Admission

OK - I am ready to admit it - it is getting a might chilly over here.

Wednesday got down to minus 4 degrees and I am happy to concede that I do indeed need the jacket that K bought for me in Scotland. The Beanie is officially on stand by in case drops another couple of degrees.

Gloves are still, and will always be, out of the question.

MJD's speech at my 30th

And today - Mike is proudly brought to you by Qantas!! Not a bad plane watching pad is Sus's!

A few bod's at my 30th

I know it is hard to look past the beautiful people - but check out the view! This is fairly early on - you can actually see me wobbling in a couple of the later photo's!

This is a plane.

The 747-400

This is not!

The Beech 400 motor mower engine powered flying stick!



I am back at work now - fresh from a 36 hour trek door to door. It started going from Wanganui to Auckland on a flying death machine. Mum, M&F and the boys came to see me off - and Codes and Ty both delivered an immaculately rehearsed, yet still spontaneously touching, "will miss you" each. Lucca went 'eecckk' - which was sentimental in its own way!

Then I looked out and saw the flying machine. I joked to Mike - "I hope I get an aisle or a window!" Not such luck - on this thing I had bloody both!!! This thing was dodgy - but it got me there.

5 hours or so in Auckland and then I was off to Singapore. I got to check in there thinking I was all a bit calm and worldly wise these days. Then as my boarding pass went through the machine, the inevitable 'beep beep' - "excuse me sir, could you just pop along and see that gentleman in the suit please?" Bollcoks! What now?

"Good afternoon Mr Hornsby - please enjoy your complimentary upgrade to Raffles class". I promised him that I would try...

I have now discovered that I am a Business Class kind of guy - the difference is insane. Less than 20 of us upstairs in seats/beds with four people dedicated to pampering us. Not wanting to disappoint the 'gentleman in the suit', I took full advantage (or more accurately - I took the piss - that was offered - constantly).

The whole experience was very cool and I arrived in Singapore in better shape than I left. The best thing was that it was no drama to stay awake for that whole leg (which was the plan) - so once I got back into cattle class for leg two, I dropped a couple of Imovans and was a gone burger for about 8 hours.

So it is just after 7am Wednesday here and I will be interested to see how long I last today - but the trip back is certainly not the excuse it could potentially have been.

I definitely think I will do Raffles Class on one leg of each journey home from now on - which makes it a pretty good value upgrade for them too I suppose. Singapore Girl - I salute you (which is my way of saying - 'oi, girl - tip a red to enable me!).

Heading home!

As is always the case, just as you are getting good at 'being on holiday' - it ends. Planted at Auckers airport about to jump on board and make my way back to the UK via Singers now.

Current attire? Sand shoes, shorts, t-shirt - so should do the trick for London - the BBC tells me it will be a lazy minus 3 as I make my way from Heathrow to work.

A slightly insane decision to go directly from the flight to the office - but this contractor used his leave coming back to NZ. (A gentle message to those working at THG on Wednesday - you do not want to be the person that asks a stupid question on Wednesday afternoon!) A short three day week and then New Years.

I have decided to party firmly on New Years Eve. To look forward and not back. I start as a permanent employee in the New Year - so that is one milestone already ticked off I guess! The next is to get my own pad I think - I am hoping to have a few people 'to host' in 2006!

Had a fantastic time back home - photo's to follow, but for now it's, 'excuse me - mines a red thank you' (goes well with the Imovane!).

There was no 'Cheers'

So another Christmas has passed - the second since Dad died. In many ways it was very typical Christmas – up until I returned to Wanganui.

We dropped in on a few rellies on the way up – had the photo calls and many of the other things that are synonymous with our fairly traditional family Christmas. Then we were off to Wanganui for Christmas dinner at M&F’s family pad. Cool.

Our old neighbour was nice enough to lend us her house to stay in whist she was away – so that was the accommodation sorted. That’s when it got weird. It was the first time I had driven to Wanganui and not had a family home to go to. This time I wasn’t going to drive up the drive – honk twice – to be greeted by Mum at the door, Dad just making his way out of the living room behind her as I walked in.

Instead I drove up the next door drive way, got out of the car and looked down on the two houses where I had sent most of my life. One of them ‘the house that Mum and Dad built’, and Mum and I sold. It just seemed wrong.

I looked at the new owners having drinks on ‘our deck’, playing games on ‘our lawn’ – and to be honest I went between jealousy and anger. It was nothing at all to do with them (they are very nice), it was more the fact that they looked like they were having ‘the perfect’ family Christmas. And I wasn’t.

