Weekend social

115 comments on “Weekend social ”

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1. Kevin Welsh 1

   1 April 2011 at 4:11 pm

   Off to vist friends in Palmerston North this weekend and give the bike a rest for a change!
   • Colonial Viper 1.1

     1 April 2011 at 4:24 pm

     Palmerston North? Commiserations mate! 🙂
     • Deadly_NZ 1.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 8:40 pm

       Well I’m in levin whats wrong with the horowhenua?? me I think I will restart watching Babylon 5 or maybe Dr Who, from the beginning hmm decisions decisions.
       • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.1

         2 April 2011 at 1:10 am

         B5 nice one. Dr Who as well. Good taste buddy. Me, I prefer toasters getting frakked on BSG 🙂

         Yes, but Palmerston North ain’t in the Horowhenua 😀
         • Deadly_NZ 1.1.1.1.1

           2 April 2011 at 1:42 pm

           Well it’s as close as spitting distance lol And I settled on B5 as i have just finished converting it all to Xvid for my laptop
   • Jim Nald 1.2

     1 April 2011 at 4:28 pm

     Push bike? As in you cycle?
     • Kevin Welsh 1.2.1

       2 April 2011 at 11:51 am

       Yep. Fresh air, fantastic Hawke’s Bay scenery and a competitive streak. Great fun.
2. big bruv 2

   1 April 2011 at 4:13 pm

   I know you said “no aggro” but can I use this thread to say that as a dedicated Hurricanes fan I hope that Mark Hammett gets on the first plane back to Canterbury as soon as possible, the man is useless.

   Secondly…all real sports fans will be cheering for India in the cricket world cup final, I doubt I could handle seeing that cheat Murali hold up the world cup.
   • toad 2.1

     1 April 2011 at 4:44 pm

     I’m backing Sri Lanka bruv – just to piss you off.

     No, actually because I think they have the superior bowling lineup with the 3 M’s (Murali – assuming he is fit enough to play, Malinga, and Mendis), and because India have designed the tournament schedule to favour themselves and deserve to get their comeuppance.

     And whatever you think of Murali’s bowling action when he delivers the doosra, under the current Laws of Cricket it is legal.
     • big bruv 2.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 4:51 pm

       As I said Toad…..”all real sports fans” 🙂
     • big bruv 2.1.2

       3 April 2011 at 8:48 am

       Once again I prove Toad wrong, and to make India’s victory all the more enjoyable the cheating sod Murali did not get a wicket.
       • felix 2.1.2.1

         3 April 2011 at 9:10 am

         Did you make a prediction of some sort? ‘Cos it doesn’t really count unless you communicate it.
         • travellerev 2.1.2.1.1

           8 April 2011 at 5:08 pm

           Oi Felix,
           You still doing the market?
   • T 2.2

     3 April 2011 at 2:14 am

     If you’re going to accuse a sports-person of cheating you’d better have some evidence. Do you?
     • big bruv 2.2.1

       3 April 2011 at 8:51 am

       Yes I do..

       How about the fact that the rules of the game were changed to allow this cheat to continue playing, how about the fact that numerous umpires are on record as saying that the ICC just do not want to hear any accusations about the mans bowling action.

       Even allowing for the 15 degree Murali rule he is still a chucker, still a cheat and still a blight on the game.
       • RobC 2.2.1.1

         3 April 2011 at 9:01 am

         Yes, they lost. But the really good news is Murali might be coming to Wellington to play for them in the next two seasons! You’ll be able to tell him what you think to his face!!!
       • The Voice of Reason 2.2.1.2

         3 April 2011 at 9:11 am

         Have to agree with you entirely, Bruv. Murali should have been banned before he even got to play international cricket and his ‘record’ counts for nothing as far as I’m concerned. He can’t be the best bowler in the world if he doesn’t bowl the ball. Simple, really.

