tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59882712012-01-30T14:48:35.384+13:00The story of a <strike>young</strike> middle-aged pharmacist pursuing the American Dream...in New Zealand.Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.comBlogger5941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-62363928180574292012-01-30T14:45:00.002+13:002012-01-30T14:48:35.396+13:00

Yes, most definitely a hoax.PS: I called this in 2006.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-91299093621071121952012-01-15T18:05:00.001+13:002012-01-15T18:08:23.151+13:00

Interrogation at the US ConsulateConsulate Guy: Which one of you is the American?Nicole: I am.CG: Where did you go to high school in (looking at passport) San Bernadino?Nicole: I didn't. My father was in the Air Force. I went to high school in Garden Grove.CG: (Getting suspicious): What?Nicole: Garden Grove High.CG: (Now discovers my passport...wondering why the broad said she was the American)

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-60815732101814174452012-01-15T17:13:00.002+13:002012-01-15T17:47:02.702+13:00

GlaciersWhen I was a child (or teenagerish), we took a trip to Canada and walked on a glacier. More correctly, we took a giant glacier bus to (and onto) a glacier, then we got out and walked on said glacier. It looked something like this:New Zealand has a lot of glaciers. I don't know how many...and most of them are only accessible by helicopter or four day hike. But if you don't mind driving (a

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-62801339381701388822012-01-15T14:02:00.003+13:002012-01-16T08:01:51.578+13:00

Ferry I and IIWhen the weather is cooperating, there is no way to describe the beauty of the Marlborough Sounds. So instead, here are a few photos (on the way to the South Island) taken with the Pentax.On the way back to the North, the weather was even better. Unfortunately, I left my real camera in the car and had to shoot with the ipod...fortunately, the wider angle allowed me to capture even

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-7925026566884632792012-01-14T19:19:00.003+13:002012-01-15T17:59:44.928+13:00

Might I present:יָפֶה אֶרְאֶלָּה בַּתּ מִיכָאֵל בִּנְיָמִין

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-22030009349630528742011-12-16T14:26:00.004+13:002012-01-17T14:18:51.368+13:00

Culture ShockAbout a year ago, some American visitors asked me about culture shock, specifically if I had experienced any. All I could come up with at the time was: "We heat our house with a wood burning fireplace..." In itself, this fact probably does not really represent culture shock, though if you try to discuss heating/insulation/house building with a local, then maybe it does qualify.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-76817049725225381592011-12-10T10:58:00.003+13:002011-12-10T11:12:24.277+13:00

The best things in life are freeAmericans: I know you are used to being able to spend your money everywhere you go, but do not count on being able to do that in New Zealand. Fortunately, there are money changers everywhere, including the airport(s). Using a money changer is usually a little cheaper if you're changing >$500 NZ (around $400 US), but they are still expensive (especially at the

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-88118455615501815452011-12-10T10:43:00.002+13:002011-12-10T10:53:28.630+13:00

Jafaland IIAlternative title: Eating cheaply in New ZealandBefore getting sticker shock at NZ restaurants, remember that tax and tip are included...or actually, there's no tip, but your server is paid much better than he/she should be. GST (Goods and services tax) is 15%, but is already figured into the cost of everything you buy. If you make any big purchases to take home, the shop may be able

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-42615306228935026912011-12-10T10:09:00.003+13:002011-12-10T10:42:49.446+13:00

Jafaland It's getting to be tourist season, so I thought I would post a few paragraphs on things to do in Auckland. [Note: I have not spent very long on this post, it is mostly a composite of a few emails exchanged with previous guests.] Auckland is not the greatest city in the world for tourists, and for many, it's probably a lot like visiting Los Angeles (and never leaving downtown). I find I

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-12549673892738080822011-12-10T09:11:00.003+13:002011-12-10T10:08:42.351+13:00

It's been so long since I've posted, my blog is starting to look like Nico's. Does Nico even have a blog anymore? Anyway, not much has been happening not related to baby pictures, and if you really want to see those, they are much, much easier to load on facebook...But if you must have some pictures, here are a couple of my favourties.Photo 1 is Jancie in her crib (taken with an ipod touch using

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-83346017488823940302011-11-14T15:54:00.002+13:002011-11-14T15:55:09.477+13:00

Jancie and the Prime MinisterAlternate title: Yes, that is my nose

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-19797770924693026592011-11-11T10:45:00.002+13:002011-11-11T10:46:01.478+13:00

Thought I'd promote Napier a little with a live webcam (it's not mine, but the city does not seem to mind if I repost it).

