Ah, That Summer! What a lovely compilation from those new wave days of yore.

I owe you a fish, sir.

Meanwhile, another lovely summer song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_jRDVStzOY

I owe you a fish, sir.

Harsh... :)

I saw Qi for the first time on Sunday. There was an error – I'm not really sure whether I should be happy or sad about it =)

Harsh... :)

Yeah, it was — I didn't see your answer! Fish too.

Meanwhile, anyone got a good lead on Jonathan Richman's Jonathan Sings! album? I want to re-acquire it now that I've reminded myself, and it looks hard to buy.

It's autumnal now – pleasantly cool...

anyone got a good lead on Jonathan Richman's Jonathan Sings!

Too Short A Life.

...so I slept through December and in January proceeded to come off Venlafaxine. This is?

Both highly recommended. Beautiful scenery passing slow enough that you can take the?

I saw Qi for the first time on Sunday. There was an error – I'm not really sure whether I should be happy or sad about it =)

Do tell!

And yes, a magnificent summer on the island, not least of which because I wasn't on crutches this year!

Fruit?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3423535/Canterbury-blaze-threatens-golf-course

Going home on the Bayswater Ferry yesterday afternoon, the water was glass – not a breath of wind to stir it up.

It's beeen a great summer. I love it when the weather's tropical and?

French winemakers buying up farms, flogging off the sheeps, and replacing them with grapes.

It's the compilation album with the Ramones and Undertones on innit? Or was it a soundtrack?

It is the soundtrack to a film about two girls from t'North who work a summer in Torquay as chambermaids. The cast includes Ray Winstone.

I found a tracklisting on t'Internet:

A1 Ian Dury And?

I'm much happier now that autumn is getting here though – I have trouble?

I found a tracklisting on t'Internet:

That's the one. 15 essential tunes + Zones. :)

Dammit! Been working too hard again...

Come to think of it, yes it has been rather nice in Welli over the past few weeks (what I've seen of it during ciggy breaks in between being chained to my computer indoors).?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU0x2hLgbis

(Oh, and writing over 13,000 meaningless words for the benefit of my annoying?

And I'm not carping Russell, (no, really, I'm not) but?

As far as I can tell, she's much happier now, after the week or so it took to get over the hardship of not being able to destroy furniture, drink from the toilet and vomit everywhere

You're lucky that's only your cat. Some people have teenagers like that.

I was a little disappointed to miss the Orcas who apparently came into the bay my parents have their beach house in.?

anyone got a good lead on Jonathan Richman's Jonathan Sings! ?

Too Short A Life.

I am in your debt sir. Playing it now and being reminded what a gorgeous record it is.

Long line. Wall of death for pan-sized snapper.

Some people have teenagers like that.

A stint as 'outdoor teenagers' might cure them. My deck, where the cat sleeps, can be hosed off easily enough, which might also be a good way of getting teenagers out of bed.

[ETA the open-air children's bunk rooms at Colin McCahon's house in French Bay sound a lot like what you're talking?

I am in your debt sir.

Nonsense!

That first Summer in Auckland I almost died of the heat, the humidity and the realisation that my sense of style was about to change forever...more than?

Back home and the weather was vile for most of the time the kids were?

I got all nostalgic this morning after reading Gio's answer to Remember the days of the old schoolyard? . Summers were all golden in the fading memory of my youth, but this year, it's felt like a revisit, because I'm doing it all with Marcus.

I'm not nostalgic about my?

Truly another world, it's not something we'd ever think of letting our children do. And that's a shame.

It is. My entire youth would be a tale of neglect nowadays.

My entire youth would be a tale of neglect nowadays

Ha, mine too! We used to play this game, me and the gang of kids in my street, called 'kick the can'. It was a rather complicated version of go-home stay-home that involved hiding in a bush clad reserve next?

"That Summer" is The Album That Disappeared. I tried to blame my brothers, and have since been caught sneakily ransacking their vinyl for it, but no sign. I guess that, like a great book, one can't rely on good vinyl?

What is that all about?

Could it be that any further away, he could be mistaken for Rodney Hide ;)

tho' normally both species avoid having anything to do with each other.
I'm going on the 7 known cat-Vulpecula vulgaris encounters in?

The summer I had to say goodbye to Taja, my friend for 17 years, and not shaping up to be a great vintage

Sympathy.

However, I shall have to bring you and the crew some James Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris next time I visit Media 7.

