Gore-tex Tester

Check out my YouTube clip as part of my application to become a Gore-tex tester for a few months.

As a member of the Gore-tex email group I was sent this opportunity, along with hundreds of others, to apply on line with a clip, photo and 500 word reason why I would be a good Gore-tex tester.

Entries close today so fingers crossed I get through to the next stage, which is a phone interview, and even better, to the end!

I’ll keep you posted.

Boycott Gotham Cafe in Chews Lane Wellington

It was a last minute decision to go to Gotham cafe in Chews Lane today for lunch and it will be my last.

I had a bad experience there today, so I am never going back and recommending others not to go there either – you are not missing much.

We had eaten our food, the plates were cleared and we got our paper work out, this was 30 minutes maximum and this big huge mammoth of a woman comes over and says can I get you anything else?  No, we put heads back down.

Mammoth comes back 10minutes later and says can you please leave I can sell this table.

I have told everyone at work and anyone who will listen not to go there.

Her English was appalling, I cannot remember what she called the cutlery but I remember cringing at the time, little did I know what was to come next.

Down with the mammoth from Gotham.

Non Cycling Commuter Woes

Who cares about the woes of a non cycling commuter?! 

I could not believe it when I heard a non cyclist, of whom I know quite well, complaining about cyclists riding two a breast (which is legal!) on a narrow street and that they were in the middle of the lane. This is actually the safest place for cyclists to be. This way traffic has to purposefully overtake you rather than try to squeeze passed and potentially knock you off.

The attitude and the impatience that you heard in their voice because they had to wait a few seconds until the other side of the road was clear for them to overtake properly.

Then they had the audacity to say it is illegal to slow traffic down too.  (Ed – What, for all of 10seconds?)

I think all drivers should learn the cycling road rules so they know what to expect from the cyclists out there on the roads.

Not a good attitude… it makes me cringe as to what drivers who do not know any cyclists think and say.

Life as a Cycling Commuter

It was very unfortunate reading the news of two cyclists dying on their way home from work last week.  One hit by a truck in Petone and the other run over by a truck when a Ute’s door was opened on them.

I pack my pants every day I ride on the road thinking, phew I just missed that one!

The memorial ride from Parliament to Petone and back was an experience.  300 cyclists turned up from all walks of life and with police escort we headed out to Petone for a minutes silence.

On to more humorous notes … the smell of burnt toast as I ride through Kelburn in the mornings, the squealing of my brakes as I slide down Clermont Terrace on wet days (this street is virtually granny gear steepness), the inhalation of fresh diesel fumes as you are sucking in the big ones climbing up the Nauranga Gorge (huge hill that the highway climbs up out of Wellington.

The thing with the Gorge is that it is only half way up the hill to home, so it is not over once you hit the top of that baby.

Two punctures within three days – Grr! It is the skinny tyres I am using letting all manner of spiky bits in.

I am using my old hard tail that has been converted for road use – it is great - light weight and old enough to leave locked under work.

There are definitely ‘groups’ when it comes to commuting.  There is the fluro coloured group that say Hi on their way past (that is me – I am not getting run over) and there is the roadies who do not acknowledge anyone (they do not wear any reflective gear or have lights) and there are the mountain bikers who bounce all over the curbs but are very friendly with one rear light.

Every night I have great delight in discussing my highs and lows of the to’s and fro’s between the office and home – whose butt did I kick on the way up the Gorge or who screamed past me on the Old Hutt Road on the way in to town.  What traffic nearly ran me over while it was coming out of driveways or carparks, car doors that opened on to me or trucks that nearly popped my 1m bubble.

45minutes each way is starting to show on my normal MTB rides – definitely faster up hills, legs stronger (learning to spin more for endurance riding) and aerobically fitter.

I still cannot handle any rides longer than 90minutes on the road bike non stop though – my sitting bones hurt like crazy.