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-10322766994209843222011-11-08T11:48:00.004+13:002011-11-08T12:38:39.077+13:00

There is no space for what you need to know on the forms that I must fill outOn November 8th At 5:55 AM (NZ Daylight Time), Jancie Anahera Lasko entered this world. Weighing in at 8 pounds 9 ounces (height unknown), her hobbies include: Bob Marley, giraffes, and being wrapped in a bunch of blankets. Her dislikes are: zebras, loud neighbors, and flash bulbs.PS: No, that wasn't a typo (or at least

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-53511918485045660862011-09-12T16:00:00.002+12:002011-09-12T17:26:34.302+12:00

Couch SurfingAlternate Title: Yes, we do have a rugby teamIn true New Zealand spirit, we set off on a cross country drive to see the United States play Ireland in round 1 of the Rugby World Cup. One of our many stops was in the town of Hawera, about 70 km from New Plymouth (the home of the US during the tournament). Hawera is best known for having a very old and very tall water tower. I have no

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-45905306357828502452011-08-28T17:34:00.003+12:002011-08-28T18:58:07.803+12:00

Now that spring is in the air I really should be posting a little more about New Caledonia, but I thought I would first let all of my Northern Hemisphere friends know that it is no longer freezing down here. Here is a rather giant Nicole looking like she remembers how to sail. This picture reminds me of my first Napier post (about 6 months before we first visited Napier). I have a vague

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-6223980132097395002011-08-10T18:14:00.008+12:002011-08-10T20:15:15.743+12:00

Lost in Translation Every job I have ever had (except possibly raking leaves for my father) has included some sort of training session involving something about communication. Perhaps this is because every job I have ever had has involved some sort of customer service aspect (except possibly raking leaves for my father). Every one of these communication training sessions has quoted some

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-33953597401444752982011-08-09T11:58:00.001+12:002011-08-10T18:09:30.481+12:00

I thought I might start off with something useful New Caledonia is expensive...I'm not sure if it's like Zurich expensive, or not, as we had a whole lot more money when we were in Zurich (and Zurich is indeed very expensive); so we'll just say that New Caledonia is also very expensive. When arriving in New Caledonia, the expensiveness begins almost immediately: Tontouta International Airport

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-46824319932198334422011-07-30T09:35:00.003+12:002011-07-30T10:03:42.924+12:00

Wow, it's been a little while. We're in the middle of winter, and not much has been going on. Next week, we're off to Nouvelle-Calédonie. I promise to have more interesting photos.If you really must know what I've been up to:1) We finally made it to the National Aquarium (right here in Napier).Not the most impressive aquarium I've ever paid to get into, though the shark tank rivals something you

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-54033033550845592662011-07-04T17:13:00.002+12:002011-07-04T17:27:50.387+12:00

She said it's cold. It feels like independence day.Alternative title: Do they have 4th of July in New Zealand?Today my coworkers helped my celebrate America's birthday with a lunch of all things American. I have pretty cool coworkers who brought: Coca-Cola, turkey and cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, Freedom (french) fries, sourdough bread, popcorn, an apple crumble, donuts, tortilla chips, an

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-26093925623270780962011-06-12T10:19:00.001+12:002011-06-12T10:21:35.461+12:00

At or around this time, we made a healthy, informed, democratic decision to getback on drugs as soon as possible. It took about 12 hours.Sweet, sweet Nespresso.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-85844941127177673082011-06-07T18:28:00.007+12:002011-06-07T20:08:01.675+12:00

We're on a road to nowhere[Note: I've been receiving complaints that the layout of takealotofdrugs looks like it was done by a six year old. If I had to guess, I'd say I have not made any changes to the template in six years. I'll try jazzing things up a little starting now.]If you could fly from Napier to New Plymouth, it would be a very short flight. But due to some mountains (and a general

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-12311810752991691202011-06-07T17:31:00.003+12:002011-06-08T08:51:51.736+12:00

Lonely and dreaming of the west coastOur weekend in New Plymouth began at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. They were running some special event where a bunch of musicians played "contemporary" classical music around the exhibits. Here's a sextet in the museum cafe.After that, things at the museum got a little...weird; still, New Plymouth is certainly a city that cares about the arts. Here's a

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-42658784374312545192011-05-31T18:30:00.001+12:002011-06-01T18:45:13.007+12:00

Now is the winter of our discontentWould you believe today is the first day of winter. If you're in the northern hemisphere, you might be thinking: "Do not be a fool Noah, the sun is shining. Summer is about to start." Those of you who know we're in New Zealand might be thinking something like: "One would think winter starts on June 21st...you fool." Hey, quit trying to spread your American

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-84812764665618086992011-05-19T18:14:00.002+12:002011-05-19T18:32:17.466+12:00

And Jupiter aligns with MarsView from our window this morning. Sorry it's a little out of focus...if anyone would like to send me a tripod that will support a rather heavy camera, I would be most grateful. This link tells me I'm looking at Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. In other news, visitor #3 (or possibly #5, depending on how you count) has recently returned home. We miss you Nam. For some

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-60811463669391615682011-05-01T17:38:00.002+12:002011-05-01T18:03:49.243+12:00

Why I don't blog every day[Because every post would look like this:]It stopped raining, so I mowed the lawn. The lawn was really long because it had been raining all week. After I finished mowing the lawn, we took a walk to the Bluff Hill Lookout. When we first got to Napier, this was one of the first places we went; for some reason Nico had not been back since. Here's Nico above the Port. The

