Day 23, Level 1: (Fri 30th Oct) Posts, concrete, AGMs, Trump doll and Referenda

(NB: This is my 222nd post since Covid lockdown came into our lives! I haven't missed a day!)

The digger and contractors were at work in the driveway as I came to life!

It was pretty early and I wasn't quite ready to rise for the day and felt a bit guilty they were hard at it while I was still in bed. But I bet they're not still up at 2am working!

They were hard at it all day, putting in posts for the retaining wall. Then the concrete truck came in the afternoon and did the pour. I went out to observe post insertion and, later, the pour. Fascinating, and the guys are doing a great job. 

It's going to look great when it's finished, and a huge improvement, despite Mr Hideous nasty neighbour's attempts to sabotage things and get his own way (as in, remove the tree and its roots). Thankfully he hasn't been back to accost me at my front gate again. The other neighbours are all on our side and a very good plan has been put in place to create an excellent end result! I doubt he'll complain when it's finished - anything is better than what it's been like for the last 4 years or so since he and his excavation works collapsed the entire driveway - which he still blames on us and Brian - despite being run out of the small claims court when he tried to charge us for the repairs that were required, caused by him! Idiot. 

 

Posts in place - you can see where it juts out slightly where the big tree roots are.

Concrete pour begins

As all this major work was happening outside on the driveway, I was inside in my office working away - mostly writing up AGM minutes for various organisations. It's that time of the NZ year when organisations are holding AGMs.

The AGM - it's an interesting formality. Most would say rather dull - but it's what you make of it. Some are short and sweet, and others are simply a floor for vociferous people to get to listen to the sound of their own voice in public! That doesn't apply to any of the ones I've been involved with recently - but I've seen it in action numerous times!

I have more AGMs to attend in coming weeks. Some via Zoom, some in person. Some as minute-taker, some as a participant. 

Meanwhile, with my Epsom Girls Grammar School Old Girls Assn (OGA) Co-President hat on, I'm also editing a history book about the OGA (trying to edit a chapter a day), as well as assisting organise the School's Graduation Dinner (Dec), and compiling/editing the Omaha Summer Newsletter (a chunky informative publication which its title belies). It's a big project - and it's starting to rev up now. With deadline.

Had a great night-time Facetime chat and catch up with friend Lyn in Dorset - things in the UK aren't great but not too bad where she is. I just wish I could pop over to where she is and have an in-person catch up and a thousand laughs - and I would if we could self-isolate at home when we returned to NZ. When all that nonsense is gone, so will I!

Actually, our Facetime began with huge laughs - before we even got a word in we were laughing our guts out - my cat was on my lap and on screen when we dialled up, her dog came along, my cat turned her back with aloofness and unknowingly bared her bum the screen, her dog thought "WTF" - and Lyn made him bare his bum!!!  Then Smartie disappeared and came back with purple twine tangled in his teeth after chomping on something and she had to do some delicate dentistry. Then Smartie got to work on his Trump toy to inflict more damage - this thing has orange hair (half chomped by Smartie already creating a hole in the head where his brain would go if he had one!), $ signs on his socks, NY 💓 Me on his tie along with a "Great Wall Building for Idiots" brochure in his pocket. Also some other clever tongue in cheek slogan on his back. We were in hysterics! Thanks for the laughs Lyn & Smartie xxx

 

Not sure Trump will be laughing next week. I can only imagine his reaction upon defeat - it will likely trump all other behaviours he's ever displayed! We'll wait and see.

If he wins, well everything is doomed.
If he loses, the US will end up with ... 77yo Biden. Good luck with that! Good grief, what is this world coming to!?

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Euthanasia and Cannabis ...

Results of the two Referenda were announced this afternoon. (Referred to as Referendums throughout the whole process, rather irritating for those of us who learnt Latin!!!)

The Euthanasia "End of Life Choice" referendum got a big tick from voters with 65.2% of the vote. Yay.

The Cannabis one sits at 46.1% for, with some special votes still to come. It may get across the line, but I'm doubtful. Interesting that most media reports have chosen to quote the Cannabis vote as 53% say no. Do they think that when people see the number 53 they'll think they've won? It's the "no" that's the qualifier, but the 53 that's the lure. Media hype at work here for sure - set to confuse and bamboozle the unwary as intended.

I voted NO - I just don't think NZ society is mature enough to deal with the legalisation of cannabis well.

The Euthanasia Bill will come into play in a year's time. I am just so glad to know that if I'm ever in the situation of having limited life left, and no quality of it, that I can die with dignity rather than linger on in pain and anguish. I've held this belief for most of my life, probably since I was a young girl who didn't even know what euthanasia was exactly. And I've supported this bill since it was an inkling in young David Seymour's eye. He's the godson of a friend in my quiz team - and he's a bloody good politician. He has the right ingredients - with a bit of quirkiness mixed in - and I think he'll go far in the political arena.  Go David. Be proud of what you've achieved with this.