Apologies for seldom writing

moving truck

Moving truck. Amazing what you can get away with on the roads in some countries. Oh, wait; there’s no road.

Regular visitors to the Climate Conversation will know that of recent times the site has been practically moribund.

moribund: adjective • (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigour.

I’m sorry for this. Having spent the last nine years writing about current climate capers, I regret the good stories I’ve let go without comment in the last three months or so.

But I’ve been distracted. My wife and I have been looking for a house to buy—a pursuit that absorbs energy faster than an icecap soaks up sunshine.

No matter what I was doing, at any moment I would be accosted without warning in the privacy of my own mind by seemingly urgent questions.

“Could I live in that nice blue house? Or the one down the drive beside the stream? Or the brick house across from the child care centre? That one we saw last weekend was delightful; sunny, spacious and welcoming. Just a bit expensive. I didn’t like the look of the neighbours yesterday. Their back yard was full of strange junk. Actually, their front yard was even worse.”

It would go on and on. On many occasions I was forced to call a halt to this consideration, as a matter of safety. I was at risk of overfilling a teacup or walking into a power pole.

We made an offer on some properties we liked. Some fell through. A week ago the latest offer went unconditional. Hurrah! Three weeks to move in. But although we were on the last lap, the distracting considerations hadn’t gone away, they’d only changed a bit.

“Make a note to take the final water and electricity readings; we must order power and gas at the new house; order a skip for the stuff we’re tossing out. The car tyres are a bit worn — get them checked. Have we confirmed our final day with the landlord? Ring the builder to repair the carport one of our visitors crashed in to a couple of years ago. Get some tape, knives and boxes before we start packing. Order a broadband connection!”

It’s good to know that the end of the process is near, and we’ll soon be starting a fresh adventure in an area we’ve not lived in.

We’re moving in about two weeks and we’re furiously packing stuff and throwing stuff out and selling stuff. Hope we don’t get our stuff mixed up.

Occasionally I’ll take time for this world-saving blog.

But it will have to take its turn, naturally.

Cheers.

RT.

PS: “a pursuit that absorbs energy faster than an icecap soaks up sunshine.” Should be “a pursuit that absorbs energy faster than an ice cream soaks up sunshine.” Apologies for misleading you.

Now, riddle me this. Q: What’s the difference between an icecap and an ice cream? A: An ice cream melts from the top down.

 

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2 Thoughts on “Apologies for seldom writing

  1. Richard C (NZ) on 10/08/2014 at 7:37 pm said:

    >”throwing stuff out”

    It’s waste? Auckland has a plan for that: Zero Waste by 2040

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/rubbishrecycling/Documents/rubbishrecyclingguide2013.pdf

    It’s an “aspirational goal”, but it might work.

  2. Richard C (NZ) on 27/09/2014 at 6:26 pm said:

    Joke of the week from John Kennedy (via Climate Etc):

    Climate Scientist walks into a bar, says, “A pint of…



    bitter”
    Barman: “Why the long pause?”
    Climate Scientist: [sobs]

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