A relationship, an affair and a death, that spawned a crush and new love…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Please sit back gently and steady thyself as Kiwidutch needs to make a confession…

After much (but probably still not enough) haggling in a shop in Singapore on a trip to Europe circa 1988… I fell in love and bought a film camera. It was a manual camera but film was expensive,  my wages were meager and shamefully I never put in the time and effort to make our relationship personal and thus never got to grips with anything other than the basic  “auto” setting.

I have to confess that I cheated on my loyal and steadfast Film camera with a younger, digital model somewhere circa  2002-2003. I don’t remember the exact dates any more but I do know that all earliest photos of Kiwi Daughter were still on film. I was however, deep into the digital relationship and besotted with a little beauty called Minolta by the time Little Mr. arrived in 2005.

Somewhere just short of Little Mr’s Second Birthday, I made a very large  and richly decorated ginger-bread house for a large family function. Table on full extension, Gingerbread centerpiece in place and ready for the mountain of food due to emerge from the kitchen, Glasses and plates lined up for Buffet “line” collection. I had pulled out all stops on the “finery” made everything beautiful, including the use of  my best  tablecloth! (big mistake).

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

At one end of the room I was taking photos of the  table decorations, when suddenly on the other side, Little Mr. toddled over to table and started yanking very hard at the tablecloth.

Who knew that an almost two year old could pull plates, glasses, cutlery and a massive gingerbread house with such alarming speed towards a table edge? Not just the loss of the items but more worrying,  but also that a lot of it was destined to land on top of him…

I screamed “Noooooooo….” put the camera on the nearest chair and ran to save child and worldly goods… The glassware had surely reached the point of no return and was teetering severely on the edge,  but gravity appeared to have taken a deep breath and a day off and everything hung almost suspended as I snatched boy away and spread out my arms along the table edge in both directions to act as a ledge, as as I did that things started to topple over and rest against my arms. It was in that stance that Himself found me as he ran frantically into the room in response to my screams…

He started frantically grabbing glasses that were laying across my arms before they hit the floor, whist Kiwi Daughter helped save cutlery and plates and the gingerbread house. Just as the last items were being rescued both Himself and I heard an excited chortle from Little Mr. and turned simultaneously  in time to see him raise my camera above his head, look at it in wonder and then drop it on the wooden floor. It grieved me greatly to witness Miss Minolta’s sudden death, but I’m relieved to say it was swift and she suffered not.

The Post mortum revealed that the lens and general functions were reasonably intact and could be fixed, with effort, but that her life giving battery compartment and circuitry in her bowels were damaged beyond repair and not even specialist Minolta surgeons could resurrect her.

Whilst I morned her passing, Himself dashed next day to the shops and presented me with a new and amusing companion called Nikon CoolPix S4, a dandy of a camera with a great capacity for zoom, and clear eye.  Miss Nikon was a beauty and I was soon in Love, but her one limitation was that I never knew how long it would take her to eat the two AA batteries that she required with alarming regularity.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Sometimes a meal of two AA’s would last for well over 400 photos, and at other times I would have taken just 50 shots before she flashed angry red messages at me and demands of ” Battery!!!”.

I bought ridiculously expensive batteries to keep her happy… sometime she was amused and granted many photos, more often than not, she did not. I bought cheap batteries as well, but her greed continued and as her consumption mounted,  my Green conscience poked me harder and harder, I was forced to take steps to revise our relationship.

I tried to break the news to her gently: Due to her needy attitude to AA batteries she was to become the Mistress in the corner, to be visited once in a while, but no longer as the primary love of my digital life.

She appears to have taken it well and seems to like to occasional outing she gets.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Her replacement was a Fijifilm Finepix: a slim youthful point and shoot… she too had a clear eye, enjoyed travel and could slip into the smallest pocket with ease. She has nestled in my handbag or in my jacket pocket on many a walk, and travelled around the world, up hill and down dale, through forests, dust bowls, sea sprays, rain-forests, wilds, towns ancient and modern and I have loved her almost to pieces. I have however  discovered that she has one dirty little secret: her zoom is not the brilliance that it first appeared to have been in the shop when she was showing off her talents.

