You can never have enough...

[Jan]

Another grey day in the Bay - sun is struggling to pop through
We have had several staffi - when my husband died his staffi was bewildered - he couldn’t understand why he changed from an owner running and riding his bike with his dog tagging along to being stuck in his chair or in bed .I still took him to the dog park but his spark never returned .They are brilliant dogs - terrible chewers of car seats and shoes and lounge chairs but so loyal - they just want to be near you .My great big gruff huge brother has one who is spoiled rotten - it’s hilarious .Unfortunately many pounds and SPCA are reluctant to rehome them
Feel so sorry for Joe Biden - he has a lot of private debt as a result of his sons court cases and while most ex presidents and especially their wives have made millions from writing their memoirs I don’t think Biden will be so lucky .The President of the US isn’t paid well .Not sure about Carmel - she is starting off on the back foot
Mahi Drysdale has politics in his blood - his grandad toppled Winnie off his Tauranga perch back in the day - Mahi is very well educated - I am surprised how low voter turnout was after all the drama they have had with a commissioner
I read with interest the statement from the insurance council regarding prescription medicines and car insurance - I am driving very rarely but sometimes have to take pain killers when my buggared leg is misbehaving - my insurance is invalid if I have taken the pills .I don’t take sleeping pills but many older people do - just another way for the insurance companies not to pay out
Birds are hungry have sent SOS to supermarket to bring me fruit

[Oh_hunnihunni]

About time with the insurance and drugs thing. I have neighbours who regularly take things like tramadol then get in the drivers seat, and it makes me both sad and cross.

But then impaired driving is a sensitive topic for me!

[zqwerty]

Yes Oh_hunnihunni, I have been thinking about getting an older dog from a shelter but Stella was such a clever dog that I don't want to get any old one.  I have been walking a couple of dogs and they in no way compare to Stella, even Stella's stable mate that she took on as her baby and taught how to "Dog", Sadie who I know very well, is a lovely dog and I have known her for all the years she was with Stella in no way is much like Stella.

Stella greeted with a woo-woo sound and was so amenable and happy to meet people, she could say the word hello in a dog growl voice.  If Jack does turn up well I know I will be rescuing him from a shelter so will be quite happy to look after him but just to pick one out of the crowd at a shelter is not what I really want to do, since I have other dogs I can walk most days if I feel the need.

We used to tell people that Stella was a Staffordshire Terrier Cross but in fact she was a Pit Bull Cross with a Bearded Collie.

That's her in my Avatar.

   

[Oh_hunnihunni]

No wonder she was intelligent, with those genes...

[popeye333]

Havent seen anyone next door as yet.

Jack was a rescue when Maureen got him. I think it makes them more special. they know they are being rescued.

Fingers crossed none of the family want him Zqwerty. you sound like a perfect owner for him.

Cross all the fingers.

Had a lovely time and the waffles were a hit with most having two.. We decided tho that I need to get banana next time too. Peaches, banana, cream and passionfruit topping. lol.

And guess what Ill be having for my tea lol.

[Jan]

This was taken probably in the last week - but Ash wouldn’t stay on the bed with me - he slept in his bed
https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/...446009.jpg
One of the reasons I didn’t get another dog was because he was such a great dog - could leave the door or the gate open he never left the property - and he always came when he was called - staffis seem to be easily trained
Yes Hunni tramadol is no different to alcohol when you are behind the wheel - sleeping tablets no better and innocent people like my kid sister pay the price

[zqwerty]

Gosh Ash looks a bit like Stella, even has the same white blaze on his chest and stocky body.

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies It's still dark outside, usually there is an inkling of how the day will be but not today

Gorgeous dogs, both of them Staffys are great dogs. Friends had one and she always had her head on my knee when we called round. It was a sad day when she passed.

If the weather clears, I am hoping to mow the lawn. It was pretty squishy underfoot yesterday though and the lawn will need time to drain and dry out a bit.

Our medical center has advertised they will now be open until 6.45pm each working day. We already know our doctor works long hours as we have received text messages from her at 7.00am and again 7.00pm on the odd occasion. So much pressure on them especially this time of the year.

Happy crafting

[Roma]

Good morning. 

The sun is out ... long may it last. 

Yes,  it's dior times for doctors and the patients trying to access them.  While booking online for an appt the other day,  I see the appt times are in 10 minute slots now!

Groceries this morning and need to add something else to nearly 5yo GD present ... party on Sunday. July is a big birthday month for our family!

Hopefully it will stay dry enough to get outside today.  

Not much knitting done yesterday. 

Enjoy the day all.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Yes, once patient appointments stop then the paperwork and test results get dealt with. We need more doctors desperately to lighten the load and shorten wait times. I am well trained now, I know to book a month ahead, only on a Tuesday, and not develop any emergency needs, since swapping to a large corporate owned practice. That way I get to keep to one doctor instead of being slotted into whoever is on their rather large staffing roster. It seems only the nurses and reception staffers work normal weeks, the medicos are all on part time contracts.

Be interesting to see if their fees have gone up when the next 3 monthly comes around...

[Praktica]

The time to plan for more doctors would have been 10 to 15 years ago. Even if we increased med school intakes now, and found a way to keep doctors in the country (bursaries, discounted fees for a commitment to stay) it will take that long to increase the number in the workforce. I don't see the penny pinching fools we have in charge being able to increase doctor numbers.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Import them. The way other countries import ours...

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

The sun is out. but Im under a dark cloud.

