Beer Belly Debunked

Don't believe the hype. Wikipedia, the BBC and countless other websites are on my side: the "beer belly" does not exist. I drink approximately a litre of beer per day, and I've not got one. Perhaps it's something to do with all that beef and butter that other people eat, or - heaven forbid - all the wine they drink?

Milla Jovovich, and the press in general, isn't doing the cause any good. I never believe the press anyway.

From now on, I'll call it a "Beef Belly".

For a list of research pointing out all the positives I already know - that beer is good for you - visit the friendly folk at Hallertau brewpub. They've done all the leg work for you and make a few pretty decent beers on the side.


ps. anyone who knows me, and can pick what is missing in the above photo, will win a free ticket to the SOBA National Homebrew Championship Awards Party.

Irony

The debutants received their second hanging, this time at Westpac St James Theatre Gallery. The paintings, which were sold at a previous - and tuly debutant - Inverlochy exhibition, held a prime spot on the stairway up to the gallery and theatre entrance.

Unfortunately we never got a chance to get in and take some photos, however one of Fritha's friends passed on this shot (and word that she has friends eager to see Fritha getting back into action).

Still Life with Debutant (#'s 1 and 3)

For more of Fritha's fabulous talent, see her website. I'm hoping to convince her to add a painting gallery to the site soon.

Fritha and I also picked up a stunning piece - 'Memory of Fire' - by Roberto Paulet, her ex-tutor who has recently moved to Poland. More to follow on the new addition to our slowly growing art collection (as soon as I can find a wall large enough to hang it!).

Ted, meet Mama. Mama, meet Ted.

Three minutes after the first incision, Ted's being introduced to his mother. Barely enought time for Dad to fire off half a dozen photo's (and certainly not enough to switch to video mode, as he'd hoped).

End of the Golden Weather

Well, this morning it started drizzling and tonight I'd call it bona fide rain. It's been dry for a couple of months now, as has this blog, so I thought that both droughts could end on the same day.

It's been too busy and too much fun to stop and write anything here. In between changing nappies and taking out the trash, we've had:
* Frankie's 1st birthday. A fantastic day, brilliant sun, a perfect birthday boy and plenty of people to finish up my leftover beer.
* A couple of weddings, including Matt and Sarah's - where I supplied a Kolsch, a Keller Bier, an APA and a Porter.
* Lots of work at work, SOBA, the NZ Brewer's Guild, writing for Not PC, and in the brewery.
* Fantastic sunrise walks with Wendy each morning... around the bays, up the hill, past the prison and
* Who knows what else... my brain's a bit mushy and Fritha's probably isn't firing at 100% either.

It's just a shame that Fritha's been too "full" to enjoy the summer with us... Next year, perhaps? Unless she's pregnant again!

So until then, or sometime between here and there... slainte mhath.

ps. Ted's pencilled in for Wednesday 21 March.

Muscle Boy and Mama, Caloundra, Oct 2006.

 

Living with the Hamburglars

Fritha's friend Vanessa is staying with us for a couple of weeks before she heads back to Auckland to begin life as a family (with partner Paul and soon-to-be-born "Pipi Mena").

I can't help but feel like one of the two of these girls might steal my hamburger...

 

Rua

 

Joy: "Mamma!"

 

Gorillas in the Bistro

I was busy enjoying a fantastic meal on Saturday night, with my gorgeous girl, at the Boulcott Street Bistro while everyone else was watching a gray TV screen.  ‘Twas our first meal out since Frankie entered the world (we were also there a couple of days before his due date).

A couple of nice pale ales for me (Hopsmacker, which was tasting particularly nice, and a Little Creatures) and a couple of marvelous minty cocktails for Fritha.  The menu was superb, and the offerings totally did it justice.
My picks:

• Jerusalem artichoke soup with wild mushroom tortellini.


• Courgette, rocket and basil risotto with mozarella stuffed aubergine.


• Pear, Honey and Lime Sponge with caramelised pear ice cream.

And Fritha's:

• Jerusalem artichoke soup with wild mushroom tortellini.


• Herb and pepper crusted salmon with creamed sweetcorn and red capsicum.


• Profilteroles, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

I can’t recommend the place enough.  I’ve long thought that the Boulcott Street Bistro is the best restaurant in town and Saturday night was spot on.  Great food, drinks, service, price and the absolutely the best company.

Meanwhile, a pea soup was descending upon Christchurch.  Gorrillas in the mist.  The Hurricanes missed, and they didn’t hit the lynch mob either.  Oh well, boys, better luck next time.  I hope the after-match fog has lifted.

The Mother's Day, Wigtoft, May 2006

A particularly happy man, a rambunctious little monster, and a contented wee dog, live in a gorgeous seaside house with this, most amazingly talented, beautiful mother. You make our hearts sing Fritha Burgin... lover, mother, master... xxx.

