The best laid plans of mice and men...

Old Rabbie Burns was right on the mark; gang aft aglay indeed. Of course, the fact that he came from just down the road from Thornhill probably helped.

The local Council have decided that an earthquake fault line is, in fact, an earthquake fault zone so we've had to move the house 55 metres to the north. It doesn't spoil the view and probably allows a better landscaping and garden area but it has been a bit of a problem.

The position of the garage is apparently compromised but, no doubt, we'll overcome that. The electricity is on site but there's a worrying bit of subsidence near the water tanks. The workers 'caravan' is there as also are some large funghi!

The day was beautiful, calm and sunny, and I saw two kingfishers so that's a record. And a cow was paddling in the lake :)

Fort Stoney Batter

Yes, strange title I know. It's a Fort from WWII on Waikeke Island and we did the tourist thing the weekend before I went to Bangkok. There was a housefull of people, some of who were not comfortable with going way underground with torches as their only source of light but the intrepid ones amongst us soldiered on.

Its all rather strange as the gun emplacement was manned and supported by hundreds of soldiers and the gun lowered itself below ground level to maintain so-called secrecy but the off-duty soldiers were ferried across the bay to a nearby pub each weekend so everyone knew who they were and why they were there.

The picture of Chris (one of the house guests and wife of the ex-Pres of the NZ Architects' Assn. who I mentioned in an earlier blog)is there because I really like the juxtaposition of the red in the door, her lipstick and her poppy (it was Anzac weekend).

Bangkok

I know I've been lax but since returning from Thailand I really have been very busy (and also productive, so busy is OK).

I have zillions of photos, many more than would be appropriate to post here so I think I may send them to someone who understands Facebook and ask for them to be posted there; any offers?

The architecture of the Grand Palace would match anything from Greece or Egypt, not as old but equally grand. Actually Bangkok reminded me of Athens in many ways, just not quite as chaotic :(

Lovely people, of course; they always are in these places.

the photo of the guy with the motor scooter needs explanation - I was in a taxi with a driver who spoke no England whatsoever and who was hopelessly lost (what's with cities which don't insist on 'The Knowledge'?) . We 'scooting along' when a scooter pulled alongside. Then we hit a red light and both taxi and scooter hit the brakes. Unfortunately the van behind the scooter didn't and the scooter went one way and the rider went the other way. It was all settled very amicably with the van driver picking up the scooter - that's him holding it up, and the rider smiling benignly while holding his helmet to hand and, no doubt, thinking beautiful thoughts.

The river is the main artery of the city and its pretty well stocked with fish - the ones shown are fighting for a piece of bread I threw them.

MacDonald's has encroached into the ancient architecture but, at least, it hasn't replaced it. there's a wonderful MacDonald's in Rome near the Spanish Steps with gorgeous frescoes on the walls.