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-67370043139478502092011-04-25T18:00:00.004+12:002011-04-25T18:48:29.274+12:00

A year in picturesThe Sony (point and shoot) camera memory card just filled up, so it seemed like a good time for an erase. I'm not sure why these did not get deleted sooner, and most of the photos (or at least the good ones) have already been posted here. If you're bored, watch the slideshow. A couple of highlights from last year: Nicole after winning a beauty pageant.A freak of nature at

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-7688134932103992492011-04-24T18:03:00.002+12:002011-04-25T10:20:59.176+12:00

All the leaves are brownAlternative title: I'm looking California but feeling MinnesotaWeekend trip up to Gisborne, the first city in the world to see the sun. The best $56 I've ever spent just may have been here.Here's a picture from a hill we climbed.Minnesota, you are so frickin lame.Interesting thing about Gisborne: You can stand on the spot where Captain (then Lieutenant) James Cook anchored

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-67580607190823282282011-04-21T18:53:00.002+12:002011-04-21T18:57:55.017+12:00

Frankly, I don't see the resemblance.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-21171049808253496052011-04-10T15:54:00.003+12:002011-04-10T16:13:22.865+12:00

We're near the waterI know a guy, a guy with a boatIt doesn't have any motorWe could just sit, sit and floatFinally got around to sailing our new boat today. It's a Whiting 16. I would have better photos, but we can't seem to find the camera. In other news, I'm making 48 pints (US) of beer. It should be ready in about 2 weeks, if anyone wants to come over.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-26063361213082054642011-04-04T18:04:00.003+12:002011-04-09T11:49:27.381+12:00

Just me and my dadFor my father, who requested a link to his vacation photos (or rather, my photos of his vacation). Please note, they are completely unedited, and some of them are my attempts at using a (new to me) almost completely manual lens (Thank you Uncle Terry!). 21 photos here.201 photos here.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-22126596199081505962011-04-03T15:49:00.002+12:002011-04-03T16:00:08.983+12:00

To my 10 loyal readers(Yes, I'm up to 10)I see that quite a few people have clicked the "Follow" link. I was under the impression that it did something...but if it does do anything, I have yet to figure it out. Anyway, I've finally gotten around to adding an email subscription service. Just put your email in the box to the left, and hit submit. At absolutely no charge, you will receive an email

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-50221367566522980962011-04-03T13:23:00.000+12:002011-04-03T14:39:44.145+12:00

New Zealand's Best One Day WalkAlternative Title: This railroad apartment was the perfect place[Note on Title #1: I have not yet decided whether or not the Tongariro Crossing is indeed the best one day walk; one thing for sure, I have not felt more crowded since leaving the US. It was more like a trail run than other walks I have done in NZ...someone is always trying to pass you (or, unless

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-15357078094198186342011-04-01T16:15:00.000+13:002011-04-01T16:17:34.040+13:00

Letter to coworkers:Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues, It is with great sadness that I tender my resignation, effective immediately. I will miss all the strange and wonderful peole I have met in this strange and wonderful land. However, a business opportunity on Kiritimati has presented itself, and I am unable to pass it up. Also, when we moved to Hawke's Bay, I had been expecting an exotic

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-84911317325338590482011-03-13T16:26:00.000+13:002011-03-13T16:41:44.703+13:00

Is it just me, or did this blog used to be funnier? http://takealotofdrugs.blogspot.com/2008/04/questions-most-commonly-asked-of-laskos.htmlI'm just saying...In other news, my father has successfully made it to Napier. Here are Ruth and my father at the beach (on Marine Parade).Here are Ruth and my father by a couple of MG TF roadsters.In case anyone else was wondering about the difference

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-64758521633386086912011-03-06T15:40:00.001+13:002011-03-06T20:15:05.183+13:00

2 more days in the CityWe seem to be getting pulled over to Auckland more often than I would prefer...but as long as we were there, we decided to do some exploring of the perimeter.Rangitoto Island is Auckland's newest volcano.Much of it is now green, but there is plenty of bare lava left. (In New Zealand, they have 100 words for lava...)There are some lava tubes that make Hawaii's look safe. I

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-79465393375465372102011-03-06T13:44:00.000+13:002011-03-06T15:40:04.932+13:00

Poor Kiwi FolkWhen Nico and I moved to New Zealand, we knew we would be giving up European travel and expensive tandem vacations. This weekend however, an expensive tandem vacation came to us. We joined the tour for a ride through Rotorua. Here are Bill and Jan McCready slowing down enough to have their picture taken. And here are a bunch of tandems riding through some geothermal death spas.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-56952216901623824182011-02-27T09:52:00.000+13:002011-02-27T09:53:46.602+13:00

For the two or three of you that refuse to join facebook:Nicole and I are fine. We're in Napier (on the North Island) and did not feel the earthquake at all.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-21495413006736126572011-02-21T19:39:00.000+13:002011-02-21T20:43:51.188+13:00

Art Deco Classic Car Parade(These photos are completely unedited...sorry if some of them are not slide show worthy...)

