She's Not Herneschase... shes a very naughty girl

I had found myself becoming increasingly grumpy this morning. The sort of irrational grump that exacerbates : and exacerbates : until you feel you are going to blow. Then came the antedote. Thank goodness for children

LC arrived in my bedroom as I was getting dressed and announced that she was worried. I adopted my concerned face and asked her what the problem was.

"I think Mog's Tamagotchi is becoming incontinent" she said peering intently at a small green ovoid piece of plastic that was dangling from her neck by a tape. "I have cleared up it's poo 3 times and it is still there".

10 minutes later Mog arrives.

"You know that sunscreen in the bathroom"
"Yup"
"It says it's anti-aging"
"Yup"
"Does that mean that you still get the presents but you don't look any older?"

The grump is easing ... just slightly. Another gem from JT and it will be cured

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=10487281&ref=rss

Another poor backpacker seems to have fallen into the trap of believing that New Zealand is a crime-free country where she can drop her guard.

A 26 year old lass has now been brutally attacked, raped and killed in Taupo. Another backpacker and by the sound of it and, seemingly, another either gang- or a "P" fuelled attack.

In 2005 Birgit Brauer, a German backpacker was picked up I believe hitch-hiking, beaten, stabbed and murdered in the New Plymouth area by a Methamphetamine addict with 65 previous convictions which included abduction and rape ten years' earlier.

Since I have lived in NZ we have seen tourists attacked in their campervans, killed on roads by (to use the vernacular) young "hoons" in cars, tourists robbed and verbally abused in public places

I think I have blogged before about the state of the drinking culture over here appears to be 'get it down your neck before it runs out' and "P" has become a reluctantly accepted part of the country's culture. This, together with the burgeoning gang culture and the fact that kids can learn to drive at 15, means that there are 4-wheeled time bombs on our roads from about midday every day.

I have always been a confident driver and have historically enjoyed walking about the grottier areas of towns and cities to satisfy the amateur anthropologist in me. Here though, I might say, I am not confident about either pastime. New Zealand is the only place in the World that I have felt threatened walking through a shopping centre (in Northland) in broad daylight with my children.

Yes, New Zealand is beautiful, yes it a 'must' for all kids on their travels but please, please if you know of anyone (especially a female) visiting New Zealand warn them that the crime-free image is a thing of the past. Don't accept drinks from strangers or leave your drink unattended. Don't hitch lifts. Don't park your campervan unless it is in a recognised site or a built-up area. Don't leave your belongings in vehicles. Just behave as you would in London, Manchester Liverpool etc., Keep yourselves safe.

It is a poor country with its problems and bearing in mind the size of the population, it is every bit as troubled by crime as any other country.

I need advice please!

Those of you who have seen my various bloggity incarnations over the past year will know that I am interested in, but not particularly committed to, religion per se.

I was brought up CofV ("Church of Village" the religion where everyone wonders what hat Mrs so-and-so is wearing and meditates whilst guzzling communion wine, on whether their Sunday roast is incinerating in the oven at home).

I discovered Buddhism in the 80s and read and read about that for a while. In the 90s married a lapsed Catholic with a very committed Mother and Father who naturally wanted their son married a Catholic () and their grandchildren baptised Catholic too (double )

Then came lots of reading about Paganism - which was more natural to me as my rural up-bringing had meant that my life was very closely bound to the Seasons and to my history. More recently I have been fascinated by Islam and have launched myself into a pocket home-structured course on Islamic studies just because.

So, when Mr Not's parents came to visit us in 2006 I thought I would work with them on the religion thing. We all marched off to Mass on Sundays (some of us more willingly than others) and on the last weekend of their trip, Mog, always keen to indulge her Grandma, brought back a little plastic squeezy bottle of "Holy Water" which I have just re-discovered on a bookshelf in the kitchen!

So here are my questions:

Question 1: What does Holy Water Do?
Question 2: Where should it be sprinkled?
Question 3: Does it have a "use by" date? This was blessed in October 2006
Question 4: Can it be sprinkled by a heathen like me?

Tell you what though this religion thingy seems to be helping Grandma in her battle against the evil "C" Seemingly faith is thing not to be sniffed at.