photografi

Possibly not the "Winterless North"

2009-06-09T15:39:00.001+12:00

New digs!

2009-02-16T20:05:00.002+13:00

Just in case one of you lovely people decided to pop back here and check up on me, Photografi has moved a new/old home right here!

I've also started my old Kiwifruit blog up too, so please come and say hello if you've got a mo.

Cheers!

Fi

The Last Post

2008-12-14T14:43:00.006+13:00

It's five days till my final day at work, and it's like this peak that I'm climbing towards and I can't see the view from the very top, but I know it's there and it's a fabulous view, and I know I'm going to feel this overwhelming sense of relief and delight when finally I scale it.

This whole redundancy thing has opened my eyes to just how much the tiniest, every day stresses of working a 40-hour week for a demanding corporate employer have layered themselves over me like an accumulation of dust - dust that weighs you down and chips away at your contentment.

I'm so thankful that I've lost my job, this job, and been given the present of having the height of summer to relax, to garden, to be outdoors all day, to take photographs, to spend lots of time with my daughter, to cast off that dust and start from scratch.

This time is also something I want use to inspire my online life too. I don't feel happy with leaving Kiwifruit behind, but then again, I love the freedom and flexibility of Blogger - the wonderfulness that is posting by mobile phone. I need to combine the benefits of both, somehow.

I'm also looking forward to having time to connect with some new people online, and time on Facebook and Twitter, places that I know my blogging friends (and non-blogging ones) frequent but at the moment I just don't seem to make time for.

I want to connect the dots of my existence on the internet and make it work for me.

So at this point I want to say a very Merry Christmas to anybody who reads this post, as Photografi is going on holiday too. Thank you for reading this somewhat earnest, browbeating missive and I hope that one day you'll come back and check up on what happened to me over this kind-of-special summer.

Fi

xxxxxx

The Other Harf, Pippa, Miss 8.3, Nephew T, Niece G and Niece T, yesterday afternoon

Gratuitous self portrait Tuesday

2008-12-09T17:49:00.001+13:00

Saturday night's all right for not fighting

2008-12-08T21:16:00.004+13:00

Well, there was no show-down at the Lord of the Manor's Christmas hooley on Saturday night, namely because the Geordies decided not to show up, and (according to whispered gossip, heard over tilted beer bottles on Saturday night) it was the Lord's son who was the gun-toting, trigger-happy culprit behind the whole drama.

It turned out to be a great night, and at one point there was well over 60 people milling about on the Lord's back deck, mingling and mixing and comparing stories on the Economic Crisis and the Downturn of the Economy, and 20 kids bombing in and out of their pool, all of them with blue lips and chattering teeth as there was a rather nippy breeze ducking over the back fence - not quite a balmy summer's evening.

All the adults were wearing "Hi, my name is" stickers with our names and addresses on so we could meet new and exciting people without having to be introduced, and I met several of whom I cannot recall the name of but I am sure they were very nice.

It was lucky for Craig (a newly employed farmhand who lives about 5km further down the road from the Lord's) that he was wearing his sticker when he was found weaving along the road shortly after 1am by Mr Perry (Chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch Support Group) as had absolutely no idea where he lived.

Anyway, the Other Harf and I have decided that if I do find myself another job quick smartish that we will seriously consider getting a (cheap and cheerful Para-type) pool this summer.

It would be worth every cent to replicate that dirty great big grin on Miss 8.3's face as she bombed and splashed and jumped and yelled.

A week of photografi

2008-12-07T17:37:00.006+13:00

Happy Birthday Niece T! / Pippa lickin'good / No more trucking for Nephew T today / A present from Miss 8.3 / Niece T's dance recital / Miss 8.3 takes a break poolside / Hi ho Santa at the Childrens Christmas Party / Pretty ballerina Niece T / Madam Tiggywinkle

Christmas crackers at dawn

2008-12-06T17:27:00.004+13:00

Today I pissed off oooh, at least a hundred spiders, as I spent five hours waterblasting the verandah and the front of the house and annihilated millions of metres of webs in the process.

So I won't be too surprised if that at some point in the night a posse of angry arachnids will abseil from the ceiling, Mission Impossible style and land on my face as revenge.

Speaking of vendettas, tonight the whole whanau is attending the community Christmas kneesup, held at the Lord of the Manor's farm down the bottom of the valley. And regardless of it being the festive season and peace and goodwill to all, there's trouble brewing, as a month or so ago the Lord shot two dogs (one of them was a rather roly-poly Lab, who couldn't even catch a cow, let alone pull it to the ground and maul it to death) who were in playing with his dairy cows, and those two dogs belonged to the Geordie neighbours up the road.

However, the Lord knew who the dogs belonged to, and didn't bother telling them what he'd done. The Geordies got an anonymous tip off and confronted the Lord, but he really didn't give a toss, even when they informed him that next time one of this prize bulls crashed through one of their fences he'd end up in their freezer instead of being chased back over the boundary.

Then a week ago, one of the Lord's prize bulls went missing, and the Lord instantly called up the Geordies, demanding to know what they'd done.

They told him that they hadn't even seen the bull, but during the night somebody put a bullet through the rear windscreen of their ute.

The following day the bull strolled back into his paddock, but there was no apology from the Lord.

And tonight? Geordie Neighbours are turning up to the Christmas do, lookin' for some answers and most of all, that apology.

Sexy baby disco baby Crocs

2008-12-03T21:08:00.003+13:00

But does one go out in a public place wearing them?

Sexy baby disco baby crocs, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

In which I self medicate away the realignment blues

2008-12-02T19:42:00.009+13:00

Ho hum, I'm feeling a bit glum at the moment. There's just under two weeks to go till the final "realignment" of my job, and I've got the tedious task of teaching my replacement (who will be based in Auckland, where the work was "realigned" from two and a half years ago, make your frickin' minds up people) how to do all the work I've spent the last six months learning, tweaking and yes, perfecting.

It's a melancholy, regretful kind of glum, which I can't seem to budge, not with fine wine, luxury chocolates, or extravagant shopping expeditions.

Hang on a minute...

I've got it!

Oooh, I feel much better.

