+++Out of Cheese Error +++

All of us are familiar with the oft-times incomprehensible messages from computers when they run into a glitch.

However, for those of you who read Terry Pratchett, you will be familiar with the Unseen University's thinking engine, Hex, and the entertaining bent that Sir P'Terry throws at error messages.

I was reminded of a few of these imaginative errors today when I went to comment on a friend's FB post but had no idea of who the person was my friend had commented on. I decided on "+++MELON MELON MELON+++ +++Divide By Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++" (Voice of Hex, Terry Pratchett, Interesting Times), but think I would rather have said “+++Out of Cheese Error +++ MELON MELON MELON +++ Redo From Start +++” (Voice of Hex, Terry Pratchett, Hogfather).

They make more sense than many of Microsoft's 'helpful' explanations.

References:

• LSpace (n.d.). Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki: Hex. Retrieved 9 October 2013 from http://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/index.php/Hex
• Pratchett, Terry (1996). Hogfather. UK: Victor Gollancz
• Pratchett, Terry (1994). Interesting Times. UK:  Victor Gollancz

Sam

News from Nelson - October 2013

Hi everyone,
Surprise! It seems like we have been pretty busy again these past weeks.

Jan has had a cold (and was off work for three days with it), but surprisingly I have managed to avoid catching the virus myself. That's two surprises in this catch up already.

Xavier from next door (at "The Warehouse" shed at the end of our pine trees) has mowed our orchard with his remote control mower, which means Jan doesn't have to stress about gorse control in the gully. Xavier cut the gorse two summers ago, which was so effective it lasted for two years. As the grass grows in thicker each year, the gorse is less and less able to get established, so means we can go longer between mows. While it is raining today, you can see how neatly the mower works below. It is a really safe - and non-toxic - way to control those nuisance exotic pest plants. And it is also one less thing for Jan to worry about not having time to get to :-D

You can also see that we have planted a few more fruit trees (apple, pears, nectarines & another walnut), protected by drums from the possums, rabbits and hares. The apple trees are still in blossom, while everything else is now in leaf. Everything in the garden is growing again, so needs to be protected from the other imported pests; the vegetarians who eat it!

Speaking of Jan having time, he is currently building plans for his trip to the US and Germany, so if he hasn't yet got in touch with you, it will be happening soon.

The Solo Spotlight concert was a great success: there was a storm of applause at the end, and got a preview in the local paper (http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/features/arts/9207635/Aspiring-young-musicians-go-solo). Jan is not playing in the next concert, so gets the last part of the year off.

We went to Max & Karen's birthday party a couple of weeks ago, and caught up with loads of old friends and made some new. A great night outside, despite it being a bit chilly still.

I am still working on transcribing the materials for my Master's study. Transcribing, transcribing, transcribing. I have just ordered Dragon, so instead of typing, I can just speak it. I am hoping that this will be easier (less vile), once I have 'trained' it to hear my accent, that is!

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a new phone from Telecom, as my contract was out, and I could get a free phone upgrade. I have stayed with Nokia, but gone to a Lumia. Am enjoying it a lot, but am also very conscious of the amount of $ you can gobble checking things on the web. At least it is hooked into the wireless at home, so doesn't cost here. Finally, an advantage of being in a rubbish mobile coverage area. And it takes pretty good photos.

As mentioned last time, Jan & I are going to be in Chch on 17, 18, 19 & going home on the 20th of October. I will be at a symposium at UC on Thursday (will catch a ride with Jenny L), and have the CDANZ AGM at CPIT on Friday. We have a shindig at Pat's on Saturday evening (sorta 4-ish kick-off...?). It would be good to catch up with everyone who can't make that at other times, so give us a shout & we will tee something up.

We are not sure if anyone in the family is doing anything for Christmas. If there are any great ideas, we would like to hear.

And some very sad - and unexpected - news. A former Sealord colleague, Julie Bryant, lost her husband Rob on the weekend. He had just completed a time-trial at a mountain bike event here in Nelson, and collapsed after the finish. He died soon afterwards. His funeral will be later this week.

Carpe that old diem.


Jan & Sam

News from Nelson - September 2013

Hi everyone,

Oh, no! It's too late! We let him in... Jan is now officially a Kiwi. We had the citizenship ceremony at the Tasman District Council buildings on 5 September, the day before Jan's birthday.

What was really cute was that Ian Morris from down the road was also doing his ceremony, as was another friend of ours, Mike Greenawalt. Very relaxed and friendly ceremony. I must admit that I would have preferred the Nelson version which is held on Wakatu Marae, but this was fine. Jan is going to apply for a Kiwi passport - then he can choose the shortest queue at whichever immigration line he is at (providing he remembers to leave and return to NZ on the same passport, that is).

