Here are some pics and a couple of videos.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Down on the farm
Today the kids and I went to visit friends who live and work on another friends dairy farm. After a yummy lunch, thanks Denise, Malcolm took me and the kids to feed the calves in the calving shed. He was great with the kids. There were various pens for calves who were sick and not expected to make it but were being given a chance through to those that were soon to go on the 'long holiday' as well as the keepers!
Here are some pics and a couple of videos.
Here are some pics and a couple of videos.
Monday, 15 August 2011
Sunday, 14 August 2011
The Perfect Storm
Well that's what it has been called. But it is yet to materialise. While we've had a bit of snow there's barely enough to toboggan on although we gave it a good try tonight and certainly had some fun. But it is no where near the heavy snow that was predicted and certainly no where near the severity of what we encountered in CHCH back in July. Perhaps it is yet to come.
Danielle had a good time out in the snow on the trampoline and was out there until sodden and cold. The thunder and lightening caused her to pause a moment but then she carried on happily. Paige was happy to give it a miss this time round.
Ann is at Mercy Hospital tonight. She had a colleague collect her in his car on his way in before the snow really settled and it's a FWD ride home courtesy of Mercy Hospital. If it does not melt over night I will be walking in with my Yak Trax on. It will be the first decent test of them since I got them. Ann thinks I have used them once although I cannot recall it was so long ago.
The snow on the road has been packed down by cars already and as it is very shallow it has become pack ice so chains will be no good.
Photos to follow, if we get some good ones.
Danielle had a good time out in the snow on the trampoline and was out there until sodden and cold. The thunder and lightening caused her to pause a moment but then she carried on happily. Paige was happy to give it a miss this time round.
Ann is at Mercy Hospital tonight. She had a colleague collect her in his car on his way in before the snow really settled and it's a FWD ride home courtesy of Mercy Hospital. If it does not melt over night I will be walking in with my Yak Trax on. It will be the first decent test of them since I got them. Ann thinks I have used them once although I cannot recall it was so long ago.
The snow on the road has been packed down by cars already and as it is very shallow it has become pack ice so chains will be no good.
Photos to follow, if we get some good ones.
Forsyth Barr Stadium Escape
A couple of times now the kids and I have tried to get to the stadium for a look and missed out either because it was too early in the morning (the official opening) or we were too late (public open day).
Yesterday, Saturday, Sam's choir (Southern Children's Choir) held a concert with the Melrose Singers and afterwards we thought we would do a little drive-by the now stadium is finished and open. Well we got more than we bargained for!! As we drove past we saw that the gates were open and people we wandering in and having a bit or a recon, cameras out and all. Not one to miss an opportunity for a free look, I quickly parked the car and said, "come on mate let's go take a look while we can!"
Off we went and soon found a group of people getting a bit of a tour. We tagged along at the rear briefly and then headed off on our own. We got right down to the pitch edge, way up to the top of the northern stand. It was so high I got the wobbles coming down!! Then we headed off to the Eastern end where there are 5000 temporary seats - this is where the stage will be for Elton's concert. We chatted to one of the stadium staff and got answers to our questions, we watched two guys walking over the top out beams roped on with steel cables.
When it came time to go we trotted of to the gate through which we entered. Locked!! Oh no, stay calm I thought. As we turned to head off in a westerly direction the supposed tour party were coming towards us with cleaning equipment. Oops, apparently not open to the public after all! These guys were the cleaners getting a run down on their work.
As we came to the entrance opposite Logan Park we noted that all the gates here were closed as well. I spotted a wheel chair ramp and realised that the drop over the side from the bottom would not be that great. "Come on Sam, over the side, down on to that ledge, then hold on to the fence and drop, ok." "Yes Dad", came the nervous reply. Over we went and off to freedom.
East End
West End
Southern Stand
Sam's Ascent
Pitch
Roof
Yesterday, Saturday, Sam's choir (Southern Children's Choir) held a concert with the Melrose Singers and afterwards we thought we would do a little drive-by the now stadium is finished and open. Well we got more than we bargained for!! As we drove past we saw that the gates were open and people we wandering in and having a bit or a recon, cameras out and all. Not one to miss an opportunity for a free look, I quickly parked the car and said, "come on mate let's go take a look while we can!"
Off we went and soon found a group of people getting a bit of a tour. We tagged along at the rear briefly and then headed off on our own. We got right down to the pitch edge, way up to the top of the northern stand. It was so high I got the wobbles coming down!! Then we headed off to the Eastern end where there are 5000 temporary seats - this is where the stage will be for Elton's concert. We chatted to one of the stadium staff and got answers to our questions, we watched two guys walking over the top out beams roped on with steel cables.
When it came time to go we trotted of to the gate through which we entered. Locked!! Oh no, stay calm I thought. As we turned to head off in a westerly direction the supposed tour party were coming towards us with cleaning equipment. Oops, apparently not open to the public after all! These guys were the cleaners getting a run down on their work.
As we came to the entrance opposite Logan Park we noted that all the gates here were closed as well. I spotted a wheel chair ramp and realised that the drop over the side from the bottom would not be that great. "Come on Sam, over the side, down on to that ledge, then hold on to the fence and drop, ok." "Yes Dad", came the nervous reply. Over we went and off to freedom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