Miss Fuji has served me well… but there are signs of ill health as she gets elderly.. her zoom button is now stiff and takes several tries before it will respond, and several times of late her lens cover has only opened with difficulty. The writing has been on the wall for some time. She is due for a short visit back to the place of her birth, or at least with a specialist Fuji doctor within Europe who I hope will be able to give her an overhaul, fix her infirmities and restore her to good health once more.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Two weeks ago, Kiwi daughter bought her first camera and whilst with her in the shop I acted on a crush that has been with me for almost three years now: and bought a digital single reflex camera (DSLR). Her name is Canon EOS 500D (a.k.a. in North America as the Canon EOS Rebel T2i).

She is enigmatic and has what appears to be a complicated character… I can already see that I will have to get to know her slowly, to get used to her habits and be patient whilst together we  find the best way to make happy images together. Instantly her perception of colour is apparent, and if I could only tame both her and myself to  be a little more consistent, her focus is sharp and I can see amazing potential in this relationship.

This my friends, is no one-night stand, no casual fling, but a relationship to be fostered and nurtured… Miss Canon and I might only be acquaintances for now, but I see ahead a journey of soul-mates , who together in time will learn to make poetry in colour, composition and will leave memories of our lives together from this point onwards …

First, however, very small steps towards intimacy, we have only just met, after all…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

It’s bold! it’s bright! it’s Electric!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

We are  leaving Katwijk and have a small drive along  the beach.

Most of the spots we stopped at involved more walking to get to the sand than my Mother in Law wanted, so we don’t end up stopping anywhere.

Still, this little number caught our attention and we stopped so that I could add some photos to my collection of decorated Electricity Substations.

To see the rest of the collection please see here:

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/new-85/
and

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/?s=substation
and

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/new-post-25/

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/electricity-substations-works-of-art/
and here…

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/new-54/

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The Last Flower…has bloomed and fades away into the distance…

Ok, I promise, I promise, this is my LAST post from the Floral parade… I wanted to include this as extra because after some initial problems uploading to YouTube I finally got it to work.

Here is your final installment of Katwijk Floral Fancy…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

There’s even a floral train to … ( Paris in this case)…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Ten drummers drumming?.. duh I missed the music hat they started playing immediatly afterwards due to heavy oncoming bike traffic… (explained further below)

The one and only thing that was not good? The police cordoned off large vehicle traffic from the parade street, but still let though scooters, small motorbikes and bikes… who were constantly streaming between the watching public and the parade participants. Some ladies were giving out sweets (candy) to kids on the sides of the street and Kiwi Daughter almost got mown down from the rear  as she took a step out to make certain she got a sweet.. worse, the middle aged pompous lady on the bike was clearly annoyed that daughter was in her way! and certainly didn’t apologise for  the near collision. Boy, was I one angry Mama! Poor Daughter was almost in tears from the fright. The lady cycled off in a huff before I could bend her ear and ask if she was proud of her selfish action towards a child.

I silently wished her a flat bicycle tyre for her rudeness…

We all cheered up quickly though when this passed us by:

Bloomin’ Katwijk! What a Show!

Since readers are enjoying yesterdays photography of the Katwijk aan Zee Flower parade, I’ve decided to entertain you with a few more photos of the event.

So, without further ado, let’s return to the parade and try and guess what might come around the corner next…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

She’s not real, but for a second or two we were not certain…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Even the Army are getting camouflaged in  Westland style…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

I think there is a car under there somewhere…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

the Bob The Builder theme tune belted out from loudspeakers from this one and instantly won greatest adulation in Little Mr.’s eyes… I mean, between this float and all the police cars, police vans, police motorbikes and police cycles… My little boy was suitably delirious and in total awe…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Spray out of the back of the boat !… I got it, but  in spite of an explanation Kiwi Daughter missed the boat on this imagery…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

A Dutch summer is still a Dutch summer… so in case it rains… naturally !

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Something is afoot (or a-float) in Katwijk aan Zee…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

There is something very strange going on in Katwijk aan Zee.

Streets are being cordoned off, there are police everywhere, we see a film crew for a local TV station and we pass by more and more people who are sitting on the footpath.

Not sitting as in: we were walking, got tired and needed a wee rest… but properly sitting down, on plastic folding chairs, wooden kitchen chairs, plastic stools, picnic blankets.

Many of them have their cameras, some of them even have small folding tables, with cold drinks.

The evidence is mounting up fast my dear Watson, I smell a mystery that needs solving.

Equipped as I am with amazing powers of deduction I looked up and down the road in question and the answer to the mystery was clear to me in a matter of moments.

(sigh) that actually means is: I rolled down the car window, and asked an elderly gent if he had any idea what was going on…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Apparently in five to ten minutes, there will be a parade though Katwijk in celebration of the local flower growing businesses and the horticultural services that support them.