We have been flat out here for the last wee while: blowed if I know what we have been doing, but we have been busy doing it. Planted some new fruit trees, transplanted some eucalypts, cut and moved some gorse, visited people, shared food and conversation (the best bits).

Jan is rehearsing for the Solo Spotlight concert at present: I have done the PR for it. Should be all good - though I still have to compile the programme.

Jan went out to Krauts for his birthday dinner, which was once again a great night. I had a child's portion which worked out to be just a perfect amount. Jan had Schweins Hax'n. He took half home for lunch the next day, and that worked out just perfectly too :-D

We have caught up with Jan & Renate Cools, Gary & Nicki, Suzie, Jo & Keiran in the last few weeks, and will catch up with Max & Karen this weekend coming for their birthday. Gary & Nicki have now moved into their new house in Marahau (Check out http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8866551/Marahau-bach-wins-design-award). Jan helped them get the internet & PCs sorted this weekend just past. They sold their Nelson house through Susa on the first open home and had a two week settlement date, so it was a bit of a scramble for them. Of course, Nick was completely & utterly organised, but it was still pretty stressful for them, I think.

Jan & I are both well. I think that everyone else here is as well as can be expected.

Donna & Mike are deep in wedding plans for Raro next April. Jan & I have booked our tickets and I suppose I will have to buy new togs. I had some, but haven't seen them for ages. In fact, they may have got lost in our move, that is how long it has been since I wore them last!

Coco & Bonnie are well, though Coco managed to spike herself on some grass or something when she went running around the orchard with Bon dog a week ago when Jan planted some new fruit trees. She came up in a lump which has had to be treated with antibiotics, but it is resolving nicely.

Jan & I are going to be in Chch on 17, 18, 19 & going home on the 20th of October. I have a symposium to go to at UC on Thursday, and a CDANZ thing at CPIT on Friday. Jan will be free to meet anyone during those days, or to potter around as he sees fit. We have Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday breakfast time free to meet up, see houses, go and visit etc. So please let us know if you are available and when, because we would love to catch up with everyone.

Jan will be in Welly the next weekend for the Naenae reunion. I am not going, but will stay home & look after the dogs so we don't have to have a house-sitter two weekends in a row.

Then Jan is off to the US and Germany on 5 November, and returns on 24 November. 

Right, that is all I can think of for now, so I will leave it at that. Take care everyone, and Jan will be in touch with the German contingent to let you know when & where he will be in Germany. He keeps saying that he is going to get in touch, but it hasn't translated from talking about it to doing it yet!


Jan & Sam

News from Nelson - August 2 2013

Hi all,
We are both well - the temperatures are warming up, and we have had a good dollop of rain.

We have been busy transplanting more of our trees over the past couple of weeks - as I mentioned previously, we have loads of macrocarpa and eucalypt seedlings coming up where the sawmillers pulled our mature trees out five or more years ago, so we are moving them to places where will have room to grow - mainly around the hairpin bend on our driveway. Eucalypts on the inside of the bend, macrocarpas on the outside.

Jan has been having a great time using the hired digger to dig the holes for the trees!

Bonnie & Coco are both well, though Coco is still missing Fliss. She is quite tentative and very clingy with Jan.

Jan & I had dinner with Jax, last week, which was great, and Richard from NPIL. We went to a local Thai place in Richmond that proved very good. We also managed to have lunch with Jen the next day, as she was up seeing her folks, prior to starting her new job at UC. She has just had her first two days, which hopefully went well.

At the beginning of August we had a mid-winter Christmas with Kathleen, Frits and Amy. We had a lovely, relaxing weekend, and were amazed to find it 4pm on Sunday suddenly, with everyone needing to head home. I have no idea where the time went to.

Amy was - unexpectedly - our Father Christmas, and a damned fine one she was too! The dogs found it all rather scary to start of with but soon realised that there were doggy treats and became quite commercial about the whole costume thing.

The weekend after that we had the Children's Concert, which went well. Jan was in the paper in the lead-up to the event (an earlier post http://klinkehoffen.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/news-from-nelson-august-2013.html and http://klinkehoffen.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/beauty-and-bugs-real-treat-nelson-mail.html). 

Jen was up this last week again, and we managed to catch up for lunch in Richmond, which was great.