         Mind you, it’s obviously a bit rich for you to be bleating about cheating, when you’re so complicit in match fixing yourself.
   • BLiP 2.3

     3 April 2011 at 5:04 am

     Why don’t you put you money where you mouth is . . . oh, right. As you were.
3. Daveo 3

   1 April 2011 at 4:23 pm

   Tried Renaissance brewery’s double India pale ale today. O is for owsum.
   • Mac1 3.1

     1 April 2011 at 8:05 pm

     Ah, Renaissance ales- make life worth that bit more living. Tried their new twopenny ale tonight, and then a half of Sorenson’s 8-wired. My beer of choice is Renaissance Scotch Ale, but, sob, tonight the tap had run dry. A real Slim Dusty moment. “But there’s nothing so lonesome , or make a man pale, when the barman says sadly, “The pub’s got no Ale.”
     • Pascal's bookie 3.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 8:23 pm

       songs about drinkin and dyin,
       fast women and cheatin an lyin
       banjo pluckin and fuckin and fightin
       songs about drinkin and dyin..

       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox-fJrWP-eY

       (JFTR the vid was made just before Team America came out )
       • Mac1 3.1.1.1

         1 April 2011 at 9:31 pm

         I played with a country fiddle player once who ate all his food like that man in black in the video- everything deep fried in two inches of fat. He could play though.

         Did a version of “Orange Blossom Special,” humunguously fast at the end, where he played with the bow between his teeth moving the fiddle instead on the bow, with the fiddle behind his back, behind his head, under his knee, with socks on and finally with a metal coat hanger. Impeccably. He played so fast that I had to halve the tempo on the upright bass just to keep up.

         Sometimes we just don’t know how good people are until they’ve gone. Had good taste in whisky too. Think I’ll have one now to remember Leo. Slainte to you too Rosy!

         Capcha ‘compositions” Dang, there it goes again.
         • rosy 3.1.1.1.1

           1 April 2011 at 10:00 pm

           And on all things Scottish and the gone good – the best Scottish band that never made it big (IMO)…damn that Scottish melancholy/nostalgia combination – there must be a word for it???
           
           • Carol 3.1.1.1.1.1

             3 April 2011 at 6:48 am

             Working this weekend as usual, but I get an extra hour before work this morning 🙂
             Thanks for the Big Country link. i had a vinyl LP of there’s back then. As I recall it was about the same time as U2 started to make it big, and it sometimes got referred to as Celtic Rock.

             Big Country got a lot of mentions for making their guitars sound like traditional fiddles & bagpipes. I guess it’s the melancholy of oppressed hard working people, and nostalgia for better times, all held together by a sense of community & soldiarity.
     • rosy 3.1.2

       1 April 2011 at 8:44 pm

       I’ll cheers you with a Scottish scotch ale in Scotland this weekend Slainte 😀
       • chris73 3.1.2.1

         2 April 2011 at 4:08 pm

         Blah! Have a decent beer.
         • Descendant Of Smith 3.1.2.1.1

           3 April 2011 at 6:00 am

           I preferred the earlier Skids. Still my favorite punk band.

           Days In Europa, Scared To Dance and The Absolute Game sit still in my record collection replete with “you shall not pay more than” stickers.

           Working For The Yankee Dollar
           • sukie damson 3.1.2.1.1.1

             3 April 2011 at 5:11 pm

             Albert Tatlock!
             • Descendant Of Smith …

               3 April 2011 at 9:45 pm

               Stuck way over here in NZ didn’t ever get the chance to see em – but since you asked:
               Wish I was there
                
                
                
                
               • rosy …

                 3 April 2011 at 10:55 pm

                 Understand completely DoS. Sad that I am, I once timed a trip to the UK to see BC the day I arrived… Being stuck in NZ I knew it would be the only chance I’d get. I appreciate The Skids but prefer folk-infused rock myself. Sacrilege to some but I also appreciated the U2/Green Day version of The Skids ‘the saints are coming’. I saw it as a tribute to The Skids as well as a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser 
                 
                 
                 • Descendant Of Smith …

                   4 April 2011 at 7:04 am

                   I thought the mistake Green Day made was that it sounded too like the original. The chance to make it their own version was not taken. It became more of a homage really..
                   My daughter had great fun at school though saying pffft the original was better and her fellow classmates going what do you mean?
4. felix 4