Another Sunday Morning Interview

Craig’s mum was down for her annual pilgrimage to Welington to watch her boys soccer skills both as coach and player.  I took advantage of the opportunity for another ‘fun’ interview.  Have a squizz below

What do you do on Sunday mornings?  Not sleep in or watch the soccer! (Ed- Craig, this is not your interview)  I cannot have a day off! I have to feed the animals every morning. (Ed- Who? Ha ha Diane lives on a lifestyle block)  Then usually bookwork for my business (Ed- That must be where Craig gets his wheeling and dealing skills from)

Which is your favourite aisle in the supermarket?  I live in the supermarket, I know every aisle! I would have to say … meat.

What is your favourite vegetable?   Now that is a hard one, I like my veges.  There are a few I do not like: swede’s; brussel sprouts and broad beans. (Ed- Yes, I agree on that one)

Who do you think is the most stylish person of our time?  There are so many of them around. Rachel Hunter is just beautiful, she has gotten more beautiful as she has grown older.  With her curves and down to earth look, she is a good role model for the modern women.

What are you like at parties?  Depends on the company If with good friends and good music I have a ball.

What do you smell of?  Talcom Powder  (Ed- and, no, not the baby type)

Pasta or potato’s?  Can I put both?

Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Beatles

What is the biggest fashion mistake of our era?  I am showing my age here but I have great difficulty with the young girls puku’s hanging out and boys pants hanging down below their bums.

Pink or Red lipstick?  That is an easy one I do not wear lipstick!

Shave or Wax?  Shave.  Plucking my eyebrows is bad enough.

What is life’s greatest mystery?  Life is a mystery, we do not know when it is going to start or end and there are always surprises around the corner – in one word ‘life’.

Your best shoe memory?  Well, that is a tricky one, all my shoe memories are nightmares!

What three words best describe yourself? Caring, loving and loyal (Ed- …and mischievous)

Can you recommend a new age miracle worker?  My Osteopath in Papamoa as she also does deep tissue massage as well.

What part of your body do you neglect?  All of it! My weight (Ed- but she’s nice and cuddly)

Five materialistic items you can not live without? My TV, radio, beer (Ed- it is the sport) laptop, mobile phone (Ed- presents from Craig that are now embedded in Diane’s life)

Have you found yourself yet?  Starting to, it is a work in motion.

 

Interview with My Mum

Mum was down for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend and with me being out of action sports wise we had to fill our days with shopping and a little interview with Mum.  Enjoy the giggle.

What do you do on Sunday mornings?  Depends whether it is Summer or Winter; no Sunday is the same.

What is your favourite aisle in the supermarket?  The dairy section, all the delicious cheeses.

Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama?  Who is Obama?

If you were to dress up as a celebrity who would you be?  (Ed-Still undecided on this one.)

Favourite vegetable?  Silver beet (Ed-Is she serious?!)

Who do you think is the most stylish person of our time?  Michelle Pfeiffer, she always looks great.

What are you like at parties?  Tipsy, always having fun (Ed-The Lush, drunken one in the corner)

Do you like Chocolate?  Not as much as coffee, but I love almond things (Ed-ok)

What do you smell of?  Chlorine (Ed-yes, mum is a Masters swimmer)

Pasta or potato’s?  Pasta!  I love macaroni cheese.

Beatles or the Rolling Stones?  Rolling Stones, but I don’t have any of their records now.

What is the biggest fashion mistake of our era?  Hipster pants, as the muffin look is hideous.

What is your favourite fruit?  Strawberries but I like Hokey Pokey ice cream or Rush Munro’s Feijoa (Ed-I don’t recall asking about the ice cream…)

Pink or Red lipstick?  Pink, I don’t want to look like an OL (Ed-old Lady)

Shave or Wax?  Shave… but I pluck.

What is life’s greatest mystery?  When you don’t know when you are going to die.

Your best shoe memory?  Buy one get one free!

