Clear and crisp and freezing

A freezing blast has hit Kaitoke. It was -1 degrees on the car temperature this morning.

The irony is that whilst we're freezing here the ski fields of New Zealand are closed because the weather is not cold enough. Apparently that's set to change this weekend with snow in the high mountains so that the ski season can get underway.

For us living in the hills we need sunshine and nice soft ground. We've got more trees arriving tomorrow and the last thing we need is more freezing temperatures.

Doing my chores this morning was a little more fun than normal with all the frost to admire and see how the chickens and bassets behave in these less hospitable conditions.

As I write this blog the sun is out and the frost is melting from the roof. So good job I've got some photoblogging to remind me of this morning's adventures.

Frost on the lawn

Frost on my majority planting - thistles!

Frost on my Cordyline Australis

Frost on my kiwi hedge and soon to be salad and herb bed

Layered landscapes from frosty grass to native bush

"Morning George!" says Fortnum

Hot breakfast on a cold morning (last night's shepherds pie!)

George - tall and proud

George leading his ladies to the outside world of free ranging

Mason drinking the frost from the fence!

It's been an Executive Day today and theme today has been "stress". I'm relieved to tell you this has been other people's not mine - although it was a bit of a stretch getting back in time to get the bassets from their pet angel!

I've got a "hotspot" about stress. This is coaching jargon for a subject matter that you have deep experience of and you can be prone to not being objective about. Stress is one of those things that I have to take care that I maintain a healthy objectivity about for my coaching clients since occupational stress is something I know a bit about.

That awful knot in your neck that won't go away. The annoying boss that says - let's look at your priorities or what else can I do to help. That screaming feeling in your head that shouts Ahhhhhhhhh! And then you feel better, for about five seconds.

Some people say that stress is a modern phenomena and in the old days people just got on with things and didn't get stressed. I'm not sure about that. I reckon that there are higher expectations upon people to do more and more and more and this brings with it pressure to achieve and perform that didn't exist previously. Or maybe we just expect more of ourselves than we used.

I want to know what happened to the society of leisure that was predicted in the 1980's that led me to take my undergraduate degree in leisure studies (aka a degree in throwing, running and catching). Back then we were suposed to start to have more free time and start enjoying life more. That certainly wouldn't have been a stressful life!

Now I am a Domestic Executive I count my blessings each day. Yes I too have pressure to meet my own expectations (and those others I share a home with) but it's nothing like having to deal with the consequences of other people's actions day in and day out, feeling the pressure build and have no way out.

My secret for dealing with stress is quite simple - come home to two basset hounds who wag their tails and smile their basset smile to show they are pleased to see you. Regardless of what may have been happening before you see this it melts away in moments and you can see that life can be sweet. I wonder whether I should be taking Fortnum and Mason to my coaching sessions as my secret weapon against stress?

Memories of a sunny day

Seems that MT brought the rotten weather with him back from Auckland yesterday and spoilt my day. It's been raining and blowing a southerly gale. Definitely fire lighting weather again.

Still I won't be put off by a bit of cold wind I've got my memories of a sunny day from yesterday when the bassets were our having a wonderfully playful walk.

The simple pleasures of Domestic Executive life, sunny skies and playful bassets. Who needs the rat race?

Hey, chase me......

So you want a go?

Not quite, you're pointing the wrong way

That's it, we can do it together!

A beautiful day for a walk

Today was a beautiful day. Bright sunshine, almost clear blue skies and a light breeze. Just the day for taking Fortnum and Mason for a walk.

As I strolled along there was plenty of time to admire the views. You've got to understand the bassets need to take time with their sniffing you know. I still have to pinch myself sometimes that we live in the place we do. It's stunning in its vastness and the almost pre-historic vegetation makes it all the more wonderful. Not to mention that all this is right over my garden fence.

Shame MT was up in Dorkland in the cold, mist and rain!

Typical NZ fern trees

View down to Tunnel Gully

The boys dragging their paws to make the most of the day

Intensive sniffing at play

On the run to catch me up!

Aha, caught you!

Is is much further home, we're a bit tired and hot!

Home sweet home - just another five minutes walk away

Ouch - that hurts!

By the time I settled to watch the rugby last night my aches and pains from the gorse harvesting were already setting in. My pain was only made worse watching England battle against the all blacks.

Despite the score 37-20 to the ABs, England put up a pretty good fight and had some moments of brilliance. Especially Ojo with his two sprint tries. Strettle also nearly made a try that had he succeeded I reckon would have made it a whole different game.

The thing with the ABs is that you can't let a chink in your game appear as they are then like an unstoppable steam train. As you might imagine the media here are really playing up the result. Here's some photoblogging with kiwi captions.

