Stuff

[vilakins]

I have photos to upload and post but haven't got round to them yet as if I'm not out doing stuff like picking up library books, new mattresses*, and having a delicious Mexican brunch, I'm veging out in the hammock or armchair with a book. Jasmin was released from her plastic funnel a couple of weeks ago (there are photos of her to come) and has healed extremely well and is back to her bouncy self.

* The innersprung mattresses, bought on TradeMe from an importer, are for the new wooden-slat spare beds and were vacuum-packed to a disconcerting couple of inches in thickness; I cut the packaging back home and FOOF! they expanded to their proper size most impressively.

This summer has been amazing: hot and dry and fine. It's hardly rained for about 6 weeks and that's incredible for Auckland, the city with no river. Everything's a bit brown but I'm enjoying actually having a summer after last year's no-show.

Here, have a pic of the Auckland Museum lit up with rainbow colours for Gay Pride week.

And here's Brian Blessed in his first ad in a planned series for the ASB (a bank) telling us not to be so retiring and awkwardly non-committal about success.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

♥ Brian Blessed.

[vilakins]

It's pretty cool the ASB got him!

[mab_browne]

I note that they haven't asked him to break character. :-)

[vilakins]

They hired him for being him!

[pebblerocker]

Oh my goodness, BRIAN BLESSED replaces Goldstein? Hilarious!

It's been so hot and dry for so long I was astonished the other week that I needed to bring the washing in. One day of rain since summer started, practically. I got given some trees at completely the wrong time of year for trees to go in and I think the few missed waterings have doomed them.

[vilakins]

He does!

I bought a pohutukawa tree a couple of months ago and the ground's been too dry for me to dig it in. It's not happy. Maybe I'll have to resort to a large pot.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear from you. All your news sounds most satisfactory. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It is, apart from the Microsoft update that borked my ACT database on an old XP PC at work. I'm just enjoying my weekend and trying not to think about Monday. Because when i do I get an urge to consume chocolate.

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

Happy summer!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm...hot and dry summer...enjoy, dear, but I do envy you!!!:-)
Good news, especially about Jasmin.
Good to hear from you always!!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's a pity I'm at work. I suppose when we finally get a holiday it'll be over.

You can hardly see her injury now; the fur's growing back well. SHe's back to her usual naughty self!

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

I'm very glad to hear that Jasmin is doing much better! And that things seem to be going well, on the whole. We don't hear from you nearly enough these days!

Watching that ad now makes me consider the possibility that I live in an entire country full of Brian Blesseds. This is a disconcerting idea. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't usually have all that much to post about! I really have to get onto writing some tropes and I may do the Mills & Boon challenge--that was fun last time--but just when I thought I had everything under control at work, having been landed with two people's jobs, Microsoft did a big update and borked one of my databases. That little disaster causes an uncontrollable urge to read escapist books and eat chocolate. I'll have another go at fixing it today. :-P

Ah. but you do! Greg and I are reading the Susan Caine book Quiet and being very glad we live in an introvert's country. :-)

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

I looked at the Mills & Boon challenge, but those prompts scare me. :)

And I think escapist books and chocolate are always a valid response to life's little disasters!

I really liked Quiet. And, man... Right now I'm reading a book about certain kinds of psychological research by a massive extrovert with lots of "helpful" rah-rah team-building and employee-motivating ideas, and he's setting my teeth on edge. I was just thinking about how I'd much rather go back to Susan Caine. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I've skimmed them and found maybe two I might be able to have a go at.

Man, I hate that stuff! I'm glad I've never worked for a company that goes in for that sort of thing, but I've been to a couple of seminars where they try to get people jumping around and cheering. It's just embarrassing and makes me dig my toes in.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Enthusiasm is supposed to be contagious, but that kind of artificial enthusiasm is just so unbelievably off-putting. I am devoutly glad no one has tried to force that sort of thing on me since high school.

[luinielle.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear Jasmin is healing well! Enjoy your summer - it sounds like you're having a very good one. :o)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I was worried she'd have to keep the funnel because Greg kept being sorry for her and letting her out, then forgetting to keep an eye on her so she scratched the injury a few times. But they were very pleased and you can hardly see the scar now.

I just hope we can arrange a week away while summer's still here!

Perfect icon!

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, glad to hear Jasmin's feeling better now. :-)

I thought you must have been busy again - glad to hear it doesn't sound like anything too dreadful this time!

And I like the Brian Blessed ad. :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Apart from the borked database (which has hung over me all weekend, things are pretty good!

I'll be interested to see what else he does. It's my bank and they've had some interesting ad series in the past.