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-29486718771415679622011-02-20T20:22:00.000+13:002011-02-20T21:13:12.789+13:00

Deco WeekendNapier in the 30sPeople kept asking Nico if they could take her photo. It's kind of going to her head.Nicole prepared the best picnic ever.But we were hopelessly outdone by the Buchanans.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-7033677204188486142011-02-09T19:08:00.000+13:002011-02-09T19:10:24.350+13:00

Published againI'm thinking maybe I should start charging...

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-67777315511521185652011-02-06T18:46:00.000+13:002011-02-07T08:10:52.152+13:00

Bicycling and becoming KiwiIt's been a while since I've posted, so I thought I would run through the camera's memory card to see what we've been doing lately.It looks like we've been cycling a bit; which is good, as we have less than a month to get ready for NZ Tandem Tour II.This is what I look like eating gelato. This is what we look like after winning the Rugby World Cup [Attention Americans:

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-87034963152325388612011-01-23T19:55:00.000+13:002011-01-23T20:25:42.795+13:00

Did I mention I've had no formal training?Actually, I guess that's not true. I took a photography class in high school...But I digress. I am taking a much needed brake from hours of boring paperwork. I do not recollect seeing this photo until shortly before we moved to New Zealand. My mother had a 5 x 7 copy in her china cabinet with a bunch of old family photos. "I used to be pretty." she said

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-54527502881985015032011-01-16T20:22:00.000+13:002011-01-17T20:53:47.388+13:00

You can take a crosstown bus if it's raining or it's cold IIWeekend trip to look at another boat. The boat turned out to be more of a project than I am interested in taking on at present (especially if Nico is going to make me keep gardening). A few highlights of our trip to Auckland:Breakfast at Sheinkin, an "Israeli-Inspired" Restaurant. I'm not really sure what that means. Probably the place

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-53574764636276524682011-01-08T11:55:00.000+13:002011-01-08T12:07:10.608+13:00

Tree #1This isn't really tree #1, it's a bonus tree that my coworkers bought for me after I requested they not send flowers. It came from a friend's family farm, and I'm told that if I treat it right, it will someday give us avocados.Although our backyard is spacious, we had no room for another tree, so I spent a couple of weeks carving up the jungle. I'm still not finished, and I don't know what

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-91506901399658683002011-01-04T18:54:00.000+13:002011-01-06T16:54:11.084+13:00

Tree meterJust a little update to this post, since I'm on a blogging rampage tonight. .114 trees funded; 246 left to go 148 trees funded; 212 left to go!

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-89183096247527610522011-01-04T17:50:00.000+13:002011-01-04T18:31:27.510+13:00

Looking through pictures from last months California trip...As could be expected, most of the trip was business, and not great blog material. But a few highlights did appear on the memory card: The LA Arboretum. We had a couple of hours to kill before a dentist appointment. [Thank you to my old, old, old friend Dr. Huy and his lovely wife for not hurting us too much.] Kiwis will be surprised to

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-17015719633291132402011-01-04T16:46:00.000+13:002011-01-04T18:06:05.402+13:00

A day at the CapeSince moving to Hawke's Bay Nico and I have not eaten out very often; partly because we are poor Kiwi folk (and restaurants tend to be expensive), and partly because restaurants here are not great; not to say they're bad...just sort of average...expensive and average. On that subject, the first in a series of restaurant reviews at takealotofdrugs.com:1) Fox on the Quay. Many

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-75477375230960198372010-12-29T19:12:00.000+13:002010-12-29T19:47:49.793+13:00

I met a girl who sang the blues, and I asked her for some happy news. She just smiled and turned away.Just when you thought there was nothing affordable to do in NZ: A free wine festival!!! 12 wineries pouring way too much wine. A guitarist was playing all your favourites of the 60s and 70s. Nico is the only person I know who won't get bored listening to all 6 verses of American Pie...twice. (We

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-62100933412264202472010-12-25T18:18:00.000+13:002010-12-25T18:38:07.950+13:00

Something a little brighterFirst things first: These are limes. They came from a coworkers farm...there are a whole bunch, and we already ate/drank 20 of them. They are a little past there prime, so we're in a hurry to finish the rest of them off. If you drink a lot of margaritas, it is easy to go through a whole bunch of limes. I know the limes look orange, but trust me...they are limes. I ate

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-88740515727997843802010-12-25T09:37:00.001+13:002010-12-29T06:16:32.188+13:00

XMAS in paradiseI've just been rereading how I spent my last few Christmases: 2009: Our house had just sold, and Nico had gone up to visit her parents leaving me to move out on XMAS eve. The next day, I appear to have gone sailing, and snapped this photograph of a pelican with my cell phone. Afterwards, (a common theme over the last few years, I went out to dinner with my mother...at a restaurant

