Cauliflower fritters from the Kalamata Cafe. These are the best things ever cooked/served in the whole world, and I include those moldy breakfast burritos in that list.
A religious experience. I can't wait!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
7...
Shopping for clothes.
Okay, I know this is kind of lame for my countdown. But I do really love NZ designers, and it would be nice to buy from shops that don't stock anything with the flag on it.
Hooray for Andrea Moore and Stitch Ministry and Starfish!
Okay, I know this is kind of lame for my countdown. But I do really love NZ designers, and it would be nice to buy from shops that don't stock anything with the flag on it.
Hooray for Andrea Moore and Stitch Ministry and Starfish!
Monday, March 30, 2009
8...
The pebble sculpture outside the Old Bank Arcade.
I freaking love that thing! I hope it's really windy juuuuuuust after I land safely at Wellington Airport, so the pebbles are turning.
I freaking love that thing! I hope it's really windy juuuuuuust after I land safely at Wellington Airport, so the pebbles are turning.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
9...
I'm looking forward to never having this conversation again:
"Where are you from?"
"New Zealand."
"Oh! Noo Zeeeland! I hear it's beautiful."
"Um yes, it's ok. Very nice in fact."
"I love your accent."
"Thanks, I've been practicing."
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
"Is it just like Lord of the Rings?"
"... Yes. Yes, it's exactly like Lord of the Rings. Awash with hobbits."
"I've always wanted to go to Noo Zeeland, but it's just so far."
"Yeah, well..."
"Where are you from?"
"New Zealand."
"Oh! Noo Zeeeland! I hear it's beautiful."
"Um yes, it's ok. Very nice in fact."
"I love your accent."
"Thanks, I've been practicing."
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
"Is it just like Lord of the Rings?"
"... Yes. Yes, it's exactly like Lord of the Rings. Awash with hobbits."
"I've always wanted to go to Noo Zeeland, but it's just so far."
"Yeah, well..."
Saturday, March 28, 2009
10...
I'm looking forward to having all my stuff. Man, almost 2 years living out of suitcases! I want to unpack all my boxes and spreeeeeaaaaaad out.
Update from Oregon: the neighbours are burning something smelly, and I had to clean up a poo.
Update from Oregon: the neighbours are burning something smelly, and I had to clean up a poo.
Friday, March 27, 2009
11...
Wellington.
I miss my small, walkable city. I miss being somewhere that I know well, and I always get a kick out of taking pedestrian access short-cuts.
I miss The Terrace, even when it has road works all over it and mad bus drivers zooming up and down. I am looking forward to seeing the sculpture art on Lambton Quay.
Can't really claim to have missed that annoying man outside Whitcoulls who tries to tell everyone they're going to hell, but he IS part of the atmosphere!
I miss my small, walkable city. I miss being somewhere that I know well, and I always get a kick out of taking pedestrian access short-cuts.
I miss The Terrace, even when it has road works all over it and mad bus drivers zooming up and down. I am looking forward to seeing the sculpture art on Lambton Quay.
Can't really claim to have missed that annoying man outside Whitcoulls who tries to tell everyone they're going to hell, but he IS part of the atmosphere!
Stop Press
Okay, I have to interrupt the count-down.
News headline from Oregon this evening: Bobcat in Bar.
There's camera footage...
News headline from Oregon this evening: Bobcat in Bar.
There's camera footage...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
12...
Breakfast burritos at Sweet Mother's Kitchen. I don't know why, but on the west coast of the United States, tex-mex country, they haven't really embraced the breakfast burrito. Oh sure, they HAVE something they call a breakfast burrito. But it's just a burrito that you can eat early if you feel like it. There's no scrambled eggs in it! Lame.
I'm going to sit on the end of the long table, and I'm going to have a flat white. Ooooo! Maybe that should be 12a. Flat whites. Americans MURDER coffee. Honestly. You would cry.
I'm going to sit on the end of the long table, and I'm going to have a flat white. Ooooo! Maybe that should be 12a. Flat whites. Americans MURDER coffee. Honestly. You would cry.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
13...
mmmmmmmm... Vogels bread. Not any of those bastardised later versions, mind you, just the original. Toasted to perfection and served with pretty much anything. Yum.
14...
Well, got 2 weeks left in the US of A. And since I'm seriously running out of ideas, I thought I would do a daily countdown featuring 14 things that I am looking forward to having/seeing/doing once I'm home. In no particular order.
I guess I could have done a "14 Totally Retarded Things About the States" countdown, but that's too easy. Or IS it? Sometimes I think I would have trouble limiting it to just 14.
Anyway, Number 14:
NED OF THE TODDIN.
That's right punters, I miss my cat. And he IS delicious, the best cat ever, remarkable, and perfect. So there. I know I'm only 12 cats away from my future and I don't care. So there so there!
I put it to the audience - who could resist cheek-paws?
Nobody with a heart.
I guess I could have done a "14 Totally Retarded Things About the States" countdown, but that's too easy. Or IS it? Sometimes I think I would have trouble limiting it to just 14.
Anyway, Number 14:
NED OF THE TODDIN.
That's right punters, I miss my cat. And he IS delicious, the best cat ever, remarkable, and perfect. So there. I know I'm only 12 cats away from my future and I don't care. So there so there!
I put it to the audience - who could resist cheek-paws?
Nobody with a heart.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
ABORT! ABORT!
Guys, I'm done here. I'm trying to keep the blog reasonably positive about things, but I have to say that the last 7 months have been pretty hard on me. I want to go home.
So, I am! Isn't it great to make your own decisions?
