Self indulgence. Now and Then: Memoirs of a Sort.

This update is a bit odd, I know, but I have had my hackles raised and wounds opened after a couple of awful things that have happened in New Zealand and they've been broadcast widely. How much do we take for granted, or more like, how much have we taken for granted and so maybe become a bit complacent?  Or you get trampled on like a doormat. You swim along in a fairly comfortable manner, enjoying the status quo, and then all of a sudden, as if from nowhere, it all changes.  I've often wondered about the saying "you never know what is around the corner".  Would you like to know?  Sometimes I definitely would, and then I could prepare. Recently we received dreadful news, shocking and sad news of a relative (62 yr old female) who was knocked off her bike by a 'hit and run' driver.  All too sudden and all too young.  It just isn't in the script.  No doubt the driver, a 42 yr old mother had / has significant problems of her own, but that is little comfort ...

  Do me a favour,.  It is lovely to get comments to these missives but it would be lovely if you didn't post anonymously,  I could then at least reply.  I really would like to know who the comment has come from.  It has happened twice. *************************** The few highlights of the last few months include one little low light which I don't really expect to affect us much.   I'm too old.  We've have lived here for 3 years in blissful serenity of the country side with open fields or paddocks as the kiwis prefer to call them.  Space and even more open space.  We walk to the top of the hill from our front door and see expansive views of snow capped mountains and little tarns with mirror like reflections.  As we walked down, Ali bent and pulled out a little pine tree seedling and cursed "bloody wildings, I'll get rid of that", as she yanked it out and tossed it over the fence.  Then we looked up and the entire hillside was in...