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-36716538798088202732010-12-22T14:38:00.001+13:002010-12-22T15:34:16.634+13:00

Something bigSince my mother's passing, I've been recommending (in lieu of flowers) that interested parties make contributions to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. My mother was a strong supporter of diabetes research, and always helped Nico and I fundraise during our annual (and sometimes biannual) Tour de Cures. Tour de Cure is actually run by the American Diabetes Association, and

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-50975621087221479242010-12-20T15:23:00.000+13:002010-12-20T15:33:55.150+13:00

Videos of my motherI've run through my 1 terabyte external hard drive and discovered I have no video of my mother. I was never that in to shooting video; our only video camera is our little Sony point and shoot that just happens to have a video function--in fact nearly all the videos that are saved on my hard drive were taken by accident when someone flipped the switch to movie mode. A gem I did

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-42258349855657361492010-12-15T12:39:00.000+13:002010-12-15T13:01:20.861+13:00

Stories My Mother Told Me III read something like that, and I wonder: "How did I never hear that story?" Then almost instantly, I start to wonder if I had heard it, and merely forgotten it. Such is the richness of one's life, that there is no need to mention a stint as an eleven year old adman. Then I start wondering, "What would an eleven year old do with a savings bond...and where is that

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-6341340593798399902010-12-14T07:26:00.000+13:002010-12-14T07:37:36.257+13:00

Stories my mother told meMy mother loved having a bright house; she loved having a bright house so much, that there are no curtains in her bright house. I must have lived here for a summer or two during college, and not being one to wake up with the sun, I taped aluminum foil to the windows. She did not care for this look, and bought a couple of removable/expandable curtain rods...from which I

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-1227532730270013182010-12-05T07:12:00.000+13:002010-12-11T13:57:02.021+13:00

EulogyEveryone has been telling me that my mother could talk for hours about her children and grandchildren. Please cut me off if I go on for too long.My mother was the most generous person I have ever known. She hated spending money on herself. In recent years, she began giving her house a well deserved renovation, though she always worried about how much it was costing. We had several

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-90412532496250930892010-11-30T18:42:00.001+13:002010-11-30T18:57:38.524+13:00

Traveling CameraMy mother bought her first digital camera just before leaving for Australia. All 49 pictures from the memory card can be viewed by clicking right here.These are a few of my favourites; if you knew my mother, you'd understand why. I also like this one. My mother was once reprimanded at the San Diego Wild Animal Park for petting a giraffe while she fed it a carrot. (The carrot

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-60122348459580154702010-11-30T15:12:00.000+13:002010-11-30T15:56:51.507+13:00

You didn't leave me anything that I can understand[Note to any customs or immigration agents that might be readers of my page: all of the items pictured below are used, and owned by me for more than 90 days prior to their arrival in this country. Nicole did not buy anything from zappos, and I did not go a little crazy over the last few weeks on amazon.]I had asked my mother to bring a few hard (

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-20493261977627742102010-11-28T17:18:00.001+13:002010-11-28T19:29:26.754+13:00

Today I stopped and shopped inside the walled citySaturday drive out to Palmerston North to look at a sailboat. Palmerston North is the closest real city to us...and by real city: I mean there's a university and a shopping mall. It's been 9 months since I've been in a mall, and it sort of gave me a headache.There really is not much going on in Palmerston. We stopped at the wind farm, as it's on

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-39292426273268150402010-10-30T15:18:00.000+13:002010-10-30T16:09:05.649+13:00

Just like Maui used to makeUnless you have a very nice friend or family member with a very large car, the best way to see Shine falls (Hawke's Bay's best waterfall) via the Boundary Stream Track would be to have half of your party start on one side and the other half on the other. Each group would walk in opposite directions, pass each other somewhere in the middle, and then drive the other

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-51829652471304237182010-10-17T12:14:00.000+13:002010-10-17T12:41:51.240+13:00

With a Model A out front, and a 20s/30s band in the back, it was quite a party. Nico and I didn't look too ridiculous as a few other people also dressed up.Either the turnout was surprisingly good, or Kiwis drink a whole lot. (It is not evident from the picture, but that is a very big box.)And to answer your question, the most white russians I have ever made at a time while wearing a top hat is:

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-55047286923579019102010-10-16T10:17:00.001+13:002010-10-16T10:22:07.743+13:00

We are officially unpacked.Alternative title: And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. In other news, I made a new friend in the garden. She has promised not to eat my brain.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-91789912521854870082010-10-10T18:22:00.000+13:002010-10-10T18:38:20.317+13:00

The Big LaskowskiAt our new address, we received invitations to open house events at two competing bowling clubs. [In case you didn't click that link, bowling in NZ is what one in the US might call "lawn bowling"...whereas what one in the US would call bowling would be called "ten pin" here.] We were planning on attending the (closer) event at the Port Ahuriri Bowling Club, but as we walked down

