Caryl

My son always found if he studied hard just before any exam he did not do so well. If he didn't study, he flew through the exams :dunno: We have returned from our rallying around the North Island. Had very little internet access all week as our Vodem developed a problem and we refuse to pay the criminal charges motels have on their limited access schemes. Here are a few pics from our week... We passed these and set up at various stages with the car looking like this... while cars went by like this... but sometimes, they did this... and had to be winched out (nobody was injured) We got stuck too (Grant's fault this time, not mine) so the tow truck winched us out as well... At one point we passed the longest placename in NZ and stopped at Yummy Mummy's Cheesecakes in Woodville We saw a lot of interesting sights including this beautiful old house just outside Taumaranui... If anyone wants to see all the pics, then go here :thup:

Indeed. I have put on 10kg over the past year thanks to the back problems, then surgery recovery, then eating too much of the wrong thing! Time to start the eating sensibly plan again. Well done mcrudd!!! :bounce:

There certainly are not any legal snakes in NZ. I hate to think how many people have privately though, having successfully smuggled them in at some point. :-? We got to handle Josie the python when we were in the UK. They feel nice and smooth - and warm.

Indac, in Blenheim, also specialise in large water containers.

Farming supply stores. I also got a number of 30L barrels from Resene many years ago. They used to import paint powder from Italy in them. Don't know if they still do but a quick rinse and they were good to go. They were leak proof once the lids were clipped in place, and had good, solid, carry handles. I am still using them 20 years later.

There are many cichlids and they have different requirements. What sort did you have in mind?

I have just got home from a week's rallying and mine isn't here yet either! Hopefully Monday. :bounce: :bounce:

I have been packing as Grant and I are on the 6.30am ferry (got to be at the terminal at 5.30am) heading for the Silver Fern Car Rally. Already had an accident and we haven't started yet! AND IT WASN'T ME THIS TIME!!! :happy2: Grant was getting ready to turn right into our drive when an idiot woman came up behind and decided to overtake! :roll: This is in a 50kph zone with cones out as they have been digging up the roadside putting in high speed internet cables :facepalm: "Oh" she said, "I didn't see you indicating" :an!gry She hit the driver's door column at the hinge end. Did more damage to her car than ours :bounce: We need this vehicle as it has all the radio gear in it we need to do the communications for the rally. Luckily we both use the same insurance company and she has admitted she was at fault. Hamilton (to start with) here we come!

Snakes are illegal here. They are not even allowed in zoos. Please do not attempt to import illegal species into NZ.

Our cat shared our enjoyment of fish keeping... RIP Misty &c:ry

Oh boy, I hope you don't have close neighbours!

Plus your taste in music changes as you age. Some would even say it improves

Yes, yes it did! :slfg:

The late, lamented Misty liked laptops and monitors... It is harder for them to do that now with flat screens :roll:

Looked pretty clean to me. I should have taken pics when I cleaned mine out last week. You couldn't see the foam for the crud, which I scooped out by hand into a bucket so it didn't clog the sink.

:gigl: Jewish vampires in your tank might be an interesting feature! Jewel-like sparkly bubbles are normal Your error could be edited but it is funnier to leave it :slfg:

Depending on width of other tanks, you could use this one behind another to plant house plants in for an interesting background that would rise above the tank in front. Then it is not a tank, it is just a long plant pot

Don't forget that for every photo shown here looking beautiful, there were hundreds which were dreadful Fast speed, lots of light, tripod or similar to keep camera still.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot - Johnny Cash and many others

:oops: That was a generic "he" 8)

I had to look up what they were as I don't think I had ever heard of them - or seen them. It will be interesting to see if they turn up in my local supermarket.

I think I recognise the hills though and his email address suggests he is a local

. We passed through Riverton a couple of weeks ago. If you saw a lot of little Mazda MX5's going past - that was us :thup:

Bribing the builder's apprentice worked well. He turned the oven on at the correct time (to double check I rang his boss and got him to ring him with a reminder too ) so he will get fresh blueberry muffins tomorrow as requested :bounce: Our dinner was delicious and our Aussie guests thoroughly enjoyed it. They have been doing a quick tour of NZ and are raving about the countryside. The travelled the Queen Charlotte Drive today and were stopping all the way to take photos 8)

I do believe that is the Marlborough region (but might be wrong)