NZ AT THE BRINK OF ECONOMIC ABYSS?

We would have to agree with Kerry McDonald - there is a scant understanding of the parlous state of the NZ economy and that lack of economic literacy means that few will understand that it will take very little for us to end up as a basket case like the PIIGs, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Greece.

So, for once we have to say that our support for this government is qualified. We still want more facts on what Plan B is - if it all turns to custard. We are not interested in Pollyanna projections.

We are not interested in what the PM thinks of the Wellywood sign or Tau Henare's tweets.

We are interested in is how he is going to stop the rampant feasting on our fiscal future as Kerry so eloquently puts it,

"New Zealands citizens are eating its breeding stock and next seasons seed -
its dangerously in debt and still borrowing heavily"

So this is one time when we need a government that doesn't indulge in frippery, and keeps the country well informed of the state of the nation and its stewardship and makes sure that we live within our means, despite the pain that will bring. But we are convinced - if you tell the nation why serious restraint is needed and they understand and believe growth can come from an export led recovery , that business is good,that profit is needed to fund the taxes to provide the sort of services we expect, like good roads and infrastructure -then we will get through what is a pretty tough time.

PIE EYED

Between meetings today we drove between Christchurch and Dunedin. We forgot how long it takes. So the drive was made easy by the anticipation of one of the great culinary delights of the south. A MacGregors Mutton Pie at Palmerston..

They make your arteries quiver.

They are made with cold water pastry which is made with lard. In the middle was a pattie of mutton ( not lamb mince but smelly old mutton)
and it was softened with breadcrumb so it held together nicely all soft and squishy and it was laced with salt and white pepper.

And the little pattie floated in a silky pool of warm fat.

There was a hole on the top and you poured off the excess fat. Then we used to eat the crunchy pastry off and then the rest of the pastry and finally we would consume the pattie.

It was saturated fat overload and a dream to eat. So from about Ashburton we started to think of the mutton pie from MacGregors Bakery in Palmerston.

At about Timaru we needed to pee. but we held on to shorten the time it would take to get to Palmerston as we knew that the bakery was about to close.

We finally got there, dashed for the loo. Then off to the bakery. There were two mutton pies left. The owner assured me they were fresh.

We sat outside in the rental. We grabbed three serviettes in anticipation of having to pour out the fat. Nothing came. Not a drop - it was dry.

We nibbled at the pastry and noticed it wasn't the gluey white colour but sort of yellowish.
It was just okay but not made of lard.

So we lifted the lid on our childhood memory and were faced with a pattie that looked just like a MacDonalds sausage pattie.

We scrunched it into the packet and chucked it on the floor in abject disappointment.

We didn't cry , no really we didn't - but we sighed a lot all the way to Karitane. And then things got all blurry and we turned on the wipers to clear the windscreen. It didn't work. But we werent crying... truly....We wouln't cry over a crap pie....

THE NAME GAME

We have purchased these two wee dorper lambs and their mum. They are both ewes (girls). They are a cross between Dorsets and Persian sheep ( hence DorPer. They are worm resistant , mature fast, fercund, and fatten quick. So heres the challenge - what to call them?
They rule the paddock of lambs, are very bossy, and bleat a lot.

And of course if anyone has any handy hints we would be pleased to get more info.

So fire away - and the more UnPC the better. And we would like a political spin on the names , so to speak.

UPDATE - WE ARE NOT GOING TO EAT THESE GIRLS. Hell they cost as much each as a champers lunch at Euro with Cactus! They are breeders