Southerly by David Haywood

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Southerly: Even More Southerly

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  • David Haywood,

    A Short and Apologetic Postscript

    For some reason, this was a piece that didn't spring easily from my keyboard. I ended up cutting more than a thousand words from the original draft in order to lick it into shape. In addition to half-a-dozen excellent Russell Brown/Timaru jokes, the section that described the two heroes of the whole story unforgivably ended up on the cutting room floor:

    Moving out of our house was an absolute nightmare. We set aside an entire day for cleaning, but the squalor of our baby-centric lifestyle meant that this wasn't nearly enough time. Happily, however, Public Address readers Judi Lapsley Miller and Linton Miller popped in to say 'hello', and spent the next four hours cleaning our kitchen. I've already written a letter to the Pope asking that they be canonized as saints.

    Thanks again, Saint Judi & Saint Linton -- your kindness will not be forgotten!

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    At about five o'clock, we go for another walk, and Bob encourages me to buy a pint of beer.

    Clever lad. We have taught our daughters to pour wine, and our eldest lass brings us coffee in bed on Saturdays and Sundays. Just plunger coffee, but made with freshly ground beans. Who says that there's no good reason for having children?

    Why Riverton? Aside from the view, and the peace, and the lovely cool climate (the overnight low in Adelaide tonight is predicted to be 28 degrees).

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • David Haywood,

    I suspect that Bob is not as selfless as your well-trained lasses -- he likes to help himself to sips of my beer (which, now that I think of it, is probably illegal for an eight-month-old in a pub).

    We are in Southland so that Jennifer can run her diabolical brain/language experiments on the hapless Southlanders. This has made her a minor celebrity in these parts -- with the Southland Times even emblazoning their front page with her photo.

    Adelaide sounds a little too warm. On the other hand, I have the heaters going full blast in Southland at the moment.

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    Adelaide sounds a little too warm.

    Yes! We're in the midst of a completely unprecedented heatwave. Previously, since records began, there have been eight spells of eight days worth of very high (over 35.0 degrees) temperatures. We are not at day 11 over very hot days, and it's not due to end until next Wednesday - a record smashing stretch of 16 days of very high temperatures. The 'low' tonight is 28 degrees. My husband has cunningly arranged to be in Sydney tonight.

    World famous in Southland, huh? Hopefully it will be a restful, if busy, interlude for all three of you.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    Repeat after me: "Preview is my friend. Preview is my friend. Preview is my friend..."

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • ali bramwell,

    on the other hand, facing down the Foveaux Straight into the teeth of autumn will be quite bracing.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2007 • 33 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Dowden,

    I have very fond memories of an Easter at a rented crib near Curio Bay as a kid. When the Southerly was really going for it (the original that is) we would go down to the beach in raincoats and open them up like bats' wings, jump in the air and 'fly' backwards. It was very cool, it almost made the powdered milk bearable.

    Canberra's been imitating Adelaide a bit and been the wrong side of 30 for the last few days too -roll on frosty mornings.

    And I hope you get to see a snowy Mt Anglem, very pretty from the Mainland when it's sunny.

    Canberra • Since Dec 2007 • 38 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Brislen,

    You know, you could have Paul Henry... if you want. We can arrange such things.

    Just, y'know... if you want.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Pauline Dawson,

    Ah Riverton. Growing up in Southland we had a crib there (NOT a bach). My relatives were (and are still) from all round the southern coast. Your post and photo have made me think about going 'home' again

    Mosgiel • Since Feb 2008 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    we prefer Paul Henry up where he is .... you could take him off the telly though, you may not have noticed but he's very annoying

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I took my husband all around Riverton and Tuatapere and other ancestral homelands about a year ago. My mum swears she used to swim regularly in Riverton (the 'Riviera of the South'!). I can't imagine it. It seems as though it would be freezing, even in February!

    It's nice, though. Everything else seems so very far away...

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    Spent a very pleasant afternoon in Riverton last early December
    My first visit to the very far south
    The kids (exchange students) went swimming and we lay in the sun ,truely the Riviera of the South
    But the trees were only a meter high and stretched 20 meters away from the wind
    And although the three days we were down there were blue dome days there was flooding in Invercargil the day after we left
    I was impressed with the place some what agaisnt my natural feeling for southlanders
    Have a great time

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Hey David,

    That bit on the left of your comments, where it says 'From: Christchurch'.

    Still technically true, because you went from there, to somewhere else.

    But I think Riverton could claim a massive increase in blogging and commenting, statistically, if you changed it.

    **REPLY**: Good point -- I've just updated my details. Cheers, DH

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Hi David,

    that's a fascinating project that Jen is undertaking. Has there been a flood of candidates after the Southland Times article was published? Will you have broadband? Is the water warm enough for swimming? Is Invercargill going to become an oil exploration boom town? Do they have any Thai restaurants down there. I look forward to answers to all these questions and more.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    We are in Southland so that Jennifer can run her diabolical brain/language experiments on the hapless Southlanders.

    The linguistic geek in me is very excited by this news. I see that Riverton has a Church Street and a Herbert Street, perfect for the Southland R. I eagerly await her findings!

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    The surf, the surf...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Pound,

    Thank you David, I really enjoyed reading that, the tone and pace were lovely.
    And I always love learning a wonderful new word (new to me anyway!). Gemütlichkeit.
    So thanks on two counts.

    MFAK • Since Nov 2006 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • jon_knox,

    There was a couple of interesting scientists living in Riverton by names of Kiri and Chris....welll they were living there a couple of years ago (2006) when I was riding a bicycle round the island. They were involved in measuring the rate at which NZ Forests act as carbon sinks. Well worth a yarn over a few fine boutique southern ales (which I was delighted to find of at the pub in Tuatapere).

    Belgium • Since Nov 2006 • 464 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Do they have any Thai restaurants down there.

    I had really good tapas in Invercargill once. No, I did! Seriously!

    Also, if you're into op-shopping and vintage kitchenalia collectables, Invercargill is *the shit*. I've never seen so many awesome shiny vintage cardies and original crushed-ice formica dining sets. For extremely reasonable prices.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Do they have any Thai restaurants down there.

    I don't know about Invergiggle, but there's one in Gore. It's owned... or it was the last time I knew anything... by the brother of the guy who owns all... four or five Thai restaurants in Dunedin. Neither of them are anything close to being Thai, but they seem to do OK.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    In addition to half-a-dozen excellent Russell Brown/Timaru jokes ...

    You do realise I can change your password any time I like?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Is Russell Brown from Timaru? I didn't know that.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Is Russell Brown from Timaru? I didn't know that.

    Teehee.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • David Haywood,

    Russell Brown wrote:

    You do realise I can change your password any time I like?

    I'm sorry to say that this is exactly the sort of response that I've come to expect from a Timaruvian. In fact, I believe Owen McShane has even written a paper showing that Timaru could have become a world-class city -- if only they'd managed to overcome their "change his password" attitude to problem-solving.

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'm sorry to say that this is exactly the sort of response that I've come to expect from a Timaruvian. In fact, I believe Owen McShane has even written a paper showing that Timaru could have become a world class city ...

    And isn't this so typical of the kind of vacuous PC nonsense peddled by you science types with your, well, science ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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