I think that after that piece of self-promotion you ought to send a bottle to every single PAS poster. I'll take the pinot gris, thank you, as?

It is still a serious summer there with 28-32 deg days

Perfect, and the radler beer and local pinot noir (Rockburn naturaly) went down a treat

if you have ever though you might like to try the?

Just spent the last few days flogging around Central Otago on a bike.

That sounds so wonderful.

yes, the cat is a very big, heavy tom (around 8 kg – panther-like) . Used to attack foxes in London.
throws himself at large dogs's heads.

My entire youth would be a tale of neglect nowadays

*puts hand up too*

Yup, mine as well. Off out with my sister and our mates straight after breakfast to play in the woods, watch horses and cows in the fields, build dens and defend them against attacks from The?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57VbE0J9niw/cat takes no shit from bear

(sorry – haven't figured out how to embed, but well worth a look)

I've totally loved summer, but I'm also glad I live somewhere now with four definite seasons. Otherwise when would I get to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57VbE0J9niw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57VbE0J9niw

has anyone else noticed how Stephen Joyce is always interviewed in super close-up?

So you don't see the wires..

My summer was busy – tramping around Tongariro (magical even if the f**ken tramping boot bought expensively turned out to be one size too small, and now I have a bruised big toe as a?

My summer has been spent entirely in Auckland – friends and family visiting here kept us in the city. I love Auckland at Christmas/New Year when the whole place seems to empty out and there's room to breath. And we?

Thank goodness,?

Did it actually smell of chocolate as well?

It still does, quite a lot of the time. Until a little over a year ago I lived just off that map. I didn't look at houses closer to the chocolate factory in case I stopped loving the smell.

Just spent the last few days flogging around Central Otago on a bike.

That sounds so wonderful.

Otago Rail Trail is vaguely on the agenda for us with Kerry & Si one March in the next few years. You and Fi would be welcome to jump in with us if you?

Otago Rail Trail is vaguely on the agenda for us with Kerry & Si one March in the next few years. You and Fi would be welcome to jump in with us if you wanted.

I've been discussing cycling with her, actually. Returning to the tennis court after this particular ordeal?

I've been discussing cycling with her, actually. Returning to the tennis court after this particular ordeal seems a stretch.

We'd be doing the comfy version of the Trail, 'natch. Not too many K's per day, a proper bed at night and a decent amount of the local produce and beverages?

i been putting off using my christmas pressie chainsaw to good effect in piling up wood for winter but not for much longer. The last few nights we've had to sleep with the window closed?

No one I have spoken to regrets it; it really does live up to the hype

A couple of pointers, autumn (March- April) is the best time; we booked through an agency and had the luck?

What's this about having to book a year ahead for the Otago rail trail? In my experience, you just DO it, and there should be a bit more accommodation available than 4 years ago, which was our last effort.

Sorry yeh, there's no booking for the trail itself. It's for?

webweaver, I'm envious – the town of your youth sounds idyllic! Did it actually smell of chocolate as well? That would be perfect.

Jolisa – as Richard says – it did and still does. Bournville's a completely magical place, even now. It's always felt to me like a village in?

Power?

*sniff*

Anyway... so YAY to Whittaker's bringing out a FairTrade chocolate bar. Hooray! I know what I'll be buying next time I'm at the supermarket.

Hilary Stace – wandering barefoot anywhere around here used to be a given: now, there are so many toiletless camper-vans around, you just cant?

I've had a couple of mates who've just ripped through in less than a day. Solves the accommodation problem but kind of defeats the point :)

I was about to say. It's only 150km end-to-end; even on a mountain bike, that's just one reasonably long day, isn't it? ;)

My partner and I were fortunate to cycle some of it last summer; we had planned on doing about 8k or so, but the lovely guys at the cycle depot said, that's boring, we'll drop you up at Lauder and you?

Jack, it can be done in one day but there are a fair number (12-13)of country pubs to go past

So it's basically a fortnight then to do it properly?

Jack, it can be done in one day but there are a fair number (12-13)of country pubs to go past

Are there good biking day-trips at particular points? I can see that being a good solution to varying expectations of challenge on the trail.

Are there good biking day-trips at particular points? I can see that being a good solution to varying expectations of challenge on the trail.

Pretty sure there are. Tama Easton from work here who's a bit of a bike fiend elected to do the driving when his whanau did it.?