It’s simply not possible to overestimate the importance and scale of the cut flower business in this part of the world.

Flowers here are grown in glasshouses that are measured in size not by the meter by the kilometer… and that’s not just kilometers long, that’s kilometers square.

The glasshouses themselves are already massive, and this area of the Netherlands they are built one next to the other in massive “blocks”.

Inside are billions of flowers that will be loaded onto temperature controlled trucks within a hour of being  picked and will arrive quickly and efficiently at the Flower Markets for auction and swift dispatch around the world.

Two main areas in the Netherlands  (the Westkland and Aalsmeer)  together are the center of the world flower trade.

We have arrived just in time to see them make a public display of all things floral…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Bring your own band…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Bring your own bread… to a flower parade? oh heck, why not?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

they first wanted to throw on the kitchen sink, but I suppose that this was more “convenient”…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Heck, throw in the back garden while you are at it, no?…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

This police van is going to get some funny looks if it’s needed on an unexpected call out…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

There’s music, sunshine and everyone is having a great time… THEN.. just around the corner….

Restaurant Review: Sunset Beach, A Katwijk Strandtent.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

We’ve completed our tour of the lighthouse tower in Katwijk and now we head towards the beach.

Not to play in the sand, but to eat, because during the summer months temporary buildings are placed on the sand at various points of the coastline, and pretty much all of these buildings are restaurants.

They house  full kitchens inside,  have full plumbing and electricity  connected to city supply via pipes that are usually covered in winter by sand and they appear like seasonal mushrooms in Spring time and disappear without trace in the Autumn.

The buildings themselves are kit-set in form, taken apart piece by massive piece and packed  into storage unit’s for the Winter.

These “buildings” are called “Strandtents” and  are exceptionally popular in the summer, not only with the Dutch citizenry but also with tourists of all nationalities that visit the beaches in Summer. Judging from the number of hotels offering “zimmer’s” for rental, many of these tourists must be German.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

We find ourselves at a Standtent called ” Sunset Beach” and make ourselves comfortable with the menu.

Oma (Grandmother) announces that it’s her treat as we will be going on holiday shortly and we have been at home the whole Summer so far helping her out with daily tasks as the rest of the extended family have been away on holiday.

Kiwi Daughter is expanding her culinary horizons and tomatoes have been a bone of contention in the past.

She struggles to like them or even try them so I’m very proud of her when she decides to order Tomato Soup.

My Mother in Law is vegetarian so orders a Vegetarian Wrap,  filled with goat cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pinenuts and served with honey and fries.

Himself goes for Bitterballen ( a Dutch  fried specialty that needs it’s own blog post to explain) and fries,

Little Mr. goes for a ham and cheese toasted sandwich and me, I’m for trying the spareribs and salad.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

There’s a small story about my salad.. everything went wrong, first the photo didn’t turn out:

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Then later, with sticky fingers from the Spare Ribs, I announced to Himself that I wanted to go and wash my hands before eating my salad… whilst I was in the Ladies, Little Mr turned up needing assistance to use the amenities, so I was away longer than I anticipated.

When we returned to the table , no salad..my plate had vanished!  In fact all the plates had vanished… apparently the servers had turned up in the meantime and asked if they could clear the plates, Himself had brainfade and forgot that I hadn’t actually finished my meal and said that Yes they could… Too late of course, but it was has fault and not theirs so  Oma still had to pay for it and he owed me an apology for only getting  half a meal.

Yes I grumbled a bit for a moment because I love salad and was looking forward to it. but sigh, it’s only salad in the end so I got over it. C’est la vie.

The Restaurant has a movie theme so that probably explains the lifesize models of the Blues Brothers in the corner…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Let’s take  look around…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Our verdict is: better than average for a Strandtent, Often they are guilty of serving less than great food, probably on the premise that most visitors are one time tourists who won’t be back.

The Ribs were even better than average, Mother in Law enjoyed her Wrap, Kids ate theirs no hassle and Himself was pleased with his meal too. We rate it 7/10 and would go back.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Climb on up, the view is great.. AND a loud surprise ending to the tour!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

It’s worth the small climb to get to the top of  the lighthouse in the Dutch sea side town of Katwijk aan Zee.

If you need to see how we got ourselves up here then this post will fill in the necessary gaps:

http://kiwidutch.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/new-97/

There is a viewing platform that goes all the way around and so we have views across the town, along the dunes and out to sea.