   1 April 2011 at 4:24 pm

   This party blows. I’m off to the pub.
   • Colonial Viper 4.1

     1 April 2011 at 4:37 pm

     Yes that’s how I feel about [no politics please! – r0b] as well.
   • r0b 4.2

     1 April 2011 at 4:38 pm

     Right – now felix is gone we can bring out the good stuff!
     • Mac1 4.2.1

       1 April 2011 at 9:15 pm

       On the subject of other good stuff. Saw a good concert on Wednesday night at which the story got told about a Scottish friend who got the nickname “The Exorcist.” And why was he called the Exorcist? Because when he’d left after a good night’s visiting, there were no spirits left in the house.
       • r0b 4.2.1.1

         2 April 2011 at 12:39 am

         Heh – I’ll steal that line some time…
     • felix 4.2.2

       2 April 2011 at 2:33 am

       Hey!! I always sensed that was going on r0b!
5. vto 5

   1 April 2011 at 5:01 pm

   No weekend social out here. Just weekend chores fixing up our now crooked little house (and sitting in the garden). Big houses around us have suffered or come down or been demolished while our timber number proved itself as one tough dancer at quake time.

   Go the little old wooden cottage!
   • Puddleglum 5.1

     1 April 2011 at 6:04 pm

     Snap! (‘as it were’). Our 70m2 cottage did the same – shook itself like a dog and then just looked like nothing had happened (except for a few things on the floor). Not bad for living about 800m from the four avenues.

     This has probably been mentioned before, but if you want something to do over the weekend you could do worse than check out Gap Filler.
     • Deadly_NZ 5.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 8:43 pm

       Arnt Timber cottages great? nice little flexible buildings, but I wonder if you will get a lot of squeaky floors from sprung nails?
6. fabregas4 6

   1 April 2011 at 7:36 pm

   Well the mighty Gunners are at home to Ryan Nelsen and Blackburn Rovers and I hope that I’m watching this match Sunday morning after Man Utd have been beaten by Winston Reids West Ham (I know Winnie probably won’t do much more than warm the bench).
   • George.com 6.1

     1 April 2011 at 8:36 pm

     For sale, one red carpet and trophy cabinet. Good condition, not used in recent years. Enquiries to A Wenger, Emirates Stadium, London.

     Early one morning Arsene Wenger was roused from sleep by a telephone call. “Wenger”, Arsene sleepily muttered into the receiver as he answered it. “This is the London Fire Chief”, came the reply from the telephone, “I am calling you, Mr Wenger, to report that the Emirates Stadium is on fire”. Instantly awake, “The cups man, save the cups” bellowed Wenger. In a soothing tone the Fire Chief replied “Calm down Mr Wenger, the fire hasn’t reached the kitchen yet”.
7. Bill Browne 7

   1 April 2011 at 8:29 pm

   Muzik for geeks

   http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/s/rzsHejpkw9q/
   • r0b 7.1

     1 April 2011 at 8:36 pm

     Get down! And when you’re done with that – more geeky muzik awaits:

     Lynn take note!
     • Lanthanide 7.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 9:32 pm

       I’ve always been partial to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYW50F42ss8
       • Bill Browne 7.1.1.1

         1 April 2011 at 9:40 pm

         Oh, you want a geek off

         I see you and raise you:

         http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/artist/Matheatre/songs/
         • Lanthanide 7.1.1.1.1

           1 April 2011 at 10:12 pm

           I call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJvAL-iiLnQ

           And raise you Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc
           • Bill Browne 7.1.1.1.1.1

             2 April 2011 at 1:03 pm

             All right, game on!
             • Lanthanide …

               2 April 2011 at 1:42 pm

               For some reason this video doesn’t load for me from youtube, but if I view it embedded on another site it works fine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm1yvSiVs9U

               Embedded: http://www.cstonedesign.com/videos-the-bloodmobile-they-might-be-%5BTm1yvSiVs9U%5D.cfm

               captcah: excesss, yes, 3 esses
               • Bill Browne …

                 2 April 2011 at 2:39 pm

                 And a bit more mainstream…
     • lprent 7.1.2

       1 April 2011 at 10:48 pm

       Why? I refuse to watch the videos. They will be puppies and kittens like the strange graphic in the post? Urgghh..

       Plze some honest backbiting….. Off to OpenMike.
       • r0b 7.1.2.1

         2 April 2011 at 12:38 am

         Puppies and kittens was so last week. You should read on the front end to see the new graphic.

