Posts by sally jones
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
No imagination is needed as I am perfectly happy here. One of these days I intend to write a spirited defence of Hamilton and the Waikato, to challenge the misconceptions and cheap shots but not today.
Sorry, point taken. I'm off to hide in a hole until I can work out how to say/write better things more tactfully. Probably need a new brain.
For what it's worth, we always stop in Cambridge when we head south, being the mainstreamers that we are - and practically every member of my mother-in-law's family live there. My usual thought or feeling when there is primarily one of great peacefulness. Of course, nothing more ideal for a writer and academic than peace.
-
David. I'm sold :). But don't underestimate your artistic talents. If only the actual Alan Bollard looked as good as you drew him!
I hope it starts a craze of otter ownership. Better an otter than a tiger...You'd have to have floorboards, preferably polished, not carpet. Lino would be okay. And a pool.
Love "Otterly delightful". You can't beat succinct in Irish (Scottish?).
The illustrations are indeed appealing. There's a minimalism of form but the colours are hard out, creating some kind of juxtaposition - I think. I know nothing about art.
The two Albert's are remarkably alike. Do you think the original Albert modelled his look on his name? Stranger things...
Then walking to school through the snow, he became so hungry that he had to eat his own homework."
I love this too! Great image. Which homework do you think would be hardest to swallow? I'm going with maths because of all the sharp angles.
-
Geoff: So you're not in my neighbourhood then? For some reason I can't imagine you in the Waikato. It always seems to detached from reality down there. So pristine-serene. One doesn't imagine brainy blogging back-stage. It seems built for the horses.
My imagination is limited, of course.
People's previous guises never cease to amaze me. How many grape varieties was that again? I would say a big thank you from a keen consumer but I'm beginning to feel uneasy referring to my drinking habits in jest. But a big thanks anyway;). -
Who said anything about smoking round my tomatoes, Geoff?? Are you in my neighbourhood or something?
But somehow I think passive smoking will be the least of my tomatoes' worries. In fact my tomatoes must be the most unlucky tomatoes in Auckland. Poor blighters.
And how the bejabers do you lot know so much about gardening?
Sign of a misspent adulthood - my botanical ignorance, dare say.PS. The hat. Either I want Christmas to come early and am going for extra presents in my stocking this year, or my 17 year old considers Christmas and his mother combined to be terribly funny. If I knew how to remove the hat I probably would, though I suppose it's as good a mascot as any. Bah!
-
Yes, bravo Jackie! Your passion and compassion are commendable and I agree that an award for services to the community would be quite appropriate in your case, given your rounded gifts and contributions. Your positivity alone is refreshingly rare. How do you do it?
Actually, I think I know partly how. It's the kids. They ooze life, preschoolers. School begins the main-streaming, unfortunately.
Children in general are much more diverse than adults with our stock paranoias and copied points of view. That makes them infinitely interesting as one is always being surprised and challenged. They're open ended and ask so many questions their minds are forever being led down a different path by the variety of answers. Of course they say the darnedest things too, which is always good for a laugh. I am envious (to be honest).
I spent nine years as a Playcentre parent. I really miss it. I really miss them (not my own kids, you understand). Them. The community's kids. You learn so much by caring for other people's kids. It kind of gives you a heads up with your own. Of course I don't much miss the work!!! I'm impressed you can manage to care for/teach so many kids and do everything else you do, including PA! Well done indeed. I think your dynamic personality and abundant positivity must be part of the equation at your particular kindy. Are there long waiting lists to attend? I wouldn't be surprised.
-
Ian, you are o-fish-ally the king of the pun, and cheers for the P.S.
Sacha, I'll have to get my son to translate - seriously!
Jacqui, you give sense to my silly and make it all worthwhile. For your sake alone I think I will write part 2 - and without further ado...:)
-
Jacqui: I respond to your comments because I appreciate your contributions, though I realise ping-pong on moss and tomatoes is probably not quite on task as far as the greater PAS enterprise goes.
To be honest, this is my first real experience of blogging and, if I'm to believe my 17year-old son, my (carelessly punched) lower case login name is enough in itself to alert any experienced blogger to my shameful status as a total novice, or noob (?), in his lingo, and dismiss anything I have to say. Certainly it would seem that the comments I've made on other PA threads of a more serious nature (I call her Serious Sally) have been ignored, which does suggest a preference out there for lower case joker Sally (silly sally, as I call her). Feel free to knock yourself out on that, Ian. Unfortunately I'm a bit like Tara and can't be sure which version will wake up of a morning. So as to part 2 of DWD, I'm not sure. I'm writing various things at the moment - all of them seriously silly.
David: Always thought there was something fishy about you (You got me into this blogging business - you big trout you!). No. You're a good fish, a champion swimmer, and I am your grateful and humble disciple (can't think of a fishy substitute - Ian?). -
All that's needed is the simple statement that no new DPB recipients will be accepted after six months, and that the DPB itself will cease once the children of all existing recipients reach school age.
That shouldn't be so hard, should it?I have come late to this thread but had to respond to this outrage!
Peter, (if you're still following), the DPB reduces crime as it gives women with children some of the resources needed to leave violent partners, men who often only become violent after their children are born and they can't cope with the shift in attention from them to their partner and children. A huge percentage of the murdered victims in this country every year are women killed by their partners and a further chunk of killings and violent offences are 'domestic related'. Children who grow up in violent homes are much more likely to go on to become violent adults than those who grow up in non-violent homes. You cut the DPB, you're absolutely guaranteed to see more, not less violence, especially violence committed by men against women in the home. Perhaps this kind of violence is not what worries you as much as so called 'stranger' violence. How ironic that the Austin Hemmings case that has enraged you so was effectively a murder fuelled by the classic rage of the domestic abuser who feels entitled to kill his woman and anyone who stands in his way. If more people gave a shit about stopping this kind of sexist rage endemic in this country, as in all others, my, somewhat educated, bet is that you eventually wouldn't need the DPB.
-
Jacqui, are you per chance trying to tell me something? Yes, I believe you are. Fair enough. Let me just say I have nothing against moss, I believe it was you who made mention of its potential menace. In fact moss and me are like this (X)...Fortunately the path gets the afternoon sun, or it will when completed. Funny how moss is so much easier to grow than vegetables. Mysterious ways and all that, I guess...
-
Though not so much wide bottomed as top heavy, I feel for the walkers in the group who, for one reason or another, prefer to avoid the huff and puff (and bounce) of jogging. But my avoidance takes the more discrete form of accidentally on purpose forgetting to set my alarm for the many marathons that seem to run/walk past my door every year. I have no desire (courage) to walk heavily amongst the righteous runners. However, given that the bridge crossing was a key motivation for your participation in the marathon - and presumably others - I wonder if the "impediment" that is the walkers on these events might be substantially reduced if one of the clip-ons was to be opened up every weekend to pedestrians - and joggers (if they must), leaving the marathon for the serious runners. Better still, build a second bridge dedicated solely to foot traffic and forget about tunnels and trains. Just a thought from a member of the once fit, twice bitter, set :()