America: Our Home away from Home (away from home)

It has been 2 months since my last posting and these are my sins. Wait, sorry...wrong opener. Anyway, a lot has happened in two months: a visit from Nani, multiple domestic excursions, a tropical interlude, and finally, the big shift to the northern hemisphere (a.k.a. winter). I'm writing now 3 days out from Thanksgiving in Virginia and just starting to slow down on eating. Complements of Uncle Shawn and family, Little Man successfully navigated his first turkey day, scooting his way among adult legs and runabout toddlers. Yes sir, a lot to be thankful for. We miss you Aotearoa.

Check out my mum, Nani, shredding in Queenstown. Live young and prosper y'all.

Out.

Bipedalism: The Next Step

Several days ago, after becoming overly frustrated spending five minutes flat on my belly, I had a spontaneous realization that I could, through determination and brute strength, heave myself onto hands and knees and impart mobility into my otherwise stationary existence. Alas, I crawl! Gone are the days of wallowing in a drooly morass of overdone toys. Gone are the days of wasting on my bum, staring at the clouds with only my daydreams to explore. And yes, father, gone are the days of your peaceful, sentinel days at your screen. I am free I say! Hand passes hand in a forceful march as my knees swing elegantly under ever-strengthening hips: I crawl for those who shall one day also rise. Gone are the days!

Loving Cup

The Rugby World Cup has finally landed and I must admit it is pretty cool to experience, albeit from my couch. Games are quite expensive and since our local stadium has been, as they say, "munted by the shayka" ("damaged by the earthquake" in Old English) the nearest venue is a solid half day's drive. The US lost their first match to Ireland 22 - 10 and face Russia on Thursday night. Enjoy the dueling battle calls.

Dat Poi Gunna Bustamout Bra.

On a whim, I bought a large bulb of taro root yesterday and this morning it shall become poi. I've never made the stuff, but I have had the real deal (from real Hawaiians on a real Hawaiian island) and it's pretty darn good. Some people hate it, but when you think of it's historical importance as a staple food and the mana it contains, it somehow tastes a little sweeter.

Despite its culinary critics, poi is easily digestible and a great source of energy and nutrients. Plus, my mom recommended it as the perfect baby food, so there you have it.

Bad Trip

In the purest, most simple way I can describe it, our "vacation" was crap. The motor home we rented was plagued by system malfunctions from the start, and not only did we spend the entire trip driving (I drove while Susan and Little Man sat about 15 feet behind me), we were followed by some of the coldest, snowiest weather ever experienced by our wee country. Some places felt snow for the first time in 80 years! And to top it off, the intended highlight of the trip - a rounded peninsula called the Taranaki Bight featuring a perfect, conical volcano - was shrouded in cloud and mist for the duration of our visit. Motor homes should strictly be reserved for one-way trips to Burningman. Bugger.

We did manage to snag a few decent photographs.



home sweet home!



on vacation!!

Diaper "Pants": A Bigger Scam than Enron?

To compliment the wonderful array of reusable diapers, we stock regular disposables to use during sleepy time. But when last at the store, I inadvertently threw diaper "pants" into the shopping cart, and I can say with certainty that they don't hold shit. Little man suffered a double-layer blowthru, backscratcher, and 45% sideswipe on the first diaper, necessitating full decontamination. No picture, sorry.

Pre-Road Trippin

Its been a while since I've etched my prose into the bloggy-stone: Not for a lack of material, but rather a lack of energy. The little lad went through a pretty nasty spell of insomnia and although it has tested our already frayed nerves, mom and I are doing well and enjoying the messy moments (photos are a few weeks old).

All that aside, we've booked a motorhome and intend to shove off this Sunday for the North Island. Stay tuned...it should be stellar.

Holy Logan

Last weekend our Little Man took the baptismal plunge at Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. With Father Jim presiding over the intimate service, Logan was heartily welcomed into the Catholic faith, despite trying to drink the holy water. Our good friends Mike and Ceceil graced us with their presence, being happily nominated "Unofficial New Zealand Godparents"/ event photographers.

The "ranger" at the church (it is a historic building, open to the public) had placed signs outside which read "Closed for Wedding," and so, as we opened the door to leave, were greeted by Japanese tourists with a cheerful Congwadulations!

Rod & Reel: Chapter 1

Apparently Pukaki Bay is devoid of fish. We floated gobs of squid and limpet along the sandy bottom for a few hours without even the slightest nibble. My buddy Mike took a dive however and scored a few mussels and paua (abalone) while all I got was this lousy landscape shot....

A Break from Training

I think it speaks for itself.

Intentional Insomniac

Last weekend found Mr. Mum on a rare break from his diaper-duties to compete in a 48 hour design competition brought on by none other than momma Sue. Fifteen teams of 7 swarmed the studios at Lincoln University redesigning buildings and landscapes in central Christchurch. Working through the night, I entered into a mental state bordering on dimentia, symptomized by shakes, rambles, and mild hallucinations (in hindsight, a bit like college). By the end of the afterparty on Sunday night I'd been up for 27 hours and hadn't done a single load of laundry! Awesome weekend.

Some links and photos to give a sense of the scene. Enjoy.

All of the submissions in Powerpoint. We were team Verde.

Media coverage.

Team Verde

Sue, Logan, and Mayor Parker

The real Flight of the Conchords?

 

Another great clip of our fearless leader. Could he have been a Mr. Mum?