The Dutch word for “lighthouse” is Vuurtoren” = literally  translates as ” Fire Tower”, but the original name here is not Vuurtoren in Dutch, but rather “Vuurbaak”  which is better translated as ” Beacon”.. which is presumably what it’s early origins were.

There’s a plaque on the side of the tower written in Dutch, which translated says:

Vuurbaak 1605,  One of the oldest Lighthouses in The Netherlands (the oldest: Brandaris , Terschelling)

(Terschelling, dear reader, being one the the little islands in the far north of the Netherlands).

For three centuries  a so-called “fisherman’s fire”  on the roof  marked the landing point for  fishing boats.

Heavy storms required the building of a stone tower further inland instead of the (former) wooden one. Due to erosion of the beach and dunes it was once again close to the high water line.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Previously a lookout post for the Royal Navy (1914-1918), a machine gun position for anti aircraft artillery (1940), Landmark for the  English Royal Air force  (1940-1945).  Recently restored 1989.

Naturally everyone climbs up for the view from the top… so without further ado, let’s look at the panorama…

There is a surprise event on in Katwijk today ( that family Kiwidutch were unaware of until we got here and saw a local TV station’s cameras)

Kiwi Daughter and I were just exiting the lighthouse when we heard sirens and the roar of motorcycles…

Stupidly it took me more than a minute to think of setting the camera on video and filming, so you miss the first 60-80 motorbikes that roared past in thunderous convoy…

I only got my wits about me in time to catch the very end.

Sadly, Himself had rushed Little Mr to a toilet as the Little Man was in desperate need as only a  five years old can do with great dramatic urgency,  and thus they both missed the entire spectacle.

Here though, are the views they didn’t miss:

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Kiwi Daughter takes her first photos …

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

And then back to the bottom of the tower again…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

These bellows are so big they take about 1/3rd the inside of the tower, the stairs wind around them…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Old beams define the structure:

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

A small anchour inside…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

… and a massive one outside…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Who says that fun needs to cost much?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Little Mr was not amused that his big sister got to watch the motorcycle drama and that he missed it. (Little did we know that soon there is more to unfold…)

A “Vuurbaak” literally a “beacon” of a Lighthouse

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Just a short distance up the coast  from The Hague is the small town of Katwijk.

To spit the name out in Dutch you need to pronounce it as ” cut-why-k”.

Katwijk is a town that comes in two halves: part one is the bit of the town on the sea front,  that’s called  “Katwijk aan Zee” (Katwijk on the Sea) … then literally a few streets away you have part two of the town “Katwijk aan de Rijn” (Katwijk on the Rijn{formerly the river}).

It’s logical that in centuries past that these two were near neighbours and quite separate villages, but progress of time and population has melded the two together so that these days moving from one to the other only involves crossing a particular street somewhere between the two.

Himself thinks that there was once upon a time a social demarcation between the fisher-folk who worked the sea and the farmers, or landlubbers who worked the land and that they divided this small town accordingly.

Well, that’s his theory at least.

It’s known that Katwijk was known as far back as Roman times  and it has a long and varied history that courses through the centuries.

Wikipedia tells us:

Over the course of time the mouth of the Oude Rijn silted up. However, a lock was constructed at the mouth of the river in 1807 by engineer F. W. Conrad (d. 1808). After this the Old Rhine (here called the Uitwateringskanaal) did not flow naturally into the sea, but was held back by a lock.

When necessary, the lock can be opened to allow the river to flow out to sea. The shore and the entrance to the canal were also strengthened by dikes.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

During World War II, most of the buildings of Katwijk aan Zee were demolished by the Germans to make way for the Atlantic Wall. In the dunes south of Katwijk, many bunkers from World War II can still be found.

Bunkers from the Second World War are not only a feature of Katwijk but also of a good bit of the Dutch North Sea coast, so for any WWII historian there are a wealth of places to explore locally.

I’m interested most in the beautiful little lighthouse that stands close to the beach… built in 1605 it has endured countless storms both of nature and politics.

It survived the mass demolition of buildings up and down the coast by the Germans in WWII as part of the Atlantic Wall programme, and was a valuable landmark used by British  air force at that time too.

The place is run by friendly volunteers, the steps start out winding but with the final push to the top you will need to negotiate a “staircase” that is actually a ladder in thinly veiled disguise.