For the rest of the night at M&F’s do I reverted to the standard Modus Operandi when I feel this way – looking after the kids. I was not much in the mood for the traditional boozy session, there were no speeches to drink to after all – we always did speeches – lots of them.

I don’t mean this to be particularly melancholy, or even to sound as though it is coming from the keyboard of someone in a wildly depressed chapter. It is just that coming back to Wanganui and looking down on ‘my home’ from a distance has thrown me a bit.

People say that Christmas is always one of the hardest times when you have lost someone close, that it embodies so much of the family spirit (certainly true in my case). But when I look at the family I still have, the recent additions to it, and the extended family we have adopted – and that have adopted us as theirs, I know I am incredibly lucky.

But there is still a massive hole, and, in a strange kind of way, seeing that house was like I was looking right at it.

With friends like this...

It's been traditionally quiet politically over the past month or so - but it is the end of the year and the annual commentators report cards are starting to come in. One of the earlies is Chris Trotski in The Independent - ye gods!

Disillusioned? Yup. Disenchanted? Understatement. Scathing? Hell yes!

He has basically devoted 800 words or so to slamming Labour for everything I have tried to convince Mum of for years! Put them in power for long enough and eventually their true colours form a rainbow (of the storm cloud variety). Basically I think the average Labour politician is well intentioned enough, typically from a young age. Blindly idealistic and driven to enforce their ideology on all and sundry. To do this they 'get involved' - become unionists, activists, lecturers, teachers and eventually politicians. Ultimately they become political dogs with a dogma.

That last rant is intended to intimate, oh so deftly, that I think that this group of 'power at all costs career politicians' have completely lost touch. And when one of the extreme left commentators is saying this about you - it may be time for a little critical introspection! From Trotter's column:

Labour politicians seemed incapable of displaying any form of empathy, or even sympathy, with the plight of grieving or angry citizens.
In fact, the Labour-led government gave every impression of being unfamiliar with the notion of personal accountability and seemed strangely reluctant to acknowledge the state agencies for which its ministers were responsible could even make mistakes.

Ouch! A special serve the President of Helengrad:

The Prime Minister, in particular, seemed to have broken her connection with the electorate.
The woman who appeared to have a secret hot-line to the hearts and minds of the New Zealand people and who, throughout Labour's first term, knew instinctively what was "on" and "not on" was now radically out of step with voter sentiment.

Ka-bloody-pow! And then a nice synopsis of the election campaign that emphasises the political cynicism that seems to evade that collective conciousness (or caring) of most New Zealanders:

The reaction of Labour's strategists was a peculiar combination of ideological bravado and the most cautious political pragmatism.
Boldly staring down the vociferous protests of the Christian Right, Labour's identity politicians rolled up the numbers to pass the socially divisive Civil Union Bill.
On matters pertaining to race, however, Labour was anything but bold. One by one, it picked up National's policies and made them their own. "Bishop" Brian Tamaki and his black T-shirted followers were fair game for Labour's trophy hunters - but not Maori-bashers.
This moral abdication left the field clear for the Maori Party, its legions of willing workers more than compensating for a chronic lack of funds.

It keeps going! Repeat - Chris Trotter is a far left commentator - nuf said.

Cardiac Arrest - momentary blip!

Ma and the girls below - complete with a Roll Royce in her chest to keep a watchful mechanical eye on Mum's dicky ticker. An uneventful 2006 whilst I am away please mother!

All too much...

Not to much to report of the last few days - just more coffee's and wines... I got the full Ozzy on at Jaco's on Saturday night - so expectations have been lived up to...

Ma had some people around last night and felt the impact of my birthday more than I have to date. She has always liked being able to say that she had a boy in his 20's - now that she is unable to claim that - I think she feels she has aged more than I have as a result of my 30th! But she is looking and feeling great - which in itself has made the trip worth while.

There haven't been any real 'moments' of note - just a lot of catching up with people and enjoying the familiarity and connectedness that comes from being with people that you are that close too. That has made me realise how much I miss the knowing looks, little sayings, casual hugs etc when I am in London. That said - I am still looking forward to getting back (and that's despite the call I have just had from K telling me her lap top has been stolen! Bastards!).

Final catch up's with Auckland types tomorrow and then back to Wellies for a few days. Christmas in Wanga-there-is-only-one-Vegas and then back on the bird to London town for what sounds like a New Years Eve at Chez Albert.

