Captain Cook monument

Today we to a trip to the nearby monument to the localy born Captain James Cook. The walk in the sunshine was very pleasant and the view were spectacular. But what stuck me the most was the inscription on the monument:

In memory of the celebrated circumnavigator Captain James Cook F.R.S. A man of nautical knowledge inferior to none, in zeal prudence and energy, superior to most. Regardless of danger he opened an intercourse with the Friendly Isles and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. He was born at Marton Oct. 27th 1728 and massacred at Owythee Feb. 14th 1779 to the inexpressible grief of his countrymen. While the art of navigation shall be cultivated among men, whilst the spirit of enterprise, commerce and philanthropy shall animate the sons of Britain, while it shall be deemed the honour of a Christian Nation to spread civilisation and the blessings of the Christian faith among pagan and savage tribes, so long will the name of Captain Cook stand out amongst the most celebrated and most admired benefactors of the human race.

Marvelous.

My funny kids

Last week I was driving home with our two 12 year olds in the car and overheard the following:

E: Did you know that cows are being blamed for global warming because of the amount of methane they produce?
O: Yes, that's why there's so many cows with low self-esteem.
E: No wonder there's been a big increase in cow suicides.

How I met your mother.

In December 1980 I had just turned 19 and was at home after my first term at University. I was invited by one of my friends keep him company whilst he supervised his younger sister's 16th birthday party. The party was very boring until I bumped into a couple of girls who were in the school year below mine. One of them I knew quite well and had flirted with occasionally, kissed once but failed to read the signals she was giving me. Her friend I knew by sight as our circle of friends overlapped but I had never actually spoken to her. I found myself chatting with this scarily intelligent, beautiful, funny and friendly girl and before I knew it four hours had passed and the party was ending. We said goodbye and she hugged me saying "I won't kiss you because I have a cold". I went home in a daze, reliving every moment of the evening. For the first time ever I had felt so comfortable in a girl's company I hadn't tried to be charming or funny or clever. I was myself, the real me, no mask, no armour, exposed. The next my friend phoned me saying "You really clicked with Tui last night, are you going to see her again?". That was when I realised I hadn't even known her name. I told him "I don't know". I was still stunned by the experience. Five minutes later she phoned me. A girl phoned ME! She invited me to one of her friend's party that night. I almost jumped onto my motorbike and rode over right then.
That night we talked and talked for hours and made plans to meet again. The next time we met we talked and talked again and we walked and we kissed and that's how it went for weeks. In February she told me she loved me and damn me if I couldn't say it back. Of course I loved her but "love" was a big scary thing and I knew that if I was in love it would mean forever. By valentine's day I'd stopped beating myself up for missing the right moment and told her that I was in love with her. I knew we'd be together forever.

Three years later I finished University and got a job. We got engaged and we married a year later. I've shared my life with Tui for 28 years and we've been married for 25. It's been wonderful. The more we are together, the more we enjoy it. To be in love and to be loved is a great way to live.

I just can't sit still

Every time I have time off from work I feel full of energy. Whenever we take a holiday I have to visit all the local tourist spots, all the local non tourist spots and then all the non-local areas. At home I either start a major makeover project (bathroom this time) or become a cleaning or gardening obsessive. When I look around me, I see my friends and neighbours just sitting around looking happy and relaxed and wonder why I can't do that.

Tell it like it is.

On the local TV News yesterday there was a report about a police raid on a number of properties regarding recent murders. The reporter introduced the case and finished with "...Local window-cleaner Andy witnessed the events." Then the camera turned to Andy who summarised what he had seen "The coppers went to that house over there and they had a rammer and they rammed the back door open and they fetched two Chinese fellers out and one of them had his underpants on and the other one had boxers".

It made me smile.

Don't you just love computers?

Especially when they give a weird error message like this and then work normally for weeks.