Just missed Santa

2008-12-01T21:25:00.002+13:00

It's been an action-packed weekend, what with the first round of Christmas parties (Mum's work's children's Christmas party, held at the local swimming pool complex, with yours truly as photographer and the Chairman of the Board stinting as Santa) and Niece T's ballet recital/dance extravaganza (again, with yours truly as photographer) as well as houseguests in the form of Bruvinlaw's parents (no photographs required).

Schweeties, all this Christmes festivity is *such* a social whirl and I'm whirled out already.

Just missed Santa, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

In celebration of being...

2008-11-28T13:54:00.001+13:00

One Harf of a whole for a whole 13 years.

Watsonia, shade #127

2008-11-27T19:12:00.001+13:00

Watsonia, shade #127, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

Fields of growing gold

2008-11-26T19:37:00.006+13:00

It's quite a humid evening here, and I am sure I can almost hear the grass growing outside of the study window. You see, it was a rather warm day yesterday as Northland November days go (a whole 26 degrees celsius!) and today it tipped it down with rain, the sort of rain that rivets holes in roofs and carries away small children and animals.

So all in all, prime weather for growing.

Unfortunately, due to a rather absent-minded young lady leaving a towel out on the front lawn and her grandfather running it over on the ride-on mower, causing said towel to entwine itself round the blades in a spectacular and catastrophic manner, the grass will continue to grow for a few more days yet...

However, the grandfather's swearing is predicted to continue until further notice.

I like butter do you like butter?, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

Tractor-jam

2008-11-24T21:18:00.001+13:00

Traffic congestion, country-style.

"Dancing Queen, young and free, only 39..."

2008-11-23T16:15:00.001+13:00

Because your 39th birthday should be all about having the time of your life.

Assume the recovery position

2008-11-21T20:11:00.002+13:00

It's been a very, very long day indeed and at last I get to loll on the sofa.

The reason for my malaise is due to a rather big night out - a combination send off for the four of us who chose to take the redundancy option. We're not all finishing on the same date so it made sense to combine it into one all-singing, all-drinking, all-dancing-till-2am extravaganza.

It was a fabulous night but oh! How I am suffering for it now...

As Julie Andrews would say, these are a few of my favourite things

2008-11-19T20:57:00.009+13:00

Inspired by the simply delightful hula seventy, here are 100 Everyday Things That I Love.

Well, not love as in love love, but they all put a smile on my face, that's for sure.

1) fridge magnets 2) driftwood 3) naan bread 4) black and white photographs
5) daffodils 6) '65 Ford Mustangs 7) ducks 8) Russian fudge 9) retro fonts
10) new magazines 11) cooking programmes 12) hole punches
13) coloured pencils 14) seahorses 15) christmas tree lights 16) swallows
17) neon signs 18) lemon cheesecake 19) 1930's furniture 20) purple
21) silver bracelets 22) chrome bumpers 23) teapots 24) sandy feet
25) surfboards 26) ladybirds 27) eggcups 28) opshops 29) champagne
30) arrival halls 31) foreign currency 32) raspberries 33) libraries
34) skylarks 35) train rides 36) old maps 37) cashew nuts 39) Sunday lie-ins
40) cheese scones 41) lavender soap 42) freshly cut grass
43) stickers 44) pineapple juice 45) toenail polish 46) sunglasses
47) stripey scarfs 48) pony stories 49) cold cider 50) pianos
51) corduroy 52) porridge 53) grapevines 54) new potatoes
55) fireplaces 55) salted licorice 56) merry-go-rounds
57) Marmite 58) one hit wonders 59) tie-dyed anything 60) boysenberry icecream
61) corkboards 62) sweetcorn 63) chunky coffee tables 64) freesias 65) dinghies
66) shagpile 67) rainbows 68) garlic bread 69) seaside promenades
70) picture frames 71) thunderstorms 72) pohutakawa trees 73) merino jerseys
74) the Milky Way 75) apple crumble 76) verandahs 77) Thai green curry
78) bedside lamps 79) beanies 80) cherry tomatoes 81) iceskating
82) old wharves 83) origami animals 84) stuffed olives 85) concert t-shirts
86) bay windows 87) postcards 88) mustard 89) margaritas
90) telephone boxes 91) rhubarb 92) gumboots 93) otters 94) toasted bagels
95) breaking waves 96) gramophones 97) bubblewrap
98) chorizo 99) coloured photographs 100) holidays

Care to reciprocate with your 100 things?

The "Teatoaster", my most favourite teapot ever

Tuesday means...

2008-11-18T22:43:00.004+13:00

Gratuitous self portrait

So it's Monday and I don't want to think too hard

2008-11-17T19:29:00.005+13:00

I spotted this food/photo meme using the wonderfulness that is Flickr and the cleverness that is Mosiac Maker over at Inherent Passion and thought it was about time I did a meme, so here it goes.

First the rules:

a) Type your answer to the questions into Flickr search
b) Using only the first page of results, pick an image
c) Copy and paste each of the URLs in the Mosaic Maker

And here's the questions:

1) What is your favourite restaurant?
Flickr couldn't find a photo of the wonderful A'Deco, Whangarei's finest dining establishment, so this photo of an Art Deco style building had to do.
2) What is your favourite type of cuisine?
Northern Indian food, love eating it, love making it.
3) What is your favourite comfort food?
Cheese! A nice wedge of cheddar, tangy feta in a Greek salad, a creamy slice of blue vein on a watercracker, lashings of cheese sauce all over steamed cauliflower. Oh yeah.
4) What is your favorite childhood food?
Fudge, particularly Russian Fudge, a delectable caramel flavoured variety, popular in all school fair cake and sweet stalls (usually stuffed into a paper cup accompanied by toffee brittle and coconut ice) - it dissolves in your mouth and makes your teeth shiver
5) What is your favourite dish to prepare for company?
Chicken, Ham and Leek pie, with steamed green beans and cheesy mash on the side. This pie takes hours to make, but is always very well received.
6) What is your favourite wine?
Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, chilled. Church Road, or Oyster Bay. Don't come anywhere near me with that bloody chardonnay.
7) Who is your favourite chef?
Rick Stein for his enthusiastic delight for all things foody. This is a photo of his restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall.
8) What is your least favourite food?
Mushrooms make me quiver in revulsion, but silverbeet can send me running from the room, gagging.
9) What is the most adventurous food you’ve eaten?
A medium rare kangaroo fillet steak. Delicious. Boing boing!