CHARGE: A rare England attack (Domestic "sporting" Executive says: this is a little harsh it's not like England didn't win any points!)

TAKE THAT: Rodney So'oialo hits hard in defence

(Domestic "sporting" Executive says: ouch I bet that hurt!)

THE NONU EXPRESS: Ma'a Nonu leaves the England defence at sixes and sevens

(Domestic "sporting" Executive says: fair point!)

TIPPING POINT: Conrad Smith scores the All Blacks' first try
(Domestic "sporting" Executive says: this was a pretty cool try and definitely the point at which England started to feel the pain!)

Mammoth gorse harvest

The bassets and I have had a very productive afternoon. Exhausting but very satisfying and we had glorious weather to brighten our day.

After a couple of wet weekends it was important to restart the gorse harvest. We've got trees to put in but can't do so until some of the gorse is cleared. So the boys and I set to and we cleared about 20 m of gorse and as if by miracle we finally find the boundary to the land at the bottom of the garden.

The only problem with gorse harvesting is what to do with the gorse harvested. Although my friend Gill mentioned that she knew someone who made wine from gorse, I'm not sure that this is a good idea since our gorse has been exterminated with industrial strength killer spray.

I've created a massive pile to be burned tomorrow. I think if we set light to it as it is we'd probably take the rest of the bush with it so there'll need to be some careful planning and fire building skills.

It's fair to say that my hands, arms, legs and back ache after all the physical exertion but I'm so pleased to have made it to the bottom of the garden at last. If those living in the northern hemisphere get woken by a bright light in the middle of the night, don't worry it's just us burning our gorse!

Fortnum admiring the growing gorse mountain

Rubbish picture (sorry, it was getting dark) but if you squint you can see the bottom of the garden.

Yes there are still plenty of gorse stumps we've got to deal with!

My basset boys on guard protecting the gorse mountain

Domestic Executive neat stacking of the gorse!

Honest, this isn't a line of gorse bushes. My gorse mountain in all it's glory!

Tomorrow when I crawl out of bed complaining of the muscle ache I shall think of my father-in-law who started this whole gorse thing off in the first place. After his marathon spraying efforts during his holiday with us earlier in the year it would be rude not to follow through and clear the dead gorse. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. Won't it?

Scaffolding down at last

The scaffolding has finally come down on the neigbours new house. There's been plenty of activity recently so it looks like the final push towards completion.

My heart goes out to Mike and Andrea whose budget ran dry so they are having to do the painting themselves. I've seen them most days this week and I think they are heartly sick of it already and they haven't even finished doing the priming coat. I think it's going to be a real marathon effort for them.

Although I've offerred them the use of our kettle and bathroom so they can avoid the builders portaloo I found myself drawing the line at actually offering to paint for them. The last time I wielded a paintbrush I ended up with RSI so I don't want to fall into that trap again. Mental note to use this excuse for not painting the fence or the chicken house too!

It's strange seeing lights on in the house. If I stretch my neck a lift myself out of my domestic executive HQ chair I can just about see them peaking over the hill. Nice to know that we'll have people close to hand.

As if talking the neighbours wasn't enough of a reminder of our own building experience I was contacted this week by our builders. Not chasing their final final payment (that's a whole different story) but asking me to do some work for them. Not building you'll be pleased to know but helping them get their marketing right. Apparently, I am perfect for their target market "a middle aged woman with money to spend".

Hmm, not sure about the middle aged or the money to spend but at least it might yield some regular work I can do from home. A domestic executive's preferred way of working!

Bassets brave the river - not!

Our bassets are not the bravest of creatures. Mason has a particularly endearing quality that when he sees something he doesn't like or not sure of he'll jump back on all four paws and hide, either behind us or behind Fortnum.

It was an adventure to see how they coped with one of the walks at the Kaitoke Regional Park that has two bridges to cross and a river to explore.

Much to my amazement that walked the bridges without any hestitation. They were very interested in what was going on under where they were walking. When it came to investigating the river itself there was a bit more reluctance and not much paw wetting going on!

I wonder how they are going to cope when we go on a beach holiday next month!

It work's!

Today was a ceremonial milestone for MT. The Telecom Chief Executive had a photocall to prove to the world that the new network is working

"loud and clear!"

It will be good when the darn thing is up and running proper as it will then mean MT can then relax a little more. Aside from building new networks there are other things to be doing at DE hq. Painting the new fence for instance.

Talking of paint, I had to take out a second mortgage today to pay for the fence paint. I paid $100 for 4 litres which seemed really extreme. This is one of many things that the size and remoteness of New Zealand increases the costs of things that you otherwise take for granted. Cheese is the other thing that I find expensive which is surprising for a country with an economy driven by the dairy industry.