The journey to the top wasn’t for my 88 year old Mother in Law, who preferred a little rest in the car close by, and Himself, who could negotiate the stairs with ease just had to bend  severely to get though the low doorways.

So, warnings for the elderly and overly tall in place… let’s  take a look around.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

A living based around the sea was a tough life often full of tragedy… looking at photos of modern boats in heavy seas you can but wonder at the amazing courage  that it took to go fishing in tiny wooden sailing boats of old…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Some of the photos in the display on the  walls on the way up… if more History lessons where like this in school wouldn’t  it be great?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The “light” that shone out as a beacon  was housed in this tiny window…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Now to negotiate those stairs… looking upwards, sizing up the assent…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

… then looking back below, wondering how on earth I will get down later…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Finally the doorway that leads out to the balcony above…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

But I’m out of breath… a little rest and we will see the view soonest…

A little Rant,(ok a Big One) and a Competition to Promote your Blog…

Having trouble getting traffic for your Blog?  Do you wish you could reach more readers? I constantly see Bloggers asking how to increase traffic to their blog. Fair enough, no problem there , I write because I love to write and not purely for traffic but each to their own.

There  are various Forums for “WordPress” Bloggers … just as there probably are for other blogging formats but I’m sure that often the problem I see, is often the same no matter which provider you are blogging with.

Take the WordPress “Showcase” Forum for instance. It’s the Forum where WordPress bloggers can plug their blogs to other bloggers.

My problem is that there is a continuous multitude of messages that I have seen in the last year that all say ” See my Blog“, ” Go look at my Blog” “my blog is great ” “New Blog” ” pick me, pick me” and other words in this vein but when you open their post,  that’s all it says!

Often too, the header of these  posts ask in one way or another how they can generate more traffic to their blog… but what does the potential reader know about their blog from their post?  Zip,  Nada, Nothing, Nix.

Agggggggh!!! I just wasted precious seconds of my life for zero information and you seriously expect me click on for more???? (you can’t be serious!.. or sorry for you are totally unrealistic or very stupid) <- Grrrr, this is one of my pet hates, can you tell mayhap?

Do people assume that  I, (and others) as  potential readers and subscribers to your blog have unlimited time to click on links that contain Zero information about what their blog is about?

Get Real people, I do at least understand that folks have busy lives,  that more demands from more sources of media are being made on our time today than any time previously in history.  I also understand that there are more Blogs out there than can be read in a human lifetime and that the number of  new Blogs being added is growing by the day.

I’m also a realist, not all blogs will appeal to everyone, it would actually be pretty boring if they all did. The idea is to be able to sift though the bits that don’t interest you to find the stuff that does.

After about a nano-second looking at blogs  it’s clear to pick out the people who are passionate about their subject, who write well,  who write  from the heart or for the pleasure of writing  or all of these. It  also  becomes painfully clear who isn’t and doesn’t.

I want to promote good Blogs… but I don’t want  just a “pick me, pick me”  empty advert.

So .. to Enter the Competition Please leave me a Comment on this post:

How do you enter? .. read on…

Describe  YOUR blog.., Like any good advert make it catchy, make it memorable,  be short and to the point, use humour, use wit, but most of all be honest, …sum up the essence of your blog, do it accurately so that no one who clicks on your link afterwards can say ” Hey what’s in the tin isn’t what was advertised on the package” and leave disappointed.

Here’s your chance to sell your blog… if you do it well, you will attract people who are passionate about the stuff you are passionate about, who share your views.. (or don’t), who enjoy debate, who like your sense of humour, your sense of style, the way you write or just plain who you are.   They might even stay and keep reading future posts.

It doesn’t matter if your genre is not mine,  the aim of the game is to impress readers with an advert of you that is impressive. Your honesty and passion is what counts in this.  Wishy-washy and vague won’t make you stand out, we want to see your passion for what YOU blog about. Surely you are blogging because you love words so let’s see your best !

If you are a Local Heart, Global Soul reader who doesn’t have their own blog, you *might* wish to make a comment on one of the blogs in the comments that catches your eye. I’d encourage you to please do so… everyone (should) love constructive feedback. If you do, I have one tiny request to make please: Please tell us when you make your comment, that your comment stems from the post you are reading right now. That would be muchly appreciated.