If retirement is like this - I think I'll keep working

The last few days have been nothing but coffee and wines... All good, but bloody exhausting - I have even had to push out the coffee to wine transition time to 4pm - outrageous!

Off to Johnny B's for 'dinner' tonight - he has taken tomorrow off - I'm afraid...

Not much has changed in Auckland town (but I wouldn't have expected much to in 8 months) - but it is good to be back. Just about to head in to town to meet Lou and Rosy before heading out to the Bassman's - I don't anticipate anything 'bloggable' to happen there!

Aahhh, Wellington

Mum and I were supposed to fly back to Auckland early this afternoon - but got fogged in at Wellington Airport. So we have rebooked for this evening and headed back to Sus's place for the afternoon.

At least we can keep a good view on the airport from here - this is one angle of the view from her deck. That's the airport runway in the middle - which begs the question, if I can see it from here, why can't a pilot plonk his flying Volvo down on it?!?!?

I'll hopefully have some party pics up in the next day or two.

30 years old - 30 hour session

Suffice it to say that I am feeling a little green! If this is how 30 is going to feel - then I am in trouble.

Had a great time on Saturday night with Wellington weather coming to the party - big time. It was stunning - so there we were out on the deck enjoying wines, and then lots of wines. The smart money had me getting wobbly at 9.30pm with a full Ozzy on by half ten - they weren't far off.

I managed to keep it together well enough to get into a few bars. As the sun came up it was time to head back to S&H's place. Bottles of Moet don't travel well - so the only reasonable course of action was to uncork a couple and get the day moving.

Then down to Shed 5 for lunch and a few afternoon wines. Back to MJD's where the 1.75 bottle of Beam taunted me as we walked though the door. It sensed a man that was about the submit - MJD kept me strong and focused on the task at hand. Finally it was time to fall down some stairs and head to bed for the first 12 hour sleep I have had in over a year.

Off to see the Mum, Nickster and the girls now. [After a shower might be an idea - Ed]

Newcastle legends are made - not born

Step one - put them in the appropriate kit from a young age!

Here's Cody sporting his new colours. They are colours for life young man!

If you don't like kids - come back in a week or so!

Me and N&D's girls - Millie and Georgia! The change in 8 months was unreal.

Sorry about the quality of the pic - but I tend to have that affect on even the most modern technology!

Kiwi Log on Kiwi Time

Loving being home - it's nearly five o'clock and it's light outside!

Mum is looking and feeling great and I am re-discovering the things I miss! So far (in no particular order and not including the obvious family type things):

1. A big, gutsy Chard - I'm dominating a bottle of Church Road as I type!

2. The view from Mum's (photo up shortly)

3. Driving - 8 months sense I drove last - mum's little Holden ain't no VR4 - but it was driving none the less.

4. The Huddie folk - not the boring drippy types (if you're reading this - you're definitely not one of 'them'!), but the Bass's, Suzies et al! Had wines with a few last night, just like old days (except we stopped whilst still copus).

Down to Wellies tomorrow and I get to see the kids!!!! All of them, up to M&F's to see the boys and then dinner at N&D's to see the girls (there will be photos for sure).

Until next time - haere ra! (That is Moari for - 'I'm outta here - happy days').

Put the sound on and click on this....

Turkey Day

It takes a few seconds to load - but is well funny (thanks Jones girl).

Coming to you on NZ time!

And very happy to be here! Had a nice afternoon with Mum and a few brews with some of the Hudson's this evening - excellent. But absolutely whacked - so that's all for now.

Here and well and a few thoughts to lay out (not to mention the rant that is coming about the dickhead Australian that was planted next to me on the first flight).

But for now, I am on Ma's balcony - 3G card connecting me to the rest of the world (sometimes I can't repress the inner geek), and happy as Harold.

Replying to work emails half cut - you know it's a bad idea as you do it, but you do it.

Photo's of Mum and the view from hers tomoza.

Outta here

About half an hour from walking out the door. Mad day handing things over - but will start to unwind on the plane.

Mark (the Boss) has organised me a 3G card which means I have broadband pretty much wherever you can get mobile coverage, bless him. Brings a whole new meaning to working from home (and everywhere in between!).

When I came over here I had no idea what to expect - that was mind-blowing. Heading back to NZ I pretty much know exactly what to expect - funnily enough - it is equally exciting.

MJD - get ready to tip one or three.

Oh - how things can change in 24 hours

OK - so I have packed. Sorted, dusted - job done. But the calm of yestersday is gone. What have I forgotten!?!?

