William Hodges Bathroom
The three brooches on the left are by Warwick Freeman.
Next are Grape Hyacinths. Then a selection of soaps.
Most significantly of all, the fluffy daffodils. Until two weeks ago I scorned these. I only believed in the simple story book ones, King Alfred I remember. But then going to the Farmers Market here in Invercargill, held at Southland Boys High, the school that has produced more All Black captains than any other in the country, I am told. Over two weeks I changed my mind about the daffodils. Suddenly, I’m appreciating the fluffies.
The black bottle on the right is a bottle of Armani Code.
For two or three years I’ve noticed this book. In the library and in bookshops.
However, I didn’t on those occasions go any further, such as borrowing or buying it.
While in Te Anau last week I did buy it and with feet up, found myself intrigued. Inventively put together as if has been written by an autistic boy, Christopher. Christopher works on mathematical puzzles in his head as a way of relaxing. Fixated with the dangers of making assumptions, he recounts this joke:
There are three men on a train. One of them is an economist and one of them is a logician and one of them is a mathematician. And they have just crossed the border into Scotland (I don’t know why they are going to Scotland) and they see a brown cow standing in a field from the window of the train (and the cow is standing parallel to the train).
And the economist says, ‘Look, the cows in Scotland are brown.’
And the logician says, ‘No. There are cows in Scotland of which one, at least one is brown.’
And the mathematician says, ‘No. There is at least one cow in Scotland, of which one side appears to be brown’.
Buoys
In the two and a half months since I’ve been working in
Southland, I’ve noticed again and again, buoys floating in the water.
The very top one is part of a whitebait rig and is floating in a river.
Here is a link to a page I made, Nov 30th, last year.
Fiordland
In a few minutes I am leaving Invercargill to travel into Fiordland. I will be basing myself in Te Anau for 3 nights. (click on map to enlarge) I’m not at all familiar with this territory and don’t really know what I am going to find.
Te Anau is about 2 hours drive from here. I am hoping to be able to use an internet cafe there to keep in touch but it may not work out in which case I apologise in advance.
On one of the days I am making an all day trip to Doubtful Sound. I may go to Milford Sound.
I’ll be back Saturday afternoon.
Defeat.
I watched the All Blacks being defeated on my new Panasonic flat screen TV. What do I think about it? The defeat that is, not the Panasonic.
Our national anthem is a problem. ‘God Defend New Zealand.’ is a Christian prayer. It doesn’t seem fair on those of us who are not Christians to have it as our anthem. Barely 50% of New Zealanders put themselves down as Christian in the last census and the percentage appears to be dropping. It’s possible that by the next census Christians will be in the minority.
And it’s a pity that musically it’s such a dirge.
Although bought up a Catholic , I even wanted to be a priest, now I am an atheist so whenever our anthem is played I either have to hit the mute button or leave the room. On public occasions when I am exposed to it, while I do stand, my principles don’t allow me to sing the words.
Especially important is the question does prayer work. Recently there has been some research casting doubt on this. Certainly didn’t work on Sunday.
Communications
This structure is near the airport in Invercargill. Not sure what it’s for but I like its sculptural quality. Something to do with communications I imagine, perhaps radar. I’ll ask around today.
It does bring to mind the subject matter that two German photographers, husband and wife Bernd and Hilla Becher worked with for nearly 50 years. Bernd Hiller died in June this year.