What three words best describe your style?  Comfortable, loose… um “I don’t know”.

Can you recommend a new age miracle worker?  Teeth enamels (Ed-hmm).

What part of your body do you neglect?  My skin (Ed-Too much sunbathing!)

Have you found yourself yet?  Nooooo.

Anything you want to add?  I don’t have an electric blanket but I like a hottie (Ed-what type of hottie?) and I have bed hair in the mornings (Ed-I can vouch for that).

 

Save the Planet Days – the big commute

I have started commuting to work on my bike, well, what a rigmarole.

Between getting the bike ready, the bag packed with the bare essentials needed for the day ie. underwear and showering at the other end I can see why people do not bike – it is so time consuming.

So that people do not ‘burst my bubble’ I am wearing a bright fluorescent yellow jacket and my bike is all blinged up with flashing lights for night. Yes, I am the plonker looking one on the road you may pass – but you would have to ‘where is wally?’ me from all the other plonkers all dolled up too.

Anyway, off for another ’save the planet’ day!

ANdREA MOORE Fashion Show

We had Craig’s eldest daughter, Ashleigh, down for a few days over the university holidays… hmm… what to do with her?

I had planned on going to a fashion show on Wednesday night at Gazley’s car yard, I wonder if Ash would like to come?

Yes, she’d never been to one before and was giving great commentary on the clothes and models all night long – just like a pro – must be all those hours working in Amazon.

Her favourite for the night was Frankie Stevens the MC and the auction for Plunket. Someone paid twice the price for a night at Ohtel, which amused Ashleigh to no end. For a young student it was incomprehendible that someone would want to pay $700 for a $450 item

The line up of designers for the night was brilliant, Workshop for men showed a fabulous casual and suit range, I liked the casual range the best. Estella’s Wardrobe had beautiful garments, heading over that way in the next few weeks for a spot of shopping. Ashleigh Fogel was also another fabulous range. There was a new kids range too NZNYKids for tiny tots which had the audience oohing and aahing over the sprogs as they strolled down the runway.

Last but not least was ANdREA MOORE with her Autumn range, nice high collared coats worth viewing closer.

But the real highlight of the night was the ‘Goodie’ bags that were on the seats. Ash (actually we all did) had a ball going through the bags and finding the Elizabeth Arden lipsticks, Estee Lauder Mascara, body washes, coffee packets, chocolates, jandles etc – it was like Christmas!

Afterwards it was off to Espressoholic for a late dinner with Craig.

Easily amused … Phew!

Funeral’s are what we make them

Celebrations of life or times for mourning, or both?

My family recently had the unfortunate experience of my Grandfathers funeral.  We decided to make it a time of celebration.  For what could have been a very religious affair was quite fun and jovial, much to the priests disgust. 

Everyone who wanted to say something had the opportunity and the grandchildren performed their remake of ’In the Jungle’ that was recently written for Grandads 80th at Labour Weekend.

The next eldest in the family now is Marieke 54yrs and the first thing she said afterwards (note it was stifling hot and muggy in Palmerston North on Monday) ‘Grandad won’t mind if we have a beer now, will he?’

I laughed – the rest of the day was spent drinking, chatting, laughing, taking the piss and playing sports on the road.

The family cried and grieved then celebrated.

This is one of the most loving, giving and caring families I have come across – glad I am a part of it

Surprise 40th Birthday

We flew up to Hamilton on Tuesday afternoon to surprise Bronwyn for her 40th birthday. She was mid way through bathing the boys – Surprise!

After a weekend living it up large in Melbourne with a friend I think a quiet night out on the ‘big’ day was perfect.

I had not been back to Hamilton since I left university, it was great to see the changes that had taken place – houses and new developments all over the place.

We had a fun night out at a stylish cafe with nice wine and lots of giggles.

After a leisurely start the next day we caught a flight home; what more could you ask for?

Happy 40th Bronwyn!