Just swimming in the rain...

Hi there

Yesterday was a sunshine day but I didn't bother to go swimming and I regretted it.  So, this morning, I was determined to swim.

When I got in my car, there was a light-ish sky over Miramar, and the air temp was 12c.  As I was chugging along Cobham Drive, spits of rain were on the car window.  On my arrival at Hataitai Beach, it was pouring down.

Still, I was there, so I got in the water.  I was so angry at the weather that I didn't register the coldness of the water, even though I was just in my bathing suit with not a wetsuit in sight.. But as I swam, people scurried past the beach in puffer coats and cowering under umbrellas.

I hated that rain...

Buying a Scratchie

Hi there

Last week I was in the Paraparaumu Mall and I decided to buy a scratchie.

I pointed out the one I wanted and moved toward the Eftpos machine.  The woman behind the counter muttered something.

Huh?  What was she calling me?

"Cash cow," the woman said.

"Um.  Pardon?"

"Cash cow.  Do you want the scratchie called Cash Cow?"

"Oh."  What a relief. " I thought you were calling me a cash cow,"  I said.

And we both giggled.

After all, it was only a $5 scratchie...

My week in Mt Maunganui

Hi  there
I've just returned from a week at Mt Maunganui.  Our Prime Minister asked us all to go on holiday and bring mountains of money in to local businesses because, with no overseas tourists, the resort towns are striking out.  Naturally, I had to obey Jacinda.  I mean, like, come on, it was almost a royal order.

What a surprise it was at Mt Maunganui?   On a Sunday, there were thousands upon thousands of people all walking beside Main Beach.  It was a shock.  I'd been closeted away for months and, suddenly, to be confronted by crowds was quite scary.  The shops were going for social distancing but nobody walking beside the water was even giving social distancing a thought..

Add caption

 above:  Much further along from Main Beach where the sands were quite deserted.  That's Mt Maunganui in background.

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Yesterday, I visited Wellington Zoo.  It's free until end of June (bookings through their website).  The otters were so adorable.  Here is a little puddle of otters (actually, I believe it's a raft of otters but I like 'a puddle' better) -

PPS:  In NZ, today is the Saturday of Queen's Birthday Weekend and everyone gets Monday off as a public holiday.  Of course, the queen's real birthday is 21 April but we can't keep changing dates to suit whoever happens to be the reigning monarch.  I guess in a few years it will become King's Birthday Weekend.

Hey there, Dr McCoy

Hi there

What's a Starfleet nurse to do when Dr "Bones" McCoy is nowwhere to be seen"  

Beam down instantly, Doc, the world needs you and your fancy-schmancy futuristic equipment.

First day of level 2

14 May NZ Time

Hi there

This morning I went for a little walk at 9 o'clock.  I passed two gyms, one hairdresser, and a bus.  People at the gym were working out furiously.  The hairdresser had every chair occupied and a lady was going in for an appointment.  The bus seemed to be letting people in the front door, instead of at the back.  Cars were a-bustle in the street.

Social distancing is still A Big Thing, but fingers crossed, the country is on the way up out of the dumps.

I've been swimming practically every day of level 3.  Yesterday the beach was full of police scuba divers and a police boat.  Apparently they were looking for ... clues.  The police guy on the boat asked me to wait a couple of minutes while the divers spread out across the bay.  They worked their way out of the bay and around to Evans Bay Marina.

When I got in the water, it was glorious.  Best swimming day yet over the past two weeks.

photo, taken from www.stuff.co.nz

Level 2 Approaching

Hi there

The hinting is out.  If we're good as a country, we can move to level 2 on Thursday of next week.  Shops will be open, along with hairdressers, all schools,  gyms, cafes. We can travel around the country.  There'll be rules, of course, especially to do with close contact. 

I've had quite a few swims which I'm loving -

ABC Word Challenge

Hi there

Some of you might remember that a friend of mine wrote a little piece where the first letter of every word worked it's way through the alphabet in sequence.

Readers of this blog (well, one reader) were so overwhelmed with the concept they thought they'd have a go at coming up with a little 26 word story that did the same thing.  But failed miserably.  It's harder than it appears.

Surely ( "Don't call me Shirley!" ), this is the ideal challenge for bored households in lockdown -?
:

Alice began calypso dancing every Friday.
Gary had intended joining karate lessons  Monday nights.
Olive played quoits regularly.
Sally took up violin.
Wendy xylophone.
Yvonne zither.