Turn lights off, we've had a drought

Whilst there is much debate whether we do in fact have a problem it seems word has got out that New Zealand may be moving towards black out as the low rainfall impacts on our ability to generate power. Reported in the Guardian today:

New Zealanders are to be urged to wash dishes by hand and turn off some of their household lights as the country teeters on the brink of a power crisis caused by drought.

After two years of dry weather the low level of water in lakes that drive New Zealand's hydroelectric power plants is causing concern. The energy minister, David Parker, yesterday denied claims that the country was facing rolling power cuts, but said that unless there was significant rainfall soon households would be asked to cut electricity consumption by up to 15% during the peak early evening time.

Hydroelectric stations usually produce about 75% of New Zealand's electricity but lack of rainfall has reduced that output in recent weeks to only 50%. Coal, diesel and gas-fired power plants are trying to make up the shortfall, but more strain is expected to be put on the national grid with the arrival of winter in the southern hemisphere.

Backed by the government, the electricity industry is to launch a power-saving campaign on television.

"I think the advice will be that, while it's not an emergency, it is time for people to be turning off lights in rooms they are not using, certainly not leaving the computer on all night or the heated towel rail on for 24 hours a day," Helen Clark, New Zealand's prime minister, said in a radio interview.

The irony is that we should not be wasting energy full stop. For one thing it's horrendously expensive and it's not good for the planet. This is another example of the all pure, clean and green NZers not walking the talk.

You'll be pleased to know our towel rails are on timers and I am becoming increasingly obessed about leaving lights on unnecessarily. I guess our real luxury is having the computer downloading (but not all night I hasten to add) but this is just the alternative to us watching hours of TV. Although we're not squeaky clean when it comes to power saving I can sleep easy that we're doing out bit!

Walkies... rain or shine

It's fair to say we've had quite a lot of rain this weekend. Whilst all I wanted to do was hunker down in front of the fire it was only fair that the bassets got their daily walk.

Dressed for the weather in waterproofs and wellies I was certainly enthusiastic for the adventure. Somehow Fortnum and Mason weren't quite as ethusiastic.

At first it was hard to get them off the veranda and then up the drive. They did eventually get the message that walkies were taken rain or shine and we enjoyed a fantastic walk. I was totally overheating as 10 minutes after leaving the rain stopped and the sun came out. You just can't win!

How do you like my outfit boys?

Great start - walking to heel

5 seconds later!

A basset walk out on their walk! We did eventually make it up the drive and along the Rimutaka Trail

Since it was raining we had a cupboard clear out. Here's a selection of the boys toys destroyed and put away for mending. Yeah right!

In the land of Geeks

It seems that I have reached the point in my blogging life where I’d like my blog to look better, have more features and go faster. The common wisdom on these matters is that you need to go it alone and build your own.

As if I haven’t had enough of building things I've taken the plunge and got myself a new virtual Domestic Executive HQ. Let's just say it's going to take time and given I'm in Geek territory and it's all news to me I'm sure there'll be lots of experimentation before I get it right.

I'll tell you where to find me in at my new web-place when I'm not going to embarress myself!

Normal blogging resumes tomorrow.

Rugby in the rain

We were treated to an evening at the Cake Tin tonight to watch the All Blacks play Ireland. This was the first match for the ABs since losing out at the World Cup so was important for them to win.

Let's just say it was less than ideal conditions. It was one of those dark, wet and stormy Wellington nights when people should be sat in front of the fire indoors keeping dry and wet. Thousands didn't and sat through 80 minutes of rugby which given the conditions was not the most exciting to watch.

Ireland got off to a fantastic start against the might ABs and for much of the game they were neck a neck. The All Blacks did however break through a couple of times giving them the win they were looking for.

I found myself rooting for the Irish to make up the numbers. Whilst there was a contingent of Irish enjoying the night out it was a thoroughly kiwi crowd willing their home team.

You'll be pleased to know that MT and I were insconced in the warm in the corporate hospitality area. It was definitely the best place to watch the rugby and the poor sods sitting outside getting wetter and wetter and wetter by the minute. The mad dash to the car park after was the extent of my exposure to the elements but I was relieved to be home in the warm and see the waggy tails of Fortnum and Mason who as kiwi dogs would have been rooting for the All Blacks I am sure!

The headlines on the match summed up the game quite well.

"Dealing with rust in wet conditions is never easy and the All Blacks found that out as they creaked and groaned against the grit of the Irish and a decent old Wellington storm before spluttering to a much-needed 21-11 victory."