Mike Riversdale

With the camera insurance claim form somewhere in an Auckland inbox we have resorted to using Dad's camera which, to be honest, is a bit naff BUT ... it's something. And so - I uploaded pictures on Flickr last night

Bizarrely it looks like I (we) can claim for a load of benefits/tax credits and the like here in the UK. And so I am ... whilst looking for the job in the surrounds, of course. Whilst plowing through the online Child Benefit form I stumbled onto the following question - how could one answer it correctly? Are you bringing up children on your own OR are you or your partner getting Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance? ANSWER: Yes / No I chose "Yes" working under the assumption I was answering, "Yes, I want the benefit please"

Loving being immersed in the British comedy scene (or whatever I should call it - field, arena, industry?). There's been a spate of "best of British" on the goggle box over the past few days and I've loved it. Managed to see classic comedy ( Python , Cook & Moore, Absolutely) with 'new' stuff (Little Britain, ... and others I forget). The British TV has most certainly changed since I was here properly (1996) and even since I was here temporarily (2000) with it moving from the old BBC 1, BBC2, ITV and Channel Four to over 300 channels coming down the dish to my Ma and Pa. Granted they don't get access to them all (n Freesat) but we still have around 15-20 to choose from ... that's good enough. And Jack has discovered Ceebeebies ... and is loving it ... too much. My next foray, long with the newspaper experiment, is to start listening to the radio (haven't had it on once yet) and see what's been moving and shaking in that arena/field/industr

My folks are Daily Mail readers ... although to be fair my Dad has been asking Mum to change for quite some time now (we're taking years). The Daily Mail is crap. And so, I'm gonna get a different paper each day for the next week and compare them before plumping for the newspaper of choice. Or not, because if they're all crap I'll stick to getting my news via the Web, TV and radio. Oh . One thing. When did the broadsheets become tabloid size? It just doesn't feel right ;-) But is so much easier to actually read. So far I've taken the Independent and The Times . I thoroughly enjoyed the Independent as I thought I would it being the newspaper I read when I was here previously (1996 and before). The Time (on Saturday) was also pretty good and it took a while to read it all amongst the parties and kids. Guardian /Gaudrian on Monday and then work my way (for a laff) through the scandal papers before settling on the choice of the Riversdales. Once that's done

As previously mentioned I had found a place to watch the All Black v South Africa test being played in my home town of Wellington (NZ) and was all set to pop on down Sunday morning for a very civilised 8:30am start. Calling family in Christchurch for a natter Saturday morning Graeme signed off with, "Oh, Liz, tell Mike the game's just started" ... huh? ... how ... but ... OH! BUM! 12 hours behind not in front!! Ach, sounds like everyone had a grand old time especially Mr D Carter and I know the mates that went would've had a corking time. Life in Monmouth (Wales) is picking up slightly which coincided with the break in the 35+ heat. I've had a few bites job -wise (London based but that might turn out to be fine). We've been out and about to a few places and Meg is getting over her viral infection (although we now think she's getting another tooth so that's making her a wee bit grisly). Since we've really taken in all that Monmouth can offer (

But I don't know how it ends

Tom, he who is (I believe) with the best views of what Welington can and should be able to offer has been: asked to give a brief talk to the board and management of Wellington Waterfront Ltd (WWL) about my "three top priority ideas for the waterfront". It will be no suprise to most of you that I won't struggle for things to say, but while I've been asked to speak as an individual rather than as a representative for any group, I'd like to get your input into this. And so, pop over to his WellUrban: Future waterfront blog and let him know.

Liz just had this sent to her from a mate in Cairns (Australia): Wet a sarong and hang it over the windows/doors to keep the place cool Don't tell me that I'm no use in this country with this heat, I have contacts that know stuff :-)

... not really but I can't keep blogging about the darned weather can I - in fact, it's meant to be the hottest day in the UK since records began. I'm writing this mid-morning and it's really kicking off. The new mobile is getting filled up with contacts - if you wanna txt me then I can add you in as well. Whilst it's not quite as flash as the last one it's doing the job and I'm more impressed with O2 then I was with Vodafone. Job situation - nothing really. Liz and I had an epiphany yesterday that all the contact and connections I am making are London based and not a lot of use to us as we're really over here for the family and not the £££s - maybe later on we would move more SE but for now we need to concentrate on SE Wales and the SW of England. I am/have called the following so far: Anderson-Walker : Monmouth based which is very cool Intapeople Petrie Recruitment BMCS Ltd Employment Enjoyment Comments on these and recommendations for others are grate

