Covid C.1.2 The New Variant

This bad boy variant is worth keeping an eye on. It has already visited us in June in MIQ. 

Sky News

Robyn On The Run

 Out at McLaren Falls

And in the snow. The volcanic plateau

A Motivating Covid Story

 Crisis can bring the best out in many people.

Misty Day Tauranga Harbour

 Around the rail bridge and Harbourside restaurant area 

 Houses tucked away from town to the south of the bridge

Bird landing

The Storm

 Main beach Mt Maunganui

October 2014

 At Ken and Heathers. 

Thomas and Grace

Ken, Kaz, Paul, Daniel 

The old boy. Doing faces with the kids.

Their turn

Thomas, Robyn and Jet

Ken and me

Ken and Heather

Napier

 A few shots from a visit to Napier.

An amazing headland

From days past. I thought I was in India or Thailand.

Napier is a significant log exporter

Sign Of The Times

In the office (essential services support) today.

56 years on the job and its come to this!

If we had seen this 20 years ago we would have called the cops😀

 

April 2020

 Under Covid Rules Last Time

The boys from the team made a visit. Jay, Dad, Lewi. We had a picnic on the deck 2 meters apart.

Rock Legend Dies

 Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones drummer dies at 80. They have been part of my life for decades.

In fact I have been playing three of their vinyl albums as background music while in lockdown.

Lockdown Stroll

 I went for a walk yesterday on the Matua mudflats. It was like I was the only one on the planet. So quiet for 3.30 in the afternoon.

Then I found this cool setup tucked away. This is one of those boats that have retractable wheels. The rails are stainless steel. Awesome fishing just drop the boat in any old time without the boat ramp drama.

Lockdown Crazies

Only a few days into lockdown level 4 and its so frustrating. Practical people (me) want to find ways to fix broken stuff or prevent the next lot of broken stuff happening. Working from home is simply an unsustainable way of doing business except for strictly office based roles. We don't manufacture or grow anything on line or at home but we do consume a hell of a lot of these products.

So I think its totally appropriate to find a secluded spot and scream! Then go back to the TV or radio for the next barrage of information and the computer for emails emails emails.

But remember be kind....

 

January 2009

Tom and Thomas, Margret and Grace enjoying a summer evening.

Covid 19 Delta

The story behind the picture is in the general info link

 The way this pandemic is heading it is looking to me like we will have to learn to live with it and any future variants yet to be thrown at us (Such as Delta Plus). Just like we have done with influenza. Eradicating Covid in the real world is like chasing your own tail.

Vaccines and boosters won't be a 100% answer either just as we have experienced with the flu virus. But they apparently drastically reduce the severity of infection. I think we will end up with regular vaccinations and using antiviral drugs and synthetic antibodies (already available in Australia) once infected (not sure if the latter is used before or after infection or both) It looks like there is progress on these antiviral drug treatments. I don't think Trump helped with his premature announcements on these compounds.

Links below have some good info. Worth a read.

Antiviral Drugs Under Investigation

General Info

From Scientific American

Super Massive Black Holes

This is mind blowing infomation. 

This is an extract and the link to the the article is here Link

Supermassive black holes are millions to billions of times more massive than the sun and usually reside at the center of massive galaxies. When dormant and not feeding on the gas and stars surrounding them, SMBHs emit very little light; the only way astronomers can detect them is through their gravitational influences on stars and gas in their vicinity. However, in the early universe, when SMBHs were rapidly growing, they were actively feeding -- or accreting -- materials at intensive rates and emitting an enormous amount of radiation -- sometimes outshining the entire galaxy in which they reside, the researchers said.

Young Grace

It's a good time to dig back through my 25,000 images and remember the great times we had some years back.

Grace and I did a lot of exploring around and about.

With Tommy

So cute. Those eyes!

 

Boys And Bikes

Rob. Loved his BMX and skilled too.

Rob and me (in yellow)

This is an old one. Paul, Rob and me

Jay and me about 2 years ago with our Trek bikes

 

No Knots Please

 When it comes to knots I am simply hopeless. Despite many years of boating and instruction from well meaning friends the process of tieing a knot is only retained in my brain for one attempt and then its gone. A recent example was me needing to string a cloths line. I took 20 meters of polythene rope to string the line and about 3 meters for the finishing knot! I mean they don't make it easy. There is cool little gadget at the starting point that is a little box that does not need any knots just a couple of hitches and a hard pull and the lines attached. Same on the other end? Oh no, that needs a bloody knot.

Anyway the picture tells the story and as a finishing touch I had to add a zip tie as I could see my knot unwinding already only minutes after the job was finished. 

Nana & Kids

I 'love' these moments😐

 

Grace

 Lovely Grace at her first fashion show. She made this amazing dress. BUT there is a story as to why its not in focus. I never knew I had this shot until the next day. Photography was banned so I had to be discrete with the camera. I took three shots to check exposure then waited for Grace to come out. The intention was to then lean on the rail in front of me to ensure a sharp focus. She never showed up. We thought something had gone wrong back stage. Truth was she had already been out! So at least I have an accidental memory of it as shown here. My bad.....