photo : Kaitoke Regional park, with a centuries old forest, near the setting of the Lord of the Rings for Rivendell, not that I know what it means, but some of you will).

I can’t find any cause for celebration at the start of 2024, whether it’s international or national politics, the state of the planet or society in general. That being said, my daily life is pleasant, while my loved ones are in good health and generally quite happy. From a local perspective, holiday makers will soon be returning home and I will be able to reclaim « my » beach and « my » sea. Nelson won the second prize for sunniest city in the country (about 30 hours behind Lake Tekapo). We are escaping floods or droughts for the moment, the kumara (sweet potato) harvest will be good this year (last year, floods destroyed almost everything). The library has reopened its doors after a year of closure. The ceiling tiles, which were too heavy, risked seriously injuring someone in the event of an earthquake. The City Council, struggling with the rising cost of living, is looking into the city’s expenses in detail. The first one :   not  repairing two  of our swimming pools (not very sporty, I find). Number two : possibly eliminating bag dispensers to collect doggie droppings in order to save $37,000.  People are getting a little more aggressive about the flower baskets that have been associated with Nelson for decades. Will we fork out $100,000 a year for them ? But the most preposterous idea for cutting back on expenses, hidden under an environmental concern, is to  remove completely the rubbish bins!