Windows 7 Theme, Nova Scotia, Canada

Hey fans!

I decided to try my hand at creating a half decent Windows 7 .Themepack file, based on some of my best Nova Scotia photographs so take a look and download!

This is a Canadian Windows 7 theme using photos of one of my favourite places, Nova Scotia. Enjoy!

• Nova Scotia, Windows 7 Themepack : Download >>

Canada Wins Hockey Olympic Gold !!

Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby has just slammed the puck into the American net during sudden death in the Gold Medal Hockey Game of the Winter Olympics!

Wooooo!

: Because my other half is from Nova Scotia, I have gotten completely sucked into this game!

Team Canada has won hockey gold on home ice after defeating Team USA 3-2 in overtime.
more from Hockey News >>

Storm and a Falling Hemlock Tree

It is snowing again! After me and Kate cleared the driveway the other day, mother nature decided to dump another 10-15 Cm's of snow on us.

Lake Echo is freezing over and guess what? last night we awoke to the sound of an almighty crash outside. We assumed like last year it was just a pile of snow falling off the roof and so we went back to sleep, however, in the morning we discovered the real reason for last nights crashing sound. A massive Eastern Hemlock tree which borders the front garden which has been there for god knows how many years decided that it had enough of the storm and keeled over, missing the house and the car!

Had it fallen a different way, then I might have been writing this blog post from the next life.

Now I believe we need to call some guys with chainsaws and bloody big truck to take the bugger away.

Merry Xmas.

The SNOW has arrived!

Well, after a few warmish days in Nova Scotia the weather has finally kicked into its seasonal norm and the temperatures have fallen, just like the snow!

Schools are already being closed and warnings are out for the highways.

Yesterday, me and Katie went shopping at Mic Mac Mall and had lunch at East Side Mario's which was excellent.

The last few days we have been putting up the Christmas decorations and lights, I have been out taking photos in the snow and I expect tomorrow I will be shoveling it off the driveway.

Today we ate at Cora's in Dartmouth and had a healthy feed, and by healthy I mean unhealthy....if you know what I mean?

The other night we boiled up 8 Lobsters and they were absolutely ace! We bought them for only $5.00 Lb direct from the fishermen since they are getting paid low prices from the distributors, they have taken to selling the Lobsters direct by the side of the road out the back of their vans. Good ones too!

As always the Snow provides for excellent photography and I will be surely returning to New Zealand will hundred's of wintry photos.

This weekend we plan to grab a hotel in the city and go out for a meal and a few Britney's.

Muzzerino.

Winter in Halifax, Nova Scotia

God! I never want to see Toronto Airport again!!

Between being hungover and waiting for a delayed flight I was desperate to get out of there. I spend about 8 hours in the airport just walking in circles, visiting the same shops over and over, looking out the window and checking the departure monitors to see if my flight was actually going to go or not.

Due to high winds the Halifax flight was delayed but we eventually got there after a very bumpy approach.

Nova Scotia is much warmer this year when I arrived, indeed 25c warmer than last time where it was -12c and now it is +12, indeed much like an Auckland day.

This soon dropped however and we are now sitting at around 0 degree's C and last night we got a wee but of snow, not much but enough for me and Katie to make 2 snowballs from the picnic table!

Today we are off to grab an Xmas tree!

Dear Mr Key, NZ house prices are still too high!

In order to stem the flow of Kiwis leaving New Zealand for a better life elsewhere, New Zealand has to actively attract immigrants such as myself from the UK and many other from all over the world, specifically many parts of Asia, Canada and South Africa.

I came to New Zealand as a backpacker in 2003 and got the chance to stay on and gain permanent residency.

New Zealand summers are amazing, the flora and fauna is exotic (compared to UK) and the people are friendly, helpful and overall New Zealand is a very safe country to live in.

There is of course however, no such thing as a free lunch.

New Zealand, like many places does have its "cons" and one of these is the unavoidable fact that NZ has a low wage economy. Jobs in NZ pay far less then their counterparts in other countries such as the UK or Canada and this seems to be generally accepted by many people, because the New Zealand lifestyle is much better and this is what makes up for it.

Or does it?

Yes the Summers are warm and long, eating out is very cheap and petrol costs far less than in the UK, but there is one very important component in the New Zealand lifestyle that remains unattainable for many people including myself.

Owning our own home.

New Zealand house prices, especially those in Auckland are hideously expensive and I have no idea why. Yes many houses in NZ are fully detached, something that people in UK terraced housing can only dream about, but consider this, for approx $350,000 NZD in Auckland you will maybe be able to buy a small 1 or 2 bedroom unit in a decent area. This unit will not be detached (obviously) no central heating or double glazing and may not even have proper insulation.

I am comparing this to two other places that I know very well. Nova Scotia, in Canada and Edinburgh, Scotland. Nova Scotia in particular is also quite a low wage economy and the prices of houses, fuel, food reflect this. Scotland is a high wage economy by comparison and the house prices, fuel, food also reflects it, makes sense.

For $350,000 (approx 131,000 British Pounds or 238,000 Canadian Dollars) you could buy a regular semi detached house in Edinburgh or and incredible 3 bedroom fully detached home in Nova Scotia, Canada both of which will almost always offer solidly built, well insulated and with economic central heating. Take a look at this startling comparison.

New Zealand Average Price in NZD = $405,235
United States Average Price in NZD = $369,839
United Kingdom Average Price in NZD = $347,992
Australia Average Price in NZD = $623,107

I have already ranted on about the need for New Zealand homes to have decent heating and insulation through the NZ winter, see here >>

So, in summary, NZ is exotic to many people, including myself and I love it here, but when it comes to the basics, lets think about it, low wages + high priced housing = more people will be leaving!

John Key, the new Prime Minister of NZ had said throughout his election campaign that the National Party would address the issue of people leaving NZ, I desperately hope that this issue of extortionately prices New Zealand housing will be high up on his list.

(the image is of a fully insulated, double glazed, dry and warm house in Nova Scotia, Canada)

Muzzerino

You live in Nova Scotia when....

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through
May, you live in Nova Scotia.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and
they don't work there, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you
live in Nova Scotia.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with
someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Nova Scotia.

If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of
Yarmouth for the weekend, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you measure distance in hours, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than
once, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you have switched from "heat" to
"A/C" in the same day and back again, you live in
Nova Scotia.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a
raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you install security lights on your house and garage,
but leave both unlocked, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to
use them, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over
a snowsuit, you live in Nova Scotia.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are
filled with snow you live in Nova Scotia.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still
winter and road construction, you live in Nova Scotia.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car,
you live in Nova Scotia.

If you find 10 degrees F "a little chilly", you
live in Nova Scotia

If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to
all your Nova Scotian friends, you live in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia / Jokes