Wassup with Harakeke?

Flax, in my opinion, is one of those plants that has its good and bad points, but did you know...



Its real name is Harakeke, a name given to this plant by Maori.



The first European traders called it "flax" because its fibres were similar to that of true flax found in other parts of the world. Though we still call it flax today, harakeke is really a lily.



It is unique to New Zealand and is one of our oldest plant species.



Enough background info...



The good point about this plant is when it's small and cute...



The bad point about this plant is when it's big and overgrown.



So today in amongst sanding, sealing and simplifying the toilet and mowing the lawns, I ripped out the ugly Harakeke at the front of my house and put Ella and Josiah's own little planter boxes in their stead!



Jackie assures me they will now die because they have been moved into a high sun environment from a low sun environment at the back of the house...so I have taken a photo to show how good they look before the inevitable happens...hehe he.

Well done Ella and Joe...sorry if Daddy kills your plants. If I do I promise to the entire Blogland that I will replace your plants with a more sun loving variety.

Wassup wit Ginger Bread men?

'The Gingerbread Man' is one of my kids favourite stories...they're just so cute...and not to mention tasty. Just ask the fox.

Full of Christmas tradition and expensive spices we have the humble Gingerbread Man.

Whilst I was running off a few litres of water on the squash court (just ask Mandrake - some of us sweat whilst others simply glow)...

...anyway...whilst mopping up my sweat, i mean the opposition...i mean...

...my wife was baking up a storm.

Hand made Pecan pies, french chocolate tarts and of course the odd Gingerbread Man thrown in and lovingly presented to be delivered by two excited kids...if they eat all their dinner...heh heh.

Well done Jacksta B...deeeeeeelicious!

Wassup with D.I.Y ?

Well Mandrake, you'd be proud of me. I've been inspired and finally decided to try a bit of D.I.Y in one of the most important rooms in the house...the toilet haha.


I guess if i stuff it up it's only the toilet, I mean how long does one really spend in that room?



So here's a few photos to wet your appetite for the masterpiece to come...

Wassup with Okara Park?

As long as I've lived in Whangarei, New Zealand I've been to Okara Park for various events...predominatly Northand Rugby games (BLUE!) and the annual Fireworks display. (And in 1976 - Top Town!!!)

Well 2008 was almost the year that good old Okara Park lost them both!

Most will know about Northland and Tasman almost getting the left boot of fellowship from the Rugby powers that be, but fewer will know that this years Fireworks display was in fact the last one to be held at Okara Park...Booooooo!

Living in close proximity (Morningside) if we didn't want to pay the $10 per adult fee then we could watch it for free at home. And we could walk across the railway and avoid parking and traffic hassles.

Nevertheless progress is the winner on the day with a massive upgrade going to happen of the stadium etc so we can watch Northland (if they're still in the competition by the time it's completed) whip any upstarts that would challenge the boys in Cambridge Blue (BLOOOOO!)

So here's a photo tribute to the last fireworks display at Okara Park, Nov 1st 2008.

My Gorgeous Family

Happy Bat boy!

Not so Happy Bat boy

Yay! Finally

Not quite Okara but you get the picture!

Wassup with Moe?

Much like the clean shaven bloke in the above picture I am clean shaven (apart from the 3 day growth which gets shaved every 3 days). I have never purposefully grown facial hair of any description other than a slightly log sideburn once...and BTW i'm 37!

So I had a shave on 31st of October...was it supposed to be the 1st of Nov...oops, blown it already!

Hopefully i'll put the proof up soon(on my cellphone at the mo) - pun intended.

I cracked up at Burtons schick 3D thingy so I had to make one as well...yeah...go the biker!

Will keep ya posted!

Freaky how it moves with the mouse eh? Wassup?!

Wassup with webcams?

My brother-in-law, Davo, recently purchased a laptop and he got given a free webcam (which thanks to him we now own) Thanks Dave!

This webcam is a crack up...check out these delightful pictures of my family.

This one cracks me up! I look like the scream painting, or one of the aliens off Sesame St....'Radio, radio'...

...and Jackie looks like Worf the Clingon off Star Trek - the next generation.

'WASSUP?!'

Wassup with playgrounds?

I like playgrounds. My kids absolutely love them. We have a trampoline and a swing set at home and live over the road from a park so I think we have it pretty much covered.

But they can be slightly dangerous...It's just as well kids are so resilient! And adults (kidults) so funny!

Does anyone else have the tendency to laugh 1st when someone falls over and then ask if they are alright? I guess that's why AFV is so popular.

Anyway here's a short clip of some playground experiences...



Love the diving one at the end...heh heh heh (oh...dude are you alright?)