Green tea latte hot

Buck fever. It is where you spend 3 days lugging a rifle around the Urewera mountains and then the moment you see a deer, get so excited that you forget which end the bullets come out. No animals were hurt in my hunting trips.

On Tuesday a huge eagle  floated past our balcony. I would have loved to get a photo for all to enjoy but unfortunately fumbled with the camera. The most you would have got is a selfie of myself with an excited look on my face. 

This bird of prey definitely had a presence about it but not the greatest looking bird. When I think eagle I think American type but maybe these are different. Or maybe the Americans make there national birds look nicer. Pimp my bird.

Speaking of birds I really like our kiwi. Drab, not very bright .. forgot how to fly and scrambles around the forest floor after dark. I don't care. I just think they are awesome. Somewhere deep and hidden must be some patriotism. Went to Australia day BBQ today. I was really envious, it was great. I wish there was a New Zealand day.

Anyway, fast forward a few days, on the same balcony at night a little bat was doing circuits. Great  watching how close he could fly to the walls without collision. I told Glynis about it, so she switched the light on to see better , and my little friend disappeared forever.

My chronological order is getting confused. Back to today. Australia day, Great. Glynis could not go as had a bad cold. When we arrived home myself and Seren  had a swim in the pool. Got back from that and Glynis asked if we could go and get her some lemons and honey for her cold. Told her she was a nuisance but I would do anything to stop her coughing and spluttering over me at night.

Went to the hypermarket and brought lemons, honey and sushi for Glynis while  Seren and I had rice, black chicken and nann bread. Just about to close the car door to leave when a voice stopped me. There was a smartly dressed  women and a toddler who said she needed a lift to Batu Ferringhi. She claimed she had forgot her cards so had no money to get a taxi. I had Seren with me so had to think quick about if I should taxi her home. Made sure it was just her and child then said yes and took her where she wanted. (Nowhere near where I live). She said she was Spanish (she had olive complexion)  and her husband was a lawyer who was on a business trip in KL. I was sort of buying it until she said she only had 5RM and was going to have to live on bread. I smell scam. That would make me the mark.

Once we dropped her and son off , myself and Seren had a long talk about how we both felt really uncomfortable. I am not sure what I could do differently next time. Maybe just taking the hit and giving taxi fare would be the more correct approach. One thing for sure I cannot be trusted to do the shopping. I went for some lemons but almost came back with Spanish women and child. I cannot shop unsupervised because I always bring back the wrong thing.

Yesterday I met a friend  (vegetarian) for lunch and we talked meditation, religion etc. After this I was under orders from my sick wife to take her tumbler to the Starbucks drive thought window. I ordered her usual grande latte hot and returned bearing the precious brown liquid. It is usually a pleasant time for me as the coffee offering tends to calm the beast.

Unfortunately this time there was no brown coffee in the tumbler but a strange smelling green liquid. Glynis was convinced I was joking with her and that after eating a vegetarian meal I had somehow thought to replace her coffee with a green shake of unknown vegetable extraction. I can assure you I take her coffee addiction very seriously. A return trip to Starbucks brings up a little known fact. If I say grande latte hot it can sound like green tea latte hot. Try it. Another mystery solved.

Or is it. I am a member of the school Parents Association and get all the messages. At the start of writing this blog a message came through from a member that cosmo rays are entering earth from mars and that BBC has been informed by NASA etc. I texted back not to panic and the report was fake. Hey , I don't want to be scammed twice in the same day. Actually I would have loved to text back the reports are true and we should all wrap up in aluminium foil. Unfortunately I ran this idea past my wife first and it was not well received! :-))

Piercing

                    The Hindu festival of Thaipusam is about faith, endurance and penance.

My pictures, no justice. Immersion in the heat, sounds, colour and smell is the only way to experience this. It is a celebration dedicated to the issuance of the Vel (lance) to Hindu deity Lord Murugan

He was called by his parents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati to vanquish the demon army of Tharakasuran and combat their evil deeds.This he did and now the date is observed as a day of thanksgiving and paying penance for Lord Murugan and his victory of good over evil.

Coconuts at the ready. They will be smashed to symbolise the shattering of one’s ego in the pursuit of self-realization

Difficult to see but the gentleman in the white has a flaming coconut which he is about to smash on the ground

The structure being carried is a Kavadi. There are many rules a devotee must follow before he is allowed to carry one. Vegetarian diet, don't kill insects, control negative emotions and lead a simple life.

Devotees carrying Paal Kudam   (Pot of milk). They undertake to be pure in thought, word and deed , just like milk.

 This guy was having some trouble with his new shoes. Been there, had a terrible blister on the back of my heel once. Now if I ever think they may be to tight, I will wear them around the house with two pairs of socks on. Was considering sharing my tip but on closer inspection...

...i see what the problem is. He is walking on a bed of nails.

Slow queue leading up to the  Waterfall temple, Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil which is the end destination.

We have been there previously http://www.kiwithree.com/2013/11/temple.html

  Act of penance or fulfillment of a vow done to develop spirituality. Physical endurance by piercing the cheeks, tongue, or skin on the body with hooks and Vel skewers.