I'll be beaching my canoe (which is, of course, the only mode of transportation open to New Zealanders interested in international travel) in a couple of weeks, and holing up with my family for a while.
Still haven't decided if I'm going to keep writing this blog or not - is there any point??
Here's a pic I took the other day. It's a bend on the back road between Salem and Corvallis, as the rain eased up a bit. Nice, yes? I like how the road is all shiny and wet, and just - zip! disappears into the sky. That'll be me leaving Oregon.
So, I am! Isn't it great to make your own decisions?
I'll be beaching my canoe (which is, of course, the only mode of transportation open to New Zealanders interested in international travel) in a couple of weeks, and holing up with my family for a while.
Still haven't decided if I'm going to keep writing this blog or not - is there any point??
Here's a pic I took the other day. It's a bend on the back road between Salem and Corvallis, as the rain eased up a bit. Nice, yes? I like how the road is all shiny and wet, and just - zip! disappears into the sky. That'll be me leaving Oregon.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Whoops
Guess I've been a bit tardy with the blog posts. Sorry, fan!
What have I done the past two weeks? Hmm. Well, I got a haircut. I'm officially a button mushroom once again.
I spent 3 days down in Corvallis, staying with Mike and Lisa and working for Junk Be Gone! which is their small business. Basically, if you have a pile of junk (and you live in Eugene, Oregon) and you want it to be gone, call them up and it will be done.
And let me tell you - you see some SIGHTS working with them. Yesterday we went round to this guy's house and took away what seemed to be his kitchen garbage from the previous 6 months. As in, he filled up bags with rubbish, and then biffed them straight into the garage. It was DISGUSTING. I picked up a liquefied onion that my fingers went into (thank god for gloves). He also had us clear out his car while we were there. The passenger seat was covered with pizza boxes and McDonald's wrappers, and the floor was filled with the same up to the level of the seat. It was truly vile.
You may have guessed it, but this guy wasn't the trimmest and healthiest specimen around...
Fun times, eh?
Apart from the occasional dead onion though, it wasn't a bad few days. Cruising around in a little dump-truck being polite to other drivers and seeing the sights of Eugene. We had a rare Oregon sunshiney day on Friday, so Lisa and I parked up by the river and went for a long walk. It was glorious!
What have I done the past two weeks? Hmm. Well, I got a haircut. I'm officially a button mushroom once again.
I spent 3 days down in Corvallis, staying with Mike and Lisa and working for Junk Be Gone! which is their small business. Basically, if you have a pile of junk (and you live in Eugene, Oregon) and you want it to be gone, call them up and it will be done.
And let me tell you - you see some SIGHTS working with them. Yesterday we went round to this guy's house and took away what seemed to be his kitchen garbage from the previous 6 months. As in, he filled up bags with rubbish, and then biffed them straight into the garage. It was DISGUSTING. I picked up a liquefied onion that my fingers went into (thank god for gloves). He also had us clear out his car while we were there. The passenger seat was covered with pizza boxes and McDonald's wrappers, and the floor was filled with the same up to the level of the seat. It was truly vile.
You may have guessed it, but this guy wasn't the trimmest and healthiest specimen around...
Fun times, eh?
Apart from the occasional dead onion though, it wasn't a bad few days. Cruising around in a little dump-truck being polite to other drivers and seeing the sights of Eugene. We had a rare Oregon sunshiney day on Friday, so Lisa and I parked up by the river and went for a long walk. It was glorious!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Treasure Hunting
At the base of the stairs in the dark of the night
Jody and Ali found a marvellous sight!
Drawers of treasures from times gone before
Riches untold and oh! so much more
What did we find? Well, many cool things
Diamonds and rubies and settings for rings
Agates and opals and old rubber bands
Cuff links and staplers and rings for small hands
Bug bits and notions and Bigg's Picture Jasper
Some things were crap but one was a gasper!
We swiped a few things, and I cut an agate
We left out a potful for Michael to gag at
The hunt was most fruitful and all were in rapture
At the things in the basement that we did encapture.
Some sort of composite agate thing. My favourite by far.
Sneaky Jody preparing to delve the depths of the secret drawers of fun. (By the way, this is part of a collection that Ali and Mike bought from an old guy's wife after he died. He was a life-long rock hound and jewelry maker.)
Sneaky Ali with inspection lamp at the ready. Keep in mind, people! These drawers haven't been opened in at least 30 years.
A capsule with a diamond and a ruby in it.
Nice bit of pink rockie goodness of some sort.
A teeny weeny diamond.
Jody and Ali found a marvellous sight!
Drawers of treasures from times gone before
Riches untold and oh! so much more
What did we find? Well, many cool things
Diamonds and rubies and settings for rings
Agates and opals and old rubber bands
Cuff links and staplers and rings for small hands
Bug bits and notions and Bigg's Picture Jasper
Some things were crap but one was a gasper!
We swiped a few things, and I cut an agate
We left out a potful for Michael to gag at
The hunt was most fruitful and all were in rapture
At the things in the basement that we did encapture.
Some sort of composite agate thing. My favourite by far.
Sneaky Jody preparing to delve the depths of the secret drawers of fun. (By the way, this is part of a collection that Ali and Mike bought from an old guy's wife after he died. He was a life-long rock hound and jewelry maker.)
Sneaky Ali with inspection lamp at the ready. Keep in mind, people! These drawers haven't been opened in at least 30 years.
A capsule with a diamond and a ruby in it.
Nice bit of pink rockie goodness of some sort.
A teeny weeny diamond.
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