Or wherever that new mobile phone has ended up. We think it fell out of my pocket yesterday afternoon on the local park but we've really no idea. I'm happy to say it had all PIN/phone/turn-on locks activated so whoever's got it will just chuck it away. Arse. And I'd just put in alllllll the numbers as well. Pain! So, today, we bought another mobile (on the O2 network this time ... so that's what o2 is, always wondered what the British Lions were poncing about with it plastered on their chests for). Cost £70 for the Samsung fella and £10 to make it actually go. Not sure what the number is yet as I can't seem to work that bit out ... oh, it was on the box which the nice man at their customer service centre (20p/min) pointed out to me. The rest of the news. No job bites yet :-( Hot as buggery-oven which is making us all a tad grumpy and a lot sweaty and icky. Meg has touchch of a viral infection on her throat which gets her down at night but is surviving. On the po

And I can't find the new mobile. Meg might be ill. Life is annoying at the moment - and sweaty. Ugh!

We have arrived. In fact we arrived last Friday (or August 15th, 2008 in NZ time) after a looooooong flight from Singapore which was after a loooong flight from Christchurch. I am now sitting in shorts in my parents bedroom using my fathers PC (bless it) as I catch up on the rugby (hee hee), the emails (eek) and the blogging. I'd love to send you all a photo but we lost our new camera on the flight from Singapore so no holiday snaps for us until we get a new one via insurance - took me a good day to get over that! It's quite surreal being here in, as I said, shorts and struggling to get to sleep at nights because it's so darned warm when a mere week ago it was coats and snow weather. Singapore's humidity and general tropical-ness did help. It also definitely helped with the body/time/fuck-around malarkey as well as it's only taken me 4 days to adjust; Jack and Meg were even quicker and probably haven't really had any problems in that sense, more "this i

I had every intention of blogging the countdown but ... life got too hectic. Will be back online next weekend from Monmouth, Wales, UK ... have a cracker

It's been busy and I've been knackered. We've managed to move a whole stack of stuff around, found all the bags, put all the knick knacks away, bagged up and stored the clothes we're not taking, piled up the documents and passports and sorted out the camera/DVD burning (yaaaay!). We've also been shopping, to the cinema ( Over the Hedge , thoroughly recommend it), to a Peter Rabbit puppet show and one last Willowbank visit. I managed a last visit to The Twisted Hop to discover I'm well on my way to the 100 Club and have $30 credit behind the bar - who wants it ? There's been croup, nightmares and a touch of the flu with a visit to the doctors. We've watched soccer semi-finals, most of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Kate in a local school quiz competition (her team one, finals Sat). Of course, we've played loads and loads with Meg and Jack as have Carol , Zoe and Jacqui . Last night I was in bed by 10pm, the earliest by a couple of ho

I think I've got the basics down but would love to have it checked - am I doing this the best way (without spending money): Plug digital camera ( Canon MVX35i ) into FireWire/IEEE 1394 port Use Microsoft Movie Maker 2.1 to get the video off the tape and onto the PC (in DV format) Use Sonic MyDVD (came with the PC) to author the DVD Whilst this seems easy I just wanna make sure I'm not using some dumb-ass method, losing quality or gonna find out I'm stuffed in the future because of some DVD author setting I wasn't aware of.

A friend of mine's daughter (age 7 ... the daughter, not the friend) has her own blog where she's putting up stories she's written. Sasha is a wee bit down that no-one has commented on her stories yet ... care to spread the word about BuddStories ? Maybe you could leave a comment ...

It was bloody cold in Deans Bush and Liz was rushing to get out :-) Seven days to go ... Liz and I both mentioned that we're almost into, "Oooh, the last [insert day name]!". All jolly exciting. The leaving drinks on Friday was fun, got a card and some collected money even though I'd said I wasn't really into that. Bought myself the Arctic Monkeys CD and the 2-DVD release of the fourth Harry Potter ( Goblet of Fire ) before treating myself to a slap up Indian meal on the way home. Had a few drinks with people last night as well (MASSIVE hand to Pete for making the journey down from Wellington AND HUGE sadness to Karen who couldn't get down because of the bloody fog!). Was good to say tara to some Christchurch people and will most definitely be saying in touch with a few. And so ... Monday ... no work to go to. Weird. But I will get used to it. Jack and I are off to the movies tomorrow (Over The Hedge). Cool.