Someone took over $100 out of my bank account last night.. Managed to get through to my bank to stop them getting anymore. But now I have to deal with the fall out. At least my rent is paid, but my insurance wont be. And my TM sales will have to wait until my new card arrives, to be able to top up my tm account.

Yep a deal too good to be true got me. Im very cross with myself for falling for it. AI involved too.

Im usually very suspicious but they got me.

Dont think Ill be doing much more than simply getting through the say

[Mica]

Morning all 
Over cast grey cold day expecting southerly winds later

Hard to import Dr's with the right qualifications when they can go elsewhere for better pay and conditions.

Glad you caught the scammers Popeye sorry you are out$$$s

Just had to answer washing machine distress cry washing sheets first time I have had uneven .load message.

Meds and cat food to pick up today forgot the cat food when I was at vets yesterday so extra trip.

Made some togs for DGD1 yesterday and just need to do hems on legs and add collar to the all in one rash suit so she will be set for our holiday next week. Totally not organised for the trip tomorrow is my day of sorting what to take etc. Got to make my lists

Enjoy your day

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Exactly right Mica. Perhaps the government can stop giving money to the tobacco industry and pay doctors more...

[Lilith7]

Exactly right Mica. Perhaps the government can stop giving money to the tobacco industry and pay doctors more...

Ah yes, but that would make sense, & that isn't invariably something which politicians bother about.

[kiwimade64]

MrK reminded me it was 7.45pm, not 6.45pm! Such long hours. I love the idea of not paying the tobacco industry and giving those $$$ to our doctors.

Ahhh buggar, popeye! At least it was $100, my sister-in-law lost $3000. And we were at the bank a while ago and someone had lost $10000. It does take a while to 'catch up' when budgets are tight. Fingers crossed your bank can help.

[harm_less]

Import them. The way other countries import ours...

We're definitely doing that with nurses. My sister in North Shore Hospital is surrounded by junior nurses who are recent immigrants lacking English language skills.

My knee surgery back in March was at Southern Cross. Day nurse was South African, afternoon/evening Indian and night Filipino. All great at what they were doing. Next day (prior to discharge) was my first Kiwi nurse but a very vocal anti-vaxxer   The homeobotanical remedy I had on my bedside table had her thinking we had AV in common - I do have my own AV theories but not to the extent of her tirade.

---

MrK reminded me it was 7.45pm, not 6.45pm!  Such long hours.  I love the idea of not paying the tobacco industry and giving those $$$ to our doctors.

Ahhh buggar, popeye!  At least it was $100, my sister-in-law lost $3000.  And we were at the bank a while ago and someone had lost $10000.  It does take a while to 'catch up' when budgets are tight.  Fingers crossed your bank can help.

I was hit twice a few years back, $1900 and ~$800. In both cases they kept shopping on our Visa until they hit the limit, and in both these cases the bank didn't reimburse the Visa balance for 3 months so we had to carry that cost for that long.

As a result of those frauds we now have a separate credit card for online use only with $1,000 limit (which is usually ~half spent) to minimise our risk exposure, and I no longer allow Trade Me to "save my credit card details for later" as both frauds were able to enter our CVV number which did limit the places that the thieves could have found our details and TM was on that very short list.

[Jan]

I use a prezzy card for online purchases in NZ - you register it so you don’t have to spend it all at once and use it like a credit card - anywhere that accepts visa - which is practically everywhere .Recently my son was travelling overseas and had increased his credit limit - his card was hacked - the bank refunded the money but it took a long time to get his money back .Thank goodness Popeye you were onto it
I can only speak from experience but some of my family in the medical field left the country before this govt got in - mandates drove many overseas and the chaos that quickly developed in the health restructure proved too much for two very experienced ICU specialists who jumped the ditch .I see Dr Levy is going to sort out the 14 layers of bureaucracy the HOD specialists are trying to Wade their way through so hopefully things will improve .It’s not only money that is driving our health professionals overseas but that’s just my experience .Don’t get me started on the restructuring of the Polytechnics - again my sister and her fellow lecturers have endured the chaos - it’s unbelievable and it’s the students who are losing out while my sister has been paid huge amounts of money - this government has put the brakes on the gravy train
Seems Kamala Harris is getting the backing she needs - actually it’s brilliant as the spotlight has gone off Trump very quickly - he would have been hoping the patch would have held the attention of the media far longer
There is a real cat fight going on at Ahuriri a seaside suburb of Napier - there is a beautiful black and white cat called Sooty who is affectionately called The Mayor of Ahuriri- he was a stray but has lived in a luxury appartment with an older couple for years - he roams the village stopping at the Art Gallery or the Cafe to spend time or down on the wharf to meet the fishing boats who give him fresh fish - anyway he is getting older and the vet put him on a special diet so he needs to go home every evening - for some reason another lady keeps shutting him in her house - so weird

[popeye333]

My Bank said it was unlikely I would get the money back.

But cos Id seen it so quickly the card was cancelled straight away so it wouldn't get hit again.

A friend/ acquaintance has helped me. A lady I know from trade me, she lives here and we had a friend in common, and another May baby has given me the money, and god help me if I try and pay it back. lol She also cant count lol.

I was shocked by WINZ response. And it did my head in.

IF I had left it and my rent hadn't been paid, they would have helped... but Cos I used my insurance money to cover my rent they wouldn't help me.

Absolute Bonkers... Insurance is a luxury... I struggle to cover it, but I could never drive my car without knowing I have insurance to cover someone else's property and to be able to get myself a replacement.. that's CRAZY