Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | September 9, 2009

Getting dirty

Dirty in the mud sense of the word, not filthy as in mind.

Kids with grass stained knees and mud all over their hands are awesome (except when I only realise it in the middle of dinner and they’re eating a chop in their fingers) because it means they have been out and about experiencing the great outdoors.

Ripped farm shirts mean they’ve climbed a tree, wet socks means they’ve waded in the creek, muddy hands means they’ve been building dams, mud on the faces means they’ve had a good scrap with it. I love it. It’s fresh, good old-fashioned fun.

And my kids are hardly ever sick. Sure they have runny noses once or twice over summer but you can count both their absences from school each year on one hand. So many people are fanatical about hand washing and I know we do have to be more careful in these days of swine flu, but really.

Of course, having this state of mind is really helpful when you are as disorganised and as bad a housekeeper as me. Did you see my blog about cooking pikelets for the carpet layers recently. And the house was tidy!! I’m the fourth of four girls and I think Mum gave up when she got to me.

And I was only ever good at helping with the feeding out, drafting or putting the milking cow out. No responsible farm jobs for me.

Actually there’s another storyline. We had to share jobs amongst the four – feed the dogs, do the chooks, peel the potatoes or put the cow out. Then as it came down to just me at home – I did all four! Kind of. When I wasn’t too busy pretending to be doing homework with a book hidden inside a folder. But my kids do chores. It’s good responsibility to teach them early.

Whether it be feeding the chooks or the pigs, mixing up the lambs milk and feeding them, emptying the dish washer, they learn skills early that they will take for granted later. Milk powder is so much nicer these days – I remember tipping it into a bucket and having to squish it all with our hands til it was smooth. That sweet smell brings back memories!

In response to last week’s blog about “it’s over so quick”  – Takapau has experienced another fatality.

We had a 27-year-old mother of two killed in daylight on the highway last week and now we have lost a 24-year-old great guy at 2.30 in the morning.

I lost a close friend on the night of my 21st so I know the memory will stay with those people for a long time (the friends, obviously, the family will never forget).

At least I hope it will. It should. We must have been so lucky when we were younger because while it wasn’t a cool thing to do in our parents eyes, drinking and driving wasn’t frowned on then like it is today. I remember a few accidents and a few lucky scrapes – maybe the fact we were driving beat up Datsun 180Bs that struggled to go over a hundred might have had something to do with it.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 31, 2009

It can be over so quick

A parent at our school was killed in a car accident on Friday – the son is in my daughter’s class and plays in my son’s soccer team.

Friday would have been an absolutely normal day for that family then everything has changed in an instant.

Thanks to the habits of my parents as I was growing up, my family says goodbye everytime we go somewhere.  Not a big dramatic farewell like we’re never going to see them again, but a kiss and a cuddle and “I love you”.

This applies particularly at strained times when “bugger off then” might have been the preferred remark. Imagine if that was the day your loved one didn’t come home and that was the last thing you said to them.

On second thoughts, don’t imagine it – just say the right goodbyes, or au revoir as the French do (which means see you later, not goodbye).

Thoughts also to the family of the man shot at Waikoau, north of Napier. It will be bringing back memories for the Snee family. Good on the family member of the alleged shooter for alerting the police to his whereabouts. The right thing to do.

Talk about the wrong thing to do. We had an issue with our babysitter taking the kids for a ride in her car early on Saturday night (not early enough that they shouldn’t have been in their jammies though).  We may have found out from the kids (I don’t know if it was going to be a secret) but we called on our way from dinner to another party reasonably close to home and there was no answer at home. Ten minutes later we tried again. Still no answer. So we shot home. No one home, doors wide open and lights on but no-one home. 

She wanted to show the kids the neon lights working in the car in the dark. Our problem was that she has only had her full license for a month or so. We didn’t go mental though – it wasn’t something we had discussed with her, but if we’d left money for tea we would have been completely happy with her taking them down to the fish and chip shop and back.

So, we had a discussion about the right thing to do. Making bad judgements. The move from being the cool babysitter who does cool things with the kids through to being the grownup and doing the right thing.

It’s the first time I’ve had to pull the grumpy parent routine.

I remember babysitting for someone whose worker was a friend of my boyfriends. They called into the house at about 10pm to say hi and I chatted for a wee while out on the front door step before I told them they had to go. But I didn’t know the little girl had heard them. She told her parents in the morning – they told me it was unacceptable for people to call in (I agree) and I think the worker got a grilling. Actually the story stops there because I can’t remember if anything else happened!

