Charlie

Promise this will be the last doggy picture!!!
He's great company, the big question is, how does such a little dog hold so much Peee...

Our New Family Member

Charlie

After telling everyone that I was never, never, ever, ever, going to get another dog, well we now have one, a Springer Spaniel, 7 weeks old, he arrives next week.
This has introduced me to a number of tasks, which are to puppy proof the section, build a dog run etc.
You can expect to see a few more puppy pictures...

It was a very  busy Thursday with the decision the get Charlie, that's the pups new name, and someone coming in to see my paintings and even buying one, which was great.

The painting was one of Kitchener St., Martinborough, which was one of my favourites so now its painting, painting as the walls have become a little bare with the 4th painting plus the commission selling in the last 6 weeks.

Painting Commission

 

At last I've finished my painting commission of a team of Clydesdale horses working at a local Gladstone farm, a bit of a challenge, it has been the first time I've painted a horse.

Quite pleased with the results, so I'm going to do a series, there's plenty of reference around Martinborough, with a local stables and horse paddocks just down the road.(painting size760 x 600)

The Americas Cup

They say it's not over till the fat lady sings, well, at this moment she's in the taxi on the way to the theatre...

Tower Health Insurance - Now nib

After being with our health insurance provider - Tower for about 30 years, yesterday I received a letter informing me that Tower Health had been purchased by some Australian company and as a result due to various increase in claims in NZ and the profile of my age group, blah, Increase benifits, blah, justification, justification, platitudes, blah, they, nib have had to increase our monthly premium by a modest 150%!!!! that means we will now be paying over $10,000 per year for a medical only policy.
There were a number of reactions that raced through my mind, one was to do with sex and travel.

The Stress Of It All

I couldn't watch this last race, thank goodness for the replay channel on TVNZ, yes, Team NZ won.
I could only watch, after I found out who won, what a race.

A Fantastic Day

The other day I had a call from a friend from my old home town of Palmerston North, to say she was in New Zealand on holiday and was going to drive down to Martinborough for a visit.
What a fantastic day, it was wonderful to catch-up after such a long time. It had been over 40 years, gulp...

Saying Goodbye

On Thursday I had to say goodbye to my beautiful friend and constant companion for the last 9 years, it was  a terrible decision that I had been putting off for the last few weeks but it had to be done.

Goodbye Oscar RIP.

Wellington Storm

We have had a huge storm early this week, had some gusts recorded of 200km/hr!, Wellington is a complete mess around the coast.
One of the large inter-island ferries broke her moorings and needed the help of 2 tugs to hold her while she was able to take over under her own power holding her own in the middle of the harbour.

I had to go and check my boat at the marina, all a bit dramatic, boats with broken moorings and blown out Genoa's, that had unfurled, that was only along my pier,
One of my stern lines was looking a bit stressed but I was able to get an extra line around the stern pile with the aid of a fender that I floated, Read, blown around the pile and then tied to the Port stern cleat.
All a bit tricky...
The picture of the Ketch (above) was next to me, when I was on the hard last week while my boat was being anti fouled and new anode fitted.
Luckily I was now back in the water in the relative safety of the marina.

The Possible End to the Golden Weather

Over the past couple of days we have had a reminder that winter is on it's way, with frost on the cars in the morning.
The grass has changed to a bright green and now we are back to mowing the lawns every week.
The wine growers have finished picking and from all accounts it has been the best season in Martinborough for 20 years, and now we are all looking forward to some tasty Pinot's...
I have had the gallery open most weekends with a reasonable flow of visitors but have only been able to use my new shiny eftpos machine once and that was for the princely sum of $20.00 for some greeting cards.
I don't think I am going to make my fortune this month!
Just finished organising for the boat to come out of the water for its annual bottom clean and anode replacement.
I hope that the anti-fouling is still in good condition and will last another 12 months.

Duramara

At last the boat has a visible name, Duamara.

I Have My Very Own eftpos Machine

I now have my very own eftpos machine for the gallery, all ready for the sales....

Yes, of course I can take your credit card.

Long Hot Summer

Cancel all the things I've said about our weather, we've had a great run, now 45 days of clear warm weather.
Had some really good sailing, with winds that really showed how well the Westerly Corsair could go.
Although it's only been around and about Wellington harbour, it still takes at least half a day of sailing to get around.
Our 6,000l tank which we use for irrigation is down to about 1,000l which should last at least the next few weeks, then it's the town supply and pay!
And now Mrs DIY is making hints about a swimming pool.

Red Dots

These are the most beautiful thing an artists gets as a prize after many hours work and a affirmation of the art produced is good enough for someone to buy.

