wassup with lesmond j

It's as easy as falling off a bike

2011-10-28T19:57:00.002+13:00

Chances are if you've ever fallen off a bike you will remember this painful memory long after the fact.

I carry a scar on my knee from when I was 8 years old and fell off onto the metal road.

Having ridden bikes all my life I count myself a fairly good cyclist. I hadn't fallen off for aaaaaaaaaaaaaages....

until I got a bike with clipless pedals (a misnomer - as you actually clip into these with cleats on the bottom of those flash shoes).

Once 'clipped' in you have to twist your heel outwards to unclip. I was determined not to fall off and it was going so well.

I'd just come back from a ride, glided into my driveway having unclipped my right foot already, and attempted to get off to the left...

oops...CRASH!

Having raced down Hatea drive I didn't want to unclip and stop at lights so I turned left onto Riverside drive and then cut right across the median strip with (luckily) soft tufts of grass and fell splat into the grasses (in front of lots of traffic).

Today I finished work and was waiting to turn right but the constant traffic had me change my mind...too bad it was dulled by the arduous days work and I failed to realise that my left foot was clipped in and I literally did the splits whilst falling and trying to regain my balance.

I'm sure it won't be the last time either :)

HAVE YOU EVER FALLEN OFF A BIKE?

Ninja Bread Men - ATTACK!

2011-10-22T11:18:00.006+13:00

While the cats away (at work) the mice will bake...Dad style!

Anyone can make Gingerbread men, but what about NINJA BREAD MEN!

They literally kick Gingerbread men's butts!

I've got a whole lot of un-iced Ninja's.

Off to the supermarket for red and white icing pens to fully suit them up.

Waaaaa Chaaaa!

It's good to be a guy :)

2011-07-03T19:20:00.004+12:00

Why is it good to be a guy?

You know stuff about tanks

The world is your urinal

You can write your name in the snow (related to above)

You don't have to shave below your neck

You can be showered and ready to go in 10 minutes

 You can open all your own jars

 Your bathroom lines are 80% shorter

and what really inspired me...

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness

So while my wonderful wife went to work I was left in charge of our three precious children:

Miss 7
Master 5
Young Master 1

Having done the dishes and built a roaring fire, I set about preparing our dinner:

Crumbed chicken sausages (slow fried)
Eggs (fried over easy)
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Homemade wedges with chicken salt and herbs

and for dessert...

Tamarillo and Apple crumble with Jelly tip ice cream

After dinner, we all got showered and into PJ's. I did the dishes yet again and settled Young Master 1 into his bed with a bottle of milk.

Story time with Master 5 while Miss 7 warmed herself by the fire.

Goodnight Miss 7...ahhh peace and quiet :)

I can hear all the ladies going yeah, that's good but, I do it everyday! And some of them after a full days work - crazyness.

But as a guy I'm looking forward to my Extra Credit :)

Cheers!

The Peter Newman Trilogy - book review

2011-07-01T14:46:00.001+12:00

Reviewed by Lesmond: 7 out of 10.

Recently I was blessed with a birthday gift from my tank loving mate Burton.

As I eagerly unwrapped the plain brown package, three very obviously military oriented books bristling with medals, soldiers and missiles stared at me daring me to read them.

The books:

Mission Compromised (2002)

The Jericho Sanction (2003)

The Assassins (2005)

The Author:

Oliver North and his good mate Joe Musser. Oliver North is himself an ex-marine with many decorations won in battle. The stories are fictional but are drawn from his 22 years experience in the USMC.

Not professing to be the sharpest tool in the shed, I didn't realise that these three books were a trilogy. In fact, the only thing which designates them as such is their ranking emblazoned on the books spines like stars upon a generals' shoulders. From one star on the first to three on the third, everything about these books oozes military subterfuge. Hence it was by shear coincidence that I picked up and started with the first in the series.

As I removed the dust jacket and hefted the weight of the large armour-plated hardback I was eager to enter a world of war and explosive mayhem. Instead I was greeted by 4 pages of Military abbreviations. Now it is at this point you as the reader have two choices:

Read all 4 pages and attempt to commit them to memory.

Ignore them completely attempting to guess their meanings within the context of the story.

Having chosen the second option I was disappointed that the abbreviations covered the pages like shrapnel and their relentless attack on every page caused my eventual capitulation.

The books are more drama than action and much like the movies of the same genres, personal taste will dictate your choice.

With a very likable protagonist in US Marine Peter Newman and an equally unlikable antagonist in the ex KGB agent Dimitri Komulakov it doesn't take a military genius to detect the US patriotism that permeates every page. This will not be greeted with a loud 'OOH-RAH!' from all readers.

Overtly Christian at times, the story leaves the reader with no doubt as to the beliefs held by the author. Very biblically sound, even going as far as acknowledging which Bible version is quoted, a somewhat in-depth explanation of the basic tenets of christianity within the story seemed to me a little overboard. Good on Ollie for getting the Word out there though.

Let me finish with a few comments that I wholeheartedly agree with:

'A highly readable tale of courage, faith and international intrigue all set within the milieu of today's Middle east politics'

'A lot of this reads like today's headlines...'

and as one comment suggests...

'You do in fact wonder how much of this story is true.'

mmm...cake!

2011-06-25T14:43:00.002+12:00

Our youngest son turned one and yesterday. My very clever wife decided to whip up a cake in his honour.

She chose to base the cake on the very popular book, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'

I think she did a fantastic job!

My question is...

Who was hungrier - the VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR or the VERY HUNGRY PEOPLE who ate the caterpillar?