Those were the days when you stayed the night for $10 and even helped with the housework the next morning because usually the parents had hangovers and needed a sleep in before we were taken home again.

And it is good to have a babysitter with a licence and a car. Nothing worse than getting home from a good night out and having to turn around and drive another 10-15 minutes.

Well, that better be my lot for the day. There’s work to be done.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 28, 2009

now I’m a real housewife

After years of lamenting my lack of ability as a cook and housekeeper, a tick has finally come my way.

Perfectly cooked pikelets and freshly brewed coffee has just been served up to my carpet layers and Bob the Builder.

And the house was tidy.

And the washing was on the line.

And the lambs were fed.

And I did an hour on the nailgun putting the thinline down in preparation for the lino.

I’m so good.

Maybe things will be back to normal by tomorrow.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 28, 2009

alliteration

Yesterday’s to-do list while in town was a master of alliteration – curtains, chemist, clappers…

Once the first three were down on paper I just had to keep going!

The curtains were the heart attack for getting a quote for curtains for our new window in the living room. Seven hundred bucks!!!!!!!!!! The window itself only cost $400 on Trade Me.

The chemist was to get the kids their chewy animal-shape multi vitamins 🙂

The clappers, well. These are those things you wave up and down and they clack. Only they’re hands, so they’re clappers?  We have a netball breakup this weekend and my secret santa present is for a player who always claps her hands at you calling for a pass into the goal circle. Can I find these clappers in Waipukurau? No. Can you believe the cheapee shop sold out of them last week? Why do other people buy clappers?!

 Hopefully Thomas will have more luck at the WareWhare today.

I’ve forgotten what all the other Cs were in my list yesterday so you’ll have to spend the day wondering what they were!

Speaking of c words, the carpet layers are here again today. They were supposed to finish yesterday but we didn’t have enough lining (that’s a funny story cos Thomas swore there was enough out in the garage for the new master bedroom – I will get some good mileage out of that!)

And Bob the Builder’s back. He’s putting the thinline down on the floor so the lino can be put down this afternoon. Hurrrrrrrrrrrrray – we move into the extension tonight with any luck.

And it has to be tonight cos we’re away netballing, McDonaldsing, 10-pin bowling, prize giving, out for dinnering and a tad bit of drinking tomorrow.

Nice peaceful time might be in order on Sunday… with a sleep in and lots of coffee.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 21, 2009

BREAKING NEWS: Smacking vote results

Results of a referendum on smacking released on Friday night indicate an overwhelming majority of those voting believe it should not be a criminal offence.

Good job.

I am not a criminal and my children are two of the most well adjusted and well behaved children I know.

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 19, 2009

Listen…..

Listen…. it’s quiet.

Gentle rain falling on the roof – so gentle you can almost hear the spring grass growing outside.

The birds are chirping outside (probably after all the worms) which means I am going to have feathers all through my living room in the next hour or so courtesy of a fantail-hungry cat (hate that – mice and rats yes, birds no!).

And the jug is almost boiling for my next coffee.

Today’s question isn’t “Why am I waxing lyrical this morning?” but why the hell did I teach my children the “diddle-er-d-d” tune we used to play as children. Not chop sticks but with similar annoyance factor.

Sarah can play it fast, slow, hands round the wrong way, back to front, upside down and staccato. Lachlan hasn’t quite mastered it, but tries to get it right – over and over and over and over.

As a parent paying copious amounts of money for my children to learn piano, I should be thrilled they are spending so much time tapping the ivories. But play another tune already!

Having said that, Sarah is learning the tune from William Tell and that’s not annoying. WARNING: sarcasm levels dangerously high.

Okay, rant over. I love them playing the piano really.

Memory share moment – I remember at a Young Farmers gathering once, in the early hours of the morning after a few beers (as you do), one of the guys whipping the lid up on the piano and doing a Jerry Lee Lewis impersonation. Awesome!

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 14, 2009

Making the news

There are a raft of stories making headlines that have caught my attention in the past few days.

The decision to stop people texting or talking on their mobile while driving is awesome. Are we so pushed for time that we can’t pull over for 20 seconds to send a message, if indeed that message can’t wait until we get to our destination. And I must admit, I am guilty of talking on my mobile while driving, although I do put it on speaker.

As for the new craze called “nomophobia” – people’s fear of being without their mobiles – FOR GOODNESS SAKE PEOPLE, GET A LIFE!