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-60081442362865325632010-10-10T09:08:00.000+13:002010-10-10T09:20:00.428+13:00

Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun Our new house sits on just about a quarter acre of land (AKA the Kiwi Dream). Fortunately for me, much of that land is taken up by the house and the driveway(s). Still, the backyard is bigger than anything I have ever had to manage, and as the previous owners apparently stopped caring for the place after they accepted our offer, I was left with a

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-10233799226189912242010-10-04T20:30:00.000+13:002010-10-04T20:32:41.770+13:00

The unpacking started with the important things.Alternate title: Why yes, that is a wine cellar

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-88686195500900787632010-09-26T15:59:00.001+13:002010-10-10T09:20:55.809+13:00

How to avoid packingOne of the best things about Hawke's Bay: winery restaurants. Napa Valley has a few, but they are mostly too expensive to eat at; or at least they were when we lived there. Hawke's Bay has dozens. Unfortunately, they have become a little more posh in recent years, but none are particularly outrageous...unless you get carried away on the wine. Friday night, we bicycled to

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-63285600233314416132010-09-10T05:54:00.000+12:002010-09-10T05:57:23.542+12:00

You can learn a lot about New Zealand by reading this article (about Hawaii) from our local paper:Say hello to happy hours in Hawaii

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-7499382714116092982010-09-08T19:54:00.000+12:002010-09-08T20:01:26.565+12:00

Update to that last post (an update which will truly only be of interest to me). Alternative Title: You can find anything on the internet...even if it requires the use of a wayback machine.Tim Quirk: "I just bought a house. It's really nice. It's in Oakland, California, and the original owner was Huey Newton, who founded the Black Panthers. So, it's like, I don't feel like I'm selling out 'cause

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-63765288664288286172010-09-08T17:28:00.000+12:002010-09-08T19:54:43.447+12:00

Marathon #7Alternative Title: I just bought a house...[There's more to the quote about it being Huey Newton's house, but I can't really remember how that goes, so we'll go with title #1.] I pulled a muscle in my calf a couple of weeks ago; as I had already paid for the Hawke's Bay Marathon, I decided to run it anyway. I was in pain for the entire race, but still managed a pretty respectable 3:53.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-6879104470049338822010-09-04T07:10:00.000+12:002010-09-04T07:13:29.360+12:00

Didn't feel a thing. Strong quake strikes near Christchurch, New ZealandOf course, Christchurch is on the South Island (and we're on the North). NZ feels pretty earthquake safe...but only because the City of Napier (21k from us) was destroyed by a quake in 1931.In other news, I'm running a marathon in an hour.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-89700086847980683312010-08-28T17:36:00.000+12:002010-08-28T17:48:31.760+12:00

Days like this are why I moved to New ZealandAfter an early morning Skype with the parents (and a little nap), we got a late start for bicycling. I have no recollection of any tandeming this winter, but the 19 degree sun was calling to us. A beautiful ride along the Tuki Tuki River ended Clifton, where we had coffee and scones at an outdoor table overlooking the ocean. We took the short route

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-24127824039372382382010-08-27T17:35:00.000+12:002010-08-27T18:09:24.017+12:00

6 months in...Or 6 months and a few days; it's hard to keep track, as you lose a couple of days flying, then a couple of days to jet lag. Anyway, we got here towards the end of February, and I quickly started work on March 1st. The culture shock everybody talks about never really hit...perhaps because, in the greater scheme of things, pharmacy is pretty similar everywhere in the industrialized

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-44391435100793221562010-08-17T18:16:00.000+12:002010-08-17T18:21:36.170+12:00

I'll miss you the most, Jean.Jean is one of UC Irvine's six classic Shields sailboats that will soon be moving north. The school recently purchased modern boats for its students, racers and recreation sailors, and will retire its fleet of 30-foot Shields to the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club, where they will be refurbished.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-48749905163887104142010-08-12T18:09:00.000+12:002010-08-12T19:28:10.971+12:00

Capitol CityWeekend trip to Wellington for a live performance of the Great Gatsby. Pretty good production, though Gatsby's American accent came across a bit like Christopher Walken. Nico won a flapper contest, which prompted a woman from the Wellingtonian to take several pictures of us. Keep watching that link, and maybe they will be published. Things to do in Wellington in the rain (all are free

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-71453585303494826282010-08-01T18:59:00.000+12:002010-08-01T19:11:32.906+12:00

Two thirds of the way thereAlternative title: I guess I wasn't lastFirst ever duathlon this morning. I opted for the long course (4.5k run, 21k bike ride, 4.5k run). My transitions were laughably slow, the headwind was brutal, and my legs were rubber by the second run. Total time of 1:36:45, much faster than I had expected, but still slower than the 11 other men on the long course. The guy I beat

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-66941105170052152742010-07-31T17:28:00.000+12:002010-07-31T18:33:29.364+12:00