         Plus, you really should check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owboALviA8U
         • lprent 7.1.2.1.1

           2 April 2011 at 7:24 am

           Heh! That is better – war by other means. Stop the Howitzers and substitute a soccer ball
     • Bob 7.1.3

       4 April 2011 at 12:54 am

       Prefer the hot toddies
       • r0b 7.1.3.1

         4 April 2011 at 12:58 am

         Well for sure. The iBand thing is just geekdom that I thought would appeal to iPad fans like Lynn…
         • lprent 7.1.3.1.1

           4 April 2011 at 6:53 am

           It was *grin*. I was justin a bah humbug and code mood this weekend.
8. Armchair Critic 8

   1 April 2011 at 9:36 pm

   Gardening. Gotta get the last of the winter veggies in before it gets too cold.
   • big bruv 8.1

     1 April 2011 at 10:35 pm

     What are you planting Critic?

     I had my first crack at a garden this summer, I found it a hell of a lot of fun but have no idea what I should be planting for winter crops.

     Does it harm the soil if you just leave it empty for the winter or is it better to plant some type of crop?
     • Puddleglum 8.1.1

       1 April 2011 at 11:02 pm

       Hi BB, it depends a bit on where you are. I’m in Christchurch and most things grow a bit slowly over winter and they need shelter from the frosts. You could try this website for a few tips, but it comes down to trial and error usually.

       The best advice anyone ever gave “Tend your garden” (Voltaire, I think).
     • r0b 8.1.2

       2 April 2011 at 12:36 am

       Good heavens, something I have in common with bruv, first year gardening.

       We first planted late autumn last year. Leeks and spinach did well over winter. Some folks say mustard greens to fix nitrogen.

       Interested in advice from real gardeners!
       • Michael 8.1.2.1

         2 April 2011 at 4:48 am

         I’m also going to tend my garden this weekend.
         Ehhh, first comment after a few years of lurking.
         This type of thread seems a lot safer than all of the other ones.
         I have in the garden: leeks, spring onions, lentils, beetroot, celery, and the usual herbs and lettuce and spinach etc.

         WHAT AM I DOING?
         MUST SLEEP I HAVE TO GO TO WORK IN AN HOUR
         OH NO.
         Watch out for over-cooked poached eggs tomorrow, Wellington.
         • r0b 8.1.2.1.1

           2 April 2011 at 11:01 am

           Welcome! Glad we’ve made a space where you can be happy commenting. Hope your eggs didn’t get too munted…
       • travellerev 8.1.2.2

         3 April 2011 at 12:34 pm

         Lucerne or Black eyed peas also known as cow peas are good for nitrogen fixing. Come to think of it any edible beans will do the same with the added advantage of ending up with food. Just chuck a couple of hands over the bit you want to leave empty and the next year dig the lot in and you will have a bumper crop of whatever you plant next. Mustard greens are good to and are great in stir fries. For land not used for a long time you can grow wattle (Great nitrogen fixer) and if you coppice them you will have firewood on a regular base for many years.
     • Armchair Critic 8.1.3

       2 April 2011 at 10:32 am

       Depends on where you are big bruv. I’m in Thames Valley and get a few frosts, but nothing serious. If you are in Auckland, or near the coast, then maybe frosts won’t be too much of a problem.
       I’ve planted leeks, carrots, beetroot, celery, broccoli, onions, cabbages and cauliflower. I was meant to get brussel sprouts too, but accidentally bought extra broccoli. Today I’m planting red onions, radishes, cucumbers, mizuna (which is a type of lettuce, I hope) and butter beans.
       My guess is the main virtue of planting a garden for winter is that it keeps your attention on the garden, so it’s not so much effort to get it going again for summer. You could plant a crop that fixes nitrogen, over winter, and mulch it back into the garden in August, that way you don’t need to worry about harvesting it, and meanwhile it will improve your soil.
       The Warehouse had/has frost cloth for about 50c per metre. I need to build something so I can roll it out in the evening and wind it back onto its reel in the morning. Maybe an old electric fence tape reel can be modified – on Sunday.
       Best of luck with your garden, BB.
       • r0b 8.1.3.1

         2 April 2011 at 11:03 am

         Interesting. Hope you can comment here some time when you know how well that worked…
       • big bruv 8.1.3.2

         3 April 2011 at 8:55 am

         Critic, thanks for the advice and the kind words.

