Paradise Lost
So it isn't always perfect here. It is a comfortable 23C outside but it would be hard to stand up straight in that wind. The girls and I are hunkered down watching the BBC 1990 version of the Chronicles of Narnia. Great rainy day entertainment. 
posted by Kathleen at 12:57 pm
25 Comments:
Wow. Same view here in NJ today, minus the palm trees. We were hunkered down watching Teletubbies :)
The shows get better as the kids mature. But I do still hold Po in high regard. She is so spunky. Also loved the teletubby wedding on the "Vicar of Dibley".
So....a little wind and rain. Hmmm...looks vaguely familiar.
Oh Well Sandy,
At least we are not burning our tootsies in the sand.
It looks like an excellent opportunity to have a go at the para sailing eh?
I promise I'll wear flip flops. Just a little heat would feel nice.
Wendy
The winds were 70knots (130km/hr). If you have the gumption to para-sail in that, more power to you!
Our car is covered in sand despite being parked some distance from the sand dunes, and large trees being between that spot and the dunes.
Sandy,
Flip flops are known as jandels here and they are optional. Sand is not burning hot and no scorpions nor snakes. You are welcome anytime. (But I will make you redesign our garden if you are here).
Liam really likes Po, too. I think it's really a love affair with her scooter, but I'm not absolutely sure.
Just wish I could get the darn Teletubby theme song out of my head!
I don't know "Vicar of Dibley". I don't think it's available here. Sounds fun, though.
Hi Liesl
Vicar of Dibley is a british comedy that was broadcast either on PBS or Knowledge Network (in BC). It stars Dawn French of French and Saunders (Jennifer Saunders went on to do Absolutely Fabulous).
If you like brit-com you might want to look the series up at a video store.
Aha! Then it might be on BBC America, too. I'll take a look at the listings right now!
If you do find it, let me know what your think. I quite enjoy British comedies, and wonder how much of that is from my British background (Dad is from Scotland) and that Canada is more British than the States. On the other hand, Americans and Canadians can't be that different given that Americans appreciate many of our comedic exports (Mike Meyers, Dan Ackroyd, Steve Martin, John Candy, Jim Carrey etc, etc, etc)
I'll have to learn to identify Kiwi comics sometime soon. So far, the closest I have come to that is another Brit: Billy Connolly, who has done a tour here that is rebroadcast occasionally. That is how we discovered the "Toast Art" (see my links).
I'll redesign, shop for plants and plant everything for just a bit of warmth.
No Luck! Not on any channel locally. I will have to check out the video store, methinks.
I do like Brit-com. But I'm not sure you should use me as an example of a typical American viewer - I lived in Scotland for three years. I've been Britishized myself. lol
Steve Martin is Canadian? I had no idea.
OOps! Sorry Liesl, I got my facts wrong. steve Martin is American. He had a relationship with a Canadian woman and has worked with other Canadians that somehow I thought I had heard he was from Canada. Turns out he is from Waco, Texas.
Do you recommend Scotland as a place to live? It was on our list of possibilities when it became clear we had to move. Where were you located?
We have visited Scotland a few times but that is so different from living there.
Hi again Liesl:
Since I have just proven to the world how faulty my memory is (I swear I lost 50 IQ points during childbirth..the things they don't tell you in pre-natal!)
here is a reference that lists some well-known Canadian comedians. You do not need to look at it, I just needed to fix my gaff.
http://particle.physics.ucdavis.edu/Canadians/comedians.html
Hi, Kathleen. I clicked over to your blog from Come, Mommy, and I just have to tell you that your photographs are stunning! New Zealand must be one of the most beautiful places in the world. I can't imagine what it's like to live in the midst of such a gorgeous land (and sea)scape.
Thanks for the compliment Suzanne!
We are certainly pleased to be here and the climate is better than that in Canada. However, we came from Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The scenery there is different than that in sub-tropical NZ but also very beautiful. We enjoyed water sports and camping in forests (not water sports in the forest, oops) in the summer and in winter a terrific ski hill was just 45 minutes drive from our door.