I think I am now classed as an emerging artist...
Sold 7 Paintings in the 3 hours of the exhibition and now I'm a very happy artist.
Many thanks to all the people that supported me, and kept telling me my pictures were OK.

My Yahoo Account Was Hacked from Turkey!!

On Sunday someone hacked my Yahoo account from Turkey! (see log)
It was only my Paranoia re spam, that I noticed the problem so quickly (1 hr later) and change my password and upped my security, something I should have done before.
I know it's a pain but regular changes to you password/s is really a good idea.
The next trick is to remember them ....

	10 Feb, 2013	6:06 PM	Browser	Mail Access	New Zealand
	10 Feb, 2013	6:04 PM	Browser	Mail Access	New Zealand
	10 Feb, 2013	12:23 PM	Browser	Logged In	Turkey
	10 Feb, 2013	12:22 PM	Browser	Mail Access	Turkey
	10 Feb, 2013	12:22 PM	Yahoo!Xtra Mobile	Logged In	Turkey
	10 Feb, 2013	11:25 AM	Browser	Logged In	New Zealand
	9 Feb, 2013	10:11 AM	Browser	Logged In	New Zealand

Gallery Exhibition - 1st Showing

Yes the moment of truth is about happen, the gallery opening, Saturday 16 February from 2pm-5pm, only  days away, where has the time gone?.
A little thought keeps runs trough my head, "don't give up your day job" which is bit daft, as I don't have a day job, only painting and that is currently unpaid. (please buy one)

I did some calculations on my last sale and I think it worked out to about $2.50 per hour. it would be nice if I could get to the minimum wage..

An end to the Summer?

 

 After an amazing run of summer weather, we have had temp of in excess of 36deg in Martinborough with the accompanying beautiful days.

Even had to move the dog walking to the early morning because of the heat.

Today the weather office tells us it is coming to an end for a few days (see rain map) but there's another high on the way, I hate to say this but a little drop of rain will help the garden which is totally dried out after over 3 weeks of continuous hot weather and no rain.

The Joys of Owning a Yatch!

Yesterday we went sailing, it was a great day, flat seas and a steady breeze, testing out the repaired sail and after tacking up the harbour for an hour, did a quick 'ready about' executed to perfection but the Genoa sheet caught the forward stay that I had safely tied back to the handrail and pow (sfx), it succeed in ripping part of the deck handrail out of the deck, Bum!
Examining the remains, the fixing holding the rail had snapped and by the look of the bits the ss fitting was rusted through, this could have been done when the boat was being built over 20 years ago...

Oh well, another repair but it's a relatively easy fix.


sfx - Sound effect.

Sailing!

At last we were able to set sail and try out the new winches, finally after a lot of heaving and lifting we were able to get Oscar on board, which was a bit of a mission, he wasn't a happy dog.
We got the sails up, much easier with the new winches, very little discussion was required and we were away in a good breeze.
We had just reached Soames Island in Wellington harbour, and we were trying to decide if a reef in the sail would be a good idea, and rip! the stitching in one panel parted company and so ended sailing for 2 weeks - the local sail-maker was away on holiday!
The only one that was happy was the Oscar the dog.
We shall be back but I'm afraid Oscar is going to go to dog prison (kennels), when we go sailing again.

A Dog With Great Taste

How did she open it without an opposing thumb?

Wellington Summer Sailing!!!

Issued by MetService at: 4:22am Wednesday 9 Jan 2013
Valid to: Midnight Wednesday 9 Jan 2013

Forecast

*** STORM WARNING IN FORCE ***Northwest rising to 35 knots early morning, to 50 knots late morning and to 60 knots this evening. Sea becoming very high. Northerly swell rising to 2 metres.

Outlook

Outlook following 3 days: Northerly 60 knots with very high sea, easing Thursday morning 45 knots, Thursday night northwest 35 knots and early Friday 20 knots, rising early Saturday northerly 30 knots. Moderate northerly swell easing Friday.
Note: 35knots = 64.82Klm/hr!

Coastal Situation

Issued at: 04:32am Wednesday 9-Jan-2013

Northwest gales will affect much of central and southern New Zealand today ahead of an approaching front from the Tasman Sea, but winds ease over the lower South Island following the passage of the front. On Thursday, the front moves onto the North Island and weakens as a ridge builds over the country. On Saturday,the ridge remains over the North Island but northwesterlies strengthen further south as another front approaches.

Gallery Web Site

The gallery project is still moving on, with the launching of the new web site, still under construction but the bones are there.
Lucky to have a son who is in the design graphic business
the address is: http://kerrybyersartist.wordpress.com