Two kilometres and ten metres, exactly

2008-11-16T18:57:00.005+13:00

Two kilometres and one metre up the road, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

In rural New Zealand there are no street or road numbers as such. Rural homes are designated a rural delivery zone surrounding the nearest big town or city, and are numbered depending on how wide the zone is. We live in rural delivery zone 8, also known as "RD8" and have our mail delivered at breakneck speed by a smiley bloke in a tired old Toyota Hiace van who always waves as he almost runs you off the road.

However, to make life easier for posties, we also have a system which takes the distance from the nearest main road as a "letterbox" number.

Not that our letterbox is particularly flash that is, but the succulants, bracken, moss, agapanthus and spiders seem to like it.

Just quietly, I blew it.

2008-11-16T13:15:00.003+13:00

Okay, so I fully intended on doing a quick filler text-post/riveting dissertation on the simply joy that is popping bubblewrap before I went to bed on Saturday night, but I sort of dozed off on the couch watching Me, You and Dupree after a couple of glasses of wine and a big day of gardening and then I mooched off to bed and completely forgot, so I'm kind of hoping nobody noticed the lack of a post dated 15th of November, 2008.

Does this mean I don't get a really cool badge to put in my sidebar on the 1st of December?

Stop on the side of the road

2008-11-14T21:27:00.001+13:00

...and take a photograph.

Jumping in the deep end

2008-11-13T21:38:00.001+13:00

In the past month two work colleagues have announced they're getting hitched next year.
As soon as I heard the happy news I instantly volunteered my services as a photographer, an offer that was taken up with enthusiasm.
Now, both ladies are easy going and laid back and both are having small, relaxed weddings.
And one I'd call a friend; the other a close acquaintance.
So I want to take the best photos possible. I'm very excited about this, but also a *tiny* bit nervous...

He manu ruku ika i ngā awa, i ngā roto*

2008-11-12T19:56:00.012+13:00

Over the ditch in suburban Sydney Deeleea snapped a gorgeous kookaburra sitting on the **Hill's Hoist and to reciprocate here's (almost but not quite) the Kiwi equivilant: a kotare sitting on a Hill's swingset.

*"A small bird with shining pale blue feathers on the back, wings and tail"
** A rotary clothesline

Your wise and learned opinion please...

2008-11-11T20:34:00.001+13:00

Decor only fit for a) Pizza Hutt/pool hall or b) a particularly classy lampshade?

Back in the olden days when there was only film

2008-11-10T19:26:00.011+13:00

I'm working on a ~~little~~ large project at the moment - scanning old and new photos to go in our hallway gallery. It's a blimin' mission, as our scanner is painstakingly slow, even in Greyscale mode, and as it syphons up memory I can't faff about with anything else on my PC while it does its thing.

And I have boxes and boxes of Mum and Dad's photos to go through as well as screeds of photos that belonged to the Other Harf's parents, and I also have (on very temporary loan) photos of my Glaswegian great-great grandparents to scan that are due back to my elderly Uncle as soon as possible even though I doubt whether they've seen the light of day for donks. Turns out he's quite possessive of them and keeps phoning up Dad to ask how "I'm getting on".

So no pressure.

I picked up a stack of photos yesterday, and this one fell out. I was intrigued by it, and l loved the many shades of grey and black and white in it. I have no idea who it was who passed this beautiful view on their way from Geneva, but thought it was wonderfully romantic and evocative...

Up in a cloud of smoke

2008-11-09T15:39:00.011+13:00

So last night, while the vote counting boffins did their thing (New Zealand now has an all-new, right-of-centre government after nine years of a left-of-centre one) the family gathered on the verandah rugged up against a rather chilly breeze and watched Bruvinlaw (who is always roped into doing it) set fire to sticks of gumpowder in celebration of the foiling of the plot by the dastardly Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament 403 years ago.

I wonder how much longer, in this day and age of political correctness and red tape, will we be able to celebrate this odd, ancient custom.

And New Zealand votes...

2008-11-08T18:08:00.003+13:00

Friday evening on the verandah

2008-11-07T19:36:00.001+13:00

...and I feel good.
What are you up to?　

Gumboot Bootcamp

2008-11-06T20:07:00.003+13:00

Today when I arrived home from work all the gumboots were assembled in an orderly rank on the back porch. Seeing as the back porch has been littered with all manner of abandoned footwear for weeks now, I had to stop and admire them, all standing to attention.

Then I thought, hmmm...seeing as there are six adults and four children currently residing in the house it would appear that we have entirely too many pairs of gumboots.

Of course, this does mean all visitors (open invitation) can be fully catered for.

If you're ever passing through these parts.

Home on the range

2008-11-05T20:03:00.009+13:00

Dedicated readers with razor sharp memories may recall that six or so weeks ago I found out that my job, along with ten others in the department that I work in, was being "disestablished" and then relocated to Auckland, and four new roles were being created doing the leftover work.

We could apply for the new roles, the roles relocating, or take the redundancy package offered of four weeks pay for the first year of service and two for each subsequent year.

After a great deal of hand wringing over many glasses of wine, and intensive analysis of the situation with colleagues, friends and family, I decided to go with the latter option.

I've now been given my finish date of Friday the 19th of December - a date extremely convenient in that a) it's the day school breaks up for the year and b) the company Christmas party on the following Saturday night will double as my leaving do, woo-hoo!

It's also convenient in that come January I'm going to be an aunt, again. Lil'Sis is having Baby No4 (oh how her and I have differing ideas on motherhood!) and I'm seconded on nanny duty to look after Nephew T and the rest of the motley gang, as Bruvinlaw will be frantically trying to finish their house in order to accommodate all their offspring.

In between all the child-mongering I plan on getting our unruly, overgrown garden into shape, and spend lots of time outside in the fresh air and sunshine, away from desks and offices and number-crunching.

