Contrasts

Posted on 2 March, 2011 by jb

Real estate agents aren’t meant to be like this.

They’re inevitably snake oil salesmen, promise you the world and give you nothing.

Lydia Heyward of Richmond is different.

She’s straight-forward, reliable and nice. (I lived in fear for a while that my illusions would be shattered and that she’d turn out like all the rest, but having worked with her for over a year now, I know that my misgivings were unfounded. She’s pure gold)

And she calls up and says “Call into the office when you have a chance, I’ve got some fresh eggs from the hens for you. They’re laying like crazy”

And then you’ve got my lawyer who’s had my business for the last 15 years.

Get an invoice for $200+ for scanning a total of 20 A4 pages (spread over 3 events) and emailing them to me as pdfs

She reckons it took her 52 minutes and 12 seconds.

(It doesn’t – it takes less than 15 minutes with a slow scanner)

I need a new lawyer.

Someone who delegates crap like this to an office worker who doesn’t need 3 minutes a page…..

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>I suppose that they get them from the RSPCA

Posted on 28 February, 2011 by jb

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>This is Nelson – reloaded

Posted on 27 February, 2011 by jb

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100% of the day’s turnover from this café

Neudorf Vineyards collected over $10,000 at their Winery Tour concerts

$15,000 from the Opera in the Park concert in Nelson on Saturday.

Mr Todd from whom we buy veggies said that some people from Christchurch came in to stock up.
“We gave them a couple of big bags. Don’t want any money from them”

Something I saw on TV still makes me teary

They tracked down a rescue worker who someone described as “a hero, an angel”

The guy stands there bashfully as the reporter tells him how the woman whose life he’d saved described him.

In utter embarrassment, he looks over his shoulder and says ” I don’t see any wings, dear, do you? Oh no, yeah, look, I was just helpin’ out, eh? Had to be done, eh”

This is New Zealand

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These people are idiots

Posted on 27 February, 2011 by jb

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You order a satnav device, pay for shipping and expect  – at the least – a modicum of intelligence in packing it for shipping.

This is how it arrived.

It’s probably experienced the equivalent of  being picked up and dropped on a hard surface 200 times.

No point in complaining directly, of course – you just get a Call Centre drone who’s measured by how quickly he/she gets rid of callers..

So if anyone’s interested – the company is Dick Smith Electronics and they’re staffed by idiots

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>I thought so….

Posted on 25 February, 2011 by jb

>Mrs jb’s foot started swelling and – $100 later – the doctor wanted to do some tests to rule out DVT.

“I don’t think you’ve got a clot” she said.

“What do you mean” says Mrs jb “I’ve been married to one for over 30 years……”

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>No littering on the beach

Posted on 25 February, 2011 by jb

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This is Nelson

Posted on 25 February, 2011 by jb

Local cafe donating their entire coffee revenue – not profit, REVENUE – for the day to the Christchurch Earthquake Fund.

Next door, one of the banks is barbecuing sausages, either donated by the bank or its customers.

Cool stuff and you’re hearing stories like the mobile phone shop owner from Auckland who closed down the business and moved his staff and stock to Christchurch and is driving around areas with no power, handing out car chargers to folks who don’t have them.

Or farmers from 100s of kilometres away, champing at the bit to be able to use tractors, trucks, diggers….

In a small country like NZ, everyone knows someone who’s affected.

6 degrees of separation doesn’t work here.

Here, it’s 3 degrees of separation.

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>Ooops

Posted on 23 February, 2011 by jb

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Seismic beer at Golden Bear brewery in Mapua.

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>This is the life IV

Posted on 23 February, 2011 by jb

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Less than 2 hours after landing in Nelson.

A beer from The Golden Bear brewery.
Blue cod and chips from Nature Smoke.
A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Waimea Estate.
All local.
Consumed next to the Waimea Estuary at sunset.
Beat THAT if you can.

Hint: You can’t
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>Style

Posted on 22 February, 2011 by jb

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 The Oriental hotel in Bangkok has a deserved reputation of being one of the best hotels in the world. Never stayed there, of course, but we’ve eaten at their restaurant frequently and you invariably find us at their Veranda bar on the banks of the river on at least one evening when we’re in Bangkok.
They also have a café in the Paragon shopping centre.
Here are 2 examples of just how good they are.
1
Mrs jb orders a blueberry cheescake and an espresso, I order my usual doppio and I’m – as usual – encouraged to try the cake.
All of a sudden (and you don’t even NOTICE its being placed on the table), there’s a plate with an extra fork.
2
The first time we went there, we asked if they served a light breakfast.
Would we like croissants and preserves?
That would be very nice.
Of course, please take a seat.
They don’t ACTUALLY serve breakfast, but instead of sending us downstairs to their bakery (which DOES serve breakfast), they send one of their staff downstairs to bring it upstairs and serve it.
Now, THAT’S style…..
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