banning fireworks!

I was just reading an entry on my friends Teresa's blog about fireworks (blog entry) that I agreed with so much that I had to write about it on my blog too.

Teresa - I totally agree with you. I love watching fireworks - although I've always been a little too chicken to enjoy burning them myself. But I totally support a ban on public sales! Why - because of those few morons out there who ruin it for everyone - some may be young and not realise the consequences of their actions - but many others do know and still do it anyway.
Years of being traumatised reading stories in the paper about people hurting animals, hurting other people and burning down building/bush etc on the few nights around guy fawkes have led me to believe that they should definitely be banned from public sale!

Now the interesting thing is that Paul doesn't agree with me. He was extremely gutted last week to discover that guy fawkes just doesn't exist here in Brisbane - people look at you strangely if you talk about guy fawkes night (well, more strangely than normal anyway ;-) ). So instead we had to rush home from work to watch the coverage of the wellington display on the met service website (yay for the met service). But why it's ok for Paul to like lighting fireworks is that he's "responsible" with them. But there are enough out there who aren't responsible that it's just not worth the risk.

Anyway - rant over. Got to go and get ready to go to the soccer - yay :-)

Bike riding along the Boondall wetlands

Well Paul decided that since it was a colder day today (has been all week really) that we should go for a bike ride somewhere. We decided on the Boondall wetlands ride which started near the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall and ended up at Nudgee Beach. And thanks to the nice fella who loaned us his bike pump when we found ours was leaking, we actually got to go for a ride :-)

So it was great getting out of the house and doing something active as I don't seem to do much exercise these days. It gets dark too early at night and I start work too early to go in the morning. And going out at lunchtime is just silly as you end up a sweaty heap (and that's just from walking)! So weekends are really the only opportunity to do something active. If only gyms weren't so expensive aye ;-)

Anyway so here are a few pics from our bike ride :-)

My sister ... the motor home geek!

Well it looks like my sister Marea is turning into one of those self built motor home (aka converted van) geeks you hear about. Her and Dan are getting prepped for their big Europe tour next year! To be fair it actually sounds very exciting and I'm very jealous - but we won't tell her that now will we. You can read all about it on their blog - you can link to it from "What my friends are up to" - but for now you can link here The Adventures of Marea and Dan.
Well the full name is actually Marea and Daniel as Marea has a thing about calling her fellas by their full names - but sorry Dan I am the opposite - I tend to call people by nicknames whether they like it or not - whoops ;-)
Anyway, surprise surprise, Marea is being very good at updating her blog! There's been something new to read with my breakfast every day - I am impressed! Just keep it up I say!

Marea & Dan's new purchase - vote for its name of their blog!!

Well gotta do some work! Yay it's Friday!!

Joke of the day ...

Ha ha - I got the following from an email my friend Amy sent me :-) Quite amusing!!! Even if they're made up they're still funny!

These were posted on a NZ Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a sense of humour.

Q: Does it ever get windy in NZ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).

A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see kiwi birds in the street? ( USA )

A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Auckland to Wellington - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )

A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in NZ? Can you send me a list of them in Auckland , Wellington , Christchurch and Queenstown ? ( UK )

A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in NZ ? ( USA )

A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe ...

New- Zea -l and is that island in the middle of the Pacific which does not ... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Auckland city . Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in NZ ? ( USA )

A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into NZ ? ( UK )

A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )

A: - New-zea- la is that quaint little country , which is ... oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Auckland city , straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Auckland and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )

A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in NZ who can Dispense spider serum. ( USA )

A: poisonous spiders live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from.

All NZ spiders are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets. You should find some for yourself when you get here. Especially the ones with white tails.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in NZ , but I forget its name. It's a kind animal and lives in trees. ( USA )

A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in NZ ? ( USA )

A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in Auckland where the female population is smaller than the male population? ( Italy )

A: Yes, gay night clubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in NZ ? ( France )

A: Only at Christmas.

Q: I was in NZ in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the Girl I dated while I was staying in Wellington *. Can you help? ( USA )

A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )

A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first.

Photos of the tunnel machine

The rather tall people out entertaining the crowd. They were kinda funny!

The front of the tunneling machine from the viewing platform! It was really big!

Me on the viewing platform with the front of the tunnel machine behind me

The middle section of the tunnel machine. In total the whole thing is about 250 metres long!!!

Photo taken from Paul's cell phone right by the head of the machine! SO COOL!!

Paul in his "marshall" gears in front of the head of the machine! Love the pic quality aye :-)

The south bound tunnel - they've already dug about 250 metres in

Both the tunnels! With the little tunnel machine in front of it.

Joke for the week....

Ha ha - got this from my bosses weekly update email :-)

Joke for the week....

I rear-ended a car this morning on the way to work. I knew right then and there that it was going to be a REALLY bad day. The driver got out of the other car and wouldn't you know it, he was a dwarf.

He stormed over to my car, looked up at me and said "I'm NOT f*#%ing happy!" So I said "Well, which f*#%ing one are you then?" And that's how the fight started......

hot hot hot!!

Man was yesterday a scorcher! Actually the whole weekend was pretty hot and Paul and I were out and about in it!
On Saturday we went house hunting as usual - some good news to come on that front - but I'm not counting my chickens till each one has hatched - so watch this space!
On Sunday we went to the open day to see the big tunnel boring machine that they're using to build the north south bypass tunnel! You know those huge machines you see documentaries about on discovery channel. Paul was volunteering for the afternoon (marshalling people around) so we got free tickets! We only got them to the viewing platform above the machine - but it was still pretty impressive! I have a few photos but they're on the computer at home so I'll put them on tonight (promise ;-) ). Later in the afternoon Paul got to go on one of the bus trips which took you right up to the front of machine! I'm SO jealous! Unfortunately I didn't leave my camera with him - but he did get a couple of photos on his cell phone! So we'll see how they turn out (once he finds his cable to get the photos off the phone that is).

The downsides of the heat - apart from the grotty sweating factor, is that (a) lots of ants decided to take up residence in our kitchen (SO gross to come home to) and (b) lots of flies hatched yesterday! Paul and I went for a walk when he got home, just before sunset, and the flies were so gross! They don't leave you alone and kept flying into my ears and stuff. I must have looked like a freak as I was walking along swinging my arms trying to get them the hell away from me and cursing at them to f off! Flies in your ears are SO gross!! YUK! In the end I just pulled my hair out from my cap and pulled it over my ears! I must have looked so sexy (NOT) but at least they weren't in my ears anymore!

Well really got to do some work - have a very busy month ahead!