Come February it will be time for the big children to go back to school, and time for me to think about finding employment again. I don't know what I want to do, but I do know that this time that I need more time doing what really makes me happy and that involves spending more time here, at home.

Rodney and the Giant Thistle, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

Fair share of the steer!

2008-11-04T20:06:00.002+13:00

There's an argument or (in reality) a heated discussion brewing in our neighbourhood over the future of the beastie in the photo below.

Geordie Neighbour up the road found him wandering along the road as a calf, and he, along with their other two cows, spent last summer grazing on our land along with our herd of nine young calves.

The older cows moved back to Geordie Neighbour's, but this one stayed behind, and has spent the rest of his life with our lot, munching on our grass.

Now Geordie Neighbour wants to whisk the beastie off to the local butcher in time for some prime Scotch fillets over Christmas - and no cut for us.

Is this a fair share of the steer? Oh the dilemmas of rural living...

Steer stare, originally uploaded by Fi@PhotograFi.

Mt Hutt - a day way up the mountain

2008-11-03T20:48:00.004+13:00

The last day of our wonderful South Island adventure. No skiing was done, but a lot of snowballs were thrown...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

For a rosier future

2008-11-02T17:00:00.005+13:00

There is never enough time to do want you want to do in the two days that is the weekend (although I finally managed to attach the climbing roses to the verandah after two and a half years of procrastinating so they can actually climb instead of sprawl).

Next weekend our country is holding its general election, and I personally have scoured the propaganda from all the major political parties from cover to cover, and unfortunately there is no policy on the possibility of three-day weekends.

Because I'd so vote for that party.

Now I know that the world will not be waiting with bated breath on the result of New Zealand's election, but they will be on the edge of their seats waiting on the result of the US Presidential Election this coming Tuesday.

So get out there and vote whether Kiwi or American; if you don't vote you can't complain.

Dublin Bay , originally uploaded by Fi@Photografi.

To knackered to blog

2008-11-01T20:00:00.006+13:00

It's been a large day in the gardening department and I've only just wrenched my gumboots. Need to shower. Need to eat. Most importantly, need to lie down...

The afternoon of the last Friday of the month

2008-10-31T17:16:00.001+13:00

Means drinkies at your desk...
Because you deserve it.

All you have to do is post 30 times in a row

2008-10-30T13:15:00.011+13:00

Holy Schmoke, I just cannot believe November's *just* round the corner which means three things in my world - a) I turn a year older (crap, how did that happen) b) I've been married to the Other Harf for yet another year (this time, it's 13 in total, blimey!) and c) it's time for NaBloPoMo once again.

Now I know NaBloPoMo runs all year round, but November feels more, well, traditional, you know? I had an awesome time last year, and met some cool people, and hope to do the same this time. Fortunately my mobile phone (a Sony Ericcson 770i) has an inbuilt "Blog This" function (it rocks!) so it's going to be a lot easier for me to post everyday, and I won't have to duck into dodgy internet cafes and sit next to odorous Slovakian backpackers like I did last November.

So, c'mon, join up and post for National Blog Posting Month! Go team! Woo woo woo!

Christchurch, the Garden City

2008-10-29T20:45:00.001+13:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

In the interest of spreading the love

2008-10-28T19:43:00.010+13:00

I'm all for the love and the general spreading of bloggy goodwill, so I was most delighted when Jo of Chez le Laquet nominated me as a blog she lurves (and I am rather fond of hers in return, I might add).

Now just like little Haley Joel Osment did it's now time to pay it forward, but first up I have to partake in this one-word meme, which I think I can handle at 8.23 on a Tuesday night.

So here it goes...

Where is your mobile phone? Charging
Where is your significant other? Lounging
Your hair colour? Strawberry-Blonde
Your mother? Practical
Your father? Impractical
Your favourite thing? Camera
Your dream last night? Co-worker!
Your dream goal? Contentment
The room you're in? Study
Your hobby? Photography
Your fear? Illness
Where do you want to be in six years? Here
Where were you last night? Home
What you're not? Busty
One of your wish-list items? Photoshop CS4
Where you grew up? Waiheke
The last thing you did? Dine
What are you wearing? PJ's
Your TV? Footie
Your pets? Pippa
Your computer? Essential
Your mood? Mellow
Missing someone? Sandra
Your car? Ford
Something you're not wearing? Jockstrap
Favourite shop? Ikea
Your summer? Approaching
Love someone? Yep!
Your favourite colour? Blue
When is the last time you laughed? Today
Last time you cried? PMT!

I duly nominate Deeleea of Singular Scene, as she is a true-blue long time blogging buddy who I check in on without fail, fellow Viggophile Amy of Inherent Passion with whom I have spookily far too much in common with not to have met her, Lisa of The Flying Enchilada who had the great sense to marry a Kiwi and now they have the most divine little half-Kiwi/half American daughter and finally Amy of Tudor House, who shares my love of kiwiana kitsch and the mighty All Blacks.

Mwah dahlinks, I luf you all!

Kereru buffet

2008-10-28T19:32:00.003+13:00

New Zealand's native woodpigeon loves to scoff down the berries of the kowhai tree. Unfortunately, kereru tend to be on the hefty size for a pigeon and often the branches can't support their weight - resulting in a tumble of feathers and a frantic flapping of wings.

But still they keep comin' back for more. Those kowhai berries are some good sh*t.

Kereru buffet, originally uploaded by Fi@Kiwifruit.

The Labours of Labour Day

2008-10-27T19:11:00.002+13:00

1) Folded four loads of washing.
2) Washed three loads of washing.
3) Planted five trees.
4) Pruned two rose bushes.
5) Took 23 photos of a kereru feeding on kowhai berries.
6) Donated three bags of clothing to the Children's Cancer Society.
7) Read one magazine in bed (Practical Photography) with a cup of tea (Choysa) and two slices of toast (one with Marmite, one with guava jelly).
8) Watched WALL-E with three little girls - we gave the movie 8 Chocolate Fish out of 10.
9) Painted ten toenails for the first time in five months (Maybelline Express Finish in "Brassy").
10) Had two (so far, that is...) glasses of Shingle Peak Sauvignon Blanc.