The Big Cheese

Thus far we have met the mayor, seen the Dalai Lama, and now this guy. It's pretty cool to live in a country where the man in the highest office has less security than Justin Bieber. I would have introduced us to Prime Minister John Key but he had his game face on and seemed edgy. This was shot just before he addressed the city about the fate of thousands of homes affected by the earthquakes...not all good news.

Fish On!

One of the benefits of being an American dad in New Zealand is that you get 2 Father's Days! And to kick off the festivities, my girl got me shiny new fishin' license. Now that the tackle box is complete, Little Man and I will shove off soon to begin exploring the nearby streams for some mid-winter trout stalking. First stop, Ashley Gorge? Fish on.

Did you know?....New Zealand has a plethora of untouched world class trout streams, not to mention the 10th longest coastline in the world, providing plenty of opportunitey for ocean anglers.

A Tale of Two Earthquakes

On Monday I was strolling through the park (literally, with a stroller) listening to the life story of Steve Martin when suddenly my legs began to quiver. Normally I can hear the earthquake first, so I took my headphones off to confirm that the ground was once again seething with energy. I was standing alongside a row of massive sequoia, cedar and redwood trees and was startled to see that they were swaying like giant Ents on parade in Middle Earth. They groaned and creaked and their nearby deciduous cousins were shedding abnormal amounts of colorful fall leaves. The odd part is that the leaves came straight down rather than blowing off sideways in a breeze. Anyway, had to be there. A kid on a bike in front of me panicked and bolted around a gravel path, only to slam on his brakes and glance around quickly. I told him to stay calm but he didn't hear me and quickly sped off in another direction. The shaking only lasted about 10 - 15 seconds and as I stood there, heart pounding in my chest, I wondered about far reaching effects. It was a strong shake, I guessed high 5's (it turned out later to be a 5.7).

An hour or so after this I made my way back to the car and drove over to mom's work where I parked across from the old college; a series of beautiful Gothic stone buildings surrounded by bracing and fences as a result of previous earthquake damage. With Logan in my arms, I had a quick chat with the local barista and started walking down the street. Then a loud booming and the ground resumed its tremor, this time with even greater strength. Reflexively I jumped towards the middle of the street and widened my stance to maintain balance. Time seemed to slow as I looked up to see the overhead tram wires bouncing like jump ropes. Behind them a large triangle shaped chunk of brickwork tipped off a second story pinnacle and exploded on the cafe patio below. Astonished, I quickly turned towards the Cathedral (centerpiece of the city square and also severely damaged in February) in clear view a few blocks away. As the shaking continued the giant circular "rose" window suddenly crumbled and disappeared in a massive pall of dust. The 6.3 lasted almost 30 seconds. Little Logan stayed cool as a cucumber, oblivious to the inner workings of subductive plate tectonics and strike-slip faultlines. Mom was safe too under a table somewhere, though a bit more scared this time around. Can't blame her.

before

after

Who Likes it Hot?

There is probably no greater treat to man and mum from nature than thermal hot springs, and New Zealand is in no short supply. Although concentrated on the more active North Island, within 2.5 hours of Christchurch is a miraculous little spot called Maruia Springs. Despite being commercialized and controlled, the natural sulfur spring is fed to a facility that is well maintained and designed to the Japanese tradition, and the setting along the Maruia River among mature beech forest and alpine peaks is stunning. The water is not chemically treated which leaves the therapeutic benefits unhindered, but too hot for you Little Man!

Liddle Buddha...

Up at the butt crack of dawn. Check.
Greasy breakfast down the hatch. Check.
Nice Walk with wee man. Check.
Chill out with the Dalai Lama. Check.

Little Man and I got the call (thanks mom!) about an hour before the talk, so we hurried over just in time. Being late to an event can sometimes work to your advantage, more so with the blatant advertisement of a cute child strapped to your chest. The usher escorted us past hundreds of folks to within 100 feet of the stage and I stood in awe as the happiest man on the planet came out to pay his respects to Christchurch. Little Logan stared up calmly at his infectious grin on the big screen as I snapped a few difficult photos. You can't help but love The Lama!

My view

Logan's view

Stay-at-Holmes: Tip of the Moment #3

This is actually a pretty good one I picked up and put in my survival toolbox. Audiobooks. If your like me and find that long, regular walks can get fairly boring or that trips around town set your mind a wanderin',grab some audiobooks. Keep one in the car stereo and another in your portable and you'll find yourself absorbing all sorts of random stuff that if only one thing will impress that little human you've been toting around when he/she grows up.

The Diaper Dilemna: Waste vs. Wash

So we've invested in a grip of reusable cloth nappies (diapers) in an attempt to reduce waste. Indeed, disposables generate a significant portion of landfill fodder. The reusables are also cheaper in the long run, being paid off in 2.5 months and only add a minimal amount to the already constantly running laundry machine. The biggest downside is of course the inevitable intimacy one aquires with the childs own waste. Oh well. There is another interesting option for those out there with a soft spot in your heart for the environment; a burgeoning industry such as this one in Christchurch.

Every Man Has an Island

I had a dream last night in which I rose from bed at some queer hour. I marched outside like a zombie to pee off the edge of lawn and stared out over the city lights below. To the east the moon cast a soft glow on the water of the distant bay. To the west at even further scope, snow capped peaks radiated from dark blue phosphor. North held no perceived wonder and behind the mountain somewhere to my south I knew the Southern Cross lay pinned to the night sky. The utter stillness caused my crown to buzz like a transistor and in all this dream I soon declared myself, King of Aotearoa.