         It is a magnificent day here today so there is no excuse for not being in the garden.

         I am not a huge fan of winter veggies (apart from Brussel Sprouts which I love) so I might just plant some of them, some onions, radishes and do the rest in mustard.
         • Armchair Critic 8.1.3.2.1

           3 April 2011 at 5:04 pm

           yeah brussel sprouts are great, I must get some in the ground.
           I’ve had very poor feedback about the radishes, the rest of the household is not impressed.
         • Mac1 8.1.3.2.2

           3 April 2011 at 8:29 pm

           A  friend and I co-operate in a community garden plot of about 120 square metres. We with spouses sat down tonight and ate chicken with own grown potatoes, kumera, tomatoes, corn, rocket (with roasted seeds), garlic, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes with basil- a feast, and so much better to have grown it ourselves. Had to get in the parsnips and carrots, but next year that’s what we’ll grow and less beans and garlic and spuds ‘cos of that damn psyllid.

           And home brew, made with own grown hops.  

           Planted today lettuce, curly kale and mizuna and harvested as well. Down at the plot a Fijian Indian woman told me of  delicious curry made with curly kale. Islanders grow taro there, Maori grow kumera, Muslims grow hot peppers and green tomatoes, ex-South Canterbury farmers grow pumpkins bigger than wheel barrows, Greenies grow in companion planting fashion and ex-acoholics stay dry by growing beans and yams and corn. We swap food and ideas, yarns and help each other. Some neighbour dug half my plot by hand because I am recovering from cancer operations. It is a functioning and vibrant community, full of heart and love. Life can be like that, as can at least one thread on the Standard!
           • travellerev 8.1.3.2.2.1

             4 April 2011 at 8:36 am

             Mac 1,
             Sorry to hear about your cancer operations and hope you are recovering al right.
             I have a question. You talk about the psyllid. I had not heard about it before and did a quick google. I live near Raglan (Hamilton) and just had a disappointing potato harvest. Any chance of this horrid little bug having spread to the West coast of the North Island?
             • Mac1 …

               4 April 2011 at 10:24 am

               Travellerev, healing very well, thanks. That’s why my remark to big bruv about gardening being good therapy. And also enforced inaction gives time to blog, read and contemplate. Gotta be some positives 🙂

               The psyllid I understand came in at Auckland and has travelled (sorry) south. We are in the top of the South Island and this is our second season.

               The damage to potatoes shows as a yellow, very stunted, deformed growth and the potatoes themselves can show an uneven black circle inside when you slice through, called zebra markings, caused by a bacterium introduced by the psyllid when it feeds. The spud itself develops an off taste. At an early stage you can detect the psyllid on the underleaves, either its eggs or the critter itself. Google has all this info. The psyllid also preys on tomatoes, eggplant and tree tomatoes. 

               I would expect it to be in your district. Saying that, though, the community garden plot has it but 500 metres away my home garden is so far free. I intend to monitor heavily, use preparations like neem oil and try and encourage predators like lacewings. I found the early planting of spuds also helped as it takes time for psyllid populations to build up. Destroy all matter where the psyllid might over-winter.
       • travellerev 8.1.3.3

         3 April 2011 at 12:37 pm

         Mizuna is a Japanese plant used for the young leaves in the salad mixtures you buy in the Supermarket. It is a member of the mustard family and also great for stir fries. It has a bit of a bite to it so eat them young for the best taste
         • Armchair Critic 8.1.3.3.1

           3 April 2011 at 5:00 pm

           Thanks Ev
           • travellerev 8.1.3.3.1.1

             4 April 2011 at 8:31 am

             Cheers AC.
             (Wow, love the new comment interface)
     • Mac1 8.1.4

       2 April 2011 at 1:21 pm

       Some good advice around here, big bruv. I would also look at lupins with the mustard for nitrogen fixing to be dug in with Spring. I find broad beans work well over winter and plant garlic at mid-winter. Otherwise winter greens, curly kale is good and I buy mixed asian greens for salad/stir fry use. Brussel sprouts, radishes, carrots also.

       It all depends on where you are, of course. Good advice also about using cloches, cloth, glass and plastic coverings. I use favoured sites around the property for growing things outside the normal growing season, especially expensive veg like eggplants, peppers (but not winter). You can even buy mushrooms to plant. More exotic plants like rocket, mizuma, daikon can be grown, too.