There be a barn

2008-10-26T16:14:00.003+13:00

As you can see, the skeleton of our houseguests' new barn house is up, and we are all starting to believe it's all actually going to happen which is cause for much smiling and all round good humour. Bruvinlaw had the help of his brother, Dad and the Other Harf over the weekend (as well as a truck with a "hiab" or crane on the back) to erect the main structural girders, but from now on he's pretty much on his own building it.

My brother-in-law is truly indoctrined in the school of Do-It-All-By-Yourself and will only ask for help when he really, really needs it, but lifting 300kg girders all on his own was slightly beyond his capabilities.

In other news, it's Labour Weekend which means a holiday so us office plebs don't have to go to work tomorrow, a thought that feels me with a small but consistent glow of happiness. No 1 on the agenda will be an extensive, wallowy sleep-in, all depending on the decibel level of Nephew T, whose window-shattering morning chorus of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star can put the kibosh on that.

Clematis from below

2008-10-25T17:17:00.000+13:00

Clematis from below, originally uploaded by Fi@Kiwifruit.

Wednesday lunchbreak

2008-10-22T12:50:00.001+13:00

At the library, with a view over the park and the very latest copy of Vanity Fair.
One blissful hour of peace.

Akaroa - "long harbour"

2008-10-21T21:17:00.003+13:00

As the homepage says: "Akaroa is an historic French and British settlement nestled in the heart of an ancient volcano." I just want to live here. Is that ok?

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

How much wood can a woodchipper chuck

2008-10-20T19:55:00.011+13:00

Today I have the body of an 85-year old woman. I ache in 1001 places and I lay the blame for this fully on our septic tank.

Our new septic tank that is, recently installed after the old one kacked itself three weeks ago and the less said about the health and safety issues and the utter inconvenience that caused, the better.

[boring explanation] Part of the council requirements for the new system is that the 300 metres worth of hose (which now twists like giant purple spaghetti under a stand of tall trees to the right of our house) for the thrice-circulated and almost pure run-off water that the tank produces after it has done its bit has to have lots and lots of mulch laid over it to prevent weeds and discourage evaporation.[/boring explanation and queue yawn]

So myself and Other Harf spent all day Saturday stacking piles of wood in the paddock next door, and yesterday we hired a humungous woodchipper (forget one body part at a time as per the pissant little woodchipper in Fargo; you could put a whole carcass in this one) and spent seven hours annihilating the pile to slivers and shovelling it over the hoses.

The whole area looks much prettier and tidier and there is now the gorgeous aroma of freshly chipped wood wafting everywhere just like one of those car fresheners that swing off your rearvision mirror, but I was that bloody knackered last night I couldn't even lift a finger to press the on-button on my laptop. Wah!

And the Other Harf could certainly have done with a hoist to lever himself out of bed this morning, the poor love.

Sometimes this rural living can really age a person.

On the way from Kaikoura to Akaroa...

2008-10-19T19:54:00.001+13:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Kaikoura - "Meal of crayfish"

2008-10-16T20:55:00.003+13:00

We had icecream instead...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The long way round to Kaikoura

2008-10-15T22:03:00.006+13:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Nice emails make me smile

2008-10-14T19:54:00.005+13:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Greg <***@gmail.com>
Date: 2008/10/14
Subject: Flower photos
To: fiphotografi@gmail.com

Hi Fi,

Looks and sounds like you're having a good trip down south.

I came across this wallpaper on deviantart today and thought of you straight away.

Can't think why.

Cheers.

Greg

"The Simple Things"

"The Simple Things"

2008-10-14T14:34:00.003+13:00

So what's this about Hanmer Springs?

2008-10-13T20:06:00.008+13:00

Oh, the aching tediousness that is the first day back at work after a wonderful holiday. There is very little that sucks, in the suckiest kind of way, then your first day back. Perhaps bikini waxing comes to mind, as does being left with the last chocolate in a box of Roses and realising it's a coffee creme, blurk.

Anyway, ha! So much for my ambitious plan to share my photographs with the world wide web on a daily basis; the mountainous terrain we stayed in combined with New Zealand's fourth rate internet service soon put a stop to that.

Despite my techie temper tantrums, we had a most fabulously awesome holiday, and the weather was glorious - warm and clear and perfect for taking photographs and general sightseeingness. Miss 8 loved Hanmer Springs (where we spent days 1 & 2 of our week's holiday) and would never have gotten out of the pools until I told her that her skin would wrinkle up *so* much that when she eventually did get out of the pools all her clothes would be too big for her and fall off her on the walk back to the motel. Bwah-ha-ha!

So she only spent four hours instead of eight hours in the hotpools.

The Other Harf declared Hanmer Springs his favourite also, and was able to soak his very dodgy back in the 36C pool to his heart's content.

I liked Hanmer Springs for the lovely daffodils growing under the oak trees in the main street, the crystal clear views of the Southern Alps looming above the little town and the incredibly photogenic wee lambies decorating the paddocks round the town...

(And there'll be even more photos and witty dialogue to accompany them later on this week when I regain some patience with the pensioned-off hamster speed of my home internet connection, feckin' thing)

Thanks to Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

French Bay, Akaroa

2008-10-08T18:53:00.001+13:00

Am fully prepared to convert to a fulltime tourist.

Life is a highway

2008-10-07T08:52:00.001+13:00

Life is a highway, originally uploaded by Fi@Kiwifruit.

Caffeine fix...

2008-10-06T09:35:00.001+13:00

A flat white at Springs Deli Cafe, Hanmer Springs.
Next stop: Kaikoura.

Lewis Pass

2008-10-05T21:42:00.001+13:00

Scenery galore + too many hours in thermal pools + huge dinners at local pub = three completely knackered tourists.

Alpine View Motel alpine views...

2008-10-04T19:50:00.002+13:00

in Hanmer Springs, a tiny thermal resort town an hour and half north of Christchurch...

Touchdown

2008-10-04T11:59:00.001+13:00

Now to find the el-cheapo car rental place...

Are we there yet?