How the hell can I sit here for 3 hours asking myself that same question and then be unhappy when I come up with, 'nothing, relax', as an answer?!?! I want to relax - trust me I do - but I can't.

The anticipation of the last week or so has been replaced by the same sort of nervous anxiety (and excitment) that I felt before I left NZ.

Oh well, in 24 hours, what I may have forgotten will be patently apparent - otherwise I will be calmly on my way...

Big day at work tomorrow to take my mind of things. So there will be a quick update before I leave and then the next will be on NZ time! Yeah baby...

Counting down

I am now getting officially excited about coming home, but as I mentioned - still feeling a strange sense of calm about the whole trip. It makes me realise what a big girls blouse I was when I was gearing up to leave. It was understandable to be nervous I suppose - but there is definitely no nervousness about the trip back - just huge vibrancy and verve.

I am not a big shopper typically - but have spent today happily shedding a couple of hundred quid on the kids Christmas prizes. There was never any question about what I was going to get the boys, the girls were a little harder - but I got there.

It scares me to think how much they will have changed when I get back. Message to all tykes - 'you'd better bloody recognise Uncle Frit when he gets back!' Nickster and MJD - if you could pass that on to said Jnr's I would appreciate it.

Have just rung and confirmed flights - way hay! Leave work for Heathrow at 5pm Monday and hit Auckers at midday Tuesday (UPDATE it's midday Wednesday! Thx K) with Mum to meet me at the airport - perfect! I remember leaving Mum at the airport vividly, thinking there would be tears - there were'nt (I was too busy packing myself!).

I'm sure there will be tears when I get back. Being 12000 miles away from home, sharing the darkness with a bottle of red, waiting for a phone call from MJD, as your Mum lies in a coma, is pure purgatory. Even though Mum has bounced back brilliantly, the anticipation of the elation and comfort I'll feel when I actually see her will make the 24 hour flight seem to fly by [copyright Kiwilog dreadful puns dept; 2005].

Saturday night and all is well (even Newcastle are 1-0 up!).

UPDATE - naturally Newcastle couldn't hold on, 1 - 1 the final score, but still feeling happy.

Oh my god

I can't believe it is only three days until I get home and I am completely relaxed. I'm yet to organise a party for Saturday night - but hey...

When I was getting reasy to come over here I was beside myself - this time round, nup. Relaxed - to relaxed I fear.

Anyways - full update tomorrow.

Just your every day interview

This is the situation, you are a 21 year old girl, interviewing for your first real corporate job. You’re nervous, it’s kind of showing, this makes you more nervous.

You are being interviewed by three people; the IT Operations Manager, Business Systems Manager and the Business Analyst. This is a touch over the top for a Systems Support/Training role you think. They start – literally. It is 15 minutes before you get to say a word.

They are laughing from time to time; they seem to be enjoying themselves. Finally – a question from the guy that talked first, “Why are you here?” A harsh opener, but you can’t argue with the relevance. You answer it fine, not great, but fine. (The boss guy is looking around the room and texting now).

Next the guy with glasses completely knee caps his boss mid-sentence and asks, “Is what you’ve heard so far in line with your expectations?” ‘All I’ve heard is three people banging on (largely to each other) – so I’m fucked if I know really’ you think to yourself. But you nod politely, say “yes” and look excited by it all.

This goes on for another half hour, the three suits having a competition as to who can work in the best fish joke when asking you about your last job on the fresh fish and meat counter. By now you’ve cottoned onto it and rather than answering, you are just teeing them up for their next one liner. They seem to like this.

Then, during one of your longer answers, the big boss’s phone rings. He checks who it is, the guy with glasses scowls with a ‘switch it off or get the fuck out look on his face’, the big boss doesn’t even notice. Instead he answers it, “It’s Juan - I have to take it, you guys talk amongst yourselves” - he then proceeds to crawl under the table and take the call in hushed tones! The other two carry on as though there is nothing unusual in this.

The interview carries on for another 45 minutes in much the same vain. Then they take you out for a wine – just so they can continue their gabfest it seems. Then, the madness ends and you and are on your way.

What you have just been through is an interview for a Systems Support role for the Business Systems Group.

Shit it was funny. I was stressed to hell and had pretty much lost the plot, Mark was on a role (a big role) and Kathryn was trying to be the sensible one (when the tears weren’t rolling down her cheeks) – and this girl completely rolled with it! She is technically fine, but no experience. But we decided that if she handles an experience like that, she can handle anything.

Offer is in the post. Cover note says, “go on, accept it. We dare ya!” She will.