It's Raining Again

Quiet times here in Kaitaia, with a week of work and rain. There was a brief lull in the generally dull winter weather last Saturday when we had a beautiful sunny morning. I like to get up later on a Saturday and meander down to have a look round the place without the weekday urgency to get animals fed before I speed off to work. Most days during the week, it is going dark by the time I get home so Eric has a cntract to do the afternoon round, in exchange for me doing his washing ups.

So last Saturday I was getting stuck into the gorse down by the pond, cutting back into it where the duck had her nest. I had the cunning idea of piling all the cuttings up into a fence that will direct the sheep towards their race. Eric and Stuart joined me and helped for a bit as their Saturday job.

Chantelle and I attended the NZ debut of a locally made film called "Swan Song". It has done well at some german festivals but I didn't reckon much to it I have to say. A bit awkward as the screening was put on by the director and the 2 main characters were present. Fortunately it was followed by "Woodenhead" a 90 minute film by Florian Habicht, the same guy who made "Kaikohe Demolition" , which has to be one of my favourite NZ films. I was a little dubious about Woodenhead as the trailers I had seen for it were not that enticing. It was a jewel of a piece, surreal without being unintelligible, witty in places, edgy, visually brilliant using Northland scenery.
Altogether a good night out and hopefully there will be other screenings at the Little Theatre.

Family news: Stuart is learning lines for his play, he is Evilus Ploticus in and adaptation of Julius Caesar. Patrick has been making fungus plates with his Horrible Science kit. Eric went to see Mike despatch Elvis their pig and was full of the details for days afterwards.

Local news: New Zealand soldiers have been sent to peace keep in East Timor; The street repairs continue on Commerce Street.

Farm news: Still no sign of any lambs, probably a good thing as the weather is so wet. We ate Mrs Rocky for Sunday lunch and very tasty she was too. The goat has bad feet again - but that is normal really.