Running late is as natural to me as procrastinating, so imagine my horror when I realised I had left my mobile at home and it would be on its lonesome for at least three hours (with no time to turn back to get it!) Imagine my chagrin when not only did I not need to use the phone while out and about but the fact there were no missed calls and no texts. I too need to get a life and leave it behind more often (or maybe just turn it off and put it in my handbag in case I need it, which was the original intention for many rural people getting cellphones….) 

Brickbat to the tramper who had to be rescued for the second time from a snow-covered ridge in the Ruahine Ranges as dusk fell on Wednesday night after misjudging both the weather and his timing – make him pay the bill. Police said there were no charges that could be laid in court, which is annoying, considering the 59-year-old Hastings man had been rescued from the same spot less than a month ago. The latest rescue cost about $1500 and put the lives of the rescue team at risk. Did he learn nothing from the first rescue?

What about porn king Steve Crow slamming the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation for turning down a $7500 pledge from the controversial Boobs on Bikes parade. The foundation said it would not accept money from the event or endorse it. Good on it!!  Money is money but we don’t have to sell our soul to get it (would my thoughts be different if it pledged $100,000?)

It’s similar to (someone) turning down money from Winston Peters and NZ First last year.  My eyes tend to glaze over and my ears close down when Winny comes on the TV so I’m not even going to try and remember what that situation was about.

Federated Farmers have had some good press releases this week – about the prospect of  substantial reform to the New Zealand electricity market (with many farmers averaging up to $21,000 a year for power); a cautious welcome to Vodafone’s partnership with rural satellite broadband provider, Farmside; urging a big turnout on the Meat and Wool levy referendum (http://www.meatnz.co.nz) closing on August 28; and celebrating the Government’s decision to abandon a new tax on diesel (which would have required a refund system for off-road use, which would have added a major compliance burden on the agricultural sector).

And I also liked the Feds president’s comments about Keisha Castle-Hughes. She had been flying around the world promoting her new movie, while at the same time touting the usual climate change mantra.

“We know it takes one kilogram of carbon to produce a litre of milk but how much carbon is needed to produce and distribute a movie?” Mr Nicolson asked (taken from a Dom Post article by Jon Morgan after Don gave a speech in Dunedin).

As Jon rightly put in the story, the speech invoked memories of a similar outburst by previous president Charlie Pedersen, who in 2006 accused environmentalists of arrogantly waging war against the human race.

The story went on to say… Mr Nicolson attacked Castle-Hughes, Greenpeace, Greens co-leader Russel Norman and Labour environment spokesman Charles Chauvel for the “most bizarre notion” that climate variation was new “that it is unique, unparalleled and frightening”. He gave examples of historical climatic changes, such as the creation of the Sahara Desert 6000 years ago from green savanna, the abandonment of a Neolithic settlement in Orkney when it became colder 4500 years ago and the invasion of Britain by Saxons 1500 years ago when their homelands were flooded by rising seas.

I’m going to have to figure out how to put that in a pretty little box so I don’t get accused of plagarism!

As procrastination is always my middle name – I am now going to settle down into finishing my stories for The Orchardist magazine from the NZ pipfruit conference last month.

As procrastination is always my middle name – coffee first? Put a load of washing on? Lux the floor? That’s a Southland term guys – along with eating belgium (luncheon sausage) at the crib (bach).

Get back to work Kate!!!!!!!!!!!

Those exclamation marks are so expressive 🙂

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 13, 2009

Redheads rule!

Disclaimer: I am not a redhead.

Apparently redheads have had enough and are calling for a fair go after more reports about their genetic dispositions. An American study has suggested that gingers are more than twice as likely to avoid a visit to the dentist. The research found redheads are typically more sensitive to pain and require about 20 per cent more anaesthesia during dental visits.

Number one. So what?

Number two. Who cares?

Number three. Where did brunettes and blondes come in the study? What about those who have changed their hair colour?

Hey, sidetrack big time. My little redhead was going to be the subject of this blog!

She is so not the typical redhead. Not fiery or strong willed (or am I generalising about redheads just the way the report above did?) but laid back and dreamy.

Sarah at lamb and calf day last year

Sarah at lamb and calf day last year

I was looking for a photo I had of Sarah waiting for the school bus earlier this year and the sun is shining on her ponytail and her hair looks awesome! (might add it later).