2008-10-02T19:50:00.004+13:00

Suitcases are packed for all weather possibilities, or in the case of Miss 8's, repacked as one really doesn't require four pinafore dresses to see the sights of Christchurch and surrounding tourist attractions.

I've just done a quick check and according to the Weather Boffins, it's going to be fine and warm in the biggest city in the South Island (pop. a whopping 414,000) when we fly in on Saturday morning - warmer than it will be here in the supposed subtropical north of the North Island.

*A dance, a dance, do a little dance*

Dorothy woz here

2008-10-01T13:44:00.003+13:00

$9.99 at No1 Shoe Warehouse. You don't just want them; you need them.

Now for something completely different but exactly the same

2008-09-30T13:36:00.001+13:00

All the usual stores are full of flowery, peasanty boho Spring fashion for what seems to be the third time in the past seven or so years.

Ya know, it's all a bit deja vu on the deja vu.

Hooray, hooray, it's a holi-holiday

2008-09-29T21:05:00.005+13:00

As I type this the Other Harf is transfixed to Barclays Premiership League Review Show(English football) like a possum caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. It's really the only footie "hit" he can get these days, so I happily leave him to it on a Monday evening as for me watching football is right up there with watching golf - a lot of hoo-ha over one little white ball.

As well as typing this, I've been scrolling through accomodation and "What to Do" websites for our upcoming holiday to Christchurch - we fly down on Saturday morning and just like Miss 8, I can't wait! Yay!

And for the first time, with my new fandangled portable modem, lovely laptop and super-duper mobile phone with a hotline straight to Blogger, I plan on photoblogging as much of it on the go as I can. Miss 8 is dead keen to write up her own travel journal, and would like me to "publish" it when we get home (type it all out, insert photos, print it out and staple it together) but I'm thinking maybe it's the perfect time she started a blog of her own...

Here's another photo from the weekend - Miss 8 and I bought eight hydrangeas in shades of purple, white, pink and a mixture between. I'm not sure if they'll stay this way once we plant them - crossfingers they do.

Newly washed hydrangea

2008-09-28T18:58:00.005+13:00

Happy 37th Lil'Sis

2008-09-27T17:27:00.002+12:00

The elimination of small pricks

2008-09-26T10:44:00.009+12:00

Gorse is flowering madly on the roadside verges and across unattended paddocks at the moment. Now considered a noxious weed, gorse was introduced by homesick Scottish immigrants cver 150 years ago to remind them of long-lost misty glens, but now all this prickly customer does is remind their descendents that it's time to stock up on Roundup.

Speaking of small obnoxious pricks, lately NieceT has had to deal with a cretinous 8 year-old playground bully by the name of Cedric, whose party trick is to trap girls and hold them down and kiss them, all the while being given ringside advice and encouragement by his cronies (Tristan and Kent) and no, I didn't pick out these names from a 1938 copy of "Chummy Chaps" magazine; these are their actual names.

Anyway, this rather disturbing behaviour was quickly stamped out by school staff, but unfortunately the revolting Cedric & co struck again yesterday lunchtime: this time they decided to start shoving round our 5 year-old neighbour Ben, who sports milk-bottle bottom glasses and tends to be on the weedy side of small.

In a Disney movie moment, this second round was swiftly nipped in the bud by the heroine on the spot, Niece T. "I took him out, Aunty Fi! I kicked Cedric and punched him one and grabbed Ben and ran away!" she informed me with a huge grin on her face.

Of course, one shouldn't "condone" violence, but I couldn't help replying "Good one T, good one."

Yep, some noxious weeds definitely require specialised removal.

The telly's on the blink

2008-09-24T20:52:00.001+12:00

Luckily I have a very satisfactory backup plan.
You know, it really wouldn't be such a tragedy to give up the googlebox permanently. I don't think I'd miss it too much (although I did become slightly addicted to the first series of "Mad Men").
Would you ever consider ditching telly?

Bovine Crossing

2008-09-23T18:04:00.001+12:00

Keep moooving ladies, I'm late for work.

The Curse of the Curried Sausage

2008-09-22T21:21:00.001+12:00

Yes folks, just to contribute to a rather serious dose of Mondayitis, guess what's for dinner!
Please cheer me up by telling me what's your all-time worst meal and why?

All hail the Weedeating Wonderwoman

2008-09-21T16:53:00.003+12:00

Sunday afternoon, and I'm lolling across our bed in a patch of sunshine which is doing a fine job soothing my aching muscles after a day of hard-out weedeating. I can't remember the last time I was on weedeating duty, but I haven't forgotten how bloody knackering it can be!

However, I am sure in my new vocation of full-time gardener I will be assigned to the task permanently and will naturally be requiring a full-time massueur who is the spitting image of Viggo just to keep me in functioning order.

Once I've finished posting this, I'm off to peel a bazillion potatoes and kumara (sweet potato) to accompany tonight's dinner of roast lamb. Or, even better, I'm off to extract three young girls from in front of Hannah Montana and second them into peeling them all for me. Queue the extensive moaning.

I leave you with this afternoon's photographic efforts.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Meanwhile, further down in the valley, it was time for afternoon milking

2008-09-19T15:21:00.003+12:00

This is the start of something new...

2008-09-18T15:31:00.006+12:00

So, Day Two of my recuperation, and jeez, the drugs*, man. They work, but they sure knock you around.

As I type this (sitting in the lounge, watching Extreme Makeover with the French doors open - it's a gorgeous day out there and I so wish I felt energetic enough to get stuck into the garden) I can hear the din of the earth moving machinery drifting across from the newly cleared stockyards as the contractors prepare the ground for the foundations for Lil'Sis and Bruvinlaw's barn-house.

Now, for those of you who haven't been lurking round here very long, my sister and her family have been living with us for the past nine months waiting on planning permission and red tape and contractors and for the rain to stop so they can build their dream house.

It's not been easy, especially through this winter when it rained endlessly and the site where the house is going to built was a vast bog of mud and cow shite and a Bermuda Triangle of lost gumboots.

And then there's the family of five added to the family of three - oh the noise, oh the mess, oh the tolerance and respect that has to be exercised. I am truly amazed that our washing machine hasn't carked it after all these months of triple duty and don't get me started on the Curried Sausages**.