The Winner is the person you impresses me most with a comment that so perfectly sums up their blog, and so well written (in my view, since it’s my competition and I’m the top brat in the playground brandishing the water pistol, throwing the sand and squealing  out the rules today– Oops no, were  they were my kids? ok, Phew no… ack , back to topic…)  I want to look at your blog and your summary of yourself and say ” 100%  it-takes-the-cake,  right-on-the-button, ya-hit-the-jackpot  and I can’t think of a single way to say it better”

I’m busy racking my brains for a prize to give… the easiest is that  The Winner gets a free Blog Promotion here with the result of the competition from Moi, Kiwidutch. Sound like a deal?

You all have until the end of August 2010 to get your thinking caps on and to sell your stuff to the Kiwidutch readers and I will announce a winner on 1st September after I have read them all.

If you are advertising your blog in my comments, please just do it ONCE… think about what you want to write and give me the ” final version” . Readers have limited time after all… and you are trying to entice them to read more blog and  not spam them.. right?… I repeat.. RIGHT?????!!!! ( to be fair on everyone, I will delete every entry except your first, so make it count!)

Bloggers write for fun, because they love communicating via the written word, Let’s show people how well we can do it… and if you DO do it well then maybe someone will fall in love with your blog too!

So, let’s be hearin’ from you!

Sometime as a Parent you actually get to SEE the “Eureka” Moment…

About a year ago Kiwi Daughter was throwing a ball inside the living room, my laptop and camera and our engraved wedding wine glasses were on the table. I asked her to stop or things could get broken. Her flippant reply “ but I want to throw the ball, if something breaks  then just go buy new ones!”

Needless to say we had a  BIG chat about  money not being endless,  willful waste and about the environmental cost of making the things that we are privileged to own.

Last week, Kiwi Daughter bought her first camera. She’s nine, and it’s been saved from Christmas and Birthday money for two years plus money earned from doing extra chores around the house. She could have actually had it last year, but her general level of laziness back then made it clear that she wasn’t quite ready for the responsibility and I wanted her to expend a decent level of effort to prove to me that she was ready for her first serious purchase.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Walking to the shop, we had a heart to heart chat.  I started it like this: If Mama dropped her laptop would it be OK  if I took daughters money from her money-box to help fund the replacement?  Daughter looked horrified “ noooo, the laptop is yours and you can’t take my money to replace it!”

Ok then, if Little Mr. Broke my laptop could I take your money to replace it?  Daughter: “Noooo!  if he breaks it then he pays from his money-box!”

Me: What if he doesn’t have the money to cover it?  Daughter: “bad luck for you?!”

Ok, If I lend the laptop to Oma (Grandma) and she doesn’t know how to use it or carry it properly and she breaks it, is it ok if I take the money from your money-box to replace it? Daughter replies ” that would be silly, of course not it’s not MY problem who you give your laptop to, if they break it it’s not my fault“.

I carry on, “If we go on a train and I accidentally leave it on the train and no-0ne hands it in”… etc.. Daughter’s answer is of course rather predictable.

Me:  So let’s get this straight:  If I am not careful, if I let other people use it and they break it, if I leave it behind somewhere then I can’t ask you for your savings money to replace it?  I receive an emphatic “No!” for an answer.

Me: “Ok, now the boot is on the other foot… You are getting a new camera, if you loose it, if you give to Little Mr. to use and he accidentally drops it, if you give it to a friend and they break it, if you leave it somewhere where a friend of Little Mr. can get at it etc. Should Mama and Papa then be expected to pay for a new one?”

There’s a stunned silence as the penny drops…  she stopped walking,  looked me straight in the eye and said “ wow, I better be very careful before I say “yes” to someone else asking to use it shouldn’t I“?  Then a big sigh as she thought that through a little more, …” actually that means none of my friends or Little Mr. and I will have to be responsible won’t I?”

Me: ” Yes you will….Are you sure you are ready for this responsibility? We can wait if you want?”

She considers for a moment more:  “Nope, I’ll be ok.”

There are a few beautiful moments in your children’s lives where you can visibly see them climbing  up another rung of the “growing up” ladder. This was definitely one of these moments.

So we have a new Camera contract, If Daughter breaks her camera, looses it, lends etc etc and it gets lost or broken, then she will have learned a very hard life lesson, and she will have to wait and save and work for a new one herself.

She completely agrees that this is fair and I’m very proud of her.

Of course for circumstances out of her control there is the Insurance, but  time will tell how good the lesson in  ” being responsible ” has been learned.

It’s a point-and-shoot from the cheaper end of the market, by the time she outgrows it photographically she will be more than ready for the bigger responsibility of an upgrade, …earned herself of course.