Been there, done that. Found decent Pale Ale, drank it in copious amounts. Listened to The Braggster, completely wound my 13 year old daughter into an "I must go home NOW" frenzy. Had a nice chat with a Weymouth supporter and his wife who had been here for 13 years. Put up with loads of apolitical Kiwis simpering around Bill like he was bloomin' Britney Spears 
I am so used to seeing him at gigs where he just sits down with a pint afterwards and chats that the simpering Pop-star crap rankled quite a bit. One woman behind us who announed that she thought he was too pissed to come on stage and that her 10 year old wanted to sing with him on stage. WHAT 
? The poor bloke had just endured a 36 hour flight and a day in Auckland before trying to execute all the old stuff for a completely apolitical Kiwi crowd in ridiculous lighting with the most abysmal accoustics I have ever heard outside the 80s college disco. Luckily he opened with a lovely rendition of "Diggers All" English political history which zoomed right over the Kiwi mullets and played some lovely stuff from the soon-to-be album.
So, as a result of this gig, we discovered a lovely little seaside resort with excellent snorkling about an hour North of Auckland. They had experienced a shark attack the previous day which had made all the papers and completely put LC off her planned swim!
On the way home we spent the morning in K-Road (the old red light district of Auckland which has now become a passable charity shop mecca and mini-chinatown. LC went bonkers. $5 retro' clothes, and all the sort of thing her Dad would hate her to wear! Perfect! She has even chosen a totally unsuitable red strapless pencil dress to wear with New Rock Boots and fishnet tights to her (as yet alive and kicking) Grandma's funeral! Surprisingly, Mr Not said that if she swopped the fishnets for opaque black tights and she wore a jacket over it, he might allow it!
On that very subject, Grandma seems to have taken a turn for the worse. She's currently in a hospice having her pain controlled. She is a real inspiration as she is being so brave and stoical.
It couldn't be at a worse time regarding morale as both LC and I are ready to jump ship and hide out forever in the Mother-Country for a little bit of civilisation - decent books, decent music and intelligent conversation. I think, if Mr Not is honest he wouldn't take much pursuading either as he misses the professionalism and motivation that he had in his job back home. He would never admit it though as this would mean a dramatic loss of face with his mates.
Well today it was back to earth with a bump. A 7.30am call from the Hay Man that he would be delivering 150 bales this afternoon. I think he plans to spin it into gold à la Rumplestilzkin as the price has risen by $3.50 this year (or is it that "Stupid Pom" tattoo on my forehead again!) The tractor man also rang to say that he would be servicing the tractor at the same time. He is a lovely Icelandic immigrant of about my age who is really refreshing to talk to, so I never object to him visiting. Then LC announced that two children were coming to stay for two days. All calm at the Not abode then 
I have tried to upload LC's bootleg video of Mr Bragg singing but I am too IT-challenged to cope. Never mind, the thought was there Here are some of her photies that looked great on our computer but look exceedingly crap when blogged!!
Nighty morning 
Usksider
Pro 
- I say this because if LC ever finds out she has been outdone she will be speaking to the powers that be to arrange just such a bylaw! Don't tell our kid ... hers a fake anyway 
I remember a rather interesting pub in Reading that went by the name The World Turned Upside Down...
Those New Rocks are amazing aren't they? I'd expected them to be incredibly heavy, but no... light as a feather. The Daughter's have spider web patterns on them....