To insanity and beyond ...: I very nearly missed THAT game!

I very NEARLY missed THAT game on Sunday morning and that would’ve been a CATASTROPHE!

My SA mates will know which game I mean.

The Currie Cup Final.

Sharks vs Western Province and my Sharks WON

.... COMPREHENSIVELY!

It was SO worth getting up for.

Hmmm .... not stealthy enough!

It’s been a long weekend here in good ole NZ.

Labour Weekend.

The fourth Monday in October commemorates the successful struggle for an 8 hour working day that was won by one Samuel Parnell back in the 1840's.

Funny how things have changed. As Christmas approaches we’re expected to have the shop open from 9am to 6pm ... so much for an 8 hour working day!

When the shop’s busy though, time flies so you don’t always register that you’ve been on your feet and working for over 9 hours. The bonus .... I get to TALK as much as I like!

It’s that WORDS FALLING out of my MOUTH thing again!

I love talking almost as much I LOVE low tide?

Have I mentioned that before .... how much I love low tide?

I might have done but I’ll say it again.

I just LOVE LOW TIDE!

It’s when the Kingfishers and the Herons come out to play!

They LOVE the rock pools. The Heron agitates the water like the seagulls do. I’m surmising here but I think the agitation of the water makes the little creatures living in the sand think the tide’s turned and they come to the surface thinking they’re safe.

BUT they’re NOT.

Before I can blink, the eager eyes of the Heron have spotted whatever’s risen to the surface and that long beak of his finishes the job.

The Kingfishers hunt in a very different way. They like elevated observation points where they can sit and watch for the little crabs in the mudflats. The crabs don’t stand a chance. A flash of blue and the crab’s history.

Regardless of their hunting methods though, both these bird species are out and about at low tide. The opportunity to sneak up close CAN’T possibly be ignored. It’s a good thing I DON’T mind muddy feet as the mudflats at low tide can be rather dank and sticky.

Smelly too sometimes.

I managed to snap some magical shots today but only after having managed to dissuade Sam from accompanying me onto the mudflats. He reckons my time on the beach is best spent throwing balls for him and the hound to retrieve ... not stalking birds.