When in Rome do as the Romans do

The whole point of travel is to see new things / have new experiences / learn new things / get out of your own comfort zone or bubble!!

It seems that the "its all about me and my feelings" generation no longer believes or understand in this concept -they just want to trot around the globe expecting everything to be the same as back in their own country!!

NEWS FLASH - you are in a different country and you should do ---- as the old saying goes - - - -
When in Rome do as the Romans do!!

So stop your moaning and get on with enjoying the best of what NZ has to offer - or any other country!!

 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/land-of-s-cheese-lack-of-dryers-baffling-things-tourists-discover-about-new-zealand/7FGCFOSHFKVA4KWIAIWGN7MZGE/

 Do you think the Three Wise Men complained about the lack of camel's (for transport) or the weather (to cold) or the lack of Fish (middle eastern food based on Goat) or lack of three star tents in the dessert or the lack of GPS systems (navigated by a star) or . . . . . 

Get real

MERRY Christmas to all 

Have fun!

Covid 19 and Christmas

Buahahahaha  -  the text usually goes something like this:

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list
He's checking it twice;
He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice

Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
And he knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Cause Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
And he knows when you're awake
And he knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout                                                                                                   I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming
I mean a big fat man with a long white beard
He's coming to town


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnA52s7qceM&ab_channel=MichaelBubl%C3%A9

“Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town” is a Christmas song, written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934. It was then sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934. Some 200 Artist's have since re-recorded this song!

:P   I am going to butcher it now - to be more - *cough* up-to-date!! At least in my place

You better watch out

You better not fly
You better not spout
I'm telling you why
Covid Flu is coming my home

I'm taking my test's
I am checking it twice;
I'll see if I was naughty or nice
Covid Flu is coming to my home

It grabs me while I'm sleeping
And it knows when I'm wide awake
It don't care if I've been bad or good
So be vacc'ed for goodness sake!

You better watch out
I'd better not cry
I'd better not go out
I'm telling you why
I mean a big cold with a long sneeze and wheeze
It's coming to my home

 

Har har har har - urm - I honestly do not understand how this can be - so far in the three years or so of Covid running round the world - I stayed virus free!! Despite the best efforts of various people to give it to me - free of charge and all!!!!  Notwithstanding the CLL I got and so forth!!! 

That however did not prevent me from getting a good dose of Summer Flu/Cold - so have been sneezing and wheezing all week long!!

Hmmmmm   gets the fresh garlic and some whiskey and couple of pills and settles in for the night!!!

Hohohohohoho



Have fun!

When you can run your BBQ at Christmas - and feel toastie too!

One should not ever trust blindly what one can see on the internet.  Usually I do back check some stuff - and the Milankovitch Cycles have long been established as a factual past / present and future life of our planet! 

Technically we are still in an ice age - albeit with a warm inter-period! 

Here is a vid on tube - that explains this in a simple to follow visual!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01aFP88qfQs&ab_channel=Astrum

 

I took a couple of things  away from this

 

In 13 000 (let me type that - thirteen thousand) years there will have been a change in seasons relating to our monthly calendar. So during December/January months the northern countries will have a lovely summer night and whip out their BBQ's and wine coolers and sit out in their gardens 'till late at night and enjoy an evening sun and friends and social get-togethers, While the southern Hemisphere folks will be skiing and making lots of snow-men/women/kids/figures!!!

Skiing in NZ during Nov/ Dec / Jan / Feb  - Christkindl markets - Gluehwein - roasting Chestnuts - Christmas light decorations shining away from 5 pm on-wards!! 

 

  C  A  N  '  T    W  A  I  T

 

I am looking so forward to experience this asap!!  No expensive plane tickets and travel arrangements need to be made for this or next year!!  Just a tiny matter of a few years - ok - some 13 000 years to be waiting - but hey - I will get there!!! I should make plans for that already - hmm lets see - first of all I need to invest into a pair of decent skis and thermal undies and - yup - snow-chains for the car and . . . . 

The other thing - as said before technically we still in a global long term ice age cycle - and yes despite our best efforts - eventually we will get our glaciers back - I just have to wait some 9000 (let me type that -- nine thousand) years for that or so!!   NO PROBLEM there -  patience is a virtue - and lately I had to - urm - *cough* grow my virtues!! We should stop dick-in round with this CO2 Angst and just get on with it - let nature take its course!! After all - we all want our glaciers back - right?!

 

To be fair though  - while I am looking forward to experiencing my birthday in a summer setting (oh those trips to the West coast will be so special) my sister (living in Europe) on the other hand might struggle to comprehend a regular Summer temperatures (say 25c - 30c) Christmas!!  Sorry Sis'!! 

 

Bring it on!!!!!!


Have fun!

Did the Grinch really destroy Christmas??

We live in interesting times

Last night we finished watching Tim Allen's Santa Clauses - a six part mini series.  Theme of the show - it is more about the giving then the receiving of gifts!

