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.