So in all this chaos, here is a great kiwiana story for youse all.

I'm in Day 2 of iso, and have a Countdown delivery order coming today. I tried to change the address online yesterday because we changed our accommodation after I placed the order, but couldn't do it. I spoke to the local store, and they said to call back this morning.

So I grab the phone this morning and hit the most recently called number. But I'd forgotten that we ordered fish'n'chip delivery for dinner last night, so Anna, the owner of the chippy picks up instead.

At 7am.

Oops

Anyway, I apologise, she asks who I was trying to call, we get chatting. Less than 45 minutes later she has dropped off eggs, bread, butter and
crackers to our driveway for brekkie.

What a fucking legend.

It's good to be home.

Mods, feel free to delete if innapropriate or unnecessary, but I wondered if it might be worthwhile having somewhere for our little community to ask for or offer help to each other.

People could post requests (advice, favours, whatever) or offer assistance in some way.

For example, it sounds like many people could be becoming unemployed in the near future. Maybe Ferners can assist with CV reviews, job market advice, financial modelling for home budgets etc.

Obviously physical movements are limited so don't any of youse hit me up to help weed your garden...

Well that was a glorious afternoon / evening.

The pub had a dodgy feed that kept freezing but given the games weren't close it kind of added to the fun - lots of "oohhhhhhh"'s and "yeeeaaaahhhh"'s as we froze then caught up.

There were about 15 kids there for the early game, most wearing Australian / Irish / English supporter kit, each of them glued to phones and iPad's. Most buggered off home after the Australia game.

My lad was decked out in his AB kit and sat at the corner of the bar for both games, watching every second of the footy - didn't ask for his ipad or phone once. He even had a few sips of my beer with the observation "that's quite nice".

Never been so proud.

@Snowy said in RWC: All Blacks vs Namibia Pool B:

@sparky said in RWC: All Blacks vs Namibia Pool B:

Stuff has a second-by-second Countdown clock therefore if you so choose you can watch the seconds until that glorious moment when the team is actually named.

Well that's ruined that then.

Another of the great mysteries in life is just common knowledge.

Completely off topic and absolutely doesn't belong in this thread, but the single greatest mystery in life remains how it can take so long to collect a hire car from the airport no matter how much info you've already provided when booking online.

Day 14 of self isolation is today, I'm free!!!

I don't know how some of you guys manage to comment during the game, you must be better typists than me (not saying much), I'd miss half the action if I tried.

It's also pretty fun to wake up with a smile on my face, make a BLT and sit down with a coffee to scroll through the 1000+ posts here over brekkie.

Happy days!

@chimoaus said in Christmas Gifts:

Lucky for me the missus said "I don't want anything" so that is what I will get her.

You must have either been married less than 2yrs or more than 50yrs!

@NTA Great story, love it, thanks for sharing

What a day here in Sydney. Was actually fairly clear skies until that Turramurra fire, then it looked like armageddon to the north. Thank fck the cold front has arrived, now 19 outside. Still windy though, and it might have arrived too late for the firefighters to rip into the current fires tonight.

Those guys are deadset legends. My kids are too young right now, but I made a promise to myself today that I'm joining the volunteer firefighters as soon as they're old enough for me to take off with short notice - reckon 4 years from now. Even if it means spending time with Tony Abbott.

You cnts can hold me to this commitment post the next RWC.

Doesn't feel right to debate climate change on a day like today, when lives were lost and homes were destroyed. But regardless of whether you feel that it played a part in this event, it seems impossible to argue that more effort and funds are not required to address the impact of events like this. And that's where capitalism, IMO still our best baseline choice for an economic/political system, falls short when left alone. It just does not encourage the type of behaviour society will need without significant oversight and regulation.

We may have huge resources (dare I say "unlimited" as the @Baron-Silas-Greenback would hyperbolate (yes, I think I made that word up)), but how do we ensure they, along with their associated wealth, are directed in the right places? As an example, we currently produce an abundance of food in the world, yet we have not come close to eliminating hunger and malnutrition. We are inherently lazy and selfish. So why would we be confidant that technological advances will come to the aid of the poorest and most climate-affected amongst us?

Feels like this year is a bit different here in Sydney, like the mood is changing. When the flood levy was imposed a few years ago, it was met with derision - "why should we fund their choice of living location?" - but this seems to be hitting closer to home, and I think people are more willing to give something up to help. Feels like the time is right for some political capital to be spent without repercussions.