       And plants your spuds very early in Spring if there is danger of that bloody awful potato/tomato psyllid about your area. Best of luck. Gardening is good therapy, too.
   • NickS 8.2

     2 April 2011 at 2:02 pm

     Yeah, I should probably get around to hoeing over all the weeds and planting carrots, and getting some cauliflower and broccoli sorted. Might see if Bunnings has any broad bean’s for sale too. But otherwise, I’ve got harvest the patty-pans and figure out how best to preserve the seeds for spring and find out how many damn pumpkins we have, and bring one of the chilli plant’s inside.

     And coriander does surprisingly well in the winter down in Christchurch, I’ve got a small forest of it a present that’ll be harvested for seed come next summer, but I need to find a slow bolt variety for harvesting leaves and sort out how I’m going to do basil.

     Also used some quake freed fencing cinder blocks to build a dry-wall constructed planter box that just needs to be filled with soil and come the end of the frosts will be filled with capsicums
9. RedLogix 9

   1 April 2011 at 10:12 pm

   As a friend once said to me about something else.. “It would be perfect, but there are humans involved.”
10. M 10

    1 April 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Plan to blast my QOTSA collection – No One Knows being my favourite as it rocks out hard and has the delightful turn the tables video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE

    …plus the lead singer is 6’5″ and does wonders for my will to stay alive.
    • Armchair Critic 10.1

      1 April 2011 at 10:22 pm

      How about The Fall and William S Burroughs. I can’t get this song out of my head.
      
11. Samuel Hill 11

    2 April 2011 at 1:34 pm

    Dude the first three albums of theres are wicked. MEXICOLA
12. Samuel Hill 12

    2 April 2011 at 1:34 pm

    Any decent gigs in Wellington tonight?
13. ianmac 13

    2 April 2011 at 2:21 pm

    Talking of watching stuff. I have been watching my electric jug for some time. You see when I switch it on it mumbles for a few seconds. Then it sulks in silence for maybe 15 seconds more. Then it stirs into life and rumbles away till it has boiled.
    Why does it sulk?
    • r0b 13.1

      2 April 2011 at 2:27 pm

      Ok, dammit you know, that’s always puzzled me too.

      Anyone?
      • Mac1 13.1.1

        2 April 2011 at 2:39 pm

        Jugs are shy. Would you want someone watching while you do your business, getting all hot and bothered, making noises, letting off a little steam?
        • r0b 13.1.1.1

          2 April 2011 at 2:52 pm

          I’ll never look at a cup of tea the same way again…
          • Mac1 13.1.1.1.1

            2 April 2011 at 3:06 pm

            Stay with felix’s spirits.
        • ianmac 13.1.1.2

          2 April 2011 at 3:05 pm

          Yes Mac1. I must admit that I felt a little voyerish especially when, I’m ashamed to admit it, but ummm I took ahh the lid off and looked deep inside. Don’t tell my wife though. 🙂
      • NickS 13.1.2

        2 April 2011 at 2:43 pm

        Induction coils take forever to heat up 😛
    • RedLogix 13.2

      3 April 2011 at 8:02 am

      The boiling sound is made by gaseous bubbles collapsing in the water, changing instaneously from a low density gas to a high density liquid. The rate at which this happens depends on several factors.

      One is how much air is dissolved in the water. Fresh unboiled water will have a fair amount of air dissolved in it.. so when it is first heated a lot of this will come out fairly quickly.

      The second main factor is the temperature of the water. Cold water will recondense the gas bubbles very quickly, more or less as soon as they rise away from the heating element. But as the water heats the bubbles will last longer and longer, until when it’s close to boiling point the bubbles make it all the way to the surface and make relatively little noise.

      Then there is likely the impact of convection currents as well.

      Combine these various factors together and it largely explains what’s going on here.
      • vto 13.2.1

        3 April 2011 at 9:25 am

        ah yes.. and don’t forget the lunar effect too. Bubbles don’t just magically form by themselves you know.
14. Jum 14

    2 April 2011 at 3:02 pm

    captcha: collections

    Obviously, this thread was needed. But I am very worried about all of you – even you big bruv.

