Wandy and Charlie, Chinese nationals (?), NSA find them on your own!

Our Vodaphone NZ contract for cells and internet was deficient in the router/modem department.  The internet kept dropping out and we had to reset the modem every few hours.  Having completed all of the maneuvers (which all failed) required by Vodaphone we were finally granted a new little square device made in China, like it's predecessor.  We plugged it in and were welcomed back as Wandy and Charlie, who were also registered on this device.

Well now, we called Vodaphone and were assured that this was a pristine router/modem and we were the first to lay hands on it since it left China.  Since it works we'll keep it, but Wandy and Charlie we hope you don't need it, and to our NSA eavesdroppers, we deny having any personal knowledge of Wandy and Charlie, possibly but not probably denizens of China, etc....

We had a wonderful, for us, storm last night with rain lashing the windows and pummeling the metal roof, while mighty gusts of wind lulled us to sleep.  But unfortunately about a thousand homes in the Auckland area went without electricity while our heater silently sent out waves of embracing warmth.  Will hope the Chinese Kitchen Gods do not notice our joy and take away the gift of hydro-power out of shear kitchen god spite!

Have your heard the story of the Kitchen Gods?  Well, they are known to cause fires in Chinese restaurant kitchens, so the Chinese cooks have learned to lull them into quiescence, as pertaining to causing fires, by putting lewd pictures of women on the walls to distract those gods.  These Kitchen Gods also like to take away things that we like if we speak of those good things, so forget that I wrote about the dependable electric power!

We walked this morning up coronary hill and completed the circuit dressed for the weather.

Home knit hat and scarf for 40 degree morning.

Of course our fellow Kiwi trampers were dressed in the typical shorts, t-shirt, and perhaps a knit cap for the hair impaired. Such hardy folk, but what can you expect from Scottish stock? Have you ever braved a summer's day in Scotland, it's not for the faint of heart!

Later after my husband went to work I baked banana coffee cake to warm the kitchen and share with the neighbors.

All Good, J


Wait! Wait! My mistake!  The Chinese Kitchen Gods are prudes not lechers and the wily Chinese cooks in the Chinese restaurants put up lewd pictures of women to keep the Kitchen Gods from coming in and starting fires.  So says my husband and 'old sous chef' from the 'Long Horn Dragon' days of yore.