Anyway, hope all my fellow NSW-men and their families are safe tonight

@Hooroo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

My potatoes tonight were mashed and added to choped parsley, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sour cream, salt and pepper, Cup of Vintage cheese and 1/3 cup parmesan. Put into muffin tins and baked.

This is to go with last nights brisket!!

Photo tofollow

Vintage Cheese??? You must be rich bro

@JK said in Covid-19 and keeping fit:

Gave in and went for a run around the golf course

Nice one! Have to say, I've never understood people who run/walk dogs around golf courses (when they are being actively played I mean). Just asking for a ball to the back of the scone!

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

i love all potato equally. Mashed. Fried. Baked. Roasted. Boiled. Potatoes are the king of foods.

I'm totally onboard with the premise, spuds have always been my "If you could take 1 food to a desert island" choice. One of my favourites is having them for brekkie, cut into little cubes, par boiled, then fried with bacon or pancetta, spring onion, and a few eggs cracked on top of the pile at the end. Heaven!

that's my go to!! best with left-over roast chicken and a dusting of cajun seasoning!

Oooh, I like it, that's brekkie tomorrow sorted!!!

I definitely need to run tomorrow!!!

best if you get time to let the potatoes cool

Absolutely. As those legends of TV commercials once said, "Good things take time"

@canefan said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

i love all potato equally. Mashed. Fried. Baked. Roasted. Boiled. Potatoes are the king of foods.

I'm totally onboard with the premise, spuds have always been my "If you could take 1 food to a desert island" choice. One of my favourites is having them for brekkie, cut into little cubes, par boiled, then fried with bacon or pancetta, spring onion, and a few eggs cracked on top of the pile at the end. Heaven!

that's my go to!! best with left-over roast chicken and a dusting of cajun seasoning!

leftover roast chicken, roast potatoes all small diced, and some old rice make a great fried rice. Add a few peas and a little onion, cracked an egg or two in at the last minute

Double carbs, always a winner...

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

i love all potato equally. Mashed. Fried. Baked. Roasted. Boiled. Potatoes are the king of foods.

I'm totally onboard with the premise, spuds have always been my "If you could take 1 food to a desert island" choice. One of my favourites is having them for brekkie, cut into little cubes, par boiled, then fried with bacon or pancetta, spring onion, and a few eggs cracked on top of the pile at the end. Heaven!

that's my go to!! best with left-over roast chicken and a dusting of cajun seasoning!

Oooh, I like it, that's brekkie tomorrow sorted!!!

I definitely need to run tomorrow!!!

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

i love all potato equally. Mashed. Fried. Baked. Roasted. Boiled. Potatoes are the king of foods.

I'm totally onboard with the premise, spuds have always been my "If you could take 1 food to a desert island" choice. One of my favourites is having them for brekkie, cut into little cubes, par boiled, then fried with bacon or pancetta, spring onion, and a few eggs cracked on top of the pile at the end. Heaven!

@Crucial said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

When in Indonesia on the way back to NZ I went to a cooking class from a guy in his local warung to learn various paste mixes and how to try and get that same taste as the local food.
He had set up to get you hands on grinding the ingredients by hand then cooking something with them.
No doubt @voodoo has seen these, but I'd love to get my hands on one in NZ

Works way better than a European style pestle and mortar.
The rougher granite makes quick work and the shaped pestle is comfortable in the hand.

The ones he had were bigger as well so you could really get going on them without flicking everything out the side.

That's cool, I haven't come across one in my Indo travels yet. You've also reminded me, I got given a cooking class voucher by my team at work so should dig that out if I ever get back to Bali!

@canefan said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo roast potatoes or mash?

I stayed out of that debate earlier, but I'm 100% roast potatoes. I never make mash unless it's for a fish or shepherd's pie, or bizarrely, for a lemon cake that I made with the kids the other day which was really good!

@mariner4life said in Covid-19 and keeping fit:

no run today, went for a walk up Mt Whitfield, which has great tracks all over it. Basically like climbing the Mount on the steep side. All steps! Nice change

Same same almost, we did the QT trail walk, beautiful morning here with early snow on the hills

Good news everyone! My wife found that little local supermarket here in QT, and sent me there to get meals for the next fee days. It's a bit light on many things, but when rummaging around the meat section (with my eyes of course), I found this little beauty! Dunno why they stole the bone out of it, but beggars can't be choosers!

I've done it the Greek way with stuff I had, garlic, rosemary and lemons.

Roll on 8.30pm!