Ruahines IILast month, on our first trip into the Ruahines, we chose the Sunrise Hut Track; the most popular place to enter the park. It's a gradual (2+ hour) climb to the top, and if you run into trouble, there will always be someone walking by in the next hour.Today, I opted for the closest entrance to the Ruahines (about 50k from our house): The Masters Shelter track. This track was more

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-59132901575857739452010-07-31T17:07:00.000+12:002010-07-31T17:21:28.409+12:00

Things I never would have done in the USSome of you may remember our beautiful walk to the gannets at the end of the summer. Last weekend, the local triathlon club had scheduled an informal run to the same gannets (except that most of the gannets were smart enough to fly north for the winter). 21k (round trip) over sand and rock. What could be better? I'll tell you: Throw in some rain, temporary

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-68832367856928975562010-07-23T17:17:00.001+12:002010-07-23T17:21:10.491+12:00

And the Lord looked down...And said: "Michael, you may drive your PT Cruiser." And so it is written.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-68252935490679871952010-07-19T17:21:00.000+12:002010-07-19T17:36:09.035+12:00

Training for marathon #7(Or maybe that should be training for marathon #8; I did not run marathon #7, but I did train for it). 18 mile run from our house to the Cape Kidnappers fish and chips place. [Note to any prospective SAG drivers: If I ask you to pick me up at a fish and chips place at the end of an 18 mile run, the following requests should be considered standard: 1) water 2) make sure

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-39418309018712642522010-07-17T16:52:00.001+12:002010-07-18T08:35:20.233+12:00

Deco Decanted Day IIWe took a little stroll around Napier today. We woke up a little late for the classic car parade, but quite a few old Fords, Plymouths, and Nashes remained. I was struck by how fantastic American cars used to be...A little further down the street, a Dixie band made Napier sound just like Disneyland. Nico and I in our less formal deco wear:We spent the afternoon at Jazzmatazz.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-58970198733678473812010-07-17T10:38:00.000+12:002010-07-17T10:56:47.672+12:00

Art Deco Weekend (Decanted) In the summer, Napier hosts at Art Deco Weekend, and people come from all over the world to celebrate all things 20s and 30s. The same thing takes place in the winter, except it's much colder and there are fewer tourists. Nicole was definitely in the spirit, and may have been the best dressed flapper at dinner last night.I tried to nonchalantly get a picture of the

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-34389697934695915422010-07-17T09:57:00.000+12:002010-07-17T10:29:13.648+12:00

Buying a house in New Zealand II [Please see buying a house in New Zealand I for more info.]Yesterday, Nicole and I attended an auction where this art deco beauty was being sold; or more correctly, it was advertised as if it was to be sold...[Aside: although the guest bedroom does not have an ocean view, you are welcome to full use of the deck, and it is just across the street from the beach (as

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-74343177514129961082010-07-11T17:45:00.000+12:002010-07-11T19:20:31.267+12:00

I met her in the mountains, though I lived down by the seaAlternative title: The North Island's coldest cityWeekend trip to Lake Taupo, as a couple of weeks ago running a completely off road (read: uphill) half marathon sounded like a pretty good idea. This was our first trip to Taupo, save a couple of pass-throughs on the way to/from Auckland. As we are now poor kiwi folk, we traveled like poor

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-87142748596665311512010-07-04T18:16:00.000+12:002010-07-04T18:20:07.482+12:00

And on Thanksgiving we'll be lighting fireworks.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-42999159164356936022010-07-04T11:33:00.000+12:002010-07-04T12:10:29.086+12:00

She said it's cold. It feels like Independence Day.Alternative title: The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one.We were planning on actually walking up to said summit (2 hours each way, over private land), but all the no trespassing made us alter our plans a little; we settled for

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-92013206677478884492010-06-20T16:50:00.000+12:002010-06-20T17:20:19.386+12:00

Freshman FifteenReally more like the freshman five, but I've still managed to pack on more weight in New Zealand than I should be carrying. As I would never make a very good dieter, I began marathon training last week. This morning (in the rain), I ran up Te Mata Peak--30 minutes from our place to the entrance, and another 20 minutes to the top...down was a wee bit faster. The view from the top

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-4787968928948074342010-06-07T15:34:00.000+12:002010-06-07T15:36:39.786+12:00

View from Te Mata Peak (take 2)[You must click the picture for full panoramic effect.]