I have set up a new blog for my musings on leadership - and anything else that takes my fancy - at http://actsofleadership.blogspot.co.nz/.The Masters study is going well - my experiments on my students start next week. I can't believe how fast it has come around.

Next month Jan is off to Rotovegas to give his presentation at the WoodExpo. He has it all prepared already so he only now need practice it.

Also as previously mentioned, I will be in Christchurch four days in the middle of October - 17-20 - for a Careers Symposium and CDANZ AGM. Would be good if we could perhaps catch up with a pile of the Cantab people on the Saturday night? Let us know if you will be in town, because it would be great to see you all.

The weekend after Jan is in Welly for the Naenae Reunion. I am not going, but will stay home with the dogs.

Jan is off to the US in November, leaving on the 5th of November for the US, then taking a side trip to Germany on his way home. He will be in touch with the German family to tee up catching up with as many of you as he can on his train trip from Frankfurt to Ottobeuren (where the next piece of NPIL machinery is being made). He will only have a couple of days, but wants to see as many of you as can perhaps get to one place to say "Hi". He is aiming for a weekend arrival - he will get in to Frankfurt on Friday 16th of November but has to be Ottobeuren on the morning of Monday the 19th. I think he will go up to Oma Friedel's on the Friday, then take the train straight to Ulm on the Saturday. But, as I said, he will be in touch. Unfortunately he won't get back to NZ by our wedding anniversary, and he will also miss the next NSO concert. I am sure he probably won't miss either!

Right - there is nothing else that I can think of at the mo. More news later :-D

Jan & Sam

View from the office today

Hi all, 

View from the office today. Not bad for winter, eh.

 And, sure, Mr Key. We Kiwis certainly care more about Snapper quotas than about your US buddy-buddy spy bill. Sure we do. Yeah, right.

Sam

News from Nelson - August 2013

Hi all,
Hope life is well with everyone.

It was the children's concert on Saturday this weekend just gone. It went well. Loads of the little lovies were absolutely spellbound by the Emperor and the Nightingale, which was just wonderful... including many real tots in the 'terrible twos'. There were three performances, leaving Jan incredibly tired – even I was tired, just from selling programmes.

Mind you, I managed to fit in some shopping, as I ducked into town after the house doors had closed on two performances and bought two new pairs of jeans (on sale too, I might add!). My old favourites, the only pair I had left 'unholed' had finally collapsed into holes two weekends ago, and while I have cobbled them back together, they are definitely now home jeans, not 'out' jeans.

We came home, grabbed a bite, then rushed off to a quiz night at the Upper Moutere School picking up Zig & Lib from further down our road and meeting Glenys & Kevin from the Mudcastle. Zig warned us that he had a head cold and his brain had fallen out; Glenys got there and said she had never been to a quiz night before and would be rubbish; Jan & I were so tired we felt we needed to be stuck with pins to keep awake! Great team, eh. But after a few wines, we did OK, finishing about halfway through the field of 36. It was to raise funds for the Upper Moutere Recreation Centre, which has had two fires in the past twelve months. They think the fires have been caused by rats eating the wiring. Jan & I helped repaint after the first fire, the centre was about to reopen, and there was a second one.

Actually, too many wines in my case: I woke in the morning with a slight headache, despite having drunk lots of water. The first touch of a hangover I have had in a long time! Luckily it was raining yesterday, so I did lots of catch up jobs like dubbining all my boots and shoes, taking up my new jeans, making tomato soup, tidying the house, doing washing and then finishing the day in a long hot bubble bath reading a book, while Jan slept in until 10 then watched films. We took the dogs out at lunchtime for a walk - only about 3k, but nice for us all to get out, and the dogs played like lunatics. Raincoats and gumboots are definitely things to be thankful for... as is a good day's recuperation. I can also say whole-heartedly "thank goodness for the rain" :-)

Where we felled our full grown eucalyptus trees to be architraves and floorboards in our house, we now have loads of babies growing up - and all growing on the access road to fell the pines on the next crop rotation (granted, 20-ish years away, but also in the way for a pruning gang to get to the pines). The guy Jan hired the digger from said that Jan could keep the machine until he gets another hire booking. So last weekend Jan dug out some of the eucalyptus and macrocarpa seedlings which have sprung up, and we transplanted them to the hairpin bend on our road. There are still lots more, and as Ken hasn't yet said he needs the digger back, we will probably transplant some more this coming weekend. The eucalypts are a really straight growing variety which mills very well with low wastage, so we are keen to have some more coming on. 


We also need to get the slope mowing man back to munch some more of our gorse, and plant our new pear and nectarine trees. Better buy in another truck load of compost mix for that too - and some alpaca poo!