Then this morning I saw two headlines in the news:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/man-sentenced-for-brutal-punch-tells-judge-thanks-for-devastating-my-christmas/BHEVM4WE2VGGHJU4GSGPKRRRFQ/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130766474/young-women-traumatised-after-group-of-teens-brutally-assaulted-them-at-christchurch-bus-stop

There are also a ton of clips online that have similar themes - most recent I saw was from a trial of a dude who beat up a reporter just because he did not like what the reporter wrote!  He agreed that he used violence and would not like to be treated in same manner, then went on to state that he felt he was 100% justified in his actions, as the written word - was offensive / threatening to him which required retributions!!! Go figure

Cruise the news and you will keep finding similar stories all the time!

During a mid 70's study with a youth group we learned that we live in an "Egocentric" time.  Or as I like to say - it is all about me and my feelings! Critical self reflection and contemplation of your own actions is no longer part of their lives! The classical mantra is - I can do whatever - wherever -whomever I want to do and no one can tell me otherwise. Whence the anti authority movements we see on the increase - the de-fund the Police / Religion / Army / Anti law and order systems - School's even - unless they can be controlled and used as tools for furthering their own goals! 

And boy - are they angry - on a level that is hard to fathom! 

 

The "Grinch" has not yet featured in Allen's Santa movies - although one could
argue that Jack Frost would fit the mold very nicely!   All protagonists had one thing in common - they think of their own needs / wants first before thinking of others. 

The Christmas Grinch story serves as a reminder that during the Christmas season (and really - all year round), it is not about the presents and getting stuff, but caring about one another and the loving family and friends you are with. And if you happen to have a “Grinch” among your loved ones during this holiday season, remember that her/his shows of anger or frustration are very likely to mask deeper, more difficult feelings of pain that are much harder to experience and to show! And if YOU are the Grinch -  consider this:

From Yoda - Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

(its just a coincidence that they - along with Kermit - are in GREEN!!)

Sadly there will be a lot more suffering yet! Unless of course we can hold on to the notion of CHRIST - MAS(s)  and spread some good news ourselves!

Have fun!

Annual Epistle for 2022

 

 

 

Welcome to our annual Christmas letter for 2022.  In many ways, a lot has happened since our last epistle- and in many other ways – not a lot.

    Michael is keeping well. The second bone marrow transplant seems to be holding! Fingers crossed!!!   His latest is his second hip-replacement which happened on 18th Oct!! Apart from that he is doing well!!

    Jonno started his usual job at the ski-field and has changed jobs upwards mid-season – he is now repairing broken skis etc!!  In a few weeks time (his summer job) he will be 2IC at Milford Lodge– a promotion up the food chain!!  We may see him there either this December or January 23!

Pam is working hard to earn the many dollars we needed to pay off our Bearmobile#2 (currently the bank is owning the last of the 4 wheels – after this it is all ours!!!) Of course we also need the many dollars for the various trips away – our respite care away from all our worries.

    Reinhold of course is a worry as ever. He had an episode which necessitated a visit to the After Hours Surgery – where they informed us of him having CLL ( a chronic form of Leukemia)!!!!  Yikes.  3 monthly blood tests later have confirmed the diagnosis – albeit at a level that is minor and just needs long-term monitoring!! He feels there is a big sword hanging over his head! Apart from that, he keeps himself busy restoring old furniture – and then try and on-sell them (which is easier said then done).

    Our nephew birthed a son – so that makes Reinhold some distant-great-something and my YOUNGER Sister a Grandmother!!  Way to go little sister!!!!

    Covid of course has been a huge disruption to everyone concerned – yes we had lock-downs like everyone else!!  So we have not managed as many trips away as we had hoped – and are thankful that we escaped the worst of it!! 

Despite all of that, we had a lovely14 days away from home late last summer; freedom camping where we did enjoy the sun/ocean/wine and fresh air! Best of all – our “trainer-wheels” we had sold to a couple in the North Island, managed a trip to our shores and visited us - so we had both Bearmobiles on our drive for 2 hours or so!! Suffice to say – both vans are going strong!! You can follow our journeys on MEWE-papabearreinhold!

    Pam did catch Covid – and despite her best efforts and breathing on me all night long – I stayed clean!!  Go figure!! Those extra white blood-cells from my CLL must have been doing a sterling job! Like most countries our Government has since decided to “live” with this virus – so at point of typing we have zero restrictions!! Fingers crossed there!!

Working from home – is hard at times ---->        
        
    
Trust that life is treating you all well. Jade is enjoying her 3rd child – Thomas his first and Sissi her little one and my “little princess” – well – look at you – almost all grown up!!




Have fun!

Stupid - just stupid

I know - I know

 

I am not a "high" thinker!! Not by any stretch of the imagination.  Rather, as once told - "a realist". Just a simpleton person here!

Anyhow - saw this on the net the other day - still can't get my head around this - how a supposedly renown News Service could run such a stupid line :

 

I mean - lets change some words round - make it - urm

Elon Musk could threaten free food give away's on Twitter- by allowing people to give away free food! Literally!!!!  

ON what level does this work?????

I wiki-ed Free Speech - here is the link - please educate me where the CNN headline fits in with this!!! 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech




Have fun!