Well, I have to admit I'm really enjoying being in the sunny Hawke's Bay with the gentle warm breezes (planning a swim in the lagoon which promises to be bath water).
But.
This description of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations make me think a trip to the Very Far North might not be such a bad idea. At least they know what to do with the cold and the dark.
(Hmm, I wonder if you could make mulled stout? Actually, a porter would probably be better, with clover honey in it, and paprika and allspice and maybe some nutmeg and/or cloves.)
Ach, well, have a good one all.
aha! I have a new method for writing up recepies:
You list the ingredients in a big long (or short) list down the left hand of the page.
Then you combine ingredients with a } sign, with instructions for how you combine them after the }.
For example:
2 eggs } mix in a bowl 1/4 cup of milk }
You write out the sequence of instructions left to right (possibly with a timeline across the top of the page to indicate specific times).
For example:
2 eggs } 1/4 cup of milk } mix roughly } salt } in a bowl } fry pepper } } knob of butter } melt in a flying pan }
Or something.
I think it probably works better on paper (where I first tried it), or maybe pdf.
I try to get out for a walk around my block each day (with varying degrees of success). I take the full block, which takes about 15 minutes, and I often do it at night.
One of the side streets I use to make the walk a little longer has this fabulous jasmine bush over a fence. I've taken to specifically walking past it so I can smell the wonderful sweet jasmine smell on the warm summer night air. It is beautiful.
I hope the people who live in the house do not think I am stalking them, but sometimes I just have to stand there surrounded by the piles of flowers and breathe them in.
nice to see the Law Lords doing the sort of conservatism they are designed to implement. I've always thought there are things in the antiquated positions of our elders which bare consideration. Every now and then, they can remind us of who we thought we could be.
What's in a pub? Why do they work in the UK, but not really work here so much?
I have a private theory that the pub in UK is a "better living room" than what UK folk have at home. The crucial factors are:
* it feels as comfortable to be in as your living room at home (possibly more so)
* it has some cooler stuff (like people who will cook the food and clear up the dishes).
So, why don't NZ pubs work?
Because they aren't trying to be a living room - they're trying to be a UK pub.
From this theory I also think, that a genuine NZ pub would be very bach-like. Second-hand but comfortable sofas, bbq food, cold beer, quiet music (occasionally dub) and somewhere to sit outside in the sun (with lots of sunblock on, etc.). It might even have games with a few crucial pieces missing, or odd books no-one else wants anymore.
It would be the sort of place that most of the community would feel welcome in.
Peopled means becoming alergic to people on account of not having spent enough quality time by yourself.
It's funny how it can happen when all you've done is spend time in an office listening to a walkman.
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In nicer news, Lambton Quay has become quite nice to be in since I was last working there (5 years ago). Lots of the street level offices have had holes made in the front and have interesting food and coffee places with happy-looking public servants in them. Fortunately there are also still cheap eats places, so I get to go out for lunch. It's so nice to see the street being used by people.