So, it's there has been a great lifting of spirits for everyone - this weekend gone it finally, finally stopped raining so the contractors could make a start, and after four days there's flat packed-down shingle everywhere obliterating all traces of mud and the grid for the concrete foundation is ready to be assembled.

It's all starting to become a reality instead of a dream. Hallelujah!

*A three day course of steroids. I've got the suggestion of a faint moustache already.
** A favourite of Bruvinlaw's but without a doubt the most depised meal of my childhood. However, my bossy little Good Manners Fairy insists that I eat them. Gag!

A post of shameless self promotion!

2008-09-18T04:25:00.004+12:00

I've made the top five for Greeblemonkey's monthly Greeblepix contest with my Blossom Shadow pic! So get your lovely selves over there pronto-like and vote vote vote!

For me, that is...

Pippa says play!

2008-09-17T16:06:00.002+12:00

But I say no, I just want to lummox on the couch.

The lurgy

2008-09-16T17:08:00.004+12:00

After a week of sniffing and coughing and general grottiness that didn't seem to want to go away, today I paid a visit to the doc's and was told I had the beginnings of bronchitis! Oh joy!

Apart from the nasty bugs resident in my respiratory system, being made redundant doesn't do wonders for your health either.

"You need to rest up, take it easy. Take care of yourself, a little less work and a lot more relaxation," the doctor instructed me.

Luckily, in a couple of months time that's exactly what I'll be doing; yesterday I decided to take the redundancy instead of applying for the recycled job.

Turns out it was just what the doctor ordered.

A Spring Sunday Slideshow

2008-09-14T14:41:00.009+12:00

Bring me sunshine...

2008-09-13T16:53:00.006+12:00

It's been a mild, almost rain-free Saturday, and today after minding NephewT for a couple of hours (pictured above on our morning meander to the letterbox) I spent a hour or so weeding a kikuyu choked bed, listening to ABC, America and The Bangles on my iPod which was stuck on Artist/Alphabetical as my gardening gloves were too mucky to change it to shuffle.

Oooh, it was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sunshine on my back - I felt like a giant sponge soaking up all that Vitamin D. There's so much press on how evil too much sun can be for you, but it's incredible how it can make you feel so good so quickly, especially after a long, incredibly wet winter like we've just had.

While I attacked the weeds, humming tunelessly to "Walk Like an Egyptian" I pondered over what had happened at work yesterday. Ten of us were "officially" informed that we were being made redundant, and had the weekend to decide if we wanted to apply for one of the six new roles that would be available after the "realigning".

Or, did I just take the two months' salary worth of redundancy money due to me, and potter in my garden over the summer (a notoriously low time for job opportunities) in between trips to the beach with Miss 8?

Decisions, decisions, bloody decisions...

Driiving up the home strait

2008-09-12T17:10:00.002+12:00

Friday at last! It's been a long week...

A snippet of Spring

2008-09-11T19:38:00.004+12:00

Daffodils: get 'em while they're hot!

Do They Know It's...Not Christmas?

2008-09-11T13:35:00.006+12:00

I spotted this display of very patient chocolate Santas in a department store today.

People, if you are purchasing Christmas gifts in September you have way too much time on your hands. Get a hobby! They say blogging's fun and you'll make some nice friends.

Too many books so little time

2008-09-10T13:39:00.002+12:00

I have two favourite lunchbreak haunts: the bookshop/s in the main shopping drag, and the library.

However, lately I'm finding that I've been disappointed in the choices I've made, both bought and borrowed. What's the last book you read that you really enjoyed?

Tui loves kowhai forever

2008-09-09T13:48:00.008+12:00

Dear Miss 8...

2008-09-08T10:30:00.011+12:00

Happy birthday, little girl, a whole seven years on from when this photograph was taken. Well, now you're not so little after all - as you've informed us, you're no longer a little little girl; you're a big little girl. Being a whole eight years old is a vastly different kettle of fish to being just seven.

So here's a little bit about you, little big girl. I'm not sure if you'll ever read this, but I do that know that for me and your Daddy your childhood seems to have the fast-forward button pressed on it, so I'm going to write these things down for us.

You're in Year 3, and you're in the top group for reading (kind of expected, seeing as you took to reading so easily when you were younger - just like me) and for maths (this, you did not inherit from me and Daddy says that even though he's an accountant, he was always top in woodwork at school!). Your teacher says you sometimes lack concentration and tend to daydream, but that you're happy and confident in class.

You play the recorder really, really well, and can even read music now, which is very cool. You can swim length after length of the big pool at the aquatic centre (and you can beat everybody in your class, but I'm not supposed to mention that)- you love, love, love being in the water. When we take you to the beach you will spend hours in the sea (often being forcibly removed when your lips have turned blue) and you have no fear of big waves, even when you get dumped time after time.

You love animals, especially kittens and cats, and have stickers and pictures of them all over your wall. Lately, you've become very interested in fashion, and have taken the fad for layering to the extreme - sometimes you dress for school wearing a t-shirt, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a long smock top pinafore (thee absolute fashion must-have at the moment), a skirt underneath the pinafore, all finished off with a pair of leggings, completely contrary to the "less is more" ethic. You also love hairbands and clips and ties, and will put as many as possible into your hair so it ends up looking like the accessories stand at Pumpkin Patch.

You're friendly and outgoing, and will give new things a try with almost no hesitation. You sometimes tell blatant fibs, and you always are amazed when you get caught out, but afterwards you're always so incredibly sorry and very remorseful. You can be frustratingly flakey and you're always, always forgetting where you've put things, and you're a star at leaving things behind (this I blame squarely on Daddy - he was always bellhopping your stuff when you where younger). You have a deep gravelly voice and a goofy chuckle, and a tiny lisp when it comes to saying your "th"'s.

At the moment, you've got long, straight fair hair which, despite having some fancy doodads to dress it up with, you frequently don't brush properly. You're tall and angular, with long legs and broad shoulders. You have freckles and fair skin, but luckily you've got Daddy's nice dark eyelashes instead of Mummy's albino mouse ones.