    There is another world out there – it’s got sun, and trees and deckchairs…or if you’re in Rotorua, apparently, just the trees and deckchairs.
    • NickS 14.1

      2 April 2011 at 3:11 pm

      Meh, I slept in till 12, after knocking off before 9pm. And providing my motivation levels are high enough I’ll thrash my legs on the Port Hills tomorrow as to prepare for either Mt Richardson or Mt Brown next weekend! Finally I’ll be able to escape Christchurch!

      Couldn’t make it to freshers, since thanks to depression symptoms even a minor cold knocks my stamina levels down to craptastic, can’t bike/walk for crap, levels :/
15. chris73 15

    2 April 2011 at 4:12 pm

    One dowel rod (cut to length)
    Length of non-slip grip material
    One length of good-quality cord
    Small length of chain
    One carabina
    10 kg plate
    One power drill

    One wife willing to construct a wrist roller for me: Priceless 🙂
    • felix 15.1

      3 April 2011 at 6:05 am

      Yeah there’s a reason she wants you to keep your wrists in shape.
      • chris73 15.1.1

        3 April 2011 at 8:53 am

        In that case I’m sure you’ve got at least one huge forearm then 🙂
        • felix 15.1.1.1

          3 April 2011 at 9:27 am

          😉
16. BLiP 16

    3 April 2011 at 4:55 am

    Supporting the Hurricanes is like supporting the Labour Party. (Sorry r0b, is that too political?)

    Any how’s – finally back from my softball club prize giving – won “Most Improved” – as the coach said, I couldn’t have got any worse – now – do I stay up and get on with Sunday as hampered as I am, or do I head off for a snooze and wait til MsBLiP starts vacuuming determinedly and accusingly around the bedroom . . . oh, decisions decisions.
    • r0b 16.1

      3 April 2011 at 9:18 am

      Nah that’ll do. It’s a fine line, but I think it is fun to have this politics free zone on the blog. I’ve been amazed at the response. Quite uplifting, in an odd kind of way.
17. seeker 17

    3 April 2011 at 4:39 pm

    rOb

    It’s a wonderful idea – a breath of fresh air and a real piece of azure blue sky in what can become a rather frustrating, grey, politically bloggy landscape. I think I have been most affected by the gardening comments. Great friendly supportive atmosphere -loved them.Thanks,
18. felix 18

    3 April 2011 at 7:10 pm

    Here’s some porno for bookworms.

    It’s a 40 Gigapixel photo of an 868 year old monastery library in Prague, the largest indoor photo ever (actually 2947 photos stitched together into a panorama.)

    http://www.360cities.net/gigapixel/strahov-library.html
    • Olwyn 18.1

      8 April 2011 at 12:10 pm

      That is wonderful! I could peer at it all day.
19. big bruv 19

    8 April 2011 at 11:36 am

    Anybody know the best way of getting rid of Oxalis from a garden?
    I have tried a couple of sprays but the stuff just keeps coming back.
    • Bored 19.1

      8 April 2011 at 11:42 am

      Pure and total warfare only on oxalis. Spraying may kill it locally but only to the extent that the roots die….those bits that survive will just keep invading. If you can dig out the bulk of the roots (you will never get all of them) then spray / weed what comes back through that may work but its an ongoing battle. I have a better cure, I get my chickens to clear the area, mulch like crazy and allow the chickens in on weeding expeditions.
      • big bruv 19.1.1

        8 April 2011 at 12:04 pm

        Right….so without chickens I am stuffed? 🙂
        The stuff is a nightmare, I spent last Sunday digging the garden and thought I had got rid of all the Oxalis, last night I checked on the garden and the freaking stuff was starting to peak through the soil again in some areas.
        I guess I will just have to spray and dig it again this weekend.
        • Pascal's bookie 19.1.1.1

          8 April 2011 at 12:21 pm

          You poor bastard. Bored is right. It’s land war in asia territory.

          If you’ve got any of the right aged kids about the place, draft them into it. That’s how my parents killed it back in the day.
          • Mac1 19.1.1.1.1

            8 April 2011 at 2:36 pm

            Big bruv, total war on oxalis. I conned my kids as littlies into digging for ‘treasure’- oxalis bulbs. Wife and I were digging spuds last week-end- her on the spade, me on my knees, as ever- when she reminded me of “digging for treasure.”

