I do wonder what the early European settlers to New Zealand were thinking when they loaded their menagerie on the boats. What must have been on their mind when they added hedgehogs to their payload? Perhaps they thought they were bringing a potential washer woman, as in the story of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Since their arrival [...]
Of all the foodie production systems I have a fascination with its wine making. This was first sparked when we visited Cape Town, South Africa on holiday many years ago when we toured the luscious wine region of Stellenbosch. It was during my virgin wine tasting experience I came to understand the technical differences between [...]
Factory production systems have always fascinated me. How systems and processes work together to create products often at high speed and precision accuracy. Our barn is turning into a plant factory although more of a prototype production line without high levels of technology and precision systems. My potting bench may be an old kitchen table [...]
Paths and foundations are essential infrastructure but rarely celebrated for their engineering prowess. To me celery is the culinary equivalent. That ingredient that is important to have but as an accompaniment rather than a dish in itself. I know there are lots of ways you can eat celery but in truth it is hardly ever [...]
Bright Spring days are bringing new adventures to Domestic Executive HQ. It’s as though nature has truly woken up from it’s winter hibernation after a few weeks of fitful slumber. The bassets and I have been drinking in the rays and enjoying the warm. The landscaper has been happy in his work creating the site [...]
Can you imagine anything nicer than spending time with your very good friends. It seems to me that this applies to the bassets too. On days I am working away from the office Fortnum and Mason go to spend the day with their friends at the local kennels. Sometimes these friends they see every week [...]
It’s always been our plan to furnish our land with some suitably cute residents. Someone I know has beaten us to it though and now the proud owners of six live-in entertainers. On a visit today I was smitten once again by the prospect of having some Alpacas to live with us at Domestic Executive [...]
Around this time of year we contemplate Christmas Wish Lists. For MT this is never a problem as he always has a long list of books, DVDs and other home entertainment ideas. My greatest wish is that I can Christmas shop for him somewhere other than Amazon. In the past I have focused on culinary [...]
One of the endearing qualities of New Zealand is that there is little requirement to keep up with Joneses. That was until today. Not to be outdone our neighbour Doug decided that his friend had a bigger digger than the one our landscapers use and decided to rub our noses in the fact that his [...]
“Be careful for what you wish for” is a cliché that has fitted perfectly for a couple of work assignments this week. Where people have battled long and hard to get something they want. Having got what they wished for it dawns on them that they should perhaps have been more careful about what they [...]
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