As for beauty in the Southern Hemisphere, you may also want to look at Wendy's Blog (see my links). Wendy and her family are former neighbors of ours. They moved to Tasmania a few months before we moved to NZ.
About Scotland. I loved it! It was absolutely beautiful in a very haunting way. I loved the people I met and got to travel a lot. I was in Aberdeen, by the way.
The thing is, I was in university there, so I don't know what to say about recommending it as a place to live. The criteria I would use now as a mom are different from those I applied in college. I don't know much about the schools, and as a college kid I didn't think at all about whether it was a kid-friendly place, or the affordability of housing, etc.
There are a lot of beautiful parks in Aberdeen, and much of the city is walkable and bike-able. The winters are mild, as are the summers. There is a lot to do interms of outdoor sports like biking and hiking in the hills. Also - lots of sheep. But I'm pretty sure your kids would be less excited by sheep than Liam would :)
The downside to Aberdeen from a mom pont of view is that it is an oil-town, since there's lots of drilling offshore in the North Sea. When the crews change on the rigs every two weeks or so, it can get a bit rough in town what with drunken oil workers running amok.
And about Steve Martin...I had no idea where he was from. I recently found out that William Shatner is Canadian, so clearly I need to get out more. lol I'll check that link out.
About that loss of IQ, there's a clinical term for that. It's called Mommy Brain. It explains why I can go to the store meaning to get three items, come home with nine, and only one of the original three items that I really needed are in the bags.
And about Po. (Are you sick of me yet??) Liam's never watched a lot of TV, but this week it was pouring and we both had colds, so I let him watch Teletubbies just so I could have 30 minutes where I didn't have to move. Dang it, the genie is out of the bottle. Every day I hear, "Watch Po? Now?" over and over.
What have I started?
Liesl:
No, not sick of you (yet). As another mom with some limited background in science I am delighted to be conversing with you.
Re Scotland:
Yes, the children change all the criteria. I thought the run-amok drunks were more prevalent than fortnightly. The drinking culture I have observed in the UK is also prevalent here in NZ (I'm not entirely adverse to it but am concerned for the girls).
As for sheep, with 11 sheep per capita in NZ we better all be excited. Nevertheless the area we live in is largely populated by cows. Our running joke while driving is that if we see cows we must be close.
William Shatner is another favorite funny Canadian. Just sold his kidney stone on ebay...now that takes some gall!
As for Liam and his infatuation with Po, well he could do worse. Teletubbies are very repetitive and not fast-paced compared to some other children's programming. Perhaps he is developing a long attention span?
Thanks, Kathleen :)
Hhhhmmmm. I'm remembering that the workers on the platforms change every fortnight, but my memory ain't what it used to be ;-)And, yes, there is a drinking culture in Scotland. And while every night there are folks who've had a few too many wandering about, it's just louder and wilder on the days when the oil workers come back. Definitely a consideration with little ones to worry about.
Sheesh, it's amazing what one can find on EBay. I saw something on CNN or a similar network recently about the running of EBay, and they had a scene in which various EBay mangers were meeting to decide whether or not to allow listings of certain unusual items. A woman was selling breast milk on the site, and they made her stop. There was a guy selling various reptile eggs, and they put a stop to that as well. I'm surprised they let a kidney stone through.
Maybe the long attention span is the thing; Liam's definitely got a Po fixation at the moment. He's like that with certain toys now, too, where he'll play with the same puzzle over and over.
Liesl,
I'm sure it was a considered decision to let the kidney stone through. I hear it is very difficult to pass one.
I'll have to make a new posting soon, this comment list is too lont.
For Northland, I understand the winds have died down and your in for some fine spells with just a few isolated showers.
Its -20 In BC at the moment according to my Bloging buddy Gary who lives in a housing community in Nelson BC.
He's escaping the winter chill and is off to Mexicio soon.
See link on my blog
Withinsight
Where did you live in BC ?. It sounds like a rally nice spot.
I might visit oner day
Best wishes and I trust your enjoying NZ ...seems like it But I guess you might ber home sick at times ?
best wishes
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