            I tried pigs to do the job on oxalis, with follow-up from the chooks in the 80’s. Didn’t work- planted an orchard instead, which outgrew the oxalis! The pigs ate the oxalis greens and the big corms, but left the little hard corms alone and just spread them around to regrow.

            Big bruv, try the chooks, or even better, bantams since they don’t seem to dig up plants when they scratch like chooks do. Confine them in a small cage-run over a section of garden and let them go for it, since it sounds like you have spread it by digging. The chook droppings go pink from the oxalis.

            Armchair Critic is right about leaf chopping but you have keep doing it.I did the same with california thistle when working as a gardener.
            • vto 19.1.1.1.1.1

              8 April 2011 at 2:41 pm

              I often just leave it. Nice little purplypink flowers. A mini-jungle of them makes for a discussion point for visitors too.
            • Armchair Critic 19.1.1.1.1.2

              8 April 2011 at 2:45 pm

              After years chopping california thistle out by hand, and setting goats on to it, to no avail, I resorted to Tordon.  They hated it, but I’ve heard they will come back next year anyway.  True?
              • Mac1 …

                8 April 2011 at 8:06 pm

                AC, never used Tordon. These thistles were in the rose bed and were obvious and free of other growth, so easier to deal to with a weekly sub-surface hoeing.

                Did use boiling water on various weeds, like oxalis, but my wife reminds me that we stopped because it just seemed like we were watering them. Perhaps the detergent helped. It seemed to knock the aphids which didn’t like getting soapy. Did the dishes by hand in a basin and then gave the roses a good soaking with the soapy residue.

                I am really concerned though about tomato/potato psyllids because they knocked my main crop spuds and my son-in-law’s tomatoes to hell.
        • Armchair Critic 19.1.1.2

          8 April 2011 at 2:05 pm

          AFAIK its a battle of attrition.  You need to make it as difficult for the bulbs to do their thing as you can.
          Spray them with roundup (or whatever) as soon as they appear, and again when they reappear.  If you don’t like sprays, chop the leaves off.  No leaves means no way for energy to be stored in the bulb.
          Once they take a bit of a holiday, or appear to be discouraged, put a layer of mulch or topsoil or whatever.  This means the bulb needs to use more energy to get leaves at the surface and thereby replenish itself.
          Whatever you do, don’t disturb the soil where the bulbs are – this just encourages them to grow again.
          It should be gone in about two years.  Option b is to remove the contaminated topsoil and replace with new stuff.
          If you want a serious spray, try TAG2.  It kills everything and stops it regrowing for six months to a year.  I only use it on my metal driveway, it’s very effective.
          • big bruv 19.1.1.2.1

            8 April 2011 at 2:15 pm

            If I used TAG2 then I would have to forget about next summers garden?
            I like the idea about chopping the leaves off, thanks for that Critic.
            • Armchair Critic 19.1.1.2.1.1

              8 April 2011 at 2:42 pm

              Yeah, nothing grows for months after TAG2 – no summer garden if you use it.
              If you want to treat the oxalis as a long term project (and, as a disclaimer, I’ve not tried this on oxalis) you could try pouring boiling water on the leaves.  After my three or four cups of perc coffee in the morning I run a full load of water through the percolator to clean the machine, add dish washing liquid and pour the hot water on to weeds in the lawn or garden.  The hot water/detergent combination seems to strip the protective layer off the foliage and kill the plant, without damaging the soil.
              The cold coffee and grounds go on the garden, or lawn.
      • Jum 19.1.2

        8 April 2011 at 8:04 pm

        Bored,

        Wow, only on Weekend Social can we discuss warfare and killing…
20. big bruv 20

    8 April 2011 at 12:42 pm

    A serious question…
    Is dog pee any good for killing it off?
    At the moment we have seven dogs (the number always varies) if their pee kills the stuff off I might open the gate to the garden and let them do their business on there for a few days.
21. r0b 21

    8 April 2011 at 2:14 pm

    Last week’s weekend social is active again!

    This week’s is due to be posted at 4pm.  Should it be earlier?  When is the right time to  schedule weekend social?
    • Armchair Critic 21.1

      8 April 2011 at 2:15 pm

      Midday?

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