrapes from the shell, luckily I got away scott free.

Fri afternoon the family took a drive up to Tauwharanui, whuch I have heard about from many people, but never been to. The kids, including Duncan's friend Cody, where well impressed as there was great surf on the beach. Many requests for a return visit.

On Sat Vic, Sue & I swam from Milford to Mairangi, and then I got to spend the rest of the day on patrol (I was covering for Russle Schoones). A great day on the beach, tons of people there (>300) with huge numbers in the water.


On Sunday I was down at Karioitahi. I am in the process of becoming an examiner in Surf Lifesaving and this was the first of 3 exams as a probationary examiner. The whole process went really smoothly and we were done by 1:00. Had a swim in the sea, leaft a geocache, and then went back to Auckland and a birthday party at Jan's house.

It was still very hot so once we left we went to Winstone's cove for a final dip. Kids really enjoyed themselves on the rope swing and are getting much better at swinging out.

What I enjoyed was the variety of beaches I was able to get to over 3 days, each of them with thier own good and bad points. Not many places in the world you could do all this.

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