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Earthquake In Stride
The earthquake hit us as soon as we arrived home from an interrupted holiday in fleeing from a cyclone.
Stayed overnight before the final journey to Trentham at a cousin's home on Old Taupo Road in Rotorua. There the John Key Govt had diverted heavy traffic through OTR to avoid going through the main drag and so on soft volcanic ground, there is a shudder felt by all occupants to all the houses etc on either side of the road whenever a truck etc passes by - and there are plenty of them. But the residents get use to it as they do to the Rotorua thermal smell.
And so to come home to a 6.3 quake centered a short distance away was not as unnerving as it might have been. The Corgi didn't seem to mind either even though 30 seconds or so of quaking is a long, long time.
Maybe our steel framed home lived up to its reputation.
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Poll: Do you mind when neighbours leave freebies on the street?
Some spare wood, used furniture or children's toys - do you mind when your neighbours leave goods on the street for others to make use of?
Share your thoughts in the comments and poll below.
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83.1% It's fine!
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15% It annoys me!
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
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ALEXANDER ROAD SPEED LIMIT
Alexander Road in Trentham-Wallaceville of which 50% separates a golf course from a military encampment enclosure and the rest has mostly high fenced off industrial and residential areas on both sides, should have a 70km speed restriction.
Only a short time ago the road had a 80lm restriction and was reduced to a pedestrian 50km much to the frustration of many. It has never been an accident prone stretch of road.
The several round-abouts ensure speed is reduced to 30-40km when these things occur.
I recently stayed a few days in Feilding - often given the title of the best town in NZ - and one of the lengthy main streets has a 70km speed restriction despite predominant unfenced residential properties on both sides.
Bees and insects
The fruit trees are in blossom but where are the bees? A few bumblebees but nothing else?
We seem to have a crisis for some reason. I see in the UK where they actually keep records, 80% of butterflies are in decline, 42% of bees and hoverflies are also in decline since the 1980's, and in another survey all flying insects in the UK are down 60% between 2004 and 2021.Even earthworms in the UK are down 30% in 25 years. Perhaps we are the same? Anyway - no fruit on our trees this summer I guess.