Anyway, we had no idea where Sarah’s hair came from until recently. Her dad, uncle and poppa all had slightly gingery whiskers when unshaven, which is where we assumed the genetics arose from. Then we found Poppa’s father’s family (we didn’t know anything about the Taylors before that) and discovered Sarah’s great grandfather often returned from hunting trips with a bright red beard!

Sarah has slightly green eyes too, which apparently throws back to Irish genetics, as opposed to blue-eyed redheads, which apparently throws back to Scottish genetics.

Who knows?!

She’s cool and doesn’t mind going to the dentist 🙂

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Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 12, 2009

Lazy kids? Not here!

Some media stories in the past couple of weeks (and no doubt longer) have been moaning about our kids not getting enough exercise.

One said two hours of TV a day was enough for kids – any more than that and they would grow up with wrong body something-a-rather… obviously I was paying loads of attention at the time.

That’s simple. Don’t let your children watch TV on school days (we have the bigger issue of keeping them off my computer now that Mathletics is the cool thing to do).

My two have already had their 30-minutes push play (chasing each other up and down the hallway – I can’t wait until our alterations are finished and they have their own rooms again). They’ve only just got on the bus to go to school – their mouths will have done another 30-minutes by the time they get there!

It’s cross country time at school so all children are running around the school grounds block (go left, no road crossings) at least once (Sarah tells me she did four yesterday and could’ve done five but ran out of time). But in general at our school, we’re bucking the apparent trend of children not participating in sport.

About three quarters of our school plays sport on Saturdays.  Our school has three netball teams, one midget rugby teams, a dozen boys playing rugby for clubs at junior level and two junior soccer teams. That’s awesome!

Country also kids tend to run out the paddock to feed the chooks or chase the lambs, they play in the creek and climb trees (and huts and sheds and cattle yards) and ride their bikes around the paddock.

Admittedly we live on a lifestyle block so the average paddock isn’t as big as normal!

Sarah has been trying to get the gears right on her bike so we went up and down the road half a dozen times after school yesterday (about a km each time return). It’s all good!

Now I had better get some work done or there’ll be no golf for me today. Heavy frost but beautiful day – just like yesterday and the day before. The spring grass is never going to grow with these ground temperatures!

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Posted in Family, Rural, school, Social themes, sport

Posted by: rivettingkatetaylor | August 11, 2009

Whatever happened to curfews?

A 16-year-old girl is facing a drink-drive charge after a hit-and-run accident in Hastings early yesterday (Monday), according to a news website I was looking at last night.

The victim, another 16-year-old girl, received a broken arm after being hit by a car while walking along Havelock Road about 2.40am. The driver did not remain at the scene but was located a short time later and faced a charge of drink-driving, police said.

All I can say is what the hell were two 16 year olds doing out at that time of the morning on a school night?

Admittedly I had a pretty good curfew when I was that age – but that was Friday OR Saturday nights and only if I deserved it or had earned it.

We used to dip the lights at the top of the driveway, coast down the hill and sneak so quietly across the cattle stop by the house when we were late. It never worked. They always knew.

 My parents used to just go to bed and go to sleep and we would wake them and let them know we were home. We would pay for it the following weekend if we had overstepped the mark.

Most of the time the friends who had delivered us home would stay for a coffee and a cheese and vegemite toastie. 

One time Mum had been outside shooting possums and was standing on the front lawn with her gun when the car with my sister and I and two boys came across the cattle stop.  Needless to say they didn’t stay for coffee and Ruth and her rifle were infamous for months.

We were allowed out like that in vehicles because we lived 20 minutes from our nearest town and there was nothing there either! We used to have woolshed parties, dance in people’s shearers quarters or have sessions by the river. But these girls were only 16, out in the middle of a school night, at least one of them was drinking and one of them was driving (at the same time too!)

Where is the parental responsibility here?

It’s easy for me to say at this stage, my two are only nine and seven and still nice (as opposed to monosyllabic hormonal teenagers). But I hope I will always know where my children are at quarter to three on a Monday morning – for as long as they live under my roof anyway!

That statement so comes straight from my mother’s mouth.

Earlier on, we were never allowed to share bedrooms with partners under Mum and Dad’s roof until we were married, which was fair enough, I guess. Their house, their rules. But I had a big giggle when Mum and her partner (now husband) Jim came to stay up here for the first time and I told them Jim was on the top bunk in Lachlan’s room and Mum was top and tailing with Sarah. Well, they weren’t married!!

Anyway, enough of me. I am going to a deer field day this morning and the good news is that it is right across the road. Think I should charge mileage?

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