Mother

2005 - The Year of the Bump

2005, the year that Frankie was conceived.
Stu turned 30, got divorced and brewed/tasted plenty of beer.
Fritha painted, travelled to New York and Tokyo, and started growing a baby.
Wendy matured. She can handle being in the same room as running children but still isn't a great fan of visitors arriving.
A few good albums graced, and played endlessly on, our stereo - A Ghost is Born by Wilco (on now, as I write), Pegasus by Phoenix Foundation, B-Sides and Rarities and Abbatoir Blues by NicK Cave and the Bad Seeds... to name a few.
Many a good meal was enjoyed - at home, the Boulcott Street Bistro, Logan Brown, Francois, Salute.
We brought our second piece of art - far more extravagant than our first.

We've just come back from the sea. I swam while Wendy and Fritha frolicked. It's nice to live here. We both love the coast, the sea, the view of the mountains, the fact that the sun is gone early in the afternoon (something everyone else would hate, I guess). We have friendly
neighbours. A great place for a boy, a girl a dog and a baby to live...

2006 will bring us a baby boy and other joys, I'm sure. We'll move down the road and, I think, we'll be in less of a hurry to get wherever it is we think we're going. We're a family now.

From 2005, it's goodbye from him and goodbye from her.

Mistletoe and wine?

It's more likely to be sand and beer, around our house this christmas. The famous Wellington wind is blowing up a sandstorm and Christmas always involves a few ales, for me.

Today is my last day of work before a whole 17 days off. My longest break in a few years. Boy am I looking forward to it. Got some great little presents for the family. Fritha and I splashed out and bought Maryrose Crook's 'Eighth Layer of the Heart', for ourselves.

Tomorrow is Fritha's last day of "work"... ever? She's well and truly experiencing the third trimester now. This period, through until a month or two after birth, will be the make-or-break period as to whether she'll ever want another baby (or whether I will for that matter).

And, back to the subject of Wellington's wind, some good news from the back-blocks... it's all go for the windfarm. I think it's time that the nimby residents of Makara get back to what they do best, which is anything other than complaining on my morning radio show. These guys would rather we burn coal, anywhere else, than harness the wind in their little gully. I wonder if there were ever any discussions on agreements about noise and free power?

Rising Son

Mushy mushy.

Fritha is back from the Land of the Rising Sun, with a rapidly expanding waitline - courtesy of our own little rising son.

Wendy and I are delighted to have everyone back together. The weather has been magnificent, too hot in fact, and the whole family have had a few days off work together. Frankie's moving around aout as much as us, which isn't actually a whole lot thanks to the hot weather. We've spent a lot of time lounging around on the bed, getting reacquainted. And as always, we're eating plenty of good, fresh, food.

Frankie's juju lips, button nose and cute little hands, were the highlight of Friday at Doctor Sangalli's office. Not sure where the lips have come from - perhaps it's a baby thing!? He often holds his hands up in front of his face, I wonder if he's shy or if he just hasn't got enough room in there to stretch out?

Insurance have called to say that they'll pay up in-full. That means a new, carbon-framed, road bike should be coming for christmas. Lovely stuff.

Back to work, tomorrow, for the usual 4-day week... and then it's three relaxing weeks off. Fritha's got 5 days to go and then she's "retiring". She' ll become my "woman in the house", as the japanese say (though that surely beats "idiot wife", which is their other option).

Oh Baby, I'm Dreaming of Wednesday...

Fritha's somewhere between Tokyo and Wellington. Let's hope the fog steers clear tomorrow and she can bring herself and my baby home. And a nice bottle of single malt.

This last week, we've been lucky enough to have a bunch of calm humid days with misty mornings and clar afternoons. All this perfect weather and Fritha has not been here to enjoy it with me. Wendy and I have made the most of it though; plenty of walks and a bit of time in the sea for Wendy (it's too cold for me, even though I was in earlier than this the last couple of years). When we arrived back from the shop today, the water was oily smooth and the moon was just a slither short of full.

Today I wished that I had the camera. I saw a japanese couple, with their cute little baby, paddling in the sea. Their shoes were lined up in a way that suggested a hint of obsessive compulsive disorder - it was picture perfect. And then there was the glassy harbour and the rising dark mist out in the Cook Strait - more pics.

No pictures today though... it's all going on in my mind, and Fritha's there too.

We miss her...

We miss you Fritha. The flowers don't seem so lambent, when you're not around.

We are family

Fun times, before Fritha and Frankie left for New York. Wendy and I are getting by. Work helps for me, Daisy and Mum help for Wendy. We'll head into the Tararua, next week, to while away the time...