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-83236395881860312952010-06-05T16:50:00.000+12:002010-06-05T17:18:37.585+12:00

TrampingAlternative title: Laughing at the sunrise like he's been up all night.Technically, tramping requires an overnight stay, but as we were walking to a hut where most people were staying overnight, this certainly felt like a tramp. Sunrise Track seemed like a good place to start exploring the Ruahines, as the government website recommends the walk for those of low to moderate fitness. Once

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-26370070721427900462010-05-29T18:02:00.000+12:002010-05-29T18:42:43.385+12:00

RoostersAlternative Title: Goodbye to new friendsI suppose if I had seen the classic Kiwi Movie "Once Were Warriors" (or read the book), I would recognize Roosters as a classic Kiwi bar. But I haven't, so I'll just call it the most townie of all townie bars I've ever been in. We've been trying to stop by once a week, to get a feel for the real New Zealand, and are hopefully not gentrifying the

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-20232444107448400052010-05-29T09:24:00.000+12:002010-05-29T10:18:38.771+12:00

The continuing journey of the PT CruiserNico and I took the bus to Auckland last Saturday with the hopes of picking up my PT Cruiser and driving it back home; flying would have been preferable, but on the short notice given to us, the bus was far, far more affordable. Also, we got to see all kinds of interesting things during the 8 hour bus ride. Arriving in Auckland, we were treated to several

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-79026341108820318302010-05-21T17:16:00.000+12:002010-05-21T17:28:40.812+12:00

Does this make me a Kiwi?

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-59692117787203278062010-05-16T16:41:00.000+12:002010-05-16T17:03:27.868+12:00

Even my nephews would like New ZealandAlternative Title: A sausage sizzle is exactly what you think it isAfter a 2 month + hiatus (while I nursed a variety of injuries), I began running again this morning. I only made it about 4k, but I made several discoveries during the run.1) A beach house we looked at last month that we thought was way, way out of our price range is actually almost affordable

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-79549124720314140302010-05-14T16:39:00.000+12:002010-05-14T16:47:34.428+12:00

$399 round trip to New Zealand!!!If you were thinking of visiting us, now is the time.

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-27598420772549223182010-05-12T16:34:00.001+12:002010-05-13T17:55:39.867+12:00

The grass is not so greenMy sincerest apologies for my complete and utter lack of posting. I am quite busy completing my registration as a pharmacist [I have a law and ethics interview in 3 weeks that I feel somewhat obligated to pass]; I also have gotten hooked on staring at our wood burning stove for hours on end.Last weekend, we began house hunting, and found our dream home. Sadly, it is a bit

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-71571464163716120582010-04-27T09:07:00.000+12:002010-04-27T09:27:05.752+12:00

Socialized MedicineAfter discovering that I could not lift my arm above my shoulder, I decided to head over to the emergency department for an xray. After filling out two forms (one for the hospital, one for ACC), Becky (who like most doctors at Hawke's Bay, looked far to young to be a doctor), led me into an exam room, quickly diagnosed me with AC joint disorder (why yes, we've got a pamphlet

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-56919102189545052412010-04-25T11:44:00.000+12:002010-04-25T12:10:49.555+12:00

Dangerous CountryRoundabouts (Traffic circles to you Americans) are one of the safer places to be on a bicycle, as the cars are forced to slow down to bicycle-like speeds. However, in a few places in and around Havelock, (non-cycling) traffic engineers have tried to make the roundabouts even safer by designing bypasses for cyclists. Yesterday, I made the mistake of riding the tandem on one of

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-84465321755321709942010-04-18T18:45:00.000+12:002010-04-18T19:19:50.986+12:00

I'm not looking for a New EnglandAlternative title: Quoth the RavenYesterday marked the official end of summer (at least according to the Napier Sailing Club). The final race of the season included a delayed start (due to lack of wind); several very strong gusts; a few 180 degree wind shifts (twice causing an upwind and a downwind leg on the same leg). The local sailors all remarked that the

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-69988557857956796022010-04-13T19:12:00.000+12:002010-04-13T19:17:07.464+12:00

Linux photo editingMy first attempt at a panorama--view from Te Mata Peak. With a little practice, I might be able to smooth out the colour...

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-55661524272767011112010-04-13T17:33:00.000+12:002010-04-13T18:00:50.565+12:00

Te Mata Peak IIAt least I think this is my second Te Mata Peak entry. Last time, we drove most of the way up; on Sunday, we walked from our house to the top. It's about 6.5 km (each way) by car; I'm guessing the walk was a bit longer. There was supposed to be afternoon tea near the top, but this place was closed.Here's a photo from the top...which might look exactly like a photo I posted last

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-57301517779282060752010-04-11T15:44:00.000+12:002010-04-11T16:55:33.999+12:00

Hastings MarketAlternative title: I don't want to think about what the other 10% might beHawke's Bay has some incredible farmers' markets; the best of them is in Hastings. We've been stopping by most Sunday mornings to sample the local wares...and Nico cannot seem to pass up anyone trying to sell her: 1) grapes 2) herbs 3) avocados. I'm mostly certain this is Kiwi humour:And I believe this one is

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988271.post-30435898222518133772010-04-10T18:26:00.001+12:002010-04-10T19:10:49.059+12:00

Napier Sailing ClubI had not been putting much effort into finding my way onto a boat, but as it's starting to get cold, I figured I'd better get around to it. A single email later, and the sailing club manager had said he'd put me on a "trailer sailor". I was not sure what to expect.I ended up crewing (rather poorly) on a Noelex 25. At the helm, 16 year old Mathew:His grandfather, Alan was

Michael Laskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05473923168935019271noreply@blogger.com0