We went to the Boathouse AGM a couple of weeks ago, and as we were walking along Rocks Road, this was the sunset we had the pleasure to see:

Tomorrow night we pick up Magda from the airport, as she is coming to Nelson for a few days. It will be great to see her.

Jan's work is going well, though he still gets the itch for more hands on work. He is speaking at a conference in a few weeks in Rotovegas, so is working on his presentation at the moment as well.

Jenny L is a whiz on the sewing machine: she has sent me three new merino tops this winter. I must have ten or more of them now, and I have worn them this year since April for that extra layer under much lighter clothes. While it doesn't quite mean that I can wear summer clothes all year round, it is close to it. Brilliant - thanks Jen!

I saw a gorgeous 1900s PR post the other day on the horrors of "men caring for babies", trying to stop the vote for women. Check it out at http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/08/men-caring-for-babies-the-horror-visions-from-the-early-20th-century/278392/?goback=.gde_4174358_member_264882939. There are also a couple of short posts below this one of other things which have caught my fancy. 

Best wishes to Neil L, Erik, Gary B & Uta this month :-D

Right - more to come in a few weeks. Take care, everybody


Jan & Sam

Beauty and bugs a real treat - Nelson Mail, 7 August 2013

Jan's famous. OK, well the children's concert is, anyway. And my programme notes, as the Nelson Mail reporter basically copied those too :-)

Sam

Le Petard "Howdy Jack", National Business Review, 25 August 1995

I was reminded yesterday of a lovely NBR column-short from way back when I was at Sealord. I used to have this pinned to my wall, as follows:

"HOWDY JACK: This letter was recently sent to an Australian paper, addressed to President Jacques Chirac:

"Mon cher Jacques,

“Je suis un petit fromaged-off avec votre decision to blow up La Pacifique Sud avec Ies Francais bombes nuclears. Je reckon vous must have un spot in la Belle France pour Ies explosions. Le Massif Central? Le Champs Elysees? Votre own back yard, perhaps? Frappe les crows flamboyant avec stones, sport. La Guerre Cold est fini. Votre forces militaries need la bombe atomique about as beaucoup as les poissons need Ies bicycles. Un autre point, cobber - votre histoire militaire isn't tres flash. Une bombe nouveau won't change votre tradition glorieux".

Don'tcha love it?!

Sam

Te Waipounamu

Hi all,

Saw a great little article today about naming the islands in which we live here in Aotearoa New Zealand. The North Island looks likely to be officially named in Māori Te Ika-a-Maui (the fish of Maui), and the South, Te Waipounamu (the greenstone waters). Pretty cool, I reckon, and about time.

Read more at http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8985750/Naming-day-close-for-NZs-main-islands

News from Nelson - July 2 2013

Hi all,
A quick update on what we have been doing in the past few weeks.

This weekend we went to see Te Radar's Antarcticana, a monologue with pictures on Antarctic exploration, which was really fun. He speaks very well.

Jan hired a digger this weekend, and now the big pile of dirt that was waiting to cover over the water tanks IS covering the water tanks. This means that the next stage of the house can take place: getting a clothes line! Yay!

Coco is missing Fliss, we think, though Bonnie seems to have not noticed anything amiss. 

We have felt a few of the earthquakes that have been plaguing Seddon (poor beggars - the ground has been shaking under them for a fortnight now). We were at home, and Jan was watching a film, when the 6.8 one struck. It went on for a long time too, and neither Jan nor I knew whether it was going to get worse, so didn't know whether we should rush outside or not. Jan checked in with the Welly family, but everyone seemed to be OK. All good.

Last weekend Sharon & Ian came to stay, and we watch lots of movies, Sharon won the pool tournament, and we had food for Africa. Nibbles that the dogs have now eaten up the leftovers of, and - of course - waffles for breakfast on Sunday morning. 

I cooked a roast chicken and winter roast veges that night, but there was so much left over (because everyone filled up on nibbles), that we couldn't have eaten it before it had passed its use-by date, so I made stock from the chicken carcass and made roast chicken & vege soup. It was the most stellar soup I think I have made this year.

That same weekend we went to visit Gary & Nic at their new place in Marahau, and luckily Nic fed us soup and bread, combined with a lovely long walk along the Marahau waterfront. I think we would have died if we had been faced with too much more food!

We caught up with Jen L in May, at her folks place in 88 Valley, which was great. I got a few shots of a brief walkabout we did, none of which I had posted, so have one here:

We picked up some tiny paintings at the Suter Art Auction a few weeks ago, and, along with some other pictures we have, have put them all up on the wall in the front loo...

It is very nice as they also reflect in the mirror. The big one in the middle was given to us as a thank you for taking the Rotary kids through the far north. It is Jan & I sitting on the beach at Tapotupotu Bay looking out to sea (and sneakily taken by one of the exchange students).

I was also awarded our Rotary club's annual Fred Coe award for a bit of service above self at our change-over, which was a total surprise. Fred is one of our members who unexpected died a few years ago, and his wife donated this perpetual challenge trophy in his memory, and presents it each year to the recipient. The trophy is a streaked rainbow glass creation:

We also farewelled Karin, who headed back home to Sweden - very briefly - because she is going to a drama school course in London early next month, and will be staying with Justine in Willesden Green. Love to see those connections start to be made!

I dropped some baking into the vets to thank Jonathan for driving all the way out to our place to put Fliss down, and they were very grateful (as were we!) for that small gesture. And enjoyed baking that two gluten intolerant vet nurses could eat (added bonus of all my cooking lacking ordinary wheat flour).

I have been having a bit of a baking binge lately - I had to supply the raffle prize at Rotary a couple of weeks ago, and made a batch of shortbread and a banana cake. I was a bit worried that the raffle winner would have thought that home baking was a bit of a cheat, but they seemed quite chuffed, and said the whole office enjoyed it. I enjoy the process of baking, and it is great to have it eaten up by others!

I have just had conditional approval provided on my Masters human participants ethics committee application. I haven't gone through all the little tweaks that they want me to make yet, but will tomorrow. Phew: it is a relief to have that largely done. I have written one of my long cases for my experiments on my students later this semester, and am half-way through the second. My other lecturers are all on board, and I am nearly ready for the major part of the work. Time has gone amazingly fast.

Kathleen & Frits & Amy are coming out next weekend for a mid-winter Christmas celebration, which should be fun. And there will be too much to eat then, I am sure. Thank goodness for freezers, eh.

Jan has his next concert (the Children's Concert) coming up in two weeks, so will be out at rehearsals a bit. He goes in November to the US to the big Trade Show he is attending there. Because I will be teaching my final classes and marking here for the end of the semester and the graduation of my students, I will stay home (though I am also supposed to be attending a CDANZ meeting during that same time, I think we may decide keep things simple).

My next trip overseas will be to Rarotonga in April for my brother's wedding - along with Jan, of course! We booked our tickets and accommodation today, so we are all sorted for that. I will be in Welly another time or two this year, and in Christchurch for four days in the middle of October - 17-20 - for a Careers Symposium and CDANZ AGM - Jan is coming with me, so we hope to catch up with all you Canty guys whom we haven't seen for ages.

Right - that will do for now. Back to you in a bit & hope you are all keeping well

Jan & Sam

News from Nelson - July 2013

Hi all,
A sad catch up this time, as Jan & I had to have Fliss put to sleep on the weekend.

We had her at the vet only a week ago, and Jonathan had said that we would try some different meds, but said that if we were not in the top 10% of owners, she wouldn't have gone home from the vets that day. Jan wasn't ready to let her go, though, and we came home with her to try a few more things. However, she only got to Wednesday before we realised that she was really going downhill quickly, and we arranged for Jonathan to come out home on the weekend to send her on her last big sleep. However, despite that, she had got pneumonia on Thursday and by Saturday had almost put herself to sleep.

We have buried her next to Drew in the garden, with a baby Lancewood (Horoeka) on her grave. For all the non-Kiwis, see them at http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/lancewood,tree/Interesting).
 
Both Jan & I were very quiet over the weekend, just pottered around at home and watched some films, and remembered her. She had been my friend for 13 years.

Her life in pictures below. Her birthday:

Four weeks

One year:

Two:

Three:

Five, with Drew:

Seven, with Coco:

With Bonnie:

And with Coco again:

Nine at the mudflats with Coco & Bonnie:

And on the Atawhai reserve (Jan in delightful shorts):

At Montrose Drive:

With Jimmy in Chch:

Is it dinner time?

At Montrose Drive with Coco:

At the land:

Last year, with Bonnie:

And with Camila:

And Camila on the day she left to go home (Bonnie, Coco & Fliss):

In April, in the rubbish bin!

Last day, Saturday 13 June 2013:

We have ordered a canvas to put up in the office of one of our wedding photos that had both Fliss & Drew in it. 

That's it for today - I will post some more news a bit later on.

Hope you are all well.

Jan & Sam