Thursday, 28 April 2005
@ 1.36 pm
Burning incense to chase away the paint fumes
Sara G once remarked, "I think they call it incense because it incenses me". Fair enough, but after recent tests I can confirm that it also drives out the far more odious smell of paint fumes rather well, so I think we'll keep burning it for a bit longer. And why do we even need to keep burning it? Because we've moved into our new flat! Huzzah!
We've moved into one of Dad's flats in Mona Vale, about half a block away from the old Chateau abode, and it's already proving to be a much much better part of town to live in. Mel and I managed to shift all the big stuff on Saturday, before the most wickedly cool thunder, lightning, and hail storm ever seen (by me) in Christchurch arrived that night. Watching a wall of lightning approach across the rooftops is very cool. Managing to run inside just before the hail (which you could hear approaching, like a loud (and solid) waterfall getting closer and closer...) is very smart. Not having curtains put up in new flat yet is very silly, and cold.
In fact, no curtains is just one of many issues we have, most of which will hopefully be sorted by the weekend. For instance, power managers, why?! Not only do they cost more (both daily charge and per unit cost of electricity), but they're bloody depressing. Watching $5 worth of power disappear in one day because you had the temerity to cook dinner and put a load of washing through is pretty damn annoying - no wonder everyone who used to ring up on the power manager after hours line was so pissed off about life in general, I guarantee they'd drive you mad if you had to use one. And then there's the water pressure. When you have a shower, it takes about 30 seconds to soak a face cloth through, let alone actually providing enough water to actually wash in! (Apparently the plumber "Thought that might be an issue" when he was mucking around with the pipes, but didn't then take that next step to thinking "So I better fix it while I'm mucking around with the pipes". Nice one.)
However, both these things should be dealt with by this evening, and by the weekend we should even have the luxury of phone jacks in the walls
Whatever our compaints and concerns with the flat (fully ten or so other flats can see into our living room, all day every day) and even though I may complain (it is me, after all), it's still a damn site better than living somewhere between Wigram, Ilam and Mount Pleasant.
Everyone's welcome to come and visit, pictures appearing soon, although these are mostly for my mother's benefit, as she's just started an 11 week round the world photographic trip which includes visiting South Africa, Italy, Spain and Canada, and has already seen her go to a reception in the New Zealand High Commission in Johannesburg!
Update: My Mum Rocks - the Emma & William McPherson Award 2005
The Emma & William McPherson Award is made to the club or individual who, in the opinion of Council, has done most to foster amateur photography in New Zealand over the past 12 months.
This year the Award goes to a popular Fellow of the Society, best known for her extraordinarily sensitive Floral Photography. She is a prolific photographic educator and, in the past 12 months, has exhibited, judged, lectured and taught Floral Photography and Photomontage all over the country. This year's winner of the Emma & William McPherson Award is Sally Mason FPSNZ.
In addition to her teaching, Sally's special contribution over the past 12 months has been as Co-Editor of the New Zealand Camera book. This showcase of PSNZ members' work is now a hard cover coffee-table book that sells in retail outlets throughout the country. Within the three-person Editorial Team responsible for New Zealand Camera, Sally Mason specifically oversaw the book's design and layout. In all the praise lavished on the publication there has been consistent mention of its "beautiful design".
The Photographic Society of New Zealand is therefore happy to award the 2005 Emma & William McPherson Award to Sally Mason FPSNZ.