You love your food, and sometimes will eat as much as me. Chocolate is by far your favourite food, but you do enjoy baked beans and fish fingers (that's the English blood coming out in you) and eggs of any variety.

Yesterday was your actual birthday, but seeing as it was Father's Day, we did your birthday thing on Saturday instead. Daddy and I took you, two friends and your cousins to the Wave Pools, and we went down the hydroslide and rode waves and dived and splashed about, then we hit MaccyD's for lunch. Last night you chose to have homemade pizza for dinner, and then we had birthday cake afterwards (chocolate with candy-coated chocolate bits on top). You almost fell asleep in your cake you were that knackered, but somehow you managed to squeeze the last crumb in.

Happy 8th birthday, Miss 8 - we love you little big girl.

Mummy and Daddy
xxxx

The Apron of Truth

2008-09-07T22:13:00.001+12:00

Father's Day gift in a local shop window. The Other Harf didn't get this particular present as he prefers to take a risk with food spillage when barbecuing, but he did get Eggs Benedict for brekkie and a homemade card.

Apple blossom petals look like snow when the wind blows

2008-09-07T20:43:00.005+12:00

Fire on a Friday

2008-09-05T19:57:00.001+12:00

One of the few things I love about winter...

The Coffee Cup of Fate

2008-09-04T19:37:00.006+12:00

It's not a pleasant feeling, being told that the job that you enjoy will no longer exist in ten days time. I felt this icy coldness wash over me as I sat in the boardroom with ten of my colleagues, listening to words altering the directions of our lives.

Ten jobs were going, five new roles would replace them.

I've got till next Wednesday to decide if I want to apply for one of these all new, downsized roles - doing some of what I do now but a lot more of it. All the interesting bits, the challenging parts, would be going.

Or, do I take on board the (bloody cheesy, granted, but *spookily* apt) words written on my takeaway coffee cup this morning? Turn over a new leaf? Do something completely different?

Coffee in my blood
Sunshine in my head
Music in my soul
Ambition in my eyes
Answers in my heart
Destiny in my hands
A sparkle in my step
A song in my lungs

Rainy day, got the blues

2008-09-03T19:31:00.001+12:00

Have been told today that due to "restructuring" that come next Friday my job is being "disestablished". Feeling very blue...

A worthy addition to your library...

2008-09-02T13:33:00.001+12:00

And a bargain at $1. People, form an orderly queue at the counter and no shoving.

Birthday Bloke

2008-09-02T08:23:00.001+12:00

Belated birthday cake for the Other Harf courtesy of Mrs Betty Crocker.

Kia Ora

2008-09-01T17:58:00.002+12:00

Welcome to Photografi, where I'm turning over a brand new, sparkly shiny leaf after five years of Movable Type based bloggerage.

I've done some serious investigation over the past three weeks, hoping to combine an old pastime with another old pastime (that is, blogging and photography) and this folks, is thee result. Yep, one Sony Ericcson 770i and a Blogger account and Robert's your mother's younger brother.

Yes indeed, thanks to the wonders of "Modern Technology", I am now able to post photos instantaneously *poof* to the internet (without even logging on to a PC!) and goodness knows how they do it, but jeez I'm a) impressed and b) thankful, as the thought of not being able to tote my goods on the world wide web after five years of blogging just wouldn't do.

The idea is that it will be mostly photo-based, but when the need arises (and I feel like blathering on for paragraph after paragraph) I do plan to post actual words. It's an easy come, easy go, no stress, go with the flow sort of blog, and I think it's exactly what suits me right now.

I hope you'll insert this here URL in your RSS, and thank you so much for joining me on my new meanderings - you are the bee's flippin' knees.

Cheers,

Fi

Did somebody say...Spring?

2008-08-31T17:59:00.002+12:00

photografi

Possibly not the "Winterless North"

New digs!

The Last Post

Gratuitous self portrait Tuesday

Saturday night's all right for not fighting

A week of photografi

Christmas crackers at dawn

Sexy baby disco baby Crocs

In which I self medicate away the realignment blues

Just missed Santa

In celebration of being...

Watsonia, shade #127

Fields of growing gold

Tractor-jam

"Dancing Queen, young and free, only 39..."

Assume the recovery position

As Julie Andrews would say, these are a few of my favourite things

Tuesday means...

So it's Monday and I don't want to think too hard

Two kilometres and ten metres, exactly

Just quietly, I blew it.

Stop on the side of the road

Jumping in the deep end

He manu ruku ika i ngā awa, i ngā roto*

Your wise and learned opinion please...

Back in the olden days when there was only film

Up in a cloud of smoke

And New Zealand votes...

Friday evening on the verandah

Gumboot Bootcamp

Home on the range

Fair share of the steer!

Mt Hutt - a day way up the mountain

For a rosier future

To knackered to blog

The afternoon of the last Friday of the month

All you have to do is post 30 times in a row

Christchurch, the Garden City

In the interest of spreading the *love*

Kereru buffet

The Labours of Labour Day

There be a barn

Clematis from below

Wednesday lunchbreak

Akaroa - "long harbour"

How much wood can a woodchipper chuck

On the way from Kaikoura to Akaroa...

Kaikoura - "Meal of crayfish"

The long way round to Kaikoura

Nice emails make me smile

"The Simple Things"

So what's this about Hanmer Springs?

French Bay, Akaroa

Life is a highway

Caffeine fix...

Lewis Pass

Alpine View Motel alpine views...

Touchdown

Are we there yet?

Dorothy woz here

Now for something completely different but exactly the same

Hooray, hooray, it's a holi-holiday

Newly washed hydrangea

Happy 37th Lil'Sis

The elimination of small pricks

The telly's on the blink

Bovine Crossing

The Curse of the Curried Sausage

All hail the Weedeating Wonderwoman

Meanwhile, further down in the valley, it was time for afternoon milking

This is the start of something new...

A post of shameless self promotion!

Pippa says play!

The lurgy

A Spring Sunday Slideshow

Bring me sunshine...

Driiving up the home strait

A snippet of Spring

Do They Know It's...Not Christmas?

In the interest of spreading the love