Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | January 26, 2012

a drive to the other side of the Ruahines

It’s great when work sends you driving to the other side of the island (kind of – the other side of the mountains that divide the west and east!)

From Takapau, I drive to Dannevirke and then take the back roads along the foothills (Top Grass Road for any of you keen enough to google map) to the start of the now-famous Saddle Road (okay, not so famous on a global scheme of things, but the go-to route now the Manawatu Gorge has a rather large slip all over a rather large section of the road).

I had a lovely few hours sojourn in Feilding after an unscheduled two-hour break between two interviews.  Job #2 was a visit to a new dairy conversion at Cheltenham.

After that, was the start of my problems for a quick drive home.

Added to the fact that three hours in the car on my own is a perfect recipe for a music mindmap back to the 80s (think Bon Jovi, Eurythmics, Jenny Morris and spot of Def Leppard - very cool)… it was a perfect day for summer photos too. Check these three out.

borage crop near Cheltenham

"giant marshmellows" as my kids used to call them

This colour just caught my eye (I stop on the side of the road often)

 

I need one of those signs that the rubbish trucks have: beware, this vehicle stops often!

So, I decided it was going to be dark before I got home if I didn’t stop stopping, so I stopped.

So my memory will have to suffice of the shot of the kids playing in a creek as I drove over the bridge; the sheep grazing peacefully on a grassy knob apparently blissfully unaware of the giant wind turbine whisking away overhead; the windswept trees under the foothills of the Ruahines.

A few years ago I was walking along a local road and came over the brow to the most awesome sight of a layer of cloud stretching out before me. But I could see the landscape both under the cloud and away over the top of the cloud. Hard to describe, but the memory has been etched, well, in my memory!

It’s late. After driving to Manawatu yesterday and the destination of choice today was Gisborne (Elton John and Jimmy Barnes most of the way today. And a new fave. True Colours by Phil Collins. Love it.)

I made the call two hours ago that Federer would beat Nadal in five sets in the semis of the Aussie Open. One set each so far but I’m afraid me and my mental little camera are going to bed.

 

 

 

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | January 13, 2012

and so 2012 is underway

Yes, 2012 has arrived. It’s hard to fathom January is almost half way through.

How did that happen? The weather hasn’t been too willing to bribe me with cool wine on a sunny beach but I have had a few awesome games of tennis despite day #2 of our annual tournament being rained off, caught a few waves and indeed, opened a few New Zealand pinot gris bottles.  The newest *like* for me is Hihi Wine‘s Gizzy Fizzy. Very drinkable (and cheaper than Lindauer Summer).

I have just booked in a couple of newspaper features for April and May and received confirmation I will again be general photographer for the 2012 Young Farmer of the Year grand final. That job is so much fun because the contestants have to do such a range of tasks in the three days.

My mum will get to see her youngest daughter several times this year – the grand final is in Dunedin, we’re going on a winter sojourn to Fiji and I’m hightailing it south again for the 150th goldfields celebrations in Queenstown. The Bryants (my mum’s family) were a force in the original settling of the area – Richard Cogar Bryant, my great great grandfather, was the town’s first police office and harbour master. Since then, my family has had an ongoing association with Kinloch at the head of the lake, where he then settled with his family.

If you are a regular to rivettingkatetaylor, you will know procrastination is one of my strong points (weaknesses?!)

So I had better return to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council possum control programme stories I am supposed to be finishing :)

 

 

 

 

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | January 13, 2012

Go back!

Sorry about the laguage used, but I couldn’t resist the meaning behind this picture.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | January 12, 2012

well done beef & lamb chefs

This PR today from Beef + Lamb NZ …

The 2012 Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards attracted an unprecedented 208 entries from restaurants nationwide, with 189 achieving the Award – a record 91% pass rate, up from 89% the previous year.

“The Christchurch earthquake saw the closure of many of the city centre’s top restaurants and put extra pressure on the remaining restaurants in suburban Christchurch, stretching them to capacity,” says Rod Slater, CEO of Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc., organisers of the Awards.

“Add to that the challenge faced during October when restaurants in the main urban centres were inundated with overseas diners, which placed huge demands on the hospitality sector.  Additionally, there’s been a shortage of lamb available on the domestic market.  All in all, it’s been a taxing year for the restaurant industry, and they’ve risen to the challenge very well.”

The 2012 Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards recognise consistency and quality in the preparation and presentation of beef and lamb cuisine, following anonymous assessments by culinary experts late last year.

Five chefs who displayed exceptional culinary skills during the assessment process have also been named as 2012 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassadors.  They are:  Brenton Low, à Deco, Whangarei; Justin Scheihing, Casito Miro, Waiheke Island; Stephen Barry, Mount Bistro, Mt Maunganui; Shaun Clauston, Logan Brown, Wellington; and Ben Batterbury, True South Dining Room, Queenstown.  In addition, Brenton Low and Stephen Barry have also been named as lifetime Platinum Ambassadors.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | January 9, 2012

new scholarship…

Westland Milk Products is proud to announce the introduction of a new scholarship fund that recognises the hardships faced by many families in both the West Coast and Canterbury communities as a result of the recent disastrous events. Good on you!

 

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | November 19, 2011

callout #1

Hurrah! Promise I won’t blog everytime we get a callout at the Takapau Volunteer Fire Brigade, but this is my first, so I’m allowed to!

Couldn’t have asked for better – a small grass fire that was already out on arrival thanks to a nearby farmer working on his tractor (started on the highway probably by a cigarette). Then to add to the excitement, we got sent to another grass fire down the road that turned out to be misguided directions to the first one.

So all in all, a good start for me. Got the nerves out of the road and will be all sorted for the next one. Good thing I was at my friend’s house about to have a wine when her hubby’s pager went off (cos I don’t have mine yet!)

You should have seen my hands shaking though!

 

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | November 16, 2011

Where were they?

Where were the drunk All Blacks when I was in Rarotonga?

I visited and loved Rarotonga when two of my friends were married there last year.  We even went to Trader Jacks. But there were no All Blacks, let alone young, drunk, naked ones.

This is what we did see. And I still miss it. Click the link to get a sneak peak of what normal people see on a normal holiday in the Cooks :)

Missing Rarotonga

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | November 16, 2011

still waiting

Here I am, sitting at the dining room table, checking my Facebook status before I start my working day.

Seriously, just reading the news sites before I start writing some crap of my own.

I’m also still waiting for the local fire siren to go off… I get butterflies in my stomach every time my brain thinks about it. (I’ve often told the brain to bugger off and stop thinking so much!) Seriously, I hope the first call out is a false alarm – then I can just get on with it next time!

A controlled house fire has been offered to us next weekend – what an awesome experience that will be. The heat from a house fire will put the RFTB to shame (see the last post for more explanation). But it will be nice to know there are no people inside.

There was a great response to my firefighting news. Thank you for the comments (mostly back on FB). Sadly, Michael Laws’ alleged infidelities, Paul Henry’s resignation and the Norsewood gunman from a couple of years ago are still my top posts. What do I have to do to get to the top?

There might be a boost this afternoon. I’m on The Farming Show at lunchtime (technically, sometimes I get bumped for more important people!)

I made the mistake of sending Jamie (Mackay) an invitation to a lingerie party this weekend (which he accepted!) instead of a fellow Takapau-ite Jamie Turner so no doubt I will get a hard time about that!

Firefighters in lingerie? Not good for the reputation.

The broadcaster in me is hoping for the siren to go off in the dying seconds of the interview.

“Sorry Jamie, gotta go.”

Click.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | November 12, 2011

doing my bit

Rivettingkatetaylor is one of the country’s newest volunteer firefighters.

Normally I spout forth regularly about what I get up to, especially something this major. But for some reason, I have been shy to yell about it. But now I’m not ”just” a recruit - I have given up my red helmet for a yellow one. I’m official.

My CFO or Chief Fire Officer, James Ward, presenting me with my yellow helmet

Two other chaps called Damien and Jason have joined me as the three new firefighters of the Takapau Fire Brigade. Along with 15 others from Wairoa to Pahiatua. And what a week we have all had.

Hoses. Dividing breeches, collecting breeches, branch deliveries. Ladders. (Foot the ladder! Ladder Footed! Prepare to under run! Under run!) Portable pumps and portable dams. Water, foam, CO2, dry powder. Fire breaks. Oxygen – Heat – Fuel.  Knots. Lines (NOT ROPES!)

Focus. Commitment. Team work. All culminating, technically in the passing out parade but realistically, one day earlier, sitting in a little concrete room with a fire burning in the corner.

The “RiftB”. RFTB. Realistic Fire Training Building. Freaking awesome – that’s what RFTB stands for.

The Fire Service has so many acronyms!! One of them is PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, in our case Level 1s (overalls, workboots, general purpose gloves) and Level 2s (more substantial clothing, structure gloves and fire boots) and breathing apparatus (BA). Everyone had told us about the time pressure to get your breathing apparatus on and working. Don and start…. 90 seconds later…. swing, shoulder straps, mask neck strap, waist straps, turn on cylinder, mask, straps, first breath mechanism, mask cavity test, low pressure test… wait…. flash hood, helmet, gloves. did I forget anything? No-one’s yelling at me. Tally to entry control and in we go.

Stay low. Watch the smoke. Watch the flames. Over pressure zones, under pressure zones, neutral planes. Take your glove off and reach up – how hot is it? (Really…!)

Visability is low under the smoke layer. Stand up. Visability zero.

Sit down. Control your breathing. No panic. Search techniques. Tunnels and hatches. Warning whistles.  Laboured breathing. Control. No panic. No problem.

Firefighter Kate Taylor. That’s me. How cool is that?

The most important people in my life this week? Paul#1, Paul#2 and Paul#3 (otherwise known as Shep), Mike – the amazing knowledge tap (who changes colour after a day in the RFTB);  VSO Steve with the creative photographic skills and everyone else that came to help teach a rough bunch of volunteers how to be firefighters. Thank you.

The second most important people in my life this week? Syndicate two: Damien, Gator (Calvin) from Pongaroa, Meager (Mark Eager) from Napier, Luke (Tikokino) and Cameron (Ormondville).

Syndicate 2 - Luke, Damien, Gator, Cameron, Mark and I. Overalls aren't the most flattering item of clothing... lol

Not to mention the other faces from the week - Jason (Takapau);  Amanda and Andrew (Wairoa); Matthew and Bjorn from Taradale; Lucy from Napier;  Mike from Hastings; John from Haumoana; Alan from Waipawa, Mark the publican from the Porangahau Duke of Edinburgh pub; and Shaun and Michael from Pahiatua – all of whom, at one stage or another, were on the other end of line, a hose or a ladder (or all running together inside a bunch of lines tied together with extremely stunning reef knots).

that's me about seven from the right -yes, the short one in the middle row!

Never, of course, underestimating the power of the wonderful people we all left at home – allowing us to spend a week learning how to be firefighters. Thank you to my Thomas, Sarah and Lachlan, it’s nice to be home.

I have had an awesome week. Now I just have to wait for a callout….

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | October 25, 2011

Happy 110th birthday

October 25th has been in my memory for a long time.

It’s just past the anniversary of my first date with Thomas (now husband of 14 years). It’s around the anniversary of when we moved into our home (2004).

The day after Labour Day? The day before my niece Alice’s birthday (phew, yes, remembered to send gift!)

October 25 has always been Uncle Mervyn’s birthday.

I was a little girl when Uncle Mervyn, who was in fact my Grandfather’s cousin, came to help paint the house, then lambing, then tailing (docking for the North Islanders), then haymaking….. he stayed for a decade! When old age started to catch up with him and he needed to be nearer a hospital, he moved back to his home near Dunedin to live with his daughter.  Sadly he died a few years later.

Uncle Mervyn and Grandad: Mervyn Fulton Valpy with his cousin Harry Bryant at Kinloch (mid 1970s)

I remember his smile; his thick black glasses (usually wonky or I think, fixed with tape); his rough woollen trousers and his cardies and vests; the lollies (ah, the lollies) and his gnarly, weathered, old hands with the knuckles that cracked when you pulled his fingers. Rides in his old Humber and visits to the seaside when he went home to Brighton.

"Helping" Uncle Mervyn do some gardening at The Glen

Rivett girls with Dad and Uncle Mervyn at Shantytown in 1974. That's me gazing up adoringly at my Uncle Mervyn

I was only 18 months old when Uncle Mervyn arrived. AS the youngest of four little girls, I was the luckiest to get almost four pre-school years with my permanent babysitter. I was a sponge – soaking in stories and books (and those lollies!) We used to read, read and read some more. Uncle Mervyn is one of the reasons I am good at reading and writing and also why I love being at home spending time with my children.He gave me an awesome start in my career while I was still in nappies so never underestimate the effect you have on young people!

cheeky!

It is his wonderful memory that sees me celebrate his birthday every year. Sometimes I wonder what